OPL Teen Reads

2012-01-19T16:28:00.000-06:00

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

4 out of 5 stars

Seventeen year old Juliette has spent the last three years locked away in an asylum for a crime she didn't mean to commit. Meanwhile, amidst environmental turmoil, the world began to change; causing crops and animals to die and people to starve.

Enter the Reestablishment. This government organization is meant to aid the world by giving it structure and helping the rest of the population to survive by any means necessary.

Back in her cell, Juliette gets a surprise when one day she gets a cellmate. A young boy named Adam, who she remembers from her past. However, Juliette is keeping a secret. The secret behind her solitary confinement: her touch is lethal. She doesn't know why, but ever since she was little, people have kept their distance for fear of her touch.

As mysteries start to unfold, the Reestablishment begin to show interest in Juliette... as the ultimate weapon.

There has been a ton of buzz on this novel within the YA community, so I just knew I had to pick it up. I was not disappointed. Although at some points the novel feels a little heavy-handed in its writing style, it is incredibly fast paced and the storyline is fantastic. I'm definitely looking forward to the next installments (yes, this is book one in the start of a new trilogy), and can't wait to see how the storyline will progress.

2012-01-06T16:38:00.000-06:00

Ashfall by Mike Mullen

5 out of 5 stars

Life as fifteen year old Alex knows it ends with the eruption of a super-volcano at Yellowstone National Park. The aftermath of the eruption reaches Alex's home all the way in Cedar Falls, Iowa and lays waste to most of the United States. Crops are dead, and the animals are fast following suit due to a disease from breathing in the ash. The world is starving. Now, fighting for survival in this all too real apocalyptic landscape, Alex must make his way to the city of Warren in Illinois to reunite with his family.

Along the way, Alex meets a girl named Darla. Having lived on a farm her entire life, Darla is the epitome of a badass survivor chick. She is inventive, strong willed, and saves Alex from death more than once. It was really refreshing to read such a strong willed female character. Together, they form a great team that is reminiscent of Katniss and Peeta from The Hunger Games.

I have to say, I adored this book. Apocalypse plots have been done many times over, but for me this one felt fresh, and hauntingly realistic. However, I must caution that this novel seems to be gear toward the older teen demographic. Although I don't remember there being a lot of bad language, it depicts very violent action sequences in detail, and there is some sexuality. Overall, for being near the 500 page mark, Ashfall is a very quick, fast paced read that had me wanting to devour it from page one. I'm eagerly awaiting the sequel Ashen Winter that is due out in October 2012.

2012-01-02T21:14:00.001-06:00

Beautiful Chaos (Caster Chronicles #3) by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

3 out of 5 stars

The latest installment of the Caster Chronicles shows Ethan Wate and Lena Ravenwood trying to find some normalcy in their totally abnormal world. After the disastrous event at the Great Barrier, things have been strange in Gatlin. The heat weighs on everyone like a blanket, insects are rampant, and the lake has dried up. According to some members of the community, these are signs of the apocalypse. It is up to Ethan and Lena, along with their friends, to discover the truth and set things right. To restore Order.

I have to admit, it took a bit for me to fully immerse myself in this book. Unlike the first two installments, I wasn't automatically gripped. I feel as if a lot of the novel was filler, and could have been at least one hundred pages shorter without the plot changing one bit. I also felt that the mystery was a bit too obvious, so the big reveal didn't pack as much of a punch for me as I feel like the authors intended.

Having said all these things, I did like the book overall. It did well to expand the mythos in the series, and toward the end there were a few points where I felt a little misty-eyed. The characters are also still true to form, and the Link/Ridley storyline is as entertaining as ever. All in all, I am looking forward to book four, which will hopefully bring about more closure, since Beautiful Chaos seemed like a set up for this novel, rather than something worthy of its own book.

2011-11-19T11:54:00.000-06:00

Prized by Caragh M. O'Brien

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When I first picked up Birthmarked, I was in a reading slump and the synopsis was was the first to ignite my interest in quite awhile. From the first page I was hooked, and upon finishing I was eager to begin the second. Prized, the second book in the Birthmarked trilogy, did not disappoint.

Young Gaia Stone, along with her newborn baby sister, Maya, have been traveling through the desolate Wasteland for about a month. One day, when Gaia thought all hope was lost, she and Maya are rescued by a young man on horseback. They are then taken to a small town called Sylum. The town is ruled by women, and men are subservient.

Learning to adapt to this strange new town is no easy feat for Gaia, as she is forced to change her entire way of thinking. When a person from her past shows up, it throws the entire town of Sylum out of balance, and it is up to Gaia Stone to put it right.

View all my reviews

2011-10-24T12:39:00.001-05:00

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ransom Riggs' novel Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children was a fast paced, fascinating read. The "found photos" interspersed within the chapters were awesome. It really added a deeper level to the story and made it so I was able to visualize everything much more clearly in my mind. The monsters are truly scary, and the children truly extraordinary.

From the first page I was completely entranced by the story and characters, and since the ending set up quite nicely for many sequels, I'm looking forward to any subsequent books. I also feel that since it is one week before Halloween, it is the perfect book if you're looking for a spooky pick!

View all my reviews

2011-10-18T14:21:00.000-05:00

Lost in Time by Melissa de la Cruz

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I first got hooked into the Blue Bloods series my junior year of high school. Vampires had just started to become a craze, and I thought Melissa de la Cruz's take on them was very original. However, now six books and one novella in, I've just been reading them for the sake of finishing the series.

There were times throughout this book when I was so annoyed with the main protagonist (Schuyler Van Alen) that I began longing for the chapters featuring the ever sarcastic Fallen angel Mimi Force. While overall I did enjoy the book, to me it was just "okay". Two of the biggest positives to this series is the humor and the interesting twist on mythology. The biggest negative would be that even for a shorter book, it still seemed to be about 100 pages too long for the limited amount of events.

Though this review seems a bit harsh, I am looking forward to the final installment in the Blue Bloods series.

View all my reviews

Short but sweet

2011-10-08T08:40:00.000-05:00

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Everyone needs to read this book. It was perfect and can be finished in one sitting. I cried.

View all my reviews

2011-10-07T13:12:00.002-05:00

Following Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci

As a huge fan of the book The Body of Christopher Creed (pub. 2000), I felt a mixture of excitement and trepidation when I first learned of a sequel being published. Ever since reading it, the first book has stuck with me and remains one of my absolute favorites.

Now, published over a decade later, Following Christopher Creed picks off five years after the events in the first novel. Ever since young Christopher Creed ran away from home, the small town of Steepleton has been wrought with despair. Cancer and car accident rates are at an all-time high, more kids are turning down the path of drugs, and Christopher's family have yet to recover their loss.

College journalism student Mike Mavic has been obsessed with the Christopher Creed case ever since Chris's classmate Torey Adams launched a website chronicling his experiences with the mystery surrounding Chris's disappearance. After a dead body is uncovered in Steepleton, Mike, along with his girlfriend RayAnn, sells his laptop and travels there, in an attempt to get the story of a lifetime. Is this the body of Christopher Creed? Or is it yet another victim of Steepleton?

I'll admit, this novel was hard to get into at first. Because of its content, it was a bit of a slow burner. Lots of information, not a lot of action. Halfway through it definitely started to pick up the pace, but I still wasn't completely sold. Here was this great potential for a sequel to a book that is much loved, and I felt the author was wasting it with a bunch of pointless exposition. Then came the ending, which completely blew me away and caused me to completely reevaluate the entire novel.

Though it does work as a stand-alone, I'd recommend this book to all lovers of The Body of Christopher Creed and urge anyone who picks this up, but is struggling to get through it, to finish. The ending will not disappoint, and it made me want to do an immediate reread! Since I have seen many posts online that list Following Christopher Creed as the Steepleton Chronicles #2, here's to hoping Carol Plum-Ucci has number three in the works. There are many characters whose stories have yet to get closure, and I'd love to read about them for many books to come.

-Sam

2011-09-24T10:37:00.000-05:00

Bitter End by Jennifer Brown

"When Alex falls for the charming new boy at school, Cole -- a handsome, funny, sports star who adores her -- she can't believe she's finally found her soul mate... someone who truly loves and understands her.

At first, Alex is blissfully happy. Sure, Cole seems a little jealous of her relationship with her close friend Zack, but what guy would want his girlfriend spending all her time with another boy? As the months pass, though, Alex can no longer ignore Cole's small put-downs, pinches, or increasingly violent threats.

As Alex struggles to come to terms with the sweet boyfriend she fell in love with and the boyfriend whose "love" she no longer recognizes, she is forced to choose -- between her "true love" and herself." -Amazon product description

After reading, and loving, Jennifer Brown's debut novel Hate List I was eagerly awaiting another release from this great new author. Bitter End did not disappoint. Admittedly, it took me a little while to get fully immersed in the story. At first the story plays out in a fairly cliche fashion, but slowly it builds into a situation that is all too hauntingly real. Though I have never been in Alex's situation, I found her character to be very relatable.

This book, at times heartbreaking, leaves the reader asking themselves "What if?" or "What would I do if I was in an abusive relationship?". Due to the mature content, I would recommend Bitter End to older teen readers.

-Sam

2011-09-19T18:00:00.000-05:00

Blood Ties (Blood Coven #6) by Mari Mancusi

WARNING: This recommendation contains slight spoilers, so if you haven't read the previous books & don't want to be spoiled, please read no further. If you don't mind slight spoilers, by all means continue :)

"Officially back in the arms of her vampire boyfriend Magnus, Sunny finds she still can't forget the gentle mortal Jayden who once saved her life. When darkness threatens to steal his humanity, Sunny must make a choice: stay true to her love, or defy him in a desperate attempt to save Jayden's soul.

Meanwhile, the Blood Coven is gearing up its toughest fight yet. They are going head-to-head with a splinter group of Slayer Inc. that's regrouping in Tokyo, Japan--still determined to take over the world.

In dark blood bars and hidden temples, it'll be vampires versus slayers in a showdown that could not only cost Sunny her heart...but also her life." -Amazon product description

This latest installment in the Blood Coven series was super fun! Clocking in at 231 pages, it's a pretty fast read. I'm sad that the next book Soul Bound (coming in 2012) will be the last one, because I would probably follow these characters forever. Full of hilarious, action packed scenes, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who needs a bit of light reading, and likes their vampires with a bite!

-Sam

Oldie but Goodie!

2011-09-01T16:16:00.002-05:00

Unwind by Neal Shusterman (pub. 2008)

This sci-fi/dystopian book is one that I randomly came across online as being highly recommended. The premise immediately sucked me in and although I have about one hundred pages left to read, this is already one of my favorite YA dystopian novels. Part of me is sad I didn't discover it sooner! A sequel titled Unwholly is set to be published in 2012.

Synopsis: "In a future world where those between the ages of thirteen and eighteen can have their lives 'unwound' and their body parts harvested for use by others, three teens go to extreme lengths to uphold their beliefs---and, perhaps, save their own lives."

2011-08-29T11:51:00.000-05:00

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

When a plane carrying contestants for the Miss Teen Dream pageant crashes on a remote island, the survivors face greater challenges than just finding food, shelter, and missing cosmetics.

Unbeknownst to the girls, the island is not deserted: its volcano houses a secret U.S.-government enclave involved in illegal weapons trading, and the cast grows further after some studly reality-TV pirates arrive on the scene. Outlandish? Yes. And there are characters that veer toward stereotype: take-charge Miss Texas, incognito-journalist Miss New Hampshire, and transgender Miss Rhode Island (who has a surprise under her sash), among others. But rather than letting the plot reel out of control, Bray, author of the Printz Award-winning Going Bovine (2009), spins this hilarious romp into an examination of femininity and feminism, sex and sexuality. And while they await rescue, the girls discover moving truths about themselves.

The text is interspersed with commercial breaks, contestant fact sheets, footnotes, radio broadcasts, and spoofs of reality TV and celebrity status, all of which add to the appeal of this sure-to-be popular title.

--Dobrez, Cind. Copyright 2010 Booklist Review

2011-08-16T20:38:00.003-05:00

Divergent by Veronica Roth

The citizens of Chicago belong to five different factions. These factions all value different things. Abnegation values selflessness and therefore make up the government. Erudite values knowledge and intellect so they are the scientists, doctors, and scholars. Dauntless values bravery and fearlessness, which makes them the protectors. Candor values honesty, so that makes them good lawyers. Amity values peace, and though it isn't explicitly stated in the novel, I pictured them as being Amish-like.

Every year, the sixteen year olds from each faction participate in aptitude tests that determine which faction they are best suited. Once given the results and time to think, there is what is called the Choosing Ceremony where each individual decides to either stay with their birth faction, or abandon their old life to join a new one.

Sixteen year old Beatrice Prior was born into Abnegation. Her life has always been good -- her mother is kind and loving, her father holds a position of power in the city, and her brother Caleb is like her best friend. However, something has always been missing. Though she tries hard, Beatrice has never mastered complete selflessness. While she should only be thinking of others, she finds she thinks of herself all too often. On the day of her aptitude test, Beatrice's results are deemed "inconclusive".

In a world where everyone has their place, this is very very bad. 'Divergent' is what her examiner calls her, along with a warning that she should never tell people what she is, less she want to end up dead. Beatrice must then decide whether she wants to abandon her family and the only home she has ever known, or stay and hope to learn to be selfless.

I wholeheartedly loved this book. It's 487 pages, but is so fast-paced that it flies by in no time. By the end I was disappointed that I have to wait so long for the sequel! Roth paints a very vivid world, and it's also nice for anyone who has ever been to Chicago, because while being dystopian, the setting feels very familiar.

The main protagonist Beatrice is a fantastic character. She is very multi-faceted, relatable, and at times super badass. The central conflict of the story is very fascinating and I'm really eager to see how it will eventually resolve itself in the next installments. I also adore Beatrice's love interest. Definitely grabbing up the next book right when it comes out!

For fans of:
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien
Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Claire
Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness
Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld

-Sam

2011-08-11T17:51:00.000-05:00

Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness

If you're into science fiction, futuristic societies, dystopian lit, or just want a super awesome new book to read, I highly suggest picking up the Chaos Walking trilogy. In book one, The Knife of Never Letting Go, we're introduced to the main protagonist; a young boy named Todd only months away from his thirteenth birthday. This birthday will symbolize his assent from "boy" to "man".

Todd was born and raised in Prentisstown on New World. Ever since he was a baby, there have been no women in Prentisstown. A germ called "Noise" was said to have killed them off. Noise affects all people on New World and is an infection that causes a person to be able to hear the thoughts of another. New World is also the home to a race called the Spackle. Upon landing, the settlers from Earth at first lived in peace with the Spackle, but after awhile war broke out. The settlers were victorious and ever since no one has seen the Spackle (Todd has always been taught they were extinct).

One day while off hunting, Todd stumbles upon a spot of complete silence. In a world where everyone is constantly bombarded by the Noise of someone else's thoughts, this moment both astonishes and confuses Todd. Instantly, he discovers that the silence he is experiencing is because a girl is present. The first girl Todd has ever seen in his entire life. Todd soon realizes that the girl might be in mortal danger, because she begins to read Todd's thoughts (aka gets infected by the Noise germ) and no woman has survived the germ.

Through this book and its sequels The Ask and the Answer and Monsters of Men, Patrick Ness takes you on a journey to a whole new world with old world problems. It's definitely a morality tale and poses a lot of heavy questions. The plight of good vs evil comes into play many times, as does right vs wrong. There are moments of violence and some light cursing, so I would recommend that the reader be 12 and up.

I really want this trilogy to get more recognition. It takes you on a roller coaster ride of emotions and is entertaining from the first page of book one until the last page of book three. I also promise you at some point in the series, you WILL cry :)

-Sam

2011-08-04T12:04:00.002-05:00

Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien

Set in the distant future, at a time where drastic climate change has left the world bleak and dry, seventeen year old Gaia Stone and her family have always served the Enclave.

Living outside the Enclave wall in the small town of Wharfton, her mother is a highly revered midwife. Gaia has been a midwife-in-training for many years. The first three babies born each month in Wharfton are given to the Enclave to be "advanced". One day, after delivering her first baby, Gaia goes home to discover an Enclave soldier in her living room. Her parents have been arrested, and it has something to do with the quota of babies that get delivered to the Enclave each month.

After her parents' arrest, Gaia slowly starts to unravel the mysteries and politics surrounding the Enclave, and everything she's ever known to be true comes into question. Her plan then is simple: rescue her parents from the Enclave prison and run away to the Dead Forest, a place where there is supposedly habitable life away from the oppression of the Enclave, but also a place many believe does not exist. She is thus captured and through a series of highly tense and action-packed events, befriends many unlikely people to aid her on her journey.

Birthmarked is the first installment in a new dystopian trilogy. I found myself drawn into Gaia's world from the first page, and eager to learn everything as she discovered the secrets of the Enclave. By the end I was pretty invested in the characters. Gaia Stone is one of the best female protagonists I've read in YA literature since Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games). The second installment, Prized, hits bookstores in November and it has become one of my most anticipated books for fall.

For fans of:
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Delirium by Lauren Oliver
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Matched by Ally Condie
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

-Sam

Another oldie but goodie...

2011-06-23T12:02:00.000-05:00

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer (pub. 2006)

Yet another novel that I just started reading, but one that has grabbed me from the first page and refuses to let go. If the rest of the book is just as intense as the first twenty-five pages, than I would put this near the top of my favorite YA dystopian works. It's the first book in the Moon Crash/Last Survivors trilogy.

Synopsis: "Through journal entries sixteen-year-old Miranda describes her family's struggle to survive after a meteor hits the moon, causing worldwide tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions."

An oldie, but goodie...

2011-06-06T17:01:00.007-05:00

Gone by Michael Grant (pub. 2008)
I'm only about 20 pages into this book, and it rocks. It's the first of quite a few installments, so I have a lot of catching up to do.

Synopsis: "In a small town on the coast of California, everyone over the age of fourteen suddenly disappears, setting up a battle between the remaining town residents and the students from a local private school, as well as those who have "The Power" and are able to perform supernatural feats and those who don't."

2011-05-31T13:40:00.002-05:00

Memento Nora by Angie Smibert

In the future, it doesn't pay to remember.

In Nora's world you don't have to put up with nightmares. Nora goes with her mother to TFC--a Therapeutic Forgetting Clinic. There, she can describe her horrible memory and take the pill that will erase it. But at TFC, a chance encounter with a mysterious guy changes Nora's life. She doesn't take the pill. And when Nora learns the memory her mother has chosen to forget, she realizes that someone needs to remember.

With newfound friends Micah and Winter, Nora makes a comic book of their memories called Memento. It's an instant hit, but it sets off a dangerous chain of events. Will Nora, Micah, and Winter be forced to take the Big Pill that will erase their memories forever?

-Amazon product description.

Yet another great book in the dystopia craze, Memento Nora sucked me in instantly. Though it is only around 180 pages long, it is a fully realized world full of terrorist attacks, paranoia, and government control. At the center of it all is young Nora who, after one traumatic experience, has her whole world turned upside down. Smibert is currently working on the sequel.

-Sam.

2011-05-23T12:21:00.003-05:00

The Gathering (Darkness Rising #1) by Kelley Armstrong

Strange things are happening in Maya's tiny Vancouver Island town. First, her friend Serena, the captain of the swim team, drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. Then, one year later, mountain lions are spotted rather frequently around Maya's home—and her reactions to them are somewhat . . . unexpected. Her best friend, Daniel, has also been experiencing unexplainable premonitions about certain people and situations.

It doesn't help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret, and he's interested in one special part of Maya's anatomy—her paw-print birthmark.

-Amazon product description.

This latest YA book from author Kelley Armstrong is the start of a new trilogy, while at the same time being a continuation of her Darkest Powers trilogy (The Summoning, The Awakening, and The Reckoning). You do not have to have read the first trilogy to understand The Gathering but it is fun to have knowledge of things that Maya and her friends can only guess at. Eventually, Armstrong plans to merge the two trilogies, but as of now they're separate stories.

I read this book at a very fast pace. It's around 360 pages long, but the chapters are broken up so that it flies by rather quickly. The story is engrossing from page one, and I'm so eager to read the second installment! The second book is called The Calling and it will be out April 2012.

-Sam.

2011-05-19T13:38:00.010-05:00

Lately, I have become a big fan of YA dystopian literature. Series such as The Hunger Games, The Mortal Instruments, and The Forest of Hands and Teeth are just a few in this ever growing phenomena (much like the vampire craze that has been sweeping the YA world the past few years). Instead of making separate posts, I've decided to list my top 3 new dystopian books I've read most recently. All 3 of these books are the first in new trilogies.

1. Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Imagine leaving everything behind in order to be with the people you love, only to be left with nothing. Amy and her parents have been cryogenically frozen to be awakened in 300 years when their spaceship reaches the planet they will colonize. Unfortunately, Amy is unfrozen 50 years too soon. Her parents are too critical to the colony to awaken early, so by the time she sees them again, she will be older than they are. The culture on the spaceship is unfamiliar and everyone Amy meets is either an emotionless drone or lives in the mental ward. But there is little time for her to grieve the loss of her former life, because someone is thawing other colonists and leaving them to die.

In order to find the murderer, Amy must join forces with Elder, the teenage future leader of the ship. But all of the inhabitants onboard have been told lies, and there are secrets that even Elder doesn't know. This compelling novel is told in alternating chapters from Amy's and Elder's points of view. Amy is a contemporary character in a fish-out-of-water situation, and her grief and fear are realistically depicted. And as Elder learns the truth behind the ship, he begins to experience a coming-of-age that is convincingly written.

The mystery will propel readers along, and the budding romance between Amy and Elder set against the backdrop of a dystopian society will appeal even to readers who don't enjoy science fiction.

-School Library Journal

2. Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Lena Haloway is content in her safe, government-managed society. She feels (mostly) relaxed about the future in which her husband and career will be decided, and looks forward to turning 18, when she’ll be cured of deliria, a.k.a. love. She tries not to think about her mother’s suicide (her last words to Lena were a forbidden “I love you”) or the supposed “Invalid” community made up of the uncured just beyond her Portland, Maine, border. There’s no real point—she believes her government knows how to best protect its people, and should do so at any cost.

But 95 days before her cure, Lena meets Alex, a confident and mysterious young man who makes her heart flutter and her skin turn red-hot. As their romance blossoms, Lena begins to doubt the intentions of those in power, and fears that her world will turn gray should she submit to the procedure. In this powerful and beautifully written novel, Lauren Oliver, the bestselling author of Before I Fall, throws readers into a tightly controlled society where options don’t exist, and shows not only the lengths one will go for a chance at freedom, but also the true meaning of sacrifice.

-Amazon.com review

3. XVI by Julia Karr

In 2150 Chicago, girls are walking billboards. Upon turning 16, they receive government-issued tattoos on their wrists that read “XVI.” They’re supposed to keep the girls safe, but in reality, the tattoos broadcast their brand-new sexual availability. As their sixteenth birthdays approach, Nina is increasingly disturbed by her best friend’s obsession with becoming the ideal “sex-teen” and entering the Female Liaison Specialist (FeLs) service, the only option for women from the lower tiers to move up the social ladder. Meanwhile, Nina works hard to uncover the mystery her dead mother left behind, a secret that could end the entire FeLs program.

In her unsettling debut, Karr depicts a sex-obsessed future where women are the perpetual victims of predatory marketing, and other societal ills seen in our present—families trapped in the welfare system, pharmaceutical companies in bed with health-care providers and the media—have been taken to terrifying ends.

-Booklist review.

2011-05-19T12:59:00.002-05:00

The Dark and Hollow Places (Forest of Hands and Teeth Book #3) by Carrie Ryan

There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister's face when she and Elias left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the horde as they found their way to the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters.

Annah's world stopped that day and she's been waiting for him to come home ever since. Without him, her life doesn't feel much different from that of the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Then she meets Catcher and everything feels alive again.

Except, Catcher has his own secrets -- dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah's longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it's up to Annah -- can she continue to live in a world drenched in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return's destruction?

-Amazon product description.

While amazing conclusion to this great zombie dystopian trilogy, The Dark and Hollow Places still left me wanting more. I can't get enough of this vast world Ryan has created. Though the stories of these characters have come to a close, I really hope she continues to write in the same world of The Forest of Hands and Teeth.

-Sam.

2011-05-19T12:53:00.003-05:00

Night School (Blood Coven #5) by Mari Mancusi

After their parents' shocking revelation about their fae heritage and an attack on their lives, the McDonald twins are forced to hide out deep in the Swiss Alps at Riverdale Academy, a secret vampire slayer training facility. And with no way to contact their vampire boyfriends for rescue, they're going to have to play nice with the locals.

But when Sunny starts acting strange, Rayne realizes that there's more to fear at Riverdale than getting staked by the student body-leading to a showdown in Fairyland that may cost the twins their lives.

-Amazon product description.

This series just keeps getting better and better! While the premise of Sunny and Rayne's parents being faeries seemed a bit too cheesy for me when it was introduced at the conclusion of Bad Blood, Mancusi managed to make it work. I have so much fun reading these books! They're extremely witty and self-aware. To anyone looking for a vampire series with a tad bit more bite than Twilight, I encourage everyone to check out the Blood Coven.

-Sam.

2011-01-22T11:40:00.005-06:00

Misguided Angel by Melissa De La Cruz

After inheriting the dark Van Alen Legacy, Schuyler fled to Florence with her forbidden love, Jack. Now the two of them must embark on the mission Schuyler was destined to complete: to find and protect the five remaining gates that guard the earth from Lucifer, lord of the Silver Bloods.

Back in New York, Mimi has been elected Regent of a crumbling coven. Struggling with her heartache over the loss of Kingsley and with her overwhelming desire to destroy Jack, she must focus all of her energy on a perilous new threat. Vampires are being abducted and their captors are planning to burn them alive online…for all the world to see. Help arrives in the form of Deming Chen, a Venator from Shanghai, who must untangle the web of deceptions before the killers strike again.

As the young vampires struggle for the survival of the coven, they uncover a deadly secret, a truth first discovered by Schuyler’s mother during the Renaissance but kept buried for centuries. And as the Blue Blood enclave weakens yet further, fate leads Schuyler to a terrible choice that will ultimately map the destiny of her heart.

-Official website summary.

Vampires are becoming a pretty tired subject in pop culture as of late. The Blue Bloods series, however, has only been getting better with each installment. This series, which poses the theory that vampires are nothing more than fallen angels cursed to live out eternity on earth, is surprisingly original for it's genre. In this particular installment, I absolutely loved the new character of Deming Chen. She's a bad-ass Venator from Shanghai and will stop at nothing until she uncovers the truth. I hope her character pops up again.

Released this month was a follow up to Misguided Angel titled Bloody Valentine. This novella is comprised of three short stories that follow the lives of Oliver, Allegra, Schuyler, and Jack. Fans also (finally!) get to witness the bonding of Schuyler and Jack... but will everything go according to plan?

-Sam

2011-01-08T09:55:00.000-06:00

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

After the tragic death of her younger brother (of which she blames herself for), musically gifted high school senior Andi Alpers' life is in a downward spiral. Her scientist father lives out of state with his new family and rarely visits, her artist mother spends most days painting portraits of her son in a near catatonic state, and Andi has begun to rely on anti-depressants to help cope.

One day, upon learning that Andi hasn't been keeping up with her studies (apart from music lessons), is in danger of not graduating, and seeing his ex-wife's mental state, her father demands that she accompany him on a business trip to Paris for her winter break. Normally this type of offer would delight most girls her age, but for Andi, spending two weeks alone with her estranged father is more like a prison sentence. He also insists that his ex-wife be committed to a psychiatric ward in order to get the help she needs for the duration of the trip.

Eventually, Andi agrees to the vacation. She sees it as a time she can spend relaxing and playing her music. Plus, she has always loved the city. Andi and her father are staying with some friends of the family, the husband of which is a historian of the French Revolution. He has many artifacts and papers from the revolution. One of these artifacts is a guitar found in pristine condition in the Paris catacombs. Andi is immediately entranced, and upon examining the guitar's unique case, discovers a hidden secret. Inside the lining lies the diary of a young girl named Alexandrine Paradis, whom Andi learns became the ward of the son of Marie Antoinette.

Through this diary, Andi senses a shocking parallel between her life and Alexandrine's. As the diary's plot unfolds, more secrets become unearthed, and these entries hold the key to Andi's salvation.

As a lover of music and historical fiction, this novel had me hooked from the first page. Both Andi and Alex's plots were heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful. Though a few parts are slower paced than others, I found myself devouring the book. I tried not to give too much away in my summary, and completely left out the ending. I want it to throw everyone for a loop like it did me!

One of the reasons I have been slacking in my recommendations is a lack of passion for anything I've attempted to read. Revolution, however, left me completely engrossed. Though parts of it are a fictionalized account of the French Revolution, it painted a very hauntingly realistic picture of the time. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves a good story, and eventually I wish to read Jennifer Donnelly's first novel A Northern Light.

-Sam

Wow!

2011-01-08T09:47:00.000-06:00

Apologies for the lack of updates everyone! I promise to be more diligent with this blog for 2011. A whole new year means a whole new batch of books just waiting to be read & reviewed! :D Expect a new recommendation up in just a short while.

2010-10-25T12:12:00.000-05:00

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen.

Sometimes life-ending.

Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems.

-Amazon product description

This sequel to Beautiful Creatures takes the story of Ethan and Lena, and the history of Lena's Caster family, to a whole new level. Wrought with mystery and suspense, Ethan must discover the reasons behind Lena's strange behavior before her Seventeenth Moon. Which, at that time, will mean the difference between Lena returning to him, or being lost to the Darkness forever.

I really enjoyed this book. Like it's predecessor, it's pretty lengthy, but once you're drawn into the story it's a hard one to put down. I'm really looking forward to book three.

-Sam

2010-09-25T11:51:00.000-05:00

The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller

Seventeen year old Haven Moore has been having visions of places she has never been, and people she has never met. These visions are always accompanied by a fainting spell. Haven lives in the small town of Snopes City, Tennessee with her mother and grandmother. Her grandmother Imogen is a very strict Christian woman who believes Haven's visions are the work of a demon. Haven and her best friend Beau, however, believe the visions to be a sign that Haven is a reincarnated soul.

All of Haven's visions come from the point of view of a woman named Constance who lived in New York City in the 1920's until her untimely death in a house fire. Constance was head over heels in love with a young man named Ethan. Haven, through these visions, discovered that Constance must have been herself in a past life, and that now her soul in this life must find Ethan to be at peace. She believes Ethan to be a nineteen year old celebrity heir named Iain Morrow.

Now, it is up to Haven, with help from Beau, to discover all the mysteries surrounding her visions and Iain. This means escaping from her grandmother's careful watch and heading to NYC. But with a secret organization called the Ouroboros Society tracking her every move, this goal becomes even riskier to accomplish.

Filled with romance and intrigue, The Eternal Ones was a very original novel about a topic rarely explored in YA fiction. I loved it from the first page. It moves a bit slowly at times, but was surprisingly never dull. It also kept me guessing. I thought I'd had the plot all figured out early on, but it turns out I was completely wrong. Would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys a kind of sci fi novel or just a good romance story.

Hmm... wonder who I was in a past life? :)

-Sam

2010-08-28T15:46:00.000-05:00

Dirty Little Secrets by C.J. Omololu

Everyone has a secret. But Lucy’s is bigger and dirtier than most. It’s one she’s been hiding for years—that her mom’s out-of-control hoarding has turned their lives into a world of garbage and shame.

She’s managed to keep her home life hidden from her best friend and her crush, knowing they’d be disgusted by the truth. So, when her mom dies suddenly in their home, Lucy hesitates to call 911 because revealing their way of life would make her future unbearable—and she begins her two-day plan to set her life right.

With details that are as fascinating as they are disturbing, C. J. Omololu weaves an hour-by-hour account of Lucy’s desperate attempt at normalcy. Her fear and isolation are palpable as readers are pulled down a path from which there is no return, and the impact of hoarding on one teen’s life will have readers completely hooked.

-Amazon product description

2010-08-27T12:48:00.000-05:00

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

There is not much I can say about the final installment of The Hunger Games trilogy without giving away key plot points. This novel was incredibly fast paced and exciting, even more-so than the first two installments. Suzanne Collins crafted a stunning world in which a war is raging. It's the Capitol vs. the Rebels, with young Katniss Everdeen at the forefront as their Mockingjay (a symbol for the rebellion).

Just when Katniss, Peeta, and all their allies and friends thought the Hunger Games were over, they find that they have become pawns in an even bigger Game. Only this time, the Game not only means the death of innocent people... but the future of Panem itself.

I cannot stress enough how much I adore this trilogy. Some of the best writing I've encountered in YA literature are within these pages. My only problem is I wish there were more than just three books, because I'd love to hear more stories about Panem (perhaps from the perspective of someone in another District?). If anyone has not read these books, I think I'd recommend them over everything I've reviewed on this blog thus far, and then some.

-Sam

2010-07-26T16:10:00.000-05:00

Such A Pretty Girl by Laura Wiess

With her father imprisoned, 15-year-old Meredith thinks she could live out her high-school days safely, but when he is released early for good behavior, her security is shattered.

A popular youth baseball coach, her father has abused Mer as well as other boys and girls. With strict orders that he not be left alone with his daughter, he is returned to the condo complex where she and her mother live. In contrast to Mer's terror, her mother is giddy with delight at his return, and together the reunited couple plans to conceive another child. Yet in the shadows and stillness, Mer's nightmare begins anew.

This is a gritty, terrifying novel about a father's abuse of power and trust, and the way two different teens, Meredith and her paraplegic friend, Andy, deal with that reality. Although not explicit, the novel is honest in its telling. Admittedly sensational, Wiess' story is a page-turner that ultimately sends a startling message of empowerment that, while improbable, is extremely satisfying.

-Booklist review

Just like the book Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott, some discretion is advised with this pick. While, like the review above stated, the book never gets too graphic, it still explores a very serious subject matter. It's quite a short read, and I was able to finish it in just a couple days.

-Sam

2010-07-15T10:42:00.000-05:00

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer

All who have read Eclipse know about the character Bree. A blood-craving newborn created by Victoria, Bree enters the fight at the conclusion to Eclipse and immediately surrenders. The Cullens, mainly Carlisle and Esme, see this as a sign that Bree could potentially change her ways and become adopted into their clan. The Volturi, however, have a different plan for the young vamp.

In this novella you're introduced to Bree and her clan of newborns when she is only a few months old into her vampire life. This book shows a different side to the vampire culture of the Twilight Saga. Ravenous and blood-thirsty, the newborns go about terrorizing Seattle.

If you like this series, but were disappointed with the lack of "vampires acting like vampires", I definitely recommend this book!

-Sam

2010-07-07T16:30:00.000-05:00

Passing Strange by Daniel Waters

Karen DeSonne is used to pretending to be something she’s not. All her life, she’s passed as a normal all-American teenager; with her friends, with her family, and at school. Passing cost her the love of her life. And now that Karen’s dead, she’s still passing – this time, as alive.

Meanwhile, Karen’s dead friends have been fingered in a high-profile murder, causing a new round of anti-zombie regulations that have forced nearly all of Oakvale’s undead into hiding. Karen soon learns that the “murder” was a hoax, staged by Pete Martinsburg and his bioist zealots. Obtaining enough evidence to expose the fraud and prove her friends’ innocence means doing the unthinkable: betraying her love by becoming Pete’s girlfriend. Karen’s only hope is that the enemy never realizes who she really is – because the consequences would be even worse than death.

-Amazon product description

This third installment of the Generation Dead series is probably my favorite thus far. It brought forth a whole different scenario in the zombie world, and showed many different sides of characters I never thought could change their ways. While this series doesn't have to be read in order, I definitely recommend all of them.

-Sam

2010-06-10T11:10:00.000-05:00

Wish You Were Dead by Todd Strasser

Str-S-d:
I’ll begin with Lucy. She is definitely first on the list. You can’t believe how it feels to be in the cafeteria and turn around and there she is staring at me like I’m some disgusting bug or vermin. Does she really think I WANT to be this way? I hate you, Lucy. I really hate you. You are my #1 pick. I wish you were dead.

The day after anonymous blogger Str-S-d wishes the popular girl would die, Lucy vanishes. The students of Soundview High are scared and worried. Especially frightened and wracked with guilt is Madison Archer, Lucy’s friend and the last person to see her the night she disappeared.

As days pass with no sign of the missing girl, even the attention of Tyler, an attractive new student, is not enough to distract Madison from her growing sense of foreboding. When two more popular students disappear after their names are mentioned on Str-S-d’s blog, the residents of Soundview panic.

Meanwhile, Madison receives anonymous notes warning that she could be next. Desperate to solve the mystery before anyone else disappears, Madison turns to Tyler, but can she trust him when it becomes clear that he knows more than he’s sharing?

The clock is ticking. Madison must uncover the truth behind the mysterious disappearances . . . before her name appears in Str-S-d’s blog.

-Amazon product description

Without giving anything away-- I loved this book. It was fast paced and at some points I was genuinely scared for the characters. Wish You Were Dead is like the perfect blend of Law & Order: SVU meets Silence of the Lambs meets I Know What You Did Last Summer (a comparison made on the book jacket I definitely agree with). Supposedly this is the first installment of a "thrill-ology" by Todd Strasser, but I'm not sure as to whether the next couple books will be a continuation of this one, or two separate storylines. Either way, this book has a great storyline and is a pretty good mystery novel.

-Sam

2010-06-04T12:35:00.000-05:00

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers

Regina Afton seemingly has it all. Her best friend is Anna, the head of the most popular clique in school; The Fearsome Fivesome, she has a steady boyfriend named Josh, and gets invited to the best parties. However, toward the end of her senior year, Regina attends a party that changes everything.

After entrusting her secret to someone she should not have, Regina's friends begin to give her the "freeze-out". This freeze-out isn't just a simple 'we're not friends anymore' type... this kind does damage. Constantly bullied and ridiculed, Regina longs for any type of friendship just so she doesn't have to feel so alone.

Enter Michael Hayden. Having lost his mother in a terrible freak accident the year before, and having been the subject of countless cruel rumors and pranks by Regina and her friends, he is reluctant to even speak to Regina. Like everyone else, he absolutely hates her. Can Regina find a way to win over Michael's friendship? Or is she just destined to spend the rest of senior year in pain... or possibly just end it all?

Some Girls Are is a novel that basically takes the premise of Mean Girls and kicks it into overdrive. It is very intense, sad, and sickening. The worst part, however, is that no matter how the scenarios are exaggerated, it is still rings true. Every school has that one clique that no one likes, but everyone has to pretend to worship for fear of retaliation. A fantastic book that will leave the reader with a sense of "Do Something". To anyone reading this review, if you or someone you know is being bullied, please please please seek help. No one has the right to treat anyone like garbage or make them feel useless.

-Sam

2010-05-28T13:18:00.000-05:00

Runaway by Meg Cabot

Emerson Watts is on the run: from school, from work, from her family, from her friends, from herself. With everyone she loves furious with her for something she can't explain, and nothing but the live Stark Angel fashion show on New Year's Eve to look forward to, Em's reached the end of her rope. . .what's the point of even going on?

But when she discovers the truth about Nikki's secret, she knows there's only one person she can turn to.

Will Christopher be able to put aside his personal feelings and help her expose her employer to the world? Is it even fair to get Christopher involved--since if he agrees, there's every chance that Stark Enterprises will try to have them both killed--this time, permanently?

Maybe it would be better for Em to just keep on running.

-Amazon product description

2010-05-24T12:31:00.000-05:00

The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong

My name is Chloe Saunders. I'm fifteen, and I would love to be normal.
But normal is one thing I'm not.

For one thing, I'm having these feelings for a certain antisocial werewolf and his sweet-tempered brother—who just happens to be a sorcerer—but, between you and me, I'm leaning toward the werewolf. Not normal.

My friends and I are also on the run from an evil corporation that wants to get rid of us—permanently. Definitely not normal.

And finally, I'm a genetically altered necro-mancer who can raise the dead, rotting corpses and all, without even trying. As far away from normal as it gets.

-Amazon product description

The final book in the Darkest Powers trilogy was a fun, fast-paced read. I was glued from page one, and found myself becoming really invested in all the characters. At times I was even scared! I'm sad that this was only a trilogy, but the author, Kelley, is starting a new trilogy set in the same 'world' as the Darkest Powers and promises to have some of the characters make appearances. I'm looking forward to it :)

-Sam

2010-05-21T13:01:00.000-05:00

Burned by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

In the seventh installment of this twelve-part series, the fledglings and vampyres of the House of Night face some of their greatest challenges yet.

***SPOILER ALERT!***

After witnessing the death of her human ex-boyfriend and consort, Heath, in book six, Zoey's soul was shattered and fled to the Otherworld. Back in Italy, Stark and Aphrodite, along with Damien, Darius, Jack, Erin, and Shaunee, are racing against the clock to find a way to heal Zoey's soul. The solution for this problem appears to lie within ancient vampyre lore the gang is hesitant to investigate.

Meanwhile, back at the House of Night, Stevie Rae's attachment to the Raven Mocker, Rephaim, is growing with every moment they spend together. When, during a ritual to summon a very old spirit to this realm things go horribly wrong, their bond is made stronger than ever. Confused about these new feelings, Stevie Rae has to deal with the task of what to do with the rogue red fledglings, once and for all.

The House of Night series is one that greatly improves as each book is released. Filled with grand mythologies from both Cherokee and Celtic legends, it is a good twist in the increasingly stale vampire YA genre. I definitely recommend this series, and this installment.

-Sam

2010-05-07T16:44:00.000-05:00

Love You Hate You Miss You by Elizabeth Scott

Get this, I'm supposed to be starting a journal about "my journey." Please. I can see it now: Dear Diary, As I'm set adrift on this crazy sea called "life" . . . I don't think so.

It's been seventy-five days. Amy's sick of her parents suddenly taking an interest in her. And she's really sick of people asking her about Julia. Julia's gone now, and she doesn't want to talk about it. They wouldn't get it, anyway. They wouldn't understand what it feels like to have your best friend ripped away from you. They wouldn't understand what it feels like to know it's your fault. Amy's shrink thinks it would help to start a diary. Instead, Amy starts writing letters to Julia.

But as she writes letter after letter, she begins to realize that the past wasn't as perfect as she thought it was—and the present deserves a chance too.

-book cover.

I really liked this book and love Elizabeth Scott's writing style. She is an author that really knows how to get a reader into the lead character's head. Amy's story is heartbreaking and very real. Definitely pick this one up if you have the time!

-Sam.

2010-04-30T15:56:00.000-05:00

Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher

Logan is a high school senior living in the very small town of Boyer, Missouri. One day, something almost unheard of occurred -- a new student arrived. Sage Hendricks wasn't exactly the hottest girl around, but she was unique, pretty, and being new to town, she definitely stood out. Although Logan had just suffered a pretty brutal breakup with his girlfriend of three years, Brenda, he finds himself attracted to Sage. Little did he know Sage had a very huge secret... she was biologically male.

This was a very refreshing novel. I can't pinpoint any recent YA books that deal so heavily with the topic of transgendered individuals, and it is very eye-opening. Sage's experiences are extremely realistic and at times heartbreaking. This is definitely a must-read :)

-Sam

2010-04-27T12:51:00.000-05:00

Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder

Restless souls and empty hearts

Brooklyn can't sleep. Her boyfriend, Lucca, died only a year ago, and now her friend Gabe has just died of an overdose. Every time she closes her eyes, Gabe's ghost is there waiting for her. She has no idea what he wants or why it isn't Lucca visiting her dreams.

Nico can't stop. He's always running, trying to escape the pain of losing his brother, Lucca. But when Lucca's ghost begins leaving messages, telling Nico to help Brooklyn, emotions come crashing to the surface.

As the nightmares escalate and the messages become relentless, Nico reaches out to Brooklyn. But neither of them can admit that they're being haunted. Until they learn to let each other in, not one soul will be able to rest.

-Barnes & Noble synopsis.

Written almost entirely in prose, this novel was a very fast-paced read. Although quick, however, it was also very emotional. Anyone who has ever lost someone can relate to this haunting tale. The characters of Brooklyn and Nico are fleshed out very well, and this book even ties in with Lisa Schroeder's first novel I Heart You, You Haunt Me, which I would also recommend.

-Sam

2010-04-24T09:04:00.000-05:00

By The Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters

Daelyn Rice is broken beyond repair, and after a string of botched suicide attempts, she’s determined to get her death right. She starts visiting a website for “completers”— www.through-the-light .com.

While she’s on the site, Daelyn blogs about her life, uncovering a history of bullying that goes back to kindergarten. When she’s not on the Web, Daelyn’s at her private school, where she’s known as the freak who doesn’t talk.

Then, a boy named Santana begins to sit with her after school while she’s waiting to for her parents to pick her up. Even though she’s made it clear that she wants to be left alone, Santana won’t give up. And it’s too late for Daelyn to be letting people into her life…isn’t it?

-Amazon product description

2010-04-23T11:53:00.000-05:00

Bad Blood (Book #4 of the Blood Coven series) by Mari Mancusi

Just when things have begun looking up for twin sisters Sunny and Rayne, being involved with vampires takes another life threatening turn. Sunny's boyfriend, head vampire of the Blood Coven, Magnus, has been ordered to take a blood mate. Hand-picked for him is gorgeous Oxford graduate, Jane. Sunny is saddened by this, but Magnus assures her that Jane will be nothing but a second in command. Prepared to just accept this new twist in her relationship, Sunny begin to grows suspicious of Jane. Together her and her sister Rayne travel to Las Vegas to investigate Jane and stop the blood ceremony that could lead to the downfall of the Coven...

I really enjoyed this book. It was full of twists and I loved the character development of both Sunny and Rayne. Although you don't have to have read the first three books to understand or enjoy this installment, I highly recommend the series as a whole.

-Sam

2010-04-17T09:21:00.000-05:00

The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

It has been many generations since the Return. Gabry has lived a highly protected life in a small village by the sea called Vista. Her mother, Mary, is in charge of running the lighthouse and destroying all the Mudo that wash ashore during storms (Mudo is another word for the Unconsecrated/Undead). One day, through a lot of persuasion, she decides to join her friends as they cross over the Barrier in order to play around at the long-abandoned amusement park on the other side. The Barrier is the only thing that protects Vista from the Mudo, and with one split second mistake, Gabry's world is shattered.

With the help of friends, both new and old, Gabry begins a journey of self-discovering and tries to come to terms with not how, but why one should choose to live in a world surrounded by the dead. This companion novel to The Forest of Hands and Teeth left me breathless! It was filled with action, violence, romance, and a pretty deep underlying message. Everything I've come to love about zombie culture. I'm eagerly anticipating the third and final installment of this series (due out in spring '11). Read this if you're a fan of the first book, or just like reading a well written post-zombie apocalypse story.

-Sam

2010-04-09T11:57:00.000-05:00

If I Grow Up by Todd Strasser

"WHEN YOU GREW UP IN THE PROJECTS, THERE WERE NO CHOICES. NO GOOD ONES, AT LEAST."

In the Frederick Douglass Project where DeShawn lives, daily life is ruled by drugs and gang violence. Many teenagers drop out of school and join gangs, and every kid knows someone who died. Gunshots ring out on a regular basis.

DeShawn is smart enough to know he should stay in school and keep away from the gangs. But while his friends have drug money to buy fancy sneakers and big-screen TVs, DeShawn's family can barely afford food for the month. How can he stick to his principles when his family is hungry?

In this gritty novel about growing up in the inner city, award-winning author Todd Strasser opens a window into the life of a teenager struggling with right and wrong under the ever-present shadow of gangs.

(book cover synopsis).

I really enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to fans of Todd Strasser (author of Give A Boy A Gun), or just to anyone who likes reading about different ways of life mainstream America isn't always aware.

-Sam.

2010-04-03T14:02:00.001-05:00

The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams

Lately, even though I've enjoyed the books I have been reading, none (well, save for Living Dead Girl) have been as intense as The Chosen One. Set in a polygamist community, 13-year old Kyra Carlson has been breaking the rules. Once a week she goes out of her community to see her friend Patrick who owns a bookmobile service. Reading anything other than scripture is strictly prohibited. Kyra also sneaks off in the night to meet a boy named Joshua. They fall in love. Later, when the leader of their community, Prophet Childs, decrees he received a message from God saying that Kyra must marry Brother Hyrum, a man who is not only in his sixties, but Kyra's uncle, Kyra vows to run away. But can she bear to leave her family behind?

This novel reminded me of the news story that broke a couple years ago about the Fundamentalist community where the babies were being taken away from their mothers and all of this scandalous behavior was brought to light. It's a short read, but I was hooked from the beginning and I agree wholly with the quote on the cover: "The Chosen One makes the heart race, the teeth grind, and the brow bead up in sweat."

-Sam.

2010-04-01T10:59:00.000-05:00

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

The little Southern town of Gatlin has never seen much change. Every year the town holds a Civil War reenactment, someone in the Snow family is made Queen of the winter formal, and being in the D.A.R (Daughters of the American Revolution) is akin to being royalty. Sixteen year old Ethan Wate dreams of getting out of Gatlin. He hates everything about his small town and it's social hierarchy. That is, until outsider Lena Duchannes moves into Ravenwood, the oldest, and supposedly most haunted, place in Gatlin, to live with her uncle Macon. As their friendship grows, Ethan discovers a side of Gatlin no one would suspect exists, and learns of certain forces and predetermined fates not of this world.

Beautiful Creatures is a fantastic debut novel. Though a little over 500 pages in length, once I got into the story, I was completely submerged and finished it in an, almost too short, amount of time. I'd recommend this book to all fans of the Twilight Saga, although I must say I enjoyed this story a bit more.

-Sam.

2010-03-18T10:52:00.000-05:00

Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles

Ellie is the type of girl who only wants to be loved. Her family life, though fairly stable, is usually void of emotion (such as her mother, who tries to be the perfect housewife, all the while alienating her daughter). However, Ellie goes about trying to find love in a very misguided way - by sleeping with any boy who shows interest. One night during a party, she sleeps with a boy named Josh and that action changes her life forever. Ellie ends up pregnant and, with the help of her best friend Corinne and new friend Caleb (a boy who just so happens to have been in love with Ellie since childhood), Ellie endures the toughest time of her life.

I really enjoyed this book. Told from four different viewpoints, it definitely kept me interested. I found myself relating to all the characters in some way. It also reminded me a lot of various people I know. The final paragraph even made me tear up!

-Sam

2010-03-01T12:59:00.000-06:00

Sleepless by Thomas Fahy

Emma Montgomery has been having gruesome nightmares. Even worse, when she wakes up, she isn't where she was when she fell asleep. And she's not the only one. One by one the students of Saint Opportuna High start having nightmares, and sleepwalking. And the next morning one of their classmates turns up dead.

Something is making them kill in their sleep. Emma and her friends need to band together, to keep themselves awake until they can figure out what's behind the murders--before anyone else dies.

-Amazon product description.

2010-02-08T19:06:00.000-06:00

In The Woods by Robin Stevenson

"When Cameron discovers a baby abandoned in the woods, he tries to discover whether his sister is the mother."

-taken from book summary.

This book is a real quick read (only 124 pages), but it is one that I enjoyed. It's plot is in the vein of the book After by Amy Efaw that I reviewed awhile ago, but this time it's a story told by someone other than the mother of the abandoned baby. It's a glimpse into the side of the story that is usually left untold. What do siblings think when something like this happens? Is family more important than the truth?

My only qualm is I wish this book had been longer! I wouldn't have minded following the characters for a hundred more pages or so.

-Sam.

2010-01-30T09:10:00.000-06:00

Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott

"Once upon a time, I was a little girl who disappeared.
Once upon a time, my name was not Alice.
Once upon a time, I didn't know how lucky I was."
-excerpt from book cover.

Living Dead Girl, though a mere 170 pages in length, is by no means a light read. This novel tells the story of "Alice", a fifteen year old girl kidnapped by a pedophile five years previously. Every day for the last five years she has had to endure unimaginable abuse at the hands of her captor, Ray. Every day she wishes for death - for freedom. Although a work of fiction, this book echoes stories we hear about every so often in the news headlines, and is all too real.

I read this book in less than a day, and although I do recommend it, I want to put a small disclaimer that it does get pretty intense and is at times a bit graphic. All things considered, I feel it is a book that tells a cautionary tale that needs to be read.

-Sam.

2010-01-29T12:35:00.000-06:00

The Secret Year by Jennifer R. Hubbard

Take Romeo and Juliet. Add The Outsiders. Mix thoroughly.

Colt and Julia were secretly together for an entire year, and no one—not even Julia’s boyfriend— knew. They had nothing in common, with Julia in her country club world on Black Mountain and Colt from down on the flats, but it never mattered. Until Julia dies in a car accident, and Colt learns the price of secrecy. He can’t mourn Julia openly, and he’s tormented that he might have played a part in her death. When Julia’s journal ends up in his hands, Colt relives their year together at the same time that he’s desperately trying to forget her. But how do you get over someone who was never yours in the first place?

-Amazon product description.

2010-01-23T08:53:00.000-06:00

Fat Cat by Robin Brande

Super smart, overweight teen Cat decides to be the test subject for an experiment of her creation in one of her AP science classes. The experiment? Go 207 days living like the first humans (or homo erectus) used to live. This means giving up all technology (emergency items such as cell phone, and basic hygiene routines like showers not included), and eating a diet that consists of all natural foods.

However, when Cat begins to lose weight, suddenly she goes from nerdy tomboy, to ultra hottie.

I loved this book so much I read it in a day. It's a very relatable, funny, and fast paced book. I highly recommend this one.

-Sam.

2010-01-21T10:56:00.000-06:00

Invisible i: Book one of The Amanda Project by Melissa Kantor

Where is Amanda Valentino? This is a question high school students Callie, Hal, and Nia have to ask themselves after being questioned by their vice principal on Amanda's whereabouts. Each student had been a best friend to Amanda... but none of them knew about each other until she disappeared. Through hidden clues left by Amanda, the three teens have to embark on a journey to not only discover where she is, but ultimately discover WHO exactly is Amanda Valentino?

It took me a few chapters to fully get into this book, but once I did I was completely gone. Being as this book is only the first in a series of eight yet to come, there is only so much information and plot twists they can provide, but I must say it was enough! I loved this book and am so excited it's the start to a new series I can spend countless hours reading.

-Sam.

2010-01-20T10:50:00.001-06:00

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Each year the Capitol, head of the nation of Panem (formerly known as North America), forces each of its twelve districts to send one boy and girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to compete in the Hunger Games. Designed to horrify the districts into submission, the Games are a televised gladiatorial fight. Contestants must kill or be killed, but the winner is awarded fame, wealth, and honor for their district. When Katness Everdeen's twelve-year-old sister is chosen as District 12's tribute, Katniss steps forward to take her place.
I would recommend The Hunger Games to anyone who enjoys dystopian stories or fantasy. The author avoids the worst cliches of young adult/teen fiction (like overwrought drama) and modern science fiction (such as environmental/humanitarian messages that overwhelm the plot). Most characters are well-thought-out, especially Katness; the author managed to show several different aspects of her character, and each felt genuine. However, the book's strength also accents its worst flaw: some of the most important characters seemed one-dimensional. Without spoiling the plot, I found the most important secondary character unsympathetic, almost boring, at a time when readers should care most about him/her. All in all, though, The Hunger Games is a pretty compelling book; I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.

April

2010-01-14T11:00:00.000-06:00

Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Lucius and Aurora are new students at their high school. They were both uprooted from their hometowns through very different circumstances. For Lucius, it was an explosion that he had caused which resulted in him getting his hands amputated, leaving him with metal hooks for prosthesis (because they were the cheapest option). For seemingly perfect Aurora, her mother had just died of cancer and together her and her father wanted to start fresh.

Although as different as can be, one glance at each other on the bus the first day of school sparks a chemistry between the two teens. Aptly deemed a "modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast", this story had me hooked from the first page (no pun intended).

-Sam

2010-01-07T10:33:00.000-06:00

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
I read the Da Vinci Code earlier this year and I really liked it. I've been waiting to read the Lost Symbol since it came out, and I was really excited when my mom got it for me from the library.

The Lost Symbol is another race-to-the-finish book, just like it's predecessor. Robert Langdon is back, this time in Washington, D.C. After being invited to speak at a very important conference at the capitol building by a close friend of his - Peter Solomon, a prominent Mason -, Robert rushes to the Rotunda room of the building only to find that it's a setup. There is no conference - someone has taken Peter captive in order to find out all the Masons' secrets. In order to save Peter's life, Robert must team up with Peter's sister Katharine to find the secret of a mysterious pyramid said to contain knowledge that will give man the power to become enlightened, a god.

I definitely enjoyed this book. The enemy in it is like one I've never seen. He's almost super human from his extensive use of steroids and intense training. He's also clever and cunning, and is closely connected to Peter Soloman in a way that's hard to imagine.

It's so interesting to see Robert Langdon crack every code, explain conspiracies and secret organizations, and otherwise blow your mind. That's what I love about these two books: they make me think, and I learn about things that I would otherwise never know. Dan Brown is a magnificent author, and all his books are definitely worth reading.

You'll have to read the book to find out if Peter Solomon's life is saved and if Robert and Katherine can stop the kidnapper from finding out a secret so powerful that it could reveal knowledge that America has never seen before.

The book emphasizes how much knowledge we've lost. It tells us to read back in history - the ancient civilizations were much closer to our technology and ideas than we think.

Katie

2010-01-02T14:34:00.000-06:00

Pretty Dead by Francesca Lia Block

In the glamorous city of Los Angeles, seventeen year old Charlotte Emerson leads a rich, charmed life filled with the most expensive clothing and food. She has traveled the world many times over. How has she accomplished such a task at such a young age? Charlotte only appears seventeen, but is actually a near century old vampire. When her best and only friend Emily dies from what appears to be suicide, Charlotte is beside herself with grief. Through mourning the loss of her friend, falling in love with Emily's boyfriend, and having to deal with the vampire who made her coming back into her life, her vampirism seems to be fading...
Francesca Lia Block has been one of my favorite authors for awhile now, and I absolutely loved this book. Compared to her other works, I would call this her most mainstream to date. I recommend it to lovers of the vampire genre, fans of Block, or anyone who enjoys a good romantic horror story.

-Sam.

2009-12-30T11:08:00.000-06:00

The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa De La Cruz

In the fourth book of the Blue Bloods series, Schuyler Van Alen, along with her best friend and conduit, Oliver, are on the run after Schuyler is accused of murdering her uncle. Meanwhile, back in New York City, Bliss has spent the last year as a prisoner of her own body while her father, Lucifer, has begun taking complete control. All the while, Mimi is on a quest in South America hunting Silver Bloods (the enemy of the Blue Bloods). The latest installment in this series has cemented these books as some of my favorite YA vampire novels. It is a fast paced journey that leads to the stunning revelation of the Van Alen legacy and what it means for young Schuyler. I'd recommend this series to anyone and cannot wait for the next installment!

-Sam

2009-12-30T10:56:00.000-06:00

After by Amy Efaw

Fifteen year old straight-A student Deven Davenport didn't know she was pregnant when she gave birth one early morning. Still in denial, she did the only thing she could think to do at the time; get rid of "It" before people found out. Soon after, the body of her baby is discovered (weak, but alive) in a nearby dumpster. Now, locked up in juvenile detention awaiting the trial in which will be decided if she should be tried as a minor or an adult for attempted murder, Devon must come to grips with what she did, and most importantly... why she can't remember it. While reading After I was torn between various emotions; part disgust for the act Devon committed, and part sympathy for this poor girl who didn't see any other way out. It's a story that will grab your attention and tug on your heartstrings, and I recommend it to everyone.

-Sam

2009-12-07T15:06:00.000-06:00

Nightlight by the Harvard Lampoon
In this hilarious Twilight parody, ultra-clumsy seventeen year old Belle Goose moves to Switchblade, Oregon and falls in love with awkward computer geek Edwart Mullen. However, Belle believes that Edwart is a vampire out for her blood. From start to finish Nightlight had me laughing out loud. I would recommend it to any teen and Twi-Hard alike.

-Sam.

2009-11-23T08:28:00.001-06:00

Hold Still by Nina LaCour
All it takes is one phone call and Caitlin's life is drastically changed. Her best friend in the world, Ingrid, has committed suicide. After a long lonely summer in which Caitlin becomes reclusive and closed off to everyone in her life, she finds Ingrid's journal tucked beneath her bed. This journal was meant as Ingrid's last goodbye to Caitlin, and as an explanation on why she killed herself. Armed with this journal, Caitlin begins a quest of self discovery and healing through her junior year of high school. I greatly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone.
Sam

2009-11-23T08:27:00.000-06:00

Hate List by Jennifer Brown
Don't let the Nickelback lyric on the first page fool you; Hate List is a wonderful and heartbreaking journey told through the eyes of Valerie, a young girl whose boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their classmates one early morning in May before taking his own life. Through this tragic event and trying to grasp the "why" of what happened, Valerie herself became a suspect. It turns out her boyfriend only shot those people who were on a "hate list", a list Valerie helped create. Though eventually cleared of all charges, Valerie begins the next year of school an outcast. Plagued with the thought that it was all her fault and she should have seen the warning signs in Nick and stopped the madness before it began, she has to begin to rebuild her life and come to terms with what happened. While reading this book, I went through many emotions: happiness, anger, laughter, and tears. It's a fantastic read and kept me hooked from the beginning.

Sam

2009-10-30T11:33:00.000-05:00

The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian
by Sherman Alexie
Junior lives on the Spokane Indian Reservation, where he discovers that alcohol is more important to most residents than an education is. Junior decides to transfer from his reservation school to Reardan High, a white school that is more than twenty miles away. Once he arrives, Junior finds that he is the only Indian (besides the school’s mascot) there. His best friend on the reservation, Rowdy, stays behind and vows never to speak to Junior—the “traitor”—again. Junior also knows that everyone else on the reservation thinks he is an “apple”: red on the outside but white on the inside. Meanwhile, most of the students at Reardan treat Junior as an outcast as well.

Although he is stimulated by the intellectual challenges of Reardan’s advanced curriculum, Junior must fight to improve his social standing both on and off the reservation. He accomplishes this accidentally when he goes out for Reardan’s basketball team. He surprises himself when, as a freshman, he makes the varsity team and eventually even becomes a starting player. Junior’s biggest challenge comes when he must play against his former basketball team from the reservation, whose star player is none other than Junior’s ex–best friend, Rowdy.

Summary by Joyce Hart of eNotes.com

2009-10-27T14:45:00.000-05:00

Winter Girls by Laurie Halse Anderson
Best friends Lia and Cassie share a live-threatening secret; they both have eating disorders. One day, after a stint in rehab that ended their friendship, Cassie calls Lia times. Lia never answers. The next day Lia discovers that Cassie has committed suicide. Racked with guilt over ignoring her former best friend's calls when she needed her, Lia becomes haunted by Cassie's "ghost". This ghost, or memory, of Cassie plagues Lia as she plunges deeper into her bulimia.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Laurie Halse Anderson writes the characters of Lia in a way that is stunningly realistic. With plot twists and fascinating character development, it kept me hooked from page one. It also serves as an eye opener to the psyche of a person struggling with an eating disorder amidst many other obstacles. I'd recommend this book to any fans of Anderson's previous work, or as a great starter novel if you're not yet a fan.

Reviewed by Sam age 17

2009-10-27T14:34:00.000-05:00

Burger Wuss by M.T. Anderson

Anthony has never been able to stand up for himself —- that is, not until his girlfriend is in someone else’s arms. Then Anthony vows revenge and devises the Plan. It begins with getting a job at the fast-food restaurant where his nemesis happens to be a star employee. But when the Plan is finally in place, will Anthony’s hunger for revenge be satisfied? Will he prove he’s not a wuss?
Barnes and Noble product description.

2009-10-27T14:22:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Reason Why by Jay Asher
Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker--his classmate and crush--who committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.
From www. RazorbillBooks.com

2009-10-25T18:12:00.000-05:00

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

If you had the power to kill with your bare hands, what would you do with it?

Graceling takes readers inside the world of Katsa, a warrior-girl in her late teens with one blue eye and one green eye. This gives her haunting beauty, but also marks her as a Graceling. Gracelings are beings with special talents—swimming, storytelling, dancing. Katsa's Grace is considered more useful: her ability to fight (and kill, if she wanted to) is unequaled in the seven kingdoms. Forced to act as a henchman for a manipulative king, Katsa channels her guilt by forming a secret council of like-minded citizens who carry out secret missions to promote justice over cruelty and abuses of power.

Amazon.com review

2009-10-24T21:38:00.000-05:00

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Having survived the Hunger Games, Katniss and Peeta are back home in District 12. But although they’re out of the arena, living in comfortable housing and with plenty of food, the game is far from over. Because the two of them defeated the Capitol by forcing a change in the rules, the government considers them dangerous enemies of the state, even while publicly celebrating them as victors. Some people in the Districts view their victory as an act of defiance, and there are rumblings of unrest. A visit from President Snow makes the stakes clear: Katniss and Peeta must play the role of young lovers perfectly, and convince the world that they are no threat to the Capitol, or everyone they love will die. But as they begin the victory tour, events rapidly spiral out of control, and Katniss must make a choice between playing the game, and standing up to a government bent on crushing every last scrap of resistance.

2009-10-23T14:56:00.000-05:00

Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen
The story of a girl named Ruby who is abandoned by her mother and determined to make it on her own, even---and especially---when she is sent to live with her long-lost sister in a whole new world of privilege, family, and relationships. As Ruby learns, there's a big difference between being given help and being able to accept it. And sometimes, it takes reaching out to someone else to save yourself.

2009-10-23T14:01:00.000-05:00

The Waters & The Wild
by Francesa Lia Block
For all of her 13 years, or at least for as long as she can remember, Bee (short for Beatrice) has never felt comfortable in her life, as if she doesn’t really belong. The one place in which she does find a bit of comfort is the gardens, where she can be close to the earth and the growing plants.

One night Bee wakes up to find an exact double of herself standing in her room. The girl whispers one sentence, “You are me,” and then disappears. Bee turns to her classmate Haze for answers. He explains that she is a doppelganger and that seeing one means your eminent death.

She also meets another loner, Sarah, who is a bit of an outsider as well and believes herself to be the reincarnation of a slave from the 1800s. The three begin to form a special friendship, find some happiness, and feel like they do belong in their own unique way. Suddenly, though, Bee gets sick. Haze and Sarah put some clues together and figure out the mystery behind Bee’s double and her illness. Their lives will never be the same.

Adapted from Teenreads.com

2009-10-23T10:52:00.000-05:00

Angry Management by Chris Cutcher

Every kid in this group wants to fly. Every kid in this group has too much ballast.

Mr. Nak's Angry Management group is a place for misfits. A place for stories. And, man, does this crew have stories.

There's Angus Bethune and Sarah Byrnes, who can hide from everyone but each other. Together, they will embark on a road trip full of haunting endings and glimmering beginnings.

And Montana West, who doesn't step down from a challenge. Not even when the challenge comes from her adoptive dad, who's leading the school board to censor the article she wrote for the school paper.

And straightlaced Matt Miller, who had never been friends with outspoken genius Marcus James. Until one tragic week—a week they'd do anything to change—brings them closer than Matt could have ever imagined.

Chris Crutcher fills these three stories with raw emotion. They are about insecurity, anger, and prejudice. But they are also about love, freedom, and power. About surviving.

And hope.

Amazon product description.

2009-10-15T15:22:00.000-05:00

Looking for a Scare this Halloween? Try these authors.
Lois Duncan

Neil Gaiman

Mary Downing Hahn

Darren Shan

Joan Lowery Nixon

2009-10-15T10:28:00.000-05:00

Liar by Justine Larbalestier
Micah freely admits she is a liar. Over the years she has fooled classmates, teachers, and even her parents. She has always managed to stay one step ahead of her lies. That is until her boyfriend is brutally murdered and she becomes a suspect.

2009-10-13T14:48:00.000-05:00

The boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
When Bruno returns home from school one day, he discovers that his belongings are being packed in crates. His father has received a promotion and the family must move from their home to a new house far far away, where there is no one to play with and nothing to do. A tall fence running alongside stretches as far as the eye can see and cuts him off from the strange people he can see in the distance. But, Bruno longs to be an explorer and decides that there must be more to this desolate now place than what meets the eye. While exploring his new environment, he meets another boy whose life and circumstances are very different to his own, and their meeting results in a friendship that has devastating consequences.
Amazon.com Review.

2009-10-13T14:46:00.000-05:00

The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci
The body of Christopher Creed relates the story of the mysterious disappearance of a high school outcast. Christopher Creed is the boy no one likes, the boy the popular kids bully and tease, the boy that never seems to fit in with any of the high school cliques. When Christopher disappears, however, he captures the attention of the entire town, and he upsets the lives of those who tormented him. Creeds's disappearance has a profound effect on Torey Adams, the popular football star. Torey makes a mission out of trying to discover what happened to his classmate, and in the process discovers important truths about the impact his actions have on the lives of others. Overview from BookRags.

2009-10-13T12:57:00.000-05:00

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
It's 1895, and after the suicide of her mother, 16-year-old Gemma Doyle is shipped off from the life she knows in India to Spence, a proper boarding school in England. Lonely, guilt-ridden, and prone to visions of the future that have an uncomfortable habit of coming true. Gemma's reception there is a chilly one. To make things worse, she's been followed by a mysterious young Indian man, a man sent to watch her. But why? What is her destiny? And what will her entanglement with Spence's most powerful girls - and their foray into the spiritual world - lead to?
Amazon product description.

2009-10-13T10:34:00.000-05:00

Amazing Grace by Megan Shull
Teenage tennis-star Grace Kincaid has it all. But what happens when America's "It" girl doesn't want "It" anymore? Grace wants OUT. And she gets her wish-a total break from her lifestyle and identity. She becomes Emily O'Brien, everyday teenager. She is transported to a small town in Alaska, population 813 (including one very cute boy). At first Grace is shocked by her surroundings, but she comes to love them. For the first time in her life, Grace begins to feel normal.

2009-10-12T14:34:00.000-05:00

The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin
For Matt and his sisters, life with their cruel, vicious mother is a day-to-day struggle for survival. One of Matt's early memories involves getting up during the night to sneak a cookie and being caught by his mother. Giggling and yelling "Cookie thief," she holds a knife to his throat, cutting him just a little bit to teach him not to steal. Unfortunately, the adults in Matt's life, a distant father and an uncaring aunt, don't help. Matt sees a glimmer of hope in Murdoch, who dates his mother, Nikki, and then leaves when he becomes another target for her escalating rage. It is Murdoch, with a violent past of his own, who is willing to risk getting involved and eventually becomes the change agent that the children so desperately need.

2009-10-12T14:10:00.000-05:00

Funny Little Monkey by Andrew Auseon
Arty, 15, is 4 foot 2. His twin brother Kurt is 6 foot 3. They hate each other. In the twins tense relationship, Kurt lashes out at his brother physically, Arty verbally. Both brothers attend Millard Fillmore High School, where the school's beloved mascot (a statue of a boxing turtle named Millie) has just been stolen. Arty strikes up an unusual friendship with, Kerouac, the leader of some rebellious outcasts. At Arty's request, Kerouac's gang begins to torment Kurt, sabotaging his love life and blaming him for the destruction of Millie. Has Arty gone too far?

2009-10-12T13:04:00.000-05:00

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things
By Carolyn Mackler
Virginia Shreves is an overweight sophomore in high school struggling to live up to her parents' expectations of her. Her older siblings are perfect, while she lives by the "Fat Girl Code of Conduct". But everything she thought she knew about her family and herself gets turned upside down when she finds out that one member of her family is not quite so perfect.

2009-10-01T13:57:00.000-05:00

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Set in the future, 16 year-old Kat finds herself in the center of a nationally televised reality show "The Hunger Games" in which twenty-four teens must fight to the death.

2009-10-01T13:34:00.000-05:00

Looking for Alaska by John Green
Miles dreams of starting anew Culver Creek boarding school, of finding Francois Rabelais's "The Great Perhaps." At school, he falls in with a prankster of a roommate, the Colonel, and the sassy, sexy, messed-up Alaska Young. For an unforgettable 128 days, Miles learns life lessons in love, loyalty, friendship, literature, and poetry, as well as experiences the thrill of a first girlfriend. When tragedy strikes Culver Creek, Miles is forced to undertake an even closer examination of his own character and relationship with his friends.

2009-10-01T11:33:00.000-05:00

Impossible by Nancy Werlin
A fairy tale set in the present. Lucy is 17 when she discovers she is the recipient of the family curse that requires her to complete three seemingly impossible tasks or risk falling into madness and passing the curse on to the next generation.

2009-09-23T16:13:00.000-05:00

Crank by Ellen Hopkins.
Written in verse, 15-year-old narrator Kristina reveals how she became addicted to crank, and how the stimulant turned her from straight-A student to drug addict.

On a visit to see her long-absent dad, she meets a boy who introduces her to crank. At first she finds it freeing, but soon Kristina’s personality disappears inside the drug. What began as a wild, ecstatic ride turns into a struggle through hell for her mind, her soul, and her life.