Friday, November 16, 2012

Glimmer

by Phoebe Kitanidis

Summary:
What would you do if you woke up in bed with a stranger, not knowing how you got there, or even who you are? Would you run? Would you stay and try and find out? What if they didn't know how they got there either? Or what their name was?  Where do you go from there?  Elyse and Marshall woke up with no recollection of who they were, but when they are recognized around town, and brought back to their 'homes' they start to wonder about this place that they have supposedly grown up in. What they find will shatter the town to it's foundations, that is if they can survive it.

Review:
The book is a bit confusing, since as the reader you are trying to figure out everything just as the characters are. The entire town's population operates under a fog, which we find out is the result of a magician.  I didn't realize the book was fantasy based when I picked it up, but it does a good job of talking about magic without seeming too far fetched, which will make it appealing to those who aren't very into fantasy fiction.  Overall it's a good read; it keeps you interested as you try and figure out what's really going on with everyone you encounter in the book. Good for teens.

Genre: Fiction
Age Level: 8-9th Grade

See You at Harry's

by Johanna Knowles

Summary:
Fern loves her family, she really does. But sometimes she just feels invisible.  Between her older sister and brother and their antics, and her little 3 year old brother Charlie clamoring for attention, she just kind of gets lost in the mix.  But when an accident happens, an accident Fern is sure she caused, the family is ripped apart. You never know how much you can take until you are taken past your breaking point, and Fern doesn't know how her family will survive.

Review:
Knowles' book is a poignant reminder of how easily breakable life is. Fern's family life wasn't perfect before the tragedy, but they all loved each other and were a constant presence in each other's lives.  Now she has to deal with her own guilt about the accident, a sister and brother sorting through not only their grief but their own immense issues, and parents who have completely withdrawn from their children.  Fern is a great character who you really identify with as she tries to find a way to bring her family back together. A great read for a slightly older tween or teen.

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 7th-8th Grade

Timeless

by Alexandra Monir

Summary:
It had always been Michele and her mother. They had a great life in Los Angeles. But when her mother dies in a car crash, Michele finds herself across the country living with grandparents she's never met. Grandparents who happen to be Windsor's, one of the oldest (and richest) families in New York City.  As Michele struggles to adjust to her new life, she finds herself exploring the house her mother grew up in.  What she finds is a diary, a diary that takes her back to 1910. Where she discovers that everything she thought she knew isn't quite true.

Review:
For a book about time travel, Timeless is well written and pretty believable.  I enjoyed how the author didn't try to explain any 'science' behind the diary's ability to take Michele back in time to whichever time period she was thinking about. I also thought that her interactions with her ancestors were quite fun, plus the idea that she was the impetus for most of their choices is interesting. This book is the first in it's series, something good to know going in because a lot is left unresolved. All in all it's a good read for teens who like romance.

Genre: Fantasy Fiction
Age Level: 8th grade