by Nick Lake
Summary:
The last thing Amy wanted to do was be stuck on a yacht sailing around the world with her dad and stepmother. But even she didn't imagine it would end like this. Told mostly as a flashback, Amy's story is not just one about pirates, but about how people end up where they are. How people turn to illegal measures after all has been taken from them. How others rise above and find more of themselves. Hostage Three is a book about love and loss, and an adventure that will stay with you long after you finish it.
Review:
Once I picked up Hostage Three I had a hard time putting it down. The book's fast pace keep you wondering what will happen next. Lake does an excellent job explaining the history of Somalia and how things led to the piracy industry there. The love story between Amy and Farouz is believable, and the ending entirely realistic. The book doesn't pull any punches and is definitely a good read to give to teens who like suspenseful adventure novels.
Genre: Adventure Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
Monday, December 30, 2013
Monday, October 28, 2013
Not a Drop to Drink
by Mindy McGinnis
Summary:
Lynn knows she has to defend the pond at all costs. Water has become a scarce resource, and without it her mother and her will not survive. But what's the cost of that survival? Killing everyone who comes near? Never interacting with others? When tragedy strikes, events will force Lynn to reevaluate what she knows, and force her to adapt in order to survive.
Review:
While similar to many dystoptians, this story of survival does stand out. Lynn is a strong character who has to change her way of interacting with the world in order to survive. While she does this a little too easily, it still comes off as genuine. The idea of water becoming extremely limited is interesting because it's a resource that many take for granted, so if it was suddenly gone it would be absolutely devastating. It's a more rugged take on the dystopian, more focused on survival rather than taking down the society that remains. A good read for teens who like dystopians and end of the world survival stories.
Genre: Dystopian
Age Level: 8th Grade
Summary:
Lynn knows she has to defend the pond at all costs. Water has become a scarce resource, and without it her mother and her will not survive. But what's the cost of that survival? Killing everyone who comes near? Never interacting with others? When tragedy strikes, events will force Lynn to reevaluate what she knows, and force her to adapt in order to survive.
Review:
While similar to many dystoptians, this story of survival does stand out. Lynn is a strong character who has to change her way of interacting with the world in order to survive. While she does this a little too easily, it still comes off as genuine. The idea of water becoming extremely limited is interesting because it's a resource that many take for granted, so if it was suddenly gone it would be absolutely devastating. It's a more rugged take on the dystopian, more focused on survival rather than taking down the society that remains. A good read for teens who like dystopians and end of the world survival stories.
Genre: Dystopian
Age Level: 8th Grade
Parallel
by Lauren Miller
Summary:
Have you ever wondered if one decision can change our entire lives. If one small change could send you on a completely different path? For Abby, it's one small earthquake that sets her on two courses. In one she becomes a movie star, in another she meets a boy who she falls in love with. In both lives every decision sets off a chain of events that changes everything, but which life is actually real?
Review:
I'm not a huge fan of parallel universes, typically I find books based around them to be fluffy and too silly. Parallel, however, was not. The book's characters were all very relate-able, and even the course of events that ends up with Abby becoming a movie star was believable. The books main premise was that one small event can change your course completely. It's ending demonstrating that if somethings meant to be it will happen regardless of what decisions you make was a nice touch. A great read for girls looking for a love story with something more substantial built in.
Genre: Fiction
Age Level: 10th Grade
Summary:
Have you ever wondered if one decision can change our entire lives. If one small change could send you on a completely different path? For Abby, it's one small earthquake that sets her on two courses. In one she becomes a movie star, in another she meets a boy who she falls in love with. In both lives every decision sets off a chain of events that changes everything, but which life is actually real?
Review:
I'm not a huge fan of parallel universes, typically I find books based around them to be fluffy and too silly. Parallel, however, was not. The book's characters were all very relate-able, and even the course of events that ends up with Abby becoming a movie star was believable. The books main premise was that one small event can change your course completely. It's ending demonstrating that if somethings meant to be it will happen regardless of what decisions you make was a nice touch. A great read for girls looking for a love story with something more substantial built in.
Genre: Fiction
Age Level: 10th Grade
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die
by April Henry
Review:
As she comes to, she has no memory of who she is. Of how she came to be in this cabin with two men arguing about whether or not to kill her. All she knows is that one of them just left, and if she's going to survive, she's going to have to find a way to fight back and survive.
Summary:
"The girl who was supposed to die" is a quick paced thriller about a girl who must remember her past before it catches up with her and kills her. While for the most part the book is fairly unbelievable, the quick plot will keep readers attention as they try and figure out who she really is with her. A good quick read, good for teens who like thrillers where they don't have to think about.
Genre: Mystery
Age Level: 8th Grade
Review:
As she comes to, she has no memory of who she is. Of how she came to be in this cabin with two men arguing about whether or not to kill her. All she knows is that one of them just left, and if she's going to survive, she's going to have to find a way to fight back and survive.
Summary:
"The girl who was supposed to die" is a quick paced thriller about a girl who must remember her past before it catches up with her and kills her. While for the most part the book is fairly unbelievable, the quick plot will keep readers attention as they try and figure out who she really is with her. A good quick read, good for teens who like thrillers where they don't have to think about.
Genre: Mystery
Age Level: 8th Grade
Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock
by Matthew Quick
Summary:
Today, Leonard Peacock is going to kill himself and one of his classmates. He will first say goodbye to the only four people he cares about, but then he will do it. Leonard's last day is a cry for help, but no one pays enough attention or seems to care enough to follow through. As he says goodbye to his four, we learn the struggles that led him to the decision, and have to hope that someone will save him from himself. A haunting novel which portrays the struggle and many causes that lead someone to this decision, the book will keep you hoping that's it's protagonist finds something to live for.
Review:
While the premise itself is violent, the book is more about the myriad of factors that led Leonard to where he is now. We learn about the abuse he suffered in silence, about the constant bullying and his absent and clueless mother. The four people he says goodbye to are the only ones who appear to care, but even then are not aware of how desperately he struggles. It's a chilling reminder that you never know when how you treat someone will have the power to pull them from an abyss, or give them that last push to jump over. A great read for older teens.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 10th Grade
Summary:
Today, Leonard Peacock is going to kill himself and one of his classmates. He will first say goodbye to the only four people he cares about, but then he will do it. Leonard's last day is a cry for help, but no one pays enough attention or seems to care enough to follow through. As he says goodbye to his four, we learn the struggles that led him to the decision, and have to hope that someone will save him from himself. A haunting novel which portrays the struggle and many causes that lead someone to this decision, the book will keep you hoping that's it's protagonist finds something to live for.
Review:
While the premise itself is violent, the book is more about the myriad of factors that led Leonard to where he is now. We learn about the abuse he suffered in silence, about the constant bullying and his absent and clueless mother. The four people he says goodbye to are the only ones who appear to care, but even then are not aware of how desperately he struggles. It's a chilling reminder that you never know when how you treat someone will have the power to pull them from an abyss, or give them that last push to jump over. A great read for older teens.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 10th Grade
Saturday, September 21, 2013
The Loop
by Sandy Lawson
Summary:
Ben and Maggie are destined to meet, fall in love, and die together. There's no way of avoiding it, because they've tried to countless times. Stuck in a loop which ends in their deaths, they constantly relive their last days. But they've decided this is the last time, they will break the cycle. Even if it means they have to give each other up, they'll do it for their survival. But the loop is more powerful than they are, making it seem like the impossible.
Review:
A good quick read, In the Loop is a fast paced story about trying to outwit fate. The book doesn't dwell much on the intricacies of a time loop, making it easier to understand than going into any sort of depth about the concept. Maggie and Ben must use everything they have to break the loop, though the whole falling in love at first sight aspect is a little contrived. Overall a good read for anyone who likes a thriller, I'd peg it for a slightly older teen just because the repeated death scenes are a little much for a younger one.
Genre: Adventure
Age Level: 9th Grade
Summary:
Ben and Maggie are destined to meet, fall in love, and die together. There's no way of avoiding it, because they've tried to countless times. Stuck in a loop which ends in their deaths, they constantly relive their last days. But they've decided this is the last time, they will break the cycle. Even if it means they have to give each other up, they'll do it for their survival. But the loop is more powerful than they are, making it seem like the impossible.
Review:
A good quick read, In the Loop is a fast paced story about trying to outwit fate. The book doesn't dwell much on the intricacies of a time loop, making it easier to understand than going into any sort of depth about the concept. Maggie and Ben must use everything they have to break the loop, though the whole falling in love at first sight aspect is a little contrived. Overall a good read for anyone who likes a thriller, I'd peg it for a slightly older teen just because the repeated death scenes are a little much for a younger one.
Genre: Adventure
Age Level: 9th Grade
In the After
by Demitria Lunetta
Summary:
When the Florae invaded, no one was prepared. Most people were killed, and the few that survived did so in silence and alone. Amy and Baby communicate via sign language, surviving thanks to skills learned fast and a compound built by her parents to be self sufficient and protected. Until the day that they are rescued and find themselves in a protected fort with other survivors. Yet this rescue protects a bigger secret, one that will shatter the few things that Amy still believes in.
Review:
In the After is a well written dystopian. While inculcating typical elements (end of the world as we know it, strong female heroine who survives against all odds, rebellion against the establishment that prevailed), it brings in a slightly different aspect with the aliens. The twist at the end you kind of see coming but that doesn't detract from the books quality. A good read for fans of dystopian novels, not quite as good as Divergent and the like but with definite promise for the series. Good for those who liked the 5th Wave.
Genre: Dystopian
Age Level: 8th Grade
Summary:
When the Florae invaded, no one was prepared. Most people were killed, and the few that survived did so in silence and alone. Amy and Baby communicate via sign language, surviving thanks to skills learned fast and a compound built by her parents to be self sufficient and protected. Until the day that they are rescued and find themselves in a protected fort with other survivors. Yet this rescue protects a bigger secret, one that will shatter the few things that Amy still believes in.
Review:
In the After is a well written dystopian. While inculcating typical elements (end of the world as we know it, strong female heroine who survives against all odds, rebellion against the establishment that prevailed), it brings in a slightly different aspect with the aliens. The twist at the end you kind of see coming but that doesn't detract from the books quality. A good read for fans of dystopian novels, not quite as good as Divergent and the like but with definite promise for the series. Good for those who liked the 5th Wave.
Genre: Dystopian
Age Level: 8th Grade
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Rose Under Fire
by Elizabeth Wein
Summary:
The atrocities of World War II have been told and retold a countless number of times, yet Wein's new book brings a different perspective. Rose is an American pilot who joined the Air Transport Authority in England to help ferry planes to troops who needed them. As a woman she was never supposed to be in enemy airspace, yet when a series of incidents leads to her being intercepted by German planes over German airspace, she finds herself a prisoner of war. Sent to the women's concentration camp at Ravensbrook, Rose must now learn survival under the brutalist of terms. It's a story of survival, and ultimately of the power of resistance.
Review:
Just like Code Name Verity, Rose Under Fire is an absolute triumph. Wein deftly weaves together a story of hope in the worst of circumstances, and crafts a strong voice in Rose. The book places a high priority on accuracy. One of the most interesting parts of the book were where Rose and the other ATA girls heard about the horrors of the Holocaust from escapees, but couldn't believe that the stories they were hearing were actually true. When Rose experiences it first hand she finds out that it is even worse than imagined, and then must make the decisions about whether or not to actually spread the word herself.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
Summary:
The atrocities of World War II have been told and retold a countless number of times, yet Wein's new book brings a different perspective. Rose is an American pilot who joined the Air Transport Authority in England to help ferry planes to troops who needed them. As a woman she was never supposed to be in enemy airspace, yet when a series of incidents leads to her being intercepted by German planes over German airspace, she finds herself a prisoner of war. Sent to the women's concentration camp at Ravensbrook, Rose must now learn survival under the brutalist of terms. It's a story of survival, and ultimately of the power of resistance.
Review:
Just like Code Name Verity, Rose Under Fire is an absolute triumph. Wein deftly weaves together a story of hope in the worst of circumstances, and crafts a strong voice in Rose. The book places a high priority on accuracy. One of the most interesting parts of the book were where Rose and the other ATA girls heard about the horrors of the Holocaust from escapees, but couldn't believe that the stories they were hearing were actually true. When Rose experiences it first hand she finds out that it is even worse than imagined, and then must make the decisions about whether or not to actually spread the word herself.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
Truly Madly Deadly
by Hannah Jayne
Summary:
When Sawyer's boyfriend dies in a car crash, she's full of both grief and relief. You see, Kevin wasn't that nice of a boyfriend. He was the kind that would intimidate her constantly, manipulate her, even hit her. But no one knew that but her. To everyone else they had a great relationship. But someone knew. And that someone killed Kevin for Sawyer, and they're coming for whoever hurts her next.
Review:
Jayne's novel is full of suspenseful twists and turns. At times you think it's going to be predictable, but then she hits you with another twist. Well written, this book will keep you glued to the pages until you get to the end. Definitely a read for slightly older teens, it reads like any great thriller.
Genre: Suspense
Age Level: 9th Grade
Summary:
When Sawyer's boyfriend dies in a car crash, she's full of both grief and relief. You see, Kevin wasn't that nice of a boyfriend. He was the kind that would intimidate her constantly, manipulate her, even hit her. But no one knew that but her. To everyone else they had a great relationship. But someone knew. And that someone killed Kevin for Sawyer, and they're coming for whoever hurts her next.
Review:
Jayne's novel is full of suspenseful twists and turns. At times you think it's going to be predictable, but then she hits you with another twist. Well written, this book will keep you glued to the pages until you get to the end. Definitely a read for slightly older teens, it reads like any great thriller.
Genre: Suspense
Age Level: 9th Grade
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Sister Wife
by Shelley Hrdlitschka
Summary:
Celeste has only known life on the compound. She's always known that once the prophet decided who she was to marry she would have to, even if it was to an older man with many wives. But Celeste wants more out of life, but to do so would mean turning her back on everyone she's known forever.
Review:
A well timed novel, due to the high interest in polygamist sects these days, this book is about a young woman struggling to reconcile her desires with everything she's been taught. Celeste ultimately does seek freedom, but it takes her losing almost every part of herself first. It's a good read for anyone curious into the lifestyle, believable even though it makes you want to just grab some of the characters and make them see reason.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
Summary:
Celeste has only known life on the compound. She's always known that once the prophet decided who she was to marry she would have to, even if it was to an older man with many wives. But Celeste wants more out of life, but to do so would mean turning her back on everyone she's known forever.
Review:
A well timed novel, due to the high interest in polygamist sects these days, this book is about a young woman struggling to reconcile her desires with everything she's been taught. Celeste ultimately does seek freedom, but it takes her losing almost every part of herself first. It's a good read for anyone curious into the lifestyle, believable even though it makes you want to just grab some of the characters and make them see reason.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
Half Brother
by Kenneth Oppel
Summary:
Humans have long justified using animals as test subjects. For medicines, experiments, just about anything. Set in 1973, Half Brother is the story of a baby chimpanzee raised by humans. The goal is to teach him to speak, but once the experiment is over, what happens next? When a chimp is raised as a part of a family, doesn't he earn the right to stay with them?
Review:
Set in 1973 right as animal rights were becoming a more pervasive theme, Half Brother is an interesting look at the moral questions raised by animal testing. The book doesn't take too much of a stance on the question beyond how it applies to Zan, though it does talk in general about some of the things that happen to animals in labs and about whether or not one life is better than another. Overall a good read for those interested in animal fiction because the overall story focuses on the relationship Zan has with his human family.
Genre: Fiction
Age Level: 7th Grade
Summary:
Humans have long justified using animals as test subjects. For medicines, experiments, just about anything. Set in 1973, Half Brother is the story of a baby chimpanzee raised by humans. The goal is to teach him to speak, but once the experiment is over, what happens next? When a chimp is raised as a part of a family, doesn't he earn the right to stay with them?
Review:
Set in 1973 right as animal rights were becoming a more pervasive theme, Half Brother is an interesting look at the moral questions raised by animal testing. The book doesn't take too much of a stance on the question beyond how it applies to Zan, though it does talk in general about some of the things that happen to animals in labs and about whether or not one life is better than another. Overall a good read for those interested in animal fiction because the overall story focuses on the relationship Zan has with his human family.
Genre: Fiction
Age Level: 7th Grade
Pretty Girl-13
by Liz Coley
Summary:
If you were kidnapped, wouldn't you do anything to forget? To forget the horrors inflicted upon you? The time you lost? In this engrossing novel, Angie finds herself back at her home after being missing for 3 years. As she struggles to remember what happened, she discovers that her mind has sealed itself off into parts, with different personalities coping with different aspects of her life. There's Girl Scout, who learned to cook and clean for her captor, Angel, who fought back when he hurt her, Little Wife, who's contribution was almost too terrible to talk about, and Tattletale, the one who holds the biggest secret of them all. Angie is going to have to learn to bring them all together inside herself, or risk tearing herself apart trying to learn the truth.
Review:
This book is a fascinating and powerful story that is hard to put down. Angie is a relatable protagonist whose struggles with multiple personality disorder reveal more disturbing aspects of her past. The novel deals not only with kidnapping and the repercussions that has on family, friends and the victim, but also with the aftermath. It's a really great novel to give to anyone who likes suspense novels.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 10th Grade
Summary:
If you were kidnapped, wouldn't you do anything to forget? To forget the horrors inflicted upon you? The time you lost? In this engrossing novel, Angie finds herself back at her home after being missing for 3 years. As she struggles to remember what happened, she discovers that her mind has sealed itself off into parts, with different personalities coping with different aspects of her life. There's Girl Scout, who learned to cook and clean for her captor, Angel, who fought back when he hurt her, Little Wife, who's contribution was almost too terrible to talk about, and Tattletale, the one who holds the biggest secret of them all. Angie is going to have to learn to bring them all together inside herself, or risk tearing herself apart trying to learn the truth.
Review:
This book is a fascinating and powerful story that is hard to put down. Angie is a relatable protagonist whose struggles with multiple personality disorder reveal more disturbing aspects of her past. The novel deals not only with kidnapping and the repercussions that has on family, friends and the victim, but also with the aftermath. It's a really great novel to give to anyone who likes suspense novels.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 10th Grade
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Someone Else's Life
by Katie Dale
Summary:
Rosie watched her mother die of Huntington's disease. She was her caregiver in the months that preceded it, keeping it a secret from friends. When she decides to get tested for the disease herself, because there's a 50% chance she's inherited it, she finds out that her mother was not really her mother. When Rosie decides to track down her real birth parents she finds that the truth is not always the easiest thing to find. She must decide whether the truth is worth destroying another's life, even if it has the power to save it too.
Review:
Huntington's disease is an absolutely terrible disease. For those at risk, the decision to be tested is one of the most difficult ones of their lives. It dictates everything they do, deciding life choices, whether to have children, to go to school. Rosie's story is heartbreaking, but she's a strong character who does not just whine and complain about her problems. It's a marvelous book about family and the power of moving on.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
Summary:
Rosie watched her mother die of Huntington's disease. She was her caregiver in the months that preceded it, keeping it a secret from friends. When she decides to get tested for the disease herself, because there's a 50% chance she's inherited it, she finds out that her mother was not really her mother. When Rosie decides to track down her real birth parents she finds that the truth is not always the easiest thing to find. She must decide whether the truth is worth destroying another's life, even if it has the power to save it too.
Review:
Huntington's disease is an absolutely terrible disease. For those at risk, the decision to be tested is one of the most difficult ones of their lives. It dictates everything they do, deciding life choices, whether to have children, to go to school. Rosie's story is heartbreaking, but she's a strong character who does not just whine and complain about her problems. It's a marvelous book about family and the power of moving on.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
In Honor
by Jessica Kirby
Summary:
Just days after Honor found out her brother Finn was killed in Iraq, she gets a letter from him. Now that the funeral is over, she's going to do what the letter asked. As she sets out to drive to California to go to a concert of a superstar that they both loved, she runs into Finn's best friend Rusty who decides to come with her, against Honor's protests. What starts as a journey to fufill Finn's last wish just might turn into a way for them both to heal a bit from losing him.
Review:
This book was fantastically written. Honor's struggles to both grieve and heal, to let herself live even though he joined the Army in order for her to go to college, are heartbreaking yet so easy to identify with. The characters are all well drawn and pull you in. It's a book that is extremely apt given how many people died in the Iraq war leaving behind their families. It's a great read for anyone who likes realistic fiction, though best for the slightly older set as it does feature some drinking.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
Summary:
Just days after Honor found out her brother Finn was killed in Iraq, she gets a letter from him. Now that the funeral is over, she's going to do what the letter asked. As she sets out to drive to California to go to a concert of a superstar that they both loved, she runs into Finn's best friend Rusty who decides to come with her, against Honor's protests. What starts as a journey to fufill Finn's last wish just might turn into a way for them both to heal a bit from losing him.
Review:
This book was fantastically written. Honor's struggles to both grieve and heal, to let herself live even though he joined the Army in order for her to go to college, are heartbreaking yet so easy to identify with. The characters are all well drawn and pull you in. It's a book that is extremely apt given how many people died in the Iraq war leaving behind their families. It's a great read for anyone who likes realistic fiction, though best for the slightly older set as it does feature some drinking.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
17 & Gone
by Nova Ren Suma
Summary:
Lauren can see the missing girls. She knows they are trying to tell her something. They want her to find them, to solve their cases, because they are gone. The only link between them is that they are 17, just like Lauren. As she follows the clues that they leave behind for her, she has to wonder, is she next? Or perhaps she is already gone.
Review:
17 & Gone is not a story about the missing girls. It's a story about a girl descending into schizophrenia. The girls she is seeing aren't real, neither are the clues, but no one around her recognizes that. What was most powerful about the book is how long it took anyone to realize that something was really wrong with Lauren. So much was dismissed as just odd, or a one time occurrence, just like it would be if you were seeing it in real life. Ultimately Lauren gets the help she needs, but it's interesting to see the progression it takes for her to get it. Definitely realistic in it's portrayal, this is a book for teens interested in psychological realistic fiction.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
Summary:
Lauren can see the missing girls. She knows they are trying to tell her something. They want her to find them, to solve their cases, because they are gone. The only link between them is that they are 17, just like Lauren. As she follows the clues that they leave behind for her, she has to wonder, is she next? Or perhaps she is already gone.
Review:
17 & Gone is not a story about the missing girls. It's a story about a girl descending into schizophrenia. The girls she is seeing aren't real, neither are the clues, but no one around her recognizes that. What was most powerful about the book is how long it took anyone to realize that something was really wrong with Lauren. So much was dismissed as just odd, or a one time occurrence, just like it would be if you were seeing it in real life. Ultimately Lauren gets the help she needs, but it's interesting to see the progression it takes for her to get it. Definitely realistic in it's portrayal, this is a book for teens interested in psychological realistic fiction.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
The Running Dream
by Wendelin Van Draanen
Summary:
Imagine you had just set a school record for running, you were excited that you had beat your own time. Imagine that happiness and joy. But then imagine that on your way home there was a horrific accident and you've just woken up in a hospital bed. Minus one leg. For Jessie it was all too real. Now she has to learn to live with the results of that accident, realizing that she's still the lucky one, one of her teammates died. She'll have to learn to live with her disability. A disability that might just make her realize more of her life than she ever would have otherwise.
Review:
The Running Dream realistically portrays how a girl might cope with such a sudden loss of a limb. Jessie at times comes off as a bit selfish, but it's hard to fault her for that since she's going through such a traumatic time. One of the more interesting things the book touched on was the insurance issues that inevitably follow an accident like this, and the stresses that puts on relationships. The relationship Jesse develops with Rosa puts an inspirational spin on the book that is sure to touch anyone who reads it. It's ultimately a story about rising about your challenges and persevering.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 7th Grade
Summary:
Imagine you had just set a school record for running, you were excited that you had beat your own time. Imagine that happiness and joy. But then imagine that on your way home there was a horrific accident and you've just woken up in a hospital bed. Minus one leg. For Jessie it was all too real. Now she has to learn to live with the results of that accident, realizing that she's still the lucky one, one of her teammates died. She'll have to learn to live with her disability. A disability that might just make her realize more of her life than she ever would have otherwise.
Review:
The Running Dream realistically portrays how a girl might cope with such a sudden loss of a limb. Jessie at times comes off as a bit selfish, but it's hard to fault her for that since she's going through such a traumatic time. One of the more interesting things the book touched on was the insurance issues that inevitably follow an accident like this, and the stresses that puts on relationships. The relationship Jesse develops with Rosa puts an inspirational spin on the book that is sure to touch anyone who reads it. It's ultimately a story about rising about your challenges and persevering.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 7th Grade
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
The Silence of Murder
by Dandi Daley Mackall
Summary:
What if your brother had been accused of murder? Would you stand by him? Accuse him? Stay to the side and do nothing? Hope knows that her brother didn't murder Coach Johnson. But her brother has always had problems, developmental ones that were just a part of his life. But now those problems are what has caused the town to turn against him, and his unwillingness to talk about the events of that night might result in him going to jail for a crime he didn't commit. Unless Hope can find a way to unearth the truth.
Review:
This was an excellent read about a girl who's never been given a break, a family that has been torn apart so many times they don't know how to stand together. Its realistic portrayl about how mental disbilities are misunderstood by those who are scared is well done. It's a whodunit with a great twist at the end, but at it's core its about the staying power of family in terrible circumstances. Definitely a good read for those who like murder mysteries.
Genre: Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
Summary:
What if your brother had been accused of murder? Would you stand by him? Accuse him? Stay to the side and do nothing? Hope knows that her brother didn't murder Coach Johnson. But her brother has always had problems, developmental ones that were just a part of his life. But now those problems are what has caused the town to turn against him, and his unwillingness to talk about the events of that night might result in him going to jail for a crime he didn't commit. Unless Hope can find a way to unearth the truth.
Review:
This was an excellent read about a girl who's never been given a break, a family that has been torn apart so many times they don't know how to stand together. Its realistic portrayl about how mental disbilities are misunderstood by those who are scared is well done. It's a whodunit with a great twist at the end, but at it's core its about the staying power of family in terrible circumstances. Definitely a good read for those who like murder mysteries.
Genre: Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
Monday, August 19, 2013
Sold
by Patricia McCormick
Summary:
Girls all over the world are sold into prostitution by their families. Sometimes the families don't know where the girls are going, but they are desperate for the money and believe they are giving them a chance at a better life. Once they arrive at their new 'home' the girls are spun into a constant cycle of debt, working off the money their parents were paid for them, working off the food they eat, working off the cost of a cot to sleep on, of medicine when they get sick. Sold is a fictional story of how one girl found herself thrust into this life, and how she found the courage to escape it.
Review:
Sold does a marvelous job of tackling the issue of child prostitution in an age appropriate way. While better for slightly older teens, the book shows the cycle these unwitting girls are trapped in. While Lakshmi is lucky enough to meet an American who runs an aid organization, most girls are not. The book does a good job of explaining that while all these girls should have Lakshmi's option of escape most don't or are too afraid to take it. It's a book that will stick with the reader after they put it down, and perhaps inspire those who read it to help in whatever way they can.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
Summary:
Girls all over the world are sold into prostitution by their families. Sometimes the families don't know where the girls are going, but they are desperate for the money and believe they are giving them a chance at a better life. Once they arrive at their new 'home' the girls are spun into a constant cycle of debt, working off the money their parents were paid for them, working off the food they eat, working off the cost of a cot to sleep on, of medicine when they get sick. Sold is a fictional story of how one girl found herself thrust into this life, and how she found the courage to escape it.
Review:
Sold does a marvelous job of tackling the issue of child prostitution in an age appropriate way. While better for slightly older teens, the book shows the cycle these unwitting girls are trapped in. While Lakshmi is lucky enough to meet an American who runs an aid organization, most girls are not. The book does a good job of explaining that while all these girls should have Lakshmi's option of escape most don't or are too afraid to take it. It's a book that will stick with the reader after they put it down, and perhaps inspire those who read it to help in whatever way they can.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
A Matter of Days
by Amber Kizer
Summary:
What if a virus mutated so that it was immune to all known cures? What if it was engineered to wipe out most of the population? It could happen. And it's what happened. It's now 56 days since the virus known as Blue Star was unleashed, and it's killed most of the population. Nadia and her brother were protected by a shot given to them by their uncle, one of the military's top doctors, before the virus hit but now are alone and must make their way across the country to their grandfather's compound. Not knowing if he's alive, and forced to avoid the gangs of people who survived, they must try to survive and figure out who to trust.
Review:
While there is a lot of post-apocalyptic type novels out there, Kizer's does stand out. Nadia and Rabbit are resourceful, but they get a lot of their knowledge about how to survive from previous lessons from their KIA military commando father and from books, which makes it more realistic. They are smart kids who have to use their instincts on who to trust, and while they do have a bit of luck following them, generally the book is pretty believable. It's a good read for those who like disaster fiction, and will drive more than one teen to a book on survival preparedness.
Genre: Disaster Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
Summary:
What if a virus mutated so that it was immune to all known cures? What if it was engineered to wipe out most of the population? It could happen. And it's what happened. It's now 56 days since the virus known as Blue Star was unleashed, and it's killed most of the population. Nadia and her brother were protected by a shot given to them by their uncle, one of the military's top doctors, before the virus hit but now are alone and must make their way across the country to their grandfather's compound. Not knowing if he's alive, and forced to avoid the gangs of people who survived, they must try to survive and figure out who to trust.
Review:
While there is a lot of post-apocalyptic type novels out there, Kizer's does stand out. Nadia and Rabbit are resourceful, but they get a lot of their knowledge about how to survive from previous lessons from their KIA military commando father and from books, which makes it more realistic. They are smart kids who have to use their instincts on who to trust, and while they do have a bit of luck following them, generally the book is pretty believable. It's a good read for those who like disaster fiction, and will drive more than one teen to a book on survival preparedness.
Genre: Disaster Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
Back Home
by Julia Keller
Summary:
Rachel's father went to war not to be a hero, but to help people. But when he returned injured from the war in Iraq, her entire family has to cope with a lot of changes. She never asked for him to go to war, but now that he's back, missing limbs and acting like a different person, she has to learn how their family will live now.
Review:
Back Home is the struggle of one family dealing with an injured veteran, not only from physical injuries like missing limbs, but also from the mental injuries associated with at TBI. With so many parents coming home from the wars injured, this book is a great one to have on hand to give to their children. Rachel deals with not only shame about his injuries, but also confusion about how this will impact her life. The guilt she feels about wanting to be 'normal' is an expected part of life, and how she works through it all with her family is both realistic and poignant. It's no happily ever after tale, but a good realistic read for younger teens.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 5th Grade
Summary:
Rachel's father went to war not to be a hero, but to help people. But when he returned injured from the war in Iraq, her entire family has to cope with a lot of changes. She never asked for him to go to war, but now that he's back, missing limbs and acting like a different person, she has to learn how their family will live now.
Review:
Back Home is the struggle of one family dealing with an injured veteran, not only from physical injuries like missing limbs, but also from the mental injuries associated with at TBI. With so many parents coming home from the wars injured, this book is a great one to have on hand to give to their children. Rachel deals with not only shame about his injuries, but also confusion about how this will impact her life. The guilt she feels about wanting to be 'normal' is an expected part of life, and how she works through it all with her family is both realistic and poignant. It's no happily ever after tale, but a good realistic read for younger teens.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 5th Grade
Just Ella
by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Summary:
Just Ella is not your average fairy tale story. Picked by Prince Charming out of hundreds of other girls to be his wife, Ella is now living in the palace learning to become a princess. But as the wedding approaches, Ella is finding herself struggling to adapt to palace life. Charming only likes her because she's beautiful. Her instructors want her to remain inside doing nothing but needlepoint. She thought becoming a princess would mean freedom, but instead she's just found herself in another cage. Will she ever be able to lead her own life?
Review:
Haddix's novel is a great book about what happens beyond the fairy tale. In this book Charming is completely spoiled and self absorbed. Ella is treated like a china doll. The fairy godmother thing is revealed to be a hoax, it was just a random set of circumstances that got her to the ball. A good read for young girls who like romance, but who might need a little reminder that there is life after the fairy tale ending.
Genre: Fairy Tale
Age Level: 5th Grade
Summary:
Just Ella is not your average fairy tale story. Picked by Prince Charming out of hundreds of other girls to be his wife, Ella is now living in the palace learning to become a princess. But as the wedding approaches, Ella is finding herself struggling to adapt to palace life. Charming only likes her because she's beautiful. Her instructors want her to remain inside doing nothing but needlepoint. She thought becoming a princess would mean freedom, but instead she's just found herself in another cage. Will she ever be able to lead her own life?
Review:
Haddix's novel is a great book about what happens beyond the fairy tale. In this book Charming is completely spoiled and self absorbed. Ella is treated like a china doll. The fairy godmother thing is revealed to be a hoax, it was just a random set of circumstances that got her to the ball. A good read for young girls who like romance, but who might need a little reminder that there is life after the fairy tale ending.
Genre: Fairy Tale
Age Level: 5th Grade
The Testing
by Joelle Charbonneau
Summary:
Cia has always hoped she's be chosen for the Testing. It was the only way that she'd get to go to college, the only way to make a better life for herself. But the testing isn't just about making sure only the best and brightest succeed. It has a darker purpose, and Cia will have to figure out how to do more than she thought in order to pass.
Review:
The Testing is a well written story about a society which has corralled it's people into neat little pegs. It's fairly typical in it's plotline- you think the government is protecting you, turns out they are not, with a strong female character who has her beliefs challenged and has to survive based on her wits and knowledge. It's a solid read for those who like the dystopians that have been so popular, and will prove engaging for both younger and older teens.
Genre: Dystopian
Age Level: 7th Grade
Summary:
Cia has always hoped she's be chosen for the Testing. It was the only way that she'd get to go to college, the only way to make a better life for herself. But the testing isn't just about making sure only the best and brightest succeed. It has a darker purpose, and Cia will have to figure out how to do more than she thought in order to pass.
Review:
The Testing is a well written story about a society which has corralled it's people into neat little pegs. It's fairly typical in it's plotline- you think the government is protecting you, turns out they are not, with a strong female character who has her beliefs challenged and has to survive based on her wits and knowledge. It's a solid read for those who like the dystopians that have been so popular, and will prove engaging for both younger and older teens.
Genre: Dystopian
Age Level: 7th Grade
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
The Forest of Hands and Teeth
by Carrie Ryan
Summary:
Mary has lived her entire life in a village surrounded by forest. A forest she has never set foot in. A forest overrun by the Unconsecrated. But then the Unconsecrated finally break through the wall protecting her village, and only she and a few others escape into a protected passageway that goes through the forest. Now they are forced to move forward, to see if anyone else has survived the return which turned so many people into the undead. But the forest of hands and teeth hides many secrets, and few will survive learning them.
Review:
I am not a huge zombie book fan, and for whatever reason didn't know this book was about zombies when I started it. That said it also took me about half the book to realize the Unconsecrated were zombies. The book uses them as peripheral characters, though ones who have a constant impact on the actions of Mary and the rest. It's very well written, and definitely a great read for teens looking for a not typical series. The second two books were great as well!
Genre: Zombie Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
Summary:
Mary has lived her entire life in a village surrounded by forest. A forest she has never set foot in. A forest overrun by the Unconsecrated. But then the Unconsecrated finally break through the wall protecting her village, and only she and a few others escape into a protected passageway that goes through the forest. Now they are forced to move forward, to see if anyone else has survived the return which turned so many people into the undead. But the forest of hands and teeth hides many secrets, and few will survive learning them.
Review:
I am not a huge zombie book fan, and for whatever reason didn't know this book was about zombies when I started it. That said it also took me about half the book to realize the Unconsecrated were zombies. The book uses them as peripheral characters, though ones who have a constant impact on the actions of Mary and the rest. It's very well written, and definitely a great read for teens looking for a not typical series. The second two books were great as well!
Genre: Zombie Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
The Program
by Suzanne Young
Summary:
Teen suicide has become a national epidemic. There's been no way to stop it, until the Program started. It was a way to help teens forget why they wanted to commit suicide, to give them a clean slate to start from. But in reality it stripped them of everything that made them them. It took crucial memories and left holes in their lives. Sloane's brother committed suicide. She's lost friends. She's been pegged as at risk by the Program, and it's only a matter of time before they come.
Review:
While the book's premise is about teen suicide, the book doesn't really address it in any real way. Suicide is viewed as a disease (like the flu, etc), which makes the book slightly less dark than it might be otherwise, though it is by no means a light read. It is a bit of a departure from your typical adults making decisions that will negatively affect youth novel, it does hold to that premise fairly firmly. There is your rebel group working to subvert the system that adults are perpetuating in the belief that it will save the kids, your teen heroine who is able to beat the Program even though it's never happened before. It's well written and sets up well for a sequel. A good one to recommend to those who like Dystopian or novels with a heroine who stands up to the system.
Genre: Science Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
Summary:
Teen suicide has become a national epidemic. There's been no way to stop it, until the Program started. It was a way to help teens forget why they wanted to commit suicide, to give them a clean slate to start from. But in reality it stripped them of everything that made them them. It took crucial memories and left holes in their lives. Sloane's brother committed suicide. She's lost friends. She's been pegged as at risk by the Program, and it's only a matter of time before they come.
Review:
While the book's premise is about teen suicide, the book doesn't really address it in any real way. Suicide is viewed as a disease (like the flu, etc), which makes the book slightly less dark than it might be otherwise, though it is by no means a light read. It is a bit of a departure from your typical adults making decisions that will negatively affect youth novel, it does hold to that premise fairly firmly. There is your rebel group working to subvert the system that adults are perpetuating in the belief that it will save the kids, your teen heroine who is able to beat the Program even though it's never happened before. It's well written and sets up well for a sequel. A good one to recommend to those who like Dystopian or novels with a heroine who stands up to the system.
Genre: Science Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
The Originals
by Cat Patrick
Summary:
Lizzie, Ella, and Betsy thought they were identical triplets. But when they discover that they are actually clones of another girl, more of their life starts to make sense. Like the fact that they divide the day into thirds, and all share one life in public as "Elizabeth." They've never questioned it, trusting their mother and her plan to keep them safe. But then the girls start to fall for boys, and not the same ones, and the careful divided life they've lived starts to break apart around them.
Review:
This is not a book that debates the merits or demerits of cloning, but instead looks at the process only as far as if affects the three girls. They are three individuals who are not different than anyone else, but they share the same genetic makeup. It is an interesting commentary on how even in someone with the same makeup different traits become more noticeable. The book is interesting and definitely believable. It has a little romance, thrill, and science fiction wrapped into a quick summer read.
Genre: Science Fiction
Age Level: 7th Grade
Summary:
Lizzie, Ella, and Betsy thought they were identical triplets. But when they discover that they are actually clones of another girl, more of their life starts to make sense. Like the fact that they divide the day into thirds, and all share one life in public as "Elizabeth." They've never questioned it, trusting their mother and her plan to keep them safe. But then the girls start to fall for boys, and not the same ones, and the careful divided life they've lived starts to break apart around them.
Review:
This is not a book that debates the merits or demerits of cloning, but instead looks at the process only as far as if affects the three girls. They are three individuals who are not different than anyone else, but they share the same genetic makeup. It is an interesting commentary on how even in someone with the same makeup different traits become more noticeable. The book is interesting and definitely believable. It has a little romance, thrill, and science fiction wrapped into a quick summer read.
Genre: Science Fiction
Age Level: 7th Grade
Bot Wars
By J V Kade
Summary:
Trout St. Croix didn’t want
any trouble. When he recorded the video and posted it online he was just trying
to find out what happened to his dad. His dad who went missing two years ago
when he went off to fight the Bot Wars. Now there’s an uneasy peace, and robots
have been relegated to their own territory. But this video has sparked more
than just a search for his father. It’s become the thing that will start a
movement, a movement to show that the government has been lying about robots
and the people that support them.
Review:
I picked up this book with low expectations, thinking it would be kind of a low budget transformers type novel. However, Kade has created an Asimov like universe where robots are more like humans and the interactions between the two are as natural as can be, though currently that peace only exists in part of the world. The big brothery nature of the rest of the world, where robots are banned and seen as terrorists, is also believable. Trout is a great character that will appeal to both boys and girls alike. Overall a good read not just for those who like sci-fi, but those who like adventure novels with a relatable hero.
Genre: Science Fiction
Age Level: 7th Grade
Monday, June 10, 2013
Prisoner B-3087
by Alan Gratz
Summary:
Jack Gruener was just like any 12 year old. He went to school, had friends, looked forward to his Bar Mitzvah. But he lived in Krakow, Poland in 1939, and the day the Nazi's invaded, his life was forever changed. This story, based on the true story of Jack himself, is the story of how one boy survived. He survived the Krakow ghetto and the uprisings and shootings that occurred there, to work camps to concentration camps. His is a story of survival under the most brutal terms, but also a story of the resiliency of humanity.
Review:
The story of Jack Gruener is one that truly moves a person. He survived the most brutal conditions at an age when he should have been playing or with friends. He lost most of his family, yet learned to continue on. The book does a good job of accurately portraying the politics of the era and the reality of life in the camps from the perspective of a 12 year old, and changes his perspective well as he ages. It is a great addition to any Holocaust book list. The story will really resonate with teens of both genders.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
Summary:
Jack Gruener was just like any 12 year old. He went to school, had friends, looked forward to his Bar Mitzvah. But he lived in Krakow, Poland in 1939, and the day the Nazi's invaded, his life was forever changed. This story, based on the true story of Jack himself, is the story of how one boy survived. He survived the Krakow ghetto and the uprisings and shootings that occurred there, to work camps to concentration camps. His is a story of survival under the most brutal terms, but also a story of the resiliency of humanity.
Review:
The story of Jack Gruener is one that truly moves a person. He survived the most brutal conditions at an age when he should have been playing or with friends. He lost most of his family, yet learned to continue on. The book does a good job of accurately portraying the politics of the era and the reality of life in the camps from the perspective of a 12 year old, and changes his perspective well as he ages. It is a great addition to any Holocaust book list. The story will really resonate with teens of both genders.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
In the Shadow of Blackbirds
by Cat Winters
Summary:
In San Diego in 1918, the deadly Spanish flu is spreading. Coupled with the fact that World War I continues to take the lives of so many young men, it's no wonder that many are looking to seances and spiritualism to cope. Mary Shelley Black has been sent to San Diego after her father was arrested for anti-war activities. After she finds out her best friend was killed in the trenches, his spirit begins to haunt her. For a girl that doesn't believe in ghosts, she is forced to find a way to help the boy she loved find peace.
Review:
As a native San Diegan, I was excited to read a book set in my hometown. The book was pretty accurate (at least from what I know) in describing the city as it was in 1918. While I was a bit skeptical about the spiritualism angle of the book, Winters writes in a way that makes it believable. The era the book was set in was wrought with change and terror for people. Between the flu and the horrors of the war brought about by changes in weaponry it is easy to see why people were so willing to believe in spirits. A good read full of interesting characters and history.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
Summary:
In San Diego in 1918, the deadly Spanish flu is spreading. Coupled with the fact that World War I continues to take the lives of so many young men, it's no wonder that many are looking to seances and spiritualism to cope. Mary Shelley Black has been sent to San Diego after her father was arrested for anti-war activities. After she finds out her best friend was killed in the trenches, his spirit begins to haunt her. For a girl that doesn't believe in ghosts, she is forced to find a way to help the boy she loved find peace.
Review:
As a native San Diegan, I was excited to read a book set in my hometown. The book was pretty accurate (at least from what I know) in describing the city as it was in 1918. While I was a bit skeptical about the spiritualism angle of the book, Winters writes in a way that makes it believable. The era the book was set in was wrought with change and terror for people. Between the flu and the horrors of the war brought about by changes in weaponry it is easy to see why people were so willing to believe in spirits. A good read full of interesting characters and history.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
Monday, June 3, 2013
When We Wake
by Karen Healey
Summary:
You never know the last day of your life will be the last day of your life. For Tegan, it was just a normal day. She said bye to her mom, met up with friends, and went to a rally. And then she was shot. Which for most people would be the end of the story. But when Tegan wakes up in a government facility 100 years in the future she finds she was the first person to be cryogenically frozen and re-awoken. Now she has to figure out how to live in a society both similar and different to her own, realizing the future that she lives in is nothing like the future she had hoped for.
Review:
Healey has created a compelling tale that is both interesting for it's characters but also for the questions it raises. The book is a bit of a warning about our hopes for the future. The world Tegan wakes up in has severe climate issues, immigration policies, and economic problems have been exacerbated. It's a sobering glance at what might happen, told from the eyes of a girl who had big hopes for the future. Tegan has to struggle not only with realizing that everyone she knows is dead, but has to move forward with a life in this new century. It's a good book for those that like semi-dystopian tales or books about climate change.
Genre: Science Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
Summary:
You never know the last day of your life will be the last day of your life. For Tegan, it was just a normal day. She said bye to her mom, met up with friends, and went to a rally. And then she was shot. Which for most people would be the end of the story. But when Tegan wakes up in a government facility 100 years in the future she finds she was the first person to be cryogenically frozen and re-awoken. Now she has to figure out how to live in a society both similar and different to her own, realizing the future that she lives in is nothing like the future she had hoped for.
Review:
Healey has created a compelling tale that is both interesting for it's characters but also for the questions it raises. The book is a bit of a warning about our hopes for the future. The world Tegan wakes up in has severe climate issues, immigration policies, and economic problems have been exacerbated. It's a sobering glance at what might happen, told from the eyes of a girl who had big hopes for the future. Tegan has to struggle not only with realizing that everyone she knows is dead, but has to move forward with a life in this new century. It's a good book for those that like semi-dystopian tales or books about climate change.
Genre: Science Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Far From Home
by Na'ima B Robert
Summary
Tariro and Katie have never met. They are separated by more than just the 25 year gap in their ages, but they are linked together by a dark secret. The book tells both of their story, with events years apart having reverberating impacts across both of their lives. Set in Zimbabwe, it is the story how two different families had their lives ripped apart by war. The story of the price that victors pay, and the reminder that colonialization didn't take place that long ago.
Review:
Far From Home is a well written book about the Rhodesian empire and the wars for independence that led to it becoming Zimbabwe. The racism depicted in the book is very accurate, though difficult to read. The views held by the whites in the book were prevalent at the time, in a way it's similar to the Help. The struggles faced by native Zimbabweans were horrific, especially seen in retrospect. Katie's evolution from a girl raised in a privileged background to a more compassionate and understanding person is well written and believable. It's a good read for those studying civil rights or with an interest in more gritty historical fiction.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Age Level: 10th Grade
Summary
Tariro and Katie have never met. They are separated by more than just the 25 year gap in their ages, but they are linked together by a dark secret. The book tells both of their story, with events years apart having reverberating impacts across both of their lives. Set in Zimbabwe, it is the story how two different families had their lives ripped apart by war. The story of the price that victors pay, and the reminder that colonialization didn't take place that long ago.
Review:
Far From Home is a well written book about the Rhodesian empire and the wars for independence that led to it becoming Zimbabwe. The racism depicted in the book is very accurate, though difficult to read. The views held by the whites in the book were prevalent at the time, in a way it's similar to the Help. The struggles faced by native Zimbabweans were horrific, especially seen in retrospect. Katie's evolution from a girl raised in a privileged background to a more compassionate and understanding person is well written and believable. It's a good read for those studying civil rights or with an interest in more gritty historical fiction.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Age Level: 10th Grade
Monday, May 20, 2013
The 5th Wave
by Rick Yancy
Summary:
Summary:
No one knows what the 5th
wave is yet. The first 4 waves killed almost everyone. For Cassie the only hope
for survival has been to stay alone. To keep away from other people, while
searching for her younger brother. But when Evan Walker saves her life, she
begins to hope that staying with him will be the right choice. As they work
together to try and find her brother, she’ll learn things that will cause her
to question everything she knew, everything she’s learned since the invasion,
and everything that might come after.
Review:
Not your typical alien invasion book, Yancy has weaved an interesting tale of a being that comes to our planet with the aim of living here. Cassie is a strong character who has survived through a combination of luck and resourcefulness. The book weaves her story with that of her brother's and her high school crush's. The book is original and keeps you guessing til the end. It's well worth the read, an edge of your seat book you'll have a tough time putting down. It is part one of a series.
Not your typical alien invasion book, Yancy has weaved an interesting tale of a being that comes to our planet with the aim of living here. Cassie is a strong character who has survived through a combination of luck and resourcefulness. The book weaves her story with that of her brother's and her high school crush's. The book is original and keeps you guessing til the end. It's well worth the read, an edge of your seat book you'll have a tough time putting down. It is part one of a series.
Genre: Sci Fi
Age Level: 8th Grade
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
If You Find Me
by Emily Murdoch
Summary:
Casey can only remember her life in the woods. She takes care of her younger sister, makes them meals out of what little food their mother has left behind each time she leaves, and keeps them clean and out of trouble. Until the day that a man and a woman come in search of them. A man who claims to be Casey's father. Suddenly both girls find themselves living not in a broken down trailer but in a house with a father, stepmother and a stepsister. As their mother's past comes to light Casey is left to struggle with her own secrets, secrets that might destroy the little happiness she and her sister have ever had.
Review:
Murdoch has created an extremely powerful and impressive book. Casey is a strong, resilient character. Both mother to her sister yet fiercely independent, she struggles to rely on someone else to provide for them. It's a haunting story of how mental illness can destroy a family, and an impressive look at how one girl emerges from such pain. A very well written story with a lot of facets to it. Definitely a good read for teens into realistic fiction.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 10th Grade
Summary:
Casey can only remember her life in the woods. She takes care of her younger sister, makes them meals out of what little food their mother has left behind each time she leaves, and keeps them clean and out of trouble. Until the day that a man and a woman come in search of them. A man who claims to be Casey's father. Suddenly both girls find themselves living not in a broken down trailer but in a house with a father, stepmother and a stepsister. As their mother's past comes to light Casey is left to struggle with her own secrets, secrets that might destroy the little happiness she and her sister have ever had.
Review:
Murdoch has created an extremely powerful and impressive book. Casey is a strong, resilient character. Both mother to her sister yet fiercely independent, she struggles to rely on someone else to provide for them. It's a haunting story of how mental illness can destroy a family, and an impressive look at how one girl emerges from such pain. A very well written story with a lot of facets to it. Definitely a good read for teens into realistic fiction.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 10th Grade
Under the Never Sky
by Veronica Rossi
Summary:
When the aether storms destroyed most of the Earth, humankind was divided into two peoples. One who lived in man-made pods, shielded from the elements but never able to leave. The other survived in the wild, existing with little that was left untouched. Aria, a Dweller who's lived in the pods, and Perry, who's senses have been refined from a life outside, could not be more different. But when a chance encounter suddenly changes both of their lives, leaving them each stranded from the lives they knew, they are left to pick up the pieces together.
Review:
It took me a few chapters to really get into Under the Never Sky. Rossi paints a world both very different and very similar to our own. There is not a lot of explanation in the book for the new names she calls things (like aether which are like electrical storms), which at first made it difficult to really get into. However Aria and Perry are both complex and engaging characters. The romance that develops between them takes second place for most of the novel, though by the end becomes the important theme they both struggle with. It's a good book for those who like dystopians or survivalistic books.
Genre: Dystopian
Age Level: 9th Grade
Series Information: Under the Never Sky (Book 1), Through the Ever Night (Book 2), Book 3 as yet untitled (to be released spring 2014)
Summary:
When the aether storms destroyed most of the Earth, humankind was divided into two peoples. One who lived in man-made pods, shielded from the elements but never able to leave. The other survived in the wild, existing with little that was left untouched. Aria, a Dweller who's lived in the pods, and Perry, who's senses have been refined from a life outside, could not be more different. But when a chance encounter suddenly changes both of their lives, leaving them each stranded from the lives they knew, they are left to pick up the pieces together.
Review:
It took me a few chapters to really get into Under the Never Sky. Rossi paints a world both very different and very similar to our own. There is not a lot of explanation in the book for the new names she calls things (like aether which are like electrical storms), which at first made it difficult to really get into. However Aria and Perry are both complex and engaging characters. The romance that develops between them takes second place for most of the novel, though by the end becomes the important theme they both struggle with. It's a good book for those who like dystopians or survivalistic books.
Genre: Dystopian
Age Level: 9th Grade
Series Information: Under the Never Sky (Book 1), Through the Ever Night (Book 2), Book 3 as yet untitled (to be released spring 2014)
Monday, May 13, 2013
Every Day
by David Leviathan
Summary:
Imagine every morning you woke up as someone else. You had no idea where you were, you could be a boy or girl, in any city in the world. A's never known anything else. Every day A wakes up as someone different. A's learned to cope, causing as little disruption to the lives of everyone A has been for a day. But one day A wakes up as Justin, and meets Justin's girlfriend Rhiannon. In Rhiannon A has found the only person A has ever had a connection to. And when the day is over, and A wakes up in a new body the next day, A suddenly realizes that nothing will be the same unless A can get back to her.
Review:
One of the most interesting parts of this book was the lack of gender identity for A. A is both both and girl, changing from day to day at the drop of a hat. A's love for Rhiannon is both simple and poignant. A had come to terms with life alone, but meeting the one person that they might be able to love sets in motion a path that A could not have imagined. It's a well written book, a love story but one with a poignant end.
Genre: Love Story
Age Level: 9th Grade
Summary:
Imagine every morning you woke up as someone else. You had no idea where you were, you could be a boy or girl, in any city in the world. A's never known anything else. Every day A wakes up as someone different. A's learned to cope, causing as little disruption to the lives of everyone A has been for a day. But one day A wakes up as Justin, and meets Justin's girlfriend Rhiannon. In Rhiannon A has found the only person A has ever had a connection to. And when the day is over, and A wakes up in a new body the next day, A suddenly realizes that nothing will be the same unless A can get back to her.
Review:
One of the most interesting parts of this book was the lack of gender identity for A. A is both both and girl, changing from day to day at the drop of a hat. A's love for Rhiannon is both simple and poignant. A had come to terms with life alone, but meeting the one person that they might be able to love sets in motion a path that A could not have imagined. It's a well written book, a love story but one with a poignant end.
Genre: Love Story
Age Level: 9th Grade
Lucid
By Adrienne Stoltz and Ron Bass
Summary:
Maggie is an up and coming actress in New York City. She takes care of her little sister while her mom is at work, but for the most part she focuses on her craft. Sloane is your typical high school student living in a small town. She's got a family that loves her, but as the one year anniversary of her friend's death approaches, is finding it hard to cope with his loss. What ties these two together isn't simple. You see, every night Maggie goes to sleep, and in her dreams, lives Sloane's life. And every night, when Sloane goes to sleep she lives Maggie's. Neither can remember when it started, but as their waking lives start to intersect they'll have to figure out who is living the real life, and who is just the dream. The only question is, can they do it before they both go insane?
Review:
Lucid kept me guessing until the very end. Both Maggie and Sloane are girls coping with issues they refuse to deal with. The problems are different for both of them, but at the heart of it deals with loss and moving on. Sloane suffered a terrible loss and didn't share the true extent of it with anyone, Maggie lost her father and still struggles to understand what happened. I had no idea who was actually the real person, and who was the dream, until the very end. It's a great story about loss and the struggles we all have with dealing with it. Good for slightly older teens.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
Summary:
Maggie is an up and coming actress in New York City. She takes care of her little sister while her mom is at work, but for the most part she focuses on her craft. Sloane is your typical high school student living in a small town. She's got a family that loves her, but as the one year anniversary of her friend's death approaches, is finding it hard to cope with his loss. What ties these two together isn't simple. You see, every night Maggie goes to sleep, and in her dreams, lives Sloane's life. And every night, when Sloane goes to sleep she lives Maggie's. Neither can remember when it started, but as their waking lives start to intersect they'll have to figure out who is living the real life, and who is just the dream. The only question is, can they do it before they both go insane?
Review:
Lucid kept me guessing until the very end. Both Maggie and Sloane are girls coping with issues they refuse to deal with. The problems are different for both of them, but at the heart of it deals with loss and moving on. Sloane suffered a terrible loss and didn't share the true extent of it with anyone, Maggie lost her father and still struggles to understand what happened. I had no idea who was actually the real person, and who was the dream, until the very end. It's a great story about loss and the struggles we all have with dealing with it. Good for slightly older teens.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
The Selection
by Kiera Cass
Summary:
Summary:
All across Illea, girls between 16 and 20 have entered their
names for a chance to become the next princess. Prince Maxon is looking for a
wife, and one girl from each province wil be chosen for a chance to win his
heart (and the crown). For once the rigid caste system that defines the country
won’t matter. For America ,
born a 5, it’s a chance to better her family’s fate, even if the chances are
small that she’ll be chosen to even compete. When her name is chosen, she finds
herself in the palace, competing with 34 other girls to win the heart of a
prince. A prince is is a lot more than she ever thought he could be. It’s a
game of deceit and love, but will anyone really be a winner?
Review:
I really enjoyed The Selection. America is a really likeable character, and the story is kind of a Cinderella story set in a dystopian future. America stands up to Maxon, the only person to do so, and in return gains a friend and confidante. She's still recovering from breaking up with the man she loved back in her province, and the bonds forged between her and Maxon are fragile but important. The love triangle (between her, her former love, and Maxon) is well drawn. The misinformation spread by the palace to the people is an interesting twist, and the way America discovers her country's real history is a great twist. I read it in less than a day, since I couldn't put it down! Great read for teens that like like dystopians.
Genre: Dystopian
Age Level: 9th Grade
Series information: The Elite (Book 2)
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Fire-us
by Jennifer Armstrong
Summary:
It's been 5 years since the Fire-Us swept through the nation. The virus killed almost everyone, but left behind a few small survivors, none of whom were adults. This is the story of a small group of kids who survived the Fire-Us. A group who are trying to stay alive. But when a new kid comes to town, they begin to wonder if there are any more survivors, and take off for an unknown destination in search of something else.
Review:
The book is told from the perspective of the kids who survived the fire-us. The grammar is rough, written like children who have not been taught past the 3rd grade. For myself, it made the book difficult to read, but the story was interesting. Armstrong does a realistic job of portraying everything through the eyes of 7 or 8 year olds, even though the oldest child is now almost 13. The kids create a family group from what they remember before the virus killed all the adults and almost everyone else, which is both interesting and plausible. Overall a good read for those who like dystopian novels. But if there is no interest in the genre it probably won't appeal to most.
Genre: Dystopian
Age Level: 7th Grade
Summary:
It's been 5 years since the Fire-Us swept through the nation. The virus killed almost everyone, but left behind a few small survivors, none of whom were adults. This is the story of a small group of kids who survived the Fire-Us. A group who are trying to stay alive. But when a new kid comes to town, they begin to wonder if there are any more survivors, and take off for an unknown destination in search of something else.
Review:
The book is told from the perspective of the kids who survived the fire-us. The grammar is rough, written like children who have not been taught past the 3rd grade. For myself, it made the book difficult to read, but the story was interesting. Armstrong does a realistic job of portraying everything through the eyes of 7 or 8 year olds, even though the oldest child is now almost 13. The kids create a family group from what they remember before the virus killed all the adults and almost everyone else, which is both interesting and plausible. Overall a good read for those who like dystopian novels. But if there is no interest in the genre it probably won't appeal to most.
Genre: Dystopian
Age Level: 7th Grade
Lucid
by Adrienne Stoltz
Summary:
Every night, Maggie dreams of Sloane's day. And every night, after living her day, Sloane dreams of Maggie's. One lives in New York, struggling to become an actress, the other lives in a small town with her tight-knit family and dreams of the day she goes to college. Each wakes up as the girl she is, after spending their nights as the other. But as time goes by the lines between where one girl ends and the other begins is blurred. Only one of them is going to be able to keep going, but which life is the one that will fade away?
Review:
Cunningly constructed, Lucid alternates between the viewpoints of Maggie and Sloane. Both girls are well developed characters, which lives that are both fulfilling and lacking. What one has the other does not, for Sloane there is a loving family, but not the independence Maggie has. Both girls have experienced the loss of someone close to them, and both realize that their connection is not quite normal. The book gives an interesting perspective to mental illness, as well as to the barriers we put up to deal with our own issues. The book keeps you guessing til the end about which girl's life is the real one.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
Summary:
Every night, Maggie dreams of Sloane's day. And every night, after living her day, Sloane dreams of Maggie's. One lives in New York, struggling to become an actress, the other lives in a small town with her tight-knit family and dreams of the day she goes to college. Each wakes up as the girl she is, after spending their nights as the other. But as time goes by the lines between where one girl ends and the other begins is blurred. Only one of them is going to be able to keep going, but which life is the one that will fade away?
Review:
Cunningly constructed, Lucid alternates between the viewpoints of Maggie and Sloane. Both girls are well developed characters, which lives that are both fulfilling and lacking. What one has the other does not, for Sloane there is a loving family, but not the independence Maggie has. Both girls have experienced the loss of someone close to them, and both realize that their connection is not quite normal. The book gives an interesting perspective to mental illness, as well as to the barriers we put up to deal with our own issues. The book keeps you guessing til the end about which girl's life is the real one.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
Monday, April 22, 2013
Me, Him, Them and It
by Caela Carter
Summary:
16 year old Evelyn wanted to be the bad girl. She was tired of being the perfect girl her parents wanted her to be, and why should she be when they barely acknowledged her and cheated on each other. But when she finds out she's pregnant, she's suddenly forced to make decisions that she's barely able to. And is forced to rely on a family that she thought had given her up.
Review:
Me, Him, Them and It does a really impressive job of realistically portraying how a smart teen, who gets good grades and does everything else right, ends up a teen mom. The book shows her as she goes through the decision making process, weighing abortion, adoption or raising the child. At times you really don't like Evelyn, she tends to curl into herself and let decisions be forced rather than make them herself, but in that way the book is very realistic. The book will appeal to older teens, but less so for younger teens since the situation is a little harder for them to place themselves in. Older teens will relate to how Evelyn, who does so much right, finds herself making one choice that will define the rest of her life.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 10th Grade
Summary:
16 year old Evelyn wanted to be the bad girl. She was tired of being the perfect girl her parents wanted her to be, and why should she be when they barely acknowledged her and cheated on each other. But when she finds out she's pregnant, she's suddenly forced to make decisions that she's barely able to. And is forced to rely on a family that she thought had given her up.
Review:
Me, Him, Them and It does a really impressive job of realistically portraying how a smart teen, who gets good grades and does everything else right, ends up a teen mom. The book shows her as she goes through the decision making process, weighing abortion, adoption or raising the child. At times you really don't like Evelyn, she tends to curl into herself and let decisions be forced rather than make them herself, but in that way the book is very realistic. The book will appeal to older teens, but less so for younger teens since the situation is a little harder for them to place themselves in. Older teens will relate to how Evelyn, who does so much right, finds herself making one choice that will define the rest of her life.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 10th Grade
Monday, April 8, 2013
Code Name Verity
by Elizabeth Wein
Summary:
Summary:
When Verity is arrested as a spy in occupied France , she
knows that the only way she will escape being tortured by the Gestapo is to
collaborate. She knows that regardless at the end of her usefulness to the
Germans she will be executed, so she might as well live out her last few days in
comfort. The story she tells them is not just about her mission, but about two
friends, Maddie and Julie. Two girls from different walks of life who might
never have met but for the war. Whose fate is intertwined beyond what they even
know themselves. For captured Verity and her pilot friend Maddie, trapped
behind enemy lines, the mission of their lives may have only just begun.
Review:
Code Name Verity is one of the best books I've read in awhile. The book is full of intrigue, leaving the reader unsure til the end of the real motives of half the characters in the book. The more Julie reveals about herself in her writings for the Gestapo the more you wonder how she could become a collaborator. The book has tons of twists and excitement, making it great for anyone who likes spy novels or thrillers. I won't give much away, but it's definitely worth the read. (Full disclosure the book didn't completely grab me until about 100 pages in, and then I couldn't put it down). I would be cautious recommending it to younger teens just because of the torture scenes (they aren't terribly graphic, but because these things actually happened to people it might be a little hard for less mature teens to read). Personally, the book made me wonder if I would ever have the courage to do what girls like this did during WWII.
Code Name Verity is one of the best books I've read in awhile. The book is full of intrigue, leaving the reader unsure til the end of the real motives of half the characters in the book. The more Julie reveals about herself in her writings for the Gestapo the more you wonder how she could become a collaborator. The book has tons of twists and excitement, making it great for anyone who likes spy novels or thrillers. I won't give much away, but it's definitely worth the read. (Full disclosure the book didn't completely grab me until about 100 pages in, and then I couldn't put it down). I would be cautious recommending it to younger teens just because of the torture scenes (they aren't terribly graphic, but because these things actually happened to people it might be a little hard for less mature teens to read). Personally, the book made me wonder if I would ever have the courage to do what girls like this did during WWII.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
Janie Face to Face
by Caroline B Cooney
Summary:
Summary:
We’ve all probably wondered at one point in our life what it
would be like if we weren’t related to the people that raised us. Maybe we are
actually prince’s or princesses, maybe the child of rich billionaires who are
just waiting to rescue us from a life of monotony For Janie, finding out who
her real parents were became a nightmare. A kidnapped child who 13 years later
spotted her own face on a missing children’s ad on a milk carton. A girl who
had to come to terms with what her life has done to two families through no
fault of her own. In this conclusion to the face on the milk carton, we find
out more about the kidnapper herself, and it’s only a matter of time until they
meet again. But this time the chances of a happy ending are slim.
Review:
Janie Face to Face is a great conclusion to the Face on the Milk Carton series. While a bit skeptical, since the last one was written a long time ago, Cooney does a great job of finishing up a series. The book is written for a younger audience, and her attempts to update the book by mentioning modern technology are a bit silly (almost trying too hard), the book overall has the same feel as the rest of the series. It does wrap up the series nicely, with Janie and Reeve finally getting together, but feels a bit too happy ending contrived. It's a good read for fans of the series or younger teens. But for an older teen with no vested interest in the book it won't hold their attention.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 6th Grade
Saturday, March 23, 2013
No Safety in Numbers
by Dayna Lorentz
Summary:
It was supposed to be just a typical day at the mall. Thousands of people just going about their own business buying shoes, toys, seeing a movie, having lunch. But when a biological bomb is discovered in the air conditioning system, the mall suddenly becomes a prison for those inside as the authorities try to contain whatever might have been released. This is the story of 5 teens who suddenly find themselves quarantined, trapped with a virus whose potential no one knows. It's the story of the very best and very worst that people act when everything is on the line. It's a story of death, but also perhaps, of survival.
Review:
There aren't too many teen books written exploring the possibility of biological weapons, but this book does so in a way that is both appropriate and interesting. The book alternates between the perspective of 5 teens, none of whom really know each other. They struggle to not only understand what is happening, but also to survive and thrive in this environment where it is everyone for themselves. The book does a good job of portraying the desperation that can happen in a situation like this, and the ways that the extremes of human nature come out when people are faced with life and death decisions. It's a good book, probably best for older teens because it's serious nature.
Genre: Survivalist Fiction
Age Level: 10th Grade
Summary:
It was supposed to be just a typical day at the mall. Thousands of people just going about their own business buying shoes, toys, seeing a movie, having lunch. But when a biological bomb is discovered in the air conditioning system, the mall suddenly becomes a prison for those inside as the authorities try to contain whatever might have been released. This is the story of 5 teens who suddenly find themselves quarantined, trapped with a virus whose potential no one knows. It's the story of the very best and very worst that people act when everything is on the line. It's a story of death, but also perhaps, of survival.
Review:
There aren't too many teen books written exploring the possibility of biological weapons, but this book does so in a way that is both appropriate and interesting. The book alternates between the perspective of 5 teens, none of whom really know each other. They struggle to not only understand what is happening, but also to survive and thrive in this environment where it is everyone for themselves. The book does a good job of portraying the desperation that can happen in a situation like this, and the ways that the extremes of human nature come out when people are faced with life and death decisions. It's a good book, probably best for older teens because it's serious nature.
Genre: Survivalist Fiction
Age Level: 10th Grade
Shadowlands
by Kate Brian
Summary:
Rory was the first girl who escaped serial killer Steven Nell. Now, hidden by the FBI with her family as they try and track him down, she has to pretend that everything is ok. That she's not terrified every time she steps outside. That she's not plagued with visions of what could happened. But their new community might not be as safe as they had hoped. When Rory starts to hear Nell saying her name in crowded rooms, and finding his things outside their new house, she realizes that maybe no where at all is safe enough to protect her.
Review:
The first of a planned trilogy, Shadowlands is excellently written. The engaging plot grabs the reader from the get go. Rory and her family have already dealt with heartbreak (her mother died of cancer a few years before) and this new incident seems to highlight everything that is wrong with her family now. Rory and Darcy are great characters, very realistically portrayed sisters who get along but also don't. I saw the the twist at the end coming, but it was a little different than I expected. Overall a great read for teens that like suspense stories.
Genre: Suspense
Age Level: 10th Grade
Summary:
Rory was the first girl who escaped serial killer Steven Nell. Now, hidden by the FBI with her family as they try and track him down, she has to pretend that everything is ok. That she's not terrified every time she steps outside. That she's not plagued with visions of what could happened. But their new community might not be as safe as they had hoped. When Rory starts to hear Nell saying her name in crowded rooms, and finding his things outside their new house, she realizes that maybe no where at all is safe enough to protect her.
Review:
The first of a planned trilogy, Shadowlands is excellently written. The engaging plot grabs the reader from the get go. Rory and her family have already dealt with heartbreak (her mother died of cancer a few years before) and this new incident seems to highlight everything that is wrong with her family now. Rory and Darcy are great characters, very realistically portrayed sisters who get along but also don't. I saw the the twist at the end coming, but it was a little different than I expected. Overall a great read for teens that like suspense stories.
Genre: Suspense
Age Level: 10th Grade
Monday, March 11, 2013
Three Black Swans
by Caroline B Cooney
Summary:
It all started because Missy's science teacher gave them the assignment to create a hoax. Because Missy thought it would be a great idea to convince everyone that her cousin Claire was actually her identical twin. They'd been told forever how much they looked alike, so they'd be able to convince people easily. But when they do, and when even their closest friends can't tell them apart, they realize that maybe they've stumbled onto more than just a coincidence. Maybe they've stumbled onto a secret that their family has been trying to conceal for years.
Review:
As a big fan of Cooney's other works, I was excited to try one of her newer books. Unfortunately this did not live up to my expectations. The story itself is good, if a bit predictable, but the writing itself seemed like it was trying to hard. The characters were not well developed, or not well developed as modern teens. The book read too much like something that was written years ago but someone tried to modernize but didn't know what was really happening at the time. Probably best for younger teens, since older ones will find the sanitized characters too bland.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 6th Grade
Summary:
It all started because Missy's science teacher gave them the assignment to create a hoax. Because Missy thought it would be a great idea to convince everyone that her cousin Claire was actually her identical twin. They'd been told forever how much they looked alike, so they'd be able to convince people easily. But when they do, and when even their closest friends can't tell them apart, they realize that maybe they've stumbled onto more than just a coincidence. Maybe they've stumbled onto a secret that their family has been trying to conceal for years.
Review:
As a big fan of Cooney's other works, I was excited to try one of her newer books. Unfortunately this did not live up to my expectations. The story itself is good, if a bit predictable, but the writing itself seemed like it was trying to hard. The characters were not well developed, or not well developed as modern teens. The book read too much like something that was written years ago but someone tried to modernize but didn't know what was really happening at the time. Probably best for younger teens, since older ones will find the sanitized characters too bland.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 6th Grade
Belles
by Jen Calonita
Summary:
Isabelle had never had a lot of family, but after her mother died in a car crash, and her grandmother's dementia got too bad for her to live with her, she finds herself living with distant relatives she's never met. Relatives who also happen to be a state senator and incrediblly wealthy. Isabelle now finds herself living a lifestyle she's never dreamed of, attending a fancy prep school. But as she's finding out, all that glitter's isn't gold. Living a life of luxury can contain ugliness and secrets too.
Review:
Slightly predictable at times, Belles is overall a great reat. Isabelle has to contend with mean girls at her new school, a new home life complete with 3 cousins and an aunt and uncle, and suddenly can afford to buy whatever she wants. The book ends on a slight twist, making you reach for the sequel immediately. A good read for girls who like realistic fiction, or books with happy endings.
Genre: Fiction
Age Level: 8th grade
Summary:
Isabelle had never had a lot of family, but after her mother died in a car crash, and her grandmother's dementia got too bad for her to live with her, she finds herself living with distant relatives she's never met. Relatives who also happen to be a state senator and incrediblly wealthy. Isabelle now finds herself living a lifestyle she's never dreamed of, attending a fancy prep school. But as she's finding out, all that glitter's isn't gold. Living a life of luxury can contain ugliness and secrets too.
Review:
Slightly predictable at times, Belles is overall a great reat. Isabelle has to contend with mean girls at her new school, a new home life complete with 3 cousins and an aunt and uncle, and suddenly can afford to buy whatever she wants. The book ends on a slight twist, making you reach for the sequel immediately. A good read for girls who like realistic fiction, or books with happy endings.
Genre: Fiction
Age Level: 8th grade
Crash and Burn
by Michael Hassan
Summary:
Crash didn't set out that morning to be a hero. He didn't intend to be the person who saved 1000 people from his classmate David. He wasn't even planning on being at school. But David had other plans, plans that were the direct result of their ten years of knowing each other. Plans that dated even back to their first meeting in elementary school, to their first escapade where David earned his nickname Burn. Told from Crash's perspective and alternating between before and after the event, he retells the events that led up to the moment it was just them, Crash and Burn, surrounded by bombs and guns, each trying to out think the other.
Reviews:
Crash and Burn didn't grab me at first, but by the end I was reading it as quickly as I could to find out what happens. Crash is a brash character who goes through life like a bull in a china shop, but at the same time is someone you really want to be friends with. Reflecting on his relationship with David, each story reveals a little more of how they both ended up in a room together. The book does not focus as much on the attempted massacre itself, but instead on how everything built up to it, and how it changed Crash's life afterwards. The book is well written and engaging, but due to the content (drugs, drinking, sex, suicide, and an attempted school massacre) is probably best for older teens.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 10th Grade
Summary:
Crash didn't set out that morning to be a hero. He didn't intend to be the person who saved 1000 people from his classmate David. He wasn't even planning on being at school. But David had other plans, plans that were the direct result of their ten years of knowing each other. Plans that dated even back to their first meeting in elementary school, to their first escapade where David earned his nickname Burn. Told from Crash's perspective and alternating between before and after the event, he retells the events that led up to the moment it was just them, Crash and Burn, surrounded by bombs and guns, each trying to out think the other.
Reviews:
Crash and Burn didn't grab me at first, but by the end I was reading it as quickly as I could to find out what happens. Crash is a brash character who goes through life like a bull in a china shop, but at the same time is someone you really want to be friends with. Reflecting on his relationship with David, each story reveals a little more of how they both ended up in a room together. The book does not focus as much on the attempted massacre itself, but instead on how everything built up to it, and how it changed Crash's life afterwards. The book is well written and engaging, but due to the content (drugs, drinking, sex, suicide, and an attempted school massacre) is probably best for older teens.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 10th Grade
Monday, March 4, 2013
Origin
by Jessica Khoury
Summary:
Pia has always known her destiny. A product of five generations of work, she was born immortal, the first of her kind. Hidden deep in the jungle, she has been groomed her entire life for a life of science. She will be the beginning of a new race, working to create more immortal beings who will live forever in physical perfection. And that's all she's ever wanted. Until the night of her 17th birthday, when she discovers a hole in the fence that protects her compound from the jungle outside. A hole that allows her to briefly escape where she meets Eio. A hole that shows her that immortality is one thing, but an eternity alone is a life not worth living.
Review:
This book surprised me. I was not expecting it to be all that fantastic, but Pia is a likable character who has to break away from everything she has ever known. She has always been told she was perfect, not able to be hurt, but it comes down to it she chooses a normal life. Her curiosity about the world is catching, and the love story with Eio is a great add. Overall a great read for any teen who likes more realistic science fiction.
Genre: Science Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
Summary:
Pia has always known her destiny. A product of five generations of work, she was born immortal, the first of her kind. Hidden deep in the jungle, she has been groomed her entire life for a life of science. She will be the beginning of a new race, working to create more immortal beings who will live forever in physical perfection. And that's all she's ever wanted. Until the night of her 17th birthday, when she discovers a hole in the fence that protects her compound from the jungle outside. A hole that allows her to briefly escape where she meets Eio. A hole that shows her that immortality is one thing, but an eternity alone is a life not worth living.
Review:
This book surprised me. I was not expecting it to be all that fantastic, but Pia is a likable character who has to break away from everything she has ever known. She has always been told she was perfect, not able to be hurt, but it comes down to it she chooses a normal life. Her curiosity about the world is catching, and the love story with Eio is a great add. Overall a great read for any teen who likes more realistic science fiction.
Genre: Science Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
The List
by Siobhan Vivian
Summary:
Every year the list comes out. Every year the prettiest and ugliest girl in each grade is determined by that list. The list can make or break someone at Mount Washington High School. When the 8 girls on this years list find out their rankings, each reacts differently. Perhaps this year one of them will break the cycle, but what will it take for them to do it.
Review:
The List grabbed me right from the start. The list is a horrible tradition, but one that you can easily see happening anywhere around the country. The book alternates from the perspectives of each of the girls selected, both the prettiest and the ugliest. Each girl's reaction is believable, and their evolution about their perception of the list from beginning to end is really interesting. It's a great read for teens about the dangers or owning too much into social perception, as well as the dangers of bullying.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
Summary:
Every year the list comes out. Every year the prettiest and ugliest girl in each grade is determined by that list. The list can make or break someone at Mount Washington High School. When the 8 girls on this years list find out their rankings, each reacts differently. Perhaps this year one of them will break the cycle, but what will it take for them to do it.
Review:
The List grabbed me right from the start. The list is a horrible tradition, but one that you can easily see happening anywhere around the country. The book alternates from the perspectives of each of the girls selected, both the prettiest and the ugliest. Each girl's reaction is believable, and their evolution about their perception of the list from beginning to end is really interesting. It's a great read for teens about the dangers or owning too much into social perception, as well as the dangers of bullying.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
Fever, 1793
by Laurie Hale Anderson
Summary:
It's been years since the Revolutionary Wary, and Philadelphia is a busy city and Matilda's family's coffeehouse is one of the places to see and be seen. When yellow fever strikes the city, everyone is completely unprepared. As the disease progresses thousands flee, Matilda included. Unfortunately she doesn't get far and is forced to return to Philadelphia, a city where no one leaves the house for fear of disease. Now she must learn to survive on her own, and then maybe she will make it through this pandemic.
Review:
Fever, 1793 is a great historical novel about a pandemic few knew about. With medicine rudimentary at best, there was little that could be done when these diseases arrived in overcrowded cities. The book stays true to the times and gives an accurate depiction of life in the late-1700's. Matilda goes from being a sullen teenager to self-reliant and impressive. It's a good read for tweens who like historical fiction.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Age Level: 6th Grade
Summary:
It's been years since the Revolutionary Wary, and Philadelphia is a busy city and Matilda's family's coffeehouse is one of the places to see and be seen. When yellow fever strikes the city, everyone is completely unprepared. As the disease progresses thousands flee, Matilda included. Unfortunately she doesn't get far and is forced to return to Philadelphia, a city where no one leaves the house for fear of disease. Now she must learn to survive on her own, and then maybe she will make it through this pandemic.
Review:
Fever, 1793 is a great historical novel about a pandemic few knew about. With medicine rudimentary at best, there was little that could be done when these diseases arrived in overcrowded cities. The book stays true to the times and gives an accurate depiction of life in the late-1700's. Matilda goes from being a sullen teenager to self-reliant and impressive. It's a good read for tweens who like historical fiction.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Age Level: 6th Grade
172 Hours on the Moon
by Johan Harstad
Summary:
In an effort to get people excited about space again, NASA holds a contest to send 3 teenagers to the moon for a week (along with an experienced crew of course). When Mia, Antoine, and Midori are selected from millions of teenagers across the world they are thrilled to go. But the moon hides some dark secrets, and what they find up there is something none of them expected.
Review:
I don't know what I was expecting when I picked up 172 Hours on the Moon, but I was pleasantly surprised by what I got. Harstad's book is full of suspense, but he writes it in a way that makes it fairly plausible. The government conspiracy will intrigue any who like that sort of thing, and the book even has a little romance thrown in. I'll admit I was completely thrown by the ending, the book was nothing that I expected but is definitely going to be sticking in my memory for quite some time.
Genre: Science Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
Summary:
In an effort to get people excited about space again, NASA holds a contest to send 3 teenagers to the moon for a week (along with an experienced crew of course). When Mia, Antoine, and Midori are selected from millions of teenagers across the world they are thrilled to go. But the moon hides some dark secrets, and what they find up there is something none of them expected.
Review:
I don't know what I was expecting when I picked up 172 Hours on the Moon, but I was pleasantly surprised by what I got. Harstad's book is full of suspense, but he writes it in a way that makes it fairly plausible. The government conspiracy will intrigue any who like that sort of thing, and the book even has a little romance thrown in. I'll admit I was completely thrown by the ending, the book was nothing that I expected but is definitely going to be sticking in my memory for quite some time.
Genre: Science Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
One Moment
by Kristina McBride
Summary:
If only Maggie could remember what happened at the top of the cliff. Maybe if she could remember those moments before her boyfriend Joey fell to his death it would make more sense. But as Maggie starts to remember snippets of what happened, and what led up to that moment, she realizes that maybe she never really knew Joey at all. As the secrets that he kept start coming out, she realizes that maybe the boy she loved was never really who she thought.
Review:
A well written novel, One Moment is the story of how secrets never stay hidden. What struck me the most is how everyone, Joey's family, Maggie, and their friends, all had to learn to accept everything Joey had done while alive that they never knew about. His secret life made them reexamine the "perfect Joey" they thought they knew, but all had to realize that they were still allowed to love and miss him. Maggie is a great character, and the book does keep you interested throughout.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 10th Grade
Summary:
If only Maggie could remember what happened at the top of the cliff. Maybe if she could remember those moments before her boyfriend Joey fell to his death it would make more sense. But as Maggie starts to remember snippets of what happened, and what led up to that moment, she realizes that maybe she never really knew Joey at all. As the secrets that he kept start coming out, she realizes that maybe the boy she loved was never really who she thought.
Review:
A well written novel, One Moment is the story of how secrets never stay hidden. What struck me the most is how everyone, Joey's family, Maggie, and their friends, all had to learn to accept everything Joey had done while alive that they never knew about. His secret life made them reexamine the "perfect Joey" they thought they knew, but all had to realize that they were still allowed to love and miss him. Maggie is a great character, and the book does keep you interested throughout.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 10th Grade
Monday, February 11, 2013
Butter
by Erin Jade Lange
Summary:
No one knows Butter's real name. No one really cares to know either. He sits alone at lunch, is ignored in classes by virtually everyone but his music teacher. You see, Butter is obese. Extremely obese. And he's had it. He is done with being who he is. He's decided there's only one way out, and that's to eat himself to death. One last, huge meal. And he's going to broadcast it on the internet. When he shares his webpage, "Butter's Last Meal", with classmates, he suddenly finds that he's the most popular kid at school. The thing is, he's only popular because he's supposed to kill himself. So what does he do now that he's finally found a place?
Review:
Butter is a dark novel, as one can infer from it's premise. Butter himself is a very depressed kid who has hidden that depression from his parents and anyone else who kind of knows him. The book is a cautionary tale about the dangers of peer pressure. I won't spoil the ending, but it really harks on how little you can know a person, and how important it is to try. A good read for those who like more serious titles, but it's definitely for an older crowd.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 10th Grade
Summary:
No one knows Butter's real name. No one really cares to know either. He sits alone at lunch, is ignored in classes by virtually everyone but his music teacher. You see, Butter is obese. Extremely obese. And he's had it. He is done with being who he is. He's decided there's only one way out, and that's to eat himself to death. One last, huge meal. And he's going to broadcast it on the internet. When he shares his webpage, "Butter's Last Meal", with classmates, he suddenly finds that he's the most popular kid at school. The thing is, he's only popular because he's supposed to kill himself. So what does he do now that he's finally found a place?
Review:
Butter is a dark novel, as one can infer from it's premise. Butter himself is a very depressed kid who has hidden that depression from his parents and anyone else who kind of knows him. The book is a cautionary tale about the dangers of peer pressure. I won't spoil the ending, but it really harks on how little you can know a person, and how important it is to try. A good read for those who like more serious titles, but it's definitely for an older crowd.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 10th Grade
The Foreshadowing
by Marcus Sedgwick
Summary:
There had always been signs that Alexandra had a gift. From the time she was little she had premonitions of when someone would die. Nothing she could harness and control, but when the visions came they always came true. Now in the middle of WWI, she's already lost one brother, and dealt with the guilt of knowing it would happen. When her other brother sent to the front, she sees his death in her dreams. Knowing she can't live without trying to save him she leaves for France, hoping to change what she's seen.
Review:
Alexandra is a brave character. She sets off into the middle of war town WWI and suddenly has to face the realities of war, which are realistically portrayed in the book. Her premonitions are not presented in too wild of a fashion, making them more believable. Overall a good wartime book about one girls struggle to change the future, but has no idea what will result from it.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
Summary:
There had always been signs that Alexandra had a gift. From the time she was little she had premonitions of when someone would die. Nothing she could harness and control, but when the visions came they always came true. Now in the middle of WWI, she's already lost one brother, and dealt with the guilt of knowing it would happen. When her other brother sent to the front, she sees his death in her dreams. Knowing she can't live without trying to save him she leaves for France, hoping to change what she's seen.
Review:
Alexandra is a brave character. She sets off into the middle of war town WWI and suddenly has to face the realities of war, which are realistically portrayed in the book. Her premonitions are not presented in too wild of a fashion, making them more believable. Overall a good wartime book about one girls struggle to change the future, but has no idea what will result from it.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
Falling For You
By Lisa Schroeder
Summary:
Summary:
Rae knows life’s not fair. If it was maybe her dad would have stuck around. If it was maybe her mom wouldn’t have married Dean. If it was maybe he wouldn’t have gambled everything away and started to take the money she makes from her job. When she meets the new guy at school, Nathan, she meets someone who treats her well. Who cares about her. But when Nathan turns controlling, she breaks it off rather than feel suffocated by him. But you never know what might cause someone to snap. What might cause them to come after you instead of acting normally. All Rae wanted was a normal relationship, what she ends up with might just end her life.
Review:
This book grabbed me right from the start. Rae is a smart character whose home life just makes you want to find a way to help her out of it. She is independent and works hard, only to find everything she works for continually taken away from her. The way she deals with Nathan is extremely mature, and you can feel her empathy for everyone she meets. The book keeps you guessing til the end (the book is starts with her in the hospital but you don't know why). A great read for teens. It portrays abusive relationships in a nonjudgemental light in terms of the victims. Very moving.
This book grabbed me right from the start. Rae is a smart character whose home life just makes you want to find a way to help her out of it. She is independent and works hard, only to find everything she works for continually taken away from her. The way she deals with Nathan is extremely mature, and you can feel her empathy for everyone she meets. The book keeps you guessing til the end (the book is starts with her in the hospital but you don't know why). A great read for teens. It portrays abusive relationships in a nonjudgemental light in terms of the victims. Very moving.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9th grade
Saturday, January 26, 2013
The Opposite of Hallelujah
by Anna Jarzab
Summary:
Carolina has been essentially an only child since she was 8 years old, when her older sister Hannah decided to enter the convent. Now, 8 years later, Hannah decided to leave the convent and come home. It's not that Carolina doesn't want her there, but having a virtual stranger move into her house her junior year is not ideal. Besides the fact that none of her friends even know she has a sister (because you try explaining that your sister is a nun and you barely remember her because it's been so long since you've seen her). Yet as Hannah moves back in, it becomes apparent to everyone that everything isn't quite right with her. Carolina is about to find out that old secrets have a way of coming to light, and that it's always better to face things head on rather than try and bury them in the past.
Review:
I really enjoyed Jarzab's book. Carolina is both bratty and compassionate, dealing with the stress of being an overachieving high school student and having her home life completely thrown upside down. It's easy to think that she's in the wrong most of the time, but as you get to know her you really feel for her situation, it would be really hard to live most of your life with no sister then have one thrown at you and be expected to be best friends with her immediately. I thought that Hannah's situation could have been talked about more, the end was a bit 'here's all the problems ok now we move forward' but overall it was good. Definitely a good read for teens who are a bit more spiritual. It's a good balance of religion and fiction, making it appealing to a broad audience. I really liked that it questioned a lot of beliefs and had Carolina really looking at her life.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
Summary:
Carolina has been essentially an only child since she was 8 years old, when her older sister Hannah decided to enter the convent. Now, 8 years later, Hannah decided to leave the convent and come home. It's not that Carolina doesn't want her there, but having a virtual stranger move into her house her junior year is not ideal. Besides the fact that none of her friends even know she has a sister (because you try explaining that your sister is a nun and you barely remember her because it's been so long since you've seen her). Yet as Hannah moves back in, it becomes apparent to everyone that everything isn't quite right with her. Carolina is about to find out that old secrets have a way of coming to light, and that it's always better to face things head on rather than try and bury them in the past.
Review:
I really enjoyed Jarzab's book. Carolina is both bratty and compassionate, dealing with the stress of being an overachieving high school student and having her home life completely thrown upside down. It's easy to think that she's in the wrong most of the time, but as you get to know her you really feel for her situation, it would be really hard to live most of your life with no sister then have one thrown at you and be expected to be best friends with her immediately. I thought that Hannah's situation could have been talked about more, the end was a bit 'here's all the problems ok now we move forward' but overall it was good. Definitely a good read for teens who are a bit more spiritual. It's a good balance of religion and fiction, making it appealing to a broad audience. I really liked that it questioned a lot of beliefs and had Carolina really looking at her life.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
Speechless
by Hannah Harrington
Summary:
Chelsea has always been proud of her status as one of the most popular girls in her high school, and also as the one who knows the dirt on everyone and isn't afraid to share it. After all, gossip is just telling what you know about people. But when she lets out a secret about a boy in her class, a secret that results in him being attacked and almost killed, she realizes that maybe her inability to keep a secret is not good. As a penance of sorts, she decides to stop talking altogether. As she loses her friends and popularity, she beings to find that maybe everything that she thought she was was a lie. Maybe through not talking she'll find her true friends and a better way to be.
Review:
While I thought the whole 'vow of silence' thing to be a bit cliche and selfish of Chelsea, I really wound up liking her as a character by the end of the book. The book itself deals with some very heavy themes: sex, hate crimes, LBGT rights to name a few, but it does so in an age-appropriate way. The book really reminds you the impact that one careless statement can have on many, and in all honestly how many people can say they've never gossiped about someone and regretted it afterwards. A really good read for teens.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
Summary:
Chelsea has always been proud of her status as one of the most popular girls in her high school, and also as the one who knows the dirt on everyone and isn't afraid to share it. After all, gossip is just telling what you know about people. But when she lets out a secret about a boy in her class, a secret that results in him being attacked and almost killed, she realizes that maybe her inability to keep a secret is not good. As a penance of sorts, she decides to stop talking altogether. As she loses her friends and popularity, she beings to find that maybe everything that she thought she was was a lie. Maybe through not talking she'll find her true friends and a better way to be.
Review:
While I thought the whole 'vow of silence' thing to be a bit cliche and selfish of Chelsea, I really wound up liking her as a character by the end of the book. The book itself deals with some very heavy themes: sex, hate crimes, LBGT rights to name a few, but it does so in an age-appropriate way. The book really reminds you the impact that one careless statement can have on many, and in all honestly how many people can say they've never gossiped about someone and regretted it afterwards. A really good read for teens.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
The Gathering
by Kelley Armstrong
Summary:
Maya has lived her entire life in a small town on Vancouver Island. But just because it's a small town hasn't meant she's missed out. The company most of the town works for provides the best for it's employees. The best teachers for their children, the best health care for everyone. When new kid Rafe comes to town, suspicious things start to happen. Suspicious things that might just reveal that everyone in the town isn't just working for the company, everyone might just be an experiment by the company.
Review:
What I liked most about The Gathering was that although there is shape shifting and other paranormal activities, Armstrong presents them in a pretty matter of fact way. It's not glorified or really the primary focus of the book or the characters, but all of the characters find their talents revealed through their everyday activities. I thought that the reveal of the company as this evil corporation exploiting the children of the town's gifts to be pretty predictable, but the ending still left me surprised and excited about the next book. Definitely a good read for anyone who likes supernatural fiction. There isn't a lot of romance in the book, but the relationships between the characters are still great.
Genre: Supernatural Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
Summary:
Maya has lived her entire life in a small town on Vancouver Island. But just because it's a small town hasn't meant she's missed out. The company most of the town works for provides the best for it's employees. The best teachers for their children, the best health care for everyone. When new kid Rafe comes to town, suspicious things start to happen. Suspicious things that might just reveal that everyone in the town isn't just working for the company, everyone might just be an experiment by the company.
Review:
What I liked most about The Gathering was that although there is shape shifting and other paranormal activities, Armstrong presents them in a pretty matter of fact way. It's not glorified or really the primary focus of the book or the characters, but all of the characters find their talents revealed through their everyday activities. I thought that the reveal of the company as this evil corporation exploiting the children of the town's gifts to be pretty predictable, but the ending still left me surprised and excited about the next book. Definitely a good read for anyone who likes supernatural fiction. There isn't a lot of romance in the book, but the relationships between the characters are still great.
Genre: Supernatural Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
Monday, January 14, 2013
City of Bones (Mortal Instruments Series)
by Cassandra Clare
Summary:
When Clary went to Pandemonium that night, she expected to have a fun night out with her friend Simon. Instead, she sees two Shadowhunters destroy a demon. Not that she knows what a Shadowhunter is. When her mother is kidnapped by unknown forces, Clary finds herself thrust into a world she knows nothing about. A world where demons and vampires, werewolves and fairies exist. As do Shadowhunters, people who have sworn to keep humans safe from these creatures. With Simon at her side, and the incredibly handsome Shadowhunter Jace always there when she needs her, she's about to learn that nothing she grew up knowing about her family was true.
Review:
While I had a hard time liking the love story between Jace and Clary (the possibly brother/sister plot line is a bit hard to digest), overall the first book in the Mortal Instruments was well written and interesting. By the end of the book I couldn't wait to get my hands on the second. Clary is a pretty strong character who doesn't simply rely on the men in her life to do everything for her. In the romance department her character is fairly predictable (flipping back and forth between the 2 boys), but that's not the be all and end all to the story. Definitely a good book for teens who like paranormal romances.
Genre: Fantasy Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
Series: City of Bones (Book 1), City of Ashes (Book 2), City of Glass (Book 3), City of Fallen Angels (Book 4), City of Lost Souls (Book 5), City of Heavenly Fire (Book 6, comes out April 2014)
Prequel (Infernal Devices Series): Clockwork Angel (Book 1), Clockwork Prince (Book 2), Clockwork Princess (Book 3, comes out March 2013)
Summary:
When Clary went to Pandemonium that night, she expected to have a fun night out with her friend Simon. Instead, she sees two Shadowhunters destroy a demon. Not that she knows what a Shadowhunter is. When her mother is kidnapped by unknown forces, Clary finds herself thrust into a world she knows nothing about. A world where demons and vampires, werewolves and fairies exist. As do Shadowhunters, people who have sworn to keep humans safe from these creatures. With Simon at her side, and the incredibly handsome Shadowhunter Jace always there when she needs her, she's about to learn that nothing she grew up knowing about her family was true.
Review:
While I had a hard time liking the love story between Jace and Clary (the possibly brother/sister plot line is a bit hard to digest), overall the first book in the Mortal Instruments was well written and interesting. By the end of the book I couldn't wait to get my hands on the second. Clary is a pretty strong character who doesn't simply rely on the men in her life to do everything for her. In the romance department her character is fairly predictable (flipping back and forth between the 2 boys), but that's not the be all and end all to the story. Definitely a good book for teens who like paranormal romances.
Genre: Fantasy Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
Series: City of Bones (Book 1), City of Ashes (Book 2), City of Glass (Book 3), City of Fallen Angels (Book 4), City of Lost Souls (Book 5), City of Heavenly Fire (Book 6, comes out April 2014)
Prequel (Infernal Devices Series): Clockwork Angel (Book 1), Clockwork Prince (Book 2), Clockwork Princess (Book 3, comes out March 2013)
The Fault in Our Stars
by John Green
Summary:
Hazel has stage IV cancer. And she's ok with it. She's accepted what will eventually happen to her. In the meantime she's living her life however she can. She goes to the support groups, where she is one of the few left out of the group who was there when she first started treatments (left because they died, not because they lived). But then she meets Augustus Waters, a cancer survivor. Charming, fun, makes her forget for a little while that she has cancer Augustus. And she starts to wonder....maybe she can beat this thing, maybe she can have a normalish life. Even if it is a life with cancer.
Review:
Once again John Green has created another incredibly memorable and moving story. Teens and adults alike will readily identify with the characters in the book. The poignant love story between Augustus and Hazel is heartbreaking, a first love torn apart in a way that no one should ever have to experience. It presents a life with cancer in a compelling and realistic way, particularly the way that friends seem to drift away from the sick person, only to come back at the end. It's a fantastic read, but one that is sure to make you cry.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
Summary:
Hazel has stage IV cancer. And she's ok with it. She's accepted what will eventually happen to her. In the meantime she's living her life however she can. She goes to the support groups, where she is one of the few left out of the group who was there when she first started treatments (left because they died, not because they lived). But then she meets Augustus Waters, a cancer survivor. Charming, fun, makes her forget for a little while that she has cancer Augustus. And she starts to wonder....maybe she can beat this thing, maybe she can have a normalish life. Even if it is a life with cancer.
Review:
Once again John Green has created another incredibly memorable and moving story. Teens and adults alike will readily identify with the characters in the book. The poignant love story between Augustus and Hazel is heartbreaking, a first love torn apart in a way that no one should ever have to experience. It presents a life with cancer in a compelling and realistic way, particularly the way that friends seem to drift away from the sick person, only to come back at the end. It's a fantastic read, but one that is sure to make you cry.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade
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