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

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

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

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

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

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

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