Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Code of Honor

by Alan Gratz

Summary:
When Kamran's brother is accused of being a terrorist, he doesn't believe them. Even when videos come out showing his brother leading attacks on American bases and embassies, Kamran knows it can't be true. When he realizes that his brother is sending him secret messages in the videos, proving he's innocent and working undercover against the terrorists, it's up to Kamran to try and clear his name. Even if it means going against the government in order to save America.

Review:
A great premise, but it does absolutely require a complete stretch of the imagination that any of this could even slightly occur. I do like the idea of the 2 brothers having a code that enables them to figure out the other's plans-though who can remember childhood games in such detail! It's a great action read that packs a lot of twists and turns in it. Great for those who like Andrew Smith or Trent Reedy. There is a bit of violence in there-terrorist killing and talk about a beheading, but little language.

Age Level: 8th Grade
Genre: Realistic Fiction

Mechanica

bv Betsy Cornwell

Summary:
Nicolette has always been gifted mechanically, she inherited it from her mother. But when her mother dies, and her father remarries and then dies leaving her with a stepmother and stepsisters who turn her into their maid she has had to put her abilities aside. On her 16th birthday, she receives a letter showing her how to get into her mother's old workshop. Maybe, just maybe, she'll be able to use her skills to gain a patron who will help her finance her own shop. But first she has to make it to the ball.

Review:
A great twist on Cinderella. Nicolette is a strong independent character. I enjoyed the love story twist and that she ended up stronger than ever at the end-and didn't need a prince to fix her life! Great for younger readers and older. Give to fans of Gail Carson Levine.

Age Level: 7th Grade
Genre: Fantasy Fiction

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

The Secrets We Keep

by Trisha Leaver

Summary:
When Ella wakes up in the hospital, she can barely remember what happened. When everyone starts calling her Maddy, her twin sister's name, she remembers everything and more. Rather than face her own guilt about the accident, Ella decides to just become Maddy-who was always the better, prettier, more popular twin anyway. As the months pass, Ella has to decide whether or not it's better to come clean about being Maddy, or whether she should give up her own dreams to live her sisters forever.

Review:
A good quick read, it's one of several of the same theme that have come out lately. This one is slightly believable, but also not on a lot of levels. Ella ultimately comes clean with few real reprecussions, which is also a little unbelievable. Overall its good for anyone who likes realistic fiction that's not too deep.

Age Level: 8th Grade
Genre: Realistic

Rot and Ruin

by Jonathan Maberry

Summary:
It's been 14 years since First Night, the night the dead came back to life. Now 15, Benny reluctantly agrees to join the 'family business' and become a zombie hunter like his brother Tom. But life in the Rot and Ruin isn't anything like Benny thinks, and he's about to discover that the zombies aren't the only monsters out there. Just because the world ended doesn't mean that the only people left are good.

Review:
A diferent kind of zombie book. Tom addresses the zombies not as 'monsters' but as the people they used to be, which is not something you normally see. It's a good read even for those who don't like the genre.

Age Level: 7th Grade
Genre: Horror

Black Dove, White Raven

by Elizabeth Wein

Summary:
Emilia and Teo's lives changed the instant war came to Ethopia. It was supposed to be a place they could be free, that they and their mothers could live without the genderism or racism that dominated 1930's America. Now Em and Teo find themselves in the middle of the conflict between Ethopia and Italy, and they are about to discover how many things are worth fighting for.

Review:
Another wonderful read by Wein. Em and Teo are wonderful characters, and the opportunities they have are rare for both their genders and race in this time period. A good read for historical fiction lovers.

Age Level: 8th Grade
Genre: Historical Fiction

Friday, March 13, 2015

Rites of Passage

by Joy Hensley

Summary:
Sam has never backed down from a bet. When her now deceased brother Amos bet her she couldn't be the first female to graduate from the prestigious Denmark Military Academy, she took it as a challenge to be completed no matter what. Now, one of only 5 girls accepted to the Academy, she's finding that not everyone is as accepting of women as they should be. As a secret society puts moves into play to eliminate her and her fellow female recruits in any way possible, Sam will be lucky to finish out the year alive.

Review:
I wasn't sure what to make of this book. At first I thought it was going to be a realistic drama about a girl dealing with the rigors and difficulties of attending a male oriented military academy and all that that implies. I wasn't a huge fan of the whole secret society aspect, it added kind of a silly element that was wholly unnecessary to the plot. Other than that it was a great story about overcoming odds and believing in yourself.

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade

Wicked Thing

by Rhiannon Thomas

Summary:
You might think you know the story of Sleeping Beauty, but I bet you never thought of it from Aurora's perspective. Asleep for a hundred years, she's been awoken by 'true love's kiss,' and now is expected to marry him. While she was asleep her kingdom fell to pieces, and the new royal family expect her to conform to their ways and unite the kingdom. But Aurora is done doing what she's told, and is ready to step up and protect her people in her own way.

Review:
An imaginative take on a well known tale, I liked the new Aurora. Rather than meekly doing what she's told she stands up to those around her in her own way. She doesn't just submit or believe what she's told, though she does show a bit too much reliance on Finnegan after disbelieving everyone else. There is a lot of subplots going on in the book that could use more explanation. I thought the ending was a bit too quick, it seemed like there wasn't much segue-way between the novel and the ending, she just kind of decides and everything falls into place. Hopefully the sequel will remedy this!

Genre: Fantasy
Age Level: 7th Grade

Saturday, March 7, 2015

Kalahari

by Jessica Khoury

Summary:
When an educational safari leaves 5 teens stranded in the middle of the Kalahari Desert, it is up to Sarah to try and lead them to safety. Having grown up in the field with her zoologist parents, she's well equipped to lead the teens to safety. But when a silver lion starts stalking them, they realize there might be more going on than they think. Now on the run not only from the lion, but also from the silver disease and the company that created it, Sarah will have to use everything she knows to keep them alive.

Review:
Kalahari was not what I expected when I picked it up. An adventure novel with a scifi twist, it does require quite a bit of suspension of belief, all while trying to be as realistic as possible. It succeeds for the most part, and will find many readers who truly enjoy the book. Good for more advanced middle grade readers, the characters both play into typical teenage stereotypes while making them believable. 

Genre: Scifi Adventure
Age Level: 7th Grade

The Red Queen

by Victoria Aveyard

Summary:
Mare's world is divided by blood. Born a red, she is forever bound to a life of wanting and servitude to the silvers, those with silver blood and supernatural powers. When a chance encounter leads to a job in the palace, she doesn't question it. But when she discovers she has supernatural powers of her own, and discovers this in front of the entire court. Now forced to pretend to be a silver by the king, she is betrothed to the prince and finds herself playing a much more dangerous game than she ever thought possible.

Review:
While this type of theme is being played out in numerous trilogies, The Red Queen is absolutely marvelous. It will find a readership in those who love the semi-dystopian romance with a bit of fantasy thrown in. It's difficult to put down and leaves readers anxiously awaiting the rest of the series.

Genre: Dystopian Fantasy
Age Level: 8th Grade

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender

by Leslye Walton

Summary:
Born with wings, Ava has been kept in her house with her wingless twin brother since she was born. Now 16, Ava just wants to experience the world and perhaps discover more about her family's past in an attempt to figure out why she is the one with wings. In a world where love makes us all fools, Ava is about to find out that while love can be a many splendid thing, it can also be the thing that kills us.

Review:
This was an extremely odd book, but also oddly compelling. The book starts with a history of Ava's family, and their extreme bad luck when it comes to love. The misfortunes of her ancestors are what leads to Ava being born with wings. Ava's innocence to all things evil is quite endearing, but her extreme strength is what is lasting. It's a nice read for those who don't mind suspending belief for a bit, and would be good for those who aren't necessarily into full fledged fantasy but don't mind a sprinkling.

Genre: Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade

They All Fall Down

by Roxanne St. Claire

Summary:
Every year the list of the 10 prettiest girls comes out. For these girls the list is a ticket to popularity, entrance into the best parties, and more. When Kenzie finds out she was named number 5, she's both surprised and ambivalent. Being number 5 isn't going to help get her into Columbia. But when girls on the list start dying, Kenzie realizes that maybe it's time to take her number seriously.

Review:
I was surprised at how great this mystery novel was! While a lot of the characters play into some pretty typical stereotypes, and it was definitely far fetched, it was a fun read that kept you guessing until the end. There's some alcohol use and a bit of violence, but overall things are pretty tame. Highly recommend to teens that like mystery and suspense novels.

Genre: Suspense Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade

The Carnival at Bray

by Jessie Ann Foley

Summary:
When her mother falls in love, Maggie knows the cycle. It'll be great for a bit, but then the inevitable breakup occurs and after her mother falls apart and puts herself back together, life goes on. But this time her mother has gotten married and moved them from their hometown of Chicago to Bray, Ireland, a little town outside of Dublin. Now, away from everyone she has ever loved, especially her rocker uncle Kevin, Maggie might just learn something about love and loss herself.

Review:
Set in 1993, this book is a great illustration of both teenage life then and now. It was remarkable to me how little the book felt like it was set 20 years ago, before cell phones or the internet. The author does a great job of focusing on the characters and the interplay between them. Kurt Cobain might not be on too many teenage radars these days, but the book does a great job of illustrating just how important he was to many. Maggie's uncle's drug abuse is barely talked about, and his fairly horrid death is talked about briefly. It's suitable for slightly mature teens, and will mostly likely find it's main audience in older teens or adults.

Genre: Historical Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade