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

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

After the End

by Amy Plum

Summary:
Growing up in a commune in the Alaskan wilderness, Juneau never had any reason to doubt what her elders told her. That there was a world wide war that wiped out everyone. That they were lucky to have survived. But that was a lie. When Juneau returns to camp after being out hunting she finds her entire commune gone, and now she'll have to find them in a world she's been told doesn't exist.

Review:
Most dystopian novels start with the end of the world, and After the End is no different. But from here it changes. Instead of the world actually being over, it has thrived. It's an interesting twist that Plum pulls off. The novel is told in alternating perspectives between Juneau and Miles, the boy who becomes her companion. It's the first in a series, so don't expect it to be resolved in this one book.

Genre: Dystopian Fiction
Age Level: 7th Grade

Torn Away

by Jennifer Brown

Summary:
When Jersey hears the tornado alarm go off, she's not too worried. They go off all the time, and 99.99% of the time nothing happens. But she goes down into the cellar anyway, cause she doesn't want her mom to yell at her if she found out she hadn't. This time is not a false alarm. As the tornado recedes and leaves her town devastated, Jersey has lost everything and everyone she loves. Now, sent to live with relatives she's never met, Jersey will have to discover that there are some things you keep even when you thought you'd lost everything.

Review:
Author Jennifer Brown is known for her brilliantly written and poignant books, and this title definitely fits the bill. Jersey is a very empathetic character, and her struggles as she tries to move forward are heartbreaking. The relationships between the characters are believable. I thought the storyline with her stepfather to be extremely realistic and as such very difficult to read. The lack of sex or alcohol or drugs make this a safe bet for even younger teens.

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 7th Grade

Silver

by Chris Wooding

Summary:
It was just supposed to be another weekend at Mortingham Academy. Most of the students at the boarding school had gone home for the weekend, the rest were ready to just relax. When a small silver beetle bites one of the students, an infectious disease is released that will leave nothing but destruction in it's path. Now it's up to the few that are left to try and escape, but survival is not as easy as they hope.

Review:
Silver seems pretty thrown together as a novel. Told in third person from various characters perspectives, it's had to keep track of who is who. The disease transforms rapidly, taking over the bodies of it's hosts and absorbing others to become larger. The story progresses pretty rapidly, but it doesn't seem to really have any sense of where it's going. The story kind of just ends as well, with no resolution or cliffhanger that makes you really want to read a sequel if one comes out. Good for teens who like a quick action packed read, but definitely not one that is worthy of any real study.

Genre: Science Fiction
Age Level: 7th Grade

Storm

by Donna Jo Napoli

Summary:
Many of us know the story of Noah and his ark. But what if there was another story on that ark? What if there was a stowaway on board? When the storm hits, 16 year old Sebah is separated from her family. When chance leads her to the ark, she climbs aboard only to discover she's not the only stowaway on board. A grilling tale about survival in the face of devastation, Storm gives a great account of what life might have been like on Noah's ark.

Review:
I thought that Storm was a refreshing take on the story of Noah. It gave a very relatable look at Noah and his family. The doubts that his family had were very believable, and made the whole tale more realistic-because who wouldn't have cause to doubt when they are trapped on an ark for months. Sebah is an uneducated poor girl whose ignorance in many ways becomes what saves her. Her relationship with the other stowaway and the animals is touching. It's a great story about what might have been, good for teens who are interested in biblical tales or in alternate histories.

Genre: Historical Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade

Rule of Three

by Eric Walters

Summary:
When the power goes off in school, Adam is just happy it means early dismissal. But when no ones car starts and cell phones stop working, he realizes that things might be a bit more serious than he thought. In a world run by computers, what do we do when they all stop working? Adam and his family are about to find out in this gripping dystopian novel about what happens when the things we depend on suddenly are gone.

Review:
While there are some issues with the book, mainly that the female characters are relegated to the sidelines, this book should have broad appeal to teens of both genders. Though only 16, Dan becomes central to his neighborhoods survival. He is a likable character whose moral quandary's are very relatable. The destruction of all computers is an interesting concept, especially since so much of our everyday essentials (water, plumbing, electricity) have computer components which make it work. If all of that was to shut down society would be paralyzed. It's a good, fast paced read for those who like dystopian or adventure novels.

Genre: Dystopian
Age Level: 8th Grade

These Broken Stars

by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Summary:
Tarver and Lilac couldn't be more different. He's a war hero who is on board the Icarus as a publicity, she is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. But when the massive spaceship crashes on a uninhabited planet, and chance leaves them the only two people to survive, they must work together to try and seek help. The planet holds many secrets, and as Lilac and Tarver search to find a way off it they will discover they aren't the same people that landed there.

Review:
I was completely drawn in by These Broken Stars. Told in alternating perspectives, it's a love story that is both predictable but not. It's a science fiction book that will appeal to non-science fiction lovers, and has some surprising twists at the end that will leave you hoping for a sequel.

Genre: Science Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade

The Girl of Fire and Thorns

by Rae Carson

Summary:
Elisa is not your typical princess. Overweight, not graceful, and quick to say what's on her mind, she never thought she'd amount to much. Except she's the bearer of the Godstone, a divine gift which is only bestowed on one person every 100 years. And Godstone bearers each have their own task to complete, though none know what it will be til it happens. Elisa begins the tale as a princess, but what she becomes (though marriage, kidnappings, rebellion and more) is more than she can imagine.

Review:
I started off not really sure about the book as the religious aspects can be a bit much. However, Elisa is one of the most refreshing characters I've encountered in awhile. She's not perfect, and is quite all right with it. The changes she goes through in the book, both physical and mental, are believable and impressive. The story takes several twists you don't see coming, and turns into much more of an adventure story than  you might think at first. The book will definitely leave you excited to grab the rest of the trilogy.

Genre: Fantasy Fiction
Age Level: 9th Grade

Hostage Three

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The 5th Wave

by Rick Yancy

Summary:

No one knows what the 5^th 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.

Genre: Sci Fi

Age Level: 8th Grade

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

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)