BCPL’s Ultimate Teen Booklist, Part 2 (D–G)

After releasing the first 25 titles on our Ultimate Teen Booklist, we promised 25 more titles soon come. So here are the next 25 titles on our list. We’ll be back next week for more, covering books and series whose titles start with the letters H–J (there are a lot of H’s!). And don’t forget to tell us in the comments section what books you hope to see make the next list!

26. Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury (1957)
This story of a boy’s magical small-town summer in 1928 deals with events both mundane and mystical. Middle School/High School.

27. Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank (trans. by Susan Massotty) (1947, 1995)
This is the definitive edition of the beloved and deeply admired testament in which Anne Frank recounts the two years she spent hiding in an Amsterdam warehouse with her Jewish family during the Nazi occupation. Middle School/High School.

28. Discworld/Tiffany Aching (series) by Terry Pratchett (2003–2012)
Discworld is an extensive comic fantasy series of nearly forty novels, though the books do not need to be read in order. To date, there are four books featuring Tiffany Aching, a young apprentice witch in the Discworld universe. The subseries starts when Tiffany teams up with the Wee Free Men, a clan of six-inch-high blue men, to rescue her baby brother and ward off a sinister invasion from Fairyland. Middle School/High School.

Titles include:
1. The Wee Free Men
2. A Hat Full of Sky
3. Wintersmith
4. I Shall Wear Midnight

29. Divergent by Veronica Roth (2011)
Smart, gutsy characters and a sweet romance add depth to this action-packed, addictively fast-paced read set in a not-too-distant future Chicago where people are divided into five factions. Now that she is sixteen, it is finally time for Beatrice Prior to choose her permanent faction. But her choice won’t be easy. When she takes her aptitude tests, Beatrice learns that she is a Divergent, someone who does not fit easily into any of the predetermined classifications and whose very existence threatens her society. In order to survive, she must keep her secret and excel in the tests administered by her new faction, from weaponry and hand-to-hand combat, to capture the flag and mind-bending virtual reality simulations. Middle School (mature)/High School.

30. Dracula by Bram Stoker (1897) Having discovered the double identity of the wealthy Transylvanian nobleman Count Dracula, a small group of people vow to rid the world of the evil vampire. Middle School (mature)/High School.

31. Dune by Frank Herbert (1965)
Set on the desert planet of Arrakis, Dune is the story of the boy Paul Atreides, who grows up to become a mysterious man known as Maud’dib. Blending elements of adventure and mysticism with environmentalism and politics, Dune traces Paul’s journey to avenge his noble family and create hope in a deteriorating universe. High School.

32. The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King (2009)
Seventeenth-century pirate Emer Morrisey was murdered and cursed to live the lives of 100 dogs. Centuries later, Saffron Adams is born with a complete memory of Emer’s life and all the dog lives in between. This novel is multilayered, with several storylines to keep the pages turning. There is Emer’s life in Cromwellian Ireland, her lost love, and her journey to become one of the most fearsome pirates of the Caribbean. Then there is Saffron’s difficult family situation, her hilarious struggle to repress her pirate instincts, and her driving desire to retrieve the treasure that Emer buried just before her death. Also thrown into the mix are the insights gained from centuries living a dog’s life and a disturbed middle-aged man who lives near the treasure site. Dust is the perfect combination of history, adventure, romance, and contemporary realism. High School.

33. East of Eden by John Steinbeck (1952)
An American saga set between the beginning of the 20th century and the end of World War I, this epic novel re-imagines the seminal stories of Genesis through the entwined lives of two families in the Salinas Valley. High School.

34. Emma by Jane Austen (1815)
This classic comedy of manners centers on Emma Woodhouse, a flawed and self-deluding matchmaker with the best of intentions but little understanding of the people around her. High School.

35. Enchanted Forest Chronicles (series) by Patricia C. Wrede (1985–1993)
The series begins with Princess Cimorene, who bravely aids dragons in their battle against the wizards trying to overtake their kingdom. Middle School/High School.

Titles Include:
1. Dealing With Dragons
2. Searching for Dragons
3. Calling on Dragons
4. Talking to Dragons

36. Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card (1985)
A child soldier and now a veteran of simulated war games, Ender believes he is engaged in a computer war game. In truth, he is commanding the last fleet against an alien race seeking the destruction of Earth. Middle School/High School.

37. Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers (1988)
Seventeen-year-old Richie Perry is fresh out of a Harlem high school and doesn’t have the money for college, so he enlists in the Army. Completely unprepared for the horrors he must face, Richie spends a devastating year on active duty in Vietnam. High School (mature).

38. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (2012)
Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few extra years, Hazel’s cancer is still terminal. But when she meets the wildly clever and charismatic Augustus Waters at her Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel discovers a new zest for life. This is a wonderfully written book about love and loss and learning to live while coping with the reality of death, about wondering how you will be remembered after you’re gone and what will become of those you love. The Fault in Our Stars is not an easy read. It is intellectually and emotionally challenging—but worth the effort. By turns brilliant, hilarious, and heartbreaking, this is a book that is not easily forgotten. High School (mature).

39. The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom (2003)
Eddie, a wounded war veteran killed in a tragic accident, believes he led an uninspired life. But when he awakens in the afterlife, he soon discovers that in heaven there are five people to help the deceased understand the significance and value of their life on earth. High School.

40. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes (1966)
Charlie Gordon, a young man with limited mental capabilities, along with a laboratory mouse named Algernon become the joint objects of a scientific experiment to see if Charlie can become “normal.” Based on the 1959 short story of the same name. Middle School (mature)/High School.

41. Forever by Judy Blume (1975)
Katherine and Michael, along with various friends and acquaintances in suburban New Jersey, discover the possibilities and limitations of love, sex, and personal commitment. They also invent a few interesting names for body parts. High School.

42. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (1818)
This gothic horror classic is considered by many to be the first ever science fiction novel. It’s the story of the arrogant and ego-centric Victor Frankenstein, who becomes obsessed with generating a new life from stolen body parts. However, upon seeing his new creation, Frankenstein rejects his “monster,” leaving it to make its own way in the world with no direction. The results are disastrous for Frankenstein and those he holds dear. Mary Shelley was 19 when Frankenstein was first published. High School.

43. Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café by Fannie Flagg (1987) 
Depressed middle-aged housewife Evelyn Couch finds the power and courage to change her life after befriending Ninny Threadgood, an elderly woman she meets at a nursing home. The novel blends Evelyn and Ninny’s present day (the 1980s) with stories from Ninny’s youth in the 1920s. At the heart of these past stories is Idgie, Ninny’s strong-minded, tomboy sister-in-law, who flouted societal expectations and opened a café with her friend Ruth. High School.

44. Funny How Things Change by Melissa Wyatt (2009)
This is a quiet, thoughtful novel set in the coal-mining country of West Virginia. The small town of Dwyer is dying, so when his girlfriend Lisa asks him to move with her to Pennsylvania when she leaves for college, Remy Walker agrees. After all, even his mother left to make a life somewhere else. Still, Remy is torn: he loves Lisa, but knows he will miss life in the mountains. This is a compelling and refreshing novel, with a relatable narrator and a strong sense of place. The characters and events feel authentic rather than contrived, and the writing is crisp and eloquent. High School.

45. Gemma Doyle Trilogy by Libba Bray (2003–2007)
In 1895, on Gemma’s 16th birthday, she is assaulted with a terrifying vision of her mother’s death at the hands of a mysterious dark creature. Minutes later, Gemma finds her mother dead in the middle of the Bombay marketplace. Gemma’s visions continue after she is sent to Spence, an all-girls school outside London with a strong gothic atmosphere. There she discovers the existence of secret societies called the Order and the Rakshana—and learns that she holds the power to enter a magical place called the Realms. The series is fascinating as it explores three worlds—the mysteries of Spence, the Realms, and late 19th century London—yet somehow maintains a completely modern sensibility. Middle School (mature)/High School.

Titles include:
1. A Great and Terrible Beauty
2. Rebel Angels
3. The Sweet Far Thing

46. The Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier (2000)
Have you ever wondered about the story behind a painting? In this radiant novel, Griet, a sixteen-year-old girl based on the unknown subject of one of Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer’s most famous paintings, comes to life. High School.

47. The Giver by Lois Lowry (1993)
This ageless favorite is a precursor to the current craze in dystopian fiction. It features a “perfect” world, where there is no such thing as fear or pain. There are no choices to agonize over; everything is decided for you. At the age of twelve, every person is assigned their role in the Community. When his turn comes, Jonas is chosen to receive special attention from the Giver, who holds in trust all the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. And then Jonas learns a truth from which there is no turning back. Middle School/High School.

48. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls (2005)
In this heartbreaking and inspiring memoir, the child of an alcoholic father and an eccentric artist mother discusses her family’s nomadic upbringing. While their parents dodged authorities, the Walls children had to learn how to support themselves, even scrounging in school trashcans for food. High School.

49. Go Ask Alice by Anonymous (1971)
Originally sold as the real diary of an actual teenager, this is the faux-memoir of a 15-year-old girl in the 1960s. Despite her stable, secure upbringing—she’s the daughter of a college professor—she tries LSD at a party and is subsequently drawn into a nightmarish world of addiction, hustlers, and dealers. High School.

50. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (1936)
This Pulitzer Prize–winning novel is a classic novel set during the Civil War and Reconstruction. It introduces its teenage heroine, the spoiled and headstrong Scarlet O’Hara, on the eve of the Civil War and follows her struggles into adulthood. This is a love story, but also an epic historical saga. Middle School (mature)/High School. 

So tell us… What books do you feel are missing from the list so far? What personal favorites do you hope will turn up further down the list? We’d love to know what you think!

BCPL’s Ultimate Teen Booklist, Part I (A–C)

Happy Teen Read Week! Have you done anything special to celebrate?

We here at BCPL have been working on compiling our Ultimate Teen Booklist. I began with a list of over 700 titles (!!!!) and recruited four BCPL compatriots to help me winnow down the list: Allison White and Patrick Yaeger, our outreach librarians in charge of teen programming; Randy Matlow, library director, sci-fi/fantasy enthusiast, and “anime sensei”; and of course Lucinda Mason, my fellow blogger and our Outreach Department supervisor here at BCPL. My intention with this list is to provide a guide to some of the best
and most enduring literature written for teens, as well as highlight
adult and classic titles with special teen appeal. And of course we couldn’t
resist sneaking in a few of our own personal favorites just for fun.

One or more “committee” members has read each of the titles included on the list. No matter how many awards a book has won or how many “best” lists it has been included in, a book doesn’t make the list if someone on the committee isn’t enthusiastic about it. “Good, but I don’t love it” doesn’t cut it. This is by no means a complete list and will be updated on an annual basis. (We haven’t managed to read all 700+ titles up for consideration, and great new books are published every year that deserve to be included!)

While the materials on this list have been selected for ages 13–18, the books span a broad range of reading and maturity levels. I have tried to give a general indication of the appropriateness of each title for different age levels, but these are entirely subjective labels and may vary from individual to individual.


So here goes…the first 25 titles (and series) on our Ultimate Teen Booklist, in alphabetical order:

 1. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie (2007)
Arnold “Junior” Spirit is used to being picked on. His hydrocephaly and cheap coke-bottle glasses make him an easy target, but at least he has his best friend Rowdy, a short-tempered rabble-rouser who is always on Arnold’s side. Sick of the hopelessness that permeates life on the rez, Arnold transfers from the reservation school to the white high school in Reardon. His choice makes him an outcast on the rez—even Rowdy deserts him—and the kids at the new school view him as a definite oddity. But as he learns to navigate the new school and copes with family tragedies, Arnold begins to get a larger picture of who he is and who he wants to be. High School.

2. An Abundance of Katherines by John Green (2006)
Recent high school grad and child prodigy Colin Singleton is devastated when his girlfriend Katherine dumps him. Of course this should be old hat by now, as this is Colin’s 19th dumping—all of them by girls named Katherine. Depressed over the love of his life’s rejection and the fact that his status as a child prodigy is over, Colin and his best friend Hassan— a wise-cracking, Judge Judy fanatic who lives with his parents and refuses to consider college or getting a job—head south on a road trip. This is a delightfully inventive and frequently hilarious adventure where the destination turns out to be the least of the journey. And, as a bonus, it has one of the funniest fight scenes ever. High School.

3. Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson (2010)
Seventeen-year-old Amy Curry is still reeling from her father’s death when she sets out on a cross-country road trip in the company of Roger, a 19-year-old college student and total stranger. Along the way, they make several unscheduled stops to take in the local color and pursue separate missions. This is a compulsively readable novel, punctuated with awesome playlists, whimsical drawings, and other mementos to document their journey and add flavor to the story itself. Amy and Roger are likeable, well-drawn characters, and their conversations are fresh and believable. This is a wonderful, heartwarming book filled with adventure, drama, romance, and laugh-out-loud humor. High School.

4. Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt (1996)
This engaging memoir tells the story of Frank McCourt and his family, who left Depression-era America to “go home” to Ireland after a family tragedy. It is a powerful, gritty depiction of poverty and the glimpses of hope and humor that can be found in even in the most miserable childhoods. High School.


5. Anne of Green Gables (series) by L.M. Montgomery (1908–1921)

When Anne Shirley, an irrepressibly imaginative red-haired orphan, is sent by mistake to live with a lonely, middle-aged brother and sister on a Prince Edward Island farm, she proceeds to make an indelible impression on everyone around her. This is a beloved, heartwarming, often hilarious tale and the first of a series that follows Anne from the age of eleven through adulthood. Middle School/High School.

Titles include:
1. Anne of Green Gables
2. Anne of Avonlea
3. Anne of the Island
4. Anne of Windy Poplars (aka Anne of Windy Willows)
5. Anne’s House of Dreams
6. Anne of Ingleside
7. Rainbow Valley
8. Rilla of Ingleside

6. Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden (1982)
From the moment Liza Winthrop meets Annie Kenyon at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, she knows there is something special between them. But when their relationship is discovered, Liza begins to doubt her feelings. High School. 

7. Ashfall by Mike Mullin (2011)
Fifteen-year-old Alex is home alone for the weekend when a super volcano explodes and everything goes haywire. To find his family, he must trek over 100 miles through a dangerous landscape of ash and snow, trying to survive both nature and a new world in which all the old rules of civilization have vanished. This is an epic survival story with plenty of violence and peril. Touches of romance and humor are mixed in to relieve the darkness. The characters are superbly drawn—especially the brash, MacGyver-esque Darla—and the writing is solid. The unfathomable situations Alex encounters feel real and immediate, and the suspense never lets up in this gripping apocalyptic thriller. High School.

8. Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison (1992)
This is an emotionally difficulty yet riveting novel about growing up poor and white in the South. The book centers on Ruth Anne “Bone” Boatwright, an illegitimate child in a family of social outcasts who grows up with her young waitress mother, younger sister, and large extended family. It is a tumultuous childhood, especially after her mother marries “Daddy Glenn,” a jealous and unpredictable man whose behavior escalates into sexual abuse. High School (mature).

9. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (2010)
Beautiful and ruthless, Samantha Kingston is the queen bee of her high school. She and her friends party hard and do as they like, regardless of the consequences to others. But one fateful night a car crash on the way home from a party brings an end to everything as Sam knows it. Now Sam is forced to live the same day over and over until she finally gets it right. This is a raw, emotional, often beautiful book as Sam reexamines her life and relationships. High School.

10. Beloved by Toni Morrison (1987)
Sethe, an escaped slave living in a “spiteful” house with her 10-year-old daughter Denver, is haunted by a terrible choice in her past and her neighbors’ disapproval. After reconnecting with a friend from her days of slavery, Sethe’s life is once again turned upside down by a mysterious woman named Beloved, who quickly becomes a dominate force in Sethe and Denver’s home. Set primarily in post-Civil War Ohio, this story in not narrated chronologically; instead it is peppered with flashbacks, memories, and nightmares. High School (mature). 

11. Big Fish by Daniel Wallace (1998)
When his attempts to get to know his dying father fail, William Bloom tries to reconcile his memories of his dad with the tall tales and heroic feats Edward Bloom would use to describe his life. As he revisits his father’s mythic tales, William discovers that his father’s exaggerations might—just might—have some basis in reality. High School. 

12. Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause (1997)
A beautiful teenage werewolf falls for a human boy and must cope with the expectations of her pack and the danger that her secrets will be discovered. High School (mature). 

13. Bloody Jack Adventures (series) by L.A. Meyer (2002–Ongoing)
Streetwise orphan Mary Faber is thirteen (or thereabout) when she disguises herself in boys’ clothes and renames herself “Jack” to trick her way onto a pirate-hunting warship of Her Majesty’s Royal Navy. What follows is an adventure story to remember, as Jacky spends two years keeping her secret (mostly) and plunging headfirst into endless misadventures. There are pirates, shipwrecks, exotic settings, and even a bit of romance. This is a wonderful read, with excellent use of description and dialog—and Jacky is a clever and enterprising character that guys and girls will adore equally. (Description for Bloody Jack, book one of the series. ) Middle School (mature)/High School.

Titles include:
1. Bloody Jack
2. Curse of the Blue Tattoo
3. Under the Jolly Roger
4. In the Belly of the Bloodhound
5. Mississippi Jack
6. My Bonny Light Horseman
7. Rapture of the Deep
8. The Wake of the Lorelei Lee
9. The Mark of the Golden Dragon
10. Viva Jacquelina! 

14. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (2006)
Trying to make sense of the horrors of World War II, Death narrates the story of Liesel, a young German girl who is eking out a meager existence for herself by thievery when she encounters something she can’t resist—books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares stories to help sustain her neighbors during bombing raids. Middle School (mature)/High School.

15. By the Time You Read This, I’ll Be Dead by Julie Ann Peters (2010)
Daelyn Rice is irreparably broken, and after several suicide attempts, she’s determined to get her death right this time. So she visits a website for “completers” and blogs about her life, revealing a history of bullying that traces all the way back to kindergarten. Meanwhile, an unusual boy tries to draw out the “freak who doesn’t talk.” High School.

16. Carrie by Stephen King (1974)
High-school misfit Carrie White is tormented by her peers at school and repressed at home by her domineering, ultra-religious mother. But after discovering her telekinetic powers, she finds a way to exact revenge. High School.

17. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (1951)
In this classic tale of teenage angst and rebellion, sixteen-year-old Holden Caulfield leaves behind the hypocrisies of his boarding school and goes on a “four-day odyssey” in New York City. High School. 

18. Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness (2008–2010)
Imagine if your every thought was broadcast like a radio signal—and you could hear the thoughts of everyone around you, even animals. On the planet of New World, settlers are besieged by this endless “Noise,” a result of biological warfare between the planet’s resident aliens and the first human colonizers. Or, at least that’s what Todd Hewitt, the last boy in a town of men, has been told. Supposedly the Noise germ killed all the women on the planet—including Todd’s mother—but just as he is preparing himself for his initiation into manhood Todd stumbles upon a dangerous secret that sends him on the run and makes him question everything he’s ever believed. High School.

Titles Include:
1. The Knife of Never Letting Go
2. The Ask and the Answer
3. Monsters of Men

19. A Child Called “It” by David Pelzer (1995)
This ever-popular favorite tells the story of a child’s abuse at the hands of his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother. High School. 

20. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier (1974)
It’s easy to talk about what you believe, but actually taking a stand can be absolutely terrifying. That’s what Jerry Renault learns when he refuses to participate in his school’s annual candy drive and incurs the wrath of senior Archie Costello, his gang of followers, and the school administration. High School. 

21. The Color Purple by Alice Walker (1982)
This epistolary novel relates the story of a poverty-stricken African American woman in South in the first half of the twentieth century. Celie became the child bride of a violent and angry widower, but manages to her sustain herself through letters to God and to her sister in Africa. Eventually, Celie’s difficult marriage reveals itself to be a blessing of sorts when she discovers love, hope, and courage through an unlikely friendship with her husband’s mistress. High School (mature). 

22. The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe by Edgar Allan Poe (1902, 2009)
This anthology contains all of Poe’s (1809–1849) poems and tales as well as his only complete novel, The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket, a horror/adventure story about a stowaway on a whaling ship who must endure mutiny, starvation, cannibals, and the ocean’s horrors on his way to the South Pole. Key stories and poems include “The Cask of Amontillado,” “The Masque of the Red Death,” “The Fall of the House of Usher,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Pit and the Pendulum,” and “The Raven.” Most titles are suitable for middle school, though the novel and a few other titles may be best for more mature readers. Middle School/High School. 

23. Crank (series) by Ellen Hopkins (2004–2010)
Kristina Snow is the perfect daughter—until she meets Adam, who introduces her to “the monster.” As she becomes increasingly addicted to crystal meth, Kristina becomes a very different person, struggling to control her life and her mind as she grows up and has children of her own. Novels in verse. High School (mature).

Titles include:
1. Crank
2. Glass
3. Fallout

24. Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin (2010)
In 1970s rural Mississippi, two boys—one black, the other white—build an unlikely friendship despite parental discouragement. Decades later, they are thrown together again. One is town constable; the other is the town pariah and lead suspect in the disappearance of a teenage girl. A perfect blending of place, character, and voice give this quiet literary thriller the feel of a classic. High School. 

25. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon (2003)
This is the simple yet extraordinary story of a 15-year-old autistic boy who investigates the death of a neighbor’s dog only to uncover shocking secrets about his own family. It is heartbreaking, funny, and remarkably written to convey the workings of an autistic mind. The novel was originally published for adults, but another version (edited for profanity) was later published for younger readers. High School. 

So, that’s our list so far. Next week, I’ll reveal our next 25 titles!

Any favorites you think we should consider (or reconsider) in the A–C range? What other books do you hope will be on the list?

GUEST REVIEW: Gentle’s Holler by Kerry Madden

Allison, our teen and adult programmer here at BCPL, has a new guest review for you! 

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Genre: Historical Fiction
Audience: Younger Teens/Tweens (middle school)
Series: Maggie Valley #1

Summary: Livy Two Weems is a young girl in North Carolina, who dreams of being a songwriter but is always brought out of her dreams by her nine younger siblings.  Her father is an aspiring banjo player, her mother is constantly the rock of the family.  Livy Two is growing up poor and only wants to make things better for her poverty stricken family, especially her younger sister Gentle, who is blind.  Tragedy strikes, and Gentle is trying to come to grips with it, and help her family survive the turmoil in its wake.

Allison’s Review:
When I was younger I read The Yearling by Marjorie Rawlings, and when I picked up Gentle’s Holler I was not expecting to find the same story. The blurb on the inside cover made me want to read about Livy Two, whose twin sister Olivia died at birth and to whom she sometimes prayed. I wanted to read about the poverty-stricken family and Livy Two’s sibling who was blind. I wanted something new. If I hadn’t already read The Yearling, I may have really enjoyed the story.  However, Gentle’s Holler seemed more like an endeavor to retell Rawlings’s classic tale.

There are some really touching parts of the story, like Livy Two’s dedication to finding something to help her younger sister Gentle function as normal without her sight. When Livy’s older brother Emmet leaves the family, we are drawn in to her heartbreak. When Grandma Horace arrives to help the family out of despair, the reader can genuinely feel the tension between family members.  And, when Livy’s father is desperately hanging onto life, I could identify with her fears and emotional state. 

I’m not sorry I took the time to read the book, but I wish that the writer would give us something a little more original to ponder.

REVIEW: I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Genre: Crime Fiction/Suspense
Audience: Older Teen/Young Adult
Series: Jasper Dent #1

Summary: What if your father is the most notorious serial killer of the century? What if you were trained to be the perfect killer from the time you were a child? Seventeen-year-old Jazz, son of the infamous Billy Dent, has to live with that reality every day. Jazz never truly understood how wrong his childhood was until the day Billy was arrested four years ago. As a child, Jazz played with human teeth like dice; by nine, he knew how to dissolve a body in quicklime. His father brainwashed him to believe that Dents are superior and above the laws that govern the rest of mankind. For Jazz, it is instinctive to size up his “prey,” quickly assessing the best ways to charm and immobilize his victims. But Jazz hasn’t killed anyone. Yet. Or, at least no one that he remembers.

Jazz’s greatest fear is ending up a killer like “Dear Old Dad.” Ever since his father’s arrest, Jazz has been living as normal a life as possible, despite the fact that his grandmother/official guardian suffers from dementia and is notoriously strange. But now a new serial killer in on the loose in Lobo’s Nod and Jazz fears his past is coming back to haunt him. So he decides to use his inside knowledge of a serial killer’s mind to be on the side of good, launching his own investigation into the identity of the “Impressionist,” whose crimes are eerily similar to those of Billy Dent.

First Line: “By the time Jazz got to the field outside town, yellow police tape was everywhere, strung from stake to stake in a sort of drunken, off-kilter hexagon.”   

Tracy’s Thoughts:
Do you love Dexter and Criminal Minds? Or maybe Chelsea Cain’s Archie and Gretchen series is your cup of tea? Perhaps you wish there were more (or, any) books like this in the YA genre? Then you won’t want to miss the first installment of Barry Lyga’s Jasper Dent series! It’s deliciously twisted—taking an all-too-realistic look at the thoughts and actions of a sociopath—without becoming overly explicit. But the restraint regarding gratuitous blood and gore actually makes I Hunt Killers all the creepier.

The mystery aspect of this book is compelling if not wholly original. For me, the true appeal was in the characterization of Jazz. Every dark thought and insight into the mind of the killer causes him to wonder if he is destined to become a killer himself. While he doesn’t mind using his childhood lessons to his
advantage—Jasper is a master of reading and manipulating people, knowing
exactly how to smile and push the right buttons to get what he wants—he
can’t help feeling a prickle of guilt at the ease of it and worry that
one day he will step over an invisible line he can’t come back from.Still struggling (understandably) with the brainwashing of his childhood, Jazz has a personal mantra to keep himself human: “People matter. People are real.” He considers it a way of “casting a shield against his own evil.” And  even more intriguing than the who-is-the-killer plot thread is the mystery of Jazz’s past. His mother disappeared years ago and Jazz is almost sure is father killed her, but he can’t know for certain. Also, there are those events from his past that Jazz can’t quite recall.

Unsurprisingly, given its parallels to other popular TV shows, I Hunt Killers may also be coming soon to the small screen—it was optioned by Warner Bros. for development early on. As for book two in the series? We’ll have to wait until April 2013.

REVIEW: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbotsky

Rating: 5/5 Stars
Genre: Realistic Fiction, Coming-of-age, Epistolary Novels
Audience: Older Teen/Young Adult, Adult Crossover
Format: Audiobook

Summary: Fifteen-year-old high school freshman Charlie is anxious about starting high school, especially after his only friend committed suicide last year. So he chooses an unnamed stranger as his confidante. Over the course of a year, he sends anonymous letters describing his triumphs and tribulations as he befriends two seniors who welcome him into their eccentric group of friends and show him how to engage with the world.

First Line: “Dear Friend, I am writing to you because she said you listen and understand and didn’t try to sleep with that person at that party even though you could have.”   

Tracy’s Thoughts:
Charlie is now one of my all-time favorite book characters. His narrative voice is one of the strongest I’ve ever read, engaging and startling in its naive honesty. Charlie is unguarded about his emotions, often to the bafflement of those around him, and honestly clueless about many of the basics of social interaction. Take the following passage between Charlie and his older sister:

“I hate you.”
My sister said it different than she said it to my dad. She meant it with me. She really did.
“I love you,” was all I could say in return.
“You’re a freak, you know that? Everyone says so. They always have.”
“I’m trying not to be.”

He is vulnerable, awkward, and sometimes downright brilliant. In a word, he has depth. The book’s other characters, including the “unconventionally beautiful” Sam and her stepbrother Patrick, are equally well drawn and likeable. This book’s story and characters seem completely real, and it is almost impossible not to relate to them no matter how different your life may be.

Wallflower has been frequently compared to classic coming-of-age novels like The Catcher in the Rye and A Separate Peace. But although it addresses a lot of “issues”—suicide, sex, drugs, depression, abuse, homosexuality, bullying, teen pregnancy, etc.—it’s not all angst. Instead, it is a completely engrossing story full of hilarity, heartbreak, and inspiration. There were parts that made me laugh out loud; others left me stunned, anxious, saddened, hopeful. Although this book was published over a decade ago, it speaks to an age-old high school experience. It doesn’t feel outdated at all, though I could be a bit biased considering I was a high school student myself in the 90s. But considering the movie adaptation is coming out next month—featuring what promises to be a very un-Hermione role for Emma Watson—I don’t think I could be too biased. (The cast also includes Logan Lerman from the Percy Jackson movies as Charlie, with Paul Rudd, Mae Whitman, Vampire Diaries‘ Nina Dobrev, and others.)

In addition to the excellent characterizations and well-crafted story, I love how Charlie relates to so much through books and music. (As we’ve covered before, I am a sucker for books featuring characters who have a special relationship with books and/or music.)  For me, The Perks of Being a Wallflower more than lived up to its reputation. I loved it, which in turn makes me a bit wary of the upcoming movie adaptation. But since Stephen Chbotsky wrote the screenplay and directed as well, I have faith the film will remain true to the novel. Here’s the official trailer, in case you haven’t seen it yet:

I don’t actually go to the movies very often (the last movie I saw was The Hunger Games), but I am looking forward to seeing this one. What about you? Do you plan to see the movie adaptation when it comes out?

FLASH REVIEWS: A YA Roundup

So I recently realized that over the past year I’ve read several YA books that I never got around to reviewing. Now, many of these books have sequels out or soon to be released. Here’s a quick look at some of the books I overlooked:

All These Things I’ve Done (Birthright #1) by Gabrielle Zevin
Genre: Dystopia/Crime Fiction/Romance
Rating: 2.5/5 Stars

 In a near future where chocolate and
caffeine are contraband, water and
paper are carefully rationed, and curfews are strictly enforced, sixteen-year-old Anya Balanchine finds
herself coping with an ailing grandmother and mothering her orphaned siblings.Oh, and she also gets herself tangled up in the illegal family business while falling for the son of New York’s new District Attorney. Anya is a strong and fascinating character and this book provides a slightly different slant in dystopian literature, but I felt that some of the details strained credibility. For me the book fell a bit flat, especially the romantic relationship. But there’s still hope for this wonderful premise and characters: Book 2, Because It’s in My Blood, is due out September 18, 2012.


Ashes (Ashes Trilogy #1) by Ilsa J. Bick
Genre: Apocalyptic Fiction/Horror
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

On the run from an incurable brain tumor, 17-year-old Alex is camping alone in the mountains when catastrophe strikes. The sudden explosion of an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) instantly kills most of the adults and turns many of the younger humans into crazed, flesh-eating monsters. Tough and resourceful, Alex teams up with a contrary eight-year-old and a young soldier named Tom. The first half of this novel is a high-energy gorefest that kept me enthralled, but events take a sudden turn midway though. The creepy factor ratchets up in a totally new way, but the sudden veer had me baffled for a bit. However, the cliffhanger ending takes a turn back in the right direction. There are tons of questions left in the air, and I can’t wait for the sequel, Shadows, due out September 25, 2012! For its foray into societal issues and mores as well as the vivid action sequences, Walking Dead fans will definitely want to check this one out.


Glow (Sky Chasers #1) by Amy Kathleen Ryan
Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: 3/5 Stars

Decades ago, when it became clear Earth would not survive much longer, two pioneer spacecraft were launched to locate and colonize  a New Earth. Fifteen-year-old Waverly and her boyfriend Kieran were born aboard the Empyrean, a completely self-contained habitat. The Empyrean and its inhabitants are still at least 40 years away from reaching their goal when their sister ship, New Horizon, inexplicably attacks and kidnaps all of the girls. Suddenly, Kieran finds himself in a power struggle with Seth, who becomes both a romantic rival and a rival to Kieran’s role as future leader of the ship. Meanwhile, Waverly must figure out a way to thwart her captors. This is a fast-paced space epic with some fascinating twists. A less-than-subtle dig at the corruptible qualities of organized religion may alienate some readers.  The second installment of the series, Spark, was released July 17, 2012. 

 

Hourglass (Hourglass #1) by Myra McEntire
Genre: Science Fiction/Mystery/Paranormal Romance
Rating: 3/5 Stars
Seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole sees ghosts. Or, at least she believes that’s what they are. Now that she is home—after being hospitalized for a nervous breakdown—her older brother and guardian has hired the Hourglass Institute to help Emerson deal with her “hallucinations.” But Micheal Weaver is not the therapist Emerson expects; instead he is a consultant for a secretive organization that works with gifted people of the X-men variety, helping them to develop and use their abilities for good. Emerson believes he’s nuts at first, but soon she’s thinking all sorts of things might be possible, including time travel. This book isn’t perfect, but Emerson is a likeable, slightly offbeat narrator, and the romantic triangle that develops with Michael and Kaleb is intriguing if a bit predictable. Hourglass is a clever combination of science fiction, superheroes, and paranormal romance that will appeal to a wide range of readers. The sequel, Timepiece, is now available.

Wither (Chemical Garden Trilogy #1) by Lauren DeStefano

Genre: Post-apocalyptic Fiction
Rating: 3/5 Stars
In a future world where genetic engineering has created a disease that kills women by the age of 20 and men by the age of 25, polygamy has become a way of life for the rich and a means of ensuring survival of the species. Rhine is sixteen when she is kidnapped from her Manhattan neighborhood and forced to become the bride of Linden Ashby, one of the most handsome and affluent young men in Florida. Even as Rhine struggles with her feelings about her new husband, she also develops a wary relationship with one of the household’s male servants. And yet she is determined not to allow her developing relationships to make her lose sight of her goal to escape and somehow reunite with her twin brother. This is a creepy, dangerous world filled with hidden agendas. The narrative tension is high and although I was often frustrated by Rhine’s inner conflicts, I fully plan to discover more of this disturbing world in Fever.

REVIEW: The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Genre: Science Fiction/Apocalyptic Fiction, Coming-of-age
Audience: Adult/Young Adult Crossover

Summary: For 11-year-old Julia, the morning that the world changed forever began just like any other Saturday in her suburban California neighborhood. But she soon learns that the Earth’s rotation is slowing down and that there are CONSEQUENCES AHEAD. Her mother leaps into panic mode, while her doctor father goes to work just like any other day. As the days grow increasingly lengthy, world governments declare that citizens should abide by the 24-hour clock even though it is 40 hours or more between sunsets and midnight might come during the brightest part of the day. Fringe groups of “real-timers” spring up in opposition to the “clock-timers.” Birds fall from the sky, people develop gravity sickness, crops fail. Julia herself feels a mild fear as the world around her gradually falls into turmoil, but she is also coping with the everyday disasters of adolescence: bullying at the bus stop, her parents’ rocky marriage, broken friendships, and her first crush.

First Line: “We didn’t notice right away.”

Tracy’s Thoughts:
This book is written as a retrospective, where a now-adult Julia looks back on the time that her world—both her private world and the world at large—changed. As a narrator, Julia frequently provides insights that the 11-year-old Julia could not know (“It was the last time I ever tasted a grape.”). Sometimes these were effective, but at other times I felt that they were unnecessary and even a bit annoying. But Julia’s story is a compelling one. The changes on Earth are profound, and the daily changes to Julia’s everyday life as she adapts to her changing environment and goes through the ordinary growing pains are equally riveting.

Karen Thompson Walker’s writing is simple and vividly evocative. It is nuanced and descriptive without becoming cluttered or overdone. Take the following passage:

When we finally understood what was happening that morning, Hanna and I rushed outside to check the sky for evidence. But the sky was just the sky—an average, cloudless, blue. The sun shone unchanged. A familiar breeze was blowing from the direction of the sea, and the air smelled the way it always did back then, like cut grass and honeysuckle and chlorine. The eucalyptus trees were fluttering like sea anemones in the wind, and my mother’s jug of sun tea looked nearly dark enough to drink. In the distance beyond our back fence, the freeway echoed and hummed. The power lines continued to buzz. Had we tossed a soccer ball into the air, we might not have even noticed that it fell a little faster to the earth, that it hit the ground a little harder than before. I was eleven years old in the suburbs. My best friend was standing beside me. I could spot not a single object out of place or amiss.

I read this book in one sitting. It is a fast, easy read and a timely one. Despite the fast pace, this is a quiet read—not violently dramatic like so many of the other apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic novels glutting the market. The dramas here are mostly small, everyday ones, but they are numerous and poignant. Although I questioned some of the science and would have liked a bit more fullness to the story and characters, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a pleasant change from the average “world gone wrong” novel, and the premise was top-notch. I look forward to the next offering from this first-time author.

REVIEW: Dreamhunter by Elizabeth Knox

Rating: 4/5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Adult/Young Adult Crossover

Summary:
Laura comes from a world similar to our own except for one difference:
it is next to the Place, an unfathomable land that fosters dreams of
every kind and is inaccessible to all but a select few, the
Dreamhunters. These are individuals with special gifts: the ability to
catch larger-than-life dreams and relay them to audiences in the
magnificent dream palace, the Rainbow Opera. People travel from all
around to experience the benefits of the hunters’ unique visions. Now
fifteen-year-old Laura and her cousin Rose, daughters of Dreamhunters,
are eligible to test themselves at the Place and find out whether they
qualify for the passage. But nothing can prepare them for what they are
about to discover. For within the Place lies a horrific secret kept
hidden by corrupt members of the government. And when Laura’s father,
the man who discovered the Place, disappears, she realizes that this
secret has the power to destroy everyone she loves . . .

Lucinda’s Views:
This
book is a well-written jaunt into an alternate Australia set in the
Edwardian era. The difference is that in this Australia, there are
people that can capture dreams and share them with others. They are
called Dreamhunters, and the best are well-paid celebrities, so that
almost every person desires to join their ranks. Laura and Rose are no
exception.

This alternate world is well-imagined and
keeps developing as the plot progresses in a believable manner. The
ending does not provide any sort of resolution to the reader, but it is
clearly stated on the cover that it is part of a duet, and other than
that one caveat, the plot is well-paced, develops in an absorbing
manner, and the cliff-hanger at the end of the novel leaves the reader
eager for more.

Laura and Rose are likable and the
mysterious disappearance of Laura’s father just serves to bolster the
reader’s affinity for them. If you like to read fantasy and are looking
for a new world, with well-developed characters to explore this is the
book for you.

REVIEW: Among Others by Jo Walton

Rating: 4/5 Stars
Genre: (Really light) Fantasy, Coming-of-age
Audience: Adult/Young Adult Crossover

Summary: Fantasy and a realistic coming-of-age story merge in this tale of a young outcast who finds meaning in the books she loves. When a magical battle with her insane mother leaves Mori crippled and results in her twin’s death, Mori flees to her heretofore absent father in England. Once there, Mori is quickly shuffled off to a boarding school that is a far cry from the fairy-filled valleys of Wales. There 15-year-old Mori struggles to find friends and dabbles in a bit of magic on her own before the inevitable showdown with her mother.

First Lines: “The Phurnacite factory in Abercwmboi killed all the trees for two miles around…. My sister and I called it Mordor…”

Tracy’s Thoughts:
On the surface, this sounds like a typical genre novel: outsider teenager discovers magical powers, etc, etc. And yet in Among Others, much of the “action” takes place offstage before the novel begins. Instead, the focus is on Mori’s
struggle to find a place and a purpose after losing her sister. Her
innermost thoughts and fears on everything from getting breasts to the
latest Zelazny novel are related through a series of diary entries. The
fantasy elements are very much in the background, but bits of magic slip
though the cracks. Mori sees fairies that look more like plants than the sparkly winged creatures of lore, and her magic doesn’t work like the magic in her beloved books, though she sometimes wishes it did. Instead of grand, sweeping magic, the magic here is ambiguous and inextricably part of the “real” world. It is something that must be taken on faith:

You can almost always find chains of coincidence to disprove magic. That’s because it doesn’t happen the way it does in books. It makes those chains of coincidence. That’s what it is. It’s like if you snapped your fingers and produced a rose but it was because someone on an aeroplane had dropped a rose at just the right time for it to land in your hand. There was a real person and a real aeroplane and a real rose, but that doesn’t mean the reason you have the rose in your hand isn’t because you did the magic.

I love this concept. Mori’s belief in magic of this sort makes so much sense even as I questioned whether Mori’s stories are merely the product of her book-fueled imagination.

In many ways, Among Others it is a love letter to libraries and to books, particularly the science fiction novels of the 1970s. And although I am not a big reader of sci-fi or fantasy, I have a special love for books about books and those who read them. (Case in point: this excellent book, and this book that *might* qualify as my absolute favorite read of 2011.)  Mori’s enthusiasm for the books of Ursula
Le Guin and other giants of the sci-fi/fantasy genres made me want to
hole up for a week (or two) just so I can devour all of the classics she
loves. (Lucky for me, Jo Walton has Mori’s reading list posted on her blog.) Among Others is a wonderful book, with a fascinating and engaging lead character, simple yet elegant writing, and thought-provoking ideas. I recommend it for anyone who has been an outsider, for anyone who has lost someone they loved, and most of all for anyone who loves books even a tenth as much as Mori does.

REVIEW: City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Audience: Teen/Young Adult
Series: Mortal Instruments #5
Format: Audiobook

Summary: Two weeks after the cliffhanger ending of City of Fallen Angels, Jace and Sebastian are still missing. The Clave is determined to locate and kill Sebastian, and Jace’s disappearance is of little consequence to them. Not so for Clary and the rest of the gang. She, Simon, Izzie, Alec, and Magnus are determined to get him back safely, but when they discover that Jace and Sebastian are bonded—harm one, harm the other; kill one, kill the other—their task becomes infinitely more difficult. While the rest of the gang searches for a way to sever the bond without destroying Jace, Clary undertakes a dangerous mission of her own. Because while Jace seems to have forgotten his hatred for Sebastian and is actually cooperating with him, one thing hasn’t changed. He still loves Clary, and now he wants her to join him to carry out Sebastian’s secret plan.
 

First Line: “Simon stood and stared numbly at the front door of his house.”

Tracy’s Thoughts:
I have listened to this entire series on audiobook, and I must say that this latest addition is easily the most polished production so far. I almost didn’t even finish the last audiobook, which was alternately read by Ed Westwick and Molly Quinn. (Ed Westwick? Really??? I love his voice, but posh and British don’t really scream Simon or Jace to me.) But Molly Quinn on her own? Totally rocks. She does a fabulous job in CoLS, inhabiting each of the characters and embodying all the emotion, tension, and confusion that they experience through the course of the book.

While I found book four to be a bit of a disappointment, I have absolutely no real complaints about City of Lost Souls (well… I might have liked a bit more angst from the Maia/Kyle storyline). Love, betrayal, internal conflict,
violence, sacrifice, heartbreak; it’s all there. Cassandra Clare keeps the excitement level sky high while still allowing each major character time to have their own troubles outside of the main plotline. The characters and their relationships are so well established, and yet Clare is still capable of surprising us. Even Sebastian—a villain perhaps even more dangerous than Valentine—had me teetering between (short-lived) sympathy and loathing. This is a dark book in many ways, but that darkness is balanced with a sharp,
snarky humor and glimmers of hope. In fact, this one even has a happy ending—or at least a positive resolution—while leaving plenty of material for the next in the series. In my opinion, City of Lost Souls is the best book yet of this beloved series, and I am eagerly anticipating the (reportedly) final installment. Unfortunately, we will all have to wait until March 2014 (!!!!!!!) until City of Heavenly Fire will be released.

REVIEW: Bewitching by Alex Flinn

Rating: 3/5 Stars
Genre: Supernatural Fantasy/Romance/Historical
Audience: Young Adult

Summary:  In this spin-off of Beastly, Kendra the witch tells her own tales including how she discovered she was a witch in the plague year of 1666, survived the Titanic, and has helped poor souls across the centuries of her life.  The latest of her “poor” souls is Emma, a plain, but beautiful within stepsister who just need to “get out from under herself.” In addition, interwoven within the whole book are the tales of Cinderella, The little Mermaid, and The Princess and the Pea.

Lucinda’s Views:   This book was a quick, enjoyable, light summer read.  Kendra is a sympathetic character, who somehow even makes cursing someone seem like the “thing” to do.  One can understand her need to “help” these poor souls as she comes across them.  However, her “help” has mixed results, but somehow things always seem to be set right in the end.  If you enjoy fairy tales, supernatural tales or teen romance…this is the book for you.

GUEST REVIEW: How to Ruin Your Boyfriend’s Reputation by Simone Elkeles

Allison, our teen and adult programmer here at BCPL, is back with another guest review! This time, she’s taking on one of Simone Elkeles’s How to Ruin titles. I loved the first book in Elkeles’s Perfect Chemistry trilogy (for me, the second two were disappointing) and enjoyed both of the Paradise books, so it looks like I have yet another series to add to my ever-growing TBR list.  –Tracy
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Genre: Realistic Fiction/Chick Lit
Series: How to Ruin #3
Audience: Young Adult/Teen
Summary: Signing up
for an overseas summer boot camp program where her hot and sexy boyfriend Avi
is stationed might not have been Amy’s greatest idea—especially when she finds
out that Avi is keeping a secret that could tear their relationship apart.
Allison’s Guest Review: 
Only in the last year have I become acquainted with
the writings of Simone Elkeles. This book
is true to her form in that she finds a way to bring the reader a tale of a
teenage girl coming into her own. Amy is
a well-developed character, and the reader is given early insight into her
inner turmoil. She is a confident,
strong, and determined young lady who decides to attend a summer boot camp in
order to see her boyfriend, Avi.  Amy
thinks that she will spend time with Avi when she gets there, only to find out
that her expectations are false. She is
forced to get dirty, which is not on her list of favorite things to do. Through Elkeles use of bits of humor, we are
able to watch as Amy faces and ultimately conquers her struggles-and see her
emerge as a different person.
Well-written, excellent plot development, great
storyline.  What more could you ask for?

REVIEW: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Cinder (Lunar Chronicles, #1)

Rating: 4/5 Stars
Genre: Science Fiction/Fairy Tale
Audience: Young Adult

Summary: This is the story of Cinderella, but with a twist.  Cinderella is “Cinder” a cyborg who is a gifted mechanic and citizen of New Beijing.  As her world suddenly changes, Cinder becomes involved with intergalactic politics, a handsome prince, and some surprising news about her heritage the could change the world as she and everyone around her knows it.

Lucinda’s Views:  As one of many fairy tale variants available on today’s shelves, I must say this has been one of the most enjoyable to read.  I found the story to be engaging, well-written and just “twisted” enough to be a thoroughly new experience.  Cinder as a cyborg and the issues that are raised about how “human” could a cyborg or even an android be give one food for thought. Also the premise that a fairy tale heroine could be anything but a Disney look-alike just really tickles the heck out of me.  So if you like your heroines sassy, a bit rough around the edges, and in no way stereotypical, check out this book!

P.S. there is also a prequel to this story (no spoilers present).  It is called Glitches and be found here.

REVIEW: Lost & Found by Shaun Tan

Rating: 4/5 Stars
Genre:  Picture Book, Short Stories
Audience: All Ages (9 and up)

Summary: Three (very) short stories, each beautifully illustrated, are collected in this fantastical volume. The first two stories, “The Red Tree” and “The Lost Thing,” were written by Tan while the third, “The Rabbits,” was written by his fellow Aussie, John Marsden (Tomorrow When the War Began). Each story deals with varying themes of emotional disconnection and physical displacement.

First Line: “Sometimes the day begins with nothing to look forward to…” (from “The Red Tree”)

Tracy’s Thoughts:
The key to all three of these stories lies in Tan’s moody, evocative paintings. The paintings are immensely detailed and often offer hidden treasures to observant readers. Some of the images are truly stunning, especially juxtaposed with the simple, lyrical text. In my favorite story, “The Red Tree,” a young girl wakes up and moves though her not-very-good day, her feelings shifting from disappointment to alienation and depression. And yet all along, there are tiny glimpses of hope to find in Tan’s artwork. “The Lost Thing” is
a more upbeat tale of a boy who discovers a strange, lost creature in a chaotic and highly industrialized world. Both of these stories feel very intimate, but the final story has a wider scope. It is both an allegory about imperialism—specifically the invasion of Europeans in North America and Australia—and also touches on environmental concerns. Both of Tan’s stories feel more personal—and, for me, more powerful—but each of the three stories calls to the reader’s imagination and is strong enough to stand alone.

You might also be interested to learn that Tan adapted the second story in this volume into an Oscar-winning animated short. Here’s a peek at the trailer:

REVIEW: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Rating: 3/5 stars
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Realistic Fiction
Audience: Teen/Young Adult

Summary: Nothing is going right for Hadley Sullivan. After a fight with her mom and a series of misadventures, she misses her flight to London—by four minutes! Even worse, her estranged father is about to marry “That British Woman” who is the reason for her parents’ break-up and his defection to another country. So there she is, stranded at the airport with her ill-fitting bridesmaid dress and hours before she can catch another flight, one that will land her in London mere hours before the ceremony. Then she meets Oliver, who is on his way home to England for a family event of his own, and the two share confidences on the long transatlantic flight. It seems ridiculous to feel such a strong connection with a stranger she’s known less than 24 hours, but in between meeting Oliver at the airport and coming to terms with her father’s remarriage, Hadley discovers that anything is possible.

Tracy’s Thoughts:
The Statistical Probability of Love is a sweet, easy-going read with a lot going for it. It features a classic romantic premise—boy meets girl, boy charms girl with his offbeat personality, boy and girl fall in love. There are hints of the easy conversations and magical rapport that I loved so much in Amy and Rogers’s Epic Detour. Over the course of the 10-hour flight from JFK to Heathrow, Hadley and Oliver trade amusing thoughts and comments, talk about their families and relationships, exchange secrets, and almost share their first kiss. And despite the short time span, the story unfolds effortlessly. In a way it reminded me of the movie Before Sunrise or David Levithan and Rachel Cohn’s Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Hadley and Oliver’s conversations are serious, silly, and surprisingly natural. The fact that their relationship develops in the quiet darkness of a cramped plane rather than an exploration of a city only adds to the intimacy and realism. After all, what else do they have to do but get to know each other? That is, until the plane lands and Hadley and Oliver are separated at Heathrow’s customs line. The events that separate them and eventually allow them to meet up again might irritate the more cynical, but it was easy for me to ignore the niggling “Yeah, rights” and simply enjoy the story.

While the adorable relationship between Hadley and Oliver provides the impetus to the story, it is the strained family relationships—particularly between Hadley and her father—that makes this book memorable. Hadley’s heartache and confusion following her parents’ divorce is poignant and almost tangible at times. She loves her father but hasn’t been able to come to grips with the choices he has made. No one is made out to be a villain or a victim. Instead, Smith’s novel is packed with empathetic characters who are flawed and relatable. Things are wrapped up a little too neatly and some events and characters strain credibility (such as Hadley’s soon-to-be stepmom), but this is a satisfying read that is sure to put a smile on the face of romantics everywhere.

The Statistical Probability of Love is one of the ARCs up for grabs in our Spring Giveaway Event

REVIEW: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Tracy’s Rating: 4/5 Stars
Genre: Science Fiction
Audience: Adult/Young Adult Crossover

Summary: The real world in 2045 is a sad, desolate place of poverty, energy-depletion, and pollution. So is it any wonder that most people spend more time in the MMO virtual reality world of the OASIS than in reality? The OASIS is more than just entertainment; it has pretty much taken over the internet, becoming the preferred  online platform for communication, work, and education. It is also the site of a virtual contest with real-world ramifications. When billionaire OASIS creator James Halliday died, he left behind a sort of online treasure hunt, declaring that the first person to solve a series of puzzles, discover three keys, and find the Easter egg hidden somewhere in the vast worlds of the OASIS will inherit his company and his fortune. Within a year, the outside world has immersed itself in all of Halliday’s obsessions—most notably a wide range of 1980s pop culture trivia—hoping to find clues to unravel Halliday’s first puzzle.

But it is 2045, several years after Halliday’s death, before the first key is discovered by an avatar called Parzival and the contest begins in earnest. In real-life, Parzival is 18-year-old Wade Watts, a student who lives in a crammed and precariously stacked mobile home with his less-than-loving aunt. He is obsessed with all things Halliday—from vintage coin-operated video games to Family Ties reruns—and escapes to an abandoned van to adopt his online persona. But now that “Parzival” has solved the first clue, the competition to find the egg intensifies. Along with the other scoreboard leaders, Wade now finds himself in mortal danger from a power-hungry corporation willing to do anything to win—even commit murder.

First Line: “Everyone my age remembers where they were and what they were doing when they first heard about the contest.”

Tracy’s Thoughts:
Ready Player One is a total geek fest. If 80s flicks, classic video games, anime, comics, and Monty Python quotes make you happy, it’s definitely the book for you. Of course you don’t have to enjoy them all (I score a whopping one out of five) to get a kick out of this fast-paced—sometimes mind-bending—story of an underdog’s quest to save the day (and himself!). As I read the book, I found myself downright giddy at times. I by no means recognized all of Cline’s 80s references, but many of them (War Games! Better Off Dead! The Back to the Future DeLorean! Schoolhouse Rock! Speed Racer!) put a billboard-sized smile on my face. So, Ready Player One definitely gets an “A” for the 80s nostalgia factor.

But for all its 80s flashback moments, Ready Player One is also a darn good story. It sucks you in, just as OASIS sucks the book’s characters away from their reality. It was fun, for a while, to immerse myself in Wade’s quest and leave my own world behind. (I guess books are my video games!)  Many people claim they read as an escape. This is clearly a primary motivation to Wade’s love of videogames and the OASIS:

Descending the network of metal girders had always reminded me of old platform videogames like Donkey Kong or BurgerTime. I’d seized upon this idea a few years earlier when I coded my first Atari 2600 game (a gunter rite of passage, like a Jedi building his first lightsaber.) It was a Pitfall rip-off called The Stacks where you had to navigate through a vertical maze of trailers, collection junk computers, snagging food-voucher power-ups, and avoiding meth addicts and pedophiles on your way to school. My game was a lot more fun than the real thing.

Of course, real life also bleeds into Wade’s virtual world. It is fascinating how, for me, the characters’ virtual reality and their “real lives” became entwined. I was just as invested in the avatars’ survival as the characters themselves. Perhaps more so.

Ready Player One isn’t a perfect book. The writing was a bit uneven at times (e.g., trivia-laden footnotes pepper the prologue then mysteriously vanish), and the romance between Wade/Parzival and his online crush Ar3mis felt a bit forced. Still, it is a clever, fun read with likeable characters and an intriguing premise. Plus, there’s that nostalgia factor 🙂

Celebrate Teen Tech Week!

Computers. Hackers. Video games. Blogging. Social networking. RSS feeds. Read all about it in teen fiction! To celebrate Teen Tech Week, we are highlighting some great tech-themed books for teens:

Former Book Picks:

Little Brother by Cory Doctrow

Warnings: (1) This book contains some “adult” content, so it may not be appropriate for some younger readers. (2) This book may induce paranoia.

This is a seriously scary book—in a very real way—and an easy segue into dystopian fiction for those who are not sure if they will like the genre. It takes place in a not-too-distant future
where school security systems use gait recognition software to keep intruders out—and students in—and where every keystroke on a school laptop is monitored. Then there is a suspected terrorist attack in San Francisco and things get really crazy. Seventeen-year-old Marcus thinks the Department of Homeland Security is out of control, so he uses his tech savvy to start an underground rebellion against the current government. This book is socially and politically charged, featuring super-smart teen characters who are willing to take risks for what they believe in. It may hold particular appeal for techies and teens interested in civil liberties.
–Tracy’s Picks, Fall 2008

Genesis Alpha by Rune Michaels

Josh was a test tube baby designed to save his cancer-stricken brother Max, and the two have always been extremely close. When Max is arrested for a brutal murder, Josh knows Max is innocent. But then the sister of the murdered girl starts hassling him and hiding clues to his brother’s guilt in their favorite online role-playing game, old secrets come to light, and suddenly Josh doesn’t know what to believe about his brother or himself. This is an unforgettable—and unsettling—suspense novel that explores the natures of good and evil, and the roles of biology and free will.    –Tracy’s Picks, Spring 2009

Here are a few more suggestions:
The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson
Brain Jack by Brian Falkner
Confessions of a Boyfriend Stealer by Robynn Clairday
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
Epic by Chuck Kostick
Evil Genius by Catherine Jinks
Feed by M.T. Anderson
Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve
For the Win by Cory Doctrow
Framed! by Malcolm Rose
The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler
The Gospel According to Larry by Janet Tashjian
Human.4 by Mike A. Lancaster
I, Robot by Isaac Asimov
iBoy by Kevin Brooks
In Your Room by Jordanna Fraiberg
Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
Little Blog on the Prairie by Cathleen Davitt Bell
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Robot Dreams by Sara Varon
Streams of Babel by Carol Plum-Ucci
Things I Know About Love by Kate Le Vann
Ttyl by Lauren Myracle
Unison Spark byAndy Marino
Variant by Robinson Wells 
Very LeFreak by Rachel Cohn
Virtual War by Gloria Skurzynski
Wish You Were Dead by Todd Strasser

And for those more inclined toward narrative nonfiction, try:

The Radioactive Boy Scout by Ken Silverstein

You might also want to take a peek at our page on Facebook, were we’ve been posting book trailers, or check out our list of 15 Ways to Geek Out for Teen Tech Week, based on YALSA‘s list of 25 Ways to Geek Out.

Do you have a favorite tech-themed read? We’d love to hear which of the books above you recommend—or what we’ve left off the list*!

*We have only included titles available from Bullitt County Public Libraries. We also chose to keep steampunk titles to a minimum.

REVIEW: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Tracy’s Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Audience:Teen/Young Adult, Adult Crossover 
Genre: Realistic Fiction

Summary: Hazel Grace Lancaster is a walking miracle. Diagnosed with terminal cancer at 12, she is now 16, alive thanks to an experimental drug that keeps the fluid in her lungs in check. Still, breathing is an ongoing struggle, and there is no doubt the the cancer will one day kill her. She’s taking college classes but has little human interaction with people other than her parents and doctors. Her “third best friend” (after her parents) is Peter Van Houten, the reclusive author of Hazel’s favorite book, An Imperial Affliction. Despite numerous fan letters penned by Hazel, they have never met or even corresponded, but Hazel feels that he is the only person who understands what it’s like to be dying without having actually died.

Augustus Waters is a 17-year-old cancer survivor in remission. Hazel first meets him at a support group she attends only under protest. Before Hazel knows what is happening, the two are trading words and feeding off each other’s comments with an energy that Hazel hasn’t felt in… forever. Then they swap their favorite books, and Augustus makes it his mission to help Hazel find the answers to the many questions she has for Peter Van Houten.  

First Line: Late in the winter of my seventeenth year, my mother decided I was depressed, presumably because I rarely left the house, spent quite a lot of time in bed, read the same book over and over, ate infrequently, and devoted quite a bit of my abundant free time to thinking about death.

Tracy’s Thoughts:  

First, let me say this: John Green is awesome. I adored An Abundance of Katherines, and, although I was slightly less enthusiastic about the Printz-winning Looking for Alaska, I still found it smart, funny, and compelling. I have no good excuse for the fact that I still haven’t gotten around to reading Paper Towns or Will Grayson, Will Grayson—his much hyped collaboration with David Levithan—but you can be assured that both are now bumped up near the top of my TBR. No one writes smart teen characters like John Green. His books are both incredibly intelligent—pondering Big Questions with verve and style—and hilarious. Seriously, before I even hit the second chapter of The Fault in Our Stars, I was laughing so hard I was gasping for breath. Twice. In a book about terminal cancer.

At its heart, The Fault in Our Stars is a love story, if one we know to be doomed from the start. Augustus is an incredibly charismatic character, and the snarky, deep-thinking Hazel is his perfect match. Hazel and Augustus have a natural affinity that makes for truly riveting dialog, their separate intellects enhanced by the other. Both are quick-witted, with improbable vocabularies and bookish tendencies. In a way, their repartee reminds me of the nuanced banter of Briony and Eldric in Chime. But unlike Briony and Eldric, Hazel and Augustus are also believable as modern teenagers: they have in-jokes, play pranks, and have the requisite addictions to reality TV and video games. They still feel like teenagers, just teens with extreme intelligence and a situation-enhanced view of reality. Hazel’s narration grabbed me from the start—and, despite the comments of some other reviewers—I never felt that it was inauthentic. Here is one early sample:

The Support Group, of course, was depressing as hell. It met every Wednesday in the basement of a stone-walled Episcopal church shaped like a cross. We all sat in a circle right in the middle of the cross, where the two boards would have met, where the heart of Jesus would have been.
I noticed this because Patrick, the Support Group Leader and only person over eighteen in the room, talked about the heart of Jesus every freaking meeting, all about how we, as young cancer survivors, were sitting right in Christ’s very sacred heart and whatever.

So here’s how it went in God’s heart: The six or seven or ten of us walked/wheeled in, grazed at a decrepit selection of cookies and lemonade, sat down in the Circle of Trust, and listened to Patrick recount for the thousandth time his depressingly miserable life story—how he had cancer in his balls and they thought he was going to die but he didn’t die and now here he is, a full-grown adult in a church basement in the 137th nicest city in America, divorced, addicted to video games, mostly friendless, eking out a meager living by exploiting his cancertastic past…

Really, there isn’t much more I can say about this book without somehow taking away from the incredible journey that it takes you on. It is a wonderfully written book about love and loss and learning to live while coping with the reality of death, about wondering how you will be remembered after you’re gone and what will become of those you love. The Fault in Our Stars is not an easy read. It is intellectually and emotionally challenging—but worth the effort. By turns brilliant, hilarious, and heartbreaking, this is a book that is not easily forgotten.

REVIEW: Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Rating: 4/5 Stars
Genres: Fantasy/Supernatural Fiction
Audience: Adult/Young Adult

Summary: A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs.
It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

Lucinda’s Thoughts:  This book intrigued me from the start.  Always a fan of the supernatural, the idea that there are others among us sparked my interest.  Jacob’s troubles and resulting journey hold the reader’s interest and bring about unexpected twisted and turns that are  attention-grabbers.  I would have liked more background story for the peculiar children and their mentor, but understandably a book can only be so lengthy. 

The book’s accompanying photographs are mysterious, yet blend effortlessly with the story.  (Kudos to the author and individuals who sought these out, as they are all real photos, not artwork for the book.)  The cover art is also wonderful, and while I would be the last to judge a book by its cover, this cover is compelling. 

Jacob’s trip through time and space weave a complex narrative of a world where all is not as it seems, and Jacob is one of the few who can see the difference.  As Jacob’s tale progresses, he becomes not only a more mature, multi-faceted figure, but finds himself walking in the footsteps of his grandfather, an enigmatic figure whose own children thought him a mystery.  The conclusion of the book is slightly twisted, and leaves room for a sequel. (Another bothersome aspect of this novel.)  Even so, I am looking forward to the further adventures of Jacob and his “peculiar” comrades.

The following is the book trailer for the wonderful novel:

Best of 2011: Young Adult/Teen Books

2011 was a great year for YA literature! In fact, we had a hard time narrowing down the list for our favorite books of the year. I can hardly believe that some of my favorite teen fiction authors didn’t make the cut even though they had great books out this year that I highly recommend (ahem… Sara Zarr). But we had to draw the line somewhere.

Fiction Picks:

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
Cas travels from town to town with his mother and their cat Tybalt, killing homicidal ghosts and secretly preparing himself for the day that he will confront the ghost that killed his father. Now he has a new ghost in his sights: Anna Dressed in Blood. But something about her is different than the others. This is a creepy, vividly written tale with dynamic, complex characters.
Tracy’s Review.

Ashfall by Mike Mullin
After a supervolcano erupts under Yellowstone, 15-year-old Alex, who has been left home alone for the weekend, treks through a dangerous landscape of ash and snow, trying to survive both nature and a new world in which all the old rules of civilization have vanished.

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
When an airplane full of beauty queens from the Miss Teen Dream Pageant crashes on a remote island, the surviving girls are forced to push themselves to the limits in order to survive. This is a quirky, witty read filled with biting humor and hilarious “commercial breaks.”
Lucinda’s Review.

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
It is 1941 and Stalin’s reign of terror is in full dominion, but fifteen-year-old Lina  is stunned when Soviet officers invade her home to arrest her family and deport them from Lithuania to Siberia, giving them only twenty minutes to pack a few belongings. This is only the beginning of Lina’s journey, filled with deplorable, life-threatening conditions. Both beautiful and powerful, this is a truly lovely book reminiscent of like Hautzig’s The Endless Steppe and even The Diary of Ann Frank.
Tracy’s Review.

Chime by Franny Billingsley
This darkly romantic historical fantasy is written in gorgeous, mesmerizing prose and features an unforgettable narrator in Briony, a 17-year-old who can see the spirits that haunt the marshes in the town of Swampsea. She blames herself for her stepmother’s death and her twin sister’s brain injury. But then a charming young man enters her life and exposes secrets even Briony cannot guess at.

Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor
This fantasy—artfully grounded in the real, macabre city of Prague—tells the story of a 17-year-old raised by four mysterious chimaera, beings made up of disparate human and animal parts. Karou leads two separate lives: art student and errand girl to the Wishmonger, who takes teeth in exchange for wishes. Then she meets a vengeful angel determined to destroy the chimaera, and Karou knows she must uncover the secrets behind Brimstone’s work and those of her past.

Divergent by Veronica Roth
In a not-too-distant future Chicago, everyone is divided into five factions with five different belief systems. Now that she is sixteen, it is finally time for Beatrice Prior to choose her permanent faction. But her choice won’t be easy. When she takes her aptitude tests, Beatrice learns that she is a Divergent, someone who does not fit easily into any of the predetermined classifications and whose very existence threatens her society. Smart, gutsy characters and a sweet romance subplot add depth to this addictively fast-paced read.
Tracy’s Review.

Dust & Decay by Jonathan Maberry
Six months after the events in Rot & Ruin, Tom, Benny, Nix, Lilah, and Lou Chang leave Mountainside in search of a better life. Upon returning to the lawless land of the great Rot and Ruin, they are pursued by murderers and the living dead and face the horrors of Gameland—where teenagers are forced to fight for their lives in the zombie pits.
Lucinda & Tracy’s Dual Review.

I’ll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Two brothers, kidnapped by their mentally unstable father a decade, get a taste of a normal life after seventeen-year-old Sam befriends a preacher’s daughter. But what will happen when their criminal father discovers their secret? Intertwining a gripping survival story with a sweet tale of first love, this is a memorable, heartfelt story about the connections that people make and the brief intersections that can change your life
Tracy’s Review.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
Every November, someone dies in the Scorpio Races, a dangerous horse race unlike any other because the horses are unlike any others. The water horses, both terrible and beautiful, rise from the ocean every autumn to terrorize the people of Thisby. And every year, the people—both awed and afraid—prepare for the traditional race along the beach. This year, Puck—the first female to ever enter the Scorpio Races—is determined to win even though it means taking on the four-time champion, Sean Kendrick. This is an eerie, romantic adventure that is completely unlike anything else you’ve read.

This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppell
Science, history and a spot of horror merge in this gripping gothic prequel to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. At 16, Victor Frankenstein already shows signs of the “mad scientist” he will become: he’s obsessive, temperamental, and wildly jealous of his twin brother Konrad. But when Konrad becomes dangerously ill, Victor will do anything—even defy his beloved father to investigate the forbidden practice of alchemy—to save his brother.

Where She Went by Gayle Foreman
Love, heartache, betrayal, and music intertwine in this emotional sequel to If I Stay. Told from Adam’s perspective, it details his breakdown after Mia dumps him in favor of a future in New York. Now, stranded in in New York in between flights, Adam decides it is time to confront the girl he can’t get over. The majority of the story takes place in a single day, and readers experience each moment right along with Adam, unsure how it will end until the very last page.

Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley
Cullen Witter is a sardonic, imaginative 17-year-old who fills his journal with the titles of books he might someday write and thinks about leaving his Arkansas hometown, a “black hole” that no one can escape for long. Then the town becomes obsessed with the sighting of a supposedly extinct woodpecker and his younger brother Gabriel vanishes without a trace. Juxtaposed with Cullen’s story is the seemingly unrelated tale of a teenage missionary who travels to Ethiopia and back. Cullen’s is a wry, compelling narrative, interwoven with 3rd person accounts that seem unrelated at first but gradually coalesce into a single story with unexpected connections.

Winter Town by Stephen Emond
Evan and Lucy, childhood best friends who now see each other only during Christmas break, struggle to preserve their relationship in the midst of family expectations, bad choices, and a budding romance. Interspersed throughout are both realistic sketches and drawings of the comic strip that Evan and Lucy create together. This is a real and honest look at relationships, growing up, and self-discovery.

You Against Me by Jenny Downham
When Mikey’s 15-year-old sister accuses an older boy of rape and refuses to leave their apartment, he’s not 100% sure he believes the story but feels obligated to avenge her. He’s also dealing with work, an alcoholic mom, and a confused 7-year-old sister. Meanwhile, Ellie wants more than anything to believe that her brother Tom is innocent, and her wealthy parents have launched a full-scale campaign to clear her brother’s name. Then Mikey and Ellie meet. This is a suspenseful, unforgettable novel with strongly drawn characters and complicated emotions.

Nonfiction Picks:

It Gets Better edited by Dan Savage and Terry Miller
This collection of essays and testimonials from celebrities, political leaders, and everyday people stresses to gay and lesbian teens that they can overcome bullying and lead fulfilling lives.

DUAL REVIEW: Dust & Decay by Jonathan Maberry

Lucinda’s Rating: 4/5 Stars
Tracy’s Rating: 4/5 Stars
Audience: Young Adult
Genre: Zombie/Dystopia
Series: Benny Inmura #2; sequel to Rot & Ruin

Summary:
Six months have passed since the terrifying battle with Charlie Pink-eye and the Motor City Hammer in the zombie-infested mountains of the Rot & Ruin. It’s also been six months since Benny Imura and Nix Riley saw something in the air that changed their lives. Now, after months of rigorous training with Benny’s zombie-hunter brother Tom, Benny and Nix are ready to leave their home forever and search for a better future. Lilah the Lost Girl and Benny’s best friend Lou Chong are going with them. But before they even leave there is a shocking zombie attack in town, and as soon as they step into the Rot & Ruin they are pursued by the living dead, wild animals, and insane murderers, and face the horrors of Gameland—where teenagers are forced to fight for their lives in the zombie pits. Worst of all…could the evil Charlie Pink-eye still be alive?

In the great Rot & Ruin, everything wants to kill you—and not everyone in Benny’s small band of travelers will survive….

Lucinda’s Views:
This novel tells the tale of the further adventures of Benny Imura and his friends in their zombie-infested world. As they set out on their quest to locate the mysterious jumbo jet seen in Rot & Ruin,  the reader will see many changes in Benny, from his blossoming romance to his new found respect for his brother, Tom.  Within we also see ethical dilemmas that pose such questions as, “Does the good of the few outweigh the good of the many?” Also posed is the question of what really constitutes a “good” person?  Is someone who professes to be a preacher automatically a good person?  Should their word be more valuable than that of a layperson? This tale offers many twists and turns and an ending that may be very surprising to some. An ending that leaves one character dead and another completely altered for life. If you liked Rot & Ruin you will love Dust & Decay.

Tracy’s Thoughts:
I am so glad I decided to stick with this series. At the same time, I am seriously mad at Jonathan Maberry for putting his characters through such hell and even (gasp!) killing off a couple of the good guys. In Rot & Ruin, I never quite managed to connect with the heroes. But they really grabbed me in Dust & Decay—and then Maberry pretty much tortures them. I couldn’t put the book down. What that says about me, I’d rather not contemplate.

Anyway, I was very pleased with the character development in Dust & Decay. Benny has evolved into a slightly tougher, more balanced (and likeable!) character, though he is still flawed and recognizable as the same guy from Rot & Ruin. He has matured as a result of his experiences, and I could really feel the struggle between the kid his is and the adult he is becoming. And Tom, well he’s still awesome…only now we get to see his skills in action. We also discover more about Lilah’s past; even Benny’s friend Chong gets new layers (actually, his is one of the most relatable character arcs). I did get rather sick of Nix—IMHO, she seems more than a little crazy at times—but she was an interesting character and I cared what happened to her even though it was difficult to like her at times. Even better, Maberry brings the Zombie Cards to life. We meet fascinating new characters straight from the Cards—Preacher Jack, Sally Two-Knives, and J-Dog and Dr. Skillz (who bring a welcome dose of humor to the mix).

I also found the storytelling more vivid and less clunky than in Rot & Ruin. In book one, the POV was mostly 3rd person from the perspective of Benny. There were a few brief shifts to other characters’ perspectives, but I found this quite jarring. In the sequel, these transitions are more frequent and feel more natural, allowing for a fuller, richer story. This also advances the pacing, which is fast and absorbing. The action scenes (of which there are many) have an immediacy I felt was lacking in R & R, and the villains have more flavor. Horror aficionados will love the increased gore-factor, and Hunger Games fans will be intrigued by the Gameland scenes. But this novel isn’t all blood, guts, and fight scenes; there is also love, heartbreak, hope, and real ethical questions to consider. For me, Dust & Decay has the feel of a good Western (with zombies!). The story touches on themes of loyalty, obligation, and courage in a world where lawlessness is rampant and the good guys are struggling with their own inner demons. There are lots of twists and turns, and a new development in the mystery of zombie reanimation raises questions that have me hungry for the sequel. 

DUAL/GUEST REVIEW: Trapped by Michael Northrop

Allison’s Rating: 4/5 Stars
Tracy’s Rating: 3/5 Stars
Audience: Young Adult/Teen
Genre: Realistic Fiction/Suspense

Summary: Seven high school students are stranded at their New England high school during a week-long blizzard that shuts down the power and heat, freezes the pipes, and leaves them wondering if they will survive.

Allison’s Guest Review:
I really enjoyed this one. Narrated by the main character, a boy who sees himself as a normal teen, this book takes us into the mindset of teens lost in a crisis. At first, the reader feels like the characters don’t give the situation its due worry, but as the characters develop, the reader realizes that the nonchalant attitude displayed by many of the teens trapped in the school are simply avoiding admitting the danger they face, even to themselves. There are a few scenes which introduce some humor, and many details given to enthrall the reader and keep him/her moving along with the story. It was refreshing to read a book with no clearly defined hero/heroine; just a telling of the story with points of drama where they are needed.

Tracy’s Thoughts:
I was very impressed by Northrop’s debut novel, Gentlemen, and after reading the blurb and reviews for Trapped I had high hopes for his sophomore effort. As in his first book, Michael Northrop does an excellent job of building tension. Not only is there a growing awareness that this is indeed a life-threatening situation, there is also tension as the 7 teens—many of whom are mere acquaintances—must pull together. I liked that these are seven typical teens, although they do tend to represent the usual cliques (popular girls, jock, outcasts, the school bully). This lends the book a sort of  Breakfast Club-meets-Christopher-Pike vibe (I’m thinking Weekend). The characters often misread one another, allowing their own preconceptions to get in the way. For me, this was the real drama of the story.

However, the characters, particularly the narrator, just didn’t have the same zing that I expected after reading Gentlemen. What I enjoyed so much about Gentlemen was Tommy’s voice—sharp, biting, and darkly funny. Scotty, the narrator of Trapped, just didn’t have that something special that made me truly invested in the story’s outcome. I needed more character development. The ending, too, was a bit abrupt for my taste and doesn’t really do justice to the excellent premise. But despite my quibbles, Trapped is a quick, enjoyable read and a solid choice for a cold, snowy day’s read.

REVIEW: I’ll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Rating: 5/5 Stars
Audience: Young Adult/Teen
Genre: Realistic Fiction

Summary: Seventeen year-old Sam and his twelve-year-old brother Riddle have never had a normal life. A decade ago, they were kidnapped by their mentally unstable father, a criminal with a pathological fear of government and technology. Since then, the trio has traveled across the country, living in ramshackle places and avoiding the authorities at all costs. At a very young age, Sam learned that it would be up to him to ensure that he and his brother are fed and safe.

Riddle has never been to school, rarely speaks, and suffers from untreated asthma. He lugs around an old phone book filled with the impossibly detailed mechanical drawings he spends his days creating. Sam’s escape is music; every Sunday, he visits a different church so that he can absorb the sounds of organs and pianos, clapping and singing. He sits in the back and remains anonymous. Then he meets Emily, who finally sees him and, eventually, introduces Sam and Riddle to her family. For the first time, the two boys feel connected to the real world, but what will happen when their father discovers their secret?

Tracy’s Thoughts:
Intertwining a gripping survival story with a sweet tale of first love, I’ll Be There is one of the best, most heartfelt books I’ve read in ages. It’s one of those stories that completely mesmerizes you and still lingers in your mind weeks later. And puts a smile on your face. There is a magic to Sloan’s prose: it is thoughtful and yet carries an immediacy that makes each page a joy to read. There is nothing flashy in her writing; it is vivid and precise, allowing the extraordinary characters and their predicaments to move the story along. Am I sounding a bit fan-girl crazy and over-the-top in my praise? I apologize. But. I love this book.

It’s magical in a completely different way. It is all about the connections that people make, the brief intersections that can change your life. It is about how all the small, insignificant things can add up to larger ones. It is about family and belonging. Told from multiple points of view, covering everyone from Sam and Riddle, to Emily and her mother, to the boys’ paranoid father Clarence, I’ll Be There creates a world that is both intimate and infinite. The narration transitions seamlessly, weaving a rich and layered tale.This is a book that made me laugh, cry, gasp, and sigh with pleasure at the end, pausing for a moment to savor the extraordinary journey I had just completed.

REVIEW: Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Rating: 4/5 Stars
Audience: Young Adult/Teen, Adult Crossover Interest
Genre: Historical Fiction

Summary: It is 1941 and Stalin’s reign of terror is in full dominion, though fifteen-year-old Lina has no idea of the terrible forces at work. She is stunned when Soviet officers invade her home to arrest her family and deport them from Lithuania to Siberia, giving them only twenty minutes to pack a few belongings. Her father, not home at the time of the arrest, is separated from the rest of the family while Lina, her mother, and younger brother are crammed into a boxcar labeled “Thieves and Prostitutes.” This is only the beginning of Lina’s journey, filled with deplorable, life-threatening conditions and a slow realization of some of the more unsavory aspects of life. And yet through it all, Lina retains hope, following her mother’s strong example and using her artistic talent to send messages to her father.

Tracy’s Thoughts:
This is a truly lovely book; haunting and terribly sad because we know it is based on true events, but also inspirational. Ruta Sepetys writing is fluid and emotionally evocative. With a few precise words, she is able to make a powerful statement (“Have you ever wondered what a human life is worth? That morning, my brother’s was worth a pocket watch.”). It is never overdone or cheaply sentimental. The first sentence grabbed me, and I did not want to put this book down as Lina’s story gradually and painfully unfurled:

They took me in my nightgown.

Thinking back, the signs were there—family photos burned in the fireplace, Mother sewing her best silver into the lining of her coat late at night, and Papa not returning from work. My younger brother, Jonas, was asking questions. I asked questions, too, but perhaps I refused to acknowledge the signs. Only later did I realize Mother and Father intended we escape. We did not escape.

We were taken.

The novel is written in short chapters, which makes some of the atrocities described a bit easier to digest. Scenes are not truly graphic, but they are vividly and powerfully depicted. But, again, there is a thread of hope and perseverance that runs throughout, as well as a budding love story to provide balance. Also, there are flashbacks to Lina’s life in Lithuania before the deportation to provide respite and clues to explain why Lina’s family was targeted by the Soviets.

Reading this novel, I felt like I was reading a true account—like Hautzig’s The Endless Steppe or even The Diary of Ann Frank. The characters, especially Lina, her mother, and a crotchety old man who is with the family on the train and at the various work camps, seemed real. Of course, several first-person accounts and interviews where included in Sepetys’s research. And the author’s own family history undoubtedly made this an intensely personal story.

My only complaint is that I felt the ending was a bit too abrupt. I wanted more. There is an epilogue at the end, but to me Lina’s story felt incomplete. But, regardless of my slight disappointment with the ending, this is a story that needs to be told. The Holocaust is widely studied, but comparatively few are aware of the genocide of the Baltic people that took place under Stalin’s rule. Sepetys’s novel is an important work, both thought-provoking and enjoyable.

REVIEW: The Witches of East End by Melissa De La Cruz

Rating: 3/5
Audience: Older Young Adult/Adult
Genre: Paranomal Romance/Mystery/Fantasy

Summary:
It’s the beginning of summer in North Hampton, and beautiful Freya Beauchamp is celebrating her engagement to wealthy Bran Gardiner, the heir to Fair Haven and Gardiners Island. But Freya is drawn to Bran’s gorgeous but unreliable brother Killian, and sparks fly when the two decide to play a dangerous game, following an ancient story of love, betrayal and tragedy that harks back to the days of Valhalla.

Witches of East End follows the Beauchamp family—the formidable matriarch Joanna and her daughters Freya and Ingrid. Freya, a sexy bartender, has a potion to cure every kind of heartache, while Ingrid, the local librarian, solves complicated domestic problems with her ability to tie magical knots. Joanna is the witch to see when modern medicine has no more answers; her powers can wake the dead. Everything seems to be going smoothly until a young girl, Molly Lancaster, goes missing after taking one of Freya’s irresistible cocktails. As more of the town’s residents begin disappearing, everyone seems to have the same suspects in mind: the Beauchamp women.
Lucinda’s Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this book. As a fan of mythology it was refreshing to see a tale with Norse, rather than Greek mythology at its core.  The character development was interesting and kept me reading.  I finished this book quickly.  The one drawback to this book is the “too” neat ending.  The book seemed to end very abruptly, with a very hurried resolution to problems that should have taken at least a couple more chapters to reach their denouement.  This book comes with a PG-13 rating due to  some steamy romantic scenes.  While they are steamy they are tastefully written.  The epilogue provided an unseen twist that I’m sure will lead to the next book in the series.  This author also writes the Bluebloods vampire series for young adults.