I'll Give You The Sun ( 371 Pages)

This is the first book I've read by Jandy Nelson. It won't be the last. This book made me laugh and made me cry. It's a coming of age book of twin- a brother and a sister. There are twists and turns that make the reading speed up- just when I wanted to have it slow down. There are books that I just want to keep reading; like then what happens to "them"? Noah is an artist. His sister,  Jude is an athlete. Noah doesn't think his Dad likes him. Jude doesn't get along with her Mom. While the twins have always been close, suddenly they are not only not close, they hate each other. What happened and how do they become a unit once again? This is the road the reader travels. Noah realizes that he is gay, and he falls in love with a guy who is home  only when prep school lets him out. Jude has several relationships- some wonderful, some horrible. There is sex in this book, much of it in Noah's mind and Jude's mind as well. But this is an important read, and I believe it sets the bar for other authors. I'd LOVE to hear from some of you about your reactions to this book!

Loud Awake and Lost (289 Pages)

The author of this book, Adele Griffin, has written a journey book. Within these pages, the reader follows Ember's journey to repair her emotions following a horrendous automobile accident. As the reader continues with Ember, her long-time best friend, her over protective parents, and her former boyfriend ( who seems like an absolutely wonderful guy- in spite of his obnoxious family ), and her new boy friend who seems equally wonderful. Ember  had been a dancer and gave it up before the accident. She was also was a talented cook, known for Friday night Follies- where she cooked a meal for her family and friends. The trick of this read occurs almost at the end of the book when the reader is shocked to discover that the new boyfriend is the same as the one who was riding in the front passenger seat when she drove her car over a bridge during a icy rain storm, killing her passenger. This is quite a read and a teary end may be expected.

Pieces (168 Pages)

Chris Lynch has written a a book that is a real guys' book! First of all, it's short. Secondly it is written with guy humor...I even laughed at several parts. Eric's older brother has always been his idol. But Eric dives into a quarry, breaks his neck, and is brain dead. His parents want to take him off life support, but Eric is fighting them on this. He just doesn't want to let go. But he does, and Eric's ashes end up on the mantel in his family's living room. The family decided to give Duane's body parts to several people. One person received his ear bones, another got his liver, and another received his kidney. Eric decides he wants to meet these three people, and they become a major part of his healing. The relationship between the three recipients and Duane's former girlfriend provide some very funny scenes. So, this is a quick, good book for those guys who are reluctant readers.

Atlantia (298 Pages)

I chose this book, because I have loved everything the author, Ally Condie, has written. For those not familiar with her name, she is known for the Matched trilogy. This book is all about family. It takes place in a dystopian setting of a city that has been constructed beneath the ocean. This occurred after The Divide. The Divide created a civilization above the ocean (known as the Above) and the city Atlantia beneath the ocean (known as the Below. The Above is responsible for keeping the Below supplied through the use of special transports with everything necessary for its survival. The Below is sophisticated in its structure and its ability to provide residents with clean air. Rio and Bay are twin sisters whose mother is the Minister of the Below. There is a secret that all three of them keep from everyone and that is Rio's real voice. She must hide it, for if anyone hears it, they will know she is a Siren. Sirens  are like a cult of people who once were adored and now are feared. They are known as the first miracle, the bats that arrived some time later are the second miracle. Then, all of a sudden, Rio's and Bay's mother dies. She has been poisoned by members of the ruling council. Although Rio has always wanted to go to the Above, she has promised Bay that she will not. And then Bay goes to the above. Rio is devastated. The mystery of their mother's death and Bay's sudden departure make for some exciting reading. Condie is a master of character and setting development. It's a good read!

Kindness for Weakness (261 Pages)

I don't know which emotion to state as I put down this book. Anger, certainly. Frustration, certainly. Sadness, yes, that too. But Shawn Goodman has written an important book about a code that I know for a fact is prevalent with boys today. I've seen it in upscale communities; I've seen it in urban communities. Why do boys seem to believe that being kind to someone is a sign of weakness? I am SO sick of the expression "man up"- whatever that means. In this very important book that touches on themes of family, abuse, loyalty, acceptance, friendship, and the unfair truth of our judicial system. Everyone should read this book. I believe you will feel a caring and hopeful truth for James. He is quite a wonderful character. READ THIS BOOK, and then tell me what YOU think.

The Infinite Sea ( 300Pages)

This is the second book to Rick Yancey's The 5th Wave. It continues to follow the young survivors as they struggle to make decisions that effect their lives. Much of the time they spend in the "hotel" that the first book left them in. Cassie Sullivan continues to care for her little brother, and to await Ethan Walker's return. Ringer leaves the group to attempt to escape to the caves where she hopes to find other survivors. She is captured by Vosh and imprisoned once again. The book continues as she attempts to outwit Vosh, and she is assisted by Razor, her care-taker. She struggles to understand what is important to keep humanity alive. Will Razor assist her? Is there a love building between them? What does she need to do to overcome the Others and their evil, as they attempt to rid earth of all humans? This is a fast moving novel and may not be the last as the 5th Wave continues to roll towards the children.

Just One Year ( 323 Pages)

In a follow-up to her book Just One Day,  Gale Forman focuses on Willem. This book is OK, but I don't think it has the "staying power" that One Day has. It certainly answers the question for readers as to just what happened to Willem in the first book. I was  not ready to write him off as a guy who had just taken a young girl for all he could get.....I will say that Forman has taken Willem's character forward by answering some questions about his background.

Where She Went (264 Pages)

For those of you who read Forman's If I Stay, might enjoy this next book. This takes Adam and Mia 3 years post accident. He's still on the West Coast with a new girl friend, and she is  still in New York. Both music careers have grown to the point that they are on tours. One night, when Adam is in New York, he happens by Carnegie. And who do you think just happens to be performing? You guessed it- Mia! What happens after this is they balance to this new love- love lost- love rekindled! NICE....

The Beginning of Everything (335 Pages)

Robyn Schneider has written a book that is very contemporary and will hit home with many high schoolers.  Ezra Faulkner had it all: the Captain of the tennis team, President of the Student Government and he was destined to be the homecoming king for his school, but his girlfriend  was a jerk and was cheating on him- which he discovered when he walked in on them at a party. As he rushed out of the party, he was hit by a black SUV, shattering his leg. None of the members of the tennis team visited him in the hospital, nor did his girlfriend. He was self-conscious of his limp and his dependency using a cane. But he returned to his high school and it was then he met Cassidy Thorpe. Cassidy was stunning. Her blue, blue eyes and her auburn hair set her apart from the rest of the girls. AND, she was brilliant. Ezra and Cassidy become "a couple" and join the debate team of which  Ezra's oldest friend is captain. Ezra can't believe that Cassidy falls for him, but she does, and then all of a sudden, she drops him, she leaves school, with no words for Ezra as to why. And then Ezra finds out why. This turn in the book brings everything together.

Just One Day (369 Pages)

Gayle Forman has written another book with memorable characters. Her book, If I Stay, has been made into a movie, and I wouldn't be surprised if this book also became a movie. Allyson Healy is on a summer tour arranged by her mother. Her mother arranges everything in Allyson's life, and this is one of the conflicts in this book, but it is a conflict that Allyson successfully deals with. This is a gift from her mom and dad who arrange it with her best friend's parents so that Allyson has company! Melanie and Allyson have done everything together since kindergarten, but as this book progresses into their freshman year in college, they begin to drift apart- physically and as friends. Conflict # 2.
While in England, Allyson meets Willem, Willem is a free spirited young man and he invites her to forsake her plans and come with him to Paris- for Just One Day! The plot takes us to college with her as she struggles with her academics- for the first time in her life. What is going on with this straight A student? She is exhausted all of the time, she can't get along with her roommates, she lives college life as a hermit. This book is a coming of age book and includes love, loss, the role accidents can have in one's life, and how fate can matter to all of us. It's a winner!

full-ride (343 Pages)

I think I've read just about every book Margaret Haddix has written, starting with her Shadow Children series. This book follows Becca, a young girl  who is just finishing 8th grade. Her father has been arrested for bilking millions of dollars out of people and after a grueling trial, has been found guilty. His sentence is for ten years in jail. Becca and her mother are put into a witness protection program. Meanwhile, Becca is in her final year of high school and goes for a scholarship. In doing so, however, she must reveal some information from her past. Obviously this is a major block in her path. The book is a mystery and has an interesting outcome.

Fangirl (433 Pages)

Who wouldn't want to read a book authored by someone with the name Rainbow?  I hesitated with her first book, but it became my favorite book of the year for me!In this book, Rainbow addresses a number of conflicts: twins growing up (and apart), a mother's rejection and disappearance for ten years,  a father with manic depression, self perception,  and the first year of college. Interspersed are some romances that are just adorable. The twins names are cute Cather and Wren. Get it? when you put them together, it sounds like Catherine! As both girls adjust to their freshman year of college where they are not rooming together for the first time in eighteen years, the reader sees Wren fall into the problem area faced by so many students as she falls into the dangerous point of alchahol poisoning. Throughout the book Cath is writing an eline column taking the characters developed by an author in a series sounding a little like Harry Potter.... One thing I didn't like was seeing Cath's writing put into the pages. Not only was the print of her writing too little for this old lady to disentangle, I wasn't interested in reading about her characters. However, the romance that developed between Cath and Levi was absolutely wonderful. Lots of kissing but no real sex. The kissing was so romantic- it was perfect! I was really pulling for Levi and Cath to last....Ah ever the romantic! You girls will LOVE this book.

The Dark Endeavor (298 Pages)

Kenneth Oppel has written this prequel to Mary Shelly's Frankenstein. It is subtitled "The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein". I was so interested to read about the wealth of the Frankenstein family as well as the relationships of family members and the unusual, somewhat progressive thinking of the parents. Also, I needed to keep reminding myself that medical treatment in the 19th century, was not what it is today. We take so much for granted in terms of medicine where as they were still using leeches to bleed patients of sicknesses!  The book is filled with exciting escapades as Victor, Cousin Elizabeth, and friend Henry attempt to find a cure for Victor's twin brother, Konrad. It is an exciting read ending with Victor's statement, "I promised that I would see my brother again- even if it meant unlocking every secret law of this earth, to bring him back." The book is called Book I, which promises a future read.

The Other Story (307 Pages)

Some of you may have read Tatiana De Rosnay's first novel, Sarah's Key. This is her fourth book, and it is a wonderful read. It is NOT a YA book, but is very interesting. I mention it, because I want to reiterate that I believe schools today need to reach beyond Anne Frank's Diary. Not to negate the importance of that book,  it seems important for educators to look at the many new books that have been written to address the importance of remembering World War II and the Holocaust. I've mentioned several in my posts, and feel it is even more important for teachers to consider as I heard on the news last night that an appalling number of people under the age of 30 have NO knowledge of the war and/or the Holocaust. I am not talking about jerks, such as the former president of Iran. I'm talking about Americans! The Other Story is not about World War II, it just gave me an opportunity to get on a soap box and expound my feelings.

The Maze (374 Pages)

I'm sure I'm the last person to read book one of this James Dashner series....and I must say, it's a little weird. Thomas finds himself in a large, black box being mechanically raised. He is frightened because he can't remember how he got in the box. As a matter of fact, he can't remember anything except his name. When the box stops moving, he finds himself in a peculiar compound inhabited only by boys. He soon is introduced to several of these boys including Alby (the leader of the group), Newt (Alby's second in command),  and several other boys. He discovers that there are specific rules of behavior here, and the boys are known as Gladers. Thomas has a feeling he has been here before, and that he needs to be a Runner. Runners go into the maze every day, trying to find a way out. The walls of the compound move electronically every night,  and it is important for the runners to be back inside the compound before the walls are sealed shut for the night.  If they aren't back in time, they risk being killed by the Grievers. These are mechanical monsters that are programmed to kill the boys. The story continues with Thomas finding out more and more about the mystery of the maze. It is an exciting, fast moving plot that readers will find difficult to put down.

The Invention of Wings ( 359 Pages)

Sue Monk Kidd has such a wonderful knack for developing characters, and Hetty "Handful"  Grimke lives up to this reputation. Handful, is the name her mother gave her, but as was common in the South, pre-Civil War, owners named their slaves and gave these slaves their own last name. Handful and her mother were slaves owned by the Grimke family. Handful was "given" to Sarah on her 11th birthday, and so starts the book which is rich in character, setting, and family values, but also does not spare the reader of the injustices of slavery. The relationship between Sarah and Handful changes slowly over the years and as the book's chapters bounce between Sarah and Handful, the reader sees both characters thoughts and beliefs. I loved every minute of it. Although not written as a YA book, it is one which will be enjoyed by 8th graders on up.

If I STAY ( 234 PAGES)

I just finished reading this book by Gayle Forman, and it's a four kleenexer that girls will love. At the beginning of the book, Mia's family is enjoying the inch of snow that has caused the Portland, Oregon schools to be cancelled for a "snow day". Mia, is in her senior year of high school, and in a split second her life changes. The family decides to get in the car and visit family friends and end up at their grandparents' home for dinner. But they are in a horrible car accident that kills all of her family, and Mia is then the voice telling the story.....even while she is in a coma. The main message becomes  the idea stated by a nurse in the ICU that "It's all up to Mia. She's the one in charge." Thus, the title. The reader discovers Mia's family life, each member, her boyfriend, her one BFF, all told by Mia . It's an interesting idea, one that affirms we are all in charge of our lives and the direction is one we choose.  Your girls will LOVE this book!

Being Sloane Jacobs (327 Pages)

This book by Lauren Morrill is the literary equivalent of a chick flick! Imagine two girls, both named Sloane Jacobs. One is the daughter of a prominent Senator, and lives a rather "comfortable" life in D.C. as she attempts to perfect her figure skating. Her middle name is Emily. Her mother is a rather "pushy" person who expects her children to behave in the socially "correct" way at all times. The other, whose middle name is Devon, comes from the opposite end of the social & financial scale. Sloane Devon lives in a trailer park, she is an aggressive hockey player, with a mother who is in an alcoholic rehab program. I mention both mothers because for both girls there is an undertone of an attempt to escape the family "problems." However, this is NOT a book about slamming mothers. It is a book about two girls and the pressures of athletics. Both are headed towards Montreal for a summer camp on ice, where they are to improve their skating experience.  They meet at a hotel where both are staying the night before checking in to camp. It is there that they decide to switch places. And so the book develops with alternating chapters from Sloane Emily and Sloan Devon.  At first I thought OMG, this going to be so predictable.  But after a while, I realized it wasn't. And furthermore,  I  think girls will really enjoy this book!

The Scar Boys (237 Pages)

Wow!This novel has it all! Len Vlahos has written a book that sounds like kids. It covers it all. There is bullying, family angst, School angst, friends, and it's not only a coming of age novel, it is also a story about self discovery. Written as a college essay, Harry tells the story of his own growing up in the North East of the United States. There are parts that ring with meanness, there are parts that ring with the comfort of a good friend, and tying it all together at the beginning of each chapter is a quote from a song with the song's writer(s) acknowledged. In this book, Harry is horrible damaged by a group of neighborhood boys who tie him to a tree, and then when a thunder and lightening storm develops, they run to the safety of their homes. The tree is hit by the lightening, and Harry's face and neck are burned. And this is in the first six pages. It doesn't lose any steam from that page on. Both boys and girls will enjoy the book. Parents will enjoy it also. Warning: the language is rough in a few parts. But it is so real, so appropriate, that it didn't bother me at all. This is a keeper !

Panic (408 Pages)

Lauren Oliver has written another YA book that has me wondering how kids will respond to the ideas within its pages. The book takes place in a small town in upstate New York and focuses on four teens: Heather, Bishop, Nat, and Dodge. The four have just graduated from high school. Their town, Carp, offers little for teens to enjoy and because of this, a tradition known as Panic has developed. Panic is open only to seniors who have graduated. The summer of their senior year the students meet secretly over the course of the summer and receive messages as to when and where the next step of Panic will take place. It is an elimination process, and students learn about each Panic contest only when they arrive on the scene. The judges of Panic are unknown, and there are specific rules students must follow. Every student who decides to participate puts a set amount of money into the Panic account and the total that will go to the winner is announced at the first scene. It is basically a game of chicken and ends with a final challenge known by all as "Joust." Joust is where the final participants drive cars toward each other until one of the cars swerves to avoid a crash. There are twists and turns to the plot, part of which will be familiar to readers. However, this is a tense, frightening, and realistic fiction. How will our students today respond to this text? With intelligence or with infallible thinking?

Homeland ( 381 pages + 8 VERY interesting afterword pages)

Cory Doctorow has written a sequel to Little Brother that I reviewed in an earlier post. In this novel, he continues to focus on Marcus as the main character and leader of techie teens in San Francisco. Following a terrorist attack on San Francisco, the city experiences a severe collapse of the economy. Both of Marcus's parents have lost their jobs, resulting in Marcus needing to drop out of college. However, after he attends an annual event in the California desert known as Burning Man with his girlfriend, Ange, he meets some famous gentlemen who were early on technical whizzes. His name is passed along to a man running as an independent in the next California election. He offers Marcus a job as the campaign's webmaster, telling him that he expects some exciting new ideas. This book contains so much excitement and is a fast-paced read. The comment in the book's jacket says the ideas in this book are "as current as yesterday". It also says that Doctorow is encouraging his readers to have courage, be active, and to work to make the world a better place. And all of this being done with computers! Your students will love this book, and both you and they will gain much from reading the information included in the afterwords and the bibliography.  As a matter of fact- I might be very tempted to begin with these!

Paper Towns ( 305 Pages)

Just finished John Green's Paper Towns, and I loved it. Open to some wonderful discussions. I was one of the few people who didn't care for his Looking for Alaska, and thought An Abundance of Katherines was OK, but I adored The Fault in Our Stars. So I gave this one a chance. Boy, would I like to discuss this with some high school kids. First of all, I had never heard of paper towns until I learned that a company produced them as a means of protecting against copyright infringement. A paper town is not a real town, but is put on a map, and that is the only way it exists. In this book, Green also uses it to describe residential developments that were meant to be, but were never finished. Also, Margo Roth Spiegelman, the next door neighbor and love of his life to Quentin Jacobs, describes herself late in the book as a paper doll. If any of you recall paper dolls, you know that they were flat and without much substance. This book traces the final days of senior high school, and how a small group of friends handles the change they are about to face. It is also about friendship and acceptance and understanding ourselves and those we care about.

Little Brother (365 Pages + 2 afterwords & a Bibliography)

Before I begin to talk about this wonderful read, I want to call attention to the two afterwords and the bibliography. One afterword is written by a security analyst and talks about what a FUN job it is. The next afterword is about hacking and is very interesting. Finally, the author, Cory Doctorow, includes a bibliography that allows people interested to look at a number of cites where they can find additional information on hacking, cryptology, and other nerdy ideas. Finally, I just have to mention the author's opening sentence to the bibliography. It is a great thought for all of you budding writers. "No writer creates from scratch- we all engage in what Isaac Newton called 'standing on the shoulders of giants'." So, my friends who are thinking about some serious writing, Climb Aboard!
Doctorow has created a 17 year old character named Marcus, who is smart, a real techie, and who has already discovered how to hack his school's surveillance system. Then there is a terrorist attack on San Francisco. Marcus and his friends, like so many teens today, find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. Enter the Department of Homeland Security. And they don't fool around- even if you do.
I'm not going any farther in relating the plot, except to say that the events are exciting, realistic, and scary! Boys will love this book, and being a girl myself, I believe girls will enjoy it too!

Hollow City ( 396 Pages)

Ransom Riggs is the author of book two of his Peculiar Children series. It is set in London over a  three day period in September, 1940 (World War II). Jacob Portman continues to be the voice in this book. The ten children spend much of the book trying to safely make their way towards London where they hope to get some help for their beloved Miss Peregrine. They encounter adult peculiars, murderous wights, and stinking hollows, who are sort of like octopuses, that are also trying to kill them. The book includes wonderful photographs of the various characters as did the first book. If your students enjoyed book one, they will also enjoy this one, and will look forward to a soon to be published book three!

No safety In Numbers: Book 1 (263Pages)

Dayna Lorentz has written a "What If..." book in which four teens are imprisoned in a Westchester, N.Y. mall. Now this might sound like a heavenly dream to many teen readers, in this case it is far from heaven! A "bomb" of biological terrorism has been exploded through the mall's ventilation system. One of the teen's parent is a U.S. Senator. Therefore, she becomes the person in charge. The chapters of this book vary from teen to teen. Some kids may enjoy this book. It raised a "meh!" for me.

the impossible knife of memory (391 Pages)

Here is the new novel from Laurie Halse Anderson. I've read all of her YA novels and this is just as terrific as Speak was for me. In this book, Anderson presents us with Haley Kincaid, a high school senior who is attending a school for the first time. That's a really tough thing for a student to face, being a new student in your senior year! But it is made even more difficult for Haley as she deals with her father who is suffering with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. He has turned to drugs and alcohol to escape his demons, and Haley  has become his caretaker- a reverse in parent child expected relations. They are living in her grandmother's home, the home her dad grew up in, and where he believed things would improve for both of them. So things are looking pretty grim for Haley, and then she rekindles a friendship with Gracie, a friend from years ago. Gracie attempts to renew past memories from which Haley has escaped.  In addition to Gracie and Gracie's boyfriend, Topher, Haley meets and falls for Finn.  It is Finn, who accepts and soon adores Haley, that she is able to almost cope with the new school and her father's PTSD. I found this book to be a great read, an easy read, and Anderson's ability to build characters who seem so very real, and who matter to the reader only make the reading of her novel better. 

far far away ( 369 Pages)

Tom McNeal is another new YA author to me. I actually fought with the reading of this book, because in the first few pages the reader is introduced to a ghost. I don't do ghosts. I don't do vampires. Sorry, guys. But there was something about this ghost (named Jacob), and I fell in love with him. By the end of the book,  I found myself in tears- not the things one wants to do just before going to sleep. No body present to hear my snores...But I digress. Jeremy Johnson Johnson is the main character along with ghost Jacob. Also Jeremy's school mate, Ginger to become his girl friend as the plot thickens, is an absolute hoot. She is part tomboy, part tease, and is absolutely delightful. The two teens get into some trouble, and as the plot continues, it unfolds and an unbelievable mystery develops. I found myself holding my breath as well as my seat. This is a terrific read. I was very aware of the language(s) used throughout and found myself thinking this author speaks the way people really speak.  Your students will adore it and so will you.

All The Truth That's In Me ( 274 Pages)

What an interesting read Julie Berry has created! I always enjoy discovering an author I've never read before, and this jewel did not disappoint. Written in short "chapters" each numbered with Roman numerals, it tells the story through the main character, Judith as she "speaks" to the young man she has been in love with her entire life. So why those two words in quotes? Some of the "chapters" are only a few lines long and some are about a page and a half. This offers multiple opportunities: 1) teaching Roman numerals to students is one which will serve them well- especially if any if them become crossword puzzle addicts as I have! 2) Judith can not really "speak" since her tongue has been cut off by a cruel man who has abducted her. Who this man is and why he performed such cruelty are explained over the course of this novel. As teachers continue (I hope) to point out the organization of text to students, this example is certainly both new and interesting. Students will enjoy the novel, as I did.