The One Memory of Flora Banks (302 Pages)

Emily Barr is a British author who has written a book similar to Everything Everything. It took me a while to understand that Flora had suffered from a brain tumor at age ten, and this caused her  to have severe memory problems. She can remember things that relate to experiences/ people/ places before her illness, however,  she has real difficulty remembering what happened this morning- or an hour ago---- that is until Drake kissed her. Her brother Jacob has moved to Paris, France, and apparently is seriously ill. Her mom and dad fly to France to be with him, but they leave Flora in the hands of her best friend, Paige, and with hundreds of yellow post-it notes to remind her of everything. The reader finds out that Paige has dumped Flora because Drake WAS Paige's boyfriend. This is an interesting read, however, and one which captured my attention especially as I realized what a jerk Drake really turned out to be. AND THEN,  to find out how manipulating Flora's mother is....well, it is a shocking turn of events.!

Girl In Pieces (398 Pages)

I haven't finished this book, but I'm flying through it. Kathleen Glasgow has written a gem! Charlotte, nicknamed Charlie, has had a horrible life. Her mother should probably never become a parent. She was forced to live on the streets, became involved with drugs and alcohol, and ended up in a mental hospital after being found bleeding to death. Charlie has become a cutter. She is constantly cutting her arms and legs. While in the hospital, she begins the healing process, thanks to a wonderful therapist and her own desire to live. The reader sees her improving as she begins to talk, ending her silence. The importance of communicating, of talking about her problems, is part of the healing process. When she discovers she must leave the hospital because insurance can no longer cover her, and her mother lets her know she can't stay with her, Charlie is given money, an I.D. and a bus ticket to Arizona. There her friend Mike lives and lets her know she can get a fresh start. And she does. She gets a job washing dishes, finds a place to live and meets a young man who is someone with great potential, but is allowing life to mistreat him. I cannot put this book down, and yet, I don't want it to end!

We Are the Ants (451 Pages)

This is NOT the kind of book I would usually choose to read. However, I became really interested in the characters, and I am particularly drawn to character driven books! Henry Denton's family is struggling. His dad left - Henry thinks it was because of himself. His grandmother is slipping away from Alzheimer's. His brother (who constantly picks on him) has dropped out of college and has a pregnant girlfriend. Henry's mom is trying to cope with family expenses as she chain smokes her way to the grave. She is a talented cook, but gave up cooking and became a waitress after Henry's dad left. AND....to top it all off, Henry has been abducted by aliens. Thanks to his brother, students at his school call him Space Boy as they bully him. These aliens have communicated that Henry has 144 days to keep the world from ending.There is a red button, and he needs to decide whether or not the world is worth saving. Woven throughout is Henry's coming to terms with his own sexuality. With all of this information, I still enjoyed this book and cared for what happens to this family!