Defiance

Defiance

C. J. Redwine

(Defiance #1)

My rating: ★★

ISBN: 9780062117175
Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Date of publication: August 28, 2012

Age: Grades 8 - 12

Genre: Dystopian

Themes: post-apocalypse, fantasy, dystopian society, romance, tyranny, missing person

Rachel’s father, Jared, has gone missing on his latest courier mission, so the tyrannical Commander must declare him dead and put the 15-year-old girl under a new protector—Logan McEntire, Jared’s apprentice and Rachel’s once upon a time love interest, until he rejected her. Both are furious at the new set up, but Rachel doesn’t really care; she thinks her father is alive and will go to any lengths to get past the walls of Baalboden and its misogynic society to search for him. Logan is determined to protect her, as is his duty and—he soon discovers—his love.

Commander Chase, cruel and powerful, however, has other ideas for the two of them. Outside the walls of the city is a fire-breathing monster, and Chase knows that Jared may have found a way to control it. Rachel and Logan are forced to work together to stop the commander, discovering heartbreak and romance along the way.

While the plot is very dramatic and driven, the teenage angst can be a bit much. Redwine focuses a lot of her writing on emotions, and most of them are depression, hatred, anger, etc. etc. It’s repetitive and wordy; it gets tiresome. The Commander is evil, just because, and does not seem to have much depth. The love Logan starts to feel for Rachel seems to appear from nowhere, quite suddenly, too. And I really thought the fire-breathing monster was just a bit too much. There are better dystopic fiction books available.

Geekhood: Close Encounters of the Girl Kind

Geekhood: Close Encounters of the Girl Kind

Andy Robb

My rating: ★★★★

ISBN: 9781847152312
Publisher: Stripes Publishing

Date of publication: June 4, 2012

Age: Grades 7 - 11

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Themes: Teen boys, dating, relationships, British Lit

Fourteen-year-old Archie is a self-proclaimed geek. He prefers to paint miniatures, hang out at the Hovel, and play Dungeons and Dragons with his friends. And he’s okay with it. But girls don’t talk to him…until Beautiful Girl comes along. Suddenly, Archie discovers that he is willing to go out of his comfort zone to try and win her over, including attacking the school bully, ditching D & D with his friends, and discovering his “Psychic Self,” based on her recommendation. But will she return his love? And what about his friends?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. I laughed out loud during most of the book (maybe because I could relate to it more than I care to admit). It is told in first person, with Archie’s Interior Monologue (IM) providing intermittent humorous thoughts and confessions. Its examination into family, friend, and intimate relationships is realistic and relatable. The ending is perfect, too, but I won’t give it away.

Code Name Verity

Code Name Verity

Elizabeth Wein

My rating: ★★★

ISBN: 9781423152194

Publisher: Hyperion

Date of publication: May 15, 2012

Age: Grades 9 and up

Genre: Historical Fiction

Themes: Female pilots, WWII, prisoner of war, Gestapo

Awards: Michael L. Printz Honor Book, Edgar Allen Poe Award for Best Young Adult Novel, Golden Kite Honor.

A British plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France leaving Kittyhawk, the pilot, stranded, and Verity, the spy, captured by the Gestapo. Written from their points of view, Verity struggles against torture and cruelty of her captors and writes this story as a confession of the truth. Kittyhawk must write her story for the accident report and the investigation that’s sure to follow. Though they are the best of friends, the war makes them face the greatest of their fears.

In a few words, I would say this novel is beautifully depressing. I was heartbroken by the time I finished it. That being said, in terms of a YA novel, I am skeptical. Its plot jumps/breaks, technical jargon, and narrator rambling can make it tedious. I think this would fit the bill for a more mature reader, and I would recommend it, but I don’t know that it’s for everybody.

Impossible

Impossible

Nancy Werlin

My rating: ★

ISBN: 9780142414910

Publisher: Speak

Date of publication: September 18, 2008

Age: Grades 9 and up

Genre: Fantasy

Themes: Curses, rape, teen pregnancy, romance, mental illness

Lucy Scarborough lives with wonderful foster parents, but that is because her mother fell into mental illness after giving birth to her at age 18. It is a topic not usually brought up, until Lucy is raped and left pregnant at the age of 18—just like her mother and, it turns out, like every woman in her family before her. The Scarborough girls are living with an ancient curse, each girl giving birth to another daughter at age 18 and then going crazy. To break the curse, Lucy must do three seemingly impossible tasks to avoid going crazy and to keep her daughter. Luckily, she has true love to help her.

This book is based on a version of the song “Scarborough Fair”—yes, like the one Simon & Garfunkel sing. It is way weird. Way weird. A strange concept with an unrealistic interpretation. Basically, I couldn’t get over the fact that this was based on Simon & Garfunkel. The story was cheesy, the three tasks are utterly ridiculous, and the characters were a tad farfetched. But, hey, if you don’t know who Simon & Garfunkel are, you may better appreciate this strange fantasy than I did.

Warning: Explicit Content
Sexuality

Delirium

Delirium

Lauren Oliver
(Delirium #1)

My rating: ★★★

ISBN: 9780062112439

Publisher: Harper

Date of publication: August 2, 2011

Age: Grades 8 and up

Genre: Dystopian

Themes: Dystopian society, love, forbidden relationships

Lena is 95 days away from her procedure, the procedure that will cure her of anor deliria nervorsa, more commonly known as “love.” The disease can drive people to madness, hurt, breakdowns, and violence, so it must be eradicated. Lena is especially anxious to have it done since it didn’t work on her mother—even after three tries—and she committed suicide. However, she a meets a boy and is disturbed to find that she seems to enjoy the symptoms of the disease. Could the government be wrong about love? She soon discovers just how much the government is hiding.

Think Romeo & Juliet in a post-apocalyptic America and you’ll get the gist of this novel. It's pretty predictable. Still, it is an interesting concept for a story—I mean, how could you live without love? The government in this story is convinced it’s safer to be without. It’s fascinating to think about the repercussions of such a thought. The characters are enticing. So read if you like; I probably won't read the rest of the series, though.

Warning: Explicit Content
Language

Every Day

Every Day

David Levithan

My rating: ★★★

ISBN: 9780307931887

Publisher: Alfred A.Knopf 

Date of publication: August 28, 2012

Age: Grades 8 and up

Genre: Romance

Themes: Love, relationships, possessions, GLTBQ

A wakes up in a different body everyday. He (or she) borrows that person’s life for 24 hours, trying to leave everything undisturbed. Until one day, he/she wakes up as Jason and meet’s Jason’s girlfriend, Rhiannon, with whom A instantly falls in love. Soon, A finds that he/she will do anything to be with her, even when inhabiting the different bodies of some girl or boy, suicidal, homosexual, heterosexual, religious, agnostic, or obese teenager. Rhiannon finds that she loves A, too, but how can she be with someone who doesn't have their own body?

This book came off a bit more philosophical than as a novel. Instead of a real story, one travels through the different minds of all kinds of different teenagers and learn what it is like to be them. I got frustrated while I was reading it, because I found myself disagreeing with his main point that love between spirits is enough—no, it’s not. Physical appearance and gender play an impact on love. But the ending works, I guess.

Heist Society

Heist Society

Ally Carter
(Heist Society #1)

My rating: ★★★

ISBN: 9781423116394

Publisher: Hyperion

Date of publication: February 9, 2010

Age: Grades 5 to 10

Genre: Mystery

Themes: Thieving, stealing, fine art, mobsters

Katarina Bishop wants to escape the family business of thievery and live a normal life by enrolling into a boarding school. But her friend Hale soon schemes to get her kicked out to in order to help out the family again. Five priceless pieces of art were stolen from the dangerous Arturo Taccone, who has tagged Kat's dad as his sole suspect. She knows he didn't do it, but then who did? With only two weeks to get the paintings back and save her dad, Kat and her group of teenage friends must pull off the biggest heist their family has seen yet.

The art and the museums that are targeted in this story are fiction, but the excitement is real. While it is difficult to keep track of how these thieves make everything work (but isn't that how it’s supposed to happen?), the overall plot is one that is sure to entertain with adventure, suspense, and a touch of romance. It seems the perfect choice for the younger YA readers.

And! As a bonus, check out this book trailer I made for it:

Jane

Jane

April Lindner

Rating: ★★★★

ISBN: 9780316084208

Publisher: Poppy (Little, Brown and Company)

Date of publication: October 11, 2010

Age: Grades 10 and up

Genre: Romance 

Themes: Love, romance, secrets, rock music, nannying

Awards: YALSA Top Ten Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults (2012)

When her parents are killed in a car crash, Jane Moore is forced to drop out of college to earn her own living. She becomes a nanny at Thornfield Park, owned by famous rockstar Nico Rathburn. Jane soon, reluctantly, becomes attracted to his dark, brooding personality as he gets ready for a comeback tour. But there are noises in the attic and a secret that no one is telling. When Jane discovers what it is, she runs--but can she really turn back on her true love forever?

This contemporary retelling of Jane Eyre is fantastic. While skeptical at first, it turns out that a rock star makes a great Mr. Rochester. The tweaks made to make the story modem actually contribute to its believability, such as trouble with paparazzi, drugs, sex, and rock & roll (yes, it had to be said). That being said, the book is definitely targeted towards the older YAs in the library.

Warning: Explicit Content
Sexuality

Out of the Easy

Out of the Easy

Ruta Sepetys

My rating: ★★

ISBN: 9780399256929

Publisher: Philomel

Date of publication: February 12, 2013

Age: Grades 9 and up

Genre: Historical Fiction

Themes: New Orleans, murder, prostitution, mobsters

Awards: YALSA Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults (2014)

Living in 1950s French Quarter of New Orleans, Josie Moraine is looking to escape her life. The daughter of a brothel prostitute, she yearns to go to college far, far away. But when a murder occurs with her mother as a prime suspect, Josie gets pulled in, and escape becomes harder--even the mob is involved. Temptations loom, troubles arise, and Josie's decisions will determine her future.

Josie gets into a lot of trouble and more trouble and then a little bit more. It makes for a bit of slow plot, with no real climax. The research that went into creating the setting is obvious and appreciable, but the story was not as exciting as one could hope. I just didn't get excited about it.

Warning: Explicit Content
Sexuality

Such a Pretty Girl

Such a Pretty Girl

Laura Wiess

My rating: ★★★★

ISBN: 9780316084208

Publisher: MTV, Pocket Books

Date of publication: January 2, 2007

Age: Grades 8 and up

Genre: Realistic Fiction 

Themes: Sexual assault, child abuse, rape, father/daughter relationship

Awards: Abraham Lincoln Award Nominee (2009)

Meredith was promised her father would be gone for nine years, but in three short years, he is released for good behavior. But she knows it's an act; he still tries to grope her and talk her into things she does not want to do. She was not the only victim, either. With that knowledge, she realizes she can't just run away, leaving other kids vulnerable. Something must be done.

This dark and haunting story is poignant and unforgettable. Weiss has captured the mentality of a girl who must face her ultimate fear. The language is moving, the details are expressive, and I definitely recommend it (with a grain of salt, of course). It's heartbreaking, but really, the writing is amazing.

Warning: Explicit Content
Sexuality

Titanic: Voices from the Disaster

Titanic: Voices from the Disaster

Deborah Hopkinson

My rating: ★★★

ISBN: 9780545116749

Publisher: Scholastic

Date of publication: April 1, 2012

Age: Grades 6 and up

Genre: Nonfiction

Themes: Titanic, shipwreck, survival

Awards: CYBILS Top 5 Finalist (2012), Robert F. Sibert Informational Honor Book (2013), YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Finalist (2013)

It was the biggest ship of its time, practically unsinkable, and to travel on its maiden voyage was thought to be a high privilege. But April 14, 1912, the Titanic struck an iceberg and out of the 2,200 people on board, only 700 survived. Hopkinsin uses their words while weaving together the tale of what happened that fateful night.

Often called the worst maritime disaster in history, the sinking of the Titanic is a popular topic, and this YA book gives an informative overview. However, the writing was not very smooth—jumping from quote to quote, a picture spread here and there—and the language was repetitive. Overall, the book delivers the information, but not in the most exciting of ways; it was often hard, as the reader, to connect to the stories being told.

Son

Son

Lois Lowry
(Giver Series #4)

My rating: ★★★

ISBN: 9780547887203

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin

Date of publication: October 2, 2012

Age: Grade 6 to 10

Genre: Fantasy

Themes: Dystopian society, mother/son relationship, searching, trading

Claire was assigned the role as birth mother in her society, but something went wrong when she gave birth to her first child. He's taken away and she's reassigned in society, but her vague memory of him lingers, and she's determined to find him. She determines his identity, but he's soon stolen away and escapes society with Jonas. She follows, but an accident, culture changes, and an encounter with a very dark, evil being that threatens her search. Will Claire find her son?

This book was divided into three parts and, in turn, lent itself to three different stories. At times, it seemed to drag, but was very thoroughly developed. The element of fantasy or magic that was introduced was a bit of a surprise for a book set up as a dystopia, but the plot development made it fit. As a series, I liked it well enough.

Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

Alan Bradley
(Flavia De Luce Mysteries #1)

My rating: ★★★★

ISBN: 9780385343497

Publisher: Bantam

Date of publication: April 28, 2008

Age: Grade 10 and up

Genre: Mystery

Themes: Murder, stamp collecting, chemistry, post-war Britain

Awards: Barry Award for Best First Novel (2010), Macavity Award for Best First Mystery Novel (2010), Anthony Award Nominee for Best First Novel (2010), Dilys Award (2010), Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Novel (2010), Agatha Award for Best First Novel (2009), The Crime Writers' Association Debut Dagger (2007), Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Fiction & Mystery/Thriller (2009), Spotted Owl Award

Flavia de Luce, a precocious, curious, and nosy 11-year-old, enjoys spending time in her chemistry lab developing poisons. But one early morning, a sound draws Flavia to the garden where she discovers a dying man. She's too late to save him, so Flavia sets out to discover what happened to this apparent stranger, who clearly had the smell of poison on his breath. With the arrival of the police, however, her father is arrested, and Flavia's mission becomes all the more driven. It seems that the two men were school mates, and the crux of the murder are two very valuable postage stamps. Can Flavia find the stamps and determine the murderer without getting killed herself?

This thoroughly British mystery is delightful and exciting. While at times wordy (complex vocabulary, too) the literary elements were very well formed and really creative. It was simply enjoyable to read. The climax, while not unpredictable, was gripping. This book is one to be recommended.

The 5th Wave

The 5th Wave

Rick Yancey
(5th Wave #1)

My rating: ★★★★

ISBN: 9780399162411

Publisher: G. P. Putnam's Sons

Date of publication: May 7, 2013

Age: Grade 8 and up

Genre: Science Fiction

Themes: Alien invasion, destruction of human race, epidemic, warfare

Awards: 2014 Best Fiction for Young Adults (YALSA).

After the 1st wave, all power on Earth was fried with a single electromagnetic pulse. After the 2nd wave, any city within 60 miles of a coastline was underwater. After the 3rd wave, only those with an immunity to the plague remain. With the 4th, it is clear not every human is what they say they are. Cassie knows that she can trust no one if she wants to survive. But she needs to rescue her little brother and Evan Walker may be her only hope. Can she really trust him? Is he even human? And what exactly will happen in the 5th wave?

While there was a sense of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" and "War of the Worlds," this novel was a fantastic exploration into the mindset of the desperate human. Cassie now faces life and death decisions, where six months earlier, she only needed to worry about who was asking her to prom. It's heart-wrenching and well-written. The plot does slow a bit in the middle, while waiting for the worse to happen, but the ending is well worth it.

Warning: Explicit Content
Language
Some sexuality

Bright Young Things

Bright Young Things

Anna Godbersen
(Bright Young Things #1)

My rating: ★★

ISBN: 9780061962660

Publisher: Harper

Date of publication: October 1, 2010

Age: Grade 9 and up

Genre: Historical Fiction

Themes: New York City, Prohibition, flappers, show business

Letty and Cordelia have always dreamed of leaving their small town, Ohio, and living large in NYC. Letty wants to see her name in the lights and be a star, but she soon discovers that the successful girls will do anything to get the gig. Cordelia goes for a different reason. She knows her father is there, but she doesn't realize just how much of an illegal empire he has built for himself. He welcomes her back with open arms, but with the fortune of illegal alcohol comes the danger of competing gangs. Cordelia finds support in her new friend, Astrid--rich and fashionable--but discovers that everyone has something to hide.

This historical fiction provides a well researched look into 1929 New York City. However, the story line was not necessary plot driven--no build up, no climax, simply the mishaps that two country girls would find behind the glitter facade of the city. The glitz and glamor is undercut by prostitution, murder, and whatnot. Some may find they enjoy the drama of such a novel, but I found it a drag.

The Selection

The Selection
Kiera Cass
(Selection Trilogy #1)

My rating: ★★★★

ISBN: 9780062059932

Publisher: Harper Teen

Date of publication: April 24, 2012

Age: Grades 8 and up

Genre: Romance

Themes: Love, caste hierarchy, reality television, Post-Apocalyptic America, royalty

America Singer does not want to be part of the pool of possible wives for the prince. There's someone at home she wants to marry, even though he is a caste below her. But when he urges her to join, just because of the possibility of fame and fortune, she puts in her application. Thousands of girls enter and only 50 are chosen to actually meet the prince; she probably won't get picked anyway. But the day comes and her name is called, and she meets Prince Maxon. Little did she know just how personable, loyal, and honest he is. Plus, as part of the competition of a lifetime, she now lives a life of luxary at the palace, being filmed for all the country to see. Could she really return to her old life? Even if she is constantly in danger of a rebel attack?

This definitely brings to mind the popular show "The Bachelor" along with a bit of Hunger Games for good measure. Yet, the narration was engaging and it was easy to love America's character. She's funny, yet true to her heart, bringing in a sense of depth and honesty. This book was truly entertaining and I am waiting eagerly for the sequels.

Check out my reviews for the other books in the series: Book 2 and Book 3.

Tuesdays at the Castle

Tuesdays at the Castle

Jessica Day George
(Tuesdays at the Castle #1)

My rating: ★★★★

ISBN: 97801599906447

Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books

Date of publication: October 25, 2011

Age: Grades 3 - 6

Genre: Fantasy

Themes: Wizardry, royalty, takeovers, magic castle, sibling relationship

Every Tuesday, the Glower Castle changes--maybe a longer hallway here or an entire tower there. At times, it even seems to have a mind of its own, spitting out traiterous spies or picking the next heir. Princess Celie loves trying to map its many changing halls and rooms. But one day, the news returns that the king and queen have gone missing and the Council takes it upon themselves to "advise" the three Glower children. Something seems wrong with the Councilors' plans, especially when foreign royalty barge it. But can Celie work with her siblings--and with the castle itself--to find their parents and save the kingdom?

This was an adorable fairy-tale-type of story that many young people would enjoy. The plot moved quickly, providing a lot of startling revelations and action-packed adventure that make it fun. However, there was some shallowness to the characters and predictability that might make it less popular with an older crowd of teens.