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The Program by Suzanne Young

Published February 13, 2014 RAC , Realistic Fiction Leave a Comment
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the program

Genre:  Realistic Fiction

# of Pages:  405

RAC:  Yes

Sloane and James live in a world where teenage suicide is suddenly very common and often unexpected.  They are still reeling from Sloane’s older brother’s suicide, which they both witnessed.  Despite having many mixed up feelings about all the loss and stress around them they feel compelled to act happy all the time for fear they will be sent to The Program.  The Program is the government’s answer to all of these teenage suicides and so far the only answer available for stopping them.  Teenagers believed to have suicidal warning signs are sent to this building for 6 weeks and when they emerge they are completely happy and oblivious to their old life regarding friends, appearance, and personality traits.  Sloane and James are terrified of The Program because of how some of their friends have returned, but parents are truly terrified of losing their children to suicide and will call the authorities if they are at all nervous about their child falling prey to this epidemic.  Can Sloane and James keep each other safe and out of The Program?  What will The Program entail if they do get sent there and are they strong enough to resist?

There are several epidemic type stories that are popular right now such as Delirium and Blackout and this one will find an audience with fans of those books.  The motivations behind the teenagers and parents are accurately portrayed so that the reader can truly identify with everyone and their fears and motivations.  The setting itself is told in such a believable way that it is easy to imagine how a community could get to the point of instituting something like The Program.  The relationship between Sloane and James proves to be incredibly strong throughout the book and reveals their true feelings for each other.  Like many other YA novels this one leaves an opening for a sequel.  Recommended for reluctant readers.

Blackout by Robison Wells

Published February 6, 2014 Adventure , Fantasy , Mystery , RAC Leave a Comment
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blackout

Genre:  Fantasy/Mystery

# of Pages:  426

RAC:  Yes

This futuristic novel depicts the U.S. suffering from multiple terrorist attacks at the hands of U.S. teenagers.  The army begins gathering up all teens to have them tested for a particular virus they believe is causing special powers in these young adults.  Every teen seems to manifest different powers, but they are all extraordinary such as manipulating minds and turning invisible.  Alec and Laura belong to  one of the terrorist groups trying to destroy national landmarks and industrial buildings.  Meanwhile, Aubrey and Jack are merely two teens at a high school dance when they are apprehended and tested for the virus.  Aubrey knows she has a special power, but Jack is shocked to learn he tested positive for the virus.  Through exciting circumstances all of these characters will come into contact with each other and try to survive this deadly situation.  Unfortunately, some want to make the chaos and destruction stop while others want to be the cause.

Fans of futuristic novels such as Divergent will enjoy this title.  There’s even a super hero feel to this as the teens learn of their different and amazing abilities.  The story moves at a steady pace and the characters are portrayed in a way that really lets the reader know who they are and what they want.  However, there are a lot of unanswered questions and unexplained potential that most definitely will be used in future books so readers need to be prepared to end this book with a lot of questions.  All young adults will enjoy the title, but boys and reluctant readers will especially enjoy it.

The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson

Published January 30, 2014 Fantasy , Mystery , RAC Leave a Comment
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madness underneath

Genre: Fantasy

# of Pages:  290

RAC:  Yes

In this sequel to The Name of the Star Rory is recovering from her near fatal encounter with a deadly ghost in Bristol with her parents.  After a few weeks, her therapist surprisingly advises she return to school in London to resume her schoolwork and begin to move forward.  Rory is thrilled at the idea of returning to school, but she is very far behind on her schoolwork and has no idea how she can make it up.  Meanwhile, Stephen and the other shades are trying to solve an unusual murder that occurred very close to where Rory’s attack was.  Are they connected? Did her encounter somehow trigger other supernatural attacks in the immediate area of the school where all of her friends go?

This sequel moves very quickly and has a very exciting ending.  Fans of the first novel will enjoy this title as the Shades are detailed a little more and the challenges of their group’s existence are explained in a bit more detail.  Rory’s future in London seems very unsure at this point, but there are possibilities for how she will proceed laid out that could come into play in future books.   The supporting characters from the school are still just as colorful as ever, but are not featured as much as they were in the first book.  Overall, it’s a good sequel, but a tad fast and fans will be eager to see another one sooner rather than later.

The Eye of Minds by James Dashner

Published January 24, 2014 Adventure , RAC , Realistic Fiction , Science Fiction Leave a Comment
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eye of minds

Genre:  Science Fiction/Mystery/Adventure

# of Pages:  310

RAC:  Yes

Michael enjoys playing video games, but he lives in a world where the best games are part of the VirtNet.  In the VirtNet you can actually immerse yourself completely into the game and leave your body behind in your house.  There are many types of games you can play, adventures you can try, and friends to meet in the virtual world.  People like it because they can do things they wouldn’t normally do in real life and if they “die” they simply wake up  safely in their own home.  Recently, there have been reports about a gamer who has managed to hurt people both in the game AND in real life.  Michael and his friends are enlisted to track this gamer down because they are very successful hackers and can see stuff others can’t.  Michael and his friends learn quickly that this is no ordinary gamer and if they are not careful they will not come out of this alive.  If they do not help the Virtual Authorities to catch this guy they will have all of their privileges revoked and can never game again.  Can they face a life without gaming?  Are they willing to risk their lives to keep gaming?

Fans of The Maze Runner series will enjoy this title as well.  Like that series, this one has a fair amount of excitement and violence.  The book is also set up as a series of tasks the characters must accomplish in order to be free.  The tasks are very challenging and often scary, but the characters feel they have no choice but to press on and follow through.  The ending is a bit of a surprise, but fans of  Dashner would be surprised if there wasn’t a twist at the end.  Video gamers, boys, and reluctant readers will enjoy this title.

Out of the Pocket by B. E. Stanfel

Published January 22, 2014 Historical Fiction , RAC Leave a Comment
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out of the pocket

Genre:  Historical Fiction

# of Pages:  209

RAC Book:  Yes

Mercer is a high school senior in 2003 struggling with his father’s deployment in Iraq.  The entire book is written in journal entries for his English teacher as well as emails to his dad in Iraq.  Mercer is focused on football and the dream of getting a full ride scholarship to the University of Iowa.  He begins writing emails to a teenager in Iraq that his dad works with occasionally.  Through these emails, Mercer begins to see that his life is very different from that of a teenager in Iraq and he should be grateful for the life he has.  At the same time, it is very difficult for Mercer to not have his dad with him for his senior year and he believes his family is starting to drift apart with his dad’s absence.  As time passes, Mercer begins to question his loyalty to this war.    Can he be the man his father wants him to be while he’s away?  Can he take care of his family the way he thinks he should?  When will his dad return to him?

This new title is written by a former teacher of Dowling Catholic High School and we are pleased to have received some copies early after it’s release.  The story captures the many worries and thoughts that go through a typical teenager’s head during his or her senior year but adds in the extra burden of having a father deployed.  The book provides a lot of detailed information concerning the war.  Students who enjoy reading about soldiers will enjoy the book as it is easy to identify with Mercer.  Recommended for those teenage boys who often have trouble finding titles that appeal to them.

The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston

Published January 17, 2014 Adventure , Mystery , RAC , Realistic Fiction Leave a Comment
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The Rules for Disappearing

Genre:  Realistic Fiction

# of Pages:  312

RAC:  Yes

Meg and her sister, Mary, have been moved from one location to another multiple times over the past year since their family was placed in witness protection.  Each time they must change their names and backstories so that no one has any idea where they came from.  They do not know why they are in witness protection and Meg blames her father for whatever he did that landed them in this hellish situation.  Mary has begun withdrawing and their mother has started drinking heavily.  The reason for why they have to be moved so many times is elusive to them too and Meg has about had it with being ignorant about their own situation.  When they move this time she vows to remain neutral and distant so that she does not become attached to anyone or anything, but that becomes very difficult when she meets Ethan…  Can she stand to lose him if they get moved in the middle of the night again?  How can she ever make him understand why she acts the way she does?

This book is highly exciting and engaging as you learn the reason for why Meg and her family are in witness protection in the first place.  People are obviously looking for them and Meg often feels as if people are watching her.  At the same time, she is beginning to feel angry and bitter about spending her senior year going from school to school, working an after school job to keep her family financially afloat, and taking care of her family emotionally.  Once the reality of their situation is revealed, Meg feels responsible to fix their situation even if it means putting herself in danger to do so.  The ending is very dramatic, but a tad quick.  Most readers will be satisfied by the resolution at the end of the story.  Recommended for everyone, but reluctant readers will enjoy.

Five Summers by Una LaMarche

Published January 7, 2014 RAC , Realistic Fiction , Romance Leave a Comment
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five summers

Genre:  Realistic Fiction

# of Pages:  378

RAC:  Yes

This book follows four girls who have spent five summers at camp together over the years.  The first summer was when they were ten and the last is a reunion weekend when they are 17.  When they go to the reunion they had not actually all four been together for three years.  The last night of camp three years ago they all had secrets from each other that have been threatening to come out ever since.  Will they still be as close as they were all these years later?  How have things changed since they last saw each other?

Fans of friendship books such as The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and  Peaches will enjoy this title.  Maddy, Jo, Skylar, and Emma are four completely different girls who inexplicably came together as best friends.  The secrets they have from each other of course bubble to the surface, but their friendship is stronger than they even thought.  The feelings and motivations of the girls are well described and it’s hard not to care about them even if it is a little hard to believe they would be this close from just interacting at summer camp.  There are some tough issues addressed such as betrayal, sex, poverty, and divorce.

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