Archive Page 27

Spark by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Published September 25, 2012 RAC , Realistic Fiction , Science Fiction Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Science Fiction

# of Pages:  309

RAC Book:  Yes

In this sequel to Glow, Waverly and Kieran are still on the space vessel the Empyrean while trying to lead the other kids on board and plan an attack against The New Horizon for kidnapping their parents.  Kieran has self-appointed himself to the position of captain, which grates on some of the younger kids after what they went through with Seth.  Seth, meanwhile, is in the brig and feeling bad about what he has done.  One day he wakes up and the door to his cell is open.  He walks out, but cannot help feeling like it is a trap.   Kieran is still very afraid of Seth after what happened in the last book and tries to blame everything he can on the face that he escaped.  Seth did not have anything to do with the mysterious goings on on board, but then who did?  It seems unlikely any of these children would want to hurt their own ship or those on it.  Can Waverly assert her power as a leader on this ship?  Can Kieran hold onto his power without abuing it?

The only thing I did not like about this book was that it ended too quickly and there is an entire year before the next one comes out.  Glow was one of my favorite books of the year.  These young teens have to think on a whole new level now that they are in charge of a entire vessel and the pressure starts to get to all of them.  Facts start coming out about what happened before the New Horizon’s attack on the Empyrean and it is easy for readers to see how the characters got to this position, but you can’t help feel for these young people who have suffered so much because of decisions the leaders of these ships made.  It really makes you think about the decisions any leader of a nation has and how those decisions affect generations to come.  This book was full of action and adventure, but it goes quickly and will leave fans hungry for more.

Variant by Robison E. Wells

Published September 17, 2012 Mystery , RAC 1 Comment
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Genre:  Mystery/Suspense

# of Pages:  376

RAC Book:  Yes

Benson is a foster kid who has been passed from one home to another for years.  He finds information about a boarding school online and applies for a scholarship.  He hopes to find a home for the rest of his high school life so that he does not have to face being the new kid anymore.  When he arrives at his new school, Benson is not as excited as he thought he would be.  The entire school is covered in electrified barbed wire and security cameras.  There are no actual adults in the school and all the kids are responsible for doing everything, such as teach and cook meals.  The kids have broken into three gangs to try and survive, but Benson is not willing to accept that there is no way out, despite the insistence that anyone who tries to escape never returns.  Can Benson find a way out?  Can he handle the answers he finds along the way about the truth behind the school?

Variant is engaging from the second Benson arrives at the school.  There are so many factors involved in the make up of the school that it becomes almost impossible to ascertain why these students are being held captive there.  The author adds an interesting twist about halfway through the book that makes it even harder to determine what the purpose of the school is.  There are many characters, but they are described in a way that makes it easy to understand why they are responding to life in the school this way.  Fans of the Maze Runner series will love this storyline.

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Published September 10, 2012 Historical Fiction , RAC , Romance Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Romance/Historical Fiction

# of Pages:  549

RAC:  Yes

     Ismae was born with terrible scars on her back because her father is Death and her mother tried to have her killed before she was born.   Later, Ismae’s stepfather sells her into a terrible arranged marriage.  Once her new husband sees her scars he believes Ismae to be cursed and starts to beat her.  She is rescued and sent to a convent where everyone works for Death.  Ismae comes to find she has talents for working as an assassin whenever Death shows her the mark that someone should die.  She is sent on a mission to help a man named Gavriel to protect a young girl who has recently taken power over a big nation.  Ismae knows there is a traitor amongst the duchess’s advisors, but is not as prepared for the task as she thought she would be.  Can Ismae find the traitor who threatens to put an entire kingdom in jeopardy before it is overtaken by enemies?  Can she trust Gavriel as her convent believes or is he in fact hiding any secrets of his own?

     This book is getting a lot of attention because it is engaging right from the beginning.  Any reader naturally wants to know more about Ismae’s skills as well as who is betraying the young duchess.  The characters are all memorable, which is important in a book with so many characters any of which could be the traitor.   The ending is satisfying and readers will want to see more of this character to find out what she is capable of.  Fans of Graceling and Star Crossed will enjoy this title as well.

You Have Seven Messages by Stewart Lewis

Published September 5, 2012 Mystery , RAC , Realistic Fiction , Uncategorized 1 Comment
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Genre:  Realistic Fiction/Mystery

# of Pages:  289

RAC:  Yes

     Luna and her family are struggling to deal with the unexpected death of her mother.  A year after she was hit and killed by a taxi, Luna goes to her mother’s studio and finds her cell phone with seven unheard messages.  As Luna slowly listens to the messages she begins to learn things she never suspected about her mother.  Could it be possible that her mother’s death was not an accident?  Is there information her father is not sharing with her?

     The book lives up to its title in that there is information to be learned from the seven messages, but Luna does not linger too long on them and instead moves on to finding out more.  The relationship with her neighbor seems a bit tiresome at times, but Luna’s relationship with her father and brother are rich and help establish their home life before their mother’s death.  The ending is satisfying, but there is no surprise that the reader won’t predict early on.  Fans of Lipstick Apology will enjoy this title.

Artichoke’s Heart by Suzanne Supplee

Published August 29, 2012 Award Winners , RAC , Realistic Fiction , Uncategorized 6 Comments
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Genre:  Realistic Fiction

# of Pages:  276

RAC:  Yes

Iowa Teen Award Winner

     Rosemary has struggled with her weight for a long time, but whenever she gets upset she turns to food.  Her aunt constantly reminds her to lose weight, which doesn’t seem to help inspire her either.  One New Year’s she decides she is ready to take control of her life and begins dieting and exercising, not always in the best manner.  As she begins to lose weight she finds more confidence than she ever knew she had before.  It isn’t long before she has a new best friend, a boyfriend, and overall happiness.  That all comes crashing down when she learns that her mother is battling Cancer.  Her mother is not the best at opening up and sharing her feelings, which makes it all the more difficult for Rosemary to discuss the matter with her.  Can she help her mother cope with this devastating disease?  Can she do it without falling back into her bad eating habits?

     Rosemary’s story is something any teenager could relate to because she has many insecurities and things she would like to change about herself.  She reaches the point where she is mature enough to realize she has the power to take control and make changes to her life if she wishes, but is not ready to deal with truly tough issues yet.  Rosemary’s romance is sweet because her boyfriend likes her for herself and not what size she wears.  There are references to his family that shed light on his endearing personality.  Rosemary goes from wishing she could stop eating sweets to finding ways to help her mother during this difficult time.  It is a coming of age story that readers will enjoy.

The Silence of Murder by Dandi Daley Mackall

Published August 16, 2012 Mystery , Realistic Fiction , Uncategorized 3 Comments
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Genre:  Mystery

# of Pages:  323

RAC Book:  Yes

Hope has a tough home life, but she never fails to look after her mute, autistic brother, Jeremy.  Her life turns upside down when Jeremy is accused of murdering the high school baseball coach with his bat.  She has T.J., her best friend, and Chase, the sheriff’s son she secretly has a crush on, to help her prove Jeremy’s innocence.  The evidence against Jeremy is overwhelming and he is not speaking to help explain what happened. Meanwhile, their neglectful mother obviously believes her son is guilty.   Can Hope prove her brother is innocent without pushing everyone away? Can she come to terms with the situation if he is in fact guilty?

This mystery has many great elements that will keep readers interested. First of all, there are many surprising plot developments revealed as Hope investigates what happened that fateful morning. The empty jars Jeremy collects provide a unique and interesting way of understanding Jeremy and of helping Hope learn what really happened to the coach. There are also many great characters with multiple dimensions and motivations including Jeremy’s lawyer, Chase, TJ, and Jeremy.   The truth is in front of the reader the whole time, but Hope has to put the pieces together. Overall, a good mystery.

Out of Sight, Out of Time by Ally Carter

Published July 11, 2012 Mystery , RAC , Realistic Fiction 1 Comment
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Genre:  Mystery

# of Pages:  294

RAC Book:  Yes

Cammie Morgan is back in this Gallagher Girls book and this time she has no memory of where she spent her summer. She wakes up in a remote convent and must find her way back to her family and friends who have been looking for her for months. As Cammie begins to piece together what happened to her she realizes that she may have chosen to forget what she learned because the truth was too hard to deal with. Will she ever get answers as to why the Order is chasing her? Will she ever find out what happened to her father?

Cammie does learn some answers in this book, but these are revealed to her along with the reader as she retraces her steps. It is fun for the reader to learn Cammie’s past along with her. The characters all seem to develop further in this book, which is impressive because it is not terribly long. There are also a few fun surprises that fans of the series will love.

Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick

Published June 26, 2012 Adventure , RAC , Realistic Fiction Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Realistic Fiction/Apocalyptic Society

# of Pages:  465

RAC Book:  Yes

Alex goes into the woods against the wishes of her aunt and doctors in order to distribute the ashes of her parents before her brain tumor kills her.  While she is in the woods there is an electromagnetic wave that sweeps the country and maybe the world.  The pulse kills most people instantly and leaves others either saved or in a zombie-like state.  She meets a young girl, Ellie, who is unharmed, and a teenage boy, Tom.  Tom is a former U.S. soldier from Afghanistan.  Together the three of them try to survive, but keep finding more and more challenges to finding food and staying safe.  Will they ever feel safe again?  Will they all survive this disaster?

This story is engaging and students who like survival and futuristic type stories will enjoy the action.  The characters all have secrets that they are reluctant to share, despite their close relationships they eventually form.  There are many unanswered questions by the end of the story and the ending itself may frustrate some readers who are looking for more of a resolution.  Hopefully, some of these questions will be answered in the inevitable sequel.

Queen of the Dead by Stacey Kade

Published May 29, 2012 Fantasy , RAC , Romance Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Fantasy

# of Pages:  266

RAC Book:  Yes

In this sequel to the Ghost and the Goth, Alona is still a ghost trying to find out why she was sent back from the light.  Meanwhile, Will is approached by a strange organization that claims to free the world of spirits or ghosts.  While Will is thrilled that he is not the only one with the gift of seeing ghosts, he is not sure he completely trusts the motivations of the organization.  A girl named Mina has been trying to become a member of the group with little success and it is clear she is annoyed by how much they want Will to join.  Alona does not trust Mina and is irritated that Will wants to learn more about her and this organization that she thinks works against ghosts instead of with them.  In order to get Will’s attention Alona attempts a risky and dramatic plan that could land both of them in serious trouble.  Can these two find out the truth behind the organization? Can they save themselves from the unexpected forces that want to tear them apart?

This sequel was very well done.  For a book with a light, funny premise it was unclear if there would be adequate plot developments for a sequel, but the story kept me interested throughout.  Alona and Will’s characters and relationship have deepened and developed over the course of the story and teenagers will respond to them.  While some of the plot points seemed a bit predictable it was not boring or repetitive in any way.  Readers who follow the series will be curious to see what happens to these characters next.

Oracle Sunken Earth by C.W. Trisef

Published April 3, 2012 Uncategorized 8 Comments

ImageGenre:  Fantasy/Adventure

# of Pages:  348

RAC Book:  Yes

During a hurricane Ret Cooper is the sole survivor of a boat sinking and is adopted by a family who lost their father/husband in the terrible storm.  He looks different from everyone else, but is still optimistic as he begins a new school in the fall with his adopted sister.  The school principal and Geography teacher are not who they pretend to be and appear to be plotting against him.  As they throw obstacles in his way they find that he does indeed have some “gifts” they were expecting.  The problem is that he can only assume his full power if he finds the Oracle and no one knows for sure where that is.  As Ret slowly learns who he is and what he must do the story gets more and more exciting.

Fantasy lovers will instantly become enthralled with this story.  The character development is great, leaving just enough unexplained to push the story along.  The tasks Ret must complete make for exciting adventures and danger.  The overall goal is explained, but readers will quickly understand how long it will take to fulfill said goal and how difficult it will be for Ret to do as people try to stop him.  The premise seems familiar and yet unique all at once so readers will feel right at home.  This would be a good one for a classroom read as there is something for everyone. 

Bunheads by Sophie Flack

Published March 26, 2012 RAC , Realistic Fiction , Romance 1 Comment
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Genre:  Realistic Fiction/Romance

# of Pages: 294

RAC:  Yes

Hannah has been a dancer at an elite Ballet company for many years and was completely fine dedicating so much of her life to it.  After meeting a musician in a restaurant, however, she began to realize how much she has given up for her dancing and she is not even a solo dancer.  Can she accept the fact that she has dedicated herself so strongly to something she may never reach the top at?  Can she bring herself to walk away after so many years of hard work to pursue something else she may not even like?

This story allows readers to see what it is like to be a dancer in a ballet company.  There are numerous rehearsals, fittings, physical therapy sessions, nutrition experts, etc. that are constantly ruling how the dancers should live.  They are simply expected to give up any kind of outside life in order to succeed in this difficult field.  Hannah is unusual in that she begins to think about life outside of the studio and is not sure she is up for the challenge of doing what it takes to get promoted.  On the other hand, whenever she sees other girls get promoted over her she feels jealous and hurt.  Is she meant to be a solo ballerina or merely a background dancer?  Readers interested in dancing, the arts, or romance will enjoy this book wholeheartedly.

The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

Published March 16, 2012 RAC , Realistic Fiction , Romance 2 Comments
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Genre:  Realistic Fiction

# of Pages:  356

RAC:  Yes

Emma and Josh are high school kids in 1996 when the story begins.  Emma gets her first computer and hooks it up to AOL only to receive the bonus Facebook.  She finds her username and password for AOL work on Facebook and is shocked to find that she is looking at her own profile in 15 years.  When she tells Josh, her estranged best friend, he finds a profile of himself as well.  To say their futures are not what they expected is an understatement.  Emma is especially disappointed in her future and vows to make decisions that will permanently change it.  Josh is not necessarily disappointed in his future, but a bit confused as to how he gets there.  As they begin noticing that little changes affect their future profiles they both need to think hard about what they want in their futures.  Can they come to terms with their possible futures or do they want to make big changes that might help them get closer to where they hoped to be?

The relationship between Josh and Emma is complex at best due to the romantic rejection Josh felt when he tried to tell her he wanted to be more than friends.  Despite the slight distance that has grown between them they still share a connection, which is why they get so jealous when they see the other person in a romantic relationship.  The idea of getting a glimpse of the future is intriguing, especially to teens who are making those big decisions such as where to go to college.  The references to 1996 are humorous, even if many are lost on current teenagers.  The overall story moves quickly and will engage many young readers.  Fans of romance and realistic fiction will enjoy this title.

Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Published March 12, 2012 Fantasy , RAC , Romance 5 Comments
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Genre:  Fantasy

# of Pages: 391

RAC:  Yes

Nora is paired with Patch in science class and always feels a bit uncomfortable around him, especially since he seems to turn up wherever she is.  The more time she spends with him, however, the more drawn she feels to him.  Her best friend and the school counselor warn her he is dangerous and shouldn’t be trusted, but she cannot help but feel like she is in fact safe with him.  Meanwhile, another new boy has come to her school, Elliot, and he is determined to befriend her.  While Nora’s best friend thinks Elliot is wonderful Nora cannot help feel like something is a bit sinister with him.  After a series of bizarre events in which Nora either hallucinated or someone is purposefully messing with her, she must decide which boy would be taunting her with dangerous situations.  Is her life actually in danger and why?

This story is yet another fallen angel romance, but somehow still finds a way to be unique and interesting.  Patch and Elliot both have reasons to hurt Nora, yet they both seem genuine at times when they want to befriend her.  While Nora’s mother is absent for an enormous part of the book and her best friend seems to make the worst choices ever, Nora seems to take things in stride despite the fact that she finds herself in severe danger over and over.  The ending provides some answers, but there is still a lot readers will want to know as this fantasy romance unfolds.  Fans of Unearthly, Fallen,  and Halo will enjoy this title as well.

Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins

Published March 5, 2012 RAC , Realistic Fiction Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Realistic Fiction
# of Pages:  270

RAC Book:  Yes

Chiko and Tu Reh live very different lives in modern day Burma, but are forced to make tough decisions through circumstances beyond their control.  Chiko has always been raised to study and read and therefore does not have the strength or skills to fight in an army. He is forced to be a soldier by his government anyway, however.  He must learn quickly what it takes to survive in a far off camp away from everyone and everything he has ever known.  Tu Reh remembers when the Burmese soldiers burned down his family’s home and left their village in despair.  He is surprised when his father chooses to show an injured soldier mercy and must come to grips with the decision he ultimately decides to make.  Can either boy survive to reach adulthood in this war torn country?  Will they ever find the strength to make those tough decisions?

This book will feel like a historical fiction book to many students because it can be hard to believe that teenagers their age really live this way in the modern world.  That is why it is important for any student reading this book to know that this is what modern day Burma is like.  Teenagers are struggling to feed and protect their families and have had to change their ultimate goals in life accordingly.  These two characters accurately portray the different cultures that are currently at war in Burma and how young people are in a fight they do not understand.  Their motivations, frustrations, and individual feelings are truly illustrated for the reader and will leave the reader with a better understanding of what it is like to be a teenager in Burma at this time.  Recommended for class or individual reading assignments.  Teachers are encouraged to discuss Burma in some detail with any student who reads this so that he or she can properly understand the accuracy of the depiction.

Scrawl by Mark Shulman

Published February 27, 2012 RAC , Realistic Fiction Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Realistic Fiction

# of Pages:  234

RAC:  Yes

Tod is a bully who has been caught sneaking into school property after hours.  His punishment is to go to his counselor’s office each night after school for detention to write in his journal.  At first he hates this, but eventually he comes to find it cathartic.  His counselor begins to see a whole new side of Tod and finds some answers as to why he acts the way he does at school.  He is very honest and smart in his journal and the readers learn a lot about his home and school life.   Can Tod find a way to change his ways and survive school without resorting to bullying?

The idea of bullying is a tough issue in any school.  This book does not in any way condone bullying, but does offer the suggestion that there may be some underlying causes that vary from student to student.  Tod probably opens up a little easier than most students would, but it is still interesting to see how his perspective on the journal changes with each entry.  This could be a great class read because it would open up a great discussion of treatment in school by all students as well as the many forms of bullying available, which now definitely includes technological bullying.  Recommended for boys and reluctant readers.

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