Archive Page 38

The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlain

Published October 2, 2009 RAC , Realistic Fiction Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Age Level:  14 and up

# of Pages:  522

RAC:  Yes

CeeCee Wilkes is a sixteen-year-old girl whose mother died when she was twelve.  Now she is a high school graduate and living on her own trying to support herself as a waitress.  She hopes to save enough money to go to college one day.  Her favorite regular customer, Timothy Gleason, is rich and handsome, so she is thrilled when he shows some interest in her.  Soon they are dating and she feels she is in love with him and finally has a place to belong.  When he tells her his sister is on death row for a murder that was self defense, CeeCee finds herself helping in a scheme to get her freed.  Timothy and his brother plan to kidnap the governor’s wife in order to get him to release their sister.  Meanwhile, CeeCee is supposed to watch the hostage while the negotiations go down.  What CeeCee doesn’t count on is the fact that the governor’s wife is 8 months pregnant with a high risk pregnancy.  When the stress of the situation leads her to go into labor early, CeeCee does not know what to do or where to go and the situaiton quickly escalates out of control.  Once the baby is born, CeeCee is unable to stop the bleeding and the woman dies.   CeeCee knows that her life will never be the same again and she has some very difficult decisions to make.  Will she ever see Timothy again?  Will she have to change her name?  Will she have to go to jail for her role in this crime?  What will happen to the baby?

For readers who enjoy Jodi Picoult, Anita Shreve, or similar authors this would be a good story.  It delves into the emotions and motivations of the characters while following an interesting story.  Readers will come to care about what happens to CeeCee and the baby despite the terrible circumstances that bring them together.  The ideas of taking responsibility for one’s actions and second chances are pronounced throughout the story.  The plot will keep readers thinking about justice long after finishing the book.

The School for Dangerous Girls by Eliot Schrefer

Published September 29, 2009 RAC , Realistic Fiction 4 Comments
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Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Age Level:  14 and up

# of Pages:  341

RAC:  Yes

Angela Cardenas is sent to the Hidden Oak School for Girls for a reason she does not readily explain.  Her family does not even take her to the school.  Instead, she has to take a bus and then walk up a big hill to get there.  When she arrives she is placed in a temporary facility with other new girls who begin to disappear one by one.  When she is finally taken to live with the general population of girls she notices that she is the last one to arrive, even though several girls remained in the temporary facility when she left.  She begins to grow suspicious when she asks about them and is severely punished.  Despite several warnings against finding these girls, Angela decides she has to know where they are and if they are okay.  Are they in danger?  And if so, can she save them without meeting a similar fate?

This book follows Angela as she tries to come to terms with the reason why she has been sent to this school, but at the same time tries to find out why there are so many secrets about the school.  Is the school really looking out for her best interest or are they merely hiding some illegal actions and punishments that are currently practiced at the school?  The story drags a bit in places, but there is a surprise in the plot when Angela slowly discovers what they do to the bad girls.  Readers who like gritty books and survival stories will enjoy this.

Twice Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris

Published September 22, 2009 Fantasy , RAC 1 Comment
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Genre:  Fantasy

Age Level:  12 and up

# of Pages:  297

RAC:  Yes

Marigold and Christian are living happily ever after in this sequel to Once Upon a Marigold until one day when they have their first fight.  Little do they know that it is foreshadowing trouble ahead as Marigold’s mother, whom they thought was dead, is actually regaining her memory in a town far away.  She has had amnesia for a year since her accidental fall into the river, but now she remembers who she is and is determined to reclaim her throne.  King Swithbert has been enjoying having his kingdom back under his own control and has no plans to relinquish that control, unless it is to Marigold and Christian.  When Olympia returns and sees what has happened to her kingdom she immediately makes plans to change it back to when everyone was unhappy and afraid of her.  She is only too happy to get rid of anyone who stands in her way, even her own husband and daughter.

For fans of the first book, this is a must read.  The returning characters are fun and great new ones are introduced.  The story itself moves very quickly too as the different characters make their plans for gaining control of the kingdom.  It’s not quite as captivating as the first one, but a fun read nonetheless.  Fantasy and fairy tale lovers will enjoy it.

Suck it up by Brian Meehl

Published September 17, 2009 Fantasy , RAC 2 Comments
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Genre:  Fantasy

Age Level:  13 and up

# of Pages:  318

RAC Book:  Yes

Morning McCobb is a sixteen-year-old boy who was accidentally turned into a vampire.  He has never tasted human blood, however, and prefers a protein substitute called Blood Lite.  After he completes his training, he is approached by the leader of the Vampire League and asks him to become the first vampire to “come out” to the world.  If Morning is met with acceptance and understanding then the League hopes to have a “coming out day” in the future where all vampires can live peacefully with humans.  The only problem is that there are a few vampires who refuse to join the league called Loners.  These Loners still prey on humans.  One loner in particular does not like the idea of vampires coming out into society and vows to destroy Morning before that can become a reality.

This story is a fun, lighthearted vampire story that takes a different approach from many other vampire stories.  Morning is a nerdy kid who does not want to have to relive high school over and over simply because he will always look sixteen.  He sees this as an opportunity to do something with his life and make a difference, which would never happen if he had to hide his true identity.  He quickly learns that it is not easy to be in the spotlight and all vampires can be dangerous at one time or another, even the ones who have never been a threat to humans before.  For vampire lovers, this is a fun story that does not have some of the violence and darkness that some other vampire stories have.

Defying the Diva by D. Anne Love

Published September 14, 2009 RAC , Realistic Fiction Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Age Level:  14 and up

# of Pages:  257

RAC:  Yes

Haley Patterson was a perfectly happy freshman with two best friends and a place writing for the school newspaper.  After she writes something for the paper that the most popular girl in school, Camilla Quinn, takes offense to Haley’s life changes dramatically for the worse.  Camilla spreads vicious rumors about Haley and forbids anyone to talk to her.  Everyone is terrified of Camilla turning on them and suddenly Haley finds herself alone and tortured by everyone all day long.  This bullying takes its toll and by summer vacation she wants to hide out.  When her parents send her to stay with her aunt for the summer, her aunt insists she get a job at a nearby county club.  Haley is unsure of how to make friends anymore and how to trust people in general, but she begins to realize that some of the people she has met over the summer are truly good people who want to get to know her.  Can she let her guard down and become friends with them?  Can she tell her parents or aunt why she had such a difficult spring?  Can she ever return in the fall to face Camilla?

This story discusses bullying from a girl’s perspective.  Nothing physical is ever done to harm Haley, but the mental abuse is just as bad as anything else she could imagine.  The power of peer pressure and the need to fit in and feel accepted is very real and present in every high school.  Haley’s story of despair to hope and eventually revenge is a good story to give those suffering from this type of bullying hope.  However, in many instances students do not have the support system Haley finds.  It’s important for all students to be aware of this type of bullying and to be willing to stand up for those around them that are the victims of it.

Out of Reach by V.M. Jones

Published September 10, 2009 RAC , Realistic Fiction , Sports 1 Comment
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Genre:  Sports/Realistic Fiction

Age Level:  14 and up

# of Pages:  264

RAC: Yes

Pip McLeod hates it when his dad comes to his soccer games because he yells the entire time.  He yells from the sidelines about every call, every play, and every score.  When a talent scout for a more competitive league comes to the game Pip tries hard to do his best and has a good game, but when the scout does not choose to talk to him he has to hear about all of his mistakes all the way home.  Pip has had it and no longer even likes to play.  His older brother, Nick, is a great player and chosen for the elite team, which doesn’t help Pip’s feelings of failure.  One day on his way home he sees that the new sports complex has a door propped open and he finds himself wandering in.  He notices a big room with walls for indoor climbing and feels drawn to it.  After trying a little climbing on his own, he realizes that this is something he loves to do.  The problem is how to tell his parents he wants to do this and how to pay for lessons when they are on a very tight budget.  In the end, Pip (who becomes Phil around the other climbers) must do what he needs to do in order to challenge himself and put himself into a more positive environment than he is used to, which means entering a very challenging competition to prove he has what it takes to be a superior climber.

For anyone who likes sports or climbing stories this is a good story.  There are not that many books about climbing, especially indoor climbing, which makes this story interesting.  Pip’s struggles with his family, friends, and even himself are all somewhat relieved once he starts climbing.  Communication is a big issue in this story as Pip and his father fail to communicate their true feelings to each other and instead let the tension and anger build and fester. Many readers will be able to identify with Pip in some way.

The Temptress Four by Gaby Triana

Published September 10, 2009 RAC , Realistic Fiction Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Age Level:  14 and up

# of Pages:  247

RAC Book:  Yes

Fiona, Killian, Alma, and Yoli are four best friends who are planning to take a cruise together after their high school graduation.   The night before graduation a fortune teller at a carnival predicts that one of them will not come home from the cruise and that the cruise itself will be full of strife.  Even though none of them want to admit it, this prediction bothers all of them.  As they  leave for their journey, Fiona has a fight with her boyfriend about a dress she wants to pack.  His stubbornness and determination to tell her what to do makes her wonder if he really is the right guy for her, especially when she meets another guy on the cruise.  Meanwhile, the girls do find themselves fighting more than usual and Killian and Yoli pull ridiculous stunts to get themselves noticed by a wild boy.  Will one of them get in over their heads?  Will they find a dangerous situation they can’t handle?  Or, is the fortune teller merely a fake and they have nothing to fear on this trip of a lifetime?

This story follows four friends as they celebrate graduation for a week on a cruise and at the same time decide if the decisions they have made are the right decisions for them.  Fiona, for example, is unsure if the life she has perfectly mapped out is actually what she wants right now.  Killian doesn’t even know what she wants, but she knows what she doesn’t want to do with her life.  Through the course of this trip, the four will begin to separate as well as come together as they realize their time as a foursome is drawing to a close.  The ending is interesting and will not disappoint readers, but it is foreshadowed throughout the story so it is not a real surprise.  Readers who like books about friendship will enjoy this.

Don’t Judge a Girl By Her Cover by Ally Carter

Published September 2, 2009 Adventure , RAC , Realistic Fiction 7 Comments
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Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Age Level:  14 and up

# of Pages:  263

RAC Book:  Yes

In this third installment of the Gallagher Girls series, Cammie Morgan is back with her friends and about to start junior year in the private spy school, Gallagher Academy.  Before going back to school, Cammie decides to visit her friend, Macey, on the campaign trail with her father who is running for Vice President of the United States.  When they are unexpectedly attacked by skilled kidnappers, Cammie realizes how much danger her friend is in and worries about keeping her safe.  Abigail Cameron, Cammie’s aunt, is brought to the Gallagher school in order to protect Macey and keep anyone out who might blow the academy’s cover of being a snooty prep school for wealthy girls.  Meanwhile, Cammie can’t help but think about Zach, who left her at the end of the last book to go back to his spy school, Blackthorne.  She  feels like he is always on her mind for no apparent reason.  Is she paranoid or a very perceptive spy?  Can the Gallagher Girls manage to keep Macey safe during this crazy and very public election time?

This series is a lot of fun and many students eagerly awaited this third installment.  They were not disappointed in the quality of the story.  The election added an interesting new spin on the girls’ spy training because they were actually in real danger many times during the course of events and had to act as real spies would act in order to create new and adventurous plans to protect themselves.  The characters are just as interesting as ever and the story kept a brisk pace.  The only complaint I heard was that it went by too quickly.   All in all, a fun ride.

oh.my.gods by Tera Lynn Childs

Published August 27, 2009 Fantasy , Mythology , RAC 1 Comment
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Genre:  Mythology/Romance

Age Level:  14 and up

# of Pages:  264 p.

RAC Book:  Yes

Phoebe Castro is a dedicated runner who plans to attend USC after her senior year on a full ride track scholarship.  She has planned to go there with her two best friends for many years.  Understandably, she is upset when her mother announces she is marrying a man she met in Greece.  They will both be moving to a small island in the Aegean sea where her new stepfather is the principal of a private school.  Not only does she have to leave her best friends for their senior year, but she also has to go to a new school.  The big surprise for Pheobe is that once her and her mother arrive in Greece she is informed that the school she will be attending is actually a secret school for the children of Greek gods.  Due to the fact that Phoebe is not a child of a god she is treated as an outcast by many of the people who attend the school, including her own stepsister.  Phoebe tries to make the best of it by trying out for the track team and making an effort to meet people, but many make it clear that she does not belong.  This is especially hurtful coming from the cute boy on the track team, Griffin Blake.  Does Phoebe have what it takes to make it in a school full of “gods?”

This story is a lot of fun and does not require a reader to know a lot about mythology to enjoy it, although it might inspire a reader to want to learn more after reading it.  The ending was a big predictable, but still entertaining nonetheless.  The characters are interesting and multi-dimensional as Phoebe struggles to make it in this new environment.  Despite all the changes thrown at her, Phoebe never loses her determination and resolve to make the best of the situation.  There are fantasy elements in it, but readers who like authors like Meg Cabot and Ann Brashares will also enjoy it.

Alvor by Laura Bingham

Published August 21, 2009 Adventure , Fantasy , RAC Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Fantasy

Age Level:  13 and up

# of pages:  274 p.

RAC:  Yes

Fifteen-year-old twins Erin and Bain grew up living with their grandfather after their parents died.  One day while walking in the woods, they come across a secluded cabin and decide to enter.  They soon discover that this cabin is a bridge to another magical world.  In this world they each possess a special gift.  In addition to this, they have incredible power and begin training in magic and swordplay in order to live in this new world that has been expecting them for many years.  They love the new world, but do not know if they can leave their grandfather and everything they knew their whole lives in order to be a part of it.  Plus, the new world has some dangers that they do not immediately know about.  In other words, not everyone is happy to see their arrival.

This fantasy story is well written and creates two characters that most readers will be able to connect to in some way.  The story takes a leisurely pace, but the adventure is intriguing enough that most readers will follow.  The story felt original in many ways and did not feel like it repeated elements found in many other fantasy stories.  An impressive fantasy story that I will be introducing my students to.

The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor

Published June 2, 2009 Adventure , Award Winners , Fantasy , RAC 1 Comment
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Genre:  Fantasy

Age Level:  14 and up

# of Pages:  358 p.

Award Winner:  Iowa Teen Award 2009-2010

This retelling of Alice in Wonderland follows a girl named Alyss, whose mother was queen of Wonderland until her evil sister, Redd, overthrew her on Alyss’s seventh birthday.  In order to protect Alyss, her mother threw her and her personal bodyguard into a looking glass so that they could escape until Alyss could grow up and assume her rightful position as queen.  Alyss ends up escaping into Victorian London where she is forced to grow up with people who do not believe any of her stories of Wonderland.  She comes to wonder if she did make it all up or if it is as real as she thinks it is.  Meanwhile, Wonderland is in squalor due to Redd’s tyrannical rule.  Can Alyss revive Wonderland and take what is rightfully hers?

Fantasy readers will not want to miss this story.  It is creative, imaginative, and full of adventure and suspense.  It is the first in this series so there will be more and anyone who reads this story will be eager to read the next in the series.  The characters are unique and memorable.   Even people who didn’t necessarily enjoy the original Alice in Wonderland will be able to appreciate this story for the fun adventure that it is.  Highly recommended.

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass

Published May 29, 2009 Award Winners , RAC , Realistic Fiction 5 Comments
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Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Age Level:  12 and up

# of Pages:  289

RAC Book:  Yes

Award Winner:  Iowa Teen Award 2009-2010

Jeremy Fink still mourns the loss of his father five years ago, which is why he is so happy when his father sends him a wooden box for his thirteenth birthday.  A lawyer had been holding it for him all this years.  The box claims to have the meaning of life in it, but requires four keys to open and unfortunately, they are lost.  As Jeremy and his best friend, Lizzy try to find the keys they end up meeting a lot of interesting people and Jeremy becomes very interested in their views of the meaning of life and what everyone’s purpose is on earth.  As the journey goes on Jeremy wonders if he is meant to open the box or if he is supposed to learn the meaning of life for himself.

Jeremy Fink’s story seems rather simple at first, but as the story evolves the reader sees that there are in fact many layers to this story as Jeremy learns about himself and all of the people he has developed relationships with.  The characters are interesting in a way that they are easily remembered and the reader cares what they have to say to Jeremy and Lizzy as they go on their quest.  The ending was very satisfying and leaves the reader thinking about Jeremy’s quest and his final conclusions.  Highly recommended for anyone from junior high to adulthood.

A Small White Scar by K.A. Nuzum

Published May 27, 2009 Adventure , Award Winners , RAC Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Age Level:  12 and up

# of Pages:   180 p.

RAC Book:  Yes

Award Winner:  Iowa Teen Award 2009-2010

Set in the 1940’s, Will lives on a ranch with his dad and twin brother, Denny.  Will struggles with the fact that his twin has some mental development problems and when their mother died their father put Will in charge of Denny.  Now that they are teenagers Will wants to participate in rodeos and get hired at a ranch that will let him do more than just look after his brother.  He gets the idea to run away to a rodeo and get hired at a ranch afterward, but his brother follows him.  Will struggles with the fact that he wants to leave his brother behind because he does love him, but he also wants to reach for his goals and that is not possible if Denny is around.  As Denny surprises him by persistently following him to the rodeo he must decide if he really wants to run away from his home.

Will’s story is a story that anyone could identify with who has ever struggled with personal wishes and obligations to another person.  Will does a lot of thinking about his situation and often feels torn as to what he should do.  In the end, his actions to run away help him, his father, and Denny learn to look toward the future and not stay in the past.  This might be a difficult story for students to get into, but once they start they will be able to identify with one of the characters in some way.

The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp by Rick Yancey

Published May 22, 2009 Adventure , Award Winners , Fantasy , RAC 1 Comment
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Genre:  Fantasy

Age Level:  13 and up

# of Pages:  339 p.

RAC Book:  Yes

Award Winner:  Iowa Teen Award 2009-2010

Alfred Kropp is a big, awkward kid whose father ran off when he was little and his mom recently died of Cancer.  He is living with his Uncle Farrell, who works as a night security guard for a big business.  Uncle Farrell is always trying to encourage Alfred to try new things and push himself harder so that Alfred can be more successful than he is when he grows up.   When his uncle  asks Alfred to help him with an opportunity that has come his way Alfred hesitates.  He feels there is something shady about the person offering his uncle so much money just to steal a sword that the man claims was stolen from him first.  His uncle threatens him with foster care, so he agrees to go along for the theft.  Things do not go as planned, however, and Alfred feels he is responsible for allowing a dangerous weapon get into the wrong hands.  As he begins his adventure to retrieve the item before it can destroy the world, he wonders if it is an accident that he became involved in the first place or if he is somehow connected to that magical sword.

This adventure story is full of mystery, suspense, and action.  Kropp’s discovery of his true identity and his involvement in a plot to take over the world is interesting and exciting.  The characters Kropp meets along the way are colorful and it is difficult to tell at times who is good and who is out to get him.  His personality fits that of an awkward teen who has become involved in an unexpected adventure.  Fans of the Percy Jackson series will be fans of this one as well, although there are fewer mythology references.

Kipling’s Choice by Geert Spillebeen

Published May 18, 2009 Award Winners , Historical Fiction , RAC 2 Comments
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Genre:  Historical fiction

Age Level:  14 and up

# of Pages:  150

RAC:  Yes

Award Winner:  Iowa Teen Award 2009-2010

This fiction story is based on the true events of the famous Jungle Book author Rudyard Kipling’s son, John.  Rudyard had always wanted to serve his country in the armed forces and was disqualified due to physical limitations.  From a young age, he groomed John to want to be a soldier as well, but John had weak eyes.  Rudyard used all of his influence to get John into the army as an officer, which John appreciated.  When John goes to his first battle, however, he realizes that it is a little different than he imagined and he wishes he could just go home and play the rich son again.

The format of the story is interesting because it flashes from John in his first battle back to all the memories of him growing up.  As a child John loved to play with the expensive toys his father gave him, but he often played recklessly and Rudyard encouraged it as typical boy behavior.  In the flashbacks it becomes apparent how important it was to Rudyard for his son to fight for his country like he couldn’t.  He fails to see the possible dangers and never truly believes anything could possibly happen to his son.  Although this story is very interesting, it will be difficult to get young adults to read it.  Many young adults do not like to read historical fiction type topics, but students who like reading about war will enjoy this title.

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