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Belles by Jen Calonita

Published December 17, 2012 RAC , Realistic Fiction , Romance 1 Comment
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Belles by Jen Calonita

Genre:  Romance

# of Pages:  352

RAC Book:  Yes

Isabelle has lived with her mother and her grandmother her entire life and when her mother died in a car accident her grandmother became her guardian.  Despite all of Isabelle’s efforts, her grandmother is placed in a nursing home by a social worker and she is whisked away to the house of long lost family she has never heard of.  The Monroe’s welcome Isabelle, but their teenage daughter, Mirabelle, struggles to befriend Isabelle at school as well as keep in the good graces of the queen bee, Savannah, who does not want Isabelle included in any school events.  Meanwhile, Isabelle is stunned to learn that the great guy she met surfing at the beach all summer is the boyfriend of Savannah, who seems to make it her life’s mission to torture Isabelle.  Will Isabelle and Mirabelle ever get along?  Will Isabelle ever feel like she fits in in this new school, home, and family?  What will happen when a huge family secret is revealed?

This story is full of teenage drama, but somehow manages to suck the reader in and want to know what will happen to these people.  Despite the stress of always trying to keep up appearances, the Monroes do come off as normal and well adjusted.  Savannah is a good villain that everyone wants to see go down, but can unfortunately also identify with as most people know a “Savannah.”  Recommended for girls who like romance and lighter stories.

Ten by Gretchen McNeil

Published December 4, 2012 Mystery , RAC 1 Comment
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Genre:  Suspense/Mystery

# of Pages:  294

RAC:  Yes

This take on Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, features 10 teenagers who were lured to a weekend house on an island for a party that they find out was never happening.  Instead, they start getting killed off one by one in extremely odd fashion.  Meg accompanied her friend, Minnie, to the party even thought she had some reservations to begin with.  She is also the only one who tries to think of constructive ways to get off of this island.  All of her ideas are thwarted, however.  There is no power, Internet, phone service, radios, or any way to contact the outside world.  They have ascertained they are indeed alone on the island which means the killer is among them.  How can they survive if they do not even know who or what the threat is?

This mystery is still a lot of fun even with the updated characters.  They all have past issues that all teen readers can relate to and in most cases those issues contribute to why they are on this island.  There are some plot revelations that are fairly predictable, but the suspense and overall pacing of the story will keep readers interested all the way until the very end.  A fun mystery story.

Between by Jessica Warman

Published October 12, 2011 Mystery , RAC , Realistic Fiction 2 Comments
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Genre:  Realistic Fiction/Mystery

# of Pages:  454

RAC Book:  Yes

Elizabeth Valchar wakes up to find her own dead body, but she can’t remember anything before she died.  As she watches her friends and family move on from the tragedy she realizes that her life was not as perfect as everyone thought it was.  She had already suffered the loss of her mother at a very young age, and of her father’s hasty remarriage afterward.  She did truly love her boyfriend, Richie, which is why it’s so hard to see him suffer after her death.  She has a ghostly companion in Alex, a boy in her high school who died a year before Elizabeth.  He was very unpopular and people did not react to his death the way they do hers, which makes for an uncomfortable situation.  Can Elizabeth find out what happened to her so that she can be free?

This story grabs readers right from the beginning because there is so much that Elizabeth does not know.  The more she remembers about the months before she died the more confusing it gets.  She is surrounded by a bunch of questionable characters who could either be on her side or working against her.  Her circle of friends is particularly mysterious as they appear vapid, but some of them know more than they are saying.  Fans of The Everafter, Elsewhere, and Thirteen Reasons Why will enjoy this book, but there are some heavy issues discussed.

The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

Published November 12, 2010 Adventure , Fantasy , Mystery , RAC 1 Comment
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Genre:  Adventure/Futuristic Fiction

# of Pages:  360

RAC Book:  Yes

In this sequel to The Maze Runner, Thomas and his friends are hoping their trials are over.  Unfortunately, this is just the beginning of another round of trials.  They must face scorching heat, disease, and even opponents with weapons.  Plus, a lot of their actions seem to be predetermined somehow.  A lot is revealed about Thomas’s past and the reasons behind the trials, but these answers simply bring up more questions.  Will Thomas and his friends survive to find out why they are being forced into such terrible tests?  Will they ever know whom they can truly trust in this crazy experiment?

The sequel does not provide as interesting of a backdrop as the maze did, but the twists and turns of the plot will keep fans interested.  The characters become more endearing throughout this story also because we know how far they have come and realize they still have a long ways to go to enjoy freedom.  Many new characters are introduced and their motives are murky at best, which keeps the characters and the reader guessing.  All in all, it is not as enticing as the first one, but will definitely keep young readers interested.

Rumors by Anna Godbersen

Published December 15, 2009 Historical Fiction , RAC , Romance Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Historical fiction/Romance

# of Pages:  423 p.

RAC Book:  Yes

In this sequel to the Luxe, the wealthy elite of New York in 1899 continue to socialize and gossip through life.  In the last book Elizabeth faked her own death in order to head west with her true love, Will, who is considered beneath her station.  Meanwhile Diana, her younger sister, has fallen for Elizabeth’s former fiancee, Henry.  He is reluctant to start a relationship because he does not know Elizabeth is really alive and believes that one day Diana will come to resent him for marrying his fiancee’s sister.  Penelope is still trying to decide how to get Henry to marry her and will stop at nothing to get what she wants.  Lina still plans on chasing Will, but is having a little fun with some newfound money first.  She wants everyone to forget she was once a maid and to accept her as one of their own, but simply having money does not get you accepted in this elite world.

For those that enjoyed the first installment of this series, this is  a must read.  The action in the plot moves along at a quick pace in a way to keep readers interested right up to the end.  Nothing is as it seems and twists and turns keep the characters from getting what they really want.  Plus, a surprise at the end will leave everyone wondering what is next for the Holland sisters (Elizabeth and Diana).  All in all, a fun and interesting story that will leave readers wanting more.  Fans of Gossip Girl and other books about the young and wealthy in today’s world will like this similar story set at the turn of the century.

Another Faust by Daniel and Dina Nayeri

Published November 13, 2009 Fantasy , RAC Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Fantasy

# of Pages:  387 p.

RAC List: Yes

When five children living in four different countries disappear one night at the age of ten no one notices.   Five years later, a mysterious governess arrives in New York City with her five unusual adopted children, who will all attend the exclusive Marlowe School.  Christian is a master athlete and can play and dominate five school sports in one season.  Bice has mastered over 23 languages and is still learning more.  Belle is Bice’s twin and has bargained with the governess to become breathtakingly beautiful.  Victoria wants to have the highest gpa in the school as well as become class President and win the debate tournament.  Finally, Valentin is a poet and likes to manipulate time.  All of these children have “gifts” that were given to them by their governess.  The question is what did they have to give her in order to receive these gifts?

Another Faust plays off of the ideas in Christopher Marlowe’s play Dr. Faustus where a man sells his soul to the devil to get what he wants on earth.  In this case, these five children have made “deals” with their governess in order to get what they want, but some have known what they were getting into and others have not.  There are many interesting issues that get addressed in this book such as the importance of earning your accomplishments instead of cheating to acquire them.  Trust, family, and betrayal are all major themes in this story as well.  Fans of fantasy stories, especially series like the Blue Bloods, will snap this up.

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.

Losing Forever by Gayle Friesen

Published January 13, 2009 RAC , Realistic Fiction 1 Comment
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Genre: Realistic Fiction

Age Level: 13 and up

# of Pages: 247 p.

RAC Book: yes

Jes is struggling with every aspect of her life. She is still dealing with the death of her younger sister and subsequent divorce of her parents. Meanwhile, her mother is engaged to be married again and her new fiancee has brought his teenage daughter to live in Jes’s room. Jes’s best friend is smitten with her new boyfriend, which makes Jes feel unneeded and forgotten. Everyone keeps trying to include her in their plans, but she doesn’t feel like she belongs anywhere anymore. Can she ever communicate her feelings to those she loves without alienating everyone around her?

This story appears very simple, but resonates with many teenagers who feel like life is passing them by while they try to make sense of what is around them. Teenagers go through many changes with friends and family and often need time to process and adjust to all of these changes. This story finds an audience and conveys a story that the audience can truly relate to. Life is never easy and people often respond to major life changes in different ways. It’s important for young adults to have characters like this one to read about in order to better understand their own feelings about major life changes.

Revelations by Melissa De La Cruz

Published December 16, 2008 Fantasy , RAC 1 Comment
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Genre: Fantasy

Age Level: 14 and up

# of Pages: 264 p.

RAC Book: Yes

Revelations is the third in this Blue Bloods series. This book follows closely where Masquerade ended, with Schuyler now living with the Force family and hating every minute. She tries to contact her grandfather, Lawrence, whenever possible, but this becomes more and more difficult as he must travel away to Rio de Janeiro in order to deal with a possible threat from the Blue Bloods’ biggest enemy: the Silver Bloods. Meanwhile, Schuyler and Jack force become involved, which causes problems because he is meant to be with Mimi for all eternity and she is not about to let him break their bond. Bliss is dealing with her hurt feelings from when Dylan abandoned her and she must decide how to help him when he returns in a serious mental state.

Although much too short, this book is just as thrilling as the previous two. The characters seem to grow and develop more with each book, which helps the reader to understand all points of view as this story unfolds. This story has action, betrayal, lover’s trysts, murder, friendship, and even shocking plot twists. For fans of the first two novels or any type of fantasy or vampire fiction they will devour this book and finish it wanting more.

Devilish by Maureen Johnson

Published September 16, 2008 Fantasy , RAC Leave a Comment
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Genre: Fantasy

Age Level: 14 and up

# of Pages: 263 p.

RAC Book: Yes

Jane and Allison have been best friends for many years. Jane is the brainy girl who will say and do what she wants, even if that means she is not very popular. Allison, on the other hand, wants to be popular so bad it is painful to watch. After a particularly embarassing day, Jane is surprised to find Allison transformed into a trendy, articulate beauty. When she tries to find out the cause of Allison’s newfound confidence she is met with resistance. Jane soon meets a young man named Owen who claims he can explain what has happened to Allison. Jane finds his explanation hard to believe, but eventually realizes that it is the only explanation. The only question is why would Allison sell her soul to the devil? And more importantly, can Jane save her?

This unique story is engaging from the very beginning. Allison is so desperate to fit in that you can’t help but root for her, but when it becomes clear that she has indeed made a deal with the devil the story begins to get more complicated. The resolution seems rushed, under explained, and confusing. Since the beginning was so interesting and descriptive, it was a disappointment to have such a meager climax.

Crushed by Laura and Tom McNeal

Published August 19, 2008 RAC , Realistic Fiction , Uncategorized 1 Comment
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Genre: Realistic Fiction

Age Level: 14 and up

# of pages: 308 p.

RAC Book: Yes

Audrey and her two friends grew up going to a very small school and feel uncomfortable finishing their education in a large high school where gossip and bullying are rampant. They all manage by supporting each other. All of that begins to change when a new boy arrives and begins giving Audrey special attention. He seems enamored with her big house and expensive clothes. Everything goes great until Audrey learns that her life is not as financially stable as she thought it was. At that point, the new boy’s interest in her begins to wane.  At the same time an underground gossip newspaper begins mysteriously appearing in the halls and revealing deep secrets of both students and teachers.

This book highlights some of the many issues facing high school students today such as gossip, bullying, dating, money, friendship, and status.  High school students often feel like nothing can hurt them and believe the best in everyone, but this is also the time when they start to experience how tough it can be to be an adult by facing harsh realities from their families, teachers, and peers.  Audrey thought the worst thing that could happen to her was bullying, but quickly learns that many of the aspects of her life she thought were stable were anything but.  Most high school students will be able to identify with some aspect of Audrey’s life whether it be an unstable homelife, bullying, trouble academically, and betrayal from those close to her.  A powerful, but realistic story.

 

Inkspell by Cornelia Funke

Published June 13, 2008 Award Winners , Fantasy , RAC 1 Comment
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Genre:  Fantasy

Age Level:  12 and up

# of Pages:  635 p.

RAC Book:  Yes

In this sequel to Inkheart, Meggie is living with her aunt Elinor, her father Mo, her mother Resa, and the reader Darius.  Meggie desperately wants to visit the Inkworld where her mother lived for so many years.  She has heard about the magical creatures and interesting characters and landscape and desperately wants to go, but she knows her father would be upset.  Mo doesn’t even like talking about that place.

Meanwhile, Dustfinger has found someone who claims to be able to read people into books.  He wants to go back along with Farid, but in the end only Dustfinger goes.  Farid finds out it was a trick set up by Basta, the villain who got away in the first book.  Now Farid sets out to find Meggie in order for her to read him into the story to reunite with Dustfinger.  When Meggie hears his proposition she decides to write herself into the story as well.  This is just the beginning of an ever evolving story.

This story takes place mainly in the magical world depicted in the book Inkheart, unlike the first book that took place in the real world.  Many new characters are introduced and familiar characters change and evolve.  The twists and turns of the story make sense and instill a fun sense of adventure and a hint of fairy tale aspects.  The book was long and despite that the ending seemed rushed.  It is clearly set up for another book to follow this one.  If that was the intention all along Funke should have cut off this story a little sooner.  It seems like she had a hard time deciding where to end this one and begin the next one.  Those who liked the first one will probably like this one even more because this new world is fun and exciting.

 

Incantation by Alice Hoffman

Published October 1, 2007 Historical Fiction , Multicultural Fiction , RAC Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Historical Fiction/Multicultural Literature

Age Level:  14 and up

# of pages:  166

RAC Book:  Yes

Estrella is living in Spain in 1500.  During this time in Spain anyone who was Jewish or converted to Christianity has the possibility of being persecuted in court.  As some neighbors of Estrella’s are taken away and she hears the charges against them she comes to the realization that she too is Jewish, but her family pretended to be Christian in order to survive. 

Once Estrella learns she is really Jewish, her entire world comes crashing down as she realizes that nothing in her world is really what she thought it was.  Her best friend betrays her when Estrella falls for the boy she had planned to marry.  She learns many secrets about her family and what they have had to do in order to ensure their secret stay hidden.  Finally, she learns that she has not even known her real name until now.

Incantation shows students that Jewish persecution did not just happen in Nazi Germany.  Jews have been persecuted for years for their beliefs and this story sheds some insight onto what it is like to have everything taken from you because of the faith you believe in.   While this story has many sad moments, it is also comforting that through it all Estrella has hope that somewhere there is a place where she could live as she is free from persecution.

 

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