Book Reviews

Bruiser
Neal Shusterman

     I am such a Neal Shusterman addict.  Every time I read one of his books I am so impressed.  They never fail to provide me with an exciting, and wholly enjoyable, read.  
     Bruiser was no different.  Telling the story of Bronte, Tennyson, and Bruiser, Shusterman weaves a story that captivates you from start to finish.  Tennyson is appalled when he finds out his "save every lost dog" sister Bronte is planning a date with Bruiser.  Bruiser is the guy in school that everyone avoids - except when they are voting him most likely to end up in jail.  Bronte, however, sees Bruiser as another one of her lost dogs and is determined to show him the affection and care that he seems to be lacking.  After attempting to ruin thier first date, Tennyson soon learns of Bruiser's horrible home life and begins to, in spite of himself, feel empathy towards him.
     Meanwhile, Bronte begins to notice a few unusual things about Bruiser that may explain his indifferent behavior.
     I loved this story so much.  Bruiser was a character that I could read a whole series of books around.  I challenge any reader to not fall in love with that character.
     I also loved how Shusterman wove in different, secondary story lines.  Especially where Bronte and Tennyson had to deal with their parents will they or won't they attitude towards divorce.
     I highly recommend this book to both boys and girls.  Although it is making the list for middle school readers, I would start first with high schoolers who might relate better to the characters.




The Deadly Sister
Eliot Schrefer

     The Deadly Sister was an interesting twist on a murder mystery.  While it had its slow parts, it definitely made up for that with an exciting and unexpected ending.  
     Abby has spent her whole life cleaning up the messes that her younger sister Maya makes.  However, when Abby discovers the dead body of Jefferson, Maya's tutor/drug dealer/hook-up, she realizes that Maya might be somehow involved.  Abby sets out to find her sister and get her some place safe before the police come knocking on their door.  She also begins to investigate the murder on her own, trying to figure out who else in their small town may have wanted Jefferson dead.
     When I was about 3/4 through with the book, I was left feeling a bit "meh" about it.  However, suddenly things started unexpectedly happening in the plot that had me re-reading some pages over again as I was certain I was missing something.  


*** Don't read ahead if you don't want to know anything more/spoiler-y!! ***

Schrefer did an amazing job at writing a jaw-dropping ending.  One that I never saw coming.  I tend to think that I have things "all figured out" while reading many books.  However, I can say with certainty that I definitely never even considered the possibility of what ended up being the conclusion to The Deadly Sister.  Kudos to Eliot Schrefer for writing something that caught me off guard with a twist of an ending.  I actually appreciated that he did that instead of making things so predictable.


     Lots of drug talk in this book and some violent language and sexual situations.  I would recommend this one to the older YA readers who are looking for a good mystery.


You Have Seven Messages
Stewart Lewis

   I didn't mind You Have Seven Messages.  In fact, I quite enjoyed it up til the last chunk of the story.
     Luna's mother dies after being hit by a taxi cab in NYC.  While cleaning her mother's workspace, she finds her cell phone with 7 unheard messages.  Luna begins listening to the messages one day at a time and discovers that each one leaves a little mystery for her to solve.  She hopes that by solving the small mysteries, she'll discover how her mother could have possibly been distracted enough to run in to traffic.
     Luna was a likeable character.  She deals with the mean girls at school, her first crush on a boy, and the idea of her father dating again.  However, through the messages, her issues also take a more adult turn then a 15 year-old would normally face.
     I enjoyed this book up until the last chunk where Luna went to Italy.  I just felt that it wasn't necessary and it could have ended before that and would have been just as satisfying.
     I liked the way Lewis included different song lyrics and told the story of how they were part of Luna's healing process.  Although I wonder if any readers will be familiar with some of the artists that were mentioned.
     A good one to pass along to female readers.  Probably more appropriate for older YA readers, although some mature middle schoolers might enjoy it.



Anna and the French Kiss
Stephanie Perkins

    I absolutely adored Anna and the French Kiss.  There were so many aspects about it that, when combined, made for an incredibly enjoyable read.  
     First off, hats off to Stephanie Perkins for creating such a wonderful lead character.  Anna was always enjoyable and never whiny, over-the-top, or unlikable.  Also, I appreciated that she stayed true to normal teenage drama - moving away and starting a new school, being labeled with a certain reputation, and falling for someone you just can't have.  Never did I find her situations to be unrealistic.
     Anna is miserable when she is shipped off to attend a boarding school in Paris for her senior year.  However, her now-wealthy father would like her to live up to the expectations of the well-off.  Anna soon joins ranks with a group of close-knit friends and finds herself enjoying the company of Etienne St. Clair a little more than she should - considering he has a girlfriend.  Although the two develop a strong friendship (and support system for their individual problems), there is a clear, mutual attraction between them.  
     Although there was never any uncertainty that these two characters would end up together, I thoroughly enjoyed the ride that Perkins took me on.  This book reminded me a lot of Maureen Johnson's 13 Little Blue Envelopes (which I also thought was great) and left me with high expectations for her future books.  
     An absolutely easy recommendation to older YA girls.



The Grimm Legacy
Polly Shulman

  I really enjoyed The Grimm Legacy.  It was a fun read that will be easy to recommend.
     Elizabeth is thrilled when her Social Studies teacher recommends her for a job at a very special library - the kind that loans out items rather than books.  While Elizabeth is fascinated with the library's possession of such amazing items like Marie Antoinette's wig, it is the Grimm Collection that peaks her curiosity.  After proving herself at the library, Elizabeth is soon given the key to the Grimm Collection - an assortment of materials found in the Grimm Tales.  It turns out that these magical items truly do exist and Elizabeth herself is allowed to borrow them.  However, Elizabeth's glee is short lived when the library soon realizes that someone has been stealing materials from the collection.  Elizabeth and the other pages unite together to find out who is stealing from their collection all while trying to rescue one of their own.
     While I really did enjoy this book on the whole, one thing bothered me a little.  Elizabeth's home life is mentioned here and there and it mirrors many Grimm tales.  I am figuring that was intentional by Shulman, however, I was disappointed that that theme wasn't explored more.  I almost felt like Elizabeth was living a fairy tale without realizing it and it would have been interesting to see her rise above the "evil step-mother/step-sisters."  Instead, I just felt sad for Elizabeth throughout because her father never gave her any positive attention and her step-mother truly was wicked.  I can only hope that that storyline was overlooked because Shulman might not be done with Elizabeth yet.
     An easy one to recommend to both boys and girls and younger YA readers.


Bunheads
Sophie Flack

   I really liked Bunheads.  It was a quick, engaging read about life amongst the Manhattan Ballet Company.  Hannah, the protagonist, was easy to like.  Flack did a nice job creating a character who readers sympathize with root for throughout.  In spite of all of her professional ups and downs, Hannah never became irritating or intolerable.
     Flack also did an excellent job with the realism of the ballet world.  As someone who knows very little about it, I appreciated her including information without it being "lecture-y."
     A good one to recommend to older YA readers - especially girls who are looking for a light romance.



The Running Dream
Wendelin Van Draanen


   Running has been the main focus of Jessica's life for years.  After excelling in track during her high school career, she hopes that her abilities will win her a scholarship to college.  However, after a tragic bus accident causes her to lose her leg, she must re-adapt to life without two feet.
     After making friends with Rosa, a girl who has Cerebral Palsy, Jessica learns that life is not over.  In fact, with a bit of hard work and persistance, she will not only be able to walk again someday, but she will be able to run.
     I enjoyed The Running Dream.  I thought that Van Draanen did a really spot on job of portraying Jessica's feelings and how they evolved throughout the story.  The characters were all likable and it was easy to root for Jessica and Rosa throughout.
     This is a good one to recommend to both older middle school and high school students.  Although it wasn't a "girly" book in the slightest, I have a feeling that it will have more appeal to females.



Divergent
Veronica Roth

    It seemed like all I had been hearing about for awhile was Divergent.  It was at the top of many "Best Book of the Year" lists and was in constant rotation at the library.  I was hesitant to try it because it was being touted as "the next Hunger Games."  Being a huge fan of The Hunger Games, I worried that all that hype would only leave me disappointed. However, I finally decided to give it a go.
     Divergent, in my opinion, was nothing like Hunger Games.  That being said, I enjoyed it thoroughly for it's individual style of a Dystopian novel.  In some ways, I was reminded of The Giver, but honestly, I thought that the concept was very unique which was refreshing.

Let it be known, anything below this point will contain spoilers!!

Beatrice/Tris, the main character, has grown up in a life of Abegnation.  She has been raised to be completely selfless and always put the needs of others before hers.  At age 16, she is able to choose which faction she would like to be a part of.  In spite of wanting to please her parents and stay in her original faction, she decides to join the Dauntless - the group of the most brave people who fight wars and protect the rest of the factions from harm.
     Once deciding to join the Dauntless, Tris is put through a physically brutal and mentally painful initiation process.  The Dauntless are a violent group who don't think much to those who die during their initiation process.
     During her Dauntless training, Tris begins to develop feelings for her trainer, Four.  I will say here, I developed such a Book Crush on Four.  He is one of my favorite male characters.  (Dare I say that I loved him more than Peeta??!!)  Four harbors many secrets that only Tris is able to break through to learn.  Just when you think that Tris is finally finding her place in her new Faction, chaos and war erupt.  It is now up to her to save the lives of many innocent people.
     Divergent was an exciting and engaging read.  I did feel like it took awhile to pick up, but once I got in to it, there was nothing that could distract me.  The violence is plenty in this book and the love story adds a gentler element.  This will be a piece of cake to recommend to both boys and girls and all ages of YA readers.

Want to Go Private?
Sarah Darer Littman

   Littman did an amazing job creating a story that was so horrifyingly disturbing that you almost have no choice but to be scared straight.  Want to Go Private was nauseatingly realistic.  One of the reviews that I read alligned it to watching a train wreck and that, for me, was spot-on.  So many times I wanted to reach through the book and just grab Abby and knock some sense in to her.
     Abby is very apprehensive about starting high school.  She has never really found her niche in a social circle and prefers to limit herself to her one and only good friend, Faith.  Faith, however, looks at high school as an opportunity to find out who you are and where you fit as well as an opportunity to discover new interests.  As Abby rejects Faith's attempts at getting her to make new friends and join new clubs, she sinks deeper and deeper into the virtual gaming/chatting world where she is most comfortable.  When she meets Luke, an older guy who showers her with compliments, she begins the dangerous spiral that will change her life.  At first, Abby thinks that talking with Luke and revealing personal information is safe because it's not like she will ever meet him.  Then, as conversations become more and more intimate, she begins to develop strong feelings for him.  Luke seduces Abby with compliments and sympathy and gifts - all at a very high price that Abby doesn't always feel comfortable with.  After fighting with her parents, Luke convices Abby to run away with him for a few days to teach them a lesson leading to an ordeal that changes her life, and those who care for her, forever.
     The first part of the story is told from Abby's point of view.  Readers are able to see how she is seduced with kindness by Luke.  Also, you see her discomfort in some of the things that he asks her to do but does anyway.  As a reader, you can't help but groan in frustration at the awful mistakes she is making.  Later in the book, the narration varies between Abby, her friends Billy and Faith and her sister, Lily.  I enjoyed this because you were able to see the heavy consequences of Abby's decisions and how they affected not only her, but her family and friends.
     This book is very graphic and very disturbing.  Although the message is excellent, it would probably be better suited for older readers and even parents.

Between
Jessica Warman

    Between was a pretty decent read.  It reminded me a bit of Before I Fall (which I LOVED!) and had an interesting enough story so that I was hooked from start to finish.  Although I thought it was a bit predictable, it was still a satisfying read and I think that teens will like this mystery.

Please be warned, SPOILERS AHEAD!

     At the start of the story, we find an restless Liz on the wee hours of her 18th birthday.  Her and a few choice friends have been celebrating the occasion on her family's boat drinking and smoking pot.  Awakened by a noise outside the boat, she investigates and is shocked to find her body submerged in the water - clearly dead.  Before she can even get over the weirdness of the situation, Alex appears to let her know that she is, in fact, dead.  This is a pretty startling event for Liz because Alex, a former classmate, has been dead himself for over a year.
     Throughout the story, Liz travels back in time and checks in on the present state of her family and friends to discover what kind of person she truly was (not a good one) and to try to find out if her death was an accident or murder.  She is also there to help Alex figure out who killed him in a hit and run accident.
     The story was definitely predictable and I had the ending figured out within the first few chapters.  Still, it was a good read that had me hooked.  I think that older YA readers who are on the way of "death-y" books (a la Elsewhere, Before I Fall, If I Stay, etc) will really enjoy this one.  More suited for girls and, due to content, better for older YA readers.


Flipped
Wendelin Van Draanen

   I really enjoyed Flipped!  Upon trying out my new Kindle, I went seeking my library's catalog of ebooks.  Not much was available, and since I was fresh off of The Running Dream by Van Draanen (and Flipped had the shortest hold list) I decided to give this one a try.
     I was extremely pleased with this entire book with the exception that it ended!  I could have continued to follow these two characters well into their golden years.  Seeing as they were only about 12 or 13 when the story ended, this is quite a compliment to Van Draanen's writing!
     Flipped tells the story of neighbors Bryce and Juli.  The narration flips back and forth between the two but in a most interesting way.  Bryce will tell a story and then when the narration turns to Juli, you hear the story again but in a much different way.
     Since Bryce moved in across the street before second grade, Juli has known she was in love with him.  She has made no attempts to keep her feelings a secret, regardless of how he treats her, only sees Bryce through rose-colored glasses.  Bryce on the other hand looks at Juli as if she is some kind of weirdo.  She is too smart in school, her yard is too messy, and her feelings are too over-the-top.  The more Juli seeks out his friendship, the more he turns her away - and his actions continue to grow more and more cruel.  You wish that Juli would wake up and see Bryce for who he is.  As Juli begins to look at Bryce in a new way, he also starts looking at her in a different light.  What was once weird to him, he now sees as unique and strong.  However, for Bryce, his actions might be too little too late.
     I loved the characters in this book.  The two main characters were so well-developed and Van Draanen did an excellent job writing for Bryce's character.  In spite of this being a book with heavy undertones of love, her voice for Bryce was so realistically "boy" that I have no doubt boys would gravitate towards this story.  As much as I loved the two main characters, I also adored the minor ones - especially Juli's dad.  By day he is a burly mason worker and by night a sensitive, well-spoken painter who clearly adores his daughter.
     As I was reading this on my e-reader, I lost all sense as to how much was left in the book.  I was shocked when I "turned" the page only to find that the story was over.  I wish it had gone on for more so I could have found out what happened next with these characters.
     A great one for early YA readers and I believe it will appeal to both boys and girls.

The Private Thoughts of Amelia E. Rye
Bonnie Shimko

 I loved this story.  Amelia was such a likeable character that it is impossible not to root for her throughout the story.
     Always treated as an outcast at school and horribly mistreated by her miserable mother, Amelia seeks solace in her companionship with her grandfather.  Having no friends, she is intrigued by Fancy, the new girl in her class.  Fancy is the first black student to attend Amelia's school (in 1960's upstate New York).  Amelia is fascinated to see the way that Fancy does not back down to the other students bullying and the two end up becoming friends.
     The story quickly spans a few years of Amelia's life and you see her as an amazing young adult who perseveres in spite of constant mis-steps in her life.
     Luckily, a story that has a great deal of sadness peppered in has a happy ending.
     This is a great one to recommend to younger YA readers.


Dirty Little Secrets
C.J. Omololu

     This book was completely captivating and is such a quick read that it only took a few hours to read through.
     Lucy can't wait til she graduates from high school.  She counts the days til she can escape from the shameful secret that waits for her everyday at home - her mom is a hoarder.  Not only is her mom a hoarder, but she blames Lucy for the state of the house which is beyond anyone's control.  It takes all of Lucy's time and energy to keep her secret from the kids at school lest they start calling her by her old nickname "Garbage Girl."  However, when something happens at home, Lucy is forced to get herself out of the mess that her mother has created.
     I've seen enough episodes of Hoarders to know the psychological issues that hoarders have.  However, Dirty Little Secrets allows you to see the toll that the hoarding takes on the family - especially on children.  It is so easy to sympathize with Lucy throughout the story even though some of her actions quite frankly creeped me out.
     I'm not sure who this book would most appeal to.  The content is appropriate enough where you could easily recommend it to younger YA readers, however, it definitely suited for those with a strong stomach.

Surface Tension: A Novel in Four Summers
Brent Runyon

Surface Tension: A Novel in Four Summers follows Luke from ages 13-16 as his family makes their annual trip to their summer home.  Each summer, Luke's family will spend 2 weeks at the lake and for Luke at 13, that's nowhere near long enough.  He would stay all year if his parents could afford it.  However, as Luke ages, he begins to dread the annual trip there.  Suddenly what once seemed magical is boring.  Where he once loved the isolation, he soon grows frustrated with the lack of cell phone service.  Adding to Luke's frustrations is his growing embarrassment of his parents who get silly when they drink and hold crazy vendettas against the other neighbors.  By the end of Luke's 16th summer, he is starting to realize that even though the magic of his earlier years there is long gone, he can find a new appreciation at his summer home.
     I really liked this book because I related to it in so many ways.  Like Luke, we had a summer home that used to seem like the best place ever when I was younger.  However, as with the case with many teenagers, those few weeks you spent there that were once the best of the year, soon become filled with boredom and you dread going there.
     Surface Tension is a really great book for boys.  Brent Runyon did a great job writing for Luke at all the different ages.  I think this might be a better read for older YA boys who might relate a little better to Luke's experiences.  This one is definitely going out as a Staff pick.

Rot & Ruin
Jonathan Maberry

 I loved Rot & Ruin.  It was such an engaging book filled with great action and a great story line.
     Benny Imura has never had much respect for his brother.  Back during First Night when he was a toddler, his brother Tom ran from the house without even trying to save their mom from being attacked by their zombie father.  Ever since First Night, Tom has raised Benny while working as a Closure Specialist (ie: someone who kills zoms).  When Benny has no other choice but to apprentice under Tom, he learns a lot more about who his brother really is.
     Tom Imura has instantly become one of my favorite book characters.  I've read a lot of reviews where people thought he was "too good" and, for that, didn't like him.  To me, he was my favorite character.
     Another 2013 Nutmeg Nominee for Teens, this one will be a snap to recommend to especially boys.  Although, because there is a subtle undertone of romance, girls will enjoy it as well.  Good for both younger and older YA readers.



The Key to the Golden Firebird
Maureen Johnson
     I loved this story. It was such a quick and engaging read that I put it down only long enough to eat dinner and even then my eyes kept drifting back to the page. 
May, Brooks and Palmer come home one day to find an ambulance at their house. The unthinkable has happened - their father has died suddenly of a heart attack as he was pulling into the garage in his beloved Firebird. The story next picks up about a year later and the girls are all a mess trying to deal with their pain. Palmer suffers from anxiety attacks and insomnia while Brooks turns to alcohol and running with the wrong crowd. May takes on the role of caretaker which takes a serious toll on her as no one is around to care for her. 
     Emotions eventually come to a head with the sisters and they learn what each other has been going through. In a way to begin the healing process, they decide to take their fathers ashes (found stored in a shoebox in the closet) and drive in the Firebird to Camden Yards to scatter them on the pitcher's mound. 
     This book had me going through all different emotions. It was just so real and relatable and the characters were written in such a great, complex way. I'm always a fan of Maureen Johnson but so far, The Key to the Golden Firebird, is my favorite of her books. 
     An easy one to recommend to older YA readers.


Ditched: A Love Story
Robin Mellom
   Prom is the last thing Justina would ever plan on attending.  However, when her best friend Ian asks her to be his date, she finds it impossible to resist.  She can't deny her overwhelming feelings for Ian and decides that prom will provide the perfect opportunity to go from good friends to boy/girl friend - not to mention provide the right ambiance for a long awaited kiss. Rather than consult with friends or teen magazines, Justina allows her mother to plan her outfit - resulting in a horrifyingly, one-note, blue ensem.  
     Justina can't even get out the door with Ian without her prom experience taking a hit - a spilled curry on her dress.  From there, her evening only gets worse.  While at the prom, Ian mysteriously disappears leaving Justina to believe that she has been ditched.  Before she knows it, Justina is on a wild goose chase trying to track Ian down all while trying to figure out if her feelings for him could ever amount to something more after this horrible mistreatment.
     The story has a great hook - Justina finds herself thrown from a moving vehicle and ambles her way up to the local 7-11 for some free food and a pay phone.  While at the 7-11, she earns the sympathy of the clerk and one of the customers.  They lend an ear, and some advice, while she relays the events of her evening in flashback form.
     Ditched was a cute story - very reminiscent of the movie Serendipity with all those missed-meetings with Ian.  I think that it will definitely find an audience with the older YA readers.

The Way We Fall (The Fall World #1)
Megan Crewe
 I am afraid that I will be one of the lone voices saying that I didn't particularly care for The Way We Fall.  The concept was very intriguing - a virus sweeps across a small Canadian island quickly taking lives before anyone can figure out what the cause is.  However, I felt a little bored by it and I never developed a strong interest in the characters.
     Kaelyn begins writing in a journal that she hopes to give to her once-best-friend, Leo when she sees him next.  The journal starts at the beginning of the schoolyear where she is determined to become more outgoing and make new friends.  Merely a few days into the start of the year, her friends father becomes sick.  When Kaelyn sees him, he is raving in a way in which it seems as if he is incredibly drunk.  However, this is just how the virus works when it reaches ones brain.  
     Kaelyn's microbiologist father is called to the hospital to try to figure out not only what is causing the virus, but how to control it.  He is not able to get far however when panic sets in and a quarantine is placed on the island.  No one is allowed onto the island and the only way you leave is when you die.
     ****** SPOILERS AHEAD *******

     While Kaelyn's family tries to take all the necessary percautions to remain safe, it isn't long before her mother contracts the virus and dies.  Kaelyn herself contracts it but, miraculously, she has the right antibodies from an earlier string and that is what keeps her alive.  Her and some of the other survivors in town seek to help the others by delivering food and bringing those who are ill to the hospital.  However, there is another band of survivors who decide that looting and burning up everything on the island is the only way to kill this virus.
     The diary format, as well as the constant impending doom, reminded me so much of Life as We Knew It (which I enjoyed).  However, as I mentioned, the characters never developed enough for me to really feel a strong interest in them.  The relationship between Kaelyn and Gav lacked any sort of spark and felt as if the romance was only part of the story to fit into some kind of formula.
     I will still pass this along to teens who are fans of the dystopian genre.  The content is appropriate enough to recommend to both younger and older YA readers and shows appeal for both boys and girls.