Girl at Sea

by Maureen Johnson

Summary: Seventeen year old Clio wants nothing more than to spend the summer flirting with, and hopefully dating, the cute guy who works with her at an art store. But her parents ruin all the fun when her mom has to move to Kansas for work for the entire summer, meaning Clio has to live with her dad. He is going on a research cruise in the Mediterranean, and (poor Clio, boo hoo!) has to go with him. The cruise's purpose is a mystery, but involves something ancient and sunken, and her dad's research assistant provides a perfect sparring partner for the bitter and angry Clio. Oh, wait... he's also kind of cute...

My thoughts: Once again: YAY Maureen Johnson! She takes chick lit to a whole new level. For one thing, she's hilarious! (Check out her blog--the link is to the right!) Her books are easy to read, but there's nothing light about them. That's a hard balance, but Johnson does it perfectly every time.

The Tale of Despereaux

by Kate DiCamillo

Summary: Despereaux, the little mouse with the big ears, has done the unthinkable--fallen in love with a human, and a princess, no less! This makes him very unpopular with the other mice, and he ends up in prison with some very unseemly rats. A rat falling in a bowl of soup kills the queen, complicating matters, and Miggery Sow, a peasant girl, strikes a deal with an evil rat because she is so dumb she believes she can take the place of the princess. Many plots blend together and intertwine to create an exciting and unusual adventure!

My thoughts: This is total and complete escape reading! It's so much fun to shake your head at this silly little mouse with his big dreams, while rooting for him at the same time!

Bounce

by Natasha Friend

Summary: Evyn's mother passed away when she was very young, but she's devastated when she learns that her father is remarrying a woman who has six children of her own, and that they are moving in with their new family in another state. At this news, Evyn begins to pull away, having constant conversations with her dead mother. Her mother talks back, and even though Evyn knows it's not real, she still follows her "mother's" advice. Through these "conversations," Evyn learns to deal with her six new siblings, to see her father as a person, and to get to know herself.

My thoughts: While there is nothing really unusual or exciting about this book, it's a sweet story that most teenage girls will find relatable. Natasha Friend is a trusted author who always gives us great stories about growing up girl!

Shark Girl

by Kelly Bingham

Summary: Jane, an artist and a surfer, loses her arm in a shark attack one beautiful day at the beach. Her story is told through newspaper clippings, poetry, journal entries, and letters. Losing her identity as an artist and a surfer in one fell swoop causes Jane to have to re-evaluate her ideas about her goals, her family, her friends--her entire life. Will she allow the attack to fill her with fear, or with strength?

My thoughts: This is a fictional novel, but is based on the real-life story of Bethany Hamilton, the Hawaiian surfer who lost her arm to a shark attack a few years ago. It's a hauntingly beautiful account of what it feels like to have your life turned upside down, and how to find your new self after tragedy.

The Higher Power of Lucky

by Susan Patron

Summary: Lucky lives in a tiny California town, and spends a lot of time eavesdropping on 12-step meetings, where she discovers the idea of finding a "higher power." Her mother is dead, and her father, who doesn't much like the idea of being a father, calls his first wife from France to come care for Lucky. Understandably, Lucky is afraid that all of the adults in her life are going to abandon her. She runs away into the desert in a dust storm hoping to gain attention, but instead learns some things about her family and herself.

My thoughts: I'll be honest. I think the Newbery Committee missed the boat on this one. I found the plot uninteresting, the writing dry, and Lucky kind of got on my nerves.

Everlost

by Neal Shusterman

Summary: Nick and Allie, in separate cars, traveling in separate directions, collide in a terrible head-on accident. Both are killed instantly. They end up in a place called Everlost, where the normal rules don't apply. Stopping too long in one place causes them to sink into the ground, and there may or may not be monsters chasing them... Nick and Allie set out to explore this strange new world, and come upon a whole community of young spirits living in the ghosts of the World Trade Center Twin Towers. Nick is quite content there, but Allie wants to find her earthly family--a desire that leads to great danger and even greater adventure.

My thoughts: This is one of those books that everyone loves but me, so don't take my word for it! I do think it has an original plot and is an interesting story, but I wasn't in love with the ending. I did recently find out, though, that there are two sequels on the way, so maybe those will clear things up.

Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie

by Jordan Sonnenblick

Summary: When Stephen's little brother Jeffrey gets a nose bleed that just won't quit, the diagnosis is grim--leukemia. Watching Stephen's family come to terms with Jeffrey's illness is gut-wrenching, but here's the catch: somehow Sonnenblick manages to make this book hilarious. Jeffrey's cancer is handled realistically and sensitively, but you'll crack up at his "dangerous pie" recipe, and Stephen's sarcastic story-telling style.

My thoughts: I read this book because Jordan Sonnenblick came to our campus for an author visit. I wasn't all that excited about reading it, but once I started, I couldn't put it down. I think I actually cried and laughed all within one chapter!

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

by Brian Selznick

Summary: An usual book--part novel, part art, part picture book. Hugo, an orphan, has made his home in a Paris train station. He steals from a grumpy toymaker who has a shop in the station in order to repair an "automatron" that was his father's pet project while he was alive.

My thoughts: I see the beauty in this book. It's unusual, and the illustrations are absolutely amazing--so good, in fact, that you almost don't need the words at all. The story didn't really hold my interest, but many students love this book, so what do I know? :)

The Golden Compass

by Philip Pullman

Summary: Lyra is an orphan who is being raised by the teachers at Jordan College. The story takes place in a world similar to our own, but with a magical twist. Every human has an animal attached to their being called a daemon--it's part of their soul, and the two cannot be separated without a great deal of pain to both parties. A series of events, including the disappearance of Lyra's best friend, a creepy conversation she overhears her uncle having, and the appearance of the mysterious Mrs. Coulter, lead Lyra on an epic quest filled with danger and excitement.

My thoughts: The Golden Compass is definitely not for everyone. The language is elegant, extravagant, and highly descriptive. I think you have to be a fan of fantasy to truly enjoy this novel for what it is. Fortunately I am! The Golden Compass is beautifully written and original. Destined to be a classic! This is the first in a trilogy, but can stand alone.

The Black Book of Secrets

by F. E. Higgins

Summary: When the mysterious Joe Zabbidou comes to town and begins to set up shop, it sets the town of Pagus Parvus on its ear. He claims to be a pawnbroker, but no one can seem to figure out how he stays in business. The items he pays good money for are nothing but worthless junk, which he proudly displays in his windows. Joe soon adopts Ludlow Fitch as an apprentice, a ragamuffin running from his own poverty-stricken past and his abusive parents. Ludlow learns that Joe's true pawn business is not in material things. He is asked to attend midnight meetings with various townspeople, and to record what they say into a big black book. Joe is paying for their secrets, and paying well. So well, in fact, that the local loan shark, Jeremiah Ratchet, is seeing himself run out of business. This, of course, won't do at all, so he sets out to ruin Joe and Ludlow.

My thoughts: I love the idea here that secret-keeping can be soul-crushing. By telling their secrets to Joe, they were released of the burden, and could once again sleep at night. This is one of those novels that makes you see that as humans, we're really not all that different. We all have the same fears and hopes and dreams. This book is exciting, shocking, sad, and funny all at once. I loved it!

Breaking Dawn

by Stephenie Meyer

Summary: Edward and Bella are finally able to be together as husband and wife, but an unexpected new character attracts the attention of the Volturi. Will they ever live happily ever after?

My thoughts: Meyer should have quit while she was ahead. By far my least favorite of the series. She takes the cheesiness to a new level in this novel, and if I hadn't invested so much time in the series already, I probably wouldn't have finished it. Most of you Mustangs already know this, but Breaking Dawn is considered a high school book, so it's not in our library.

Eclipse

by Stephenie Meyer

Summary: Edward is back in this third book in the Twilight series. Bella has to choose between Edward, the dangerous love of her life, and Jacob, her best friend.

My thoughts: Much better than New Moon, but not as good as Twilight.

New Moon

by Stephenie Meyer

Summary: Edward is afraid that his presence in Forks is risking Bella's life, so makes a selfless choice to leave town. Bella is crushed, but her friendship with Jacob deepens...

My thoughts: Hey Stephenie, less Jacob, more Edward. Just my opinion. Second book in the Twilight series.

Twilight

by Stephenie Meyer

Summary: Bella moves halfway across the country to live with her dad, where she meets the gorgeous but strange Edward. When she figures out that he's not human, and discovers that he is a huge danger to her, it only increases her attraction to him. When their love puts her life in danger, it's an exciting and dangerous race to the conclusion.

My thoughts: Does this book really need an introduction? No, this is not the most well-written book in the world, but it's fun, and addictive, and pure escape!

The Sweet Far Thing

by Libba Bray

Summary: Gemma now has to decide which of the creatures of the realm are friends, and which are enemies.

My thoughts: Sequel to A Great and Terrible Beauty and Rebel Angels. Not as good as the first book, but much better than the second!

Rebel Angels

by Libba Bray

Summary: At the end of A Great and Terrible Beauty, Gemma thinks she has done a good thing, but is it possible that she's only made things worse?

My thoughts: This is the sequel to A Great and Terrible Beauty, and is definitely the weakest of the trilogy, but it says something that I finished the series. I have so much to read, I don't usually get past the first book! I really like this trilogy. It's completely different from anything I've ever read.

Wait Till Helen Comes

by Mary Downing Hahn

Summary: Molly and Michael are angry when they have to move to a new house in the country with their mother, new step-father, and his daughter Heather. The creepy old house is right next door to a graveyard, and the younger girl becomes obsessed with it. Molly, trying to help Heather, finds that the graveyard is haunted by the ghost of Helen, a girl who died in a terrible fire a century before. Helen is angry, and has evil plans for Heather. Can Molly save her step-sister?

My thoughts: This is a classic! Hahn is amazing at writing ghost stories that make you feel like you're watching a horror movie in your head!

Remembering Raquel

by Vivian Vande Velde

Summary: Have you ever wondered what people will say about you after you die? Raquel, not exactly the most popular girl in school, is hit by car and killed. Each chapter is narrated by someone who knew her. Some are close friends, some are enemies, and some barely knew her at all, but now claim to have been one of her best friends. All along the snippets provide answers to the mystery of why and how Raquel actually died.

My thoughts: This book really, really, makes you think--about the way you treat people, and about the way you are perceived by others. Guys, don't let the butterflies on the cover put you off.

The Lambkins

by Eve Bunting

Summary: When Kyle stops on the side of the road to help a woman change a flat, he is injected with something that knocks him out. When he awakens, he realizes he has been kidnapped, and unfortunately, has been shrunken to the size of a coke bottle. Mrs. Shephard is keeping Kyle, and several other children, in a creepy little dollhouse made just for them. Kyle tries to talk the others into planning an escape, but he soon realizes that he's not the first to try, and the last attempt did not end well.

My thoughts: Seriously. Disregard the horrible cheesy cover. I promise this book will freak you out!

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac

by Gabrielle Zevin

Summary: Naomi Porter takes a nasty tumble down a flight of stairs at school, and when she recovers, can't remember anything from the past four years of her life. She's told she has a boyfriend, but she doesn't remember him, and when she is reintroduced, she doesn't really like him. Her best friend Will is comforting and warm, but there's something behind his eyes that she can't figure out. Her parents' divorce is a complete shock, and she has to re-meet step-parents, a very difficult concept since her last memories are of a loving family. The one person she does remember is James, the young man who was at the scene of her accident. No one seems to be able to tell her what caused the accident, and she is drawn to James hoping he has the answers to her questions. As Naomi tries to figure out who she was and what happened, she also finds out who she is, and must determine how much a past you can't remember impacts who you are.

My thoughts: Zevin is an amazing writer. Few authors could take a concept as potentially cheesy as amnesia and make it seem like it could actually happen! While this isn't a true mystery, it's definitely a page-turner. You'll want to know as bad as Naomi does what caused her accident, and will be dying to know if she'll ever realize who her true friends are.

Blood and Chocolate

by Annette Curtis Klause

Summary: Vivian seems to live a normal life--school, work, friends--but she has a dark secret. She's a werewolf. Her tight family circle is her pack, and the leader wants her for his own. She's tired of the werewolf drama, and starts to have feelings for a human boy. Aiden is sweet and sensitive, and she wonders if maybe she could share her secret with him. When a murder in town puts the pack secret in danger, she has to make some choices. Whose side is she really on?

My thoughts: Vivian is a woman who knows her own mind. She's exciting and strong. Klause had the market on werewolf/human love long before Stephenie Meyer did, and in some ways, does it better.

Breathe: A Ghost Story

by Cliff McNish

Summary: When Jack and his mom move into a new home, Jack soon realizes that they are not alone. There are children there, and there is a mother. A ghost mother. Jack has asthma, and the ghost mother wants to take care of him. Take care of him like she took care of the others...

My thoughts: I love a good ghost story, and this is a great one. A nightmarish journey into the afterlife, and through the mind of a woman who could not live with her own guilt.

Porcupine

by Meg Tilly

Summary: When Jack's (short for Jacqueline) father is killed in Afganistan, her mother leaves Jack and her little brother and sister with their grandmother, promising to come back soon. Jack soon realizes, though, that their mother isn't coming back, and that their gruff, no-nonsense grandmother is their legal guardian. Jack must deal with her feelings about being abandoned, her father's death, and the pressures of having to help raise her younger siblings.

My thoughts: Meg Tilly is best known for her acting abilities--she's been in several award-winning films. This isn't an amazing book, but it's not a bad one, either. For you girls looking for a story that tugs at your heartstrings, go ahead and give it a try.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox

by Mary E. Pearson

Summary: When Jenna Fox wakes up from an 18 month coma, something just doesn't feel right. Her parents have her watch videos from her life to help jog her memories. Her grandmother seems to hate her, but that doesn't match with the loving grandmother from the videos. Why have her parents moved across the country, and where are her friends? Pearson masterfully builds suspense as Jenna slowly puts the pieces together to figure out who she really is. You'll never believe what she discovers.

My thoughts: Even if you don't normally like science fiction, give this one a try. It's scary and thought-provoking, raising questions about what the word "ethical" means in a future society that looks an awful lot like our own.

Gym Candy

by Carl Deuker

Summary: Mick is a good football player, but he wants to be even better. The trainer at his gym introduces him to "gym candy," which is just a nice name for steroids. He eases his way into using these drugs, trying to convince himself along the way that he will only use them for awhile and that they're not that harmful. The steroids cause him to be depressed and angry, which leads to a conclusion that you have to read to believe.

My thoughts: Gym Candy is a very disturbing look at how quickly drug abuse can absolutely devastate young lives. It is a cautionary tale, but there are enough football game scenes to make this an exciting sports book as well.

Tunnels

by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams

Summary: Will and his father share a love for archaeology, and often dig tunnels beneath the city streets. When his father disappears, Will and his friend Chester go searching for him, and discover an evil subterreanean culture that abhors "topsoilers," those of us who live above the street.

My thoughts: I was really excited about this book, because I love archaeology, but it was less about that than about the creepy guys who live in the land below the city. Some students have really liked this book, so maybe it just wasn't for me, but I thought it was too long and not very well-written. A sequel, Deeper, was recently released.

The Seer of Shadows

by Avi

Summary: Horace is an apprentice to a photographer in 1872 New York. When a rich woman commissions the team to photograph her, Horace's employer comes up with an evil plan. He makes Horace go into the house to photograph portraits of the woman's dead daughter. He intends to then superimpose that image onto a photograph of the woman, making her think that her daughter's ghost has appeared in the picture. But what neither Horace or his employer know is that Horace actually can capture the spirits of the dead on film. When the dead girl appears, and it's clear that she's very, very, angry, a servant girl helps Horace understand the true (and horrifying) circumstances of her death.

My thoughts: Totally creepy! Avi is a great writer, and has created a really suspenseful plot surrounding a character you can't help but identify with and root for.

Undercover

by Beth Kephart

Summary: Elisa is really, really good at helping other people fall in love, but not so great at managing her own love life. She runs a little side business at school, writing notes for guys who want to impress a girl. The poems and notes are so well-written, the girls who get the notes find it impossible to resist the guy who "wrote" them. When Theo enlists her help to woo a popular girl with an unpleasant personality, she begins to fall for him herself. She is tortured as she has to write notes to save this relationship that she knows is doomed, and her conflict over the situation is relatable and realistic.

My thoughts: This is a book for people who love to read. If you like your English class, and appreciate beautiful language, you'll love Undercover.

Tantalize

by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Summary: Quince lives in Austin, Texas, but it's an Austin where vampires and werewolves are an accepted part of society and freely roam the streets. She runs the family restaurant, Sanguini's, and loves her half werewolf boyfriend, Kieren. But when Sanguini's chef is murdered, it looks like a werewolf attack, and Kieren is a suspect. A creepy new chef with an, um, edgy menu complicates matters...

My thoughts: This book is strange and a little campy, but will hold your interest for that very reason. You won't have read a book like this before. Totally original.

The Foreshadowing

by Marcus Sedgwick

Summary: Sasha has been cursed with the unpleasant ability to forsee death. Her visions are disturbing, but bearable, until she foresees the death of her brother who is fighting in World War I. As a volunteer nurse, she is already involved in the war effort, but when she has the vision, she embarks on a wild scheme to get from England to France to try to save her doomed brother.


My thoughts: I like the way this novel intermingles factual history with a supernatural element. There is not near as much fiction based on WWI as there is on WWII and other wars, and it's a fascinating time period. The Foreshadowing, while it is at heart a supernatural suspense novel, also gives us a rare glimpse into the front lines of WWI.

Dragon's Keep

by Janet Lee Carey

Summary: Rosalind's mother, the Queen, used a stolen dragon's egg in a spell to conceive her, and as a result, was born cursed with a dragon claw on the ring finger of her left hand. The Queen has kept it covered with a golden glove for Rosalind's entire life, and has done unspeakable things along the way to keep the secret. When Rosalind is a teenager, villagers kill a female dragon. This causes the dragon's mate to retaliate, sending the village into a mass panic. The dragon eventually takes Rosalind, but instead of killing her, forces her to raise his now motherless children, called "pips." During her imprisonment, she grows to love, fear, and revere the dragon pips and the dragon, Lord Faul, and learns the truth of her heritage.

My thoughts: If you liked Eragon, you'll love this story that also brings to life a dragon as a main character. Beautifully written, frightening, and suspenseful.

Mrs. Brightwell and me with author John Green!

An Abundance of Katherines

by John Green

Summary: Colin Singleton has been dumped 19 times. And every single one of those girls was named Katherine, spelled the exact same way. When the 19th Katherine dumps him, he and his hilarious friend go on a road trip on which Colin, who is a "prodigy," works on a mathematical theorum that will predict how long a couple's relationship will last. The road trip ends with an early, and totally unexpected stop, in Gutshot, Tennessee, where Colin meets a Lindsey, who changes everything.

My thoughts: This book is so, so funny--do not read in a quiet place, because you will laugh out loud! Every page of this book has footnotes, most of which are sarcastic asides. Another genius novel by one of my favorite YA authors. A note: this is a high school book, so we do not have it in this library, but if it sounds good to you, don't forget the public library!

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

by E. Lockhart

Summary: Frankie Landau-Banks, a quirky girl who attends an exclusive boarding school, has stumbled upon a mystery. The boys at this school have a secret society, The Loyal Order of the Bassett Hounds, who have been responsible for pranks and various other mischief around campus for decades. Her father was a Bassett, her boyfriend is a Bassett, and none of them know that she knows the club even exists. When she realizes that she'll never be accepted as a member, simply because she's a girl, she hatches a plot so grand it will change Alabaster Prepratory Academy forever.

My thoughts: I love, love, love this book! It's funny, witty, super-smart, and extremely well-written. Frankie is a respectable heroine for girls everywhere, but this is not just a girl book. Guys will enjoy reading about her crazy pranks, too, and everyone will love watching the Bassetts squirm as Frankie bests them again and again!

Saving Zoe

by Alyson Noel

Summary: Echo loved her big sister Zoe, but they couldn't have been more different. It isn't until after Zoe is tragically murdered that she really begins to understand who her sister was. Zoe's ex-boyfriend, who at one time was a suspect in the murder, gives Echo Zoe's diary. Chapters flip between Zoe's diary entries and Echo's story, which also slowly reveals the answer to the mystery of Zoe's brutal murder.

My thoughts: Your heart breaks for Zoe in this all too real tale of MySpace gone bad. Any teenage girl can relate to her desire to be different, and to be noticed. Yes, it's a warning of the dangers of Internet predators, but it's not preachy or cheesy--just sad. This story will make you think about what you reveal online, who your real friends are, and the importance of family.

Amulet: Book One, The Stonekeeper

by Kazu Kibuishi

Summary: As Emily and her parents travel to pick up her little brother, they have a horrible accident. Kibuishi illustrates a gut-wrenching scene of terror as Emily's father, trapped inside their car, slides off a cliff to his death. When Emily, her mother, and brother Navin move to a quiet home to start over, their mother is almost immediately eaten by a terrible tentacled creature. Emily finds an amulet that is supposed to help her and Navin find and save their mother, but it may not be all that it appears.

My thoughts: The opening scene of this graphic novel is dramatically illustrated and extremely haunting. If you like Bone, you'll love this book.

Evernight

by Claudia Gray

Summary: Bianca is upset when her parents decide to take teaching positions at the Evernight Academy. The students there are clique-ish and snobby, and she doesn't feel she fits in at the exclusive boarding school. When she meets Lucas, she's terrified by him at first, then quickly develops a huge crush on her fellow outsider. But Bianca isn't what she seems, and neither is Lucas.

My thoughts: I made it halfway through this novel without catching on to what was REALLY going on, and when there was finally no mistaking it, I was totally shocked! I thought I was over vampire novels, but this one has re-sparked my interest!