Glimpse

by Carol Lynch Williams

Summary: On the opening page of this novel in verse, Hope finds her older sister Lizzie holding a gun with her finger on the trigger. She has completely given up, about to attempt suicide. While Hope knows their life isn't rosy with a dead father and a grieving but selfish mother, she can't imagine what is so terrible for Lizzie that it would drive her to want to die. As the story unfolds, Hope begins to see through her mother's lies to get to the truth about the horror in their house.

My thoughts: You won't figure out until the very end what's happening to Lizzie, but you know it isn't good. This is a very sad story, but it's a quick, intense read. I had to know what happened. Carol Lynch Williams is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.

Mockingjay

by Suzanne Collins

Summary: Katniss is once again forced into a role she doesn't want to play, this time as the Mockingjay. She's a pawn and a symbol of the rebellion, but she knows she has to fulfill this role to have any chance of taking down the Capitol. Gale is with her in District 13, but Peeta has been taken prisoner by the Capitol, and she's desperate to save him. So I won't be accused of spoilers I'll stop right here!

My thoughts: This is my least favorite of the three, but I still loved it. Collins took some risks, and went some places I never thought she'd go, but she does answer questions we've all had for two years now, and I'm happy with the ending!

I Heart You, You Haunt Me

by Lisa Schroeder

Summary: Ava's boyfriend has just died in a horrible accident. She's devastated, not only because she has lost Jackson forever, but because she feels responsible for his death. She misses him terribly, but soon after he dies, she starts to sense him around her. The smell of his aftershave permeates her room, the temperature drops, the radio tunes in, by itself, to a song that she feels might be a message. And then she sees him in her bathroom mirror, and she's knows he's really there. How can she ever leave her house now that Jackson is with her? But how can she truly live her life without leaving her house? Will her love and her guilt ruin her?

My thoughts: I love books in verse. It's so great to be able to quickly read a book from start to finish and be totally involved in the story without taking a break. This story was interesting, and sweet, and a tiny bit creepy! You don't find out until the very end how Jackson died, so that alone will keep you reading!

The Coming of the Dragon

by Rebecca Barnhouse

Summary: Loosely based on the final years of Beowulf’s kingship, this imaginative retelling fleshes out the story of the only man who truly stands beside the great king to the end. Rune is an infant when he washes ashore in a mysterious boat, but is only spared death by King Beowulf and Amma, a strange old woman who becomes a mother figure to him. The king protects Rune and trains him to fight, but he remains a threat and a misfit in the minds of most villagers. He is content living a simple life until a vicious dragon is awakened and destroys everyone and everything he loves. Avenging his family leads him to answers about his own heritage, as well as some nail-biting suspense as he confronts the dragon more than once. While Rune’s insecurity and self-doubt wears thin at times, his innocence and perseverance make him a sympathetic and unlikely hero. An adventure-filled coming-of-age tale.

My thoughts: I liked this one but didn't love it. It had some exciting moments, but I wished there had been more stuff about the dragon!