Flipped

by Wendelin Van Draanen

When Bryce moves into Juli's neighborhood in elementary school, she immediately falls head over heels in love with him. She comes on a little too strong, though. Bryce can't stand her perky personality, and that fact that she practically drools over him every time he walks by. Juli doesn't realize how she's coming across. She just wants Bryce to like her. One day, though, she realizes that Bryce isn't who she thinks he is. He's just a pretty face. He hasn't been kind to her. And she's done, just like that. Unfortunately for Bryce, this is right about the time he realizes that he's been wrong about Juli, and can't stop thinking about her.

What a sweet, fun, romance! In the beginning you ache for Juli, and at the end you want to cry for Bryce. You'll have to read it to find out if they are able to work it out!

Paper Covers Rock

by Jenny Hubbard

It's 1982. Alex goes to a preppy boarding school, where he has always been a good student. He's not the kind of guy who causes problems. One day, he and his friends decide to have a little fun, and something horrible happens. To save themselves, and their reputations, Alex and his friends lie to administration. One lie turns into another lie, and soon, Alex and his friends find themselves in an impossible situation. This novels makes us think about just how far we would go to save ourselves.

This book reminded me of the movie Dead Poets Society, maybe just because of the boarding school setting, but also because of the heart-wrenching, senseless tragedy at the story's center. Great writing, and a plot that makes your stomach turn. This one is only at the high schools.

Where She Went

by Gayle Forman

This is the follow up to Forman's If I Stay. I can't say much about the plot, for fear of spoilers, but I will say I loved this one almost as much. It beautifully answers the issues left unresolved in the first book. Told from Adam's viewpoint, it allows us to explore him as a character, and sort of see If I Stay through his eyes, without repeating the story.

This one, and If I Stay, are both found only in our high schools, but should be available at the public library.

Doll Bones

by Holly Black

At 12 years old, lifelong friends Zach, Poppy, and Alice are ferociously clinging to their childhoods. Using old Barbies, pirate action figures, dolls from Good Will, and their imaginations, they have created an exciting world of characters in an elaborate game. Figuring heavily in their plotline is the Queen, an antique doll of bone china that belongs to Poppy's mother and is strictly off-limits to the kids. She's also incredibly creepy. When Zach's dad throws away his action figures, the boy is so devastated that he ends the game abruptly, leaving the girls hurt and confused. Shortly thereafter, Poppy reveals that the Queen is made of the bones of a dead girl named Eleanor who has been communicating with her at night. The doll appears to be filled with Eleanor's ashes, and she has promised Poppy that she will make their lives miserable if they don't journey to Ohio, find her grave, and bury her properly. After much persuading, Zach and Alice agree to the journey. The Queen gets scarier and scarier as unexplained events begin to occur along the way. Black has created protagonists who readers will care about, and amusing secondary characters, like a pink-haired librarian and a crazy bus passenger who seems to be able to see Eleanor. This novel is a chilling ghost story, a gripping adventure, and a heartwarming look at the often-painful pull of adulthood. Black-and-white illustrations actually tone down the scare factor a little, making this a perfect starter story for budding horror fans.