Scythe

by Neal Shusterman

In the future, no one dies. Disease has been eliminated, and bodies mangled in accidents can be fixed with a short hospital stay. But there's not enough room for everyone on this planet, so somebody has to go. Enter the Scythes, people trained to kill at random for the good of the world. They are mysterious, feared and respected, almost god-like. When Citra and Rowan are chosen to be a Scythe's apprentice, they are both reluctant to take the job, but know that it would be best for their families. As they learn "the art of taking a life," they also learn that the "perfect" world in which they live is actually far from it. Lots of twists and turns and exciting action make this a winner!

Steelheart

by Brandon Sanderson

When a new moon descends out of nowhere, certain humans begin to exhibit unusual powers and abilities. Unfortunately, most of the people, known as Epics, choose to use their new powers for evil and personal gain. At the beginning of the crisis, David's father believes that good Epics will rise up against the bad ones, and he thinks Steelheart could be the hero they're looking for. David and his dad have misfortune of being trapped in a bank that is being attacked by Epics. David's dad saves Steelheart's life, but is then killed by Steelheart. But the bullet from David's father's gun grazes Steelheart, and he bleeds. David now knows Steelheart is vulnerable. Fast forward several years, and the Epic problem is worse. David is an expert on them. He wants to kill Steelheart, and he thinks joining a group called the Reckoners will do it. But will the Reckoners want his help?

Zero Day

by Jan Gangsei

Addie, the daughter of a governor, is kidnapped from the governor's mansion while playing hide and seek with her friend Darrow. Eight years later, her father is the President of the United States, and Addie mysteriously reappears. At first, family and friends are joyful, but as bits of Addie's past are revealed, it becomes clear that Addie isn't the scared little kidnap victim she appears to be. I thought the plot moved along nicely, and it was an interesting story...until the end. Loose ends, a cliffhanger, and real head-scratcher is what you're left with.

Lost in the Sun

by Lisa Graff

Trent Zimmerman hit a kid in the chest with a hockey puck, and he died. The boy had a heart condition that no one knew about, and it was a total accident. So why does Trent feel so guilty? Well, he's kind of going through a lot. His parents are recently divorced, his new stepmom is pregnant, his older brother seems to be more interested in girls than him, and his little brother is now best friends with the sister of the kid Trent killed. He can't play sports anymore, because he's too traumatized by what happened. He acts out in school, he fights with his dad, and is basically a mess. This is a story about Trent's road to recovery from a tragic event that changes him.

This was a sweet, sometimes funny, well-written novel. I really liked the portrayal of Trent's parents--they were so real and flawed that it was almost painful to read. I'm a big Lisa Graff fan, but I do have to say this was my least favorite of all of her books. Fallon was a little annoying and hard to buy as a real girl, and their relationship seemed kind of unbelievable. Still, a great read by an even better author.

Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek

by Maya Van Wagenen

Okay... here's what I like about this book. 1) Her overall message about the pursuit of popularity, and how it's basically something that is unattainable. It's great for teens to see others struggle, and make it to the other side. 2) I was born in South Texas, and thought the Brownsville setting was right on and pretty hilarious. She's right when she says that the story wouldn't have been the same if it had taken place somewhere else. That's about it. I just didn't find her experiment, or the excerpts from Betty's book, charming or funny. I was sad for her friends as she started table hopping in the cafeteria to make new friends, only to alienate the old ones. The fact that this young lady is so focused on becoming popular that she would do something this drastic is slightly disturbing. You might argue that this is simply a voyage of self discovery, but it's clearly not. She really, really, wants to be popular. In fact, she practically shivers with delight when her arch-nemesis tells her that everyone knows her name, and actually calls her popular. If the purpose of this book is to put a great message out there for teens, I'm not sure this is it.

In the After

by Demitria Lunetta

Amy is living in a world that has been destroyed by scary green creatures that eat humans.THEY are really fast, and really nasty. She only survived because her mom, presumed dead, was paranoid, and had many years ago had their house surrounded by an electric fence. That seems to keep THEM away. One day, on a supply run, she comes across Baby, a toddler that she takes home with her and begins to think of as a little sister. For years, they survive on their own, but it doesn't last forever, and they eventually have to leave, taking them on to another place that seems safer on the surface. But is it just danger in another form?

Granted, there are some serious plot inconsistencies. For example... Amy is worried about the sound her breathing makes while she runs on a treadmill. Has Lunetta ever run on a treadmill? Cause they are loud. You know, with the foot pounding and all. THEY have supersonic hearing and could possibly hear her breathing. But they won't hear the running? I don't get it.

But... despite many eye rolling moments, I found myself kind of obsessed with this book, and involved enough that from time to time I got startled any time I heard a noise while reading. I really did find myself pulled into this world. Characterization? Eh. But as far a plot tension goes, she nailed it. I powered through it, and was extremely irritated with myself that I finished it on a Friday and had to wait until Monday to check out the sequel.

Ship Breaker

by Paolo Bacigalupi

It's the future, and the world is not in a good way. Nailer is a ship breaker--one of a group of people living at the poverty line, trying hard to eek out a living (and maybe strike it rich) by scavenging for oil and copper off of wrecked and abandoned ships. The people form communities called crews. They swear blood oaths to defend and protect one another. When Nailer encounters a beautiful, almost dead rich girl on a wrecked clipper, he is faced with a huge decision--finish her off and be set for life, or nurse her to health with the chance of making a completely new life with her and her people. His decision leads him on a harrowing, nail-biter of a journey.

Forget Me

by K.A. Harrington

Morgan's boyfriend Flynn Parkman got hit by a car, while she watched, and now he's dead. A few months later, she decides to put a photo of him on FriendShare (a fictional Facebook), as a tribute, and it asks if she wants to tag him as Evan Murphy. When she looks closer at the picture of Evan, she's horrified to see that Evan looks exactly like Flynn. Questions begin to arise in her mind--how well did she really know Flynn, and could he actually still be alive? Her search for answers leads her through an exciting and dangerous chain of events, with twists and turns galore. This book was fun, fun, fun! Great characters, a mystery you won't figure out, and a fast read. I think you all will love it!

The Crossover

by Kwame Alexander

Twins Josh and JB are basketball stars in their last year of middle school. We hear the story through Josh's point of view. He's got a couple of things he's worried about. 1.) Winning the basketball championship. 2.) His brother has a girlfriend, and is totally wrapped up in her. 3.) Josh does not have a girlfriend and is kinda jealous. The star of this book isn't really the plot, though. It's the verse. You could read this book in an hour, since it's in poetry form, and the poetry is fun, accessible, and real.

UPDATE! This book just won the Newbery Medal!

A Matter of Days

by Amber Kizer

The Bluestar virus has wiped out the world as we know it. Nadia and her little brother Rabbit were given a super-secret vaccine by their Special Forces uncle, so they are the only people they know who survived. Their Uncle Bean gave them specific instructions to try to get their mom to take the vaccine (she was too stubborn to take it, and therefore croaked pretty quickly) and then try to get to West Virginia. He claims he'll be there waiting for them with their Pappy, whom they've never met. Since they're starting in Seattle, this turns into a quite a trip. They meet a few other survivors along the way, who happened to have a natural immunity to the virus.

This is a pretty simple story of a journey, and focuses more on how these two survive than anything else. It was interesting, but not one I'll rave about. For you people out there who just can't get enough of the end of the world.

Sasquatch in the Paint

by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Theo's six inch growth spurt the summer before his 8th grade year makes him the tallest kid in school, and a shoo-in for the basketball team. Unfortunately, he's terrible at basketball. He considers himself a nerd, and his main extra-curricular is the "Aca-ympics," a high-pressure academic team event, affectionately dubbed the "Brain Train." After his first basketball game, a heckler, (who turns out to be a cute but weird new girl named Rain) call him Sasquatch, and it sticks. His basketball experiences just get worse and worse, even when he tries to get some practice at park pick-up games. He gets in fight, a mysterious motorcycle guy is picking on Rain and stalking Theo, and Theo's dad is dating again, but trying to hide it. He feels like his life is falling apart, and then, he's accused of stealing. He might get kicked off the basketball team and the Brain Train if he can't set things right.

This is a funny, heartwarming story about basketball, loss, grief, dealing with bullies, and so much more.

Summer of the Mariposas

by Guadalupe Garcia McCall

Five sisters, cinco hermanitas, are swimming where they shouldn't. They love this little spot in the river, though, where the water bubbles up into a little alcove. They've snuck to this spot many times before, but today, there is a body floating in their playground. They are afraid to call the police, for fear of getting in trouble for being there in the first place. They drag him out, find his wallet, and see that he lives across the border in Mexico, very near their abuelita, their father's mother. Their papa, a once popular Tejano singer, has left them with no explanation. This body has given them an excuse to make a journey to Mexico to find their abuelita, and maybe their papa.

Odilia, the oldest, has the first of many mystical encounters with La Llorona, just before they leave. She gives Odilia some cryptic advice and a magical earring, and the girls, dead body in tow, are on their way to Mexico. (La Llorona, by the way, is a famous Mexican folktale. Many others are sprinkled throughout the story, like Chupacabra, etc.)

This is a retelling of The Odyssey, which, to be fair, is not one of my favorite stories in the first place. I found it hard to believe that five little girls would ride to Mexico with a dead body propped up in the car next to them, and while I realize I'm supposed to suspend my disbelief a little bit here, I just couldn't get past it. The story of the sisters and their falling-apart family was the best part of the book, but unfortunately, so much more time was spent on the mystical elements, which just weren't as interesting to me.

The Vengekeep Prophecies

by Brian Farrey

Jasper Grimjinx comes from a long line of great thieves. No one in Vengekeep respects or trusts them, and they're constantly trying to figure out ways to stay out of trouble. Jasper's mom thinks she has crafted a way to get them out of the worst types of messes, but ends up setting off a chain of terrible prophecies. Jasper thinks he knows how to save the town, but he has to go on a quest for some rare and dangerous ingredients before he can even try. Joined by some unlikely sidekicks, Jasper embarks on a crazy adventure full of magic and mayhem.

Vengekeep is a really cute book. It's a fun story, with good characters, and a fast-moving plot. I felt like it fell down a little bit in the world-building area. (I'm kind of already sick of that word, but I'm not sure how else to describe it.) The expressions, creatures, foods, etc., just seemed a little forced. As a reader, I didn't QUITE buy it. But still, an easy, quick, entertaining read.

The Rithmatist

by Brandon Sanderson

Joel wants so badly to be a Rithmatist. What's that, you ask? A person who can draw circles and lines with chalk, that will defend against chalkings. Which are chalk drawings that can and will eat you alive. WHAT?

First of all, it doesn't get much more original as far as ideas for a story go. Between each chapter, the illustrator maps out one of the defensive strategies used by Rithmatists. By the end of the book, you know the rules of this world so well, you basically feel like you could defend against the wild chalklings. And you would, if it wasn't so darn scary.

Joel goes to an Academy where Rithmatists and regular students alike attend. He's been sneaking into Rithmatist-only classes for a long time, though. Even though he knows he missed his chance to become one for real, he wants to know everything he can about them. When Rithmatic students start to disappear, and only drops of blood remain in their chewed up defensive drawings, he knows he has the tools and the knowledge to help. He just has to convince someone to let him.

I was drawn into (ha, ha) this book immediately, and was so absorbed I swear I was thinking in chalk drawings. Scary, mysterious, and totally fascinating. Really and truly different from anything I've ever read.

The Testing

by Joelle Charbonneau

I have a love/hate relationship with this book. I really wanted to hate it.

Here's what it's about. So there's this girl Cia, and she lives in a messed up future version of the United States. You see, we've destroyed ourselves with war, and by not taking care of the earth, and all that good stuff. Now, the powers that be have created The Testing. Only the best and brightest get to go (have to go?) to the big city to participate. They are put through a series of ordeals in which many, many, young people die a very violent death. There's a boy, too. Tomas. He's soooo dreamy. He tells Cia he loves her, but she's not sure if she can trust him.

Sound familiar? Yeah, I thought so. And honestly, I cant' even tell you, "But wait! This is different!" Cause it's not. But for some reason, even though I rolled my eyes through the whole thing, I just kept on reading, which I don't tend to do if I'm not interested in something. I finished it. And then, there was a sample chapter for the next book in the series. I read that, too. Today, I checked out Independent Study.

I cannot explain my behavior. It just is what it is. This is the Twilight of dystopias. Stupid, cheesy, but somehow, oddly compelling.

Wonder

by R.J. Palacio

How do you describe a book like Wonder?

Auggie Pullman was born with a severe facial deformity. This book is about his fifth grade year, his first time in public school. It's told from several different perspectives--his, his sister's, some of his classmates, etc.

I listened to this on audio, and it was really well done, so I don't know what a regular reading experience of this would be. I'm glad I listened, though, because when Auggie talks, you listen. He starts the story, and as he describes what it's like to live in his body, I couldn't help but think back to times when perhaps I wasn't as kind or as sensitive as I could have been. You almost feel guilty that he has to live with this, and you don't.

And then his sister Via begins to tell her side of the story, and while you still feel for Auggie, you feel for her, too. You suddenly feel, well, like she lets you off the hook a little. Via is my favorite. When she started talking about the Punnett square, and calculating the odds that her own children might one day have Auggie's health problems, then casually mentions that she won't be having any, I almost lost it.

With each different voice, the reader gets to experience the emotion of Auggie's condition from another perspective, and it's really magical. This story is a celebration of a parent's unconditional love for a child, the power of simple kindness, and a reminder that life's biggest blessings don't alway come packaged as expected. Everyone should read this book.

Lockwood & Co.: The Screaming Staircase

by Jonathan Stroud

England has a Problem. There are ghosts, and they are everywhere. When the ghosts first started appearing, people soon realized that psychic ability, including the ability to see ghosts, begins to diminish as one gets older. Someone had to fight the ghosts, and it had to be children. Ghost fighting agencies began to spring up, and the living learned that iron filings, salt, silver, and lavender were good tools for protection. They created ghost lamps to ease the public mind. Tools and light can only do so much, though, and ghost fighting is a dangerous job. After an unfortunate incident at her last agency, Lucy Carlyle finds employment at Lockwood & Co. There are only two other employees--the mysterious, confident, Lockwood, and his slovenly partner, George. When their first case together almost gets them killed, the press is so bad they fear they'll lose the company. Then they get an offer they can't refuse, but they'll have to risk their lives again to save the agency.

Wow, wow, wow. This is one of my favorite books of the year. First, we really need to talk about this cover. It brings to mind Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, and worst of all Scooby Doo. But puuuhhlleeeezzz don't judge this book by its cover! It's just terrible. Makes it look like this is a book for third graders. Let  me assure you... it is not. Students always ask me, "what's the scariest book you've read in this library?" From now on, I'll be walking them straight over to F STR. Toward the end, I was absolutely terrified, and I don't scare easy. This was my first Jonathan Stroud book, and I feel like I've been depriving myself all these years. I can't wait to dig into some of this other novels, and hope that there will be other Lockwood & Co. mysteries coming soon!

One Came Home

by Amy Timberlake

In post-Civil War Wisconsin, one of the most interesting things that happened in town was the huge (miles wide) flock of Passenger Pigeons coming through their area. This event attracted "pigeoners" from all over the country, who sought to make money off flesh, feathers, etc.These were not always trustworthy men.

Georgie's sister Agatha was everything Georgie wanted to be--brave, smart, and beautiful. But when the pigeoners came through Placid, Agatha disappeared. A few weeks later, a body was brought to Georgie's family. Or rather, what was left of it. A few scraps of the beautiful blue-green dress that belonged to Agatha, and a bit of skull with flaming red hair. The clues are all there. Agatha has been murdered and left for the animals to tear apart. But Georgie won't believe it. She sets off in the same direction as Agatha on a mule named Long Ears. She means to find Agatha, but ends up finding much more.

A great mystery, really good writing, and a very interesting story about these now-extinct pigeons that I bet you've never heard before.

The Last Dragonslayer

by Jasper Fforde

Jennifer Strange is, at age 15,  in charge of running Kazam, an employment agency for magicians. This used to be a great job, but in the Ununited Kingdoms, where magic's power is quickly dwindling, it's quite a challenge. Her employer, Mr. Zambini, has mysteriously disappeared, and Jennifer feels like she's in a little over her head. When one of the precogs (they can see the future) has a vision that the last dragon in the land will be slain the following Sunday, Jennifer's world turns upside down. She finds herself in the middle of a huge fight for the Dragonlands, and learns that the fate of the Ununited Kingdoms is in her hands.

This book took me quite awhile to get into. In fact, I almost abandoned it. I'm so glad I didn't though, because about halfway through, it took a turn for me. For one, I fell in love with Jennifer's sidekick, the Quarkbeast, and I now wish I could have one for my very own! Also, either I got used to Fforde's style of humor, or the second half of the book actually got funnier. Either way, I ended up liking it quite a bit.

The Boy on the Wooden Box

by Leon Leyson

Wow. It's hard to find words to describe this book. Mr. Leyson's memoir chronicles his experiences in the Holocaust as a Polish Jew. His survival is nothing short of a miracle, and is due in large part to Oskar Schindler, Leyson's amazingly close family, some luck, and his incredible bravery and will to live. There were a few times while reading this book that I actually felt physically ill. We all know what happened in the Holocaust. We know what the Nazis did, and that it was horrible. But reading a first-hand account like this made it feel more real to me than it ever has. It's beyond horrible. We need to read books like this, so nothing like the Holocaust ever happens again. One part particularly stood out to me. At one point in his ordeal, Leyson asked the cooks to save the water they used to clean out the soup pots. (Soup consisted of water, salt, pepper, and a few slivers of potato skin.) He would take that water, and set it on the steam pipe in the factory. When the water evaporated, sometimes there would be tiny bits of dehydrated food left in the bottom. This, to him, was a treat, and this occurred during one of the brighter spots of his ordeal. Simply an amazing story.