Enclave

by Ann Aguirre

Deuce lives in College Enclave, an underground society that has formed in what's left of New York City's subway system in a dismal future. Life expectancy caps out at around 25 due to poor nutrition and the great likelihood of disease. People have specific functions: breeders produce and care for children, and the hunters provide the meat (most likely rats). They also protect the others from the Freaks--humanoid creatures with sharp claws and teeth that eat human flesh. For years those in the Enclave have survived this way, but the Freaks, once mindless eaters, seem to be getting smarter. The Enclavers can no longer feel safe in the tunnels. When an unfortunate event forces Deuce topside, she begins to see there's a world outside of what she's always known, but it's not much safer than the one she hails from.

This is the first in a trilogy, and I haven't decided yet if I'll go on, which I guess means I probably won't. The first half of this story was awesome. I loved the underground world-building. But once she took us topside, the plot lost steam, and the world was not nearly as well thought out. A fun read that I think a lot of you guys will like, but there are far better out there in this overcrowded genre.

Echo

by Pam Munoz Ryan

Incredible. Unforgettable. Beautifully written. Just a few of the things that went through my mind as I put down this lovely book.

This is really three (arguably four) short stories with a common thread, but at the end of each, you're left wanting more. As Freidrich's story came to a close, I really, really, didn't want to leave him and start Mike's story. I was too invested in Freidrich! But by the end of Mike's, I didn't want to leave him to join Ivy. And, of course, as tears streamed down my face while finishing Ivy's tale, I couldn't wait to see how everything came together.

We are all connected in this human experience, and this book brings that to light in a way that might possibly change you forever.

Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow

by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

These are the stories of the young men and women who were a part of Hitler's youth army. There is some background information about the group as a whole, but for the most part, the book focuses on the stories of a particular few. While I didn't feel I learned a lot of new information, I'm not the book's intended audience, so I think there are a lot of kids who would find this fascinating. It held my attention, but Bartoletti's The Boy Who Dared, her fictionalized account of Helmuth Hubner's Nazi opposition, was much more engaging.

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.

Nightmares!

by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller

Charlie Laird's mom has recently passed away, and his dad remarried a woman named Charlotte. They all move into Charlotte's creepy purple mansion, and that's where Charlie begins having nightmares. His nightmares get scarier and scarier, and all involve an evil witch that suspiciously resembles his "Stepmonster." Soon his nightmares become more than just scary dreams. The witch can enter the waking world. When she kidnaps his little brother, Charlie discovers that he can also enter the Netherworld. It's up to him to save his brother, and the entire waking world.

Not the most original story in the world, but it's kind of cute, and the audio book is read by the author. (He's a pretty famous funny actor.)

NEED

by Joelle Charbonneau

Kaylee's brother needs a kidney, and suddenly, she's provided with a huge temptation. A new social media site has popped up among the kids at Kaylee's high school, which promises to grant requests as long as you do whatever the site requests of you. But there's a price for each NEED granted, and the game is soon out of their control.

I had such high hopes for this book. I'm a big fan of The Testing series, but this one isn't even in the same ballpark. The characters are completely unbelievable. Seriously, these are some dumb kids. The premise sounded fascinating, but it was just poorly executed. And the resolution was a real eye roller. I stuck with it, hoping it would all wrap up in the end, but ultimately, just not for me.

The Shade of the Moon

by Susan Beth Pfeffer

This is definitely the weakest of the four books, but it's great to see what happens to everyone. Pfeffer doesn't pull any punches--this one is a real heartbreaker.