PIRATE CINEMA by Cory Doctorow

Set in the near future in England, 16-year-old Trent spends his time downloading and editing videos to create his own message.  Unfortunately, this is illegal.  He is caught, and his punishment consists of turning off the Internet for his entire family.   This means his sister must quit school, his mother cannot get her proper medication, and his father loses his job.  Trent is so upset he runs away to live in London where he falls in with a group of like-minded individuals who are trying to change these laws that they feel are unfair. 

This is an interesting book that raises issues relevant to our world today. 

THE DIVINERS by Libba Bray

In 1926, Evie is sent from her small town home in Ohio to live with her uncle in New York City after a "practical joke" backfires.  Her Uncle Will, who runs a museum in New York City dedicated to the occult, is soon called on by the police to help catch a serial murderer, and Evie joins in trying to catch the murderer before he can strike again.  We soon learn that Evie has a special power to know what a person is thinking, what he has seen, what he has experienced by holding an object that person owns.  This power is valuable in trying to catch the murderer.  Other intriguing characters in the book include a Ziegfeld girl, a bootlegger, and a numbers runner.  Romance, action, and suspense abound in this well written first volume of a planned trilogy.

Readers who enjoyed Bray's A Great and Terrible Beauty series will definitely want to read this.  Like that series, The Diviners is historical fiction with a supernatural element.  Highly recommended.

PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER by Stephen Chbosky

Charlie is a freshman. And while's he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. He's a wallflower--shy and introspective, and intelligent beyond his years, if not very savvy in the social arts. We learn about Charlie through the letters he writes to someone of undisclosed name, age, and gender, a stylistic technique that adds to the heart-wrenching earnestness saturating this teen's story. Charlie encounters the same struggles that many kids face in high school--how to make friends, the intensity of a crush, family tensions, a first relationship, exploring sexuality, experimenting with drugs--but he must also deal with his best friend's recent suicide.

With the help of a teacher who recognizes his wisdom and intuition, and his two friends, seniors Samantha and Patrick, Charlie barely manages to avoid the depression he feels creeping up like kudzu. 

It is being made into a movie to be released September 2012.  Click here to watch the trailer for the movie.

WHEN SHE WOKE by Hillary Jordan

Set in the near future of Texas, Hannah's life centers on her family and her church.  But she loses everything when she has an affair with her minister, becomes pregnant, and has an abortion even though all abortions are illegal at this time.  When her abortion is discovered, she becomes a "chrome", sentenced to undergo a medical procedure that gentically turns her skin red.  That way, when she is returned to society, everyone who sees her will know her crime.  After she escapes a "rehabilitation" center, she finds herself depending on a revolutionary group trying to help all chromes.

The many parallels to THE SCARLET LETTER are obvious, making this book an intriguing pairing with that classic novel.  Contemporary issues abound, including abortion, religion, politics, homosexuality, crime & punishment, etc. 

ASHFALL by Mike Mullin

Set in Cedar Falls!  Teenaged Alex is at home alone while his mother, father, and sister go visit an uncle in Illinois for the weekend.   Part of Alex's house suddenly explodes as he hears booms and the sky becomes threateningly dark.  He assumes it is some kind of storm, but he soon learns that ash is pouring down on Iowa because a supervolcano in Yellowstone erupted.  Alex stays with a neighbor for a while, then spends a day or two at the high school which has become a shelter.  But he decides he needs to find his parents.  He begins a trek along Highway 20 toward Illinois, skiing over the ash.   Along the way he meets people who help him and people who want to kill him.

An episodic read full of suspense and action.  The ending leaves no doubt that a sequel will follow.

ANNA KARENINA by Leo Tolstoy

Set in the late 1800's Russia, Tolstoy's classic novel is about the love affair between the beautiful, aristocratic Anna, a married woman, and the handsome and dashing Count Vronsky.  Anna lives with her 9-year-old son and her husband, who is older than she and has some political power.  When her husband finds out about the affair, he tells her that they can go on as they have been as long as Anna and Vronsky are discreet.  However, Anna and Vronsky cannot go on as they have been and decide to live together, but Anna's son must remain with his father.  Society continues to accept Vronsky, but Anna is no longer welcome at dinners, concerts, parties, etc.

This relationship is the center of the book, but circling Anna and Vronsky are other multi-dimensional characters and relationships caught up in the sweep of place and time.  It is one of those books that reminds us why some books are "classics"--they're good.

THIRTEEN REASONS WHY by Jay Asher

When Clay returns to his house after school one day, he discovers a package containing 13 audiotapes.  He discovers that the tapes contain the voice and story of Hannah, a classmate who recently committed suicide.  Hannah explains that there are 13 reasons why she committed suicide and that everyone who receives the tapes is one of the reasons.  Clay must listen to all of the tapes to discover how he is responsible, then pass them on to the next person on the list.  Clay spends the night listening to the tapes; he discovers Hannah's pain and the consequences of his actions--and inactions.  The story alternates between Clay listening to the tapes as he travels to the various locations in town as described by Hannah, and Hannah's recounting of her high school experiences.

Admittedly, it took me a while to get around to reading this book, but it is compelling. Hannah's pain is palpable, and the uncaring reactions of some of her classmates is disheartening. The story is, of course, emotional and melodramatic, but you won't be able to put it down until you discover Clay's responsibility.  (But I must admit, the ending of the book disappointed me a bit.)

PERFECT CHEMISTRY by Simone Elkeles

Brittany and Alex attend the same high school in a suburb of Chicago, but they live in two different worlds.  Brittany's family is wealthy and lives in a beautiful house on the lake.  Alex lives in a small house with his mother and 2 younger brothers, with whom he must share a room.  Brittany is a cheerleader who dates the football captain and has a seemingly perfect life.  Alex is a gang banger who often finds himself in trouble at school.  The two have a very visible conflict in the parking lot before the first day of school, but then find themselves lab partners in their Chemistry class.  We soon learn that Brittany's life is not so perfect, even though she feels that she must be.  She feels responsible for her older sister who has multiple sclerosis since her mother can't seem to cope and her father is rarely at home.  And Alex is not your typical gang banger.  He's very smart, but as a child, he witnessed his father's murder and joined a gang to protect his family.  Predictably, Brittany and Alex find themselves attracted to each other and must deal with the pressures against the relationship from their families and friends.

A predictable but nonetheless enjoyable retelling of ROMEO & JULIET and WEST SIDE STORY.  But the ending of this story is a bit different from the other two...

BITTERBLUE by Kristin Cashore

This sequel to GRACELING follows 17-year-old Bitterblue, daughter of King Leck, as she reigns as queen of Monsea.  King Leck was a psychopath who had mind-altering abilities, and the country is still traumatized by his abuses.  In an attempt to better understand her kingdom, Bitterblue begins to sneak out at night disguised as a peasant and realizes that she and her advisors cannot just pretend the abuses never happened, they must confront them.  During these night roamings, Bitterblue meets Saf and Teddy, two thieves who only steal back what was stolen from the original owners.  Saf has the two-colored eyes of a Graceling, but he has not yet discovered what his grace is.  He and Bitterblue become romantically involved.

Some characters from GRACELING reappear in this sequel.  Katsa sweeps in and out of the action, while Po acts as an advisor to Bitterblue.  Katsa's passion and physicality contrasts to the more subdued Bitterblue.   I did not find BITTERBLUE to be as compelling as GRACELING, but fans of the first book will definitely want to read the sequel.

AU REVOIR, CRAZY EUROPEAN CHICK by Joe Schreiber

Perry is finishing his senior year of high school near New York City.  His family has hosted a foreign exchange student from Lithuania this school year, and Perry's mother is making him take Gobi (the Lithuanian student) to prom.  When Gobi decides to attend prom in a traditional Lithuanian costume, Perry is ready for a night of ridicule and humiliation.  However, the night turns out nothing like he planned.  Gobi is not really an 18-year-old exchange student; she is really a trained assassin from Lithuania and forces Perry to drive into Manhattan so she can complete the killings she has been planning for the last 9 months.

This is one of the few books that I've read in one sitting.  It is predictable and unrealistic, but great fun.  The tone is one of light-hearted escapism--even with the violence and serious motivations of Gobi. 

THE WORLD BENEATH by Cate Kennedy

Teenager Sophie does not know her father, Rich, but when he suddenly contacts her and invites her to join him on a 6 day backpacking trip through the Tasmanian wilderness, Sophie agrees.  Sandy, Sophie's mother, is suspicious of Rich but reluctantly agrees to the trip.  As the hike begins, Sophie soon realizes that her father is not quite the outdoorsman that he thinks he is, and this over-confidence leads to a disastrous chain of events on the trip.  The story is told through the alternating perspectives of Sophie, Rich, and Sandy as each presents him/herself to other people as something other than what they are actually feeling.  Each has the desperate need to connect to others but struggle with how to do that. 

I enjoyed the book and couldn't put it down during the last 75 pages or so.  I found the main characters to be a little irritating, but I think that was deliberate on the part of the author.   Sophie will appeal to teen readers, but adults will identify with Sandy's and Rich's struggles with with middle age and the lost dreams of youth.

THE WATCH THAT ENDS THE NIGHT: VOICES FROM THE TITANIC by Allan Wolf

This novel in verse form tells the story of the Titanic from around 25 perspectives.  We follow passengers from first, second, and third class including millionaire John Astor,  a young boy from Scotland, and a teenage girl from Lebanon.  We also follow crew members including the captain, the ship's wireless operator, and the ship's baker.  Sprinkled throughout are verses from the ship's rat and the iceberg as it awaits the ship.  The writer successfully builds suspense even though we know the eventual outcome.  But we keep reading wondering what happens to these passengers and crew members we come to know and care about.  Who survives? Notes at the end of the book present the known facts about the people that this historical fiction is based on.

The sinking of the Titanic continues to intrigue us.  The format of this book makes it a quick read with much emotional impact, but the historical accuracy is not compromised.  Highly recommended.

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green

Hazel and Augustus are two teenagers who meet and fall in love.  However, their relationship is not exactly typical considering they met at a cancer support group because both of them suffer from the dreaded disease.  Hazel has thyroid cancer which makes it difficult for her to breathe so she must carry an oxygen tank wherever she goes.  Augustus was a basketball sensation before he was diagnosed with bone cancer and had to have a leg amputated.  They struggle trying to lead a "typical" teenage life.  A trip to Amsterdam to meet the author of Hazel's favorite book cements the strong relationship that these two characters establish. 

The emotional ending is not exactly a surprise, but the book attempts to end on an upbeat note.

INSURGENT by Veronica Roth

The long awaited sequel to DIVERGENT does not disappoint.  INSURGENT picks up right where DIVERGENT leaves off.  Tris, Four, and the rest of the Dauntless have escaped the attack of the Erudite and are staying with the Amity faction.  Tris is struggling with the aftershock of what happened during the battle with the Erudite--the grief over losing her parents and her own violent participation.  The factions are fighting for control of the city, even as the Factionless (lead by Four's mother) begin to exert some power of their own.  We get to know more about some characters we met in DIVERGENT, including Peter, Edward, and Cara.  The relationship between Tris and Four takes some interesting and complicated paths. 

The ending of the book makes a shocking revelation and leaves us anxious for third volume of this series!

LEGEND by Marie Lu

Another in the current trend of dystopian fiction, this entry is set in Los Angeles, which is now the capital of the Republic. A war has waged between the Colonies to the east and the Republic to the west. All 10-year-olds in the Republic are given a test to determine their futures. June, one teenager telling the story, earns a perfect score. She receives lots of benefits, attends a good school, and has been recruited to be a leader of the Republic. Day, the other teenager telling the story, failed his test and leads a life hiding from the authorities. He has become a famous outlaw, kind of a Robin Hood figure, fighting for the poor. When June's older brother is killed and Day is named as the prime suspect, June hunts Day, trying to avenge her brother's death. The story is told from the alternating viewpoints of June and Day. When they finally meet, they discover that all is not as it seems. LEGEND is a top-notch dystopian novel. It has it all: romance, political intrigue, violence, suspense. A good read.

THE SHAKESPEARE THEFTS by Eric Rasmussen

The first edition of Shakespeare's printed works is called the "First Folio." Published in 1623, these books are some of the most valuable in the world. Rasmussen, the author, lead a group in tracking down and cataloging each First Folio in existence. A previous census conducted in 1902 found 160 copies. With this starting point, the group tried to find existing First Folios, determine the authenticity of the manuscripts, and trace the original owner and how the copy came to be in the hands of the current owner. Some of the copies have intriguing stories. For example, a couple who owned a First Folio died mysteriously in a boating accident. But the Folio was missing from their estate with no clue as to what happened to it. The book is an entertaining examination of the history of a very unique publication. We learn about Shakespeare, rare book collecting, and people who own and covet First Folios.

THE GLASS DEMON by Helen Grant

Lin Fox must move from England to Germany during her last year of high school along with her father, stepmother, sister, and baby brother. Her father is a professor of Medieval Studies and wants to find the legendary stained glass of Allerheiligen. Some believe the stained glass windows were destroyed long ago. Some believe the windows are hidden and, if found, would be priceless. Many believe the windows are haunted and cursed. After years of research, Lin's father wants to move to the German village where he thinks the windows may be hidden. As they first arrive at the village, they discover a dead body surrounded by shattered glass in an orchard. This is the first of several mysterious deaths that seem to be tied to the windows. Will Lin's family be next?

This is a suspenseful mystery story. But it also contains family drama with the tension between Lin, her sister (who struggles with anorexia), and their stepmother. And it has a romance as Lin and the boy who lives near them are attracted to each other. The contemporary German setting is also interesting. Good read.

DAUGHTER OF SMOKE & BONE by Laini Taylor

Karou, who lives in Prague in the Czech Republic, has no family except a group of Chimaera, beings that take on a combination of various animal and human forms. Karou struggles with loneliness and trying to figure out who--indeed, what--she really is. For generations in a kind of parallel world, the Chimaera have been at war with the Seraphs, beings that have wings and look like angels. Brimstone, Karou's caretaker and father figure, is a sorcerer and leader of the Chimaera. He regularly sends Karou on errands to various parts of the world through portals that take her anywhere in a matter of seconds. These errands usually require Karou to fetch teeth from various "dealers" and deliver them to Brimstone. (The purpose of the teeth is shockingly revealed toward the end of the book.) During one of these errands, she comes in contact with Akiva, a Seraph, and the two find themselves mysteriously drawn to each other.

This is a wonderful book! It is a blend of reality, fantasy, romance, adventure that will appeal to many. We identify with Karou as she struggles with her loneliness, trying to remain connected to the only family she has known--creatures that look like combinations of snakes, lions, jackals, etc. The mystery of her background and her connection to Akiva is one of the driving forces of the book.

EVERYBODY SEES THE ANTS by A.S. King

Lucky Linderman's father is rarely around and rarely talks when he is around. His mother seems to be addicted to swimming. School is no better since Lucky has gotten on the wrong side of Nader McMillan who torments him. Lucky's grandfather--his father's father--was MIA during the Vietnam War and was never found. In Lucky's "dreams", he rescues his grandfather. After a violent event at the neighborhood pool, Lucky and his mother decide to go visit relatives in Arizona for a few weeks. This time in Arizona changes Lucky's perspective on his parents and on his life.

Click here for a good book trailer about the book.

MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN by Ransom Riggs

Sixteen-year-old Jacob has heard his grandfather's stories about Miss Peregrine's home for peculiar children for years. But when Jacob witnesses his grandfather's brutal murder and the strange being responsible, he realizes that perhaps the place is real, and he talks his father into taking him to the small island off the coast of Wales where the home is located.

I couldn't put this book down. It is full of suspense and supernatural forces of both good and evil. Intriguing photographs of the "peculiar children" are presented throughout. But I wish a different photograph were chosen for the cover. I'm afraid the picture of the young girl will discourage boy readers, but I think boys (and girls) will love this book. The ending is a big unfinished, so a sequel must be coming!

This book trailer is really well-done introduces the story better than I can...
Click for book trailer.

PAPER COVERS ROCK by Jenny Hubbard

Journal entries written by Alex during his junior year at a boarding school tell the story of the drowning death of his best friend Thomas.  These entries reveal that Alex, Thomas, and Glenn were by the river drinking together and jumped into the river.  Only Thomas did not survive.  The entries also reveal Alex's profound guilt and his strained relationship with Glenn who orchestrates a cover-up of some of the facts surrounding the drowning--especially their drinking.  And just what does Miss Dovecott, their young, attractive English teacher know?  She came upon the scene just as they pulled Thomas out of the river.  Does she know something even Alex doesn't know?

This is a wonderful book!  It's very well written, including Alex's poems sprinkled throughout. The surprise ending works.   It almost reads like something Pat Conroy might have written. I loved it.

iBOY by Kevin Brooks

As Tom is going to visit his good friend Lucy, he is hit in the head with an iPhone thrown from the 30th floor of the building.  When Tom awakes in the hospital, the doctors explain that they could not remove all of the pieces of the iPhone; some are embedded in his brain.  Soon Tom realizes that these electronic pieces connect with his brain to give him "super" powers.  He can read other people's text messages, listen to phone calls, and send messages with his mind.  He also discovers that the night he was going to see Lucy, she was brutally raped by a gang that lives in their apartment complex.  Tom, comparing himself to Spiderman, uses his new powers to figure out who committed the crime and get revenge.

I really liked this science fiction/ realistic novel.  The characters are well-drawn and the brutal violence of the world in which Tom and Lucy live is honestly portrayed.  The iPhone super power is a nice twist.  It actually works.

11/22/63 by Stephen King

The date that is the title of this book is one of the most infamous in American History.  It is, of course, the date of the JFK assassination.  Jake, a high school English teacher from Maine, befriends the dying owner of a local diner.  But the diner harbors a secret--it is actually a portal to the past, specifically, to 1958.  The owner talks Jake into trying it out.  No matter how long Jake remains in the past, when he returns to the present, only 2 minutes have elapsed.  But the owner has another task for Jake, he wants Jake to return to 1958 and stay there until Nov. 22, 1963, so he can keep JFK from being killed.  We watch as Jake lives his life for 5 years, falls in love, and begins to stalk Lee Harvey Oswald.

It is a long book (over 800 pages), but a wonderful read!  The time travel is done consistently, and King throws in lots of references to his previous books.

THE SCORPIO RACES by Maggie Stiefvater

Every November the "capaill uisce" --water horses--emerge from the sea onto the fictional island of Thisby.  These water horses are much larger than regular horses, and they eat meat, including other horses, sheep, and people.  But some on the island have tamed the water horses enough to ride and race them in the biggest event of the year, the Scorpio Races.  The winner receives much respect on the island and a substantial prize of money.  Tourists from the mainland and from as far away as America flock to the island for the race.  The returning champion is 19-year-old Sean Kendrick, and odds are on his winning again this year.  But another entrant has islanders upset:  16-year-old Kate "Puck" Connolly intends to ride her regular horse, not a "capaill uisce".  She is the first girl to ride and the first not to ride a water horse.  But Puck needs the money and believes that her horse has a chance to win.   The book is told in the alternativing voices of Sean and Puck as they discover each other and begin to train together and to fall in love. 

I surprised myself by liking this book as much as I did.  The beginning is rather slow, but I couldn't stop reading the last 150 pages.  The setting is unique; it feels like a real island, perhaps off the coast of Ireland.  The time is contemporary but has a feel of the past.  Unlike anything else out there, it's full of unique characters, suspense, romance, and horses.  

I'LL WALK ALONE by Mary Higgins Clark

Alexandra "Zan" Moreland is a rising star in interior design in New York City.  But she has a tragic past--her young son was kidnapped in broad daylight when he was with a babysitter in Central Park three years ago.  On the anniversary of his kidnapping, pictures surface that seem to show that Zan kidnapped him herself.  Add to this the fact that someone has stolen her identity, running up charges on her credit cards, and she soon realizes that someone is out to destroy her life.  But does this mean her son could still be alive?

I would categorize this as "junk food" or "a guilty pleasure".  Not much substance, one dimensional characters, unrealistic plot line.  But still kind of fun.

THE DARK DAYS OF HAMBURGER HALPIN by Josh Berk

Will Halpin has attended a deaf school up until this year when he transfers to the regular public high school.  He struggles making friends, but he and Devon Smiley, another "outcast", soon form a friendship.  Will rarely wears his hearing aid because it gives him severe headaches, but he is an excellent lip-reader.  So when he rides the bus, he sits up front where he can see the mirror and reads the lips of the kids sitting in the back of the bus.  He finds a spot in the cafeteria so he can read the lips of the girl he has a crush on.  On a field trip to a coal mine, one of his classmates is murdered.  Will and Devon are soon involved with solving this crime and Will's lip-reading capabilities come in handy.

The common theme of the bullied outsider at a high school is freshened up a bit with the issue of Will's deafness and the murder mystery.

ROTTERS by Daniel Kraus

When Joey Crouch's mother is killed in a car crash, Joey is sent to Iowa to live with his father whom he has never met.  Joey, who has lived in Chicago his entire life, has a hard time adjusting to small town Iowa, and the kids at his new high school have a hard time accepting him and his father whom the town refers to as the "garbage man".  But Joey soon discovers that his father is not really a garbage man.  He is, in fact, a grave robber.  Joey's father earns his living by digging up the recently buried dead, stealing jewelry and other valuables that they are buried with, then selling the goods to less than scrupulous pawn shops.  Joey's struggles with bullying at school and this paired with his father's vocation soon join to create a macabre scene of revenge.

When I first realized what this book was about, I was repulsed and considered not reading it.  Then I thought I'd just read part of it.  But I found myself drawn to finish the book.  The author succeeds in making us care for these good people who do this awful thing.

DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth

Set in the near future in Chicago, citizens are divided into 5 factions:  Abnegation (the selfless), Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent).  Sixteen-year-olds undergo an examination to determine which faction they best fit; then during the Choosing Day ceremony, each 16-year-old announces the faction they will join.  However, they must pass the initiation before they can be a full-fledged member.  Beatrice's family were leaders in the Abnegation faction; however, she chose to join the Dauntless faction and changes her name to "Tris".  But can she pass the brutal initiation rites of the Dauntless?   Did she betray her family by not remaining in Abnegation?  A romance soon develops between Tris and Four, one of the Dauntless in charge of the training for initiation.

Of the many dystopian books that have been published since THE HUNGER GAMES, this is one of the best.   I'm looking forward to the 2nd book in the trilogy!

THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND by William Kamkwamba

Hunger and famine are common occurrences for William and other people living in Malawi, Africa.  Forced to drop out of school at the age of 14 because his father could not afford the tuition, William haunts a local library.   Inspired by a book and his experiences fixing radios with his cousin, William decides to provide power to his home by creating "electric wind"--a windmill.  He scavenges parts--his father's broken bicycle, his mother's clothesline, pipe from his uncle's abandoned outhouse.  Locals think he's crazy, but when his windmill actually works, the media discovers and soon William is a local and international sensation.

This true story details William's life in Malawi.  Interesting details about how the people live, including the politics of famine, make the book larger than one young man's life.  A good read.

MOCKINGBIRDS by Daisy Whitney

Alex, a 17-year-old student at a boarding school, wakes up naked in bed with a boy she cannot remember.  Fragments of the night before begin to return to her.   Going to a concert, drinking, playing a game, drinking, leaving with a boy she just met and returning to his room with him.... She knows they had sex, but also knows that she did not want to.  It was date rape.  Alex's life changes.  She doesn't eat because she can no longer face the smirks and knowing smiles from the boy's friends in the cafeteria.  She skips classes for fear that she might see him.   With the encouragement of her roommate and her older sister, she decides to bring  this case to the "Mockingbirds"--a student created justice system inspired by the Harper Lee novel TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD.   The boy claims the sex was consensual; Alex claims that she was too drunk to give consent.  The Mockingbirds will decide.

The opening scene of Alex waking up in the boy's room and realizing what happened is one of the most disturbing and powerful beginnings in a young adult novel that I've read in a long time.   The references to TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD are good and will resonate with students who have read that book.  But it did get a little teachy, preachy in places. 

DELIRIUM by Lauren Oliver

Lena is about to turn 18, when she will have the surgery that will cure her from "delirium"--that is, falling in love.   Seems the government has decided that all ills in our society stem from this one emotion.  Lena is satisfied to have the government choose her husband and her job and is looking forward to leaving the home of her aunt and uncle with whom she has lived since her mother committed suicide.  Then Lena meets Alex.  He exposes her to love and a way of living in freedom that Lena never knew existed.  Suddenly, Lena does not want the required "cure" and must decide if this rebellion is worth the price she and her family will have to pay.  Discovering the truth  about her parents also complicates her decision.

This book is another in the current trend of dystopian fiction, and, I must admit, not one of my favorites.  I found the plot to be predictable and the dystopian world not as fleshed out as it could have been.  At around 400 pages,  the book dragged a bit for me.

THE MAPPING OF LOVE AND DEATH by Jacqueline Winspear

Maisie Dobbs runs her own private investigating business in London during the 1930s.  An American couple visit her looking for information about their son Michael who was killed during World War I some 15 years earlier.  His body has just been discovered in a field in France and an examination of the remains is revealing.  First of all, he was not killed in battle--he was murdered.  Also discovered with Michael's body was a pack of letters from a nurse with whom he apparently had a relationship.  Michael's parents want Maisie to find the nurse and to discover who killed their son.  Maisie accepts the case and finds herself immersed in memories of her own time as a nurse during WWI and the loss of her fiance to that war.

Maisie Dobbs is one of my favorite characters.  She is independent, but occasionally finds herself a bit lonely.  She is intelligent and sensitive.  I also always enjoy reading books with this setting.  Our library has only one other Maisie Dobbs book, but several others have been published.

I created a Google Map to show where various events in the book occur.  Here is the link:
Google Map

INCARCERON by Catherine Fisher

Set in the not too distant future, Incarceron is a prison that was created centuries before the book begins.  Originally intended as a perfect place--a utopia--Incarceron is anything but.  People run in gangs, and violence and danger are everywhere.  No one is to enter, and no one has ever escaped.  Maybe.  Finn, a teenager, lives in Incarceron with no memory of his childood, and is convinced that he came from the outside.  He is determined to return there. 

Claudia, the teenage daughter of the warden of Incarceron, is also trying to escape--from an arranged marriage with an older man.  She discovers a mysterious crystal key in her father's study.  When Finn discovers a matching key in Incarceron they discover that they can communicate with each other.

INCARCERON is one of the many dystopian novels that have been published recently, and it's a good one with lots of good versus evil action and even a bit of a romance.  First book in the series.

CUT, PASTE, KILL by Marshall Karp

Two Los Angeles police detectives are called to investigate a murder.  A woman was stabbed with a pair of scissors, and a scrapbook of her life was left at the murder scene.  Lomax and Biggs, the two detectives, soon discover that the murder victim was driving drunk and responsible for the death of a young boy--an event that the scrapbook documents thoroughly.  Lomax and Biggs also soon discover that two other murders also had scrapbooks left at the murder scenes, and the murder victims were anything but innocent.

This book, while no great tome,  is a fun read.  Lomax and Biggs are likable, often spouting funny smart remarks.  The ending gives a nice, satisfying twist. 

Animoto (www.animoto.com) is an online video creator that is free for educators.  Here's a little video about the book: 

THE CARDTURNER by Louis Sachar

Alton Richards' summer is looking bleak.  No job and his ex-girlfriend is dating his best friend.  His parents are worried about money and make Alton work for his wealthy uncle who is a world-class Bridge player but is now blind.  Alton's job is to go with his uncle to Bridge tournaments, telling him the cards in his hand and the cards that are played on every trick, and deal for him.  At first Alton's hates the job and the insults he must endure at his uncle's expense.  But then he begins to understand and enjoy the game.  He even enters a Bridge tournament with a girl he meets through his uncle.

The relationships that develop between Alton, his uncle, and his cousin are effective.  He is distant from his parents with good reason.  I especially enjoyed the sections on Bridge and have decided I want to learn to play the game!

THE RELUCTANT FUNDAMENTALIST by Mohsin Hamid

At a cafe table in Lahore, a Pakistani man named Changez is telling a mysterious American stranger about his time living in the U.S.  Changez was living the immigrant dream--top of his class at Princeton, dream job with a firm on Wall Street, dating Erica, a beautiful girl from one of the wealthiest families in NYC.  But things begin to go wrong after September 11, 2001, when people begin to look at Changez differently.   Erica can no longer deal with grief from her past, and Changez struggles with his identities as an American and a Pakistani.

Changez is one of the most intriguing characters I've come across in a long time.  The author's decision to begin and end every chapter with Changez talking to the American stranger works well, reminding us where Changez has ended up.  The ending is unexpected and powerful.  It would be a wonderful companion to THE GREAT GATSBY.

SHIPBREAKER by Paolo Bacigalupi

Set in the near future on America's Gulf coast, gangs of young people scavange ships that have been grounded on the shore.  Because of climate change, entire cities such as New Orleans are completely under water and ships run the risk of hitting the buildings hidden at high tide.  After a brutal storm, Nailer discovers a particularly wealthy ship hidden after it is shipwrecked on a nearby island.  This claim could provide him wealth beyond his wildest imagination if he can figure out a way to keep it hidden from his abusive father and his abusive gang leader.  When he discovers a girl wounded but still alive in the ship, he is faced with another difficult decision.  Does he leave her to die so he can claim the wealth on the ship? Or does he help her?  The decision he makes changes his life in ways he never imagined.

Dystopian novels (set in a future society that has degraded and become very repressive and controlling) are quite common right now.  This is one of the best.  The beginning is a little slow as the author sets the mood, the background, and the society.  But once Nailer finds the girl, it becomes a suspenseful adventure story with characters we care about.  Good read!

Prezi (http://www.prezi.com/) is a fun, free presentation tool.  Here is a Prezi on SHIP BREAKER!

SHIP BREAKER by Paolo Bacigalupi on Prezi

THE THINGS A BROTHER KNOWS by Dana Reinhardt

Levi's older brother Boaz has just returned home from a four-year stint in the Marines, included two tours in Iraq.   Everyone in the town and at Levi's high school are congratulating the family, calling Boaz a hero.  But Levi is uncomfortable with this attention.  He's glad his brother is finally home, but Levi, his parents, and his grandfather are concerned that Boaz has some problems.  He rarely leaves his room and refuses to ride in a car.  Boaz tells his parents that he's going to hike the Appalachian Trail,  but Levi knows from the maps in Boaz's room and from the websites that Boaz has visited that Boaz is planning to walk to Washington DC.  But why?  After Boaz leaves, Levi decides to join him.  The two then share the journey.

The theme of relationships and bonding between brothers is rarely presented in books for high school readers.  This is a good one.

CITY OF VEILS by Zoe Ferraris

Set in contemporary Saudi Arabia, Katya is one of the few women working in the medical examiners office of the police department.  She struggles with all of the constraints placed on women by the Islamic culture, but she accepts them.  When she examines a body that is washed up on the beach nearby, she becomes involved with the entire murder investigation.  She soon calls upon the help of Nayir, a man she met on a previous case.  They discover that the murder victim was working on a documentary film that many in Saudi Arabia would object to. 

Nayir is a strict Islam, but finds himself attracted to Katya as Katya is to him.  This tension is played quite well in the book.  Another strength of the book is its respectful treatment of Islamic culture, even as it presents the problems many women face.  This is the sequel to FINDING NOUF by the same author and equally as good.

CROSSING by Andrew Xia Fukuda

Xing Xu is one of two Asian students at Slackenkill High School.  He is quiet and withdrawn, doing anything he can to blend into the crowd.  His loneliness is palpable. His best friend is Naomi Lee, the other Asian student, and even though she moved to the U.S. after Xing, she is assimilating faster.  She speaks English better, makes straight A's, even has a boyfriend.  When students at their high school begin to disappear, then show up dead, Xing finds himself in a position to see things that others in the high school don't see.  He sets out to solve the mystery even as he suffers negligence both at home and at school.

Crossing is a page-turning suspenseful mystery.  The chilling ending will haunt you for quite some time after you finish reading the book!

BATWOMAN: ELEGY by Greg Rucka

Gotham City has become victim to a crime spree by one of its most deadly killers--Alice.  With her father's help, Batwoman wages a battle against Alice and her gang.  Flashbacks give us the story of Batwoman's childhood, and a shocking revelation changes the relationship between Batwoman, her father, and Alice.

The story is well told and the images are mesmerizing.  Black, white, and red dominate, as angles and movement give the story an edge.  I particularly liked that everything Alice says is something from ALICE IN WONDERLAND.

SIR CHARLIE by Sid Fleischman

Still today, most of us recognize the character of the Little Tramp--postage-stamp mustache, formal bowler hat, too small jacket, too large pants, huge shoes pointing out, and a cane twirling.  This character, created by Charlie Chaplin in 1914, has become an icon of American film and American culture.  Sid Fleischman presents a very readable biography of Charlie Chaplin, from his childhood of abject poverty in the slums of London to being one of the highest paid and most powerful movie stars in Hollywood; from his banishment from the U.S. in 1952 to his triumphant return to the Oscar ceremony in 1972.  Chaplin was a genius at physical comedy and an innovative film maker.  But Fleischman also presents Chaplin's personal problems--his multiple relationships with very young women; his distance from his children; his strained relationship with his mother; his unpopular politics.

The book is well written and full of wonderful photographs.  Thoroughly entertaining--almost as entertaining as Chaplin himself!

YUMMY: THE LAST DAYS OF A SOUTHSIDE SHORTY by G. Neri

Eleven-year-old Robert Sandifer--nicknamed "Yummy"--made national news in 1994 for shooting an eleven-year-old girl named Shavon on the street in Southside Chicago.  We learn about Yummy's life and what leads up to this murder.  Yummy usually stays with his grandmother who tries to take care of about 20 other grandchildren, so Yummy turns to a gang to find a family.  The story is told through the character of Roger, another eleven-year-old who knew both Yummy and Shavon.  Roger tries to understand what happened.

This graphic novel is a very powerful retelling of this tragic event.  We see Yummy as both a monster and a child, a murderer and a victim.  Only the illustrations are black and white.

REVOLUTION by Jennifer Donnelly

Andi Alpers lives in Brooklyn, New York, and is a senior at a very exclusive private high school for very wealthy students.   But Andi's life is in shambles.  She is haunted by the death of her younger brother, Truman--a death for which she feels responsible.  Since Truman's death, Andi's parents have divorced, her father has a young girlfriend, and her unstable mother does nothing but paint pictures of Truman.  Despite Andi's intelligence and musical talent, she will not graduate unless she finishes her senior project.   Andi's father decides to take Andi with him to Paris to stay at the home of some old friends.  Here Andi discovers a hidden journal written by a girl who lived through the French Revolution in the 1790s.  So we follow two stories:  Andi struggling to accept her brother's death, her distant father, and her unstable mother.  And  Alex, the caretaker of the King of France's young son, who is doomed.

This is a beautifully written book!  The contrast between Andi's life and Alex's life is striking, yet they both struggle with devastating losses.  Would be a great read for Western Civilization class.

NUMBERS by Rachel Ward

Like many teenagers, Jem struggles.  Since her drug addicted mother died of an overdose, she has lived in a series of foster homes in London.  But Jem is different from other people as well.  When she looks someone in the eye, numbers appear to her.  Her mother's number was 10102001.  When her mother died on Oct. 10, 2001, Jem realizes that the numbers she sees reflect the day that the person will die.  Jem becomes friends with Spider, a boy from school.  One day the two ditch school and visit a tourist attraction with a huge crowd.  As Jem looks at each person, they all have the same number--today's date.  She knows that they will all die that day.  She convinces Spider to run from the center, and witnesses hear her say that something is going to happen to all of those people.  When a terrorist bomb goes off and all of those people do die, the police begin a search for Jem and Spider.

The premise of a character knowing when others will die is an intriguing one; interestingly, the book presents some contemporary issues in a very realistic way.  Jem's isolation and loneliness is touching.

THE MAZE RUNNER by James Dashner

Thomas wakes up in an elevator and can remember nothing about himself or his life except his name.  When the doors open he is delivered to a world inhabited by teenage boys who, like himself, can remember nothing about their lives before they were delivered to the Glade.  The boys have organized a life for themselves with set jobs and set schedules.  Some boys are assigned the job of runner and explore the maze that surrounds the Glade everyday before the stone doors to the maze shut every night.  The boys think that if they solve the maze they will be able to escape the Glade.  The boys were expecting Thomas when he arrives, but they were not expecting Teresa, the girl who arrives the next day.  They begin to suspect that things are about to drastically change in their world.

The book is written in short chapters--every episodic.  It has lots of action and suspense.

ROOM by Emma Donoghue

Jack is a typical 5-year-old.  He likes reading books, watching cartoons, and playing with his mother.  But Jack's life has been anything but typical.  He has lived his entire life in a single room.  In Room, he tells us, he sleeps in Wardrobe, jumps on Bed, and plays on Rug.   But nightly visits from Old Nick terrify him and his mother.  The reader soon realizes that Jack's mother was abducted by Old Nick 6 years before, and Jack was born in this room and has never left it.  But Jack's mother soon picks up on clues that Old Nick will not be able to keep them much longer and she plans their escape.

This is a wonderful book!  Jack's voice as the narrator is believable, endearing, and heart-breaking.