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.