I just read. . .

Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris.

When I started reading the book, I was expecting a cliche version of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight. Female protagonist goes to school with seemingly-normal guy, doesn't pay him much attention, until *BAM* he saves her life in a supernatural way. Suddenly female protagonist sees supernatural (now hunky) dude as an attractive suitor, and finds herself falling for him even though she hardly knows him. At first, the comparisons were quickly stacking up between the two books (i.e., getting hit by a truck but surviving thanks to supernatural cute guy; dad in law enforcement; supernatural dude first insisting the female is crazy about what she saw, then revealing the truth to her and professing his love for her, etc. etc.). But fortunately, this book managed to take a 180 degree turn and became a fantastic creation all on its own. (Don't get me wrong, I tore through each book in the Twilight series as they came out, but the vampire theme is a little overdone and I'm ready to try some new plot lines.)

Beyond the initial comparisons, this book has a really great concept and pulls the reader in. It's a new take on science fiction, end of the world plots, and concepts that are out of this world. Janelle Tenner is a strong female lead character, full of persistence, determination, and strong will. Those qualities end up getting her into trouble occasionally, but she doesn't require a guy to defend her. Even when facing the possible end of the world, she can hold her own against FBI agents, catty ex-friends, and the supernatural.

The main character, Janelle Tenner, gets hit by a truck and killed, but she is brought back to life by Ben Michaels, a guy she barely knows from school. Mystery surrounds the incident--the truck has no identification information, not even a VIN, and the driver died from radiation burns, not from the crash. Meaning he was dead when he ran into Janelle. How is that possible? Speaking of the impossible, why was Ben Michaels at the accident scene, and how did he bring Janelle back to life? Who exactly is Ben Michaels? With secret access to her FBI agent dad's case files, Janelle and her friend Alex try to put the pieces together to the case. But the deeper they dig into the case, the stranger the case gets.

Each chapter is titled with a countdown, which speeds up the closer it gets to the end. Three days into the book, or 13 mini-chapters later, the reader finds out the countdown is for a UIED (Unidentified Improvised Explosive Device) that seems to be connected to a string of unidentified dead bodies that have been melted from radiation--just like the truck driver. As the clock ticks, Janelle and Alex realize it's not just a countdown to a bomb, but a countdown to the end of the world. Will they be able to work with Ben to stop the clock and save the world? You'll have to read to find out!!

Teen Review

Claim to Fame by Margaret Peterson Haddix is an amazing novel from one of my favorite authors. Lindsay was a child star of a hit TV show. Her life was perfect, until she began to develop her special "talent," but it seemed more like a curse. She seems to have a mental breakdown and ends up in hiding, a prisoner in her own home. Claim to Fame has all the drama of a teenage girl's life, plus a star's. It shows how Lindsay grows from being a star to a home-schooled girl in hiding, to a girl with a mission. It captures your attention from the start and holds onto it.

--Emma, Teen Reviewer

Teen Review

Into the Wild Nerd Yonder by Julie Halpern is a story of a girl who decides to defy the standards of cool and make friends with a group of "social outcasts." Jessie has always been friends with Bizza and Char, but when they change to fit in with a new crowd, Jessie decides it is time to make new friends. Despite what people have said about her new pals, Jessie likes spending time with them playing Dungeons and Dragons. This story of unlikely friends and new enemies shows that when you defy social normality you can often enjoy yourself the most.

The List by Sibhan Vivian is about superficiality and how it affects those judged by superficial standards. This book is about a school tradition where an anonymous student creates a list of each of the prettiest and ugliest girls in each of the four classes (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior) around homecoming week. It follows each of the eight girls through the week before the homecoming dance to show their reactions to the list. This tale sheds light on the traditional views of beauty and how people react to society's standards, either purposefully or accidentally. With a wicked twist and a shocking ending, this book is sure to please.

--Hannah, Teen Reviewer

I just read...

Revived by Cat Patrick.

Imagine being in a car crash-- trapped in a sinking bus with 20 other children--water rushing in with no escape--drowning.

It seems like the end, but thanks to a top secret drug called Revive, you're brought back to life. You have to relocate, change your name, pretend to be a different person, but you're ALIVE.

Now imagine dying and being revived again. And again. And again. And again. Dying and coming back to life FIVE times. Changing names, cities, and identities five times, losing friends and making new ones five times. This is the life that Daisy Appleby lives with her Revive case agents, Mason and Cassie. She's grown used to this kind of lifestyle and hasn't made attachments with others to keep a low profile, up until moving to Omaha.

For the first time, Daisy develops a genuine friendship with Audrey McKean, and a romantic interest in Audrey's brother, Matt. Just as she's deciding that Omaha feels like home, a shocking secret involving the Revive experiment threatens to turn her world upside-down. Daisy finally gets a chance for a normal life, but will the secrecy of Revive get in the way?

Want to know how the story ends? Request Revived today!

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

At eleven years old, Taylor Markham's mother abandoned her near a convenience store on Jellicoe Road. Taylor is now seventeen and in charge of her boarding school's dorm. As leader, she finds herself in secret negotiations with other teens from other schools in the area for bits and pieces of the Australian countryside surrounding the school, a game with a deadly serious overtone. When Hannah, the one adult she trusts, disappears from school grounds one day, Taylor's mind whirls with questions. Where did Hannah go? How did the territory wars between Jellicoe School students, Townies, and Cadets--a tradition several decades in the making--begin? What does the handsome and infuriating Jonah Griggs, leader of the Cadets, know about her past? And who were those five kids Hannah wrote about in an unfinished manuscript she left behind at Jellicoe?

Find out by reading Jellicoe Road, a mysterious and poetic tale of recurring dreams, connections between past and present, trust between friends, and family secrets. You can place a hold request for the book in print. Those who enjoy eBooks can also check out the title in Adobe ePUB format on compatible computers or eReaders.

Do you believe in love after death?

Now that I've finally finished the Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyer, it's time to move on to something equally as enjoyable...or creepy.

If you like dark and foreboding, then you'll love the Generation Dead series by Daniel Waters. With a cast of complex and memorable characters, Generation Dead #1 introduces us to the students of Oakvale High - a school attended by the living and the dead. Phoebe is a typical teen with a goth-style and a case of undying love for one very dead student - Tommy Williams. Adam is Phoebe's very alive, best friend. He would do anything for Phoebe, but does that include protecting Tommy?

Less about love and more about prejudice and fear of the unknown, Generation Dead is surprisingly captivating with a dash of humor - just enough to keep things "lively."

When you're done with the first title in the series, keep your eyes peeled for Kiss of Life #2 and Passing Strange #3. With Halloween quickly approaching, the Generation Dead series would be perfect for a late night read. For those in grade 9 and up.

Everafter

EVERAFTER is a unique and compelling read. Maddie, the narrator, suddenly finds herself in the midst of, well, nothing. Not a thing to feel, or see or hear, just darkness all around her. That is, until she notices some glimmers of light and finds that they are items she once lost in her life. She's dead and her only connection to the living is through these everyday objects she once knew.

Karen Kingsbury offers us a book that is not only suspenseful but thought provoking. What happened to her? How did she die so young? Can she change her life once it's over? Why are these everyday items so important now? Do we ever really see the big picture enough to appreciate our tiny corner of it? Come to your own conclusions as you explore EVERAFTER.

Available also as a book on disc or digital book.

Proms and Racism

I should note that I haven't been reading as many (meaning none) YA titles the past few months--hence so few IMHO posts lately.

However, I am watching a documentary of potential interest.  It's called Prom Night in Mississippi, and it's about the proms in the small town (pop. 2100) of Charleston, MS.  Proms, as in more than one prom. Specifically, a white prom and a black prom. 

Actor Morgan Freeman, a Mississippi native, offered to pay the full cost of an integrated prom in 1995, but his offer was ignored.  In 2008, he tried again, and this film is about that year and that prom.  I want to emphasize that in 2008, had Freeman not intervened, this school would have had segregated proms.

As I said, I'm watching it--it's stopped about halfway through at home, waiting for the next round of dinnertime DVD viewing--so I can't say how I felt about it.  So far, it's interesting, and sort of mind blowing--at one point, a man states that he isn't a racist before noting that he doesn't want his white daughter to have an African American boyfriend. 

I've gone on long enough.  Here's the trailer for your viewing pleasure.

Perfect Chemistry

Two Chicago high school students, one a head cheerleader from the north side and one a gang member from the south side, are thrown together as lab partners in their Chemistry class. Starting off the school year with a prickly confrontation that magnifies their many differences, Brittany Ellis and Alex Fuentes soon have greater challenges to overcome -- love. While breaking through and overcoming their personal misconceptions about each other, they are also faced with the disapproval of their friends and family. A passionate and intense story told in alternating narratives, Perfect Romance is recommended for teens 14 and up.

Perfect Chemistry had me hooked from the first chapter. Having read How to Ruin a Summer Vacation, also by Simone Elkeles, I look forward to other titles by this author, including a sequel to Perfect Chemistry, which is due for release in May 2010. You may also want to check out Elkeles website -- a creative and interactive site with forums, a newsletter, and rap video "book trailers" to promote her titles. One bit of interesting trivia about the author -- she's a graduate of the University of Illinois.