Dust Girl: The American Fairy Trilogy Book 1

by Sarah Zettel, 304 pages

This is another teen fantasy, but it has enough differences to set it apart from an increasingly large pack. The narrator's voice is so vivid you instantly perceive her as a strong character, and the setting is the American Dust Bowl of the 1930's.

Callie is in a small town in Kansas which is being buried by the huge dust storms rolling across the prairie. When the doctor packs up and leaves, Callie and her distracted mother are left alone in a big empty hotel which has seen far better days. The dust pneumonia is killing Callie, but her mother won't leave town in case the girl's father comes back for them. Callie knows her mother is deluded, and they argue. The biggest dust storm ever blows into town, and Callie's mother disappears. In her place an enigmatic Indian appears, and he seems to know about Callie's past. She learns that she is part Fey, and has special powers which she has yet to figure out. A hobo boy named Jack arrives, and soon she and Jack are bound for "the golden hills" of California.

On their journey they meet malignant spirits and some helpful ones too. Nothing is as it appears, and Callie has to learn to use her powers of special sight to save herself and Jack several times. The book ends on a hopeful note, but you know there is much more to come. The thing I liked best about the book was the authentic backdrop of the Dust Bowl. I could tell the author had read The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan, which won the National Book Award for nonfiction in 2006. All in all, an interesting twist on the changeling theme.

Insurgent

by Veronica Roth, 525 pages, Sequel to Divergent

While this is a very long book, you are drawn into the story right away. The action is almost non-stop, so you don't have much of the characters sitting around and discussing their predicament. They are always on the move and facing danger.

You definitely need to read Divergent first, or none of this will make sense. I can't give plot details away because there would be too many spoilers. Tris, Tobias and others from the Dauntless faction are being hunted down by the Erudite faction. 

<Mini Spoiler: skip the rest>

Time is running out for the free Dauntless and other factions, because the Erudite might gain access to a simulation which will affect everyone, including Divergents. And trust me, this would definitely be a bad thing. Its fast pace, a ruined futuristic Chicago and intriguing characters make this a book worth reading for all ages, not just teens. How soon before the next one comes out?

Hunger Games

by Suzanne Collins 374p.

Well I finally read it. I also liked it. I resisted at first because it sounded unpleasantly morbid. Yet I was drawn in by the characters and wanting to know what happened to them, Katniss, Prim, Gale, Peeta, Cinna. I'm glad I read it too. I found it entertaining and thoughtful. Funny thing, the day I finished it only about an hour later a friend suggested going to see it. That was definitely the fastest book to movie version conversion for me. The movie I thought was a good representation. I also definitely wanted to read further and read Catching Fire.

Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers

509 pgs/2012

Sired by death himself, Ismae is taken away as a young girl to a convent of St. Mortain (death's convent) where she will be trained in the art of assassination. Yes, that's right-nun assassins!! When trouble begins brewing at court and those close to the duchess can't be trusted, Ismae is selected to go undercover and figure out who is the traitor. Intrigue, court drama, and even a bit of romance hand this book over to readers who like historical fiction-and spies. I would suggest this for readers who liked Graceling as well. It's the first in the series, but the next book will feature a different character, so the main storyline is wrapped up nicely, yet leaving you wanting more from these sisters who also are spies.

Trapped

by Michael Northrop, 232p.


First of all, this is my personal idea of hell.  Being trapped in a school would be horrid, especially being trapped in a school without power of any sort.  When Scotty and his friends decide to stay after school to work on a go-kart, they didn't think that the snow would pile up so fast.  Neither did the four other students who didn't have rides.  Or the teacher that stayed behind.  They don't know if their families are okay or whats going on outside.   They just know that they are trapped in the middle of nowhere with no way out.

Truly and utterly terrifying, but not the kind that will give you the creeps at the next sign of snow.  It does make you think, though.  Lots of what ifs fill the book, which is definitely a great read.

Mockingbird

by Kathryn Erskine 235 p. This novel is from the first person point of view of a fifth grader named Caitlin. She is dealing with a lot in her life. Her family has gone through a horrible tragedy and lost her brother. She is also learning how to deal with life itself through the challenge of Asperger's Syndrome. This makes the first person point of view interesting and different.

Endless Summer, Jennifer Echols

Lori and Adam are back for this sequel and still trying to figure things out. Lori is sure she wants Adam and not Sean, but an unfortunate case of falling asleep while out on a date lands them in serious hot water with their parents, who are finding it hard to believe that sleeping was the only thing that happened. Worse, Adam's big mouth isn't helping the situation or the rivalry he has going with his brothers. Lori falls back on more scheming to get them out of the mess, determined to date a truly inappropriate boy so her father realizes how good Adam actually is for her. Adam is convinced that Sean is one she really wants, and this scheme is her way of getting him. Lori has the rest of the summer to convince Adam he's the one she wants, to keep his mouth shut, and her father that convincing Adam's parents to send him to military school was out of line.

Endless Summer, Jennifer Echols
298 pages

The Boys Next Door, Jennifer Echols

Lori has always been one of the boys, but this summer she’s determined to get at least one of the boys next door to see her in a new way. Using magazines, T.V. shows, and observation she dives headfirst into a makeover, determined to make one of the most desirable boys in school her’s before her sixteenth birthday. At first it seems like it’s working, but then Sean starts acting weird, and suddenly Adam is the one throwing her off and making her tingle. In the midst of her plotting Lori struggles with her new ideals. Is getting with Sean worth faking an injury so he regains his spot at the end of the wakeboard show for the Crappie Festival? And if Adam really wants her, why is he giving her advice on how to get Sean? Maybe she should finally listen to the advice her father gives her everyday. Watch out around those boys next door.

The Boys Next Door, Jennifer Echols

336 pages

Matched, Ally Condie

Cassia lives in an ordered city where everyone knows just enough to do their part. The Society controls every aspect of her life. They choose her job, her meals, and at the start of the book, her match. The night of her matching ceremony goes perfectly. Her dress is beautiful, the food is wonderful, and she is matched with someone who seems perfect for her. It isn’t until later, when she views her match on her microcard, another face comes up. From that moment on, nothing is the same. Cassia will be visited by officials, but their perfect explanations don’t reassure her. In a place where everything is decided for you, Cassia begins to ask herself a dangerous question. Why?

Matched, Ally Condie

366 pages

POD

By Stephen Wallenfels, 192 pages.

I made the mistake of starting this book before bed one night, not a good idea if aliens and the apocolypse freak you out. POD follows two young people during what appears to be an alien invasion. The pods appear one morning accompanied by horrific sounds only people can hear. There is no electricity and no communicative devices work. Any person stepping outside is immediately obliterated and disappear without a trace. Josh is sixteen and trapped at home with his father, they have no idea if his mother is alive. Megs is twelve and trapped in a parking garage of a hotel, her mother left and Megs is alone. The first-person narration switches back and forth between both characters as we watch their desperation to survive on both a physical level and an emotional level. This book is NOT for everyone, it is an account of an apocolyptic event so horrible things happen and there aren't many answers, but it will interest people who enjoy science fiction and stories of survival.

Fever Crumb

By Philip Reeve, 324 pages.

Ok, these are going to have to be shorter, I am WAY behind!

From her childhood, Fever Crumb was an unusual child. Taken in by Dr. Crumb of the Order of Engineers, she is raised in a world where logic is valued above all else and emotion is shunned. There are no women in the Order, which makes Fever stand out; but she also has unusual physical features which she discovers remind people of the dreaded Scriven, a not-quite-human race that was wiped out after years of human oppression. When Fever is sent to live with and assist the archeaologist Kit Solvent, she begins to discover a tangled web of mysteries and for the first time is thrown into an emotionally charged world. Fever must learn to balance reason with emotion if she is to solve the mysteries of her past, and protect her future from the political upheaval of her society.

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

2011/368 pgs.

About the Book: In the future, scientists have eliminated all disease thanks to the wonders of genetic engineering. But the downfall is that the offspring of those genetic engineered children now have a shorter lifespan-twenty years for women, twenty-five for me. Some still believe in a cure and will do anything they can to find one, including kidnapping and selling young girls into polygamist marriages.

Rhine is 16 and finds herself being taken to Housemaster Vaughn's household to be married off to his son, Linden. She refuses to accept this new role and is determined to find a way out. She begins to develop feelings for one of the household staff, Gabriel and Rhine is convinced she and Gabriel can escape Housemaster Vaughn's clutches. But world around Rhine is blurring and it's getting harder and harder to see what is real and what is a lie.

Sarah Teenlibrarian Says: Be prepared to hear a lot about this book-this one is going to be big! This is a fantastic debut and it will leave readers wanting more.

Although it's set in the future, life in Housemaster Vaughn's house almost has the feel of a period drama. Like Rhine, we never know what really is happening or what is real and what is a lie. Housemaster Vaughn is up to something, but we don't know what and that mystery adds to the story.

The characters are all fantastic-not only do we get to know Rhine, but we really get to know and care for her sister wives, Cecily and Jenna. The author has a fantastic balance of telling and showing. She tells us that Rhine is spending time with our cast of characters and then she also gives us a glimpse into a conversation with them. This balance made the romance as well as the friendships between the sister wives more real.

And the romance-love it! The author has this great way of making us unsure of who we like, who we trust, and if someone is good or bad. It's never sappy or over the top, but instead she keeps us guessing along with Rhine as to what really is going on and what exactly her feelings are.

This is a first in a trilogy, yet Wither wraps up nicely enough to not leave me hanging with a horrible cliffhanger. There are still questions left unanswered and I want to know more, but I also felt satisfied with the ending.

If you're a fan of dystopian novels, add this one to your reading list.

Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King

2010/336 pgs

About the Book: Vera Dietz just wants to be ignored. She's been secretly in love with her best friend Charlie Kahn for years, but now Charlie is dead and Vera knows the truth about the night he died. Vera and Charlie had been best friends until Charlie started hanging out with evil Jenny Flick and starting changing. But now Vera is haunted by images of Charlie and she holds to key to clearing his name-but is Vera ready to forgive Charlie?

Sarah Teenlibrarian Says: OK, my synopsis of this book is terrible because there is so much to this book. I am so thrilled that it won a Printz honor because I think the Printz committee really got it right with Please Ignore Vera Dietz. It has literary merit and I think it has great teen appeal, which don't always combine with award winners.

The story is told in alternating voices as well as timelines. We get the present as well the past so we get to see Vera and Charlie's relationship develop and then fall apart. We get a glimpse into what exactly happened. And it's not just Vera that tells the story-Vera's father, Charlie, and the town Pagoda (yes, a talking Pagoda) all help fill in the story. Vera is a darkly comic narrator and even though she may not think she's cool, I thought she was awesome.

The book is mostly about Vera and Charlie and their friendship, but it also is about Vera's relationship with her father. I love the father/daughter relationship in this book-in some ways it reminded me of Veronica and Keith Mars, one of my all time favorite father/daughter relationships. Vera talks to her dad, but they're not so perfect and she still gets upset with him. But it not just Vera who grows throughout the novel, her father grows as well which I think made the book stand out.

Even though Charlie isn't in the story in present day, we really get to know him through Vera's flashbacks. We see what it was that Vera saw in him and how he broke her heart and tore their friendship apart.

There's a bit of a mystery about what really happened to Charlie and what secrets Vera knows, but the story is more than that and I almost hesitate to even call it a mystery (even though it was nominated for an Edgar Award). This is a story of growing up, moving on and redemption.

Dead Beautiful by Yvonne Wood

2010/456 pgs.

About the Book: After Renee's parents die under mysterious circumstances, she is shipped off to a boarding school by the grandfather she hardly knows. While at Gottfried Academy Renee encounters more secrets and starts to wonder if there's a connection between her parents death and the death of a student the year before. And she can't keep fighting her growing attraction handsome Dante Berlin even if he may be dangerous and hold the answers to some of her questions.



Sarah Teenlibrarian Says: I love YA, but this book was painful to get through!

To me, Dead Beautiful, was pretty much another version of Twilight. There was too much angst, the hero has an old fashioned mysterious name, Dante Berlin and he hangs out with friends that are secretive and the students on campus don't know much about him. He's always brooding and hardly talks, yet Renee is attracted to him from the start. Dante keeps telling her that they can't be together because he'll hurt her and it's dangerous and she's not safe, but they also feel drawn to each other and can't explain their connection. It's all very over the top. I listened to this one on audio and there were times I thought I was hearing the same page over and over. I don't know how many descriptions we're given of how attractive and brooding and mysterious Dante is!

There's supposed to be a mystery surrounding the school and the students and Renee's parents, but it takes so long to get there that it didn't really hold my interest. And when we do get there, it's what I suspected all along so it was somewhat of a letdown.

Even though it wasn't for me, one of my teens came in and told me she read this book and thought it was really good, so maybe it's best if you're a teen reader and fan of paranormal books. If you're looking for a book full of angst, paranormal, a bit of mystery and a brooding main character, this is for you.

Trickster's Girl by Hilari Bell

2011/231pgs.

About the Book: One hundred years in the future, trees are dying. People are getting sick and Kelsa's father has recently passed away from a mysterious cancer that doctors and scientists can't explain. Then Kelsa meets a strange boy, Raven, who claims he knows what's going on and he needs her help. Raven says he's a mythological creature and magic is needed to stop the ecological disaster that is the world is facing. In Kelsa's high security world, magic isn't something anyone talks about. Raven might be crazy-or he might be telling the truth-and it's up to Kelsa to decide if she can really save the world.

Sarah Teenlibrarian Says: Honestly, I'm not really sure what to think of this book. It's got a mix of a lot of things-there's some science fiction and dystopia, magic and fantasy, and adventure. It's a hard book to fit into one genre. I think it would be a good read, especially for middle school readers, who aren't sure if they really like any of those genres and want a lighter taste of each.

I liked that while the book deals with an impending ecological disaster, it never gets preachy about saving the Earth (which I think can get really annoying). Instead, it's just part of the story and while Raven might mention that humans could have taken better care of the Earth, Kelsa mostly finds his commentary annoying and wants him to stop talking about what they should have done and focus on what they can do now.

The story jumps into Kelsa meeting Raven and starting off on her journey fairly quickly. I think I just felt there wasn't enough character development. I never got to know Kelsa or Raven. I also never got if they were starting to be friends or if it was turning into a bit of romance-the relationship between them needed a bit more development. There were also points of the story that felt a bit disjointed and I wish had been worked out a bit more-they seemed to solve things a bit too easily.I wanted more explanation of Raven's world, his magic, and the fellow shape shifters-that was the part I found the most interesting. And the end was a bit abrupt and left some things hanging-I guess there's a sequel on the way.

I do think this would be a good book for readers who like science fiction and fantasy a bit on the lighter side or readers who enjoy books with ecological themes. In some ways this one reminded me of Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken, so I think it would have appeal to fans of that book as well.

Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

Feb. 2011/240 pgs.

About the Book: Cryer's Cross is a small town in Montana (population 212). So when a freshman girl goes missing at the beginning of the summer, the town is thrown into a tailspin. The news especially upsets Kendall, who can't handle the worry with her OCD. When a second student goes missing and this time it's someone close to Kendall, Kendall isn't sure how she can handle it all. When she starts to hear the voices of the missing calling to her and notices messages scratched into a desk, she wonders if there's something dark at work in Cryer's Cross.

Sarah Teenlibrarian: As I've mentioned before, I don't do horror. Scary stories and Sarah do not mix. But I felt like I needed to give this book a shot for a couple of reasons: 1) I wasn't a fan of Ms. McMann's previous works (Wake, Fade and Gone) but really wanted to find something good this time around, and 2) I was attending a event she was speaking at during ALA and I felt like I should read this book before I went. (Those publishers know how to guilt librarians into reading!)

This one's described as a horror, but I never found it. Me, who can't handle the smallest scare, didn't think this book was scary or creepy at all. I think that's because the horror aspect isn't ever really there and when it's thrown in at the end, it happens too soon to have any real effect at all.

There was too much going on in this short book. Kendall has OCD, which seems to come and go at times as the author's way of explaning Kendall's quirks, but I never really got why it was important for us to know she had OCD. After hearing Ms. McMann speak, I understand that she put it in for her daughter, who also has OCD, and she wanted to feature a character where it wasn't the main focus but another aspect of the character. A good idea, but it never really seems to work the way it's intended and for reader's without this knowledge of the author's intent it might seem odd and out of place.

There's romance, but it seemed somewhat forced. I also had some issues with the way the romance was handled (spoilery issues, so I won't post too much here). There was almost a love triangle but the author writes an easy way out which really bugged me.

The mystery feels like it's second string to the main story and I'm not even sure what the main story was supposed to be. Sometimes we have a story about Kendall and her OCD, sometimes it's a story about Kendall, a girl who wants to study dance at Julliard, other times it's about Kendall the soccer player or Kendall the girl worried about the missing teens or Kendall who isn't sure what to think about new boy Jacian. The book as a whole never felt like it all worked together-it was choppy mini stories trying to make it together and it never quite pulls it off.

As for the horror, I just never thought it was there. Maybe some teens will find it gripping and compelling, but it wasn't any creepier than R.L. Stine. And the way everything is wrapped up in the end is rushed, never explained fully and comes out of the blue. The premise is good, but the execution isn't what I had hoped.

On the plus side, I thought the writing was better this time around and I do have hope for Ms. McMann's future works-this one just wasn't for me. I do think it'll fly off the shelves like her previous books, especially with teens looking for a fast, short read.

Prom & Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg

Jan. 2011/231 pgs.

About the Book: (from publicist) Lizzie Bennet, who attends Longbourn Academy on scholarship, isn't exactly interested in designer dresses and expensive shoes, but her best friend, Jane, might be—especially now that Charles Bingley is back from a semester in London. Lizzie is happy about her friend's burgeoning romance, but less than impressed by Will Darcy, a pompous jerk who looks down on the middle class. So imagine Lizzie's surprise when Will asks her to the prom! Will Lizzie's pride and Will's prejudice keep them apart? Or are they a prom couple in the making? From Elizabeth Eulberg comes a very funny, completely stylish prom season delight of Jane Austen proportions.

Sarah Teen LibrarianSays: Prom and Prejudice is a cute, light retelling of the classic Pride and Prejudice. If you have readers who enjoyed the original, this will most likely circulate well among them.

The book stays true to the original which is both good and bad. I would have liked to see a bit more originality but instead at times it felt as though the author was making sure she got in every detail from Austen's book. Because of this we don't seem to get a lot of character development. This is more for fans of the original and readers who know the original storyline.

The characters aren't developed much. I knew who they were because of the original story, but readers not familiar with the classic might have some trouble. There's not a lot of a relationship developed between Lizzie and Will and I was left a bit frustrated because I didn't really ever know what it was they saw in each other. This was what made the book as a whole not work. While there are moments that I liked, as a whole it felt like the author was trying to hard to carbon copy Pride & Prejudice, only in a modern setting. The school "prom" that is supposed to help drive the story only makes apperances when it's necessary to the plot and to remind readers of the title, but there's very little with the prom at all, which might be disappointing to readers looking for a book about the famed school dance.

The author does take good care of the story and Austen fans will appreciate that Elizabeth Eulberg is a fellow fan. The romance is light and the book's modern take has a bit of a "Gossip Girl" feel to it. It's a quick read and I would recommend it to readers who are already fans of Jane Austen. It would be a cute book to read for a book club along with the original to compare versions. I know my teens are going to love it-it won't stay on my library shelf for long!

Wishful Thinking by Alexandra Bullen

2011/242 pgs.

About the Book: Hazel has never had a mother. Adopted as a baby, her adoptive mother died shortly after and Hazel was shuffled from relative to relative growing up without a true home. So when Hazel is granted a gift of magic dresses with the power to make wishes come true, Hazel wishes she had gotten the chance to know her birth mother. Now she's transported to a time where she can make everything right. But will her journey to the past forever change her future?

Sarah TeenLibrarian Says: Wishful Thinking is a lovely magical book. The story has the feel of a fairy tale and it's a quick read-perfect for a blustery winter day when you want to curl up with a magic tale. It's a quiet book-there's not a ton of action, but there is magic and a sweet romance and readers looking for a lighter romance are sure to enjoy it.

Hazel is a character that you can easily like-she could be a depressing character who is down on herself, but instead she remains positive although sometimes a bit naive. The story moves very quickly and it doesn't take long for Hazel to get her dresses and start making her wishes. The result is a story of a girl finding the family she always longed for-although maybe not in the way she always expected.

Hazel finds herself on the island of Martha's Vineyard (a magical place itself) and the people she ends up with are a group of people I would happily spend time with. I wanted to go to their parties and hang out on the beach with them-the cast of characters is one you'll want to step inside the book and be a part of.

There are some plot twists that while I figured out early on, were still well done. I'm glad they were there-it kept the story from being too cookie-cutter. Hazel has a interest in photography and it's her time on the island that helps her develop her skills. She's given support and encouraged, but it never comes across as cheesy. Even Hazel's storyline with wanting to meet her mom could have gotten a bit cheesy but it never does. Instead it's a sweet beautiful story about a girl and her three wishes.

Wishful Thinking is a companion novel to Wish, but each book can stand on it's own and it's not necessary to read them in any order. Wishful Thinking is perfect for fairy tale fans and readers who want a little magic in their stories.