Review: Rules of Attraction

Title: Rules of Attraction
Author: Simone Elkeles


From GoodReads, "When Carlos Fuentes returns to America after living in Mexico for a year, he doesn’t want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him at a high school in Colorado. Carlos likes living his life on the edge and wants to carve his own path—just like Alex did. Then he meets Kiara Westford. She doesn’t talk much and is completely intimidated by Carlos’ wild ways. As they get to know one another, Carlos assumes Kiara thinks she’s too good for him, and refuses to admit that she might be getting to him. But he soon realizes that being himself is exactly what Kiara needs right now. 

With new characters to fall in love with and the same hot romance found in Perfect Chemistry, Simone Elkeles has crafted another sure-fire hit for teens."

     After reading Perfect Chemistry, I was truly excited to read this sequel (I'm not sure it qualifies as a sequel because the main characters from Perfect Chemistry are not the main characters in this book, but are secondary characters).  This book did not disappoint me at all.  I absolutely loved the cover and after reading the book, it's the perfect cover for the book.  The main characters follow a pattern that was prominent in Elkeles first novel as well: bad boy/good girl.  I really liked both of the main characters.  I found Carlos to be similar to Alex from the first novel, but that wasn't too surprising because they are brothers.  Kiara was an interesting character as well.  I know some people will criticize Kiara's family in the book and call them too perfect, but I liked the fact that she had a supportive, caring, non-judgmental family.  I get kind of tired of reading about dysfunctional families all the time and this was a refreshing twist.  I also thought the presence of Alex and Brittany, the main characters in Perfect Chemistry, was fun as well.  It was good to see that they were still together (which I was secretly rooting for) and that they still had to work out some issues.  I'm a huge fan of the "love conquers all" formula of writing and both of these novels use that formula superbly.  This is a must-read for fans of Simone Elkeles and I would highly recommend it.

Review: Two Way Street

Title: Two Way Street

Author: Lauren Barnholdt

From GoodReads, "There are two sides to every breakup. This is Jordan and Courtney, totally in love. Sure, they were an unlikely high school couple. But they clicked; it worked. They're even going to the same college, and driving cross-country together for orientation. Then Jordan dumps Courtney -- for a girl he met on the Internet. It's too late to change plans, so the road trip is on. Courtney's heartbroken, but figures she can tough it out for a few days. La la la -- this is Courtney pretending not to care. But in a strange twist, Jordan cares. A lot. Turns out, he's got a secret or two that he's not telling Courtney. And it has everything to do with why they broke up, why they can't get back together, and how, in spite of it all, this couple is destined for each other."

     After reading Two Way Street by Lauren Barnholdt, I quickly moved this book  to our l recommended book shelf!  The main characters, Courtney and Jordan, were so likeable and as you read you really wanted them to work out their problems and be together.  I loved how each chapter changes perspectives between Courtney and Jordan, it makes the story interesting to know both points of view.  On the dreaded trip to college, pretending to hate and not care about each other isn’t as easy as they thought.  There are some really funny parts, romance, suspense and once you start reading this book you won’t be able to put it down.  I work at a high school library and we give this book to a lot of teens.  Not one has been disappointed!  

Review: All Unquiet Things

Title: All Unquiet Things
Author: Anna Jarzab


From GoodReads, "Carly: She was sweet. Smart. Self-destructive. She knew the secrets of Brighton Day School’s most privileged students. Secrets that got her killed. 

Neily: Dumped by Carly for a notorious bad boy, Neily didn’t answer the phone call she made before she died. If he had, maybe he could have helped her. Now he can’t get the image of her lifeless body out of his mind.

Audrey: She’s the reason Carly got tangled up with Brighton’s fast crowd in the first place, and now she regrets it—especially since she’s convinced the police have put the wrong person in jail. Audrey thinks the murderer is someone at Brighton, and she wants Neily to help her find out who it is.

As reluctant allies Neily and Audrey dig into their shared past with Carly, her involvement with Brighton’s dark goings-on comes to light. But figuring out how Carly and her killer fit into the twisted drama will force Audrey and Neily to face hard truths about themselves and the girl they couldn’t save."

     I am a pretty big fan of light-hearted books that don't require a lot of thought in order to read and comprehend them.  This is not one of those types of books.  This novel, written by Anna Jarzab, moves between the main characters two perspectives and also flips between the present and the past, which made the novel more intensive to read than my usual fare.  The first clue that I had that this wasn't a typical novel was the cover, with its contrast of a dead body on a white background.

     That being said, I do like Anna Jarzab's writing.  She doesn't underestimate her audience's ability to understand her clever and innovative writing style.  Her main characters of Neily and Audrey are complex.  They both have to deal with the guilt they feel after someone they love is murdered.  Their persistence to find the truth is the basis of the book, but it's the character's struggles that make this an unsettling read.  Sure, you want to find out what happened to Carly, the cousin of Audrey and the girl Neily loved, but the mystery often takes a back seat to the depth of these characters.  I congratulate Jarzab for her willingness to take on such depth for her debut novel.  I especially loved how Jarzab had the main characters meeting up later in life so the reading audience could see how they were doing after the emotional turmoil they endured throughout the book.

Review: The Wednesday Wars

Title: The Wednesday Wars
Author: Gary D. Schmidt


From Shelfari, "Gary D. Schmidt offers an unforgettable antihero in THE WEDNESDAY WARS—a wonderfully witty and compelling novel about a teenage boy's mishaps and adventures over the course of the 1967–68 school year. Meet Holling Hoodhood, a seventh-grader at Camillo Junior High, who must spend Wednesday afternoons with his teacher, Mrs. Baker, while the rest of the class has religious instruction. Mrs. Baker doesn't like Holling—he's sure of it. Why else would she make him read the plays of William Shakespeare outside class? But everyone has bigger things to worry about, like Vietnam. His father wants Holling and his sister to be on their best behavior: the success of his business depends on it. But how can Holling stay out of trouble when he has so much to contend with? A bully demanding cream puffs; angry rats; and a baseball hero signing autographs the very same night Holling has to appear in a play in yellow tights! As fate sneaks up on him again and again, Holling finds Motivation—the Big M—in the most unexpected places and musters up the courage to embrace his destiny, in spite of himself."


     I bought this book as an audiobook and listened to it on a long car ride.   I think the reason I liked this book so much was because of the wonderful job narrator, Joel Johnstone, does in making Holling's story come to life.  He does an amazing job of vocally illustrating Gary D. Schmidt's wonderful writing.  


     This book was a 2008 Newbery Medal contender, but got beat out by Good Master! Sweet Ladies! to the chagrin of some librarians, teachers, and students.  


     I liked how the book was divided into chapters by months of the year following Holling's school calendar.  It immediately set the tone that the story was in the perspective of a student and his dealings with a teacher.  I think most people can identify with Holling's dilemma of having a teacher who he thinks "hates his guts." The story was like a walk through history and for me, brought back memories of pounding erasers, coats in the cloak room, and the like.  Although today's kids might not understand some of the references in the book, they will understand the other things that never seem to change regardless of how much time passes-fitting in, bullies, and crushes.  This is a well-written book, with wonderful references, good humor, and a dose of sarcasm.  It is worth the time it takes to read.

Review: Dairy Queen

Title: Dairy Queen
Author: Catherine Gilbert Murdock


From GoodReads, "When you don't talk, there's a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said. Harsh words indeed, from Brian Nelson of all people. But, D.J. can't help admitting, maybe he's right. When you don't talk, there's a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said. Stuff like why her best friend, Amber, isn't so friendly anymore. Or why her little brother, Curtis, never opens his mouth. Why her mom has two jobs and a big secret. Why her college-football-star brothers won't even call home. Why her dad would go ballistic if she tried out for the high school football team herself. And why Brian is so, so out of her league. When you don't talk, there's a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said. Welcome to the summer that fifteen-year-old D.J. Schwenk of Red Bend, Wisconsin, learns to talk, and ends up having an awful lot of stuff to say."

First of all….don’t let the name of this book keep you from picking it up.  After you read the book you will understand how it got its name.  I absolutely love the main character, D.J. Schwenk.  She is extremely independent, athletic, strong, and believes anything a boy can do, she can do too! So when Brian Nelson, a handsome jock from the neighboring town, comes to work at her house for the summer, things get complicated!! Dairy Queen is the first of three books and I loved them all. Throughout the series, D.J. learns to cope with a lot of issues, including love. I am from the Midwest, so I appreciate D.J.’s work ethic, small town living, and family life. I also admire a girl who has a mind of her own and can depend on herself and not others.  D.J. is a great role model for any girl in middle or high school.  This is a great series!  

Review: Pop

Title: Pop
Author: Gordon Korman


From Shelfari, "When Marcus moves to a new town in the dead of summer, he doesn't know a soul. While practicing football for impending tryouts, he strikes up an unlikely friendship with an older man. Charlie is a charismatic prankster—and the best football player Marcus has ever seen. He can't believe his good luck when he finds out that Charlie is actually Charlie Popovich, or "the King of Pop," as he had been nicknamed during his career as an NFL linebacker. But that's not all. There is a secret about Charlie that his family is desperate to hide. When Marcus begins school, he meets the starting quarterback on the team: Troy Popovich. Right from the beginning, Marcus and Troy disagree—about football, about Troy's ex-girlfriend, Alyssa, but most of all about what's good for Charlie. Marcus is betting that he knows what's best for the King of Pop. And he is willing to risk everything to help his friend."


I have read many of Gordon Korman's other books and have always enjoyed his writing and this novel is no exception.  I found myself totally engrossed in this book.  I especially liked the character of Marcus Jordan.  A high school student that has just recently moved to a new town.  In his pursuit to make some new friends, he goes to the local park to throw the pigskin around.  It is at the park where he meets Charlie, a former NFL player.  After several meetings with Charlie at the park, Marcus realizes that there is more to Charlie than meets the eye.  


Marcus's relationship with Charlie is the main focus of the book, but in Marcus's pursuit to find out what exactly is wrong with Charlie, he forms a tenuous relationship with Charlie's children as well.  Charlie's son and daughter just happen to be Marcus's classmates and they have more than a few of there own secrets to hide.  


Gordon Korman should be proud of his writing in this book and in particular his exploration of the effects of head trauma caused as a result of repeated hits.  This book has a message for both students who play sports and the parents and coaches that encourage them to play.  You may not like the message that Korman sends, but reading this book will definitely put things into a whole different light.

Review: North Of Beautiful

Title: North of Beautiful

Author: Justina Chen Headley

From GoodReads, "Born with a port-wine stain birthmark covering her entire right cheek, Terra Rose Cooper is ready to leave her stifling, small Washington town where everyone knows her for her face. With her critical, reproachful father and an obese mother who turns to food to deflect her father's verbal attacks, home life for Terra isn't so great either. Fueled by her artistic desires, she plans to escape to an East Coast college, thinking this is her true path. When her father intercepts her acceptance letter, Terra is pushed off-course, and she is forced to confront her deepest insecurities. After an ironically fortuitous car accident, Terra meets Jacob, a handsome but odd goth Chinese boy who was adopted from China as a toddler. Jacob immediately understands Terra's battle with feeling different. When Terra's older brother invites her and her mother to visit him in Shanghai, Jacob and his mother also join them on their journey, where they all not only confront the truth about themselves, but also realize their own true beauty. North of Beautiful is the engaging third YA novel by Justina Chen Headley. This is a gorgeously-written, compelling book featuring universal themes of defining true beauty, family bonds, personal strength, and love."


The main character in this book, Terra Rose Cooper, has a flaw... the left side of her face is covered by a port wine stain.  Terra works hard to make people notice everything else about her, but all people seem to notice is the mark on her face.  The whole book revolves around maps.  The physical maps of the places that Terra visits in the story and the emotion maps that Terra must work through to truly "find her way."  This wasn't a book that you could just sit down and read in one setting.  You had to read a little at a time and digest it.  The book has so many layers, it might be beneficial for me to read it another time so I am sure not to miss any of the subtle lessons.  I really liked all of the aspects and themes of this book and throughly enjoyed the creative way that Justina Chen Headley took me on a trip with the main character in the book.  I not only thought the main character was well written, but the supporting cast lead to the beauty of the book.  I would highly recommend this book to anyone that is willing to take a hard look at life's journey.

Review: Hunger Games

Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins


From Shelfari, "In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.
     Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before - and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love."


     If you haven't heard about this book, then you really need to hear about it now.  This is the first book in a trilogy.  The second book, Catching Fire, will be reviewed later on this site.  The third book, Mockingjay doesn't come out until August 2010, but it is one of the most anticipated books of all time.
       Hunger Games is the story of Katniss Everdeen, one of the most likable female protagonists of all-time.  Katniss loves and protects her family in a way that few other main characters do.  Katniss makes the ultimate sacrifice when she volunteers herself to fight in place of her sister, Primrose, in the Hunger Games.
      This book will appeal to both sexes as it has action and adventure for the guys and compassion and a budding romance for the girls.  The book begins at a slower pace, but a necessary one to give the reader the backstory of Katniss and why the Hunger Games began.  It is during this beginning that the reader begins to know Katniss and makes a connection to her that will last throughout the book.  Katniss is a character that is easy to like, but is still very believable because of the choices that she makes.  There were many times that I was both frustrated and understanding of her stubbornness.  Her partner in the games, Peeta, is also an interesting character. He is affable and well-intentioned.  He is easier to like than Katniss at times.
     The book's action sequences, star-crossed lovers plot, and awesome battle scenes will make this a quick read for most students and will have them anxious to move on to the next book in the series. A wonderfully, exhilarating read.

Review: Peeled

Title: Peeled
Author: Joan Bauer


From GoodReads, "Hildy Biddle dreams of being a journalist. A reporter for her high school newspaper, The Core, she's just waiting for a chance to prove herself. Not content to just cover school issues, Hildy's drawn to the town's big story— the haunted old Ludlow house. On the surface, Banesville, USA, seems like such a happy place, but lately, eerie happenings and ghostly sightings are making Hildy take a deeper look. And she suspects the editor of The Bee, the town newspaper, is more interested in selling papers than he is in reporting the facts to a frightened public.

Hildy's efforts to find out who is really haunting Banesville isn't making her popular, and she starts wondering if she's cut out to be a journalist, after all. But she refuses to give up, because, hopefully, the truth will set a few ghosts free.

Peeled is a classic Joan Bauer novel, featuring a strong heroine, and filled with her trademark witty dialogue, and problems and people worth standing up to."

This book will entice readers who love mysteries and books that have a good guys versus bad guys theme.  The book begins with strange goings on at an old house in a small community.  There are rumors that the house is being haunted by the ghost of old man Ludlow, who was a mean guy in life and has gotten even worse in the after-life.  The high school newspaper's best reporter, Hildy Biddle, doesn't believe the rumors and sets out to find the facts.

I loved the character of Hildy Biddle, who is a strong female protagonist that isn't afraid to take on the bad guys and stand up for what is right.  The supporting characters are also well written and fascinating.  I especially like the back story of Hildy's reporter father. I really liked the cover and title of the book and thought that Joan Bauer did an amazing job of weaving together the apple theme throughout the novel, including the high school newspaper staff, The Core, and the community newsletter, The Peel.  Those play on words coupled with Bauer's exquisite writing had this reader "peeling" back the rumors to get to the "core" of the truth, which made this a delicious read.