Various Positions

Various Positions by Martha Schabas follows fourteen year old Georgia as she starts the Royal Ballet Academy.  Georgia's classes are run by Rodrick a cruel man whom Georgia develops a sexual obsession with which overwhelms her life.  Georgia has a confusing home life and does not know how to ask for help.

This book was horrifying.  I finished it, however only because I was so horrified that I couldn't stop reading.  The entire thing reads like an explanation as to why statutory rape isn't wrong because it's normal and natural for girls to be enamored and try to seduce much older men.  That it can't be the man's fault because the girl really wants it.  The main plot of the book is Georgia's sexual obsession with her teacher.  She doesn't just obsess over him but obsesses over men that she sees on the subway and the relationship between her father and her mother (as she finds out that her mother started dating her father when she was a student).  She looks up information on the internet on teen-adult relationships and becomes fascinated with an internet pornstar.

As for this being a dance book.  It's isn't.  She's in class and talks about putting her shoes on and doing singular dance moves occasionally but there are no scenes to put the reader into the dance or the lifestyle of a real dancer.  Her dance teacher is mean and cruel to his students putting them all up for ridicule on a regular basis.  Her classmates are just as screwed up as she is (which is not like ballet students at all) and are into partying, boys and extreme bullying (to the point where they told a girl that she had to go perform a sexual act on a group of strange boys).  In response to her teachers critique of her friends weight Georgia encourages her friend to diet and develop an eating disorder (and never acknowledges that it was a problem even commenting several times how much better her friend looked).

Appropriateness:  This is not a young adult book even though it seems to be marketed as such and it's not a book that I would give to a teen.  It did not read like a young adult book and the content is certainly not what teens would be comfortable with.  I could see readers of literary fiction enjoying the weird character study but it's not what readers of YA fiction will enjoy.  As for adult content we've got a teen-adult relationship, alcohol, teen bullying, eating disorders (and not presented in a way to teach) and unprotected casual sex.  All of the relationships in the book are unhealthy and destructive.

Review copy obtained from Amazon Vine

The Way We Fall

The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe is told in journal format by Kaelyn a girl who is stuck on an island which has been quarantined because of a horrible virus that kills everyone that contracts it.  When Kaelyn's friend's father gets mysteriously sick it starts a chain reaction that leads to the island being quarantined as more and more people die every day.  The quarantine gets worse and worse everyday as the islanders are cut off and abandoned  by the rest of the country.

I really enjoyed this novel.  The author did a good job creating a situation that is both terrifying and believable.  Kaelyn is a great character and loved the interactions with her friends and family.  There are enough new revelations as the story goes on to keep the reader interested.   I did find the story to be a little slow at times and I was very frustrated by the sudden ending.

Appropriateness:  There is no adult content in this book.  The romance is limited to a few kisses.  There is a lot of death making this a very emotional book.  I would recommend this book to teens who are a fan of dystopian and post apocalyptic novels.  

Review copy obtained from netgalley

Switched

Switched by Amanda Hocking is the first book in the Trylle trilogy.  This book is being re-released after being published independently.  The book follows Wendy who has lived with her brother and aunt after her mother tried to kill her when she was six because she was sure that Wendy was not her child.  Wendy has always felt different and has recently gained the power of persuasion.  When the mysterious Finn comes to her and tells her that she's a changling and that it's time that she returned to her real family in Trylle (troll) society.

I had major problems with this book but I do admit that it's engrossing.  It has one of those sickly sweet obsessive forbidden love stories that comes out of nowhere which included a scene where Wendy lays down and cries and wants to die because the boy she met weeks earlier leaves (I almost threw the book across the room during that scene).    I also had a problem with the mythology as it just seemed absurd that Wendy was supposed to fit into a new society (as a princess) within two weeks of leaving the family that left her.  I just felt that the writing was uneven, the plot and mythology uneven.

Appropriateness:  Aside from the unhealthy relationship there isn't any adult content.  I recommend the book for readers 13+

ARC provided by the publisher

Hallowed

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand is the second book in the Unearthly trilogy.  This series follows Clara a teenage angel who is destined to perform her purpose.  This book focuses on a new purpose that Clara has been dreaming of that will take place at the funeral of a loved one and the dark angel who is stalking her.  Clara also struggles choosing between two boys, the human Tucker and fellow Angel Christian.

I enjoyed this book but found it suffered from a bit of slowness that often is found in the middle book of the series.  This book focused heavily on the love triangle with the heroine letting things happen to her instead of making strong and confident decisions.  I did enjoy the bits and pieces of mythology that were revealed and the information that was revealed about Clara's father.  I would recommend this book to readers who enjoyed the first book (however if you didn't love the first book you'll want to skip it).

Appropriateness:  Aside from a little heavy petting there is no adult content in this book.  I would recommend it to readers 14+ (however it is not inappropriate for younger teen readers).

Review copy provided by Netgalley

The Darlings In Love

The Darlings in Love by Melissa Kantor is the sequel to The Darlings Are Forever. Natalya, Victoria and Jane all find themselves in relationships that aren't perfect.  Natalya's finds herself falling for a girl with a boyfriend, Jane's boyfriend has questionable motives and Victoria is loosing herself in her boyfriends interests.  The three of them have to figure out how to deal with these relationship issues while continuing to be friends.

This is a fantastic book for young teens (however adults and older teens will roll their eyes at the naivete of the girls) each of the girls goes through a pitfall in their relationship that girls can learn from.  From not being willing to admit that your boyfriend is gay to being in an unbalanced relationship.  It's nice to have a book that points out the problems that many have in their relationship instead of romanticizing them like other books do.  Fans of Kantor's first book will find the same style and the same focus on friendship that was found in The Darlings are Forever.

Appropriateness:  This is a book best suited for a middle school audience.  The relationship issues are a good teaching point for young teens and I would encourage parents to discuss them while their girls are reading the book.  Aside from a little lying to parents the girls do not participate in any adult behavior.  I would reccomend the book to readers 11-15.

Review copy provided by Netgalley.

Ditched

Ditched: A Love Story begins at the end with Justina being pushed out of a car in a very stained prom dress.  She makes her way into a convenience store where she tells her story to the cashier.  We are brought to the beginning of the story and Justina explains everything that happened leading up to her stumbling into the convenience store starting with the events that led up to prom.

This was a delightfully entertaining love story.  While at first I didn't like Justina I grew to love her as the book went on and her missteps and disasters were so funny.  She was flawed in a very real way but was still sweet.  The other characters seemed very real from her best friend to Ian and Mike and Other Mike.  The book was fairly short and a very fast read which I finished in a few hours.  It reminded me of an end of the year crazy teen movie about that one crazy night where everything goes wrong but ends up ok in the end.

Appropriateness:  This is a book with lots of teen behavior and the teenagers act like teenagers.  There is drinking by other characters however, the main character does not drink.  There also seems to be a constant search for designated drivers which gives this book a nice anti-drunk driving message.  There is a set of stoner characters who talk about their bong.  Justina's romantic situation is in part due to the fact that she and her best friend tried to kiss as many people as possible when they were younger which gives a nice message about how your past actions will follow you.  There is no sex and the romance is limited to a bit of kissing.  Despite all of this I wouldn't have a problem with handing this book to even a young middle schooler because the message is ultimately a good one.  Justina has to deal with the consequences of her past actions and the whole experience is related in a way that does not glorify any of the negative behaviors.  I would recommend this book to teens 13+

ARC Provided by Netgalley

Drink Slay Love

Drink Slay Love by Sarah Beth Durnst follows Pearl, a sixteen year old vampire.  While snacking at the ice cream shop (from the boy behind the counter) she sees a sparkly unicorn.  The unicorn pierces her in the heart and she wakes up on her doorstep.  Pearl soon finds that she is able to walk in the sunlight and is sent to the local high school so that she can befriend the locals and find dinner for the upcoming ceremony with the king.

I think this is what happened with this book.  The editor told the author to write a book about vampires because vampires are hot in teen lit.  The author then rolled her eyes and thought fine, if you want a vampire book I'm going to make it absurd.  Then she wrote a terrific and serious book with the most absurd characters and twists (were-unicorns anyone?).  This made for a book that was both compelling and well plotted but also hysterically funny in it's small moments of absurdity.  I couldn't put the book down and loved it.

Appropriateness:  There is no adult content in this book (aside from a little nudity because of clothes that had to be burned).  The main character is seventeen and acts her age.  The romance is sweet and fairly innocent.  I would recommend this book to both older and younger YA readers 12+

Toads and Diamonds

Toads and Diamonds follows two girls Dirbani and Tana who are blessed with gifts by a magical goddess.  Diribani speaks jewels and flowers which and her sister Tana speaks snakes and toads.  The two both find that their gifts are not as they initially seem and both present the girls with danger and with the ability to help others.  When their gifts separate them they have to figure out how to navigate life on their own and master their gifts.

This is a wonderfully delightful fairytale.  It is set in colonial India (although fictionalized) and the world building and setting makes for a beautiful read.  Although for much of the story the sisters are separated with the story moving back and fourth between narrators and location the book still manages to flow nicely.  I enjoyed the story and it gave me that nice warm feeling that fairytales often do.

Appropriateness:  There is no adult content in this book.  The characters are in their late teens and face adult responsibilities.  There is a bit of romance but not enough to turn off younger readers.  I would recommend this book to teens 13+ (and there is nothing to bother younger readers if they are interested).  The lexile is 820 putting it around a sixth grade reading level.

Under The Never Sky

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi is told in alternating voice.  Aria was born in a domed city, a world where everyone spends most of their time in the digital realms (like on Caprica).  Perry lives in the real world in a settlement and has advanced senses.  When Aria takes off her viewscreen and steps into the real world with some friends in a hope that one of them will be able to get some information on her mother.  Things quickly get out of hand causing the deaths of a few of her friends and she finds herself kicked out of the dome and left to die where she meets up with Perry who is searching for his nephew who has been kidnapped by Aria's people.  The two start on a journey together which will put both their lives at risk.

This is one of the books for the new year that has been over hyped and portrayed as totally fantastic.  The back of the book compares it to The Hunger Games and Graceling which made me raise my eyebrows.  It does not resemble the Hunger Games at all.  In reality it's more like Graceling (people with strange enhanced powers and a couple going on a journey though a strange and dangerous world) combined with the digital world of Caprica set in a post apocalyptic wasteland.  Ultimately however, it is a book about two unlikely characters meeting up going on a journey and falling in love while realizing they're more alike than they once thought. 

This book was interesting but flawed.  It has some major pacing issues and doesn't really come together until the two main characters meet up several chapters into the book and the book felt much longer than it really was.  I had no problems putting the book down and wasn't anxious to pick it back up.  The world is large and not fully explored and characters and situations are far too often left hanging with no resolution (although I'm sure they'll pop up in the later books).  There were however some interesting ideas and situations in the book and I came to care about the characters and their motivations and I never felt like giving up on the book.

Appropriateness:  This is a book that was obviously written for older teens.  The characters act older and the book was fairly heavy, it is not a quick or light or fun read.  There is one sex scene but it's so tame that you might miss it if you blink and the characters drink alcohol a few times (once with a character getting drunk and then getting himself into a fight because he's so upset).  However there is a huge amount of senseless violence with characters killing without a second thought and for the most part feeling no remorse after the fact even when multiple people are killed.  I would recommend this book to teens 14+ and caution parents of younger readers about the excesses of violence included in the story.

Review copy provided by Amazon Vine

 

Every Other Day

Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes stars Kali who has a mysterious life.  Every other day she turns into a super powerful hunter who has a need to hunt and kill paranormal creatures.  One day at her new school Kali sees a sign on one of her classmates, the popular Bethani that she has been taken over and will die within the day.  Kali takes the creature into herself because she is sure that she will be able to beat it but things are not as simple as they originally seem when the creature suddenly starts talking back and Kali starts craving blood.  Kali, her new friend Skylar and Bethani find that things are not as they seemed and find themselves running from an evil clandestine agency.

This was a fantastic read that I could not put down.  Kali was a strong girl who could kick butt and her friends provided both companionship and a little comic relief.  The concept felt fresh and original and the plot moved very quickly.  This was a fantastic book that I could not stop thinking about once I was finished and I look forward to any sequels that may follow.

Appropriateness:  Aside from a lot of gory violence there isn't any adult content.  This book was full of action and had no romance whatsoever.  Kali is an older teen and acts her age.  I would recommend this book to readers 14+ (although it is not inappropriate for younger readers). 

Review Copy Provided by Netgalley

Slayers

Slayers by C.J. Hill follows Tori, a girl who has always been obsessed with dragons.  She begins the story as her sister drops her off at Dragon camp sure she won't last a week.  Things in camp are strange.  She's met personally by the director and then taken off to a cabin miles from the rest of the camp.  Tori soon learns that she's a Dragon slayer, complete with special powers that are activated with a special dragon simulator they have at the camp.  Tori and the other slayers must train to fight to prevent Overdrake, the dragon lord from using his dragons to take over.

I almost didn't read this one because honestly the cover and title made me think it was going to be a total fantasy book that I wouldn't enjoy.  I was surprised as this book turned out to be a nice mix of contemporary with the fantasy and plenty of action and even a bit of romance.  I loved the camp setting and the games the campers would play to work on their training and the final battles at the end were epic.  The mythology was original and well crafted making for a believable world.

Appropriateness:  This is a great action packed book that will engage reluctant readers and it's a perfect middle school book, focused on fantasy and action.  There is a bit of romance (and a budding love triangle) but not enough that it would turn off a reader that disliked romance.  I would recommend this book to readers 11-15

Don't Expect Magic

Don't Expect Magic by Kathy McCullough follows Delaney who moves to California to live with her estranged father, a famous life coach after the death of her mother.  Delaney feels blinded by the sunshine and positive attitudes in California and longs to go back to New Jersey when she finds out a secret.  Her father is a fairy godmother, able to make transformations to fulfill wishes and Delaney may be one too.

I loved this book.  It was cute and quirky and filled with great characters and a bit of magic.  Delaney was a great bad girl who rebelling against the world who finds herself changed by her surroundings and her ability to cause positive change in others.  There is just a bit of romance but it was of equal importance to the relationship that develops between Delaney and her father and her friends.  I loved this book, found it impossible to put down and finished it quickly.

Appropriateness:  This is a light and fluffy book with no adult content.  The romance is sweet and just hinted at.  There is a fantastic message of being oneself while not shutting others out.  I would recommend this to readers 11+

Little Women and Me

Little Women and Me by Lauren Baratz-Logsted begins with Emily who is writing a paper for English class on Little Women.  When she opens up her old copy of the book she finds herself sucked into the story living the life as one of the March sisters.  The story goes on as it always has with Emily being added to the family and changing small bits of the story.

This was an interesting story that readers are either going to find enchanting or they're going to hate.  It literally goes through the original story but from Emily's point of view.  I enjoyed this being a fan of the original story however I did have problems being engrossed by the story.  Emily can be petty and childish and treats her fictional sisters just as if they were her own which will cause readers to love or hate her.  I found the ending to be rushed and a little cheesy. 

Appropriateness:  There is no adult content in the story.  This is a book that I would recommend to readers who were fans of Little Women (either the movie or the book) this is not a book that will speak to those who are unfamiliar with the original story.    

All's Fair in Love, War, and High School

All's Fair in Love, war, and High School by Jeanette Rallison stars sarcastic cheerleader Samantha.  Samantha who is a catty cheerleader who spends time with her friends insulting everyone's fashion choices every morning.  When her ex-boyfriend Logan bets her that she can't spend the next two weeks without saying anything negative about anyone she's in for a challenge.

I've absolutely loved everything I've read recently by Jeanette Rallison but I figured I'd take her older books one at a time in case there happened to be a point where the quality dipped.  I found it with this book.  There was nothing exceptional about this book.  It seemed like one of those books that you would have found in your middle school library twenty years ago that wasn't great.  The main character is super shallow but predictability learns how to be a nicer person and gets the guy in the end (although not necessarily the one she knew she wanted).  It wasn't a bad book but it was nothing special.

Appropriateness:  There isn't any adult content in the book and the romance is very middle school.  I would recommend this book to readers 11-14 who are looking for a short easy to read romance.  The lexile is 800 putting it around a fourth grade reading level.

How to Save a Life

How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr follows two girls Jill and Mandy who find their lives intertwining.  Jill is recovering from her fathers death and she has to deal with her Mother who has decided to invite a pregnant stranger into her home whose baby she is going to adopt.  Mandy is scared and pregnant and running away from an abusive home.  The two have to figure out how to move on with their lives and decide how they are going to live.

This is a very good book and I loved the dual perspective of the two girls who are both very different and going through different issues that intersect and while this was an issue book it wasn't filled with excess trauma.  The one problem I had with the book (and it's a problem I have with all pregnant teen books) is that the pregnancy and adoption ending worked out just a little perfectly.  I really enjoyed the book and finished it quickly.

Appropriateness:  The main characters are in their late teens.  There is sexual content but nothing excessively descriptive.  There is also discussion of child sexual and emotional abuse.  I would recommend this book to teens 14+

Follow Friday

 

Q: In light of 11.11.11 and Veteran’s Day tell us about your favorite solider and how he or she is saving the world. Fictional or real life.

A. My husband is my favorite soldier.  He's currently serving the country while getting his MBA which is a nice break for us after two Iraq deployments, a year in Korea and many other separations.  This summer was the full summer first we've spent together and we've been together for over ten years.  He's in the acquisition corps, they do all the buying and selling and testing of military equipment and supplies. 

Here we are a couple years ago at the Army Birthday Ball.

I've been reading a bunch of historical novels that took place during World War Two and I'm amazed at how much harder it was for those women left behind.  I don't know how they did it.  Without regular mail or calls and not knowing when their soldiers would be home or even if they were safe.  

Summer of My German Soldier

Summer of my German Soldier by Bette Greene tells the story of a Patti, a tortured and abused Jewish girl during World War II who houses and falls for a Nazi Soldier who escaped from a POW camp in their small southern town.  The story begins with a letter from the author telling the reader that after keeping things quiet for years to save her family she now admits that the story is based off her life.  Patti is a girl who just doesn't fit in, she's the only Jewish girl in a small town living with two abusive parents and her only friend is Ruth her maid/nanny.  When a group of POW's come into town Patti is intrigued.  She is able to talk to Anton when he comes to her fathers store and develops a secret crush.  When she finds him after he escapes she houses him in the room above her garage and protects him.

This is an interesting book however it is difficult to read and I feel there are better books for kids to read to get an understanding of the time period.  I don't think Patti's story is one that most kids can relate to and her racist attitudes are difficult for modern readers to comprehend.  However it is a very good and well written book that will interest readers who enjoy stories of people in difficult situations.  It's less of a World War II story and more of a story of an abused girl who makes terrible decisions because of her abuse.  Patti's abuse is difficult to read and she makes terrible choices, falling for the wrong person because he's the only one to show her any kindness. 

Appropriateness:  This is a type of book that when read by teens really needs an adult to help guide them and explain the characters motivations.  There is also a bit of language and difficult racial attitudes that will need to be put into context by an adult.  I would recommend this book to teens 13+ 

A La Carte

A La Carte by Tanita Davis follows Lainey who dreams of being the first Vegetarian African American TV Chef.  Lainey's mother owns a restaurant and Lainey loves being in the kitchen and creates recipes (included in the story) whenever she has a problem.  Lainey however, is far from perfect.  She has no real friends except a childhood friend Sim who takes advantage of her friendship and then runs away.

I had real problems with this book because the main character was so unlikeable.  Lainey had no friends except for Sim who was obviously a seedy character who was using her and then runs away.  Lainey steals from her mother and then lies to her about Sim's disappearance which he apparently had to do because his father was so terrible (although his terribleness seemed not to be that he was abusive but that he had high expectations).  Lainey finally opens up to a friend and finally is able to see how Sim was using her and is able to make another friend.  I did finish the book and it was a quick read (and I've been in a mood lately where I've been quitting books half way through).  I would not however recommend it because of how pathetic and unlikeable the main character was.

Appropriateness:  This is a good book to show how some people will take advantage and pretend to care to get things from you.  There is a bit of romance but no sex.  There is talk of drugs and alcohol at a party that Laney does not attend that gets out of control and has severe consequences for one of the characters.  I would recommend this book to readers 12+

Son of Neptune

The Son of Neptune by Rick Roirdan is the second book in the Heroes of Olympus series which is a spin off of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series.  This book begins with Percy (yay he's back) who has lost his memory fighting off monsters that reform as soon as he can fight them.  He quickly finds himself at the camp for Roman heroes where he doesn't quite belong with Hazel, a daughter of Pluto and Frank the son of Mars who are also outcasts.  The three head out on a quest to release the guardian of the underworld who has been taken into captivity.

This book is as good as the last.  Predictable but enjoyable with a great group of new characters and situations for Percy Jackson fans to enjoy.  I loved that we got to see what the Roman camp looked like and the differences between the Greek and Roman philosophies.  This is a very long book but it is enjoyable throughout.

Appropriateness:  This series is a little more grown up than the last.  The characters are older, there is more romance and the book is much longer.  I would recommend that parents give their kids the first series and if they love it they'll be invested enough to handle the length of the Heroes of Olympus series.  For readers who can't handle the length I would recommend the audio books which are read very well and make the series approachable for young kids (my seven year old is a huge fan of the series and won't stop listening to the audio books).

Crossed

Crossed by Ally Condie is the second book in the Matched Trilogy.

Matched, the first book follows Cassia, a girl living in a Utopian/Dystopian society where everything is predicted and controlled by the government including who they will be mated with for life.  Cassia's government mandated match is a lifelong friend of hers but when she plugs her data card in to see his information another face pops up on her screen.  Cassia falls for Ky and starts to question the rules of her society.

Crossed is told in alternating voices between Ky and Cassia and follows the two as they escape from the society and search for each other and the resistance. 

Although there is a bit of the dystopian society that was so creepy in the last book but for the most part this book turned into a voyage book that followed Cassia and Ky through the wilderness as they tried to find the resistance and learned about each other.  I liked this book although it seemed to be a placeholder filling the spot of the second book in the series that pumps up the love triangle and has a lot of angst and at the end I did not feel like the two had really gotten anywhere or we had really learned anything new.  With that said I did speed through the book, unable to put it down at points.  I love the focus on poetry and art throughout the series.

Appropriateness:  Age Appropriateness:  This is a story that will be enjoyed by the entire YA audience.  The story is complicated enough for older readers, yet the romance is set at a distance enough that younger readers will not be put off.  The romance is the focus of the story (making this a girly book) along with the importance of poetry and creating things that are original.  There is nothing in this novel that would disturb parents.  The romance is G rated and there is no substance abuse or violence.  The society is disturbing but in a thought provoking way as opposed to one that would give an easily influenced child nightmares.  The lexile for the first book was 680 putting it around a fourth grade reading level making it a good book for reluctant readers. 

Saving June

Saving June by Hannah Harrington follows Harper after her sister's suicide.  June's life and family is in shambles after her sister commits suicide and she runs away to California with her best friend and the music obsessed boy her sister used to tutor.  The three of them face an adventure and rebellion on the trip while coming to terms with June's death.

I enjoyed this book but didn't find it to be exceptional or original.  It couldn't seem to decide if it was a book about healing or a road trip book about rebellion.  It tended to embrace the "girl gone wild" moment more than I would have liked which took away from the plot of her learning to deal with her sister's death.  While it did keep me interested I think there are better books dealing with loss or rebellion.

 Appropriateness:  There's tons of adult material in the book.  Harper runs away gets wasted, smokes like a chimney, puts herself in very unsafe situations and has casual sex (with a mention of a condom yay).  It's mostly seen as rebellious and destructive but it's enough that I could see it making young and conservative readers uncomfortable.  I would recommend this book for readers 14+ and recommend that parents use it as a starting conversation on rebellion, drinking, casual sex ect. . .

Review Copy provided by Netgalley

Sucks to Be Me

  Mina's parents are vampires and now Mina has several weeks to decide if she wants to change into a vampire and leave her life behind or stay human and loose her family. There are of course boys, best friends, the junior prom and teachers complicating her life.


This is a fun book for teens. It's a quick read and has a plot and characters that young teens will embrace. If you are a fan of Sarah Mlynowski's Magic in Manhattan series or Meg Cabot's paranormal romances then you will love this book. It is light and cute as opposed to deep sexy and scary like vampire books written for older teens.

Appropriateness:  This book has no sex scenes (and the only mentions of sex are related to sex talks with parents) which makes it appropriate for young teens and tweens who want to read about teenagers but aren't ready for books that have more adult themes. This is a perfect book for the middle school set.

Awake at Dawn

Awake at Dawn is the sequel to Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter.  Born at Midnight stars Kylie who is sent by her mother to a camp for troubled teens after being busted at a party by the police.  While on the bus Kylie notices that the kids seem strange and after she arrives at the camp finds out that it's a camp for supernatural teens.  They don't know exactly what Kylie is, just that she can see ghosts.  Kylie soon gets entwined in a mystery and is torn between a cute faerie and a werewolf.

Awake at Dawn continues our story back at camp where we left off.  Kylie is being haunted by a bloody woman who tells her that she needs to help a friend or her friend will die but gives no more information than that and her romantic relationships continue to confuse her.  Kylie also starts getting powers and wonders what type of creature she will be.

Awake at Dawn was not as good as the first book in the series but did answer questions that were left hanging at the end of the last book and the tone continued to be the same.  I did feel that the story moved slowly however and I didn't find myself rushing to find out what would happen next.  I would recommend this book for readers who enjoyed the first book but if readers were unsure about the first book I'd skip it.

Appropriateness:  There are some heavy make out sessions and some discussions of sex between the characters.  I would recommend this book to teens 14+ that enjoy paranormal romance.

Winter in Wartime

Winter in Wartime by Jan Terlouw has been a classic in the Netherlands for decades.  It is a story of a boy who works for the resistance while his country is occupied by the Nazi's.  Michiel spends his time riding his bike to do errands for his friends and neighbors while staying out of the way of the Nazi's that have occupied his town.  When his friend gives him an envelope to pass on to a member of the resistance before he goes missing Michiel finds himself doing his part to help the resistance and must find who is leaking information to the Nazis.

This is a fantastic novel that tells a side of WWII that hasn't been told much before in children's literature, what it was like to live in a land occupied by the Nazi's and the male viewpoint provides a protagonist that boys will be able to relate to.  There is danger and heartache and mystery.  This is a book that I would recommend to teachers and parents alike.

Appropriateness:  This book like most books taking place in wartime covers some difficult subjects, however it is not as difficult as many WWII books because Michiel is a member of a town that is occupied as opposed to being in a concentration camp or having to hide so it can be read by younger readers.  There are deaths of people close to Michiel that can be a bit traumatic but he is never in a large amount of danger.  I would recommend this book to readers 9-14 and would highlight this as a good book for boys. 

The Princess Curse

The Princess Curse by Merrie Haskell is a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses with a few other tales sprinkled in.  Reveka a herbalist's apprentice is determined to solve the silly curse of the castle that makes the princesses ruin their dancing slippers nightly.  Revka wants the prize money from solving the mystery so that she can buy herself a place in a convent so she can become a herbalist.  Revka soon finds that the curse is not as silly as she once thought and is swept into a world she never imagined. 

I have read several retellings of The Twelve Dancing Princesses and I've yet to tire of the story.  Haskell takes the bare bones of the story and merges it with the Persephone story and a hint of Beauty and the Beast and gives us a strong female heroine who desires to free herself from societal expectations.   I loved the story and finished it quickly and feel that it will be enjoyed by fairytale fans of all ages.

Appropriateness:   There is no adult content in this book although there are some talk as to how royal marriages worked with very young brides and why the girls did not get pregnant until they were older.  Nothing that would bother me as a parent even for a young child  I would recommend this book to a middle grade audience 11-15  (although it is interesting enough for older readers who are fairy tale fans).

Review Copy Obtained From Amazon Vine

Fairy Bad Day

Fairy Bad Day by Amanda Ashby stars Emma who goes to a boarding school for kids who have The Sight to see and slay monsters that came over before the gates were closed.  Emma is sure she is going to be assigned to be a dragon slayer when she gets her assignment.  She is to be a fairy slayer, the first ever  She is not only upset at this assignment (which has her patrolling the mall with bags of skittles) which causes much teasing but she has to join up with Curtis the dragon slayer for an assignment.  When she spots a large fairy which no one else can see she must figure out how to slay him before something horrible happens.

I loved this book.  It was fantastic and so funny.  Emma was strong and resourceful and her banter with Curtis is perfect.  The mystery and world building were well crafted and made for a great setting for a humorous story.  There was enough action and romance to round out the story into something really special.  This is a quick and entertaining read that will have readers wanting more. 

Appropriateness:  There are no adult themes in this book.  The relationship is fairly innocent and sweet.  I would recommend this book to teens 12+ looking for a funny paranormal romance.

The Name of the Star

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson follows Rory who starts attending a boarding school in London as a Ripper copycat takes hold of the city.  The city is enthralled and terrified of this murderer who has been able to perform these gruesome murders without being spotted by any witnesses or the cameras that line the street.  After rushing back to her dorm on the night of one of the murders Rory sees the main suspect and becomes part of a world she never knew existed.

I really enjoyed this book.  The boarding school environment and students was (I never tire of reading about boarding schools) and the characters were realistic and nicely quirky.  The mystery and the mythology kept me guessing and then fell into place in an original way.  The book combines history and fiction in a way that makes the reader want to do research on Jack the Ripper.  I not only finished the book quickly but got to the point where I was bringing the book downstairs with me because I was hungry but didn't want to stop reading.

Appropriateness:  This book has quite a bit of underage drinking (or not quite so underage because of them being in the UK and drinking laws being different there).  Rory partakes but does not drink to excess.  It's a good starter in talking to your child about handling alcohol in college.  The romance is limited to kissing (although it gets hot and heavy) and there is some rather graphic violence.  I would recommend this book to an older teen audience 14+ (although I wouldn't find it inappropriate for older middle school readers) who are fans of the paranormal.

Touch a Denazen Novel

Touch a Denazen Novel by Jus Accardo follows Deznee a rebellious teen who runs off with Kale, a boy she meets that is running away from some strange men, as an opportunity to anger her father.  She soon learns that he has a terrifying power and that her father is not who she believed.  Her father is the head of an evil organization that captures and uses people with powers.  Kale escaped from this organization and his touch kills anything organic (except for Deznee).

This book had major major issues (although it was interesting enough to finish).  To start off with Deznee is completely unlikeable.  She has the "to stupid to live" syndrome where if she has to make a big choice she probably makes the one that's more dangerous or makes the least amount of sense.  Her attraction and "love" for Kale seems to have no reason other than it irritates her father and his creepy puppy-dog love for her.  Things pop up conveniently without much rhyme or reason and the plot was very clunky.  However, despite all these problems I will admit that I was engrossed enough by the story, the organization was interesting to read about as were the powers and Kale's learning about the world.  I finished the book very quickly and couldn't put it down and I think if there had been some serious slash and rewrite editing this could have been terrific instead of just OK.

Appropriateness:  This book really pushes the boundaries in every way as a young adult novel.  There is so much sexual content and the sex scene it is detailed enough that it would make some adults uncomfortable (although it is not erotica) much less young teens (there is a mention of her being on the pill which seems to be an excuse as to why they don't need condoms -- note to author, both please!).  There is drug use and drug dealing and drunkenness and excess amounts of rebellion and one of the worst parent-child relationships I've read in YA lit.  With all that said, Deznee is in no way portrayed as positive, a role model or even normal.  She's portrayed as a wild child who has a horrible life and is extremely rebellious and she pays for it.  I would recommend this book to teens 16+ and fans of urban fantasy (particularly readers who read adult romance and won't be turned off by the sex).

Review copy provided by netgalley

Tuesdays at the Castle

Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George takes place in a magical castle that is constantly changing.  The castle creates, changes and moves rooms and passageways based on how it feels about the people inside.  Princess Celie has always loved the castle and it's changes and has been slowly making an atlas mapping out the castle.  When her parents leave to pick her brother up from wizard school a new tower appears that only Celie can find.  They then go missing and are presumed dead and a prince from a near by kingdom is trying to wrangle himself in control of the kingdom and Celie must use her knowledge of the kingdom to save the day.

This is a delightful fairy tale like story filled with royalty, political intrigue and a magic castle.  I found myself engrossed in the story and rooting for Celie,her siblings and the castle as they try to save their castle and kingdom from those that want to take over.  I loved this book and finished it quickly and was enchanted by the magical castle.

Appropriateness:  There is nothing objectionable in this book.  It is written for the middle grade reader (9-12) and is romance free (it is interesting enough for older readers however the main character is 11).  It would make a fantastic read aloud for kids on the younger end of the spectrum.  The lexile for George's other middle grade books are around 850 with a grade level equivalent of 5.7 making this a good book for advanced readers or to use as a read aloud.

Review copy obtained from amazon vine

Past Perfect

Past Perfect by Lelia Sales follows Chelsea who is spending the summer, like every summer before working at a colonial historical village.  Chelsea has spent the past several months getting over a breakup and is not happy when her Ex Boyfriend is at orientation.  To make things more complicated Chelsea has been elected second in command of the War between her colonial village and the Confederate one across the street and when she's kidnapped she falls for Dan who is one of the enemy.

I LOVED this book.  It was hysterical.  I couldn't get enough of the historical village and the prank filled war between the two battling sides.  The details in the small characters were great and made the book from the dorky boy with a big crush to her father the history buff and her best friend who is joining her in becoming an ice cream connoisseur.  The romance is a very small part of the book with a larger part being Chelsea getting over her ex-boyfriend and realizing that perhaps things were not as perfect as she remembered.  I loved this book, it was laugh out loud funny.

 Appropriateness:  There are some drunken party scenes in the book although Chelsea does not get drunk.  The romance is limited to kissing (although they are hot kisses) and the kids pull a lot of pranks that ride the line in their legality.  I would recommend this book to readers 12+ who are fans of romantic comedy and chic lit.

If you liked this book and the reenactment village setting then be sure to pre-order Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink by Stephanie Kate Strohm which comes out in May it has a similar feel to this book.

Mousenet

Mousenet by Prudence Breitrose stars Megan a lonely girl who helps to change the world.  Megan is visiting her uncle after leaving an isolated island that she lived on with her mother when her uncle gives her his new invention the thumbtop, a miniature computer.  The mouse nation who has been watching this development of the thumbtop soon gets in touch with Megan after she moves to Washington State with her father.  Megan and her mouse friends must work to bring thumbtops to the mouse nation while also keeping the mouse nation secret from humans.

I loved this book.  It was fantastic and I couldn't wait to get back to it to read more.  Megan was a great girl who was not afraid to be herself.  I loved all the mice and the whole idea of the mouse nation.  The subplot involving Megan trying to fit into a new environment and a new family was interesting and something that kids could relate too. 

Appropriateness:  I would recommend this book to kids 9-14 and would also recommend this as a read aloud as the story is interesting enough to appeal to adults as well as kids.  The only negative in terms of kids liking this book is the length.  The ARC was around four hundred pages and while the print was larger than normal and there were a few pictures it is longer than many young readers will be able to handle.  There is no adult content in the story and the only questionable behavior is some minor breaking and entering and lying to parents that is related to the fantasy side of the story.  While this book is primarily about a girl I think that boys would enjoy the story and would be able to relate to either Megan's cousin Joey or the male mouse characters (who are pretty awesome).

ARC Provided by Netgalley

Rip Tide

Rip Tide by Kat Falls is the sequel to Dark Life.  Dark Life follows Ty who lives on the ocean floor. When he meets a topsider (someone who lives on the surface) named Gemma together they must save the underground settlements from being destroyed by outlaws.

Rip Tide puts Ty and Gemma back together as they try to find their parents who were kidnapped after trying to sell their crops.  The pair are soon enveloped into the politics and class distinctions that are a reality for the ocean residents who aren't given enough supplies to live and are willing to take part in life threatening fights to help their towns.  Ty and Gemma face many dangerous situations as they search for Ty's parents.

Rip Tide was full of action and adventure and although it is a sequel to Dark Life it felt like it was written for a different and older audience.  Dark life is very political with the plot being based on the caste like system that keeps different groups of citizens in different lives.  In between the political wrangling is a ton of (often very violent) action scenes.  I had some problems getting through this book and found it fairly clunky and lacking the charm of the first book.

Appropriateness:  While the first book was written for a young middle grade audience (9-11) this book seemed like it was for a more mature audience (which is perfect if your child read the first book when if first came out) because of the political basis for the plot and because the book was very violent.  There are several brutal fight scenes which are a little much for an elementary school audience.  However, all the action will make this a must read for boys who will really enjoy the action scenes.  There is also a hint of romance and a tough female character for female readers.  The lexile of Dark Life was 690 putting the book at a fourth grade level so this book should be around the same.  I would recommend this book to readers 11-15

Review copy obtained by Amazon Vine

Sorry I Pooped in Your Shoe

Sorry I Pooped in Your Shoe: (and Other Heartwarming Letters from Doggie) by Jeremy Greenburg is a book with delightfully cute pictures of dogs followed by letters to their owners (or inanimate objects) .  These letters say all the things we would imagine that dogs would say such as "Piggy told me you said I was cuter as a puppy" and "why do you make me eat alone on the floor."

This is an adorably cute book that will have adults and kids laughing.  It would also make a good demonstration for a creative writing project for kids.  This is the type of book that you can put on your coffee table for adults and kids alike to enjoy.

Appropriateness:  This is  an adult book but it's one that kids would enjoy.  There is a little potty humor so you'd want to keep it away from kids who are still working on making sure that they don't repeat inappropriate phrases.  I would recommend it to kids and adults 8 and up.

ARC received from netgalley.

Lola and the Boy Next Door

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins is a companion novel to Anna and the French Kiss.  Lola is a flamboyant teen who believes in costumes as fashion.  Lola thinks everything is going fantastically, she has a 22 year old rocker boyfriend who meets with her Dads for brunch every week.  However when twins Cricket and Calliope move back in next door things get turned upside down.  Lola has a history with Cricket and things quickly get out of hand.

I am normally not a fan of "break up" romance.  Romances that focus on a girl finding out that the person she's with isn't right for her when someone better comes along.  However, Perkins gives us a boy that's so wrong for our heroine (he's 22) that you're just itching for her to see the light (and she does get flack from the people around her for lying to bad rocker boyfriend and stringing along Cricket).  Lola is a delightful and funny girl who isn't afraid to be different.  Cricket is cute (cute enough that I can forgive him for being named Cricket) and a perfect match to Lola's courageousness.  Lola's gay Dads are a nice addition and portrayed as normal adoptive parents who just happen to both be men and her troubled relationship with her birth mother seemed realistic.  I loved this book and could not put it down.  It is super romantic (even though it's breakup romance).

Appropriateness:  This is a sweet and funny romance.  Lola starts the book in a relationship with an older guy (she's 17, he's 22 making it borderline illegal) however, she slowly realizes that he might be attracted to her because she's young.  It makes for a good starting point when talking to your child about why older guys go after younger girls.  Lola is sexually active however there are no sex scenes.  Her boyfriend (who is legal) drinks and smokes (he's a bad boy) but she does not because of her family history of alcoholism.  I would recommend this book to fans of romance 12+

Prized

Prized by Caragh O'Brien is the second book in the Birthmarked Trilogy,  In the first book Gaia a teenage midwife escapes from the enclave, a society who has problems with reproduction, with her baby sister after the death of both of her parents.  This book follows Gaia as she enters a new society that has it's own problems.  In Sylum women are not only a minority but they are the rulers of the society presiding over the men and each other with an iron fist allowing for no flexibility.  Gaia finds herself quickly embroiled in the politics of this society through her midwifery and her unwillingness to compromise.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book as I felt that the author did a fantastic job wrapping up Birthmarked and found myself pleasantly surprised.  The author took readers into a society that while being quite different than the enclave still faced many of the same types of  problems.  Quite like the differences in The Giver and Gathering Blue two societies that are very different but still face the same sorts of problems, in this case of reproduction, genetics and a large part of the population not having control over their society.  Gaia continues to be a strong heroine and her romantic entanglements and midwife skills make for an interesting story.  I finished the book quickly and look forward to the final book in the series.

Appropriateness:  Part of the plot involves drugs that are smoked by members of the community.  It in no way glorifies drug use and I wouldn't find it questionable for even young children.  The romantic relationships involve nothing more than kissing.  I would recommend this book to fans of dystopian fiction 14+ however it is not inappropriate for younger readers.

Fetching

Fetching by Kiera Stewart stars Olivia a girl who lives with her grandmother a dog trainer.  Olivia and her friends have been bullied by the popular group at school so they decide to train them like dogs.  The girls find success with their methods but things are not as good on the top as they seem.

I really enjoyed this book.  While it's not the most original concept for adults it has a plot that teen and tween girls will love.  The story of girls coming up with a plan to knock the popular mean girls off the top rungs of middle school society is one that kids will love.  I enjoyed the varying characters.  The subplot about a girl who feels abandoned by her mother who is in a mental hospital is fantastic and really rounds out Olivia's character.

While some of the methods the girls (and boy) use aren't realistic there are some good lessons in the book.  The girls look for signs that the bullies are going to "attack" and deflect their behavior with distraction.  The girls have a bit of a physical transformation but nothing extreme.  Olivia gets some mascara, new jeans and some hair product, one of her friends starts wearing her hair away from her face which causes her acne to clear up a bit while another maintains her original way of dress which helps their self confidence.

Appropriateness:  This book has no adult content.  There is no romance beyond a couple crush comments.  The characters are eighth graders and nice kids.  I would recommend this book to girls 9-14.

Review copy provided by netgalley

Real Mermaids Don't Wear Toe Rings

Real Mermaids Don't Wear Toe Rings by Helene Boudreau follows Jade who falls asleep in the tub and wakes up suddenly with a tail.  She soon learns that her Mother was a mermaid.  What she doesn't understand is how her mother the Mermaid drowned.  While walking by the lake she hears a voice and falls in and finds out that her mother is alive but has been kept as a prisoner in the lake.  Jade must figure out how to save her mother and keep her secret safe.

This was a very cute middle grade novel.  Jade is a spunky kid who doesn't need anyone to come to her rescue.  I loved the relationship that she has with her father and it's nice to read a book about a girl who has such a good relationship with her father.  It is a sweet and quick read that young readers will enjoy.

Appropriateness:  Jade is fourteen and acts like a middle schooler.  There is some period stuff that might make boys uncomfortable but besides that there is nothing inappropriate in the book.  There is a bit of romance which is mostly a crush.  I would recommend this book to readers 9-14.

Follow Friday

Q. If you could pick one character in a book, movie or television show to swap places with, who would it be?

I would like to switch places with Amy Pond and ride around in the TARDIS with Dr Who having adventures.

The Case of the Missing Deed

The Case of the Missing Deed by Ellen Schwartz is a culinary mystery written for kids.  The book follows a group of cousins that have to find the deed to their grandmothers house that their dead grandfather hid somewhere so they can save it from a company that wants to take it so they can create a mine which will destroy the island..  After they look everywhere they decide to make their grandmother her favorite meal and they find a clue that leads them on a sort of treasure hunt though the recipe groups.  Will they be able to save their grandmothers house and the island before it's too late?

This is a fantastic book for middle grade readers.  It has the right amount of mystery and the recipes are very child friendly.  While the actual components of the mystery are a bit silly and not very realistic it's perfect for the intended audience.  It is a fast read that pre-teens will enjoy.

Appropriateness:  There is no adult content in the novel and no violence.  There is a hint of romance but nothing that would disturb even the most romance hating boys.  I would reccomend this book to readers 9-13 and it will appeal equally to boys and girls.

Review copy provided by netgalley