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