The Marked

The Marked by Imara Scott is the second book in the Delcroix Academy series.  This series follows Dancia a girl with strong powers who attends a school whose purpose is to train kids with powers.  Dancia is initiated into the top secret program whose purpose is still unclear.  Her ex-boyfriend Jack has joined a rogue group which makes Dancia even more unsure if the Program is everything it claims to be.

This book follows a fairly predictable path in the series.  It is not bad but not exactly original and I wasn't really feeling the romance.  Dancia's powers are cool and I loved the training scenes.  Her friends were more like an afterthought thrown in occasionally and used at the end.  I would recommend this book to fans of the first book but I was not in love with it enough to be eagerly anticipating the next book in the series.

Appropriateness:  There is no adult content in this book.  I would recommend it to readers 12+

Insurgent

Insurgent by Veronica Roth is the second book in the Divergent series.  This book continues where the first left off in the aftermath of the war started by the Euridite leaders.  Trice having solved the mystery of what was going on with the simulations and why being a divergent makes her so dangerous now has to bring down the Eurdite leader who caused the war.

I've been unhappy with the second book in dystopian trilogies lately.  They all seem to consist of the heroine going on a journey and then ending up where she started.  I was happy to find that this book was different.  Roth allows the reader to see more of the society that she created while dealing with the war that has broken out.  I enjoyed the book and can't wait for the next installment in the series.

Appropriateness:  There is less adult content in this book than the first (no sex/drinking) although there is still a lot of graphic violence, depictions of war and torture.  I would recommend this book to readers 12+

Fear

Fear by Michael Grant is the fifth book in the Gone series by Michael Grant.  This is a science fiction series about a group of kids who find themselves trapped in their town after all the adults disappear.  To make things even more complicated many of the kids have developed superpowers and there are several evil elements (both kids and mysterious creatures) that have made things very difficult in the FAYZ.

This series is so much fun, full of terror and suspense.  This book gives us a new point of view of what is going on outside the bubble and a cliffhanger ending that leaves the reader breathless.  The problems of the earlier books still exist with there being so many characters that I have problems keeping them and their powers straight (can we get a list in the next book) and the book drags at times.  Despite these problems Grant has managed to keep the series fresh and moving even this far into the series.  I can't wait for the final book in the series.

Appropriateness: This series is perfect for teenage boys.  It's sick and twisted and extremely violent.  The violence is gruesome the kids kill each other and some of the characters even relish the idea of torturing and killing other kids.  The kids drink alcohol to excess and do drugs.  There's a sexual relationship between a couple in this edition, and group of kids display some very hateful and racist behavior.  However, there are consequences both physical and emotional to all of the negative behaviors and none of them are glamorized.  I wouldn't give this book to a nine year old but it's absolutely appropriate for the12 and up audience that it's targeted towards and this is a series that boys will enjoy.  This is a series to buy for your child who hates to read.

Flirting in Italian

Flirting in Italian by Lauren Henderson follows Violet a British girl.  When Violet finds a picture at a museum that looks just like her she becomes obsessed.  She finds a small finishing school in Italy right next to the castle where the picture was painted and convinces her mother to allow her to go.  The school is located at a beautiful villa and she and her three friends are poised to have a wonderful time eating wonderful food, drinking delicious wine and flirting with cute Italian boys while trying to solve the mystery of why she looks so much like the girl in the painting.

This is a fun and flirty book that is a true romance.  It takes place in a fun and foreign location with great friends and cute boys.  However, there is a plot point with her crush (whom she kisses a lot) whose mother lives at the castle with the painting (if you get what I'm saying) that is not resolved at the end of the book that is a bit icky that is going to turn off a lot of readers.  If you can get past that you'll find that this is a cute and fun romance that your older teens will enjoy.

Appropriateness:  This is a book that straddles the line between adult and teen lit.  Had Violet been two years older it would have fit perfectly in the chic lit section.  There are several steamy kissing scenes but they do not go further than that.  There is a lot of drinking (which is legal in Europe) however there is also a lot of discussion of the need for a designated driver (yay) and a lot of talk about how there is no need to drink to excess (yay).  I would recommend this book to readers 16+ and use it as a starting point to discuss responsible drinking and the importance of designated drivers.

Review copy provided by Netgalley

Spellbound

Spellbound by Rachel Hawkins is the third book in the Hex Hall series.  This series follows Sophie a demon.  Sophie starts this book unable to access her demon powers and a huge revelation about her family.   She soon finds herself back at Hex Hall which has been taken over by the Casnoff's who have evil plans.

This was a good third book in the series.  Hawkins does a good job of continuing the story while still allowing it to remain fresh and original.  While I didn't speed though the book I did enjoy it.  Fans of the series will not be dissapointed.

Appropriateness:  There was no adult behavior in this novel.  The romance is limited to kissing.  I would recommend this series to readers 12+

Alien on a Rampage

 Alien on a Rampage is the sequel to Aliens on Vacation.  This book begins with David returning to his grandmother's bed and breakfast for a second summer.  He's excited for another vacation full of responsibility and adventure.  Things aren't all he thought they would be.  Amy has taken over a lot of responsibility and Grandma's creepy alien repairman Scratchell seems to be hiding something big.  Can David save the hotel and the world?

This sequel was just as good as the first book in the series.  The mystery was more serious than in the first book but still filled with humor.  A great addition to this book was David's alien pet with an insatiable appetite.  I laughed and smiled and couldn't put the book down until I finished it. It reads like a funny Disney channel movie.

Appropriateness:  There is no adult content in this book and is has a great message.  I recommend this book to boys and girls 10-14 with it being completely appropriate for younger readers who aren't overwhelmed with the size of the book.

ARC provided by publisher

Bumped

Thumped by Megan McCafferty is the sequel to Bumped a dystopian satire about a society where teenagers are encouraged to get pregnant.  The story alternates between the voices of twins Harmony and Melody who have told the world that they are both pregnant with twins and born on the same day.  Harmony has gone back to Goodside with her husband although she is pregnant with Jondoe's babies.  She is unhappy in this religious community and unwilling to conform.  Melody is part of a huge fraud, faking the most public pregnancy in the world.  The two have to come to terms with their decisions before the untruths blowup in their faces.

I really enjoyed this book.  It was a nice sequel to Bumped and it was a sequel, not a second book in a series so it had a nice and fulfilling ending at the end (something that's lacking in a lot of YA lit) that even packs a nice message at the end.  The book is satire and filled with a lot of tongue and cheek moments that had me giggling.  This series is unlike anything else on the market and one I would recommend to teens.

Appropriateness:  This dystopian tale much like others that have been on the market recently was built around a premise of the government controlling or encouraging teenage sexuality.  In this case teenagers are encouraged to become pregnant, to "bump" (have sex) and to give their babies away.  Even though sex and sexuality is the main premise of this book the content is still fairly tame.  There is one heavy makeout scene that is not descriptive.  The ultimate message of the book is a liberal sex ed philosophy, that sex should be meaningful and not done because of pressure from outside forces, that controlling sexual behavior (either way) isn't positive.   I did not find the content to be inappropriate for a middle school audience (although some may find the topic icky) and would recommend the book for ages 13+   I would take this book as an opportunity to have some frank discussions with your kid on teen pregnancy and the media's pressure to live in a sexualised society as the book really encourages those sorts of discussions.

Enchanted

Enchanted by Aletha Kontis follows Sunday, the youngest sister in an an interesting family.  Sunday makes good friends with a talking frog and spends her days telling him stories.  The frog is the prince, the son of a man who has used magic to keep himself young and the man who has ruined Sunday's family.

This book is a huge mix of fairytale references mixed with magical fairies.  The main tale is that of The Princess of the Frog but other pieces of tales are woven into the story to spice things up.  I enjoyed this book but did not find it as easy to read as many other fairytale retellings/mashups.  There was something about the writing that made the story not flow as well as it could have.  I did however love the book and at no point did I want to put it down (and I've been inpatient lately).

Appropriateness:  There's no adult behavior in this book.  The romance consists of a few kisses.  I would recommend this book to readers 13+ however it is not inappropriate for younger readers.

Review copy provided by Amazon Vine

Ordinary Magic

Ordinary Magic by Caitlen Rubino-Bradway takes place in a magical world.  When Abby learns that she has no magic her life is uncertain.  In Abby's world people with no magic are called Ords.  They are not only considered unlucky but they are often sold by their families to adventurers who want to use them for their ability to break through spells.  Abby's sister finds her a place at a new school that not only protects ords but prepares them for the world.

This is a fantastic book and I was totally enchanted by it.  The world was a fantastic one and the idea of a girl in a magical world who doesn't have magic is an original one, even doing the dishes is new for her.  I loved the school and her classmates and her family.  The kidnappers were fantastic villains adding a nice bit of adventure to the book.  I finished the book quickly and was enchanted the whole time.

Appropriateness:  This is a fantastic book that middle grade readers will love.  Abby is a spunky girl who cares for her friends and is not afraid of a little hard work.  There is no adult content in the book and the scary scenes are just a bit scary.  This book is perfect for the 9-14 crowd and is interesting enough (and short enough) for younger advanced readers and to be used as a read aloud.

Review Copy Provided by Netgalley