Starglass

Starglass by Phoebe North follows Terra who has spent her entire life living on a spaceship where everything is decided by the council.  They decide what job she has and who she marries.  When she witnesses a murder she soon starts to see beyond the surface and becomes part of a rebellion.

This is a great book that deals with the subject of freedom to love whom you choose in a fantastic way.  The main character's first love interest is in love with another man which is against the rules of the ship that don't even allow men and women the choice in who they marry.  In addition to the LGTB issues there's also fantastic space ship drama with a dystopian slant and a Jewish based society.  I adored this book and can't wait for the sequel.

I recommend this book to readers 13+

Litle Miss Muffet

Little Miss Muffet by Iza Trapani is a delightful picture book that begins with the traditional nursery rhyme.  The story then adds more verses (keeping the same beat structure) creating an entire story of Miss Muffet's day. 

My students loved the story and thought the extra verses were fantastic.  I would recommend this book to kids 4-8 and to elementary music teachers.  It's a great addition to the great library of Trapani songs.

Gated

Gated by Amy Christine Parker follows Lyla who is a member of a doomsday cult.  Preparing for the day when the world will end and they will move into the silo.  Lyla slowly discovers that she may not want the life that she has been raised for and with the meeting of a boy on the outside she finds that things may not be as she has been told.

This is a terrific novel, full of romance and terror.  I love reading about cults and this book didn't dissapoint with the strangeness and even gave readers the reason why Lyla's family were such strong believers.  I raced through this book.

Appropriateness:  This book is scary and violent.  I'd recommend it to readers 13+ and suggest that parents discuss with their children why people join cults.

Review copy provided by Amazon Vine

Dancer, Daughter, Traitor, Spy

   Dancer, Daughter, Traitor Spy by Elizabeth Kiem follows Marina, the daughter of a famous ballerina in Russia and a dancer herself.  When her mother disappears because her second sight may be exposing a state secret Marina and her father defect to the US. Her life becomes full of paranoia and risk.

I really enjoyed this book, the communist spy pieces of the plot were fantastic and the bits of dance made for an interesting book.  While Marina was very gullible, her character and life experience made it a believable part of her character.  I sped through this book, unable to put it down.

Appropriateness:  There's no adult content in this book.  I would recommend it for YA readers 13+ 

Review copy provided by Amazon Vine

Tandem

Tandem by Anna Jarzab is the first book in the Many Worlds Trilogy.  This book begins with Sasha who lives a normal life in a normal town with her grandfather.  When a popular boy suddenly takes an interest in her she's delighted, but after the prom she finds herself snatched to another world.  A world where she is told that she has to impersonate her double, the princess of a piece of North America who has been kidnapped before the wedding which is to bring peace to her land. 

When I initially started this book I read the first two pages, was turned off and then put the book down deciding it was absurd.  Then several weeks later I picked it up, starting on chapter two and loved it (so don't be discouraged by the first chapter).  The parallel worlds story was interesting and led to a combination between a dystopian romance, a sci fi novel with a bit of fantasy that actually worked.  I found myself engrossed in the story and loved every bit of it.  There is a bit of science fiction mumbo jumbo that needs to be handwaved, but it wasn't enough to ruin the story for me.

Appropriateness:  There's no adult content in this book.  There is quite a bit of heavy romance in the story with the typical love triangle.  I would recommend this book to readers 12+

Review copy provided by Amazon Prime

Mothership

Mothership, Book One of the Ever Expanding Universe by Martin Leicht and Isla Neal stars Elvie who after finding herself pregnant by a cheerleader's boyfriend attends a boarding school for pregnant teenagers on a spaceship.  The ship is then boarded attacked by a group of male warriors with ray guys one of which is her baby-daddy.  Elvie has to help save herself and her classmates while also dealing with boy drama, her cheerleader arch nemesis and a couple sets of Aliens who are set on using Earth's teenagers to reproduce.

So, how's that for a description?  A boarding school for pregnant teenagers that's raided by a group of hot warriors with extra baby daddy drama and aliens!  It's that absurd which makes it fantastic.  The authors do a fantastic job of intertwining the absurdity with a great plot and even some social commentary.  The book is funny and exciting and there's even a great romance.  I loved the book and couldn't put it down.

Appropriateness:  Well, it's a book about pregnant teenagers so there's a bit of sex (but nothing descriptive) and sex talk.  There are some discussions of abortion and adoption.  It's nothing that's really inappropriate for older middle school readers (and it gives parents a good excuse to talk about teen pregnancy (and alien babies) but I think it will speak more to older teens who can really enjoy the irony and sarcasm that's interweaved throughout the book.

Where the Stars Still Shine

Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller follows Callie who has been on the run with her mother since she was small.  When her mother gets pulled over Callie gets sent home to live with a Father she only barely remembers.  Callie has to come to grip with her past and her new present.

This is a fantastic book, difficult and full of heart.  Callie has lived a tough life and integrating into a new community and coming to grips with her past.  The author does a good job at making the reader really understand why Callie makes the choices that she makes even if they're not the right choices.  I sped through the book unable to put it down.

Appropriateness:  There is a lot of sex in this book, a lot.  None of it is erotic or over descriptive but Callie's sexual behavior and her past sexual abuse is integral to her character and her story.  There is underage drinking but no drug abuse.  I would recommend this book to readers 16+ and encourage parents to use it to discuss sexuality and why people may act out sexually.