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The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater

8/15/2018

Sasha and Richard were two teenagers who lived in different parts of Oakland, CA, and although their lives could not have been more dissimilar, for eight minutes a day they crossed paths as they rode the 57 bus home from school.
One day while Sasha is sleeping on the bus, Richard is egged on by his friends to play a prank and lights Sasha's skirt on fire.
The aftermath of that one impulsive act irrevocably changes both teens' lives forever. The author digs deep into each teen's background to illustrate who they were both before and after the incident.

This true story really grabbed me (and I'm not usually the biggest nonfiction fan), The author does an amazing job of describing the very different worlds these two teens come from, and she presents both of them in a completely unbiased way.

Grades 7-12

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Release by Patrick Ness

4/10/2018

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Adam Thorn is having a very bad day, maybe the worst day of his life.
His ex (Enzo) is having a going away party, and although he has a great and loving new boyfriend (Linus), Adam is still inexplicably hung up on Enzo and wants to see him one last time.
Additionally, Adam's boss has threatened him, and even though he kind of hates his job, he also really needs it. Adam could talk to his family about his problem -- if their relationship wasn't already strained due to their intolerant beliefs.
If all that wasn't bad enough, events have been set in motion that could result in the world ending at sunset -- so Adam is running out of time to resolve all his problems.

I really loved this book. The author says the book was inspired by the novels Mrs. Dalloway and Forever -- I got the reference to Mrs. Dalloway right from the first page (and in retrospect, I can totally see how Forever relates) -- but you don't need to have read either of them to enjoy Release .

Grades 9-12

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There's Someone Inside Your House by S. Perkins

3/21/2018

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Makani Young grew up in Hawaii but has moved in with her grandmother in small-town Nebraska in order to escape her past.
She's made some friends and has a crush on cute loner Ollie that is just starting to develop into something more when a serial killer begins targeting her classmates.
As the grisly murders pile up, Makani starts to wonder if she'll be the next victim -- and also if she just might know the killer's identity.

Romance + mystery + slasher plot = a fun, gory read.

Grades 9-12

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Red Rising by Pierce Brown

3/20/2018

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Darrow lives on Mars deep underground where he works in the mines and struggles for survival.
When his wife is taken from him, he comes to realize that his people, known as Reds, are essentially slaves who have been lied to for hundreds of years.
Darrow is recruited by a guerrilla group called the Sons of Ares, and in a search for justice and revenge, he accepts a mission to infiltrate the Golds, the powerful and cruel overlords who rule the planets.

This book has it all -- nonstop action; a great plot; brutal, bloody fights; a cooler than cool main character; and lots of twists and turns. Kind of like The Hunger Games (spectator sports! battles! revolution!) but about a million times better -- and it's in outer space!

Book 1 of the Red Rising Saga
Grades 9-12

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Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu

12/6/2017

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Vivian Carter lives in a small Texas town where football is the only thing that matters -- so much so that the high school football players can get away with just about anything, including wearing offensive t-shirts to school, making rude comments in class, and groping girls in the halls.
Vivian's mom was a punk rock rebel in the 90's and after looking through some of her old things, Vivian gets inspired to speak up against what's going on at her school by creating and distributing an anonymous newsletter.
Will her female classmates stand up with her? Will she be able to confess to her friends that she made the newsletter? Will she get expelled? And what about that cute new boy, Seth Acosta?

This book really speaks to what's going on in our society today about how men treat woman (and boys treat girls) and what is and isn't acceptable. It's an uplifting read that will have you cheering on the girls of East Rockport High School.

Grades 8-12

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The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

10/6/2017

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Seventeen-year-old Molly has had twenty-six crushes but has never had a boyfriend or even been kissed, while her twin sister, Cassie, has had more girlfriends than Molly can count.
When Cassie starts dating a new girl, she wants to set Molly up with her girlfriend's best friend, Will, a funny, flirtatious, red-haired hipster.
Although, Molly feels that Will is way out of her league, she's prepared to go for it to make her sister happy -- until she starts to realize there might be a better guy for her right under her nose.

This story is more than just a sweet romance: it has diverse and interesting characters, deals with the changing relationship of two sisters, and has a very relateable and hilarious main character. Loved it!

Grades 9-12

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The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

9/1/2017

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Starr Carter struggles to be two different people every day: the Starr who goes to Williamson prep school, who doesn't use slang, who doesn't want to look "ghetto," who is the only African-American girl in her grade, and the Starr who tries to stay true to the community of Garden Heights, a neighborhood riddled with drugs and gangs, but the place that she calls home nonetheless.
When she witnesses her friend Kahlil die after he's shot by the police during a routine traffic stop, Starr must decide if she can can continue living two very different lives -- and also if she can find the strength to find her voice and stand up for Khalil and her neighborhood.

Not only is The Hate U Give an excellent book, but it's also an important and timely one. A must read!

Grades 8-12

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Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

6/14/2017

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Only seventeen, Kaz Brekker is already one of the most infamous gangsters of the Barrel, nicknamed "Dirtyhands" because there's nothing he won't do.
Inej is known as the Wraith because of her ability to come and go unnoticed as she gathers secrets for and goes on missions with Kaz.
Jesper is a sharpshooter with a gambling problem who is also a member of Kaz's gang.
Nina is a girl with superhuman gifts, but she is essentially a slave at the House of the White Rose.
Matthias is a warrior who's been wrongly imprisoned at Hellgate, a nightmare of a prison, and he is focused on the twin goals of redemption and revenge.
Wylan is a demolitions expert with a secret history.
Can these six come together to pull off an impossible heist, or will enemies within and without their group betray them?

Amazing characters and a plot full of action that does not stop, this one is a must read. If you like adventure stories with a dash of fantasy/supernatural (but completely grounded in a very realistic world) and a plot with more twists and turns than a mountain road, give this one a look.

Grades 7-12
Book 1 of the Six of Crows duology

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Bang by Barry Lyga

5/23/2017

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When he was four years old, Sebastian accidentally shot and killed his baby sister.
Ten years later, the guilt, shame, and notoriety weigh so heavily upon him that Sebastian plans to commit suicide in the near future.
With his best friend gone for the summer and nothing to distract him, Sebastian thinks the time is coming -- until Aneesa moves into his neighborhood, a girl with a story of her own and no knowledge of Sebastian's past.
Will Sebastian's budding friendship with Aneesa be enough to steer him off the dangerous path he's put himself on or will he give in to the voice in his head that says "It's time."?

This is a gripping quick read that looks unflinchingly at how a family deals with loss and grief and pain -- and also, surprisingly, at race in America. Raw and real.

Grades 9-12

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History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera

5/18/2017

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When Griffin's ex-boyfriend and first love, Theo, dies unexpectedly, Griffin is overtaken by a tsunami of grief. Even though Theo had moved across the country for college and had a new boyfriend, Griffin always believed that they'd get back together some day.
When Griffin meets Theo's new boyfriend Jackson at the funeral, he wants to hate him -- but he knows Jackson is the only person who could understand what he's going through.
The story moves back a forth between the past (detailing Griffin and Theo's history together) and the present, until the two timelines meet up near the end of the book.

This is a heartbreaking but ultimately hopeful book that explores not only the depths of grief, but also the joys and pains of first love and the possibility of healing and starting over. Silvera's first novel, More Happy Than Not, was an excellent book that has stayed with me; this one is equally good.

Grades 9-12

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Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

5/11/2017

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Lazlo is an orphan raised in a monastery -- until he he escapes to the Great Library of Zosma where he gets a job and where he can read histories and fairy tales to his heart's content. His one true passion is uncovering information about the Unseen city, a mysterious, mythical city no one has visited or heard from in more than 200 years.
Sarai is a blue skinned girl who has the power to enter and control people's dreams. She lives in a floating tower with her four magical siblings, hidden from a world who would kill her and her sisters and brother if it knew they still existed.
When Lazlo has the chance to join a group traveling to the Unseen city, he seizes the opportunity to fulfill his lifelong dream, and he sets himself on a course destined to intersect with Sarai -- at least in his dreams.

I adored Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy, and if it's even possible, I loved this book more. It's a gorgeous fantasy novel set in a richly developed world with characters you will love, admire, and root for. It takes a little while for Taylor to set the stage and for the story to get off the ground, but you'll be rewarded for sticking with it.

Grades 9-12
Book 1 of the Strange the Dreamer duology

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All American Boys by J. Reynolds & B. Kiely

4/25/2017

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All Rashad Butler wanted was a bag of chips when he stops in the corner store on Friday night. Instead, he found cop Paul Galluzzo who mistakes Rashad for a shoplifter and beats him to a pulp.
Varsity basketball player Quinn Collins witnesses the altercation and can't reconcile the Paul who's been like a surrogate-father to him after his dad died in Afghanistan with the brutal Officer Galluzzo who he sees beating his classmate.
In the aftermath of the incident as students and the community take sides, the basketball team is divided, and Rashad and Quinn both struggle with how to move forward, having to decide what kind of men they want to become.

This is a topical book that examines what's going on in our society today in terms of race and police brutality -- but more importantly, it's a well-written story told from the perspectives of an African-American teen and a white teen, and the authors explore both sides with finesse.

Grades 8-12

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Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

4/24/2017

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When the planet of Kerenza is attacked, Kady Grant manages to escape in one of three spaceships while her mom and ex-boyfriend Ezra are each on different ones.
Even though she made it safely off Kerenza, Kady's problems are just beginning: the attackers are in pursuit and plan to finish off the escapees; a plague is infecting the survivors and turning them into deadly zombies; and the artificial intelligence system, AIDEN, that runs the spaceship has gone rogue.
With no one left to turn to in space, it's up to Kady's hacking and Ezra's fighting skills to survive and to save each other as well as the rest of the dwindling number of evacuees on the ships.

This book was such a fun adventure/survival thrill ride (with a smidgen of romance). The format comprised of interview transcripts, memos, instant-messaging transcripts, diary entries, and more made for a unique read. (Don't let the size fool you -- it's a quick read with a lot of white space around the pictures, text messages, and such).

Grades 7-12
Book 1 of the Illuminae Files

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Spontaneous by Aaron Starmer

3/20/2017

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Mara Carlyle's senior year is blowing up -- literally. All around Mara her classmates begin to spontaneously combust, leaving their classmates covered in blood and worrying if they could be the next one to explode.
This is probably not the best time to start a relationship (knowing that either one of them could pop at any time), but that doesn't stop Mara and her new boyfriend Dylan from taking advantage of the time they have together.
As more and more of her classmates explode and the FBI and military get involved, Mara wonders if she and any of her classmates will make it to graduation.

It's a little gory, but if you can get past the exploding people, this darkly humorous and satirical book will not only make you laugh, but it will also make you think about how our society and media respond to disasters. The main character, Mara, is a snarky and sometimes annoying girl who makes a lot of bad decisions including some inappropriate coping strategies, but she describes the end of the world as she knows it in hilarious detail.

Grades 9-12

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All the Rage by Courtney Summers

3/15/2017

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Months ago Romy Grey was raped by the town sheriff's son -- but no one believed her. Since then, she's been branded a liar, ostracized, and bullied by her former friends.
She takes refuge in working in a diner in a nearby town where no one knows about her past, and she strikes up a tentative relationship with one of her co-workers.
When after the senior party she wakes up by the side of the road with no memory of the night before and discovers a popular classmate has gone missing from the same party, Romy has to decide if she wants to fight back or live with the knowledge that other girls could continue to be hurt if she doesn't speak up.

This book is a hard and emotional read but well worth it since it shines light on a society that often blames the victim. It also examines how corruption and power in a small town can keep justice from being served. Compared to other excellent books dealing with sexual assault such as Exit, Pursued by a Bear and Speak, All the Rage holds up well and has it's own point of view.

Grades 9-12

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When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds

3/10/2017

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Ali lives in a tough neighborhood in New York but stays out of trouble by spending his time boxing, helping out at home, and hanging with his best friend Noodles, who unlike Ali, is a guy who seems to look for trouble.
Then there's Noodles' brother Needles who has Tourette's Syndrome which causes him to twitch and blurt out crazy things -- but everyone in the neighborhood knows Needles is cool and looks out for him.
Everything is cool until one night Ali, Noodles, and Needles end up somewhere they shouldn't be, where people don't know Needles -- then things stop being cool.

"A lot of stuff that gives my neighborhood a bad name, I don't really mess with. The guns and drugs and all that, not really my thing." Ali's voice is so real that you'll think you're sitting with him and Noodles on the stoop in their Bed Stuy neighborhood as his tale unfolds. A great look into the life of an urban teen on the cusp of manhood as he deals with everything life throws his way.

Grades 7-12

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The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

3/3/2017

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Seventeen year old Natasha Kingsley is a realist who loves science and music. Although she's lived in the U.S. since she was eight, she and her family are due to be deported back to Jamaica later on the same day that the book takes place.
Daniel Bae is a Korean-American high school senior who enjoys writing poetry about love and heartbreak -- even though he has never had his heart broken.
One morning when Daniel is on his way to an interview with a Yale alumnus, he sees Natasha on the streets of New York city, is drawn to her, and spends the day trying to convince her that they are meant to be. Natasha is not so easily persuaded -- her only concern is trying to find a way keep her family from being deported later that day.

I enjoyed Yoon's first novel, Everything, Everything, and loved this one also. The characters are unique (and refreshingly diverse), and immigration is a topic we don't see much in YA literature. If you liked Eleanor & Park, give this one a shot.

Grades 8-12

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Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein

2/10/2017

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Rose Justice is an American living in England during World War II. She works as a pilot for the Air Transport Auxiliary, a civilian group helping with the war effort.
One day when Rose is ferrying a fighter plane from London to Paris, she gets captured by the Nazis and sent to Ravensbruck, a "work camp" that is really a concentration camp for women.
While at Ravensbruck, Rose meets an unforgettable group of women, including several who have been cruelly experimented upon by Nazi doctors. To keep up her spirits and those of the women around her, Rose writes poetry and devises ways to fight back and escape death, which lurks around every corner.

This is a sequel or companion to Code Name Verity, which I thought was an amazing book; this one is also very, very good. If you like historical fiction or books about the Holocaust and WWII, then this one is for you.

Grades 8-12
Companion to Code Name Verity

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The Story of Owen by E. K. Johnston

1/23/2017

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This book takes place in current-day Canada in a world much like our own except that Michigan doesn't exist anymore because it was destroyed by dragons -- and, oh yeah, there are DRAGONS.
Sixteen-year-old Owen Thorskard comes from a long line of dragon-slayers, and when he, his father, and his world-famous aunt move to the small town of Trondheim, people have high expectations of the young slayer-in-training.
When Owen meets the musically talented Siobhan McQuaid on the first day of school, he and his family try to recruit her to be Owen's bard and to join them in the adventurous and dangerous world of dragon slaying. Battles with dragons ensue.

This book proves that you don't have to read fantasy to enjoy a story with dragons, because other than the dragons, this book depicts the life of a fairly ordinary modern high school student -- one who just happens to have a very special talent.

Grades 7-12
Book 1 of the Story of Owen Series

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All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

1/19/2017

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Violet Markey and Theodore Finch meet on the ledge of their school's bell tower where they are both thinking about committing suicide.
Although Finch helps Violet down, he lets the school think she's the one who saved him -- it's the more believable story since Finch is goofy, unpredictable, and occasionally violent while Violet, until recently, was a popular cheerleader.
Finch and Violet partner up for a "Wander the State" school project, and as they travel around, not only do they discover the hidden corners of Indiana, but they also uncover the demons and memories that haunt each of them (and they try to help each other move past them).

Violet and Finch are characters who will stay with you long after you finish the book. If you like realistic stories that don't shy away from the dark and hard parts of life (such as Eleanor & Park or The Fault in Our Stars), then you should check this one out.

Grades 9-12

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The Passion of Dolssa by Julie Berry

11/17/2016

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In 13th century France, Dolssa is a girl to whom God speaks. Condemned by the church as a heretic, Dolssa is sentenced to death, but she escapes right before she is to be executed.
Botille is a sassy teenage matchmaker who runs a tavern with her sisters and tries to eke out a living in her poor, rural fishing village.
When Botille finds Dolssa hunted and on the run and close to death, her decision to help Dolssa puts not only Botille and her two sisters but also Botille's entire village in enormous danger.

I wasn't sure what to expect with from this book, but I love, love, loved this story of courage, miracles, grit, and sisterhood. Berry recreates life in the 1200s in such vivid and meticulous detail that you'll feel the sea breeze and smell the bean stew. Just give it a try!

Grades 7-12

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Court of Fives by Kate Elliot

11/7/2016

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Jessamy is the daughter of a Commoner mother and a Patron father, a commander whose status is dependent on his rank in the army. Jes and her sisters are mixed-race and are looked down on in her world, so they must be very careful in everything they do
When disaster strikes and threatens to tear her family apart, Jes takes the opportunity to compete in the Fives, a complex athletic competition for which she has secretly been training for years.
Jes hopes that the Fives will give her the chance to protect her mother and sisters, save her father’s reputation, and perhaps bring herself a little glory.

The author describes her book as "Little Women meets American Ninja Warrior in a setting inspired by Greco-Roman Egypt" while her publisher has pitched it as "Little Women meets Game of Thrones meets The Hunger Games" -- but I would just say it's a great adventure fantasy story set in a unique world.

Grades 7-12
Book 1 of Court of Fives Series

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Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

11/7/2016

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Seventeen-year-old Greg Gaines likes making movies with his sort-of-friend Earl and tries to get through high school by having access to all the social groups but by not belonging to any one clique, which in his own words means he keeps "an insanely low profile."
Keeping a low profile becomes tricky when Greg's mom asks him to befriend a girl, Rachel, who he has some embarrassing history with and who now has cancer.
What ensues is Greg (and sometimes Earl) doing their best to cheer up Rachel without punching themselves in the face too many times.

Imagine The Fault in Our Stars with a lot less romance and way more boy humor, movie-making, and inter-racial friendship. The narrator, Greg, says this book "contains precisely zero Important Life Lessons, or Little-Known Facts About Love, or sappy tear-jerking Moments When We Knew We Had Left Our Childhood Behind for Good, or whatever," but it will make you laugh a lot more than it will make you cry (and I do mean a lot).

Grades 9-12

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The Great American Whatever by Tim Federle

10/24/2016

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Quinn Roberts used to spend all his free time writing scripts for movies that his sister would film, but since she died six months ago, he doesn't do anything anymore. He doesn't go to school. He doesn't go out with friends. He doesn't even leave his house.
When Quinn's best friend Geoff decides enough is enough, he drags Quinn to his first college party where he meets a very hot guy, Amir, who Quinn falls head over heals for.
The only problem is that Quinn's not out yet -- and he's also not sure if he's ready to stop hibernating and get back to real life.

Full of humor and references to great movies, this book will speak to readers who enjoy realistic fiction and smart, funny, honest characters.

Grades 9-12

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The Lie Tree by Francis Hardinge

10/12/2016

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In Victorian England, girls are supposed to be well-mannered, modest, and good; they are not supposed to be smart or well-educated because they are not expected to have a job other than being a wife and a mother.
Faith Sunderly craves to be a scientist like her father, but everyone, including her father and even her little brother, dismisses her as being "just a girl."
When Faith's father dies mysteriously, she delves into his research for answers, but instead she finds a secret that may have lead to her father's death and also puts her in great danger.

This book is an interesting blend of historical fiction and fantasy, and it makes you think about how restricted women were not so very long ago.

Grades 7-12

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book reviews

The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater

Release by Patrick Ness

There's Someone Inside Your House by S. Perkins

Red Rising by Pierce Brown

Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu

The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Bang by Barry Lyga

History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

All American Boys by J. Reynolds & B. Kiely

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Spontaneous by Aaron Starmer

All the Rage by Courtney Summers

When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds

The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein

The Story of Owen by E. K. Johnston

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

The Passion of Dolssa by Julie Berry

Court of Fives by Kate Elliot

Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

The Great American Whatever by Tim Federle

The Lie Tree by Francis Hardinge

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