Author: Matt de la Pena
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: November 12, 2013
Number of Pages: 320
Source of Book: ARC borrowed from friend

Shy took the summer job to make some money. In a few months on a luxury cruise liner, he’ll rake in the tips and be able to help his mom and sister out with the bills. And how bad can it be? Bikinis, free food, maybe even a girl or two—every cruise has different passengers, after all.
        But everything changes when the Big One hits. Shy’s only weeks out at sea when an earthquake more massive than ever before recorded hits California, and his life is forever changed.
        The earthquake is only the first disaster. Suddenly it’s a fight to survive for those left living.

First Thought: Oh, boy, am I glad I read this book – although, perhaps floating in a tube on the lake wasn’t the best setting in which to read it.


Matt de la Pena has written a thrill-ride, page-turner, heart-pounding in fear for what’s happening and what might happen, suspenseful thriller of a novel. 


Shy is a great character. He’s smart, he’s sensitive, he’s a guy who cares about his family and is trying to make a crappy situation better. He’s endearing in his worries, hopes, desires, realness. Issues of race come up, especially within the context of class on the ship and between the passengers…and after the sinking. When it’s about survival, it doesn’t matter how much money you had to go on this luxury cruise.


THE LIVING takes place in a scary world where a sickness has evolved and is killing people in poor areas. And everyone is not as they seem – there is a huge mystery/conspiracy element to this story as well. There’s a bit of everything in here, but it works SO well! Lives are at stake…and many are lost, and the U.S. as we know it is drastically changed. 


It’s engagingly written and the plot keeps it moving forward. There’s a little bit of an insiders view of cruise ships, and then people start dying. There are some parts with more obvious foreshadowing, but for some of our students that will be a good thing. Matt de la Pena has crafted a well-written 3rd person that lets us read it as an outsider, but still feel like we know the character and what he’s going through. 


There are game changer moments throughout the story, but the biggest ones come at the end…and make me anxious for the follow-up, THE FORGOTTEN, to find out what Shy is going to do next, how he’s going to continue to survive, who will survive with him, if he’ll finally get answers, and how the entire west coast of America will survive after the catastrophic events.


Final Thoughts: It’s just really good. Read it…and then put it in a teen’s hands! 
Also: I’m desperate for the next book!

Title: DUALED
Author: Elsie Chapman
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Release Date: Febrary 26, 2013
Number of Pages: 304
Source of Book: ARC from publisher at NCTE

You or your Alt? Only one will survive.

The
city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high.
Everyone has a genetic Alternate—a twin raised by another family—and
citizens must prove their worth by eliminating their Alts before their
twentieth birthday. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job,
marriage—life.

Fifteen-year-old West Grayer has trained as a
fighter, preparing for the day when her assignment arrives and she will
have one month to hunt down and kill her Alt. But then a tragic misstep
shakes West’s confidence. Stricken with grief and guilt, she’s no longer
certain that she’s the best version of herself, the version worthy of a
future. If she is to have any chance of winning, she must stop running
not only from her Alt, but also from love . . . though both have the
power to destroy her.

Elsie Chapman’s suspenseful YA debut weaves
unexpected romance into a novel full of fast-paced action and
thought-provoking philosophy. When the story ends, discussions will
begin about this future society where every adult is a murderer and
every child knows there is another out there who just might be better.

First Thought: So much suspense! Could not stop reading until I found out how it would end.

DUALED was an intense, kill or be killed, fight to the finish. I had to keep turning pages to know what was going to happen with West and which Alt would survive the final confrontation. The basis of this world where each is born with an Alt and gets “activated” sometime between 10 and 20, and then has only 30 days to hunt down and kill the Alt, or be killed, or both be destroyed after the time ends lends itself to a ticking clock of suspense in the background driving the momentum of the whole story.

In a world full of killers and surrounded by guns, are you the hunted or the hunter, or both at the same time? Which one will be smarter, stronger, or just luckier in the end? When 50% of the population must be killed off, can you ever feel safe with your family and friends, or know that they’ll stay around? All of these drive the plot of this story in this dystopic future, which I want to know even more about.

We’re given glimpses into the world, and how it came to be, and what might be outside, and what led to them being there, and who might be against the way they live…which makes me so glad there is a sequel coming in 2014 so we can find out what happens next. Although I figured I knew how the story would have to end, that didn’t stop my heart from pounding, my gasping out loud, or my yelling at the characters to stay safe and smart and not give up. I enjoyed spending this time with West and Chord, and although it was frightening at times, it was a well-developed world that was created down to the tiniest details of how things operate for idles vs. actives vs. completes.


Final Thoughts: So glad there’s going to be a sequel to this “HUNGER GAMES to the nth degree meets…something” world of this story.

Title: FRACTURE
Author: Megan Miranda
Publisher: Walker & Co. (a Bloomsbury imprint)
Release Date: January 17, 2012
Number of Pages: 272

Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy
waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her
heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead.
And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly
fine-despite the scans that showed significant brain damage. Everyone
wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she’s far from normal.
Pulled by strange sensations she can’t control or explain, Delaney finds
herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death,
or causing it?

Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with
similar abilities. At first she’s reassured to find someone who
understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon
discovers that Troy’s motives aren’t quite what she thought. Is their
gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening?

For fans of best-sellers like Before I Fall and If I Stay, this is a
fascinating and heart-rending story about love and friendship and the
fine line between life and death.

Student #1:

     I love Fracture by Megan
Miranda. It literally felt as if I were in the book, feeling the character‘s
emotions. This story had the perfect combo of a thrilling romance mystery, with
a thickening plot. While reading this, I never really knew what to expect
because the main character, Delaney, was just thrown into this whole lifestyle
that seemed absolutely terrifyingly creepy.
     Although
Delaney had become one of my favorite characters, there were some points in the
book where I just couldn’t stand her. Like when she befriended Troy. He was
just so creepy, how could you not sense the danger and trouble that would come
with him or when she got angry at Decker for dating someone else while she did
the same thing. Delaney’s mother was messed up too. She reminded me of a witch,
evil! I mean, who drugs their own child so they don’t wake up and have
‘hallucinations’, as she put it. Anyways, I would recommend this book to
someone who likes a good thrilling, mystery, romance book. I rate this novel
five stars.

Title: MIND GAMES
Author: Kiersten White
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: February 19, 2013
Number of Pages: 256
Source of Book: ARC loaned to me from my fabulous teacher friend, Lea

Fia was born with
flawless instincts. Her first impulse, her gut feeling, is always
exactly right. Her sister, Annie, is blind to the world around
her—except when her mind is gripped by strange visions of the future.

Trapped
in a school that uses girls with extraordinary powers as tools for
corporate espionage, Annie and Fia are forced to choose over and over
between using their abilities in twisted, unthinkable ways… or risking
each other’s lives by refusing to obey.

In a stunning departure from her New York Times
bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy, Kiersten White delivers a slick,
edgy, heartstoppingly intense psychological thriller about two sisters
determined to protect each other—no matter the cost.

MIND GAMES is a compulsively readable story that shows a completely different side to Kiersten White than her PARANORMALCY series did. It was awesome and unexpected, while still having some of the trademark Kiersten White easy, contemporary style of writing that I love of hers. But this character is so different from what she has written before. The structure of this story built upon itself to drive the suspense to a climactic moment that I never saw coming. White has built a world of girls with psychic powers intertwined in a thriller of a story that kept me on the edge of my seat. It was an unputdownable pageturner. I have so many thoughts after reading this engaging, twisted, emotional, intriguing, thought-provoking, kick-butt novel, and all of them are good.

I really love reading books with strong girl characters, and when they’re a little bit broken as Fia is, it makes it that much more relatable. Fia is kind of my new hero after reading MIND GAMES. She is conflicted, but knows what’s most important to her. She is broken, but strong. She is scared, but fearless. She is hopeless, yet determined. She is the strength of this novel. Between Fia, the world that Kiersten White created, the mysterious thriller aspects, the relationships, and the back and forth timeline of the story, I never knew where it was going to end up. MIND GAMES was an excitingly thrilling novel and I enjoyed every page of it. I can’t wait for the next one to find out what happens next!

Title: ALTERED
Author: Jennifer Rush
Publisher: Little, Brown
Release Date: January 2, 2013
Number of Pages: 336
Source of Book: ARC requested from publisher

When you can’t trust yourself, who can
you believe?

Everything about Anna’s life is a secret. Her father
works for the Branch at the helm of its latest project: monitoring and
administering treatments to the four genetically altered boys in the lab below
their farmhouse. There’s Nick, Cas, Trev . . . and Sam, who’s stolen Anna’s
heart. When the Branch decides it’s time to take the boys, Sam stages an escape,
killing the agents sent to retrieve them.

Anna is torn between following
Sam or staying behind in the safety of her everyday life. But her father pushes
her to flee, making Sam promise to keep her away from the Branch, at all costs.
There’s just one problem. Sam and the boys don’t remember anything before living
in the lab—not even their true identities.

Now on the run, Anna soon
discovers that she and Sam are connected in more ways than either of them
expected. And if they’re both going to survive, they must piece together the
clues of their past before the Branch catches up to them and steals it all
away.

I had no idea what to expect when I opened ALTERED by Jennifer Rush; I just knew that the summary sounded really good. I had just finished two other incredible books, so I was hesitant to start one I hadn’t heard much about yet for fear I would be disappointed, but I had no reason to be worried with ALTERED. I was hooked on this heart-pounding story from the first page. Once I started, I didn’t want to stop reading. This was a one day read for me because it was so action-packed and surprising that I just wanted to keep going to find out what was actually happening until the very end. ALTERED has all the best of the medical alterations sci-fi intrigue, secret organization, on-the-run types of stories, with a uniquely interesting backstory of how these boys and Anna got there.

ALTERED is an addictively good, completely intriguing story. I loved the journey I was taken on from the start of learning about the lab, to the escape, to being on the run, to the mystery of their past, to the unexpected reveals, to the relationships built and broken and repaired, to the place the characters are left at the end. Jennifer Rush has given the reader an exciting blend of family drama, relationship building, hot boys, guns and weapons, action-packed fighting sequences, mystery, suspense, and outmaneuvering of the organization chasing them. There were several scenes when I literally gasped out loud. The whole group of core characters has a dynamic that is endearing, and their interactions are so engaging. Love those boys! ALTERED is a twisty novel full of gasp-worthy moments, action, loveable characters, and a little bit of a romance to tie it all together.

I’m so glad to hear that there will be another book following this one! There is a definite ending, so I wasn’t sure because it could have been that this story is complete, but it is left at a spot that had me hoping there would be more time with these characters and more to discover at this point in their story. I’ll be anxiously awaiting the follow-up book from Jennifer Rush to spend more time with Anna, Sam, and the boys!

Title: THE EVOLUTION OF MARA DYER
Author: Michelle Hodkin
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Release Date: October 23, 2012
Number of Pages: 544
Source of Book: ARC borrowed from teacher friend Lea

Mara Dyer once believed she could run from her past.

She can’t.

She used to think her problems were all in her head.

They aren’t.

She couldn’t imagine that after everything she’s been through, the boy she loves would still be keeping secrets.

She’s wrong.

In
this gripping sequel to The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, the truth evolves
and choices prove deadly. What will become of Mara Dyer next?

I’m not totally sure how to express my feelings about this book because there are so many! My immediate thoughts at the end of it included some unprintable words because I was so blown away. I obsessively loved THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER when I got an early read of it last year, and was eagerly anticipating reading the sequel, THE EVOLUTION OF MARA DYER, and was extremely lucky to be able to get an early copy loaned to me, and it completely lived up to the anticipation I had going into it. This was a strong second book that definitely matched up to my love of the first book.

I adore Michelle Hodkin, but I finished this book feeling like she’s a diabolical genius of a writer. It surprises me that she wasn’t a writer before this, and I hope she continues to be one for a long time. Maybe that’s part of the reason that I enjoy her writing so much, it came from a spark of an idea for a story, and because her background is diverse, there’s a spark to the writing that just really clicks for me. The way the writing is paced, the intelligence to it, the unreliable narrator, the mood, the witty banter, the uncomfortable suspense of not knowing what’s going to happen, the love and support of family, the heart at the center of this chaotic psychological thriller, and, yes, the romance, too…it all grabs me and doesn’t let me go. I read 544 pages in two days (and those were teaching/working days!) because I just couldn’t stop reading. It’s a long book that doesn’t feel long. It’s a sequel that keeps the story moving, but is interesting in its own right. So much was revealed in this book about what’s really going on with Mara and Noah and everything that happened. I appreciated that we were given so much information and many questions were answered, but some still are not and more were created that make me anxious to see where this is all headed.

Interestingly, I didn’t think this book had as much of the creepy feeling as the first one, but it definitely had suspenseful and psychological tension to it. Favorite characters were back, and new intriguing ones were introduced. Family support and love is still central to the relationships that hold Mara together. And I can’t forget the romantic storyline between Mara and Noah Shaw, which because of their unique abilities, becomes even more difficult for them to manage. At its heart, there are questions of truth, reality, trust, faith…all the things that make for a conflicted character who is just trying to hold it all together against odds that seem stacked against her.

As much as I loved this book, there was one thing bugged me. There was a clue fairly early on to a twist that seemed so obvious to me, and Mara is very intelligent, and so it seemed like she should have realized it, but I guess she is dealing with quite a bit of psychosis stuff at this point, so I should cut her some slack for not catching it. I’m still thrilled there is going to be a third book, THE RETRIBUTION OF MARA DYER, coming in 2013, especially after the twists and reveals of the ending of this book! Not sure how I’ll be able to wait so long!

Title: EVE & ADAM
Author: Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends (a Macmillan imprint)
Release Date: October 2, 2012
Number of Pages: 304
Source of Book: ARC from publisher at IRA Convention

Sixteen-year-old
Evening Spiker lives an affluent life in San Francisco with her mother,
EmmaRose, a successful geneticist and owner of Spiker Biotech. Sure,
Evening misses her father who died mysteriously, but she’s never really
questioned it. Much like how she’s never stopped to think how off it is
that she’s never been sick. That is, until she’s struck by a car and is
exposed to extensive injuries. Injuries that seem to be healing faster
than physically possible.

While recuperating in Spiker Biotech’s
lush facilities, she meets Solo Plissken, a very attractive, if
off-putting boy her age who spent his life at Spiker Biotech. Like
Evening, he’s never questioned anything… until now. Solo drops hints
to Evening that something isn’t right, and Emma-Rose may be behind it.
Evening puts this out of her mind and begins her summer internship
project: To simulate the creation of the perfect boy. With the help of
Solo, Evening uncovers secrets so big they could change the world
completely.

EVE & ADAM had a premise that sounded really interesting to me, and with two powerhouse authors (who are married-I didn’t know that before!), I definitely had to give it a shot. I’m really glad that I did, and it was a page-turner for sure, but it wasn’t as high of a quality of a story as I expected. That doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it, because I did, but it was more of a down and dirty action movie type of book to me, as opposed to a thoughtful exploration of the medical/genetic scientific experimenting. I think that comes from it being so plot and action driven as opposed to character driven like some other books. But I did like the characters of Evening and Solo quite a bit. I really just wanted to hang out with them and create trouble.

Michael Grant (of GONE fame) and Katherine Applegate (THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN), team up well and have written a book that will appeal to both guys and girls. It’s fast-moving and plot-driven, involves conspiracy theories and villains, medical miracles and experimentations, questionable good guys and bad guys – who may change depending on the perspective, has a bit of romance and lots of action. I read this book in one day. One of the things I really enjoyed was the way that this world was imagined. It’s a normal world, but inside Spiker Biotech, is a whole other story. EVE & ADAM is suspenseful and mysterious and an enjoyable, quick read. I’ll be looking forward to seeing what happens in the sequel, ADAM & EVE.

Title: REVIVED
Author: Cat Patrick
Publisher: Little, Brown
Release Date: May 8, 2012
Number of Pages: 336
Source of Book: ARC from publisher

As a little girl, Daisy Appleby was killed in a school bus crash. Moments after the accident, she was brought back to life.

A
secret government agency has developed a drug called Revive that can
bring people back from the dead, and Daisy Appleby, a test subject, has
been Revived five times in fifteen years. Daisy takes extraordinary
risks, knowing that she can beat death, but each new death also means a
new name, a new city, and a new life. When she meets Matt McKean, Daisy
begins to question the moral implications of Revive, and as she
discovers the agency’s true goals, she realizes she’s at the center of
something much larger—and more sinister—than she ever imagined.

I really enjoy Cat Patrick’s writing style. It’s an easy contemporary romance style with a unique twist (at least in the two books she’s written so far – FORGOTTEN and REVIVED. FORGOTTEN made my Best I’ve Read list last year, so I was really excited to see that Cat Patrick had another book coming soon, and grateful to Little, Brown for getting me an advanced copy to read. I went into this one hopeful, and I was not disappointed.

The romance. Cat Patrick writes romances with good guys. I so appreciate authors who are writing about the good, sweet guys who are respectful and act appropriately. It’s a good example for teens to see in books. It doesn’t mean there’s not drama and difficulty, but I appreciate the relationship between Daisy and Matt. It felt a little bit instalove-ish at first, but it didn’t bother me too much because she got to know him a bit more.

The suspense/mystery part with the medical miracle is interesting. The way it was all laid out and explained down to the small details made it believable to me. I could see something like this happening. All of the secondary characters involved because of it were intriguing. However, I did feel like some of those storylines were hinted at, but not wrapped up. But, I didn’t guess who would be responsible at the end, and that was quite the dramatic scene.

Then there’s the part of death and dying that permeates throughout this book. Issues of accepting the inevitable and wanting to be sad/angry/hopeful/relieved/etc. all come into play. It felt really honest and true and although it was done within the context of this larger issue throughout the whole book, Audrey’s storyline was very touching and meaningful to me.

There is also an overlying theme related to friendships, and they can be very difficult for teen girls, especially one who moves around quite a bit. I appreciate seeing these types of storylines (reminded me a little of Sarah Dessen’s What Happened to Goodbye as far as moving a lot and friendships, and think it’s another thing that teens need to read about and want to read about as they’re trying to figure out their own friendships.

Along with that was the issue of families and parents and who really cares for you. I enjoyed the development and growth of Daisy’s relationship with Mason, her father figure. It felt real to me and their interactions were interesting to read. Mason became one of my favorite characters by the end of the book.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading REVIVED, a suspenseful contemporary romance dealing with life and death. I guess I realize through writing this that it was very multilayered. I will definitely be awaiting Cat Patrick’s next book, THE ORIGINALS coming in 2013, as I enjoy getting lost in her books and spending time in her stories.

Title: NEW GIRL
Author: Paige Harbison
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: January 31, 2012
Number of Pages: 304
Source of Book: NetGalley ARC

They call me ‘New Girl’…

Ever since I arrived at exclusive, prestigious Manderly Academy,
that’s who I am. New girl. Unknown. But not unnoticed—because of her.

Becca Normandy—that’s the name on everyone’s lips. The girl whose
picture I see everywhere. The girl I can’t compare to. I mean, her going
missing is the only reason a spot opened up for me at the academy. And
everyone stares at me like it’s my fault.

Except for Max Holloway—the boy whose name shouldn’t be spoken. At
least, not by me. Everyone thinks of him as Becca’s boyfriend but she’s
gone, and here I am, replacing her. I wish it were that easy. Sometimes,
when I think of Max, I can imagine how Becca’s life was so much better
than mine could ever be.

And maybe she’s still out there, waiting to take it back

OK, this is one of those books that I kept reading hoping I would like it more, but unfortunately, it never quite hit the mark for me. Now, part of that is because of the context from which I come to reading books. As a teacher, a part of my brain as I’m reading is always engaged in thinking about if I would put a book in my classroom, and to which students in particular I want to “hand sell” it. From my point of view, NEW GIRL is not appropriate for middle school students. There are quite a few mature scenes with parties and relationships. There are no consequences for the sex in the book, and it’s not really thought out ahead of time, which, for me, makes it something I can’t recommend to young teens. So because of those content concerns, it made it hard for me to enjoy the book because it didn’t feel totally realistic to me.

Then there were the intense characters. I kept reading to find out what would happen, but I didn’t really like the characters – that made it difficult to like the book overall. I didn’t connect with either of the girls (in fact one is pretty difficult to like at all); however, I actually liked the guys quite a bit. I wish there had been more of them – I think I would have liked the story better if it was actually their story.

The story is told from the points-of-view of the two girls: the new girl and the one she’s replacing. To distinguish between the two characters, the new girl’s chapters are told in first person and Becca’s chapters are in third person. It made it clear, but honestly, for me, it was a little jarring each time I have to mentally switch between POVs. In addition, the way in which the story jumped around was a little difficult for me to follow. Time would pass, and I wasn’t always able to understand it right away.

Overall, it’s an interesting mystery and the way the two stories were intertwined was intriguing. This story really shows how one manipulative person can really impact a community. The ending has an in your face wrap up and explanation of the lesson that isn’t my preference for writing style. I appreciate more when the lessons are more subtly included. Ultimately, I did finish the book, and I read it in only two days, which shows how much the plot grabs the reader and makes you want to keep reading to find out what the true story is behind it all.

Title:  CLARITY
Author:  Kim Harrington
Publisher:  Point (a Scholastic imprint)
Release Date:  March 1, 2011
Number of Pages:  242
Source of Book:  ARC from my bookseller friend

When you can see things others can’t, where do you look for the truth?
This paranormal murder mystery will have teens reading on the edge of their seats.
Clarity “Clare” Fern sees things. Things no one else can see. Things like stolen kisses and long-buried secrets. All she has to do is touch a certain object, and the visions come to her. It’s a gift.
And a curse.
When a teenage girl is found murdered, Clare’s ex-boyfriend wants her to help solve the case – but Clare is still furious at the cheating jerk. Then Clare’s brother – who has supernatural gifts of his own – becomes the prime suspect, and Clare can no longer look away. Teaming up with Gabriel, the smoldering son of the new detective, Clare must venture into the depths of fear, revenge, and lust in order to track the killer. But will her sight fail her just when she needs it most?

I had heard so many positive reviews of this book that I was eagerly anticipating reading it, and it didn’t let me down. Once I looked at the first page to see how it sounded – I was gone for the next two days reading it every chance I got. “You don’t want to kill me,” I said. “Of course I don’t, Clare. But I have to.” And a paragraph later, “…On my right was the crumpled body of a guy I hadn’t fully realized the depths of my feelings for until I saw a bullet rip into him.” OK – I was hooked – there was no chance I was putting this book down.

Clarity (Clare) Fern is a psychic from a family of psychics, and not the kind you normally think of as the scammers, but the real kind. She, her mother, and her older brother all have different psychic abilities, and they use them to entertain the tourists in their Cape Cod town. I loved Clare – she is full of snark and sass and wit in a Veronica Mars type way – and I totally want to be her friend. She doesn’t take any crap from anyone, and is fiercely loyal to her family. She’s been hurt, but she still has hope for finding a good guy (and there are a few to go around apparently!) Plus, she’s just really likeable the way she’s written. This book, and her character, reminded me of other favorite mystery books THE LIAR SOCIETY and DEATH BY BIKINI, all with kick butt, tell-it-like-it-is girls who are smart, but vulnerable and whose mysteries are sometimes usurped by their teen relationships with family and boys.

The secondary cast of characters in this book was fun, as many small town novels tend to be, and I enjoyed seeing Clarity struggle with the boys she was surrounded with. Although it was a little predicatble in the end (as I did guess earlier on who might be the culprit), it still kept me guessing throughout and I was never quite sure if my guess would turn out to be right or not. The mystery kept me on my toes, and Clare’s realtionships kept me turning pages to find out what would happen next.

CLARITY was a fun, light read, even though there were some serious elements with the mystery, the murder, and the people trying to figure everything out, and I would definitely recommend it to students who are looking for a mystery, and even to students who maybe need to be exposed to a mystery book. It’s got a great main character, an interesting mystery, and lots of snark and sass and laugh out loud comebacks, with a touch of vulnerability. I also appreciated the underlying story of not judging people before you know them and know the truth, and Clare’s battles to stand up for herself and be confident even when others are doubting her.

I’ll be eagerly waiting on the sequel, PERCEPTION, coming March 1st, to find out what Clare decides to do and what happens to her next.

Title: TIMEPIECE (sequel to HOURGLASS)
Author: Myra McEntire
Publisher: Egmont USA
Release Date: June 12, 2012
Number of Pages: 336
Source of Book: Borrowed ARC from bookseller friend Rani
Author’s Website: myramcentire.blogspot.com

A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking…
    
Kaleb Ballard’s relentless flirting is interrupted when Jack Landers,
the man who tried to murder his father, timeslips in and attacks before
disappearing just as quickly. But Kaleb has never before been able to
see time travelers, unlike many of his friends associated with the
mysterious Hourglass organization. Are Kaleb’s powers expanding, or is
something very wrong?
      Then the Hourglass is
issued an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he’s stolen
on the time gene, or time will be altered with devestating results. 
    
Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no
choice but to use their unusual powers to find Jack. But where do they
even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough…
    
The follow-up to Hourglass, Timepiece blends the paranormal, science
fiction, mystery, and suspense genres into a nonstop thrill ride where
every second counts.

My first recommendation is
that you go back and reread HOURGLASS before starting TIMEPIECE (or at
least the end of the first book with all of the reveals). If I had done
that, I probably wouldn’t have felt as confused by this sequel. The
backstory that Myra has created in this series about time travel is
extensive, which is a great thing to keep me thinking, but it also
requires that I pay attention so I can follow along with what’s
happening. At the end of the first book which Emerson narrates, the
Hourglass organization and the time-travel aspects were explained
clearly, but I read that one awhile ago, so as I was thrown right back
into the middle of it with TIMEPIECE, I was feeling a little bit lost
because there were some specific details I couldn’t remember that were
referenced often in this book as they were the impetus for everything
that happens. So, go reread the end of the first book and then jump
right into the continuing plot in this one.

Since the
second book starts right in the middle of the action, it makes it even
more exciting than the first one because the characters and reader now
know the basics of the time-travel aspects and the “battle” that is
going on with the villains (or are they?). This book is nonstop action
and suspense as the Hourglass kids try to figure out what is really
going on so they can fix the time-space continuum that is a little off
kilter right at the moment. This is all done within the context of the
quaint setting of this small town of Ivy Springs again with some of the
same loveable cast of characters.

However, (and I
didn’t know this going into it) this second book has a narrator switch,
and this time we get to hear Kaleb’s voice talking us through the story.
I loved this change as he is an entertaining (and highly snarky) and deeply layered
character who is often misunderstood. Seeing his empathy abilities from
his perspective created depth to this book that added an emotional core
to the science-fiction story. I loved getting to know him better and
feeling for him and his situations even more. Emerson’s best friend Lily
also plays a larger role in this book which was fun because she’s a
great character too. Myra has a distinct ability to make us fall in love
with her characters and to fall in love with others as they do in the
story. It seems so realistic because we’re enmeshed in the emotion with
them as they struggle with their feelings and we take the journey with
them.

This book has lots of reveals, lots of suspense,
lots of entertainment, and lots of thinking to it, and I enjoyed reading
it. There is a feeling of an ending to this book, but it also sets
things up for the next book really well at the end. Although this is a
second book, it still had action and resolution to things so avoided
that “second book in a trilogy” drudge that some trilogies I’ve read
have. I’m intrigued to see where this story will go, and especially who
might be narrating the next book in the series. Definitely add this one
to your summer reading list.

Title: LEGEND
Author: Marie Lu
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (a Penguin imprint)
Release Date: November 29, 2011
Number of Pages: 336
Source of Book: Borrowed ARC from Heidi at YA Bibliophile
Author’s Website: http://marielu.org/

Goodreads Summary:
What was once the
western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually
at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the
Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy
being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles.
Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted
criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.

*************************

LEGEND was a book that I couldn’t put down. I do love dystopian books, and this one was a fresh concept of a no longer United States divided into the Republic and the Colonies. There wasn’t much to go on as far as how we got to this point, although there were little clues along the way that make me think we could get more backstory in the next book – and I do hope there will be a next book! In some books, it would bother me that I didn’t know how they got to this point, but in this one, I barely even noticed it because I was so wrapped up in the action-packed, suspenseful, intrigue aspects of the story. I appreciated debut author Marie Lu’s writing style. It was very straight-forward and focused on the action and details of what was going on, constantly moving the pacing forward with little clues for both the reader and the characters. 

Speaking of characters, I was hooked on both Day and June, which was good because the story unfolds from alternating points-of-view (clearly noted in chapter title, text font, and color). I appreciate the complexity of stories written from multiple perspectives, and it really works for this case and is so necessary for discovering the whole truth of what’s happening. Day and June both have heart and want to do what’s right for their families, and they both have big brothers to be admired. I’m a sucker for a great big brother in a story (probably because I’m the only girl with an older and younger brother myself), and this one has two to love! Day and June are believeable in their actions and intentions, and they’re smart, but young. It’s all of that that helped me to root for them both to figure out the political situation, work together, and succeed. The romance elements are there, but don’t take over the focus of the story; they were written with a deft hand. Secondary characters abound and we get to know their role in the story as it unfolds – some become even more important than I could have thought.

I ended this book with a feeling of contentment, hope, not wanting it to end, wanting to go back and re-read it, and desire to read the next book! I was definitely emotionally invested in this book and these characters. LEGEND is perfect for fans of THE HUNGER GAMES and DIVERGENT. I will absolutely be passing this recommendation on to my students.

Read An Excerpt at LegendtheSeries.com

 

And remember to check out this week’s other Mara Mondays offerings and comment away to be entered in Lori’s contest at Pure Imagination.
The Secret Life of a Avid Reader – Miami post
Greads – Quote graphics post

It’s been three months since I first posted my
review/thoughts on THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER, so I wanted to share it
again for those of you who may have missed it, and to remind you of all
of the reasons that you want to get your hands on this book when it
releases next week!
  *This review originally posted in June. 

OK…I
know this is a really early review, but I needed to process my thoughts
about this book – and that’s why I have a book blog – to share my
thoughts!

Title: HOURGLASS
Author: Myra McEntire
Publisher: Egmont
Release Date: June 14, 2011
Number of Pages: 397
Source of Book: Bought the hardcover in it’s release month (had to go to three different stores to find it in stock!)
Author’s Website: http://myramcentire.blogspot.com/

Goodreads Summary:

One hour to rewrite the past . . .
 
For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Full of atmosphere, mystery, and romance, Hourglass merges the very best of the paranormal and science-fiction genres in a seductive, remarkable young adult debut.

I really, really loved HOURGLASS. It reads like a contemporary with science-fiction (and somewhat supernatural) elements, but also has a little mystery and a little suspense and a little romance and a little bit of family stories thrown in. It’s a well-rounded story, and hard to describe or pinpoint exactly what the main focus is because all of the parts are so enjoyable. There’s just a good feeling to this story – the setting and vision elements are well described – and I love the little town they’re living in.

I liked the main character, Emerson, a lot. She’s not in a good place because of the traumatic events of her past and the visions she’s seeing, but she’s working through it. She’s tough and strong and earnest and looking to feel like she’s not crazy. Once she learns about and meets other people who have “abilities” she starts to find a place for herself where she can feel she belongs and is somewhat normal. Who can’t relate to wanting to feel like you belong?

The whole time travel aspect of the story is really interesting and unique. The Hourglass is mysterious – in fact I want to know more about it – I’m still not sure I understand the organization after the first book. The author did a good job of explaining the physics and the elements of time travel without confusing me and in a little bit at a time way that helped me to absorb it, just as Emerson needed to. Towards the end, there was lots of action and unexpected twists and turns; however, I did feel that it almost went a little too fast at the end (there were so many game changer type things that happened) – I didn’t have time to soak in each thing that happened before the next twist – maybe because I was reading it too fast because I wanted to know what would happen?

And, of course, there is romance. There’s Michael and then there’s Kaleb. I don’t want to say too much about them or what their abilities are, but I can say, I can see Emerson’s draw toward both of them. One seems way more obvious than the other to just be the good friend, but with the time travel elements, it seems we never know what is going to happen, and both boys are looking out for Emerson.

Secondary characters were great in this book. I loved the relationship Emerson has with her older brother Thomas who has basically had to take care of her, and his wife Dru is one of my favorite characters in the whole story. I’m also waiting for the sequel for Emerson’s best friend Lilly to be fleshed out a little bit more – I know there’s something we haven’t learned about her yet that is going to be important.

Overall, I wanted to jump into this book and live with these characters. I liked them all that much. And the writing made it easy for me to spend a little time with them, although I did feel some parts were a little rushed, but I think because I wanted to savor this story a little longer. I should also mention, it has pretty short chapters, so it is easy to find stopping points, although you won’t want to put it down! Overall, I really liked it, but it did feel like a first book to a series, so I will definitely be looking forward to the next book in the series in 2012!

Title: BRAIN JACK
Author: Brian Falkner
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Release Date: September 28, 2010
Number of Pages: 349
Source of Book: Library Check Out
Author’s Website: www.brianfalkner.com

Goodreads Summary:
In a dystopian near-future, neuro-headsets have replaced computer keyboards. Just slip on a headset, and it’s the Internet at the speed of thought. For teen hacker Sam Wilson, a headset is a must. But as he masters the new technology, he has a terrifying realization. If anything on his computer is vulnerable to an attack, what happens when his mind is linked to the system? Could consciousness itself be hacked?

Brian Falkner, author of The Tomorrow Code and The Project, delivers an action-packed and thought-provoking sci-fi thriller in which logging on to a computer could mean the difference between life and death.
*************************
BRAIN JACK is a great boy book, especially for those into computers, code, or the hacking world.  I’ve always been intrigued by those who have the technological skill to be hackers and this book showcases them in an exciting way. This book is an exciting, don’t-want-to-stop-reading, dystopian, techno-thriller full of action. The interesting thing the author did is created the action through much of the hacking moments by writing the coding actions as if they were a battle themselves, thus making it more exciting. This world Falkner created where neuro-headsets are used to make your computer usage faster by skipping the brain to hand keyboard and mouse step, is a scary vision of where technology could go. It’s definitely a commentary on how far we should allow technology to go – and is there a time where the technology could get smarter than the people using it? This book has a future world where online gaming is now an addiction as we see drug use in today’s society – people can’t unplug and it ruins their lives. There are terrorist attacks all the time (in fact Vegas is now a radioactive wasteland) and there are secret and not-so-secret government groups protecting the people and looking for the terrorists – by trying to find the computers from which they are hacking in. It’s a book that makes you question who is good and how do you know?

I never knew what was coming next and each time a plot point felt wrapped up and I couldn’t imagine where he would take it next, a twist would be thrown in that I was never expecting. It kept is exciting and made me not want to put it down and stop reading. There wasn’t too much character development compared to stories that I’m used to, but as far as thrillers go, I think it was fairly typical – this book is more about the action and excitement and suspense. However, I did love Sam and Dodge was great comic relief. This book is one to read, but with the caution that there are some very technical terms, so if you’re not familiar with coding/computer technology, it may take a little getting used to, but it’s worth the effort.

4 STARS for BRAIN JACK

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie 
I love Sherman Alexie’s voice – I’ve loved his writing and movies for a long time, so I was excited to finally read this book.  It is a fabulous book – I can see why it won the awards it did – a must-read! Handles issues of race issues, adolescent boys, high-school, friendships, family, etc in a humorous and sensitive way. I will recommend this to all of my students to read with a caution of some mature concepts.  5 Stars


My Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins, and Fenway Park  by Steve Kluger
For the more mature reader – great book told from multiple points-of-view with three high-school friends who are the main characters. They are almost seniors, and writing an English paper on their most excellent year – all three write about their freshman year and the flashback part of the story is told through their journal entries from freshman year English class.  I really like the voice and methods that the story was told in with letters and emails and instant message chats and journals. Deals with coming out of a gay character in a realistic and sensitive way. It’s a book about relationships and discovering who we really are. Made my top books list for the year.  5 Stars

Gone by Michael Grant
I expected this to be a dystopian along the lines of Lord of the Flies; however it threw me off with the supernatural parts of it that I wasn’t expecting. I enjoyed the basic storyline of a town where everyone over the age of 14 disappears one day, and how the kids survive, but didn’t like the supernatural parts of it so much – they distracted me from the main plot. I will probably read the sequel though because I did get drawn in by some of the main and secondary characters. 3 Stars

NUM8ERS by Rachel Ward
I really, really wanted to like this book about a girl who sees a string of numbers every time she looks at a person’s eyes. On the day her mother died, she learned that the numbers stand for the day that person is destined to die.  I knew going in that it was a book from England, so some of the words would be different. However, I wasn’t quite expecting it to be such an on-the-run story, and I wasn’t hooked into the love interest storyline, which became more of a focus at the story moved on.  Overall, I was disappointed in the twist at the end. Several times I wanted to abandon, but forced myself to finish it. Overall, it’s an OK book for me. 2 Stars

Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer by John Grisham
I’ve like John Grisham’s adult books, so I was really intrigued to read this one.  There’s just something about series books that are obviously intended to be a series from the start so the ending feels a little incomplete that throws me off sometimes, and this is one of those.  Overall, the story was cute with Theo and all of his knowledge of the law and his ability to be in with the judges and other court workers when a big trial is starting. There is quite a bit of law speak in this book, but it is explained pretty well. The plot kept moving fairly well and kept me interested. Overall, I think this is a book for those students who like to watch the procedural shows on TV and would be interested in trial stories and a new series. 4 Stars

Lament and Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater
I love, love, love Maggie Steifvater’s writing!  I first discovered her when I heard her speak at a conference and got an advance copy of Linger, so of course I had to go buy Shiver and read it right away (stories with werewolves). As soon as I read them, I knew she was one of my favorite authors, and I recommended the series to all of my students and coworkers.  So, this summer I wanted to go back and read her first books (stories with faeries), Lament and Ballad.  I really enjoyed both of these books: the writing drew me in, I was invested in the characters and what would happen to them, the suspense in the plot and wondering how these human characters would deal with the faeries kept me reading, and I was eager to read the second once I had finished the first.  All of these things are what I want in a book. i enjoy reading books with paranormal/fantasy romance aspects, especially ones by Maggie Steifvater, and these didn’t disappoint!  5 Stars


The Last Thing I Remember (The Homelanders) by Andrew Klavan
I picked this book up because I saw the cover in the bookstore and the back summary made me think this might be a good suspense/adventure series that would engage eighth grade boys. Mostly I think it will, but I was a little disappointed. I felt that the beginning, when Charlie wakes up in a room being held prisoner, all beat up, doesn’t know what is going on, and doesn’t remember how he got there was a great start especially as he’s trying to escape and figure out what’s happening. It flashes back to the last day he remembers in alternating chapters. The problem that I had was that after he escapes and is on the run it got very slow for me.  It wasn’t until almost the end that the plot picked up again and we started to get answers on who these terrorists were. By the end I was a little disappointed because I didn’t get as many answers as I would have like on how Charlie ended up there.  I will probably recommend it to boys looking for adventure books, but ask them to read the second one in the series and let me know how it is.  3 Stars

The Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins 
Re-read these two for the second time in anticipation of Mockingjay‘s August release, and so glad I did.  It was nice to catch back up on the story of Katniss, Peeta, and Gale after one and two years since I read them, and reminded me of why this is one of my all-time favorite series! 


This series is one of the best dystopian stories I’ve read – a story taking a country similar to ours and putting it in a near future in which the world has changed in some way in which is is supposed to be better and is controlled by a different leading organization than our current governmental structure. 


In The Hunger Games, the country is run by The Capitol – the only area of the country in which they have enough money and food to live a good life. To remind the twelve districts of the failed rebellion from years ago and to make sure they don’t rebel again, they hold the annual Hunger Games, a televised event that everyone in the country watches, in which one boy and one girl, between the ages of 12-18, from each of the districts, enters the game world and fights to the death. The winner is set for life and gets food for his or her entire district. When Katniss goes to the games, things change not only for her, but for the entire country of Panem. If you’ve been waiting to read these books, now that the third one will be out, it’s time to read them all in a row.  5 Stars

Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles
I loved Perfect Chemistry so much that I definitely wanted to read the sequel and learn Carlos’ story. Overall I liked it, it’s a good romance escape novel, but was pretty similar in storyline to the first book. (See full review blog post)  4 Stars

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
Enjoyed the new series with Egyptian mythology from the author of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. (See full review blog post)  4 Stars