Obsidian

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I would love to say that I enjoyed this book, but that would be a stretch. The plot was too predictable, the characters shallow and the resemblance to other YA novels too stark.
I will recommend this book to my students who like reading about the supernatural with a whole lot of teenage sexual tension and angst.
Not in my list of top YA novels.


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The Finisher

The Finisher by David Baldacci
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

An entertaining coming of age novel showing that by believing in oneself and focusing on relationships which matter, there is no limit to what can be achieved. The main character, Vera Jane, continually is faced with choices which will define her and lead her towards her destiny. The story progresses, she looses her parents, her brother, her livelihood, her reputation and almost her life. Through it all, she carries herself as a hero and never gives up on her quest for knowledge and the truth.

The novel, in the beginning, reminded me of THE GIVER and other novels where the boundaries of the society are significant and citizens are warned that moving beyond the confines of their village will result in certain death. David Baldacci creates characters young readers can relate to, even if the situations in which they find themselves are unique to their world.

Vera Jane must battle her doubts and her insecurities which can be just as detrimental to her future as her battles with monsters and her fellow citizens in the Duelum. All young readers experience doubts about their abilities, who they can trust and what their future holds. This novel allows them to experience those doubts along with the characters and realize that regardless of the obstacles put in one's way, there are positive outcomes which can be realized with perseverance and dedication.


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Boys Like You

Boys Like You by Juliana Stone
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Every teenager experiences choices with impacts which reach far beyond themselves. Juliana Stone's novel BOYS LIKE YOU compels the reader to understand the choices made by Monroe and Nathan, not just on the surface, but the deep, lasting effects their decisions had on their friends and families.

What is more important, to me as the reader, is the connection to the old saying "It takes a village to raise a child." Both Monroe and Nathan have experienced life altering events which are tearing them about physically and emotionally. It is through accepting each other, learning to open up and forgive that we are able to watch the characters as they grow into themselves and become individuals who are stronger because of their experiences, not defined by them.

It is imperative that a Young Adult novel reach young readers with a story which is both believable and relateable.  From the very first pages, the reader experiences compassion and empathy for the characters as they traverse the lonely world their decisions have created.


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Where Silence Gathers

Where Silence Gathers by Kelsey Sutton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After reading hundreds of books, it is refreshing to read a novel in which the author takes a refreshing new look at a common theme. Kelsey Sutton transports the reader into the mind of the main character as she struggles with a common conflict humans experience but seldom discuss, the conflict between revenge and forgiveness.  Alexandra Tate must decide whether she will seek revenge for her family's death or forgive the man responsible. More importantly, however, she must decide if she will forgive herself for surviving the accident.

The manner in which the author personifies Emotions and Choices allows the reader the clearly connect with the characters as they traverse life. Creatively providing these beings with character traits and significant characteristics shows their power and lingering qualities as they impact Alex and those around her.

This is one title which will be recommended to my students as they traverse the field of young adult literature. Even with the science fiction feel to the Choices and Emotions, the conflicts Alex faces are ones which one readers can connect with.


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Plus One

Plus One by Elizabeth Fama
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Twists and turns in this science fiction action adventure are fast paced and engaging. The reader, like the characters, learns to disregard the distinctions which set one group of people apart from another. Instead, we embrace the differences and value the role they play in relationships, whether they are familial, romantic, or friendship.

Elizabeth Fama creates a world where those who are Day and those who are Night do not realize the beauty of their lives nor do they appreciate what the other has to offer. At first, the terminology is confusing to the reader, but within the first two chapters, the social configuration of the society becomes clear and the focus is fully on the characters. Sol and D'Arcy are created with such depth and emotion that the reader is fully engaged in their struggles and their triumphs.

A wonderful young adult novel that truly explores the issue of differences as well as how far one is willing to go and how much one is wiling to sacrifice for the love of another.


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The Body in the Woods (release 6/2014)

The Body in the Woods by April Henry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Not every book grabs you from the first line, the first encounter with the characters. Some require time. Time to draw you into the characters, creating a sense of mystery and suspense. April Henry does just that in her novel THE BODY IN THE WOODS.

Three teenagers who are part of a volunteer search and rescue team end up searing for a killer and rescuing one of their own. The author creates the authenticity of the characters through the masterful inclusion of multiple plot lines which weave into the story and bring the main characters Alexis, Nick and Ruby to life for the reader.

There are moments in the story when the plot elements are too predictable including the ever present confrontations with the lead detective. But, by not dwelling on the predictable, the plot moves along and the reader is reengaged.

This is one book which will be recommended to my students again and again.


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Thank you to Netgalley.com for allowing me to read this book.

A Life of One's Own

A Life of One's Own by Marion Milner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The journey of self-discovery is exactly that = SELF. One cannot simply take the words, actions and knowledge from another and transfer it to one' own life. The journey must be internalized and personalized. Just as with reading literature, we all take from it our own perceptions (good or bad) and weave the piece of literature into our own lives.

With that being said...

High expectations often lead to a disappointment. That is how I felt about reading this book. It may in fact have been a direct result of my own state of mind during reading. There are times when one must be in a certain state of mind to fully grasp and appreciate the depth and quality of an author's words. This was not the time in my life to read this book and appreciate its beauty.

That being said, there were a few key passages in the beginning that truly resonated with me.

p. 25 "...for although I knew there were plenty who wanted to tell me I should direct my life I could not be sure that what might be right for them would also be right for me."

p. 30 "What helped me most was the gradually growing conviction that silence might be the privilege of the strong but it was certainly a danger to the weak."

The reader must take from this writing what can be incorporated into their own lives and leave the rest.


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The Truth About Alice

The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thank you Net Galley for the opportunity to read this wonderful YA novel.

The degree to which individuals are willing to go to maintain social status is at the heart of this young adult novel. Whether you are at the top of the social chain or barely hanging on the bottom link, the desire to be more far exceeds all other desires and, many times, overrides ones moral code.

The characters in this novel each present their own point of view and showcase for the reader their inner turmoil in dealing with the ever changing landscape of being a teenager. So much of the characters' thoughts rest on how they believe others see them with so much of the judging based on outward appearances which in every case proved to be inaccurate.

Jennifer Mathieu brings to light the social pressure of high school and how a group of friends deals with morals, hypocrisy and lies. Her character development is masterful in its truthful rendition of high school life.


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The Snowball Effect by Holly Nicole Hoxter

The Snowball Effect by Holly Nicole Hoxter
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

"The grass is not always greener on the other side" would the the clique to describe this book by Holly Nicole Hoxter. The main character, Lainey Pike has suffered a great loss when her mother dies and instead of relying on her support network to ease her feelings of abandonment and disillusionment, she shuns those who would offer her support. As a grown up who experienced the loss of a parent at the age of 12, I personally understand what one experiences when a parent is lost. The plot structure and character development in this novel did not realistically showcase that experience.

At times the characters exasperated me as the reader with their selfishness and lack of genuine self-worth. The passing of responsibility to others simply provided validity to adults comprehension of adolescent perceived behaviors.

There were points within the plot which were poignant and brought the characters to life, but these instances were too far and few between for a 350+ page book.


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the realm of possibility

The Realm of Possibility by David Levithan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"loss takes as much as love does"
A profound statement found on page 113 of this emotionally charged novel by David Levithan.

Amazing storytelling.
This book provides so many insightful characterizations of today's teenagers - teenagers questioning their role in their own lives, teenagers questioning their sexuality, teenagers questioning the depth of romantic relationships. If I were to make a list of the Top 10 books that all teenagers and those who love, work with or have teenagers should read, this is one of them!

The depth of the characters is extraordinary.
A must read.


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The Girl with the Iron Touch by Kady Cross

The Girl with the Iron Touch by Kady Cross
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Girl with the Iron Touch left me wanting more. The synopsis of the novel (from the front cover) states that "When mechanical genius Emily is kidnapped by rogue automatons, Finley Jayne and her fellow misfits fear the worst. What's left of their archenemy, The Machinist, hungers to be resurrected, and Emily must transplant his consciousness into one of his automatons - or forfeit her friends' lives."

The premise of the book is set in a society where machines are becoming sentient beings, even exhibiting emotions which move beyond logical thinking. This was an interesting twist in the book and if the author had explored this concept to a deeper degree, the book would have held my interest more. Taking that into account, the characters were likable and relatable for young adult readers. This book is part of a series and having not read the previous novels, the characters and their relationships were hard to keep straight at the beginning.

Mixed in with the mystery and suspense in knowing that The Machinist is being kept alive with machines, the love interests and overtly explicit sexual puns did not fit into the scheme of the novel. At times, it was as if the author included those parts as a means to keep the interest of some teens, but it was not necessary and in many ways detracted from the true essence of the novel.

Young adult who enjoy mystery set in a "steampunk" environment would enjoy this novel particularly if they have already read the novels from the beginning of the series.



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iBoy

iBoy by Kevin Brooks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Every story holds a grain of truth and reality. iBoy is no different. Kevin Brooks creates characters who experience so much of what many young people live with every day including gang violence, lack of trust, feelings of alienation and isolation.
The main character must come to terms with two critical realities. First, he has been physically harmed when an iPhone cracks his skull with part of the technology becoming embedded within his brain. Second, his friend and possible love interest is brutally gang raped and now lives in fear of retaliation. Even though parts of the novel are incomprehensible in terms of actually happening, particularly the fact that the main character can read the texts and email messages from thousands of phones, the fact of the matter is clear that technology is embedded within our lives just as parts of the phone are embedded into his brain. Teenagers every day are faced with circumstances beyond their control and for which they are not able to handle.
Kevin Brooks brings to the forefront of our consciousness the need for validation of tragedy and the force of the human will to reconnect and create a new reality.


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Fault Line

Fault Line by Christa Desir
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sexual assault of young women is not a topic many people are comfortable discussing. This novel by Christa Desir brings the anguish which stems from an assault, not only for the victim, but for others who are also deeply affected by the violence. The characters allow the reader an inside look at the emotional roller coaster they experience as they juggle the emotions of fear, guilt and anger.
A must read for adults working with teenagers.


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