Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

Every high school has a rivalry. Usually, the rivalry is with another school, but Hamilton High's big rivalry is between their own Football and Soccer teams. After having yet another parking session with her Quarterback boyfriend ruined by a soccer player, Lissa Daniels starts thinking about ways to end the rivalry going far enough to beg her boyfriend to be involved in the rivalry anymore. Randy promises not to take part in an act against the soccer team, but breaks his promise to Lissa. The final straw for Lissa is her boyfriend's hasty departure after "makeup"sex to go fight with the soccer team.
She gets together with the rest of the football girlfriends (and Chloe, the football groupie with benefits?) and her ex-best friend, Ellen, the girlfriend of the captain of the soccer team. When the girls get together, Lissa gives them a radical plan. No sex or sexual activity with their boyfriends until the war between the two groups ends. When the girls swear on the pages of Cosmo, the boys have no idea what they are about to be up against.

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Kody Keplinger brings a new twist to a very old play. Lysistrata by Aristophanes was about the women of Sparta and Athens during the Peloponnesian War. Much like the girls in Shut Out Lysistrata and her friends are tired of the war and their men being called away from home to fight it.

I love how Kody Keplinger has taken an Ancient Greek play and turned it into an interesting and great read for teens of today. As I was reading the book  I kept thinking about reading Lysistrata in college and how this one was much more relate-able to her readers.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and why I HATED it.

I Hate The Hunger Games.  Did I get your attention? I'm not afraid of the thousands (millions) of teens and adults who have loved the book since it first came out in 2008. I'm not afraid of the millions of people who saw the movie already (which I promise I will not be seeing). I'm not afraid of the beloved author being mad at me if she ever reads this. I have to be honest and true to me. I hated that book.

While I will say that Suzanne Collins wrote a brilliant novel that I could not put down, I still hated the book. I hated that I couldn't put the thing down, I hated that I kept wanting to read, I hated the whole thing.

I just read The Hunger Games  for the first time last week, and I only read it because everyone told me I had to read it. So after weeks of agonizing over it, I finally spotted a paperback copy on the shelf, checked it out and started reading it.

For those of you who don't know what The Hunger Games is about, it set in a dystopian country called Panem, which is a future United States, just a little smaller. In this country, there is a yearly "Reaping" where the names of every child between the ages of 12 and 18 are entered into big bowls. Two names are chosen from each of the 12 districts of the country- one boy and one girl- to fight to the death in an areana for all the nation to watch. These children fight to the death because of a rebellion against the Capitol that ended wipping out a 13th district. To keep the other districts from rebelling, the Capitol has to show its control and what better way than by killing the children.

The first tears fell at the end of chapter one. The end of the very first chapter I started crying. Even though I KNEW what was going to happen, the trailers for the movie that had been floating around every major television market in North America and half of the cable networks (Food Network, thank-you for not showing movie trailers!) told me what was going to happen so early on, I was still angry and devestated to see Primrose Everdeen called.

I found myself growing angrier and more upset as training went on, as the 24 tributes were introduced, as each adult who had lived their lives never being called to fight to the death for food did NOTHING to stop the madness. As people in the capitol were celebrating children being led to the slaughter and as little Rue was doomed to fail. . . and I felt no different from all of them. What was I doing, I was reading a novel about children being sent to fight to the DEATH in a competition made for television that everyone had to watch. I felt no better than the people who bet on different tribute to win. I was rooting for Katniss the whole time, knowing 23 other children would have to die for her to win. I rooted for Katniss, knowing that a 12 year old would have to die in order for her to win.

I want to reiterate, I think Suzanne Collins did an AMAZING job with the book. She produced a well written work of art that has encouraged thousands of teens to continue reading. She also made me think and gave me nightmares for a week. I woke up each night last week praying ferevently to God that He would not let this sort of the thing occor in the future.

Even though I HATE this book, I still must give it

While I have no intentions of EVER reading it again or seeing the movie, it was well written and thought provoking.

BLOG TOUR: Farsighted by Emlyn Chand

I am honored to have been contacted by Emlyn Chand to be a part of the Blog Tour for her book Farsighted. I've never been a part of a blog tour and am super excited to be a part of this one. Even more exciting, I'm thrilled to have author Emlyn Chand as my very first Guest poster. Emlyn wanted to share her top 10 reasons why she decided to write YA novels.

This is a guest post by Emlyn Chand, author of Farsighted

I am 26-years-old, and I write YA books. Now here I sit on the cusp of my big debut as a published author (squeal), but it probably never would have happened if I hadn’t found my affinity for YA. In fact, the first novel I wrote was multicultural literary fiction— it’s never going to be published. I wrote lit fic, because I was trying to prove something to myself, to the world, to somebody. But the book didn’t encapsulate who I am or what makes me a strong writer. So naturally, the story fell flat. I have no idea what made me decide to write YA the second time around. I even remember trying to avoid it. I spent months trying to convince myself that Farsighted was too ambitious of a project. I was this close to writing a historical fiction novel instead. I’m glad I didn’t listen to my inner worrywart, because writing Farsighted is the best thing I’ve ever done. When you find that genre that speaks to you and allows you to speak through it, don’t let that go! Now I’d like to share 10 reasons why I love writing YA. It’s okay if YA isn’t your genre du jour, but don’t force yourself to write something just because the genre is popular or well-respected. Write what your heart wants to write, and the rest will turn out okay.

 I write YA because...
  1. I wish I had a chance to do my teen years over again. To live them more fully. Writing about teens gives me the chance to do so vicariously.
  2. YA is a broad genre. The sky’s the limit. I can write a dystopic novel this year and a romance or mystery next year. YA is not confined by specific plot conventions like other genres. It’s more focused on the characters.
  3. YA has a broad readership. The primary audience is, of course, teens. But younger kids also enjoy reading about what the big kids are doing, and adults like reliving their glory days too.
  4. The language is fun and approachable. Sure, you could write literary YA, but the candid and easy-to-read style of YA is part of its appeal.
  5. First person POV is where it’s at. YA doesn't have to be told in the first person viewpoint, but a lot of it is. Adult literature sticks more to the third person. I love writing in first person. It’s easier for me to develop a character that way, and I enjoy the writing process more.
  6. The characters are sympathetic. It’s easier to forgive the misdeeds of someone who’s “just a kid,” making it easier for readers and writers alike to identify with YA characters.
  7. The characters can change and grow. They aren’t yet set in their ways. Growth is an expected part of teendom, and it’s wonderful helping your characters achieve that potential.
  8. The readers of YA are incredibly devoted. If they like what you’ve written, they will tell the world. Can you think of any books that have a greater cult following than Twilight, Harry Potter, and Hunger Games? Because I can’t.
  9. YA readers WANT to enjoy books. They’re not looking to tear a book apart and flesh out all of its flaws. They are willing to overlook weaknesses within a book and focus on what they love about it. Their pleasure in reading is free and much more pure.
  10. It’s what I most enjoy reading. Write what you love to read. Don’t force yourself to write a romance if writing sexually suggestive scenes makes you uncomfortable. Don’t write literary fiction as a way to show off your intellect. Write what you want to write. Write was fits your talents and enthusiasm. That’s your best chance at success (no matter how you define the term).

Blog Tour Notes

THE BOOK: Alex Kosmitoras may be blind, but he can still “see” things others can’t. When his unwanted visions of the future begin to suggest that the girl he likes could be in danger, he has no choice but to take on destiny and demand it reconsider. Get your copy today by visiting Amazon.com’s Kindle store or the eBook retailer of your choice. The paperback edition will be available on November 24 (for the author’s birthday). THE CASH PRIZES: Guess what? You could win a $100 Amazon gift card as part of this special blog tour. That’s right! Just leave a comment below saying something about the post you just read, and you’ll be entered into the raffle. I could win $100 too! Please help by voting for my blog in the traffic-breaker poll. To cast your vote, visit the official Farsighted blog tour page and scroll all the way to the bottom. Thank you for your help with that. THE GIVEAWAYS: Win 1 of 10 autographed copies of Farsighted before its paperback release by entering the giveaway on GoodReads. Perhaps you’d like an autographed postcard from the author; you can request one on her site. THE AUTHOR: Emlyn Chand has always loved to hear and tell stories, having emerged from the womb with a fountain pen grasped firmly in her left hand (true story). When she’s not writing, she runs a large book club in Ann Arbor and is the president of author PR firm, Novel Publicity. Emlyn loves to connect with readers and is available throughout the social media interweb. Visit www.emlynchand.com for more info. Don’t forget to say “hi” to her sun conure Ducky! MORE FUN: There's more fun below. Watch the live action Farsighted book trailer.

 

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I have to say, I don't normally read Paranormal fiction. It's not usually my cup of tea. However, when I started reading Farsighted, I couldn't stop. Emlyn found a way to suck me into Alex's world and his mind. I found that "seeing" through a blind boy's eyes, I didn't care what the other characters looked like, I was able to focus on Alex's interactions with everyone. I found myself mesmerized with Alex, Simmi and Shapri as they began to figure out/ learn to accept their special gifts. If you like paranormal books or just enjoy stories where there is a mystery to unravel, I really think you'll enjoy Farsighted. 

I recommend this book!

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Full Disclosure:  I was contacted by the Author to review this book. I was sent a free eBook to read and review. This had no say in my actual review. 

Out of My Mind by Sharon M Draper

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper is about an almost 11 year old girl named Melody who has never uttered a word. Melody can't walk, she can't talk, can't feed herself and people have to help her use the restroom. Melody has Cerebral Palsy and although she is extremely bright, people outside her family and her neighbor don't see past her condition to the brilliant girl she truly is.

Melody has had doctors call her brain-damaged, teachers who insist on teaching the first few letter of the alphabet ALL YEAR long, a dumb Styrofoam snowman and mean kids. She has also had loving parents, wonderful neighbors and a helper named Catherine there with her helping her each step of the way.  When another girl comes to school with a new laptop, Catherine helps Melody research and find something that will finally give Melody a voice. However, not everyone is truly ready to hear Melody, to accept that she's much brighter than she looks.
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I have to admit I loved getting a look into Melody's mind. It was wonderful seeing her thought processes. Sharon M. Draper really made me re-think something about myself and how I view others. You never know what is going on in someone else's head and we shouldn't be so quick to judge.

The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson

Ginny is home after a summer long trip her dead Aunt Peg sent her on. School is out for Christmas break and Ginny gets an email from a stranger named Oliver claiming to have her backpack and letters. The mysterious stranger refuses to give Ginny her letters until they are face to face, so Ginny has to go back to England and Uncle Richard. Once in England, Ginny goes to visit her "Friend" Keith (the one she needed to have a DTR talk with) only to find out he has a girlfriend now.

When stranger Oliver demands Ginny follows the instructions of the 13th Letter WITH him, Keith insists he go as well and Keith's girlfriend tags along. Now not only does Ginny have to deal with Oliver-- who still hasn't given her Aunt Peg's letters-- but her feelings toward Keith and his new girlfriend.

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I loved loved loved The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson. When I heard that there was going to be a sequel to the first book, I squealed. I've been waiting for this for awhile now, and I'm thrilled I was not disappointed with it. Maureen Johnson found a way to suck me right into Ginny's experience and I found myself working through my feelings of the book much as Ginny did.

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Stork by Wendy Delsol

Hello everyone! I know it's been an eternity since I last talked to you all. I've been slacking. Anyway, I just finished a REALLY great book called Stork by Wendy Delsol.

From Barnes&Noble.com:

Moving from LA to nowhere Minnesota, sixteen-year-old Katla Leblanc expected the local fashion scene to be frozen in time. What she didn’t expect was induction into the Icelandic Stork Society, an ancient order of women charged with a unique mystical duty. Not only is Katla the youngest member, but Hulda, the society’s omen-guided leader, immediately bestows the coveted Second Chair on her — a decision that ruffles a few feathers. . . 

Things would be looking up if it weren’t for editor in chief Jack. Even though they argue every time they meet, Katla is inexplicably drawn to him. Juggling her home life, school, and Stork duties, will Katla be able to unravel the mystery surrounding Jack? More importantly, will she find a dress in time for Homecoming?

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I have to admit, when  I first picked this book up, I wasn't sure what I would think.  I liked the blurb and the cover was pretty cool too. Then I started reading and fell in love. The only bad thing about the book is sequel doesn't come out until October and  I really want to read it now!

Beastly by Alex Flinn

With the movie already out in theaters, this may seem a bit late. . . however, I told myself I had to read and blog the book before I would allow myself to go see it in theaters. I wanted to use my own imagination before I had Vanessa Hudgens and Alex Pettyfer's faces dominating my brain. I'm not sure how well that worked though. . .

Since I just finished the book, I figured I would go ahead and review it BEFORE I see the movie and then once I see the movie (sometime this weekend) I will discuss how I felt about both of them. I've already noticed a few discrepancies with the movie from the previews alone. . .

Kyle Kingsbury is a spoiled NYC prep boy. He lives in a fancy Manhattan apartment with his father-- a newsanchor who is rarely home and he's nominated for 9th grade prince for his school dance. He doesn't care about anyone but himself. He has a girlfriend named Sloane who is just as self-absorbed and focused on popularity as he is and Kyle fails to respect those who are "below" him.

As a joke, Kyle asks Kendra-- an overweight goth girl-- to go with him to the dance, knowing he had no intentions of going with her. His girlfriend, Sloane demands an orchid for her corsage, but instead of getting the corsage, he sends his housekeeper, Magda. Magda finds the beauty in a white rose and gives it to Kyle to give to Sloane. Sloane has a hissey fit about the rose and Kyle ends up giving it to a girl who is taking tickets at the dance.

When Kendra shows up without a ticket, Kyle blows her off after insulting her, but its Kendra who has the final word. She leaves Kyle with a simple warning, "You'll see." and leaves the dance.

Kyle's world is turned upside down when he gets home from Sloane's after the dance. Kendra is there, but she's not just a high school girl. She transforms Kyle into what he was inside-- a horrible beast. She tells him that he has 2 years to find a girl to love and to be loved by her in return or he will be DOOMED to remain a beast forever. Kendra also bestows on him, a magic mirror to see the world with and warns him NOT to break the mirror.

Kyle only has 2 years to find a girl and once his father locks him away in a Brooklyn Brownstone with his housekeeper, Magda and a blind tutor named Will, he looses all hope. It isn't until a drug adict breaks into the greenhouse he built that hope begins to blossom again. . .
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This is probably one of my FAVORITE retellings of a classic tale. I never thought to think about things from the Beast's perspective, mainly because I'm a girl. However,  I LOVED how Alex Flinn was able to break into the Beast's mind, show us what lead to his becoming the creature we've grown to love through Disney and through him into 21st Century America. In the decade where we are obsessed with shows like Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl, it's great to see something from a guys p.o.v. I found myself repulsed by Kyle in the beginning, but loving and rooting for him in the end. Even though I was pretty sure how the book would end, I was still facsinated and engrossed in the way Alex Flinn was able to make Kyle's journey from Beast to Man occur.

This book deserves 4 dragonflies: I love it, recommend it, and someone is getting Beastly as a gift sometime this year.

Cloaked in Red by Vivian Vande Velde

Cloaked in Red by Vivian Vande Velde takes the story of Little Red Riding Hood and spins it 8 different ways. Picking this book of the shelf at the library, I was immediately intrigued. Little Red Riding Hood had always been one of my favorite Fairy Tales and I was looking forward to Vivian Vande Velde's interpretation. Unfortunately, this book let a LOT to be desired for me. Maybe I'm too much of a traditionalist, but I didn't like the interpretations Vande Velde used.  I struggled through finishing this short book and I can say I thoroughly enjoyed the introduction chapter much more that the actual book.

I was surprised by my dislike in this book because I love Vivian Vande Velde and her book, Heir Apparent. This one, Cloaked in Red left me wanting and disappointed. However, they maybe some out there who enjoy her possible takes on Little Red Riding Hood.

I can only give this book 1 dragonfly.

I read the book and forced myself to finish it.

Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin

"The history of our family and our people affects who we are in the present." --Mallory, pg.42
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Mallory Tolliver is NOT really Mrs. Tolliver's daughter, she's not even human. She has been sent by the Faerie Queen to break Phoebe Rothschild down until she has no self-esteem and believes she is nothing but ordinary, even though she comes from a very EXTRAordinary family.

Phoebe Rothschild is the daughter of Catherine Rothschild and Drew Vale. Catherine is the descendent of Mayer Rothschild who's 5 sons became big names in the European financial markets in the 19th century. According to Faerie legend, Mayer made a bargin with the Faerie Queen, if she would make his 5 sons extraordinary, in turn the family would give the Faerie Queen an ORDINARY daughter. Unfortunately for Phoebe, before she came along, there had never been an ORDINARY Rothschild daughter. It's up to Phoebe to figure out if she's ordinary or Extraordinary to prevent the Faerie Queens will to destroy her. . .
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I don't know how Nancy Werlin does it, but she finds a way to captivate me and writes little "one-liners" that I have to jot down so I can remember them for always. Another thing Nancy Werlin does it she takes a fantastical story and mixes it with history. She did this before with Impossible: a Novel and she does it now with Extraordinary. Each time I have picked up a Nancy Werlin novel I have been transported to whatever world she has desired I go. While it took me a little longer to get into this particular book than it did with Impossible, I still really enjoyed it and would pick up any other book Werlin writes.
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"I've heard it said, that people come into our lives for a reason, bringing something we must learn.And we are led to those who help us most to grow, if we let them, and we help them in return. . . But because I knew you, I have been changed FOR GOOD " Wicked: A New Musical song For Good

Going Bovine by Libba Bray

Going Bovine by Libba Bray is about a teenage boy who contracts Mad Cow Disease.  Cameron's family consists of his mom, work-a-holic father (who's more than likely having an affair with his TA) and his popular twin sister, Jenna. The family basically lives seperate lives until Cameron gets the diagnosis that he is going to die.
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Cameron begins the book talking about how he almost Died on the It's a Small World ride at Disney World. He talks about how he and his twin sister Jenna were 5 and how he really wanted to live in the ride. Then he talks about the ambulance with mouse ears that took him to the hospital and how the family then had free tickets and front places in lines the next day. For the first chapter, I thought Cameron was adorable. Then his mouth starts in chapter 2 and he became a little harder to like.
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I will admit I have been hesitant to read Going Bovine. I know it came out in 2009, but I just couldn't get in to the premis of the book. So, after buying a paperback copy of the book (mostly because I was tired of waiting for my local library's copy to come back) I borrowed the audiobook from the library and started to read/listen to the book. I actually enjoyed the first part of the book, but when Cameron started possibly hallucinating about Dulcie and hanging out with a video-gaming dwarf with Mommy issues, I got bored and quiet frankly, couldn't continue reading. I found the first part to be well written and fun, but the second part just bored me. . .

Maybe one day I will pick Going Bovine back up and try reading it again, but as for right now, It's a no.
However, Libba Bray has an amazing website. http://www.libbabray.com/

The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney

The Mockingbirds are a not-so secret society at Themis Academy. When the administration won’t step in because Nothing bad could ever happen at Themis, the Mockingbirds will. They are a group that believes wrong doing should be punished. Alex’s sister Casey started the Mockingbirds after a Themis student committed suicide her senior year. Casey wanted to prevent something like that from ever happening again. The Mockingbirds, named after Harper Lee’s classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird, hears cases brought before them and decides whether or not to try people in a mock court with lasting punishments.

Now a junior at Themis, Alex knows about the Mockingbirds, every student at Themis does, but she doesn’t know how they work or really what they can do. She like others knows the Mockingbirds have had a hand at campus judgment, but that’s all. She never expects to need the Mockingbirds services, even though her sister warned and encouraged her to seek out the Mockingbirds if anything were to happen, before she started Themis.

That all changes one day when Alex wakes up naked to a boy she doesn’t know, with no memories of what happened the night before. As she starts to get dressed to leave before he can wake up, she remembers his name—Carter, but nothing else. She remembers going to a concert with her Friday night privileges, but not how she got to Carter’s room. As she leans over, she glances into the trashcan and sees the evidence of what occurred the night before—2 condom wrappers split down the middle. Alex realizes she had sex the night before, but doesn’t remember saying yes.

Leaving Carter’s room she walks the long way back to her dorm, hoping to not be detected, hoping she can get back to her room before anyone notices her “walk of shame”. Once in her room, she is confronted by her roommate, T.S. who realizes there is more to what Alex remembers. T.S. calls Casey and from there they encourage Alex to seek out the Mockingbirds. It’s Casey who puts a name to what happened to Alex the night before with a simple sentence. . . “All that matters is that you said yes. Did you say yes?” When Alex can’t answer her sister, Casey simply says, “It sounds like you were raped.”

Piecing information together, Alex enlists the help of the Mockingbirds to help her bring Carter to some sort of justice. Even though she refuses to go to the police, she wants to reclaim her life and the Mockingbirds will help her. The question is, will Alex be able to let them help her and will she be able to accept the results of what happens next??
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This novel is the book that is bringing me out of my hiatus as a blogger. It has been a very long time since I have found a book so gripping that I couldn’t put it down. Not since Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer. For Daisy Whitney’s first book, she did an AMAZING job.

I found myself curled up in my chair itching to know what was going to happen next for Alex, would Carter be brought to justice, would she ever be able to piece together all the information to find out what happened to her and WHY ON EARTH were the adults so clueless as to what was going on at Themis Academy. I really like how the Mockingbirds work in the school. I love the whole sort-of secret society aspect and I was pleased to find at least one adult finally coming forward to help the students of the school.

I must say I am eagerly awaiting another novel by Daisy Whitney.

Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer

In honor of Twilight Saga: Eclipse's release in  less than 15 hours (not that I'm counting or anything) I am going tell you my opinions on each of the books. :O)

In Twilight, we meet Bella Swan as she is making the move from Phoenix, Arizona to dank, rainy Forks, Washington. From this first act, we learn that Bella tends to put others before herself-- she moved for her mother. She moves in with her semi-emotionally distant father, but it works because she's not the best at expressing her emotions either. She is instantly the most exciting thing to hit Forks High simply because she's new (evidently, they don't get new kids often).
Bella notices the Cullen kids and instantly seems to aggravate Edward Cullen to the point he can't stand to be in the same Biology class with her. Eventually, Bella learns Edwards big secret after he saves her from 4 attempted rapist in the neighboring Port Angeles, Washington. Instead of being freaked out that Edward and his family are vampires, Bella is drawn to the family and starts a dating relationship with Edward. Of course being good friends with a family of vampires leads to its own set of troubles when a group of nomads interrupt a baseball game. These red-eyed nomads don't partake in the same "vegetarian" diet the Cullen approve of and the protective stances the family take around Bella causes a serious complication.

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I absolutely love the Twilight saga! I think one of the reasons I like the series so much (even though I usually hate all things Vampire) is because the vampire/supernatural part of the books is not really the central focus. The books are more about family, friendship, first love and lasting love. The Vampire thing is more of a secondary story plot and not the main thing.

Exposed by Susan Vaught

Exposed by Susan Vaught is a haunting Cautionary tale about the dangers of the internet. At first glance, Chan Shealy seems like a typical high school girl. She's a member of her school's twirling team,  she's a straight A student and she's got a great friend in Devin. However, Chan also got an STD from her ex-boyfriend, Adam P.

Once news about her Herpes spreads around school, boys won't come near her. Chan starts to feel that her life is falling apart and she'll never have another boyfriend. That all changes when she meets Paul online. To Chan, things start falling back into place. She gets into shape for Regionals with a set of weights that Paul sends her, and even poses for topless photos for him. Chan gives Paul details that end up putting her and her little sister in serious jeopardy.

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Ok, I love Susan Vaught and her novels. This one included. I think Susan Vaught did a decent job delving into the mind of a girl being lured into an online trap. While Chan isn't always believable, I did have some gut wrenching emotions flowing through me as Chan started piecing information together and realizing what her baby sister was getting into.

Also, I learned a few things about the net I didn't know about (things which I will NOT be discussing here.) While I did enjoy this novel, it wasn't as good as Susan Vaught's Big Fat Manifesto. I will however, eagerly await her next novel.

When Jeff Comes Home by Cathrine Atkins

Jeff Hart was always his father's pride and joy. When his brother or sister wanted something from their dad, they knew if Jeff asked it would happen. Then one day, the unthinkable happened, while at a rest stop with his family, Jeff is forced into a waiting van at knife-point. From that terrifying moment on, Jeff's life is forever changed.

Two-and-a-half years later, Jeff's abductor, Ray, drops him off at his childhood home. Once inside the door, Jeff and his family begin the difficult journey of recovering from such traumatic years. Jeff has to get used to no longer being used as a sexual outlet for an older man, not being hit or his mind messed with and readjust to being a part of a family and society in general.

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This book is definantly a difficult one to read. Jeff's story is a hard one to hear and one can only be greatful that they have never had to endure the torment and torture Jeff had to endure-- to never have to go through the things Jeff did to survive.

Bait by Alex Sanchez

In this new novel by Alex Sanchez, we are introduced to Diego MacMann, a troubled teenage boy who is meeting his new probation officer for the first time-- right before his court date. Besides having a temper, Diego appears to be a model student, a hard worker and great big brother. But Diego is hiding a few secrets underneath his anger. With the help of Mr. Vidas, his probation officer, Diego begins to deal with the source of his anger and begins to allow himself to trust and rely on other people.

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I have read some of Alex Sanchez's other books and must say that with this one, once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. I felt myself falling into Diego's despair at points and understanding his anger at others. With each page I turned, I felt myself wanting to wrap Diego up in the hug I felt he desperately needed at the time.

I have to admit, I didn't like some of the things the mother in the book put Diego through. I didn't like the way the mother constantly lied to make things seem better instead of actually dealing with the truth. I felt that she needed to grow up and deal with things instead of placing the blame elsewhere.

All in all, I must say I really liked this book. I really liked the growth Diego had to accomplish in the book and I really liked the way Alex Sanchez used the ocean and sharks throughout the novel.

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

In a society where abortion is totally illegal, parents have few options when dealing with an unplanned child. They can choose to "dump" the baby on a strangers doorstep after it's born (and that family would HAVE to raise the child), they can drop the kid off in a state home (StaHo) where the child basically has to compete for the right to live' or raise the child until they are 13 and then have them unwound.

Unwinding is only an option for children between the ages of 13 and 18 and when the Unwind orders are finalized, the child is taken to a special center where they await their bodies being harvested piece by piece while they are still awake.
For 3 kids, the Unwind orders are signed, sealed and they are being delivered to the harvest. Lev is the 10th child of 10 children and he is being offered as a tithe to God. Risa, who grew up in a StaHo is being Unwound to make room for the babies because she's not special enough to live whole. And Connor finds tickets for his parents and brother to go on a vacation and finds his unwind orders for the day before the vacation.
A chance meeting binds these three children together and their survival becomes interdependent on each other.
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This book was what I like to call a mind-trip in a book. I will admit that reading this book angered me a bit and caused me to think about it for days. The thought of dismembering teenagers haunted my dreams for at least a week, but I think that's exactly what Neal Shusterman wanted. This book really did make me think about where I stand on certain issues and made me realize that maybe everything is a simple issue. . .

Nothing by Robin Friedman

Parker Rabinowitz has a problem. More than one actually. Between trying to do his best in school, meeting with his college consultant and trying to keep up with his father's ridiculous standards, he just can't do everything. With all sorts of pressure on him from every side, Parker strives to control the one thing he can. . . his food intake.

As Parker struggles to keep his food down or to not overeat, he finds his control slipping. While others watch without really seeing, only his little sister Danielle realizes something is seriously wrong with Parker. But even she has her own problems. . . namely that when her brother is around, she's invisible, silent and borderline non-existent.

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I was hesitant to read this book once I realized part of it was in verse, but I'm glad I did. Too often, books are published with serious issues and most of them are about girls. I was encouraged to find another book (similar to Target by Kathleen Jeffries Johnson) that brought a so-called Girl issue and showed that boys can suffer from it too.

Looking back, I'm actually glad that Danielle's portion of the book is in verse form because it tended to be more powerful than if it had been in a regular story form. I was able to appreciate the feelings behind her words and feel the suffication she must have felt being Parker's little sister.

This book has an interesting way of dealing with eating disorders, but in a not too graphic way and stresses that there is no such thing as a "girls only" issue. . . eating disorders and diseases can affect both.

Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott

"I am the living dead girl because I am to weak to die." Alice, who really isn't named Alice, lives those words. Abducted by a sociopath when she was 10, Alice is a survivor in every sense of the word. Her sadistic keeper Ray likes his girls young and once they get "old" (around 15) they have to leave and he finds a new Alice.

Our Alice is 15 now, and she awaits the day of her death with eager anticipation. She longs for Ray's knife to rip through her body, but Ray has other ideas. Before he will let Alice go, she has to find her replacement. Alice has to find the next girl, the one Ray will name Annabel, and train her for Ray's twisted needs. The question is, when Annabel gets there, will Alice finally be released to her family or will her death come as she hopes. . .

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This book is AMAZING! Elizabeth Scott has done a masterful job keeping the suspence growing with this novel. As I read each page, I found myself hoping that she could get away. The book jacket says it all Living Dead Girl really is unlike any I have read before and I doubt I will ever read one like it again. Living Dead Girl made me think. At times Alice seemed really cold and vicious, but then I stopped to think, if I was in her place, would I react the same way? Would I be so desperate to be safe again that I would willingly find a replacement? Would I be different from Alice?

This book will make you think and it will take you out of your comfort zone, but that is what any great work of fiction will do.

Planet Pregnancy by Linda Oatman High

In this new novel by Linda Oatman High, we find a teenage girl waiting for a simple test result. As she sit there begging for the test to turn blue and not pink she begins to moan and groan about her predicament. When that little test betrays her and turns pink, Sahara feels her world drop away from her. Sahara refuses to acknowledge the baby as a baby and gives it random nicknames. She goes to a psycic to find out the baby's gender and when the psycic lysps that she's having a boy, Sahara declares that penises should be illegal. Months pass and she refuses to tell anyone she's pregnant until Christmas when she tells her friend. Sahara goes to great lengths to not tell her mom she was pregnant by making up a story of date rape and declaring that she was NOT pregnant when her mother asked if she had any tests after the supposed rape. Eventually, Sahara admits the pregnancy and that she wasn't raped and begins to take care of herself and the baby.
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While I am not usually a fan of Novels in Verse, this was a good one. I like that this book doesn't glorify teen pregnancy like movies such as Juno. Planet Pregancy take the view of a young woman who is really just a kid herself and the typical fear of disappointing her parent and her priest. Underneath it all, she's just a kid who isn't ready for the responsibility. In this book, you hear about the morning sickness, the getting bigger, the fear of hurting the baby, nothing is glorified.

Safe by Susan Shaw

When thirteen-year-old Tracy, whose mother died when she was three years old, is raped and beaten on the last day of school, all her feelings of security disappear and she does not know how to cope with the fear and dread that engulf her.
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I absolutely loved this book. The attack on Tracy is not graphically detailed, but the emotions and trauma she feels after are very vivid. You can feel the anxiety she has when left alone, the desire to cling to her father and the despair she lives in now that she can no longer feel her mother's presence. Tracy has a long road ahead of her, one that she will not have to walk alone. Her father refuses to allow her to wallow in fear and pity. Tracy also finds comfort in her weekly piano lessons, lessons she used to dread and attempt to get out of, now bring her peace and help her find a new life. Tracy's expreience in the orange car causes her to try to pull away from her friends and it almost succeeds. A frightening event will bring her back to her friends, her father and even back to the mother she lost so many years before.