Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz

After the murder of the uncle who had been his guardian, fourteen-year-old Alex Rider is coerced to continue his uncle's dangerous work for Britain's intelligence agency, MI6. After only two weeks of training, Alex is assigned his first mission—to complete his uncle’s last assignment and discover the secret behind a generous donation that was made to every school in the country. Can Alex learn to use his new skills and special tools to uncover the secret?

I just got started on the Alex Rider Series, and I think that it's pretty great--full of action, spy gadgets, and mystery. All my favorite things! Don't miss a single second of the action!

Stormbreaker
Point Blank
Skeleton Key
Eagle Strike
Scorpia
Ark Angel
Snake Head
Crocodile Tears


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Red Glass by Laura Resau

Sixteen-year-old Sophie and her family have taken in Pablo, a six-year-old Mexican boy who is the only survivor from a group that attempted to cross the border into Arizona. After a year, Sophie and her family have become very attached to the young boy, but his remaining family in Mexico made contact, and want Pablo back. Sophie, her Aunt Dika, Dika’s boyfriend, and his son, Angel, travel to Mexico to take Pablo to his family so he can make a big decision. To make things even more stressful for Sophie, she thinks that Angel might really like her. When they arrive in Mexico, Pablo must decide—will he stay with Sophie’s family, or remain in Mexico? And will Sophie be strong enough to support his decision? And what are her real feelings for Angel?

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How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff

Daisy no longer feels like she fits in her father’s home, with his new wife and a baby on the way, so she travels to England to live with her mom’s sister and her four cousins whom she has never met. Upon arrival, Daisy feels an almost immediate connection with this family, and can’t explain why. Shortly after her arrival though, the world decides to intervene on her new found happiness. London is attacked and the world is suddenly at war. The five kids are left on their own in the English countryside. At first the kids don’t feel the effects of the war, but soon their tranquil atmosphere is disrupted by soldiers who take over their home and separate the kids into foster homes across the country. Daisy and her younger cousin end up working on a farm, helping soldiers care for the cows that desperately need milking. With the help of some of the soldiers, will Daisy be able to plot their escape and return to the family’s farm house?

2005 Printz Award Winner

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The Boyfriend List: (15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and me, Ruby Oliver) by E. Lockhart

Ruby Oliver (Roo) suffers from panic attacks, so at 15-years-old, she is sent to a shrink (Psychoanalist) to help her cope. As part of her therapy, Dr. Z suggests that she make a “Boyfriend List.” Too bad for Roo that the list got loose at school! Her life is turned upside down in ten short days: her former best friend and her boyfriend are together, and Roo has become a social outcast! And worst of all, now she has to relive it, moment by awful moment with Dr. Z! Check out what happens to Roo in The Boyfriend List!

E. Lockhart continues Roo’s story in a series that will soon have four books:


#2 The Boy Book: A Study of Habits and Behaviors, Plus Techniques for Taming Them

#3 The Treasure Map of Boys (Noel, Jackson, Finn, Hutch, Gideon—and me, Ruby Oliver





And coming next year:

#4 Real Live Boyfriends

P.S. I know you're not supposed to judge a book by the cover, but aren't these just the coolest covers?

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Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Luke is the third son in his family. Unfortunately, the Population Police and the government only allow families to have two children, so he must stay hidden at all times. For most of his life he has enjoyed the protection of living on the family’s farm surrounded by woods. Now the government has built a new housing development right where the woods that once hid him existed, and Luke must stay confined to the attic, and isn’t even allowed to peek out of the windows. Desperate for some sunlight, Luke discovers that he can look out of the attic vents, which are angled so no one can see him inside. By peering out of the vents, Luke gets to know the habits of the new families living nearby, and knows each family member by sight. Then one day, he spots a face in a window of a house that he doesn’t recognize, and he realizes that it can only be another illegal child living there. Luke soon becomes obsessed with the idea of meeting this person, and when he does, she reveals a big secret. They aren’t the only shadow children out there. Just how many shadow children exists? And will they ever get to live free?

Don’t miss the other books in this exciting series!
Book 1 Among the Hidden
Book 2 Among the Impostors
Book 3 Among the Betrayed
Book 4 Among the Barons
Book 5 Among the Brave
Book 6 Among the Enemy
Book 7 Among the Free

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The First Part Last by Angela Johnson

Before the birth of his daughter, sixteen-year-old Bobby enjoyed getting into a little trouble, loved his girlfriend, and had parents who took care of him. After Feather is born, Bobby must become the parent and take care of her by himself. He struggles with his new role, tries to maintain his friendships from before his daughter’s birth, and can’t understand why his mom is being so tough on him. He decides to rebel one day, and gets caught. He realizes that his actions and the consequences no longer affect just him.

The topic of teenage parenthood can be controversial and it is excellently handled in this book. It’s not an easy topic or plot, and Johnson makes no excuses for not being easy. As a reader, you just have to accept that Bobby's life is harder for him now that he is a parent. I think the strongest element of the book is the internal monologue from Bobby. He is so brutally honest with the reader and himself and I was able to believe Bobby; that’s what makes this book special. The dialogue between Bobby and his friends feels forced and fake in comparison.

I really enjoyed this book a lot, with the exception of the dialogue. I would recommend this book in a heartbeat.

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

17 year-old Ginny receives a packet of thirteen little blue envelopes from her favorite aunt, which are numbered. The first contains instructions to go to New York to pick up a package, get on a plane, and fly to England, where her aunt lived. Through the rules outlined in the first letter, Ginny realizes that she must follow the instructions on the first before opening any of the other envelopes. She can’t bring money, guide books, or any electronic devices including laptops, phones, or cameras. The only major problem with following this plan created by her aunt is that her aunt has been dead for three months. Aunt Peg was a wanderer and an artist, and completely unpredictable. The letters from Peg take Ginny all over Europe tracing a path that Peg once took. Ginny meets old friends, heroes, and employers of Peg’s, and does things she never thought she, Ginny, could or would do—she even asks an Italian stranger out for cake! She also becomes the patron of a one-man play performed by an English boy named Keith. In Greece, Ginny’s backpack is stolen, and she must return to London without completing the final mission. Or does she?

I enjoyed the format in the book, which consists of letters from Peg to Ginny in a handwritten font, and chapters in a different font and a standard form. Ginny is able to travel as a single, female teenager without social constraints, and the experiences she has are extraordinary and require her to develop great independence. There’s also a potential love interest. I would recommend it, especially to anyone suffering from a travel bug!

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Death Note Volume 1 by Tsugumi Ōba

Death Note volume 1 is the story of a very bright Japanese student, Light, who finds the Death Note, a notebook belonging to a death god. Possessing the notebook gives Light the power to kill anyone, and he decides to use that power to rid the earth of dangerous criminals. The deaths of the criminals doesn’t go unnoticed, and Light finds himself trying to stay hidden from the government who seeks to find him.

At first I had trouble getting used to the manga style of reading, but the story was so intriguing that I soon got the hang of it. The graphics were done in black and white and were very detailed. I had trouble with some of the images in that they were so detailed, but printed so small that they were hard to see. I wondered if I was missing important details, or was not getting all the information I should have from the images.

I think Death Note would create a lot of discussion in an adult or teen book group about human rights and the death penalty. It is also a great mystery story--who is Light and will he be caught? And who is the mysterious "L" character? I would recommend it.

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Seek by Paul Fleischman

Rob Radkovitz has spent his whole life only knowing his radio announcer father through a cassette tape his father made for him right before leaving. Lenny, Rob’s father, wasn’t ready to be a parent. Rob was raised by his single mother, living with his maternal grandparents. In their house, he has been treated as an adult. His interests are encouraged and treated with respect, but he is dissatisfied, feeling the absence of his father greatly. As he grew up, Rob became increasingly obsessed with locating his father over the radio. Because his father was originally from Louisiana, he accumulates information about the state, even weather reports. He eventually owns more and more high-tech radio and broadcasting equipment, and develops great skills navigating the airwaves, gradually increasing the distance he is able to search. Eventually he and his friends broadcast their own independent station, only to have Rob’s father respond to a call-in they request from their listeners. Finally achieving the contact he thought he wanted, Rob must decide if he wants his dad in his life.

Written as an autobiography for a class assignment, and told in a multi-voice format, the book is record of memorable sounds for Rob Radkovitz. At first the multi-voice format was frustrating. It disrupted my ability to read smoothly, and forced me to go back several times so that I could be sure I had attributed something to the correct character. I think it would be a very good audiobook.

Eventually I got caught up in the story, and I really enjoyed the main character, Rob. He was written as such an interesting person, and I found myself wishing that he would locate his dad. When his father finally did phone him, I was so happy for him. Part of me was hoping for the Disney-style happy ending where he’d have this great relationship with his father, but part of me was hoping that he would be able to accept that this man didn’t need to be part of his life. (I'm not telling what actually happens--you have to read it yourself!) I also appreciated the addition of characters, like Rob's grandparents, who added necessary humor to a book that could have been quite sad.

I would absolutely recommend this book.

***

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Clay Jensen receives an unexpected package in the mail and finds that it contains several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, a classmate who committed suicide two weeks earlier. As Clay listens to the first tape, Hannah explains that there were thirteen reasons she decided to end her life, and if he was listening to the tapes, he was one of the reasons. Hannah ensured that each of the thirteen people involved will get to listen to the tapes by a carefully controlled threat. If the people involved don’t listen to the tapes and then pass them on to the next person, an outside person will go public with the tapes. Hannah has also provided each listener with a map of important places. Clay spends that night following Hannah’s voice and map as he learns the truth of her pain, and just how he was involved.

The book contains two main voices, Clay’s narration of the story, and Hannah’s recorded tapes. In order to differentiate, the text used italics to denote the recorded vocals. At times this was confusing to read, especially when Hannah’s voice was paired line for line with a thought from Clay. While this is probably a realistic depiction of Clay’s thought process as he listens to the tapes, it was difficult. I think the publisher would have been better off using a different font for Hannah rather than just italics. The other criticism I have for the text is that the main way the reader gets to know Clay is through Hannah’s story, which makes him feel a bit less than a main character. I also had trouble with the dialogue between Clay and Tony, the guy Hannah chose to hold her secret, even though he wasn’t one of the thirteen reasons. I felt that the conversations weren’t authentic; instead they seemed rather contrived. I wonder if the audiobook format might be more successful at telling the story. Have you listened to it? Would you recommend it? Let me know!

I really liked this book, in spite of the fact that the entire time you read, you know that there can’t be a happy ending. Hannah is dead, and that won’t change, regardless of what else happens in the story.

The Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman

Sally Lockhart’s father has just died, and left behind a message that makes no sense. When she goes to his office in London to ask for help deciphering the message, a man dies of fear, just after hearing her words. Sally soon realizes that her father’s message has a sinister link, one that she must uncover before it hurts someone else, especially her. Sally finds herself pursued by villains she doesn’t even know, as she discovers two different, yet linked mysteries. One involves the deadly opium trade rampant in London’s seamier side, and the other mystery centers around a missing ruby of extraordinary value. Sally also finds some help along the way: a photographer, his actress sister, and their assistant take her in when she has no where else to go; an errand boy, Jim, devotes himself to helping her whenever he can; and an opium-addicted sailor and his curate brother aid her when the sailor’s health is restored. Sally helps her friends too; she is excellent with numbers and becomes an accountant of sorts for the photography shop, even creating a new product line. Sally finds clues along the way in the form of Mr. Marchbanks, a journal, and a mysterious reaction to the smoke of opium—visions of a past experience appear to her when she’s exposed to the smoke. After surviving threats on her life and on those around her, Sally eventually realizes that she must locate the valuable ruby before Mrs. Holland, an old woman who thinks the ruby should belong to her. In the end, Sally discovers that her father wasn’t the man she thought and this mysterious ruby has more power than she could have guessed. She must use the ruby to trick the Mrs. Holland, or she won't survive.

The book is beautifully written. Pullman is a master of very full descriptions and details, which can slow the pace of the book at times. The plot is complex and involves many twists, which also require the reader to slow down to appreciate the situations in which Sally Lockhart finds herself.

I read this book as a teen, and loved it. Rereading it as an adult, I can say that it hasn’t lost a bit of the intrigue that attracted me in the first place. I have recommended this book numerous times, and will continue to do so.

Note that this book is the first of the Sally Lockhart series by Pullman, which has four books.

A Step from Heaven by An Na

A Korean family emigrates to the United States in search of a better life. Told from the viewpoint of the daughter, the story follows her from age four to age sixteen. She and her family encounter language difficulties, feelings of isolation, a struggle for identity, and an abusive relationship with her father. Young Ju, the daughter, goes to school with no understanding of English, and develops into one of the top members of her class. Apa, the father, begins to resent her acquisition of English and her successful assimilation into American culture. He resents those who understand English, mistrusts the intentions of Americans, and becomes abusive with his family. Uhmma, the mother, adapts much more readily, is able to stay focused on the dream of becoming American and allowing her children to live a better life. She and the children join a church, in order to become more accepted and further assimilated into the culture. Apa; however, holds the family back, punishing them for their successes. Eventually, the struggle to fit in becomes too much for Apa, and he moves back to Korea. The rest of the family remains in America and is finally allowed to develop as Americans.

The book exhibits especially unique literary quality. It challenges the reader through Young Ju’s translation of English, particularly in the early chapters. The intermixing of Korean and the youth of the narrator also provide credibility to the story. Young Ju’s life experience, or lack thereof, pose additional challenges to both the reader’s and Young Ju’s understanding of various situations. In spite of the challenges, the story is engaging and clever. The division of chapters into small vignettes about the family’s experience helps the book flow without seeming too disjointed.

I really enjoyed this book. There were sections that were difficult to get through, such as the various abusive scenes with the father, but by that point in the story, I was so interested and vested in the story that I couldn’t stop. This book would appeal to young adults because of the format of short chapters, which makes is more accessible. Also, the fact that Young Ju doesn’t feel as though she is part of her own family is something that some teens might identify with fairly closely. The most interesting aspect of the book is the way the reader can see Young Ju’s literary and verbal growth and grasp of English as the story progresses. I would absolutely recommend this book to teens and adults.

I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak

Ed Kennedy is a 19-year-old cab driver whose life has settled into a pattern of playing nightly card games, having depressing encounters with his mother, and mooning over his best friend Audrey, whom he secretly loves. He is very self-centered and feels quite sorry for himself. The day the mysterious playing card with its cryptic instructions arrives in the mail, it forces him to think about someone else, and eventually to do good deeds. The cards that follow have similar assignments of good tasks for him to carry out. His assignments are not always completely clear; he must research and observe each person. For some, he just needs to give them the push they need to achieve what makes them happy, for others he must show them how to take responsibility, for some he must show other people the value of that person, and still others he just has to be a positive figure in their lives. In the end, he begins to see the effect of his actions, especially on those closest to him. And only one mystery remains, who sent the cards?

The voice of the narrator is the strongest element of this book. He seems to be honest, and the way he speaks is modern and without any sense of forced “coolness.” He is who he is, and doesn’t make apologies for that. The plot is interesting and keeps a reader focused. I think the idea is original, and well executed. The mystery included in the plot saves the book from being too much of a lecture on seeing the problems of the world around you.

I enjoyed this book, but must admit that the ending confused me. I think it ended with some elements of a less than realistic nature which conflicted with the majority of the book. In spite of this, it was a really fun book to read. I think that it would appeal to most Young Adults regardless of gender. The narrator is endearing without being sappy, and I think he tells the story particularly honestly. I also think that his narration is the element of the book Young Adults would appreciate the most. I would recommend it.

Feed by M.T. Anderson

Separated into four sections, this futuristic story follows Titus and his friends as they travel to the Moon to party at a nightclub, meet Violet, and live their lives connected to the Feed. In the future, nearly all humans have a transmitter implanted in their heads that provides a constant feed of information, not unlike having a ticker tape constantly running. The Feed also allows them to look up information on the spot, and to converse without spoken words, much like instant messaging. After a strange event at a nightclub, Violet and Titus begin dating. Titus soon finds that her points of view tend to be unique from the norm. Violet openly challenges the Feed by purposefully trying to confuse it. She also has a habit of saying socially inappropriate things to Titus’s friends. She encourages Titus to fight against the Feed. Eventually her Feed becomes defective, causing her to be disconnected from Titus, and the rest of the world. Although Titus sees her goal of challenging the norm, and truly loves Violet, he's not sure he can break away from the Feed.

At first I was frustrated by the futuristic language of this book. I didn’t enjoy trying to figure out the “new” words Anderson had created. But as I read further, it became much less obtrusive. The story itself deals with important topics like conformity, thinking for oneself, challenging the norm, love, and independence. Anderson handles them all by providing a character whose internal monologue is blunt and honest. The reader sees all of his internal struggle without censoring. The book illustrates Titus’s struggles with peer pressure and his quest to fit in, even as he can fully appreciate Violet’s goal of identity independent of the feed. I think that all teens can relate to these issues in some way.

I ended up liking this book a lot, even though I didn’t think that I would. I’m not usually much of a science fiction fan, but this book was written incredibly well. The book forces the reader consider the prevalence of media and pre-fabricated information. Even if this seems to be an ambitious goal for a YA book, it succeeds. I absolutely recommend reading it.