If You Really Loved Me by Anne Schraff

If You Really Loved Me by Anne Schraff
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Part of the Urban Underground series, I liked Destini, who was really hard on herself as not being as pretty, smart and having nice clothes as her friends at Harriet Tubman High. She dislikes school, her teachers and her classes. Until she meets Tyron who is her first boyfriend and gives her such good feelings of love that she overlooks his faults of anger. It is after Tyron hurts her two times that Destini realizes she can't change Tyron and has supportive friends and and a mother that Destini breaks free. Recommended.

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Bitterblue by Kristen Cashore

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Loved this book! I enjoyed Kristin Cashore's two other books, Fire and Graceling, and this book was just as suspenseful a read. Characters like Katsa and Po and Fire grace this book and the evil father of Bitterblue, Leck (even though dead) continues his evil even after his death...Bitterblue is one of those strong female protagonists, but she doesn't know it throughout most of the book. She has been queen since the age of 10 but now she is eighteen and so bored with all the meaningless papers her advisers push on her daily. She hasn't ever left the castle, except for once...and she has begun to see the castle as a sort of jail. She disguises herself in pants with a large hood that covers her head and late in the evening goes into her kingdom and into a bar where stories are told about Leck and Katsa. Bitterblue is entranced with these storytellers but disagrees with some parts of the stories. Her first night out when she orders a drink, she realizes she did not bring money. She takes money off the counter and realizes she has been seen by a man who winks at her. Later, she runs into him and tells him she is employed in the Queen's castle baking bread but never reveals her name. The young man is names Saf (Sapphire for the color of his eyes)and he is a Greaceling but doesn't know what his grace is. Bitterblue comes to know Saf and his best friend Teddy as colorful characters who like to fight and lie. Bitterblue begins to find out she doesn't know her subjects (many can't read- but her advisers tell her they have a high literacy rate) and even those within the castle walls. Bitterblue's mother Ashen was murdered by her father Leck as she tried to rescue her daughter from Leck's evil. Leck tortured, raped, kidnapped and killed many children, women and men in his kingdom. As Bitterblue tries to become a queen that is revered; she runs into so many insurmountable problems. But she does not veer and along the way---uncovers deceit, murder, and so many other horrors she almost shuts down. But she finds advisers she can trust, and wades through the those advisers Leck destroyed with his mind games with the help of Katsa, Po, Giddon, Hava, and so many others. The rich characters and storyline are Cashore at her best (she gives credit to the many readers who helped her make this a truly believable story of triumph) and I was just so sorry the book ended! I liked the glossary of characters and drawings of the bridges, her kingdom and artistry included at the end. Highly recommended.

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Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard

Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book does a great job of swith the challenges of being a boy in an all boys' boarding school in the 1980s. Alex Stromm is tortured about the drowning death of his friend. He and his friends decide to cover it up since they were drinking at the time but did their new English teacher who happened upon them afterward see anything? The Plan is something Alex struggles with throughout the whole book; at times hating himself (did he do enough to save his friend, did he run fast enough)and then he alternates with wanting to continue at the Birches Prep School in order to become a writer and that might mean ruining some lives. Miss Dovecott is a young female teacher around all these boys and she works very hard to help Alex in writng and creating poems but also tries to get information from him about the drowning. Alex fantasizes about her; yet he really cares about her. It was definitely a struggle for Alex each and every day after the drowning. It was a little unnerving with all the details about Moby Dick (I really can't remember the story) and jumping back and forth in time. This book will appeal to the male student who likes to read about friendships, sports and all boys schools.

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Wicked Girls by Stephanie Hemphill

Wicked Girls by Stephanie Hemphill
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wicked Girls is a great novel in verse exploring the Salem Witch Trials and the young girls who were called seers and were taken over by witches that these girls named. The witches were put in jail and then on trial. Hemphill does a good job of setting up the world in which these girls lived and the fact that the French and Indian War was involved; some were servants and others were a little more privileged. Strict religion and piety were very important and there was too much punishment by parents and relatives of very physical beatings. I think Anne Putnam was the most needy and in the end the girl I disliked the most because she became very arrogant and if she didn't like someone, Anne and her mother would come up with names of "witches" to punish. Hemphill ends the book with a listing of the real girls and what happened to them. She gives the names and a hsitory of the real people accused by the girls, an authors note that I find very helpful concerning research and trying to decide what theories were plausible and what were not.

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Waiting For You by Susane Colasanti

Waiting For You by Susane Colasanti
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am working my way through reading all of Susane Colasanti's books and I really enjoyed this book!
Marisa is a 9th grader and she and her best friend Sterling think this is the year they have been waiting for! They reinvent themselves every year and this is no different, Marisa has an anxiety disorder that she keeps quiet about but she has been seeing a doctor and she can keep it under control when the warning signs start. Thanks to her wonderful, supportive family, Marisa feels she is luck since most of her friends have families with no parental support or single parents who have been deserted by their partner. Since Marisa has been secretly in love with Derek, she can;t believe he asks her out and they begin to date. She has a good friend, Nash who is unbelievably smart, kind, and geeky. She has always felt really comfortable around Nash but in middle school, the distance between them began to grow. Now that they are in chemistry together, they are lab partners and meet weekly. There is also an anonymous guy on the web at night who seems to be able to understand and help all the teens in her school with their problems by writing in to his show. It is when Nash's girlfriend breaks up with him, Derek seems to be inattentive to Marisa, and Marisa learns that her parents are separating that Marisa's world and anxiety come crashing down, HARD. Will Marisa be able to help herself, forgive her parents and let her friends in, while she is wishing for that special someone? Girls will love this Colsanti book about high school, friends, and lrelationships.

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Lost in the River of Grass by Ginny Rorby

Lost in the River of Grass by Ginny Rorby
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this for July Goodreads book club for YA Reads for Teachers (and any other adults)---join us if you'd like. I read Ginny Rorby's other book a few years back for PSLA and I just love this author, what she writes about, her characters and the depth of feeling that comes across in her novels. In this book Sarah is 14 years old and has a swimming scholarship to a prep school where she is not accepted, except by one teacher, Mr. Wethers. It is while on a weekend trip with science class that Sarah meets Andy who is working on an airboat and invites her out for a ride. Only problem is, Sarah has to lie, act like she is sick, to sneak out and go on this boat. It is after they have stopped many miles away and gone exploring that they discover the boat has sunk because Andy forgot to replace a plug in the bottom of the boat. They musst hike out of the everglades because no one knows where they have gone. Andy's parents are away for the weekend and Sarah is supposed to be back by lunch---OUCH! The suspense, along with the many animals (alligators, boars, etc) and insects (too many mosquitos!!!) and the density of the everglades and the reeds, need I say more? Rorby did a terrific job of showing Sarah's fear and Andy's calm but as the hours turn into days you really are frightened for Sarah and Andy, how will they make it out, will they be discovered by the search parties? The little duck, Teapot, Sarah rescues is such an enjoyable major part of the book as Sarah fights with Andy to keep Teapot with them as they claw their way back to civilization. This book will be enjoyed by boys and girls alike, the animal lovers and middle school and high school readers alike. Recommended, and read her other book, Hurt Go Happy too, you will love it.

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You Against Me by Jenny Downham

You Against Me by Jenny Downham
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved Jenny Downham's Before I Die and this book was just wrenching as it explored Mikey's reaction to his sister's assault; his downward spiral of lies and his families' dysfunction. As Mikey plots with his friend, Jacko to revenge his sister's honor; he crashes a party being given at the suspect's house fully expecting to get information on how he can make Tom Parker suffer the way his sister Karyn is; she won't leave their house, talk to her friends, or go to school. Instead he meets Tom's sister, Ellie and he begins to meet up with her (to find out information about Tom)and finds he wants to be with her and Ellie wants to know more about this mysterious guy. I really enjoyed getting to know Mikey and Ellie. Mikey doesn't have an easy life, but he is a charmer, girls love him and he desperately loves his mum (who drinks too much) and his sisters. Jacko, his friend is weird but you have to love him because he is a true friend who would do anything to help Mikey. Ellie was a timid girl, almost a nerd; very knowledgable and wants to help her brother, Tom. But she is conflicted throughout by what she saw, what she said she saw; and how to make things right. There is tremendous growth in Mikey and Ellie throughout the story and they were slow to "get together" but there were signs and I liked both of their reactions; they were honest with each other; didn't play mind games and were sure about how they felt but very hesitant about where to go with their feelings. As the story develops, you know as some point Ellie has to find out who Mikey is...hence You Against Me...but Jenny Downham builds a very believable story about drinking, sexual assault and family. This is my favorite part of the book- when Jacko confronts Mikey about Ellie: "When I first saw Ellie, I knew it was her- she was my fantasy. I didn't want it to be true, but every time I met her it was obvious, and the funny thing was that she was better than the fantasy, like I got more stuff than I'd imagined." p. 337

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The Notorious Benedict Arnold by Steve Sheinkin

The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism & Treachery by Steve Sheinkin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sheinkin's ode to Benedict Arnold was awesome! I found myself thoroughly immmersed in the world of the American Revolution, Benedict Arnold and his perplexing personality (hard worker, soldier, but also rude and self-absorbed) and the life and times of this important period in our history. The way Arnold's life unfolds will definitely interest students, teachers and reluctant readers. The author has a flair for the dramatic in painting Benedict Arnold as a young man driven to succeed, where his father failed. Arnold has passion and boldness where his soldiers and combat are concerned and he exposes himself to danger often and without thought about how he will fare. This may be a wonderful attribute but we see throughout the war, this attitude garnered Arnold enemies and those enemies plotted time and again against him. Sheinkin;s research was very thorough and he provides many primary sources and secondary sources in order to present the enigma that was Benedict Arnold. I look forward to doing more reading and research on Arnold, George Washington, and other notables during the American Revolution.

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Copper Sun by Sharon Draper

Copper Sun by Sharon M. Draper
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

You think you have read historical fiction about slavery but then you read this book and the viciousness of the slave owners, the violence perpetrated on these slaves on a daily basis is just so difficult to read. Amari is such an inspiring heroine, along with Polly and Tidbit and Hushpuppy; they brave a hellish journey to freedom. There is just so much I could write about what happens in this book, but I urge you to read it and feel the loss, pain, nightmares and tragedy that each one of these characters suffers. The brutality of the slavesis so crushing, it is so difficult to have hope, but Draper makes sure every character knows there is hope but that only a few use that hope. I now know whay this book received the Coretta Scott King Award and highly recommend every student who has American History read this book and learn about this dark time in our history. Draper also provides resources that include websites and books on slavery that helped her in her research and writing this book. I think reluctant readers would like this book as well.

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Soul Enchilada by David Macinnis Gill

Soul Enchilada by David Macinnis Gill
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read Black Hole Sun by David Macinnis Gill and knew I wanted to read this book! Gill's humor just moves his books along and you have to love a character (protagonaist) with the name of Bug Smoot. She is a fiesty eighteen year old who drives a classic cadillac (was her grandfather's before he died) to deliver pizzas for a particularly nasty Vinnie. Bug is a mixed race; her mom was Tejana and her dad was black and she was referred to as coyote by everyone. But Bug has a smart comeback for everyone and when she finds her rent is due and the landlord wants it by 5 o'clock and there is a man (devil) in her car and he has come to repossess the car and her soul in 72 hours; Bug really has too much going on. With lots of help from Pesto, the manager at the car wash, with maybe a love interest too, you will laugh as Bug Smoot tries to outwit the devil and lots of other paranormal goings on. Bug and Pesto are so enjoyable while Vinnie and the devil are just plain evil. But Bug Smoot doesn't back down so 72 hours just flies by with sooooo much going on. I loved this humorous book, enjoyed learning about ElPaso and how to kick demon butt.

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A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park

A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story by Linda Sue Park
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

With alternating protagonists twenty years apart, Nya spends her days in the Sudan fetching water many times a day and twenty years earlier Salva is embroiled in the Sudanese Civil War, searching for his family, trying to survive as one of the Lost Boys and walking to Ethiopia and Kenya. Award winning author Linda Sue Park has crafted a fictionalized account of Salva Dut's story and what an admirable job. For upper elementary students, I think this is a must read for all students and the reluctant readers in junior and senior high would enjoy this piece of history that is still fraught with turmoil, genocide and cultural clashes. I think what Salva Dut shows so admirably is that his upbringing helped guide him to be positive and accepting of others. His uncle was able to motivate Salva by giving one thing at a time to strive for; this Salva used when he became a leader of the lost boys and he encouraged the boys for a year and a half to keep walking to make their way to Kenya. Salva continues to want to help others and this is where Nya's story blends with Salva's. A highly recommended read.

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The City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book! Clary and Jace are still my favorites, even though I loved Jem and Will from but Cassandra Clare is the author of this wonderful Infernal Devices so she won't mind me paying homage to her protagonists in both books.
There was so much adventure, drama, secrets, lies and I just wanted to keep reading the book and not work!!!
I really detested Sebastian and I hated when he tried to reach Clary by working on the "sister" angle. It really irked me to see Sebastian and Jace getting along, ew! It was so good to see more of Simon and Isabella, Alec and Magnus, Jordan and Maya. Clare does such a superb job with her characters, their worlds and all of the action going on, I really hated to see it end, but I am so happy to just wait for another one of Cassandra Clare's books. Love, love, love this book.

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Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti

Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Susane Colasanti has written a very telling novel about teens and bullying. Noelle's life is bad; bullied by Carly and Ashley and Warner; neglected by her mother and hooking up with Matt behind a secret wall at school. But Noelle struggles to "keep holding on" and hopes to have more food and clothes and friends some day. This is a gripping story because the bullying is very explicit and difficult to read. Even Noelle watches as others are bullied and wants to help them but knows it would spell doom for her. Noelle's life was once better, but after her mother's boyfriend dies; they have no home to live in; her mom does not have a good job and as life gets harder for her mother, Noelle is the one who suffers. Sometimes there is no food, no toiletries, and stopped up toilets and broken showers. Carly calls her "rotten eggs" because they one time Noelle can;t find any clothes to wear, she is forced to wear clothes that stink. All of this daily horror has Noelle so afraid; she can't let anyone know! But she does have a few things that begin to make her life tolerable; her friend, Sherae, who does not abandon her; Simon who offers her a job editing the school newspaper (which gets her out of the torment of 5th period lunch in the cafeteria) and Julian who really likes her. I know my students will love this book and the bullying aspects of this book will create sensitivity on the part of the readers and have students think twice and stop picking on each other and accept them for who they are. Highly recommended

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The Year of the Beasts by Cecil Castellucci and Nate Powell

The Year of the Beasts by Cecil Castellucci
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

With alternating chapters of prose and comics, Cecil Castellucci has woven a gripping tale of sisters, young love, a summer of changes and jealousy that will rip two sisters apart. Tessa and her younger sister Lulu have always hung around together and been very close. But this summer, Tessa is old enough to go to the carnival alone and not be embarrassed about what her parents look like, say and do. But Tessa will not be allowed to just hang out with her best friend, Celina. If Tessa wants to go to the carnival with her best friend, Celina---younger sister Lulu must come too. Tessa has had a crush on Charlie forever and this will be the night that they hold hands or kiss--Tessa can feel it. When she gets separated from Charlie in line, it is Lulu who goes into the sideshow with Charlie and emerges holding hands. This is the beginning of Lulu's first relationship and Tessa's mounting jealousy toward her sister. But Castellucci doesn't just paint these sisters black and white----there is irrational feelings and moods---Tessa loves her sister, and wants the best for her---just not with Charlie. When strange boy Jasper seems to keep popping up, Tessa begins a secret relationship with Jasper (made easier by the fact that he lives next door to Celina---where the sisters spend so much time)and as the summer rolls on---Tessa really cares for Jasper but still is angry with her sister because not only did she steal her secret crush; Lulu has gotten taller and needs more clothes and shoes. Her mother keeps buying Lulu new things but not Tessa. I really liked the allusion to Medusa, who turns anyone who looks at her to stone. You can see the inner turmoil of Tessa through Medusa's hair of snakes. Tessa hates herself for feeling this way; but she just can't help it. What will happen to the sisters, Charlie and the secret boy, Jasper? You must read this, I was totally unprepared for the climax---even though there were hints, signs, etc. As always, I love Cecil's books, now I love Nate Powell's graphic illustrations, I was left with such a tragic feeling...

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The Drowned Cities by Paolo Bacugalupi

The Drowned Cities by Paolo Bacigalupi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This companion novel to is totally gripping and as much as I totally loved it, the torture many of the characters went through was beyond what any child or adult during a time of war should have to endure!!! I disliked thoroughly what Mahlia, Mouse and any of the child soldiers were put through minute by minute, never knowing if they could be killed even by their own friends, war maggots and/or leaders. Seeing Tool back in this book was awesome, he is so unbelievable and there were many times you just were not sure he would survive this time. The characters of the doctor, Mahlia, Mouse, Tool and Ocho were very well drawn and author Bacigalupi did a terrifyingly good job with the evil characters and there was never a short supply of them. I lost hope alot, can you imagine what it was like for the characters in the Drowned Cities. Mahlia's hope was always being buoyed by recalling her Chinese mother and her teachings about survival because if she didn't constantly think about a better way; she could just abandon hope with all the violence she sees surrounding her. Mahlia is now one of my favorite heroes and so is Tool (I loved him in Ship Breaker too!) with his augment status and his allegiance to no one but himself. Two of my favorite quotes, Dr mahfouz is explaining why the troops keep fighting, "Whe people fight for ideals, no price is too high, and no fight can be surrendered. They aren't fighting for money, or power, or control. Not really. They fight to destroy their enemies. Soeven if they destroy everyhting around them, it is worth it, because they know that they'll have destroyed the traitors."
The boat man they took captive on being forced to take Mahlia, Mouse and Tool down river. "Children with guns, We aren't even people to you."

Highly recommended, just know it is very difficult to read...you will keep thinking about this book again and again and cringing again and again. Unfortunately the author did his research on the child soldiers and what they are forced to endure...


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