Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks, by Lauren Myracle

In this riff on sibling bonds, Myracle gives us the typical girl-chases-the-wrong-boy story. It's formulaic and we all know that she'll end up with the right boy at the end, but there's a lot more going on. Really, this is the story of Carly and her younger sister Anna, having their ups and down, but coming through for each other in the end.

As a story, there are lots of problems, among which are a meandering narrative and way too many subplots and threads. The book, in sum, is way too busy. Ironically, like so many other stories that race around, this one really doesn't say much in the end (friends come and go, but sisters are forever?). It's a sweet story and if you are just in the mood to read a book about two nice girls who look out for each other, this isn't a bad read, but there's not much here.

But, at least unlike Jodi Picoult, we can skip the lawsuit bit. :)

It's Not You, It's Me, by Kerry Cohen Hoffmann

The title of this book is just about the only line that Henry does not use on Zoe when he unceremoniously dumps her. The novel then traces, in cringe-inducing day-by-day detail the process that Zoe goes through to get over him. It's a story that is probably familiar to almost all of us (although some of Hoffman's target audience may not yet have had the pleasure) but it's still an important story.

This spare and short novel (170 or so large-print pages) holds no special surprises. Instead, it has modest ambitions and focuses on delivering on them. Hoffman has previously established a reputation for honest and frank autobiography and this wise tome has the tone of an earnest woman-to-girl chat. Yet, moving beyond the voyeuristic quality of the story, there are more universal themes addressed here about self-respect and picking-oneself-up, so almost anyone can enjoy the story. For those who believe that books can teach and entertain, this is decent ammunition.

Willow, by Julia Hoban

Seven months ago, driving the family car in stormy weather, Willow lost control of the vehicle. The accident killed her parents. Now, she lives with her older brother, his wife, and their infant daughter, and she tries to cope with her feelings of guilt and responsibility for the deaths of her parents. Mostly, she cuts herself, which she realizes is wrong but which gives her a release that helps her deal with her fears. Enter a guy named Guy who takes an interest in her and, when he realizes what she is doing to herself, tries to help her recover. But recovery is a longer road than either of the teens initially realize.

A surprisingly effective and original story on a topic which had pretty much seemed overdone. Cutting is not a pretty thing and Hoban avoids easy solutions, so this ought to be a difficult book to read, but instead it is quite moving and inspiring. The love story that develops between Willow and Guy is authentic and organic, full of emotional complexity with great respect for the feelings they are experiencing (a scene where Guy witnesses Willow cutting herself is particularly dramatic). I wanted some sort of real adult intervention or a happier ending, but Hoban is wise to avoid these easy outs. Instead, we learn that self-mutiliation is something that can be practiced consciously even by a wise and self-aware young woman. Striking! This book should become the new classic on the subject.

The Chosen One, by Carol Lynch Williams

Thirteen year-old Kyra lives in an isolated polygamist compound with her mothers and siblings. She's accepted for most of her life that everything around her (the isolation, patriarchy, authoritarian leaders, etc.) are natural, but she still has an independent streak that leads her to sneak out and read books and carry on a clandestine relationship with a boy her age in the compound. When it is announced that she must marry her uncle (who is 50 years older than her), she rebels. In rebellion, she discovers the ugly side of her community and her faith.

A suspenseful and fast-paced novel that pulls out most of the usual stereotypesabout cults and isolated sects (no major originality here!) and obviously inspired by real-life events of a year ago. Kyra makes a symapthetic and intelligent heroine, but I never got a sense for why she stayed around as long as she did (the answers are fairly obvious - family and faith - but nothing is really drawn out in this story). This made her motivations a bit muddled and I found myself mostly tracking the story and waiting for the great escape that I was sure would come. The result is that the book is decent entertainment but won't really get you inside of anyone's head. for a better example of a similar story, see The Patron Saint of Butterflies.

Love (and other uses for duct tape), by Carrie Jones

Belle and Em are in their last months of High School. Living in small town Maine, there might not seem to be a lot to do, but there is certainly a lot going on in Belle's mind. For example, there's the unfinished business of a dead father, a mother who mangles the words to songs on purpose, a boyfriend who is afraid to push Belle into having sex (even though she wants to be pushed), and - to top it all - Em has found out she is pregnant. Lacking any traditional sense of narrative, Jones's novel explores friendship, identity, love, and (yes) duct tape.

There is an amazing depth to the characters in this book. Jones is obviously an expert in this department and has spared no effort in bringing as much into the story as she can. It comes, though, at the sacrifice of the story. Rather than be a story teller, Jones prefers creating an extended character study. These ones are interesting enough to make it almost work (and it might work for you), but I'm a traditionalist and I wanted something to happen that I could sink my teeth into.

As a side note: I was disappointed that Jones never developed the Mom's boyfriend's interest in 3-D photography. Such a unique opportunity!

Purge, by Sarah Darer Littman

When Janie ends up in a psychiatric hospital because of bulimia, she has a lot of time to reflect on what drove her to purging. Going through denial and grief, she eventually ends up in acceptance, but not before learning a lot about herself and her fellow sufferers.

The plot on this one is fairly predictable and follows a slew of other girl-in-mental-institution books. Littman brings in a few original elements (boys with eating disorders -- who knew?) and the characters are distinct and engaging enough. The dialog sounds good. Littman avoids preaching. This is all very good, but the story is so formulaic and concluded so smoothly that I didn't see the pooint of the exercise. We've had a fair share of these books already and this doesn't break new ground. So, if you've never read a book about bulimia, this is not a bad one to start with, but there are lots of fish in the sea.

If I Stay, by Gayle Forman

When Mia is tossed into a ditch from her parent's car during an accident, she initially thinks that she has miraculously survived without a scratch, but as she wanders around, she realizes that somehow she has left her comatose body and is now a passive observer of events. And the events are horrendous: both of her parents have died, her little brother is in unknown condition, and her her own body is badly mangled. So, while her physical body lies in a Portland ICU, Mia finds herself replaying her life and trying to decide if it is worth staying alive.

This is familiar enough territory and the author is good enough the acknowledge the usual suspects like Ghost, but also a bit different. For one thing, Mia is less concerned with the present than she is with the past. That makes for awkward storytelling as we are naturally far more interested in whether she will live or die than her out-of-order flashbacks over her life. And it does not help that the flashbacks themselves sometimes fail to contribute to the story in an obvious fashion. I found it hard to connect with Mia and parts of the story dragged for me. So, in the end, it never quite worked: being not as poignant as Forman intended nor enlightening or inspiring.

Alis, by Naomi Rich

At the age of 14, Alis is informed by her parents that she must marry the 40 year-old minister of their church. Determined to avoid this fate, she finds an excuse to travel to a nearby village to delay the nuptial and to put herself in a better position to run away. But the new village is far more dangerous and Alis's trouble quickly multiply until she is forced to flee for her life to the strange and hostile City, where she hopes to find a new life. The dangers continue to appear and by the end of the story, Alis's life is in danger.

While evocative of Shaker, Puritan, and Amish cultures, Rich has created a evocative world of faith and suspicion that is at once both familiar and different from our own. The customs are beautifully laid out and the story unfolds in a believable and compelling fashion. Yet Rich is wise to never quite specify that this is a real historical past, because it allows her greater freedom to develop events in her own way and leave the reader always a bit off-balance. Also, Alis's fierce self-determination would have seemed anachronistic in an "real" setting. So, while the story reminded me of The Shakeress and even a bit of The Return of Martin Guerre, Rich was free to take her heroine in far more interesting directions than either of those stories. The result is a hybrid of fantasy and historical fiction that is rewarding.

Anything But Typical, by Nora Raleigh Baskin

This unusual book attempts to put us inside the mind of a 12 year-old autistic boy named Jason Blake. The story is predictably sad as Jason recounts his struggles to be understood in the "neurotypical" world of mainstream society. Amidst the teasing of his peers and their rejection of his differences, Jason's joy is writing and he shows great talent in written language skills. And while is does well enough in school, he shines brightest on an online writer's group, where he meets a girl named Rebecca with whom he shares his stories. It's a wonderful relationship for Jason and helps him build confidence, until Jason's parents innocently reward him by offering to take him to a writers' convention (where, as it happens, Rebecca will also be). Now, Jason is terrified of how Rebecca will react when she sees what he is really like in the flesh.

For its target audience (10-14 year olds), it is a bit hard to see how this book will appeal. Autism is a tricky condition to understand for adults and young readers (unless they are familiar with autism) will find this a challenging story to follow. Still, this is something to be commended in stories like this that at least attempt to make such a character accessible. Baskin certainly does this, never glorifying Jason's struggles or flaws. Rather, we get a nicely nuanced story which allows the reader to both sympathize with Jason and with the people he deals with. There are no good guys or bad guys here, but simply people being themselves for better or worse. And the story wraps without recourse to either any feel good or tragic endings.

Something, Maybe, by Elizabeth Scott

Hannah has a Mom who spends the evening doing live chat with (paying) customers on the internet. And her estranged Dad is the star of a celebrity reality show which mostly features him cavorting with young bimbos not much older than his daughter. With that much notoriety, Hannah does her best to keep a low profile at school. But she would still like to get noticed by sensitive socially-conscious Josh while avoiding the wisecracks of annoying Finn -- both of whom work with her at a call center for BurgerTown. So when she finds herself thinking about Finn more than Josh, she'll be the last one to realize why.

Like meatloaf, this is a story that is as comforting as it is predictable. But like a good rom com, it has a great sense of humor, good pacing, and a sweet heart. Things will work out in the end when girl finds boy and parents live up to (or exceed) expectations. I had several good laugh out loud moments so I can definitely attest that it is funny. There are even some deep truths buried in the book for those who seek substance. But most of all, you will simply enjoy it -- and that's what a good summer read is all about.

The funny thing is that I haven't been all that taken by Scott's previous books. Neither Bloom or Perfect You did that much for me (although they were admittedly good mind candy) and Living Dead Girl creeped me out too much. I think, at last, the author has found a perfect balance or wit, romance, and serious observation. A winner!

Everything Beautiful in the World, by Lisa Levchuk

With Edna's mother in the hospital fighting cancer, she gets excused from pretty much everything she doesn't want to do (going to class, visiting her sick mother, etc.) and is indulged by her father (who gives her a sports car). And when her art teacher (for whom she's always had a crush) starts to flirt with her, she thinks things are pretty good. The relationship, however, leaves her more unsettled and the lack of boundaries (or attention from responsible adults) makes things worse.

A strange story with a poorly developed ending. Levchuk is probably producing an autobiographical confessional here (the story is placed in the early 1980s), but aside from confronting her childhood traumas, it is not clear what purpose the story serves. Edna's behavior appears largely random. Her impulses, while natural enough for her age, are exaggerated and irrational. This suggests some form of mental illness, but left unexplained, they basically confuse the reader. For me, this made the story disjointed to the point of being plain annoying. I'd suggest giving it a miss.

For those who do read the book, I have a question: why did Levchuk choose "Roxanne" as the book's theme song rather than the far more obvious "Don't Stand So Close To Me"?

Graceling, by Kristin Cashore

Katsa is a graceling -- a person endowed with a particular skill that makes them stand out from others. Katsa's skill gives her the ability to defeat just about anyone she comes in conflict with. It's a skill that has made her very useful to King Randa, her uncle. But she has tired of being sent out to do randa's dirty work and longs for a higher calling. When she gets involved in saving the grandfather of a prince in another kingdom, she and the prince (named Po) forge a strong friendship based on their mutually compatible graces (Po is also an expert at combat) and their strong feelings for each other. However, the struggle they now undertake will stretch their talents and their loyalty to the outer limits.

Placed in a mythical land of seven kingdoms, this fantasy novel is surprisingly down-to-earth. On its face, it is a well-paced and exciting action tale with a satisfying conclusion. But Cashore has much higher ambitions for the work. Katsa and Po's struggle with both their graces and with their feelings for each other, are wonderfully familiar to anyone who has/is struggling with adolescence and much of the story works as a parable. The strong female characters are also a joy and show that Cashore (while she is happy to celebrate womanhood) feels no qualms about making her women and girls tough as nails when they need to be. The overall result is a surprisingly fast read and great summer escapism, but with substance and relevance not often found in fantasy books. Hooray!

Along for the Ride, by Sarah Dessen

On the spur of the moment, Auden decides to flee her demanding overachieving mother and spend her last Summer before college at the beach, with her father, stepmother, and their new baby. However, all is not peace and tranquility there either as her Dad (a paragon of passive-aggressive self-centeredness) is fleeing fatherhood and avoiding Auden as well. Auden copes with all of this as she usually does -- through avoidance (sense a theme to the dysfunction in this family?) and nocturnal exploration of the town. Along the way, she meets Eli, a loner with a past and a bike shop. Through their budding friendship, Auden learns to confront her bad habits, accept the faults of her parents, and conquer her fear of failure. She also learns how to ride a bike.

The arrival of a new Sarah Dessen novel is a Major Event and it took some will power to not devour this book the moment it came out (or, for that matter, to not offer abnormal sacrifices to the publicists at Viking to get an ARC). Dessen is, without a doubt, one of the very best YA writers alive and most of her books get my highest ratings. This one, unfortunately, is not one of them.

Sarah's had a baby recently. You'd know that if you read her BLOG, but you'd also know that simply by reading this book. The character of Thisbe (Auden's infant half-sister) plays a major role in the book. The reason is obvious: Dessen's own life is centered now around her own child so it is natural enough to want to share all of that with her readers. Fine and fair, but it makes for an odd focus in a YA story. And the frequency of the child-raising observations (how many times does Dessen remind us what Thisbe smells like? How many child raising tips somehow find their way into the novel?) suggests a high degree of distraction. Dessen would obviously prefer to be writing a story about the joys of motherhood. Also fine. But that is not the world of an 18-year girl and Auden (the book's alleged center) is frequently lost in the shuffle.

But moving on....the book is plagued with problems. Auden's relationship with Eli is strangely without spark, supporting characters lack either the draw or the humor of her previous novels, and the plot meanders around. The story itself is recycled, basically Auden and Eli are Annabel and Owen from Just Listen (but with a far less interesting dynamic). The ol' closed-suppressed- girl-learns-to-open-up-through-the-mysterious (but patient and kind)-boy plot is a winner and makes for lots of aw-shucks reading, but it is not original. Dessen can do a lot better.

All that said, Dessen on a bad day is pretty spectacular compared to the other writers out there. I may think Dreamland and Someone Like You are much better books, but none of that should detract from the fact that Dessen writes well, has a great ear for teens (Mid-Atlantic and Southern ones at least!), and creates some of the most beautiful literature out there.

Finally, for anyone who read the book: was anyone else bothered by the cover? Auden makes a big point of explaining how she is not a pink-wearing girly-girl, yet the young woman on the cover is decked out in a dress that Auden would not be caught dead in. What's with that?!

Ten Things I Hate About Me, by Randa Abdel-Fattah

Jamie is a normal 10th grader in a suburb of Sidney. But she's actually Jamilah, an Arab-Australian. Jamie dies her hair blonde and wears blue contact lenses to hide her true ethnic identity and avoid the brutal racist teasing of her peers. But she has a hard time denying that she's happiest when she's at home and can just be herself, even if she has an overprotective father and a dorky older brother.

The age of the protagonist suggests that this book is being targetted at the YA demographic but the rather pedantic portrayal of racism seems to indicate a middle-reader audience. Or perhaps racism is much more obvious in Australia? Or perhaps Abdel-Fattah simply does not expect her readers to be able to handle subtle? In any case, the whole thing seems a bit artificially constructed and manipulative. It's nice to have a story that explores Arab identity, but it could have been a lot more sophisticated.

1001 Cranes, by Naomi Hirahara

Twelve year-old Angie spends the Summer in Los Angeles with her grandparents, as her parents go through a separation. During her stay, she learns more about her Japanese heritage, helps her grandparents with their florist business, learns to fold 1001 origami cranes, gives comfort to an ailing neighbor, falls in love, and spends a lot of time observing adults not acting their best. An appendix even offers instruction to the curious about how to fold paper cranes.

The culture lessons come on a bit too fast and thick for me and I enjoyed this book best when it was just telling a story, rather than trying to introduce the reader to Japanese-American culture. Angie makes for an interesting and sympathetic heroine. She makes enough mistakes to believable and has flaws that a reader can relate to, yet her heart is in the right place. That's a strong sell for a book intended for middle readers. I also appreciated the ambiguous ending that didn't attempt to tie up all fo her struggles.

Absolutely Maybe, by Lisa Yee

Maybelline (or "Maybe" as her friends call her) has plenty of trouble relating to her beauty pageant mother, but the final straw happens when her Mom's boyfriend tries to rape her. Tossed out of the house by her suspicious mother, Maybe runs away to California with her two friends Ted (a flamboyant Thai-American) and Daniel (aka "Hollywood"). Hollywood is heading to LA anyway to pursue his dream of making award-winning documentary film and Tim quickly lands a job taking care of an aging movie actress. Maybe wants to find her biological father, who she believes is living somewhere in Southern California now. Along the way, she has to find herself as well.

The publisher claims this book is intended for 9-12 year olds. I don't buy that. Maybe 9th-12th graders, but the themes of this story (rape, homosexuality, abandonment, etc.) are pretty dark, no matter how comedic the story overall is. And that is my overall problem with this book. It has some very funny parts, but it mostly glances over the issues and ignores the ramifications of the actions it portrays. Other reviewers have accused the book of being unrealistic, but that doesn't quite capture the problem. At points, the book is quite realistic, but it's just as if Yee doesn't really want us to take the issues seriously (and if so, why bring them up?).

The story moves along at a good clip, but I found the characters a bit annoying and grating. Maybe and her friends (Ted and Hollywood) are extremely self-centered. Its supposed to add to the comedy, but mostly it fell flat for me -- I just wanted them to shut up. Jess, the girl who runs her own taco truck, is the most interesting character but mostly seemed borrowed from America Ferrera's character in Real Women Have Curves.

11 Birthdays, by Wendy Mass

It's been a year since Amanda stopped speaking to Leo. The two of them have shared a birthday (and birthday parties) since they were born, but at last year's party, Leo humiliated Amanda. This year, they are having separate parties and Amanda's day is horrible. But the worst part is that the day is never-ending. She wakes up the next morning to discover that the day is repeating itself. Every painful moment is happening all over again! And it will keep on repeating until Amanda (and Leo) can figure out how to make it stop.

Now, Groundhog Day is one of my favorite movies, so one has to have a soft spot for this particular niche genre. And since the target audience of this book probably hasn't (and won't) see Bill Murray doing this shtick, it's worth reading. But, even if the storyline isn't very original (and yes, the ending is pretty much the same as the movie), Mass does lovely work with these sort of supernatural stories (Jeremy Fink is a lovely example). She does great characters too and understands the tween mind well. Finally, the book passes the entertainment requirement: I started this while I was waiting in the dentist's office and completely forgot where I was and what I was doing. Later on, I found it irresistible and managed to finish it on the same day I started it. I recommend it for fun reading!

Twelve Long Months, by Brian Malloy

As the title suggests, this book tracks a year in the life of Molly Swain as she graduates from high school in rural Minnesota and starts her first year of college at Columbia University in NYC. Through this time, she has the companionship of Mark (her senior-year lab partner and then co-Minnesotan in NYC) who she has a crush on from the beginning. She also has two girls on her hall that she goes out drinking with a lot, and a boyfriend of sorts. Much girl-meets-boy, girl-loses-boy occurs, with the occasional dash of boy-meets-boy to keep things interesting.

In sum, this book contains interesting people who don't do very much that could be considered interesting. The purpose of the book is probably to teach us that friendship is forever, but it takes so long to get there that it really cannot be the reason to read all 300+ pages of this book. I wouldn't exactly call the book boring (because the characters are interesting and you'll want to find out what happens to them), but I wanted there to be a story in all this - in other words, something valuable that happens over those twelve long months!

Chalice, by Robin McKinley

Seven years of corrupt leadership in their demesne has left the people of the Willowlands with a broken land and without a ruler. Both their Master and his Chalice have perished. Without either a heir for the Master or an apprentice for the Chalice, the choice for a new leader is awkward. The late Master's brother, returned from the priesthood of the flame, is a poor match but at least continues the bloodline. Mirasol, a common woodswoman, is far more at home tending her bees, but when the divinations dictate that she is to be the new Chalice, she has no choice but to accept. With no knowledge of the craft of being a Chalice and the ways of uniting a land and its people behind their new Master, Mirasol feels particularly hopeless. But when outside forces threaten the demesne, she and the new Master must unite to save their people.

A richly drawn fantasy novel, with strong environmentalist undertones. McKinley's delight in building suspense through gravely-intoned (and mildly pompous) narration grated on me quite a bit (although I recognize that others might feel that it simply builds suspense better). That aside, I enjoyed the growth of the characters and have a special place in my heart for the heroics of the bees.

Same Difference, by Siobhan Vivian

When Emily gets the opportunity to attend a Summer program at the Philadelphia College of Fine Art, she goes from excitement to terror as the reality of attending classes in the city (only 30 miles -- but an entire culture -- away from her life in suburban Jersey) and being in classes with students who are seemingly much more talented than she is. She is quickly captivated by a rogue outsider named Fiona who has a flare for unorthodox guerrilla art, and Emily finds herself emulating her new heroine. But as she tried to be more and more like Fiona, she also is drawn away from who she was (and especially from her hometown friend Meg). In the end, Emily feels that she has to choose between the two worlds.

A comfortably predictable storyline, but combined with characters who are interesting enough to care about and follow. This is a stronger book than Vivian's previous A Little Friendly Advice, so if you liked that one, you're bound to like this one. I enjoyed the artsy environment and detailed tour of the Philly arts scene. Vivian is at her strongest though when she just lets her characters interact, so I generally preferred the parts of the book where we weren't traveling about or doing things. Overall, there's not a lot of surprise here, but it's a competent and enjoyable read.

The one thing that really bothered me about this book was the cover. For a reason I find hard to explain, I can't picture the girl on the cover as being Emily (or Fiona). She just doesn't look the part (at best, maybe like Claire - Emily's younger sister). I admit that it's a totally irrational conclusion though!

Twenty Boy Summer, by Sarah Ockler

Anna was always inseparable from her next-door neighbors Matt and Frankie (they were brother and sister she never had), but at her birthday thirteen months ago Matt became something much more. For the next month, Matt and Anna would sneak out of their houses for late-night rendezvous, always hiding their growing feelings from their parents and (especially) from Matt's sister Frankie. Even though Anna and Frankie were best of friends, Matt convinced Anna that it would be best if they waited until Summer vacation to tell Frankie. But then, a car accident leaves Matt dead, Frankie injured and grieving, and Anna unable to ever tell the truth. Bound by her promise to Matt to not tell Frankie, Anna now finds herself supporting her friend grieve.

Now, one year after the accident, Frankie and her family have invited Anna to join them for a summer on the beach (the same vacation that they planned for a year ago and never took). It promises to be a memorable trip -- full of secrets revealed, grief laid bare, and the pursuit of "20 boys."

From that description, this book looks like light schlock, and on its surface this book is a bit formulaic and predictable. It also has a habit of pulling on your heart strings in a way that left me a bit suspicious. But there is a lot going on in this story and it resists easy solutions. Ockler is respectful of her characters and plays them well, allowing no one to escape blame yet never finding fault completely in any court. Each one is flawed in their own way. The result is a story that feels surprisingly real and has something meaningful to say about friendship and grief (in a way that all ages can appreciate). The plot may sound a bit melodramatic, but the characters never are. For a first novel, it is an extraordinary accomplishment. This is a book that is well worth seeking out.

The Noah Confessions, by Barbara Hall

When Lynne turns 16,she is shocked to find out that her father has not gotten her a car (everyone at her high school gets a car when they turn 16!). But the bigger shock comes when her Dad hands her a letter that her Mom (dead now for the past 8 years or so) wrote when she was 16 herself. In this letter, her Mom confesses to being an accomplice in a terrible crime committed in the past -- a crime which led directly to meeting her father and having her. Lynne tries to cope with this shocking news and deal with the news that her mother may not have been as perfect as she imagined. And meanwhile struggle to learn how to surf and date her first boyfriend.

There's a complexity to this story that is good, in that it keeps things interesting. However, it also overwhelms the reader. There are too many timelines at play here and few of them really matter (despite the claims of the narrator that we need to understand everything). Secondly, I grew tired of being told by the narrator what was important (I prefer to figure that stuff out for myself). Too much build-up guarantees that the story never quite pays off fully. The secret is supposed to be so shocking and Lynne (over)reacts so strongly to the news, while we're left spinning trying to figure out what the big deal is. I'll admit that the story did not drag, but I did find myself wanting to skim over the exposition to get to the real story.

What Would Emma Do? by Eileen Cook

The town of Wheaton IN is a pretty small place, and a tight community where everyone knows each other. So, when Emma makes the mistake of kissing her best friend Joann's boyfriend (and gets caught in the act by Joann's Mom), life is pretty much at an end. At first, Emma could officially not care less. She's dying to get out of town and, thanks to her running times, she may just get a scholarship at Northwestern that will take her away. But everything gets thrown into chaos when the pastor's daughter and her friend fall ill and accusations of "terrorism" and "Satanism" start to spread around the school. As people start to get falsely accused, Emma (who unwittingly knows the truth) must decide whether to stand up and bear witness or take the easier path and escape.

Surprisingly engaging and exciting, by the point I was half way through, I found it hard to put this book down. Cook takes a lot of cheap shots at organized religion and small towns, but this serves the purpose of ratcheting up the drama and making the story interesting. While the blurb compares the Cook to Judy Blume, I think the fairer comparison is Joan Bauer and this book reminds me strongly of one of my faves (Hope Was Here) in the way it rights the wrongs in a very empowering way. Emma is a funny and insightful character -- a bit too wise for her years and environs to be believable, but still quite enjoyable. Also, while the stars align a bit too neatly at the end, you really want a story like this to have a feel good ending and the payoff is welcome. A fun read for the beginning of summer!

Ghostgirl: Homecoming, by Tonya Hurley

In this sequel to Ghostgirl, Charlotte and her friends from Dead Ed have passed over, but to what? The Afterlife, it seems, is a huge call center where people in this world call in seeking help from the next. The problem, though, is that Charlotte isn't getting any calls and her so-called friends seem to be abandoning her as well (except for a new girl named Maddie). Charlotte doesn't entirely trust Maddie at first but she's all that Charlotte has, until her old friends from the living world Damen and Scarlet call out to her for help again. This time, it's Scarlet's vain sister Petula who's in desperate trouble -- on the verge of death with little chance of making it to Homecoming queendom -- truly a fate worse than death!

The original was clever and funny, which gave the sequel a lot to live up to, although Hurley more or less manages. The death jokes have worn a bit thin by now and Hurley wisely avoids them, in favor of telling a more complicated story about both Homecoming and coming home. This provides the story with a bit more depth than the original novel (which is a Good Thing). The plot itself was a bit hard to follow and I would recommend re-reading the first book again before tackling this one, but this installment is a pleasing continuation of a truly original and exciting franchise.

Bird, by Rita Murphy

Miranda is a small girl. So small that she is easily picked up by the wind and blown around. How she came to be at Bourne Manor, under the guardianship of the widow Wysteria Barrows, is a mystery to her as she can't quite remember how she got here. But the mysteries just keep getting bigger: there's the fact that Wysteria locks all the rooms at night, or the protective dogs who prowl the house, and the secret rooms on the third floor filled with books and beautiful kites that Miranda discovers. It is only when Miranda befriends a young sailor and Wysteria is sent to a hospital for a month that Miranda begins to unwind the mysteries.

A fascinating blend of fantasy, ghost story, and self-discovery novel, Bird operates as something of an extended metaphor. Miranda's search for herself and her "wings" to fly away from her nest plays out very nicely and the story twists and turns enough to keep thuings interesting. The ending gets a bit rushed and might have benefitted from some fleshing out, but this does not distract from the charm and originality of the novel.

The Year the Swallows Came Early, by Kathryn Fitzmaurice

Eleanor (or "Groovy," as her Dad calls her) lives in San Juan Capistrano (a part of California where large flocks of swallows nest each year) and loves to cook. All of which would make for an unremarkable story except for the fact that her father gets arrested on page two. At first, Eleanor is convinced that it is all a mistake, but when she finds out that it isn't, she struggles with accepting the situation and forgiving her father for his errors. Her friend Frankie struggles similarly with forgiving his own mother for abandoning him.

A gentle middle reader. The pacing is glacial, making the story a bit dull (it takes 100 pages just to find out why the father got arrested!), but the overall message of forgiveness and the corrosive effect of carrying anger is a winner. What the book does need is more of a hook -- if not more story, then at least more character and more humor.

The Ghosts of Kerfol, by Deborah Noyes

In the early 17th century, a cruel baron is murdered. His young wife is accused, although she claims he was mauled to death by dogs -- or rather, the ghosts of dogs that he himself strangled. Flash forward two hundred years and an aspiring artist visiting the estate sees apparitions of dogs and a young lady. Go forward another hundred years, and a young woman is mysteriously strangled by another apparition. Sixty years later, a couple on a lark are tortured by visions that seem to be after them. Finally, another twenty years in the future, a deaf gardener has a strange evening where he hears a series of ghosts.

Apparently based on an Edith Wharton story, Noyes has basically retold the original and then developed a riff on it with the flash forwards. I'm not familiar with the Wharton story, so I can only judge this book on its own merits. For me, the first part of the story (i.e., the part based on Wharton) is the most interesting. The rest seems rough and unfinished, and -- in the end -- not very engaging. This literary experiment didn't work for me.

The Summer I Turned Pretty, by Jenny Han

Every year, "Belly" (short of Isabel) has spent the summer at the beach with her Mom, brother Steven, her Mom's friend Susannah, and Susannah's two sons Conrad and Jeremiah. And each year, Belly has nurtured a crush on Conrad, even though the boys have never shown much interest in her. But now that she is 16, something seems different. For the first time, she's no longer interested and she's certain that she's outgrown Conrad. So, why does it feel funny when she meets a new boy and starts spending time with him? And why does Conrad seem so distant and sullen? Is it jealousy or is something else going on?

At first, this novel felt like it was just a light summer romance (albeit a well-written summer romance) with a healthy dose of flashbacks and some better-than average character development. But, by the end, Han has woven a lot more into the story, creating a far more complex romance than you might expect. Han's first novel (Shug) was funny and original. Her second outing shows that it was not a fluke.

Tiger Moon, by Antonia Michaelis

In Colonial India - a world of both Western influence and multiple religious traditions - a young bride needs to be rescued and a neer-do-well thief and swindler named Farhad has been tasked by the gods to rescue her. He won't be alone. He'll have a magic sacred tiger to carry him faster than the wind. But along the way, the hero and his unusual steed will have a series of exotic adventures and they will struggle to accomplish their task. The ending will surprise everyone!

An unusual adventure/fantasy epic, full of familiar tropes and expected plot complications, but then utterly original by the end in how it resolves everything. Perhaps the originality is due to the fact that Michaelis is German (the novel was translated into English) or perhaps it is the exotic setting of the story. Either way, the story twists in unusual ways! I particularly liked the way that India's multiple religious traditions are worked into the story, making this as much a story about a culture as a series of fantasies.

Does This Book Make Me Look Fat?, ed by Marissa Walsh

A collection of short stories, memoirs, verse, and even a graphic story devoted to body image issues. Some of the stories take the viewpoint of the person struggling, while others look at the impact of issues on family members and friends.

As with all collections, the contributions are a bit uneven and a few are even off-topic. The strongest pieces are the memoirs, where the authors relate their own image problems. The graphic story is a nice change of pace too, and well done. However, most of this collection is unexceptional and forgettable.

The bottom line is that there isn't much new being said here about the topic.

3 Willows, by Ann Brashares

Three girls (Jo, Polly, and Ama) have a memorable summer. Jo goes to the beach and spends the summer bussing tables, struggling between trying to impress the older girls with which she works and staying true to Polly and Ama. Ama goes out on a hiking expedition, even though she can't stand the outdoors. And Polly tries to pursue a career as a fashion model as well as deal with an absent mother. In the end, all three girls learn a lot about themselves.

Sound familiar?

At a basic level, Brashares is producing another installment of her successful formula. After four Traveling Pants books, though, that franchise was pretty much exhausted, so we now have a new set of girls -- all ready for their own set of books. But hey, it works and it is the literary equivalent of comfort food. Brashares is a good writer, so there is little pain in reading any variant of the theme. The shame though is that she really isn't stretching her talents any.

Boy Heaven, by Laura Kasischke

At cheerleader summer camp, three girls decide to sneak out to go skinny dipping at a nearby lake. They never make it, but instead manage to attract the attention of a car-full of boys. On a lark, they decide to tease the boys. Now, days later, the girls have become convinced that they are being followed.

A surprisingly aimless novel. The main story itself is fairly thin, so most of this novel is actually made up of flashbacks and completely unrelated subplots. Much of this back story is interesting but without much of a main story, there isn't much to keep this together. By the time I finished the book, I really wasn't sure what it was supposed to be about. A disappointment.

Loose Girl: A Memoir of Promiscuity, by Kerry Cohen

A young woman, confusing her need for love with sex, goes through a series of relationships, never quite getting the validation she needs in her meaningless physical entanglements.

While this could read as a fascinating piece of YA fiction, it is all the more interesenting for being non-fiction. Cohen has previously revealed a strong heart and a captivating ability to get inside people's heads in her novels Easy and The Good Girl. In this autobiography, she goes much further, revealing in brave detail her own attempts to sort out her emotional needs. In the process, she does not hesitate to reveal intimate details that she admits (in her introduction) will probably embarass her family.

A ground breaqking work. Most of us will relate to some part of her story and, without a doubt, this should be required reading for every teen girl and boy. More than an account of mistakes and wrong turns (which truly would have been boring and narcissistic), Cohen gives us an honest read of doubt and longing, and the way that sex far too often fills (and fails to satisfy) those needs. Striking and unforgettable!

Impossible, by Nancy Werlin

Lucy has always known that her foster parents are not her real parents (and that her biological mother is really the crazy bag lady). She knows that her biological mother went mad shortly after giving birth to her at the age of 18. What Lucy does not know at first is that she is the latest in a line of women condemned by a curse. And that everything that happened to her mother -- being an unwed teen mother, going mad -- is about to happen to her as well, unless she can perform three impossible tasks in time.

A marvelous modern fairy tale based on the words of the "Elfin Knight" (aka "Scarborough Fair"). Werlin, whose overhyped Rules of Survival annoyed me and whose Double Helix surprised me, is turning out to be quite a good writer of sci-fi/fantasy (a genre which probably no one pegged her for at first). This well-paced story features strong everyday characters pressed into extraordinary service. At over 350 pages, this book could have been torturous to read through, but that was not how I experienced it at all. Entertaining and fulfilling.

All the Wrong People Have Self-Esteem, by Laurie Rosenwald

Subtitled, "an inappropriate book for young ladies (or, frankly, anybody else)," this hilarious book is a bit hard to describe. Each page features a collage dedicated to a particular theme (most of them mocking in one way or another what an old friend of mine calls "bow head magazines" - Vogue, Cosmo, etc.). This is a "chick lit" book that mocks even itself and has a bit of bile for even the best intentioned cause (tired of being green? try the purple movement instead!). Witty and on the money, without becoming too precious.

While not full of any deep meaning, this book made me laugh and laugh. And as one of the most original books that I've read in a very long time, I'll give it top marks. I will admit that it may be a special taste (my s.o. couldn't stand it!), but if you have a cynical edge and enjoy a wise cracking humor, you will be able to get into this. And, if not, it really does not take much time to read this one!

Every Soul A Star, by Wendy Mass

Three kids from three different backgrounds: Ally (shy and isolated, she's spent most of her life with her parents and little brother taking care of a campground deep in the woods and now most face the decision of her parents to leave and return to civilization), Bree (spoiled and materialistic, her dreams of becoming a fashion model are destroyed by her parents' decision to pull up stakes and relocate the family to the campground to replace Ally's family), and Jack (a dreamy artist who's never had much interest in science but has been offered the opportunity to skip summer school if he'll accompany his science teacher to the aforementioned campground to help observe a total solar eclipse). Three kids faced with impending huge changes in their lives and the rare opportunity to observe one of the most beautiful occurrences in nature.

A fun and mostly fulfilling read about learning to accept changes and discovering oneself, Mass has delivered another winning novel for middle readers. I was a bit disappointed at how easily the characters changed and I would have appreciated a bit more drama and resistance. That said, Mass brings great creativity to this work (and which novel of hers hasn't been creative and interesting?) and a strong ability with characters. Even Bree, who could easily have been the least likable of the three narrators, develops in a way that makes her sympathetic and identifiable. And while following a convention where each narrator gets to tell the story in alternating chapters can easily get tiring, Mass keeps the pace up. A good read.

What They Always Tell Us, by Martin Wilson

At a party at the beginning of his Junior Year, Alex decided on a whim to swallow a bottle of Pine-Sol. A month later, he is coming to terms with what prompted such a rash act and dealing with the way that his old friends are treating him now. His older brother James has issues of his own, not least of which is a suspicion about the unusual attention that his friend Nathen is paying to Alex. A lonely 10 year-old boy next door plays a role in both Alex's and James's lives as well.

A strange story that can't seem to decide what it wants to be about. Alex's coming-out story is the clearest plot line and would seem to be the focus of the novel, but half of the book is really about James and James's storyline never really seems to go anywhere. The subplot about the boy next door also seems to lead nowhere. None of this is helped by the lack of real character development. As much as we would expect the suicidal and sexual-orientation-questioning Alex to make an interesting character, he stays pretty flat. For me, neither Alex nor James really came alive off the page.

Gossip of the Starlings, by Nina de Gramont

In 1984, Catherine is being given a chance to redeem herself after being removed from her last school for sleeping with her boyfriend. She misses her old friend Susannah, but is quickly befriended at her new school by Skye Butterfield (the daughter of one of the state's senators). Skye is hardly a good influence and quickly leads Catherine into bad old habits that threaten to destroy all of them. In sum, a complicated story about adolescent jealousies told in a past passive voice that implies recollection from a wiser older self.

Overall, this is a terribly dull and boring story. The narrator's passive voice does nothing to help. Billed as YA, the novel is really a wistful adult novel about teens (it's no coincidence that Jacquelyn Mitchard's gushing praise appears on the cover -- only she could write a novel that was similarly dull and age-inappropriate as this!). The characters spend their time waxing poetic with a wisdom entirely inappropriate for their age (and lack to ego-centricity that authentic 17 year-olds would express). And where did all the cocaine come from? I myself went to a private school in New England in 1985 and, while we had plenty of pot and acid, none of us could afford the plethora of blow that these young women plow through! Just give this story a miss! There are plenty of nostalgic stories about teens written by grownups -- most of them are more interesting than this one.

Getting the Girl, By Susan Juby

Girls at Harewood High School are getting blacklisted (or "defiled") through an anonymous accuser. The results are devastating -- complete social ostracism. However, Mack Daddy (a.k.a. shy 9th grader Sherman Mack) is on the case! He doesn't know much about girls (and even less about the specifics of the case!) but he bravely plows ahead, even if it means getting caught in a closet wearing a dress that belongs to the mother of one of the lacrosse players! Before the story is done, he will have exposed the mysterious "defiler" and managed to prepare a dinner party for twelve.

A bit more hectic than Juby's previous books but still displaying that same dark wit. The narrator's still slightly more clueless than your average reader (not so much that you can hate him, but enough for a good laugh). As with the Alice books, this can be hard to digest (either you like or you don't) but unlike those books, the humor is less mean and anyone can root for our hero's attempt to right the social wrongs of casting out people who are different.

Fearless, by Tim Lott

In the future, the Ten Corporations run the world and the City is controlled by the City Boss. Children who do not comply with the rules (or who have the misfortune of being associated with parents who do not) are sent to the City Community Faith School -- really, a prison -- where they are stripped of their names and identities and forced to work. One day, one of the girls raises up her voice and challenges the status quo. Nicknamed "Little Fearless," she hatches a plan to free the girls and wake up the compliant cityzens of the City.

A clever and rich allegory, although largely derivative of most other dystopian novels, Lott spins an intersting story. Character development is sparse but in a world of such dehumanization, it is hard to flesh out characters. Instead, we get a fast-paced adventure story. The ending is all a bit too convenient for me, but suffered mostly from being so rushed (it was certainly plausible). The story overall will give you plenty to think about and makes a nice discussion piece (for people who like to analyze literature!).

Zoe & Chloe on the Prowl, by Sue Limb

Zoe and Chloe are desperately looking for boys to take them to the Earthquake Ball next weekend and they get the bright idea of interviewing candidates for the role by inventing a fake job vacancy to use as a cover. Around the same time, Zoe's older sister has a crisis and needs the girls' help. There's also the amazingly naughty Norman boys to babysit, a suspicious mother to placate, Zoe's attempts to charm Oliver, and all manner of zany adventures to keep this story moving.

It's really hard to say what drove me to finish this book. I picked it up in hope that Limb would find new energy with some new characters (since her Jess Jordan series has been losing steam and energy), but these two girls are no mindlessly lame that it was some sort of torture to finish the book. I realize that this isn't a book intended for blokes (to coin the Brit flavor of the writing), but I can't see much here for girls either. Most of the book is spend gushing and fretting and not much of substance goes on (just because it's a children's book doesn't mean it needs to be completely vapid, does it?). By the time we get to flatulence jokes on page 78, I would think that most folks would be ready to turn this one in. Unfortunately, Limb appears to be a one-hit wonder with Girl, 15 Charming But Insane (a brilliant story she just has never managed to match for creativity and fun).

Switched, by Jessica Wollman

Laura would love to be doing anything this year besides cleaning the houses of rich people, but there is no other way she can come up with to earn the money she needs to attend UCONN next year. Willa is floundering at home, sentenced to attend yet another boarding school, where she will undoubtedly fail yet again and let her parents down. In short, two very unhappy girls. But through some strange stroke of fate, the girls are dead ringers for each other and they hatch a plot to switch places -- Laura will become Willa and vice versa -- and both of them will get to live the life they have dreamed of.

Yes, it's Prince and the Pauper modernized and set in the word of texting and MySpace. Who says the classics have to be boring? The story stretches believability in more ways than one and has enough skips in logic to make your head spin, but I have to give it some credit -- I kept reading and I even enjoyed myself. Brainless escapism, but then it's almost Summer isn't it?

Artichoke's Heart, by Suzanne Supplee

Continuing on the same theme...it was the plane ride devoted to eating disorders!

Rosie (nicknamed "Artichoke" so many years ago) struggles with food. Unable to moderate her consumption, she binges as a means of soothing her heartaches. But when she cracks through 200 lbs, she commits herself to losing weight. Meanwhile, she also struggles with a variety of outside stressors: a mother sick with cancer, a new friend who has been cast out of the popular girl clique, and a gorgeous boy-crush who (for some reason she cannot fathom) actually likes her in return. All of this is set in the environs of a Spring Hill TN beauty salon (cue lots of Southern cliche).

Overall, this is a nice story about finding self-esteem and gaining the strength to take charge of one's life. The added element about coming to terms with a sick parent will probably make this a popular pick for mother-daughter book clubs. However, I couldn't quite get beyond the chaotic number of subplots. The overall impact was that I began to block out large amounts of the story just to stay focused on the main narrative. The rest just got distracting. Subplots are beautiful things but focus is best!

Wintergirls, by Laurie Halse Anderson

When Lia's best friend Cassie dies, Lia knows it is her fault. Never mind that Cassie has been purging for years and destroying herself through bulimia and alcohol. Lia knows that Cassie tried to call her a couple of dozen times before she died and Lia never called her back because she was afraid to help her old friend. Not that Lia can tell anyone about this, because if she did, they would throw her back in the nuthouse again. Just as they would if they knew that she was losing weight again. Instead, she has to lie her way, denying to everyone - including herself - that she has a problem (beyond being massively overweight and trying to get herself down to 75lbs or less!).

A truly harrowing trip through the mind of an anorexic. Anderson, of course, is of the great shining stars of YA lit and this book certainly does not disappoint. This is a hard topic to read about and (for me) harder to relate to than her other books (I'll be honest and say that I just don't anorexia -- it combines self-denial with a lethal dose of dishonesty and self-indulgence that repels me on several levels -- but perhaps it is a Good Thing that I can't quite comprehend the motives). Wintergirls lacks the humor and emotional release that helped lighten Speak but I think it is fair to say that humor would have been out of place in a story like this. What Wintergirls offers instead is an unrelenting tour of self-destructive madness. This is scary stuff but worth reading!

Goldengrove, by Francine Prose

After her sister drowns, Nico and her family must come to grips with their loss and grief. Nico's father buries himself in a book he is writing ("Eschatology for Dummies"), her Mom starts abusing painkillers, and Nico herself gets drawn into a relationship with her dead sister's boyfriend. The relationship, which begins as simply a means to vent their grief, spirals out of control as Nico finds herself unable to accept that her sister is truly gone.

I seem to have picked up a lot of books about death and grieving lately. This one, not truly a YA book, is well-enough written but suffers from the same general problems as the others: what can you actually say about this subject? Someone died, you spend a lot of time ruminating about them, and then you either move or or you don't. Prose (great name for a writer, don't you think?) has little to add to this formula and even less about going through it as a teen. Her 13 year-old narrator tells the story through the benefit of adult flashback, so comes across as terribly precocious.

Angel, by Cliff McNish

When Freya was little, she was visited by an angel. The experience led her to become obsessed with angels until that obsession drove her into madness. Now that she is 14, she's better and returned to a normal life, just trying to fit in at school. But the arrival of a strange girl named Stephanie, her brother's struggles with a bully, her father's battle against illness, and the appearance of a dark apparition all threaten the sanity she has struggled so hard to achieve.

A complex and interesting story that spends about as much time exploring high school cliques as it does the meaning of good and evil (in a way that will appeal to teen readers well!). If you're not into angels (and I'm not), there is still a decent adventure story here. But if angels are your thing, you'll like this even more.

Forever Changes, by Brendan Halpin

Brianna is struggling to survive Cystic Fibrosis and her senior year of high school. She dreams of getting into MIT, but being able to live long enough to matriculate will be a more important accomplishment. Her Calculus teacher serves as an inspiration to keep her going and also to appreciate her role in the universe. The music of (the band) Love keeps her going.

While showing a lot of promise, this is a very rough book. The ending is great, but largely comes out of nowhere. Much of the rest of the book is like that as well: pieces of genius observation scattered amidst a rough outline. In sum, Halperin has fantastic ideas but no real story. The story has promise, but disappoints.

Down to the Bone, by Mayra Lazara Dole

Laury is a typical Cuban-American girl living in Miami with a secret (she is in love with another girl) and when a nun intercepts a love letter between the two girls, Laury is kicked out of school and out of her home by a mother who won't let her back until she changes into a heterosexual. So Laury has to go out and fend on her own, which she actually does quite well at: finding a job, making friends, and discovering her identity. She still struggles with whether she should date boys in order to win back her mother or be true to her heart and see girls. In between, Dole gives us a lot of local color and custom, and insight into the gay Cuban-American scene.

Fast paced and heavily laced with jargon and cultural details, Dole obviously knows the milieu and appreciates the culture, mores, cuisine, and patois of Miami. Readers who want the multicultural experience will appreciate the chance to read about a sympathetic character who is Cuban-American and unashamedly gay at the same time. Moving beyond that, however, this is a very thin book. Dole is great with dialogue and so relies on endless conversations about nothing (basically, just her characters "chilling" or "kicking"). Important plot developments get stated quickly and we return to the chatter. The result is frustrating. The characters obviously had a lot going on inside, but we don't get to learn much about that as neither they (nor the author) want to share.

Looks, by Madeleine George

Meghan may be the "fat girl" and the largest girl in the school, Aimee may be a razor thin and unknown new arrival, but between them they share a mutual enemy and have the opportunity to right a series of wrongs. Ultimately a story of revenge, this novel is also a series of observations about cliques and standing up for oneself.

There are some nice commentary and the adults are refreshingly observant and aware, but the overall story is scattered and lethargic. Worse, subplot after subplot (from Aimee's eating issues to Aimee's relationship with her mother's ex-boyfriend) peter out without any serious attempt to achieve resolution. Even the overall settling of scores is left inconclusive. It felt largely like George liked bring up conflicts but lost interest in the characters.

Season of Ice, by Diane Les Bacquets

In the late Fall, Genesis's father goes missing. They quickly find his truck and his boat, but the body (for it seems likely that the worst has happened) is not found. Before the search can get much further, the lake begins to freeze over and the search must be delayed until the Spring. In that winter, Gen and her family deal with the uncertainty and come to terms with their loss. Gen spends the time searching out friends of her Dad's to try to learn more about him.

A well-written, but ultimately dull story of grief. The author has a good sense of the characters and the community she portrays is rich and colorful, but the story does not go anywhere. The jacket blurb's promise of romance, for example, is largely unrealized. Other subplots fizzle in similar fashion. It is a pretty work but a purposeless exercise.