Bloom, by Elizabeth Scott

Lauren and Dave are the perfect couple and everyday that Lauren walks down the hall at high school, she can tell that all the freshman girls would kill to be in her place. But from the inside, all is not so wonderful. Dave is boring and Lauren longs for something more, for someone she can share her feelings with, for someone she can truly love. And in Lauren's life, there isn't much room for real emotions or for sharing what you truly feel (her friends are distant, her father is distracted, and her mother abandoned her when she was little. And then she meets Evan...

OK, so you can probably guess where the story is going to go and it will win no prizes for originality. Worse still, the plot is full of old tired YA tripes (absent mother, distant clueless Dad, friends who just don't get you, etc.). But there is something to be said for decent writing and a sympathetic complex character. And while you know that reading a book like this is not good for you, it's still a pleasant Saturday summer read.

Listening for Lions, by Gloria Whelan

Rachel was born in Africa near the turn of the century to a missionary family running a hospital in the bush. When both of her parents succumb to the flu, she is taken in by the shady Pritchard family who scheme to have her impersonate their late daughter to get their family back in the good graces of the rich elder Pritchard. Rachel (now Valerie Pritchard) must embark of a trip to England to visit her "grandfather" for the Pritchards and leave behind her beloved Africa.

Combining some of the classic cliches of the orphan genre with some warm dialog and cultural detail, this is a charming book. The book is broken into three parts and, of these, the first two are the most interesting. The third suffers from a drastic telescoping of the narrative as Whelan rushes to the end of her story. One imagines that the third part probably needed another 100 pages or so to tell adequately and one wonders why she chopped it down so brutally, undercutting a fascinating character. A beautiful start but a flawed ended.

Lost in the Labyrinth, by Patrice Kindl

In this retelling (and combination) of several Greek myths, we get the story of the ancient Manoans, the Minotaur and the "hero" Theseus, Daedalus and Icarus, and an obscure princess Xenodice -- who unites all the threads together through her love for her half-brother (the Minotaur) and the young clever Icarus.

The myths are well-enough known, so no real surprises on the story, but much like the way that the novel Orphelia expands on a well-known story, Kindl riffs on Greek mythology in new ways, breathing life into the story and creating an engaging story about the brave princess Xenodice. It's a fun read, albeit neither suspenseful nor nourishing to the mind -- a good summer read (especially if you like Greek myths).

Dangerously Alice, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

In this latest (and 22nd) installment, Alice is doing the first half of her junior year. She has a new boyfriend and takes a few more risks (some of them major errors). But most of all, she tries to break free of her Miss Goody Two-Shoes (MGT) image and prove that she's a bit more nuanced as a person (even if she isn't quite sure what that will mean). More concretely, she rides a motorcycle, gets busted at a party by the cops, and goes just a bit further than her girlfriends have gone with a boy.

I've always been a fan of the Alice series (and it's the only series that I read religiously), but what worked well when Alice was 12 or 13 gets a bit old as she becomes an adult. No matter how old she gets, Alice remains terribly sheltered and innocent, more prone to mischief than real trouble. Naylor appears to understand this and has made an effort to create an edgier episode, but (like an overprotective parent) she really isn't willing to let go of her character. Alice makes errors in judgment which are quickly corrected for before even the reader can identify the mistake. In the end, she really is an MGT -- far too prim and proper to be believable. The truth about Alice is that she's always worked better as a character for middle school readers. While there is some pretty explicit sex in here, this book (like the others) will really appeal to the 12-14 year olds (as long as their parents don't find out what they are reading!).

In the Name of God, by Paula Jolin

In contemporary Syria, Nadia seems like the perfect daughter -- kind and generous to beggars, pious and respectful of her elders, but very very angry. Her anger is directed towards the way that the US treats Muslims, the way the leaders of her country treat the common people, and about the way her cousin Fowzi has been arrested. And one day when she is angry enough, she encounters a persuasive young man named Walid who gives her the opportunity to make a real difference in the world -- as a suicide bomber.

The extremely unusual YA story explores a part of the world that is certainly on people's minds but is largely misunderstood. I'm sure that purists could find flaws with it, but the descriptions of Arab culture ring true. So, as a glimpse of an alien world, the book is groundbreaking. As a novel, it is a bit thin at points, but the ending is immensely satisfying and dramatically gripping. A fine example of the potential of YA literature to transcend both the inane and the politically correct. Stunning!

Beige, by Cecil Castellucci

Katy and her mother have always been a close team and done everything together, but this Summer, Mom has to go do research on her own and Katy is being sent from her home in Montreal to her Dad in LA. Katy's Dad isn't your typical geeky Dad. He's the drummer for the legendary punk rock band Suck. Katy knows very little about music, so the culture shock is immense. But Katy's bigger problem is finding her inner strength to stand up for what she believes in and what she wants.

Castellucci writes good books about young women finding themselves and finding their inner strength. The characters of her books tend to be engaging and quirky and a bit off-beat. Katy is no exception to the mold and there are strong similarities between this book and her previous novels. As such, there is not a lot of novelty here. The book also suffers from a pretty lame ending which won't really surprise anyone. Those two drawbacks make the book a bit disappointing, but for decent strong characters who are admirable and do cool things, this is a decent book.

When It Happens, by Susane Colasanti

Sara spends the Summer before her senior year waiting for Dave to call her, while Tobey spends the Summer trying to build up the guts to ask Sara out. So, things get complicated in the Fall when Dave asks Sara out before Tobey can make his move. But things will work out in the end, because when it happens you just know that it is right...and Sara and Tobey are soul mates. Misunderstandings ensue and the young couple work through applying to colleges and deciding whether to have sex.

And that basically sums up this story. It has a nice realistic quality to it (and Colasanti does a fairly decent job of portraying her male characters -- a real challenge as the novel is told in alternating narration from Sara and Tobey), but the story has very little in the way of surprises or drama. You basically know where the story is going. In fact, the story is so predictable that even Colasanti decides to drop most of the plot lines before she concludes them. That makes for a brisk read, but not for anything you can get your teeth into. Good characterization, but really thin story.

Oh, and please save me from another YA novel where the kids have unusually ancient tastes in music. In this one, they swoon over The Cure, Bob Seeger, REM, Chicago, and even James Taylor! I can understand a few retro tastes, but give me a break! Those are my favorite bands, but I'm old enough to be a Dad in this book! I'll cast my vote right now for fictional pop music. Either that or we require all authors to actually learn some current pop culture before they publish (and a few gratuitous references to the White Stripes or Coldplay - so yesteryear! - does not qualify).

Looking for Lucy Buick, by Rita Murphy

When Lucy was a baby, she was found abandoned in a Buick that one of her "uncles" had won in a card game. When no one could find her real family, the uncles and aunts of the Sandoni family raised her. Now nearly grown up, Lucy longs to find her real family and fortune (in the form of a fire at the Sandoni factory when Lucy is presumed to be inside) provides her the opportunity to make a break. Her search brings Lucy to Iowa where she befriends a kind old lady, a Japanese butterfly breeder, and a storm chaser -- all of whom (along with the ghosts of Lucy's past) guide Lucy in her search.

A tale of searching for one's roots has a lot of potential. Add in some eccentric characters and a touch of the supernatural and yoy should have a pretty good story. However, this one falls flat, mostly because the story is so thin and the characters are poorly developed. A disappointment.

Sugar Rush, by Julie Burchill

When money gets tight, Kim's father has to pull her from her private girl's school and send her to the loacl public comprehensive - a place with a very poor reputation. Kim quickly falls under the spell of sexy alcoholic Maria ("Sugar") and falls in love with her. But their on-and-off lesbian flirtations combined with drugs and alcohol spell trouble.

The book is tough going because of all of the Brit slang, but even once you get used to that, you realize that the author is complete shite. Intoxicated with clever overblown prose, Burchill seems to think that writing about teens doing drugs and sex is a sufficient substitute for story. Shockingly badly written, skip this one with a vengeance!

Dramarama, by E.Lockhart

Sadye and her gay black friend Demi have never quite fit in at their high school in Benton OH. Far too dramatic and theatrical! But then they both apply to go to a summer drama school and get accepted. For Demi, it is a dream come true and he flourishes in the environment, but Sadye doesn't do as well. And as the summer progresses, their friendship undergoes stress and strain as the life-changing experience of living amidst other dramaramas takes its toll.

As you may already know, I am an intense fan of E. Lockhart's writing. All of her books to date have gotten my four-star rating. It may be a bit churlish of me then to not give this one the same (I'm giving it three stars). Dramarama is an excellent book and light years better than many of the books you will read this year, but it was slightly less funny, slightly less poignant, and just sightly less spectacular. But only slightly! You will thus waste no time reading this book and you will enjoy it, but it is still not as great as her previous outings (they're a hard act to follow).

Tender, by Valerie Hobbs

After her grandmother dies, Liv has to go live with her father - a man she has never met before, the man who walked out when she was born. And Dad is not an easy man to get to know. He's silent and unreadable, gone all day out to sea fishing for abalone. But what starts as a living hell for Liv slowly becomes a new life and she begins to realize that her family ties are stronger than she thinks.

Hobbs is a good writer with a decent sense for strong and believable characters. The story itself breaks no new ground or reveals any new deep truths, but it is a decent read. You could easily do worse, and would have a hard time doing better.

What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know, by Sonya Sones

Picking up exactly where What My Mother Doesn't Know ended, but switching viewpoints from Sophie to Robin, this sequel tells the continuing story of the romance of the unlikely beauty-and -the-beast pair of teenaged artists. It is hardly a happily-ever-after story as Robin gets an opportunity to audit an art class at Harvard and discovers that there is life after High School. And both of them must struggle with the problems of a popular girl dating an unpopular boy.

The first book is among my very few four-star books and my absolute favorite of Sones's books. Sequels always have a tendency to disappoint (or at least lack the novelty of the originals). But what really killed this book for me was the change of perspective. Sophie was a fascinating character, Robin simply is not. I think there are two reasons for this. One is that Sones really doesn't have as good of a hold over adolescent boys (as she does on adolescent girls). But I also think that the teenaged male psyche doesn't lend itself as well to free verse poetry as her girls do. A stereotype to be certain, but it is honestly hard to find Robin's voice to be plausible. It's an interesting experiment and a lot braver writing than Sones has done before, but it falls flat.

Gracie's Girl, by Ellen Wittlinger

Bess's mother is so busy helping the homeless down at the shelter that she doesn't have any time for Bess at all. Worse still, she wants Bess to come down and help as well. Bess can't stand the idea. She's much rather be planning her transformation to popularity as she starts middle school. But when she goes to the shelter and meets Gracie, her life changes and she realizes that there are more important things in life.

Fairly predictable and lacking an authentic voice, this story is not one of Wittlinger's best works. I'm a minor fan, so I was disappointed that Bess turned out to be such an uninspiring heroine. I suspect that Wittlinger herself didn't find the story all that exciting. It certainly doesn't seem that way. The dialogue is flat, plotting is erratic and uneven, and there isn't much that is new here. Give it a pass.

Crushed, by Laura and Tom McNeal

Audrey's life changes when the new boy at school shows an interest in her. Complications ensue, including a school bully, an infidelity and a friend's betrayal, a rumor monger, and her father losing his job and their house.

This is a novel with too many characters and plot lines to make much sense. Ostensibly, the authors are writing a story about committing mistakes and making amends, but since that is a generic part of any dramatic storyline, we are really stuck with a mess of incoherency. Give it a pass!

Lost It, by Kristen Tracy

Tess has a strange life. From her parents who leave you to learn survival camping from an inspirational leader to a grandmother who's won the Illinois Lottery and buys you sexy underwear to the friend who is plotting to blow up an annoying poodle. Never mind the exploding shoes and chance to lose it to your boyfriend....

Essentially the same old girls meets boy, girl loses boy love story format, Tracy has thrown in enough non-sequitors and weird conversations to feed a decent season of Gilmore Girls, but it all seems a tad contrived. The characters are quirky but never quite engaging and the plot twists are outrageous enough that this story just putters along, with a disappointing attempt to bring closure at the end.

Owl in Love, by Patrice Kindl

Owl has a crush on her science teacher, which is probably pretty natural for a 14 year-old girl. But she's not actually your typical 14 year-old girl. In fact, she's part owl, which greatly complicates things, especially when she encounters another (very strange) owl and an (even stranger) boy in the woods.

This rather clever story of teen crushes and raptor mating habits is amusing and fun. With a touch of fantasy but grounded simultaneous in a mundane reality (Kindl's apparent trademark), you get two stories in one -- an adventure/romance combined with some outsider/teen angst. A pleasant and fun read!

Such a Pretty Girl, by Laura Weiss

In this harrowing novel, Meredith has to face the fact that her father -- the man that sexually abused her and several other children in their town -- is about to be paroled (six years early). As it becomes apparent that he has remained unchanged and that she is in danger, Meredith must figure out who are her friends and can be relied upon to help her.

While the praise runs really high on the jacket (to the point of BS -- one reviewer compares her favirably to Catcher in the Rye and To Kill A Mockingbird!), I found this to be a functional, decent read...and not much more. It won't open any new doors about abuse and survival, or the teens who experience it. But it is a decent gritty read.

Hana in the Time of the Tulips, by Deborah Noyes

In the 17th century, Holland was beholden with tulipomania. Little Hana doesn't understand why there is such a fuss over the pretty flowers or how something that is so beautiful can make her father so unhappy. But she does know that father is very unhappy and she asks everyone around her for help in making Dad feel better.

A bit of a departure for me, but this lovely children's picture book tells a touching and timeless story of a girl reaching out to her father to remind him that the most precious things are not reaches or "means" but the flowers we cultivate in our families. The story is augmented by absolutely charming illustrations by Bagram Ibatoulline, based loosely on Rembrandt and other contemporary Dutch masters. The text can get a bit thick for younger readers and it may be a bit gratuitous to cast Rembrandt in a guest role, but this is a beautiful book.

A Drowned Maiden's Hair, by Laura Amy Schlitz

Maud is a troublemaker and the least likely of all the girls at the Barbary orphanage to be adopted, so when she is picked out by a trio of rich old ladies to live with them everyone is a bit surprised. But it becomes apparent that these old ladies have tricks up their sleeves and Maud may have gotten herself into bigger trouble than she ever managed on her own.

Placed at the turn of the century, Schlitz has captured all of the maudlin qualities of a novel of the era, riffing on that style to create an original work. The main characters are engaging and hardly old-fashioned, but Schlitz is a weak writer. The blurb on the jacket indicates that she has some background as a playwright and one imagines that she often just wanted to "fade out" on some scenes as overwhelmingly her transitions are awkward and painful. The dramatic arc weaves all over the place as well. She could well improve on a second effort or with a better editor and this is not a painful read -- it is just rough.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, by Kate Di Camillo

Edward is a china rabbit, not a doll (dolls are silly things!) and loved deeply by Abilene Tulane. But no matter how much he is loved (or, in fact, no matter how much he moves himself!), nothing can prepare him for being lost. But lost he is, and Edward is now forced to undergo a trying long journey where even a toy rabbit can learn a few powerful lessons.

This touching story combines Di Camillo's sense of the odd that made Because of Winn Dixie such a strong favorite (and one of my all-time faves) with the magic of an anthropomorphic toy. But this is no silly Toy Story (or even a whimsical tale like Toys Go Out). Instead, this story has a darker edge and some strong messages about the importance of opening your heart. It's all a bit too intense for younger children but those of us who are biologically older (but still young at heart) can appreciate it.

The book also has some wonderful illustrations by Bagram Ibatoulline that really make the book.