The Boyfriend Rules of Good Behavior, by Catherine Bateson

Millie and her mother relocate and find love, although her mother's boyfriend ends up being a better choice (mentoring Millie in photography and helping her with a school project). But mostly, this is just a collection of random anecdotes about being a teen.

The sheer plot-less and random nature of the story left me wondering what the point was. Ideas are introduced (problems fitting in at a new school, a bully, etc.) but left undeveloped. It basically seemed as if Bateson did not know what she wanted to write. Leaving us with no story at all.

Guinever's Gift, by Nicole St. John

At the turn of the century, Lydian Wentworth, after the death of her overbearing father, receives an invitation to visit the reclusive Arthuria-obsessed artist Charles Ransome. Charles is a family friend with whom her father mysteriously parted ways years before. In a whirlwind, they become engaged and maried. But things turn dark as Charles falls into an obsession with finding the grave of Arthur. The household as a whole goes to madness, murder, and dark secrets revealed. Melodrama ensues.

Not quite sure how this classic romance/mystery ended up on my YA reading list, but it was probably a mistake (perhaps a confusion with a similarly-title YA novel coming out in 2008). I found this older novel terribly overblown and pretentious (and more than a little bit silly). Probably better thought of in retrospect than in the actual reading. Avoid.

Quaking, by Kathryn Erskine

Matt (short for Matilda) has been passed from one relative to another, never quite working out wherever she's been. The experience has made her bitter and angry, but when she comes to live with the Fox family and learns their Quaker ways, she encounters a force that she had not counted on. And as a prejudiced teacher and a bully taunt her, she uncovers the inner strength to stand up for herself and stop being a victim.

For the most part, this is straight by-the-numbers finding-your-inner-self stuff. No major surprises and the bad guys are painted depressingly two-dimensionally. However, it is rewarding and mildly educational.

I was drawn to it by the Quaker stuff (since I am one). The setting in a Quaker family provided a lot of in-joke opportunities and I got a good laugh out of Matt's description of Meeting for Worship. Mostly, I forget that most people don't know this stuff (since I started attending at the age of 9, it was all second nature to me by my teen years). I was a bit concerned that the author would misrepresent Quakerism, but it was actually a fair and decent portrayal.

Guyaholic, by Carolyn Mackler

In this sequel to Vegan Virgin Valentine, we've come a long way. V has been (barely) surviving living with her grandparents, trying to avoid attachments, and dealing with her distant mother. So, when she completely blows it with her latest best thing (Sam) she grasps for something she can do to get away. And, strangely enough, roadtripping to see her Mom in San Antonio makes some sense. Roadtrip ensues.

A rather odd short novel. It has much of the charm of her other novels, but didn't quite grab me as much. V didn't do much for me in the first novel and she has not grown on me much this time around (although if you do like her, I'm sure you'll enjoy the book). There is some decent humor and V remains a realistic character, but I couldn't get into her. Not one of Mackler's best writings (but still a decent read).

Me, Penelope, by Lisa Jahn-Clough

In some ways Lopi (short for Penelope) has it all together. She's managed to shave a year off of high school and will graduate early this year. She has a good friend Toad and a couple other important folks in her life. But her relationship with her mother is rocky (made worse by the death of her baby brother when she was only 6) and she longs for love - or at least for sex. The latter is a particular struggle for her as she attempts to sort out the meaning of "love" and what she is really looking for.

Touching and insightful, this is a stunning novel and a model of moderation. There is angst (but not too much), there is sex (but neither squeamish nor prurient). We have the expected conflict with Mom and a rapproachment at the end (but handled delicately). We even have some potential melodrama (dead brother), but it is handled gracefully. In sum, Jahn-Clough is an excellent writer, creating a heroine who sounds real and sympathetic. This is not a flashy novel, but it is a beautiful piece and one of the best I have read this year. Strongly recommended.

Between Mom and Jo, by Julie Anne Peters

Nick's family faces a series of challenges: illness, separation, isolation, and alcoholism (to name a few). What makes the family different (and yet also very much the same as any other family that has struggled) is that Nick has two mothers.

It would be tempting to see that particular twist as a gimmick (either to portray a non-traditional family as being just like a "normal" one, or to get on a soapbox), but Peters does not do gimmicks. Instead, we get a very insightful and moving story about love and family that is unique ofr its setting. She shows us that while people are certainly people, that there are dynamics to same-sex parenting that differ. In the past, I've found Peters's novels to be near misses (Luna and Define
"Normal" were strong contenders though). Here, she really scores and produces a simply outstanding work. Recommended highly.

River Secrets, by Shannon Hale

In this third installment of the Books of Bayern, the war is over but emotions still run hot - especially in Tira. An embassy from Bayern must figure out a way to promote peace amidst warmongering fanatics and a mysterious case of burned bodies that keep showing up near fire-burner Enna (now allegedly sworn to peace). But front and center to this story lies loyal small Razo, who gets to play a prominent role at last after being only a side character in the first two novels.

While this book does not stand out in any specific way, it is a good read. Hale continues her tradition of providing above-average fantasy. The stories have some action, a lot of romance, but a strong underlying humanism, making them a pleasure to read. Entertaining and enjoyable (but read Goose Girl and Enna Burning before you get to this novel).

Before, After, and Somebody In Between, by Jeannine Garsee

Martha has a lot of troubles to deal with. She's one of the few whites at her inner city school and been singled out for bullying. But no torture from her classmates can compare to the living hell that her alcoholic and abusive mother puts her through. And when her Mom isn't after her, it's an abusive boyfriend (hers or her mother's) or a jealous girlfriend. Life is simply one nearly uninterrupted hell. Her only respite is her incredible musical talent with the cello.

An incredibly dreary and down read, recommended for masochists only. This is a book which reinforces the notion that YA literature should hurt (see Rules of Survival for another recent example of the genre). The writing is decent but there's not much to recommend a novel which consists of a heroine who has nothing but anger and bad luck and never ever manages to grow. Depressing and unnecessary.

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac, by Gabrielle Zevin

After a fall down the stairs at school, Naomi loses her memory - not all of it, just the last four years. And in that refreshed state (where her last memory was of the age of 12), Naomi reexamines her life (boyfriend, hobbies, and family). The process surprises her and those around her and leads to changes that startle everyone - even the reader.

Zevin's Elsewhere was a refereshingly new type of novel. This one starts with a less-original premise (Regarding Henry, anyone?) but handles it in an amazingly fresh way. There's a bit of melodrama and the story may run a bit long, but Zevin is becoming one of the really great novelists of YA. Recommended.

Tasting the Sky, by Ibtisam Barakat

In flashback, Ibtisam tells the story of her growing up as a Palestinian refugee after the Six-Day War of 1967. On one side, it is an extraordinary story of survival, but it is also a tale of an ordinary childhood. She plays, she has successes and failure. She struggles with fear and loneliness (an early love for the alphabet, a lost pet, and a few more sinister encounters).

While mostly random anecdotes and with a narrative that speeds up and slows down annoyingly at will, this is still a charming and beautiful book. Barakat is an excellent writer (her early love with words shows through). Her story is engaging and revealing. It won't solve the problems of the region, but it will give you an interesting window through which to view them.

The Lottery, by Beth Goobie

Every year, the school's unofficial Shadow Council would select a student in the Lottery to become the "dud" of the year, condemned to carry out the Council's dirty work, and shunned by the entire school. This year, Sal becomes their victim. But Sal's story is complicated and the choice of her turns out to be less random (and more fateful) than anyone could expect.

An odd mishmash of idea, this novel has a great premise but allows itself to get bogged down in subplots that don't really add to the story (a borderline autistic student, a dead father, an uncommunicative mother). In such circumstances, I am prone to believe that the author needed a better editor. Goobie is apparently well-honored by her native Canada so she can write, but she doesn't apparently know enough to write a trim and taut story (which a thriller like this really wants). As a result, some really interesting conclusions get lost in the haze.

Izzy, Willy-Nilly, by Cynthia Voight

When Izzy loses half a leg in a car accident, she goes through all of the usual stages of grief (anger, tears, etc.), but it takes her a while to come to grips with how it will affect her, her family, and her friends. But life does go on and Izzy must find the strength to restart her life, return to school, and rebuild her friendships. With the help of a persistent new friend Rosamunde, she does that and more.

A charming, if somewhat long, novel about rehabilitation. For the most part, it is predictable, but the characters are realistic and believable, and there is a good pay-off at the end. Good entertainment with redeeming qualities. (Apparently the book is frequently assigned in school, which is a shame, but you could be forced to read worse!)

The Melting Season, by Celeste Conway

Snegoruchkka, the classic Russian ballet, serves as a metaphor for Giselle (another ballet metaphor in itself), a ballerina at an elite dance institute/high school in NYC who struggles to break free of her routine. It is a comfort for her to live in a world where her mother is evil, her late father was a saint, and her toys sit undisturbed on the shelf. But a new boyfriend and a desire to expand herself pushes Giselle into a new world with the unearthing of deeply buried secrets.

With a storyline that juts out in all directions and clunky dialogue, Conway is a mixed bag. The idea of the story is excellent but underrealized. For a story about ballet, for example, one really wanted to read more about the dancing itself. But there is promise here that a future novel might shake out the leaden parts and reveal a real talent.

Enna Burning, by Shannon Hale

In this sequel to Goose Girl, the attention now turns to forest girl Enna whose brother discovers a strange vellum scroll that teaches him the ability to speak fire. When that skill causes his untimely demise, Enna takes on the mantle of fire witch and helps her beloved Bayern defend itself from foreign invaders. But the power of fire is formidable and Enna and her friends must find a way to control this power or Enna will be destroyed.

Like Goose Girl and Princess Academy, this is a rich tale full of lots of adventure and strong characters. But Hale also includes some nice subtle lessons about friendship and the anxieties of growing up. All very wonderful stuff. Her stories do tend to wander on and a story that simply went from beginning to end might have been better, but even Tolkein had trouble finishing his novels.

Looking for JJ, by Anne Cassidy

Six years ago, Jennifer made a horrible decision and brutally killed her best friend. Both she an her victim were only ten years old. Now she's been released and everyone is obsessed with finding "JJ" and only a few people know where she is. One of those people is Alice - who know because she is JJ's new identity. In the story that unfolds, Alice both tries to carve out a new life and avoid a past that some want her to forget and for which many more want her to atone.

An interesting premise and an engaging read. British authors like Cassidy seem to feel an overriding need to connect all of the dots, but by the book's mid-point, this novel picks up some steam. I was disappointed that the book never reaches any sort of catharsis, but that didn't make it any less interesting.

The Rules for Hearts, by Sara Ryan

Battle is spending the summer before college at a coop in Portland. What she knows (and her parents do not) is that her long-estranged older brother is there too. It's been years since they've seen each other, but any reunion of the sublings is upstaged by a production of Midsummer's Night Dream in which everyone in the house is participating, and by Battle's relationship with the older Meryl.

A mildly incoherent novel full of lots of talk (but not much action), this book drifts from one story to another, but doesn't really go anywhere. I found it a difficult story in which to become engaged, but there will be some folks who like it. I found it overly random and a bit too obtuse. I prefer a more straightforward narrative.

Girl of the Moment, by Lizabeth Zindel

When an internship at MOMA falls through, Lila gets a last minute opportunity to spend the summer working as an intern for superstar Sabrina Snow. As the summer progresses, Lila struggles with the demands of the job, with the fame of being in Sabrina's shadow, and with staying true to her own values under pressure from Sabrina.

Utterly predictable, this story follows in the fun escapist vein of a Meg Cabot novel, with the exception that Lila is far from perfect. Her mistakes make Lila more approachable, but they are the types of mistakes you can see from miles away, so it's hard to see them as credible. Some humor ensues and this is fine entertainment, but I'd still rather pick up the latest Cabot novel when I'm in the mood for this stuff.

One Whole and Perfect Day, by Judith Clarke

Lily hopes that she can make Daniel notice her. Her brother stays estranged from the family until a chance encounter with his grandfather makes him decide on impulse to bring his Chinese girlfriend home. Grandmother talks endlessly to her imaginary friend Sef. And grandfather surprises everyone by befriending an old Chinese woman. And then a magical and perfect day brings everyone together in perfect harmony.

Had I remembered how much I detested Kalpana's Dream, I almost certainly would never have picked out this book. Like that novel, this meanders incoherantly from one POV to another, making observations that intended to be profound but which basically make little or no sense. I imagine that there are (non-librarian) people out there who will enjoy this book. But I found it dull and unengaging.

Do-Over, by Christine Hurley Deriso

Elsa could really use her mother around, especially now that she has transferred to a new school in the middle of seventh grade, but her mother is dead. Then, in an act of supernatural magic, her mother visits her one evening and gives her a special locket that allows her to rewind time 10 seconds and redo the moment. Elsa learns to take advantage of this to deal with a popular bully and change her social status. And she also tries to correct the wrongs she sees around her. But in the end she learns that this magic is not what she really needs.

Mildly predictable, but a satisfying and quick read. A bit of a YA-version of Groundhog Day with all of that feel-good factor thrown in. The characters are engaging, if a bit too perfect, but there is plenty to relate to. Recommended for middle school readers.

Just Ask, by Melody Carlson

In the first book of a new series, we are introduced to Kim, adopted Korean daughter. And while she flirts briefly with the idea of practicing Buddhism, she finds the Lord after watching The Passion of Christ at a friend's church. But the story is also framed around a teen advice column that Kim writes for her dad's newspaper, handing out rather mature advice (much of it advocating prayer) for addressing teen issues.

Somehow (and you may find this hard to believe) I did not quite clue in on the Fundamentalist agenda of the writer until I was halfway through the book. Mostly, I was annoyed at the meandering plot and the sanctimonious advice column (let's just say that Kim's perspective on things is a bit unrealistic). By the end, I had pretty much had enough of the character and the writer. I'm sure the series is popular with the converted, but otherwise give this a pass. If you want to read a more honest examination of faith (and other important topics), go back to classics like Judy Blume.