Switch

Reader: Emily
Age: 17
Title: Switch
Author: Tish Cohen
Publisher: Egmont USA
Pub Date: 08/23/2011
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: Switch was a rather interesting adaption on the classic story of two people switching bodies. Told from Andrea's perspective, Switch is about the granting of her wish to turn into the hot girl from school, who just happens to be dating Andrea's crush. On top of these lovely plot twists, Andrea's dad post-switch, is a famous rock artist. Through angst, fights, and hissy fits, Andrea realizes the importance of her previous family and the consequences of what happens when you wish for more than you want.
Memorable or Forgettable: Switch was a rather poorly written book. Andrea's parents are so wrapped up in their foster children, the reader is convinced they do not love her. The idea that two parents would place foster children is a little hard to accept and understand. Cohen provides a poor background on the main characters that is full of holes and difficult to accept. The plot would be improved if the ending was changed, there were more understanding parents, and a better plot.
Cover: The cover accurately reflected the contents of this book as well as the opposites of the two main characters. The girl who portrays Andrea should not be wearing a dress and doesn't look like the daughter of people who have had many children or is conservative.
Age Range: 12-17
Quality: 3Q Readable
Popularity: 3P Some teen appeal

Trapped

Reader: Meghan
Age: 17
Title: Trapped
Author: Michael Northtrop
Publisher: Scholastic
Pub Date: 2/11
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: When seven teenagers are trapped in their suburban high school by the worst blizzard of the century, they are forced to abandon everything they know about rules as the likelihood of survival dwindles.
Memorable or Forgettable: This book is a frightening reminder that nature isn't the nurturing mother we remember from Bambi. Sometimes, bad things happen, and this fast-paced, action book is a realistic, refreshing take on the tried and true "Teens in over their heads"-survival genre popularized by Gary Paulson's Hatchet. It's a fresh, modern book with enough danger and suspense to draw in fans of more conventional "action" books like The Hunger Games.
Cover: This book has a great cover, and the design of the interior pages is a stroke of pure genius. Whoever put this together deserves a medal.

Rules of Attraction

Reader: Sabrina
Age: 18
Title: Rules of Attraction
Author: Simon Elkeles
Publisher: Walker & Company
Pub Date: 04/10
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: It's a book by Simon Elkeles. Enough said. Her witty humor and spunk is shown through her writing and shines in this story about a Mexican boy comming to America and falling in love with his roomate. This book was knee-deep in characterization with the help of imagery that made the book relatable and just plain out cheesy romance.
Memorable or Forgettable: I loved Perfect Chemistry and was interested in seeing the differences and similarities between the Fuentas brothers. It was sweet to see that both, even though they might have swayed a bit, are more similar than different. This made the book feel wholesome with a great moral value.
Age Range: 14-18 up
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 5P Everyone wants to read it
Additional Comments: I was a bit dissapointed with the Epilogue. For having read both books I would have loved to see what happened with Britanny and Alex because I had spent so much time reading their books.

A Monster Calls

Title: A Monster Calls
Convince us to read the book: A Monster Calls is a book that really blew me away: the intricate, splattery ink illustrations matched the tone of the words so well that they melded together to tell a single story, which was simple yet tackled many big questions about death and morality. The prose style was crisp and intense, and had my eyes glued to the page.
Memorable or Forgettable: This book is particularly memorable because of its original premise (a boy wakes up from a recurring nightmare to find a tree monster at his window, but is more afraid of his dream and dealing with his mother’s illness than the monster, who turns out to not be so much of a monster at all…) and it’s unusual illustrations. It really struck home for me because I could relate to what the character was experiencing and the way the story was told was so beautiful.
Cover: I picked up the book because I was immediately attracted to the ink drawing of a monster on the cover, and also its unusual squarish shape. It matched the contents perfectly.
Age Range: 12-17
Quality: 5Q Hard to imagine a better book
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal

The Queen of Kentucky

Reader: Emily
Age: 17
Title: The Queen of Kentucky
Author: Alecia Whitaker
Publisher: Poppy
Pub Date: 01/10/2012
Galley: No
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: The Queen of Kentucky is a light-hearted story about a 14 year-old farm girl who tries to be someone she's not. In this classic coming of age story Ricki Jo, a.k.a. Alecia, enters public school for the first time. Going from a class of under 20 to one of 200, Ricki Jo feels the need to create new friends, abandon the old, and create a superficial persona for herself. Her happy, quaint family supports her decisions as Ricki Jo lies to her friends and turns into one of the "it" girls. Ricki Jo demonstrates the importance of staying true to who you are and what will happen when you don't. Part of her drive to become a new person is to create a new appearance for herself, but is hindered due to a constant poor image of herself.
Memorable or Forgettable: Ricki Jo's friend, Luke is being abused by his father. Ricki-Jo's only attempt to help her friend is to try to get him to talk about it. Clearly what Luke needed was for Ricki-Jo to be there for him, but instead she goes off gallivanting with her new superficial friends. What bothered me was Ricki Jo's lack of support. Albeit, she is only 14, but as a character, she lacks the empathy expected of her and becomes obsessed with the popular crowd.
Cover: Good cover, but the yellow is a bit overwhelming. instead of white dots surrounding the title, make it a rope?
Age Range: 12-15
Quality: 3Q Readable
Popularity: 3P Some teen appeal
Additional Comments: As a Minnesotan, the lack of knowledge about Minnesota was quite infuriating. Mackenzie, one of the "it-girls," just moved from Minnesota. In the story, Mackenzie keeps referring to Minnesota as having no open spaces, fact check!!!! Minnesota has plenty of open spaces, and yes, there is a roller rink in Minneapolis.

Melody Burning

Reader: Emily
Age: 17
Title: Melody Burning
Author: Whitley Strieber
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books
Pub Date: 12/06/2011
Galley: No
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: Melody isn't meant to be a moody teenager, more a teenager who's learning how to be independent from a rather controlling mother while discovering what's important to her. Melody's relationship with Beresford is one of curiosity and perhaps slight vanity. Novels can be difficult to read when written from two different perspectives, but in Melody Burning, it gives the story more context. Yes, Melody is a bit superficial, but that's because of her upbringing. Melody Burning is a short, but sweet novel of simple teen love. The characters may be shallow at times, but it is still worth your time.
Memorable or Forgettable: Although the characters need to be better developed and the villains fleshed out, Melody Burning is a sweet and innocent tale about young love and learning who to trust.
Cover: Attractive cover, but a better image would be to have the girl facing towards the city and shot from a side view. Also, the red titling is difficult to read, an orange would be a better color.
Age Range: 12-15
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 3P Some teen appeal

Cinder

Reader: Guananí
Age: 16
Title: Cinder
Author: Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Pub Date: 01/2012
Galley: No
Top 25: Yes
Convince us to read the book: Cinder is a sci-fi retelling of Cinderella, with believable characters and superb world-building. I really enjoyed the world of post-World War IV, cyborg populated, Lunar-race-threatened New Beijing. The elements of the traditional Cinderella story were expanded, revamped, and felt very new and original even though it was a retelling, especially the main character.
Memorable or Forgettable: Though the world it is set in was definitely the most memorable aspect of the book, the characters and plot were also compelling, making it a fast paced and occasionally funny read even though the main premises are fairly dark. The sideplot romance was cute and added to the rest of the story without being sappy or overdone.
Cover: This cover is decent, but it could have been so much cooler. The descriptions of Cinder’s cyborg leg inspired imagery that was not done justice in the foot depicted. It also bothered me that no high heel was involved, yet they still chose to put it on the cover. I picked this up because I read good things about it.
Age Range: 14-17
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal

Eve

Reader: Emily
Age: 17
Title: Eve
Author: Anna Carey
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pub Date: 10/04/2011
Galley: Yes
Recommend: Yes
Convince us to read the book: Eve is a different take on the post-apocalyptic romance. The human population has been mostly wiped out by a virus, leaving many women dead, but more men alive. To solve the reproduction problem, girls are confined to live in "boarding schools" where they are given a solid education. Which is where Eve comes into the story. She still has memories of her early life, living with her parents. The girls are told they graduate and go to college at the end of their schooling, but Eve find out they are used as baby breeders, raped by men and have babies torn out of them before they can give birth. Disgusting, yes? Well Eve naturally escapes, running away from the "school," hoping to find civilization. Instead, she joins a band of runaway boys, and learns how messed up the world is, and civilization.
Compelling aspects of the book: This was not your average futuristic novel.
Cover: Certainly an intriguing cover, but not inspirational. Rather gloomy, fitting the post-apocalyptic theme, and has Eve on the cover, also expressing the solitude she experiences for part of the story.

The Knife and the Butterfly

Reader: Emily
Age: 17
Title: The Knife and the Butterfly
Author: Ashley Hope Perez
Publisher: Carolrhoda LAB
Pub Date: 02/01/3011
Galley: Yes
Recommend: No
Convince us to read the book: N/A
Compelling aspects of the book: It was different reading about a crime from two different perspectives and not knowing the full story from the beginning. This novel reminded me of a who-done-it, fitting all the clues together.
Were you disappointed with the book at all: Yes
Reasons why you were disappointed with the book: The main male character, Azael, remains mysterious throughout the story. He was hard to connect to and everything that happened to him felt too confusing. As a reader, it was hard to focus on the two characters. The book had choppy transitions, and too many flash backs. The ending was a complete surprise and left me wondering what had just happened.
Cover: A rather abstract cover that reminds me of a Rorschach image or vampire teeth, none of which have anything to do with the story. It's certainly an engaging cover with the contrasting black and red, but the image has no plot relevance.
Age Range: 14-17
Quality: 2Q Needs more work
Popularity: 2P Only for special interest

How to Rock Braces and Braces

Reader: Emily
Age: 17
Title: How to Rock Braces and Glasses
Author: Meg Haston
Publisher: Poppy
Pub Date: 10/24/2011
Galley: Yes
Recommend: Yes
Convince us to read the book: How to Rock Braces and Glasses is a quirky but sweet coming of age book that many will relate to. With a weak beginning, where the main character is head of the school news team, breaking main stories and rocking the school fashion world, she experiences the worst thing possible: glasses. Then, spiraling her farther and farther away from popularity, comes the braces. Kacey experiences an overnight transformation to the bottom of the social order, having to suffer the cruel torturing of her former friends. With this new found view of the "normal" world, she quickly falls in love and finds her true identity, learning to make the best of her situation.
Compelling aspects of the book: Even though this book moves at an incredibly rapid pace, it was realistic for the most part.
Were you disappointed with the book at all: Yes
Reasons why you were disappointed with the book: I think the beginning of the novel was difficult to accept due to Kacey's ignorant attitude, I definitely don't think that a 15 year-old has that kind of following on a school tv news announcement
Cover: Eccentric and oddly spunky cover. The total in-your-face graphics with neon pink titling really pops out and makes you want to find out was happens in this book. A+
Age Range: 12-15
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal

How to Save a Life

Reader: Emily
Age: 17
Title: How to Save a Life
Author: Sara Zarr
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Pub Date: 10/18/2011
Galley: No
Recommend: Yes
Convince us to read the book: How to Save a Life is a beautiful book that perfectly captures the emotions and thought processes of two very different teen girls. Jill and Mandy are thrown together, much to Jill's opposition. Jill's mom wants to adopt Mandy's unborn baby, something that Jill feels is unnecessary. Jill's father is recently deceased, leaving her confused and hollow, wishing for something other than what she has. This novel weaves together the emotional experience of a teenage mother-to-be and another teen who just wants to leave her life. Full of romance, angst, confusion and above all, accepting people for who they are, How to Save a Life is a gripping tale you will want to keep for years.
Compelling aspects of the book: Although the book is about a pregnant teenager, it does not focus on the the issues of what to do with it, but the effects it has on everyone.
Were you disappointed with the book at all: Yes
Reasons why you were disappointed with the book: It would have been nice to see what happened at the end with Mandy going to meet the father of her child, I think that it was a very sweet and touching part of the novel and wish to read more.
Cover: A peaceful cover with a lot of connotation, I think that although it is not an exact image from the book, it still represents the calmness that covers the rawness of the main characters.
Age Range: 14-18+
Quality: 5Q Hard to imagine a better book
Popularity: 5P Everyone wants to read it
Comments: This book should not have a sequel, but needs a longer ending.

Just Your Average Princess

Reader: Emily
Age: 17
Title: Just Your Average Princess
Author: Kristina Springer
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Pub Date: 10/11/2011
Galley: Yes
Recommend: Yes
Convince us to read the book: Just Your Average Princess is your typical “girl meets snooty girl/relative and proceeds to have an all out war with her” story. A feel-good novel, the characters will have you smiling or rolling your eyes, but eventually will leave you satisfied. Jamie (the main character) really just does not like her cousin for most of the book. Towards the end, things work out and everyone is happy.
Compelling aspects of the book: This was a rather intriguing book focused on a family that grows pumpkins. How many books are about a pumpkin growing family? Certainly a different subject.
Were you disappointed with the book at all: Yes
Reasons why you were disappointed with the book: The adamant hatred by Jamie of her cousin is really difficult to deal with and makes you wish you weren't reading it. The book has great potential, but there's only so much negativity a person can handle
Cover: Certainly a cute cover, general appeal for teenage girls, only issue: the girl on cover looks like she was badly Photoshopped in.
Age Range: 12-15
Quality: 3Q Readable
Popularity: 3P Some teen appeal

The Survival Kit

Reader: Emily
Age: 17
Title: The Survival Kit
Author: Donna Freitas
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Pub Date: 10/11/2011
Galley: No
Recommend: Yes
Convince us to read the book: The Survival Kit is not your average love story. Rose's mom dies before the story begins, leaving her living in a fog, uncertain and uncaring. Her hunky boyfriend stays with her, but wishes for more physical pleasures, her dad is slipping into drunken stupors, and her brother is off doing his own thing at college. The only constant thing in her life is the quiet Will, school hockey star turned gardener. Over the year, Will and Rose slowly open up to each other, and come to terms with their past.
Compelling aspects of the book: Rose doesn't abandon herself after her mother's death, instead taking a break from normal life, receding into a cocoon to ponder her future and think of the past. Full of trials, Rose overcomes her difficulties like any person.
Were you disappointed with the book at all: No
Age Range: 14-18+
Quality: 5Q Hard to imagine a better book
Popularity: 5P Everyone wants to read it

Nightshade

Reader: Ada
Age: 17
Title: Nightshade
Author: Andrea Cremer
Publisher: Penguin
Pub Date: 10/2010
Galley: Yes
Nominate for Teens Top 10: No
Recommend: Yes
Convince us to read the book: I thought the amount of background and history that Cremer put into the werewolf society was really neat. Most supernatural books just expect you to accept all of this assumed history and weight about their culture. I also thought it was cool that the werewolves actually existed in our world. They interacted with humans and the main character was actually in a love triangle with one of them. Usually, the humans are either seen as food or are just non-existent in the plot.
Compelling aspects of the book: The romance was definitely the coolest part of the novel. I liked how the characters are still in high school so you get that realistic, tension-in-the-hallways feel to the novel. Also, the love that exists between Cal and Ren. They seem to love each other, but it's an imposed love, more of an attraction. Both romances seem so real, I actually didn't know which one would win out until the very end. And even here, I'm still guessing.
Were you disappointed with the book at all: Yes
Reasons why you were disappointed with the book: One thing that I didn't like was the ending. It was very abrupt and I didn't really know what to think. I know that there is a sequel coming out, and I hate it when so many new series' books end like this. They expect you to just wait there on your couch until the next book comes along. Well, I need a conclusive ending to my novels. A book needs a beginning, middle, and an end. I feel that some authors are confusing the ending part of the novel with another beginning that I know frustrates a lot of readers.
Cover: I thought the cover was actually really cool. It definitely had that ethereal look to it that was part of the novel since it's about werewolves.
Age Range: 14-17
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 3P Some teen appeal
Comments: This book was overall pretty good. I like Cal and admired her for her strength. I thought the pack dynamics were interesting, and I liked how the author wove wolf dynamics into a human-like society with dominant alphas, etc. I thought the rival pack units were cool, and the additional romances were a nice touch. Overall, I would say that if you love romance, can't get enough of it, then this is a good book for you.

The Six Rules of Maybe

Reader: Ada
Age: 17
Title: The Six Rules of Maybe
Author: Deb Caletti
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pub Date: 03/2011
Galley: Yes
Nominate for Teens Top 10: Yes
Recommend: Yes
Convince us to read the book: The characters in the book are so complex; you just can't help but identify with them. They are definitely not the most idyllic family. They have their issues, but that's what makes it so real. For example, you absolutely hate Scarlet's sister but you end up feeling the same sort of love that Scarlet feels towards her even if you still hate part of her.
Compelling aspects of the book: I thought the relationship between Hayden and Scarlet was the most intriguing. Not to give too much away, but there are definitely some sparks flying there. At the end, I was a mix of feelings, both happy and slightly disappointed. But overall, the romance was definitely a major plot-mover.
Were you disappointed with the book at all: Yes
Reasons why you were disappointed with the book: I was slightly disappointed at the end. I wanted... another ending but was still satisfied at the end. I had invested so much and hoping for a particular ending but it turned out differently. I guess that's life though, giving you those unexpected but satisfying twists.
Cover: I thought the cover was not that intriguing. It was mostly the fact that it was Deb Caletti that drew me to this book. The cover was relevant however in describing her favorite beach.
Age Range: 16-18+
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 3P Some teen appeal
Comments: I originally picked this book up because I am in love with Deb Caletti's writing style. I felt that this book still had elements of those moments that had so captured my heart in her book Stay, but they weren't as prominent. Also, I felt that the plot in this one was a bit more whimsical and non-realistic than in Stay. This book is definitely a good one that people should read but go into it with a clear mind. I still had baggage from her other books and so was slightly disappointed with it compared to her other books.

Stay

Reader: Ada
Age: 17
Title: Stay
Author: Deb Caletti
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pub Date: 04/05/2011
Galley: Yes
Nominate for Teens Top 10: Yes
Recommend: Yes
Convince us to read the book: I think Deb Caletti's voice and style of writing is so unique and so appealing. She somehow is able to insert all of these anecdotes about life and her characters that you would think would slow down the pace of the story. But they don't. If anything, they keep you more hooked into the plot and the characters. You connect with them more because Caletti makes you go there. She reveals something about humanity in her little musings. I ended up just looking out for them, the little one or two sentences that would tie me into the novel. I would become invested suddenly into the character because Caletti described something about her that I could relate to.
Compelling aspects of the book: I thought the flashbacks into the relationship between Clara and Christian were really disturbing but also really fascinating, in a sick twisted way. It was clear to the readers that "DUH!!!! HE'S A STALKER PSYCHO!!!!" But that's because we had the beauty of hindsight. Clara didn't have that. I thought Caletti artfully showed how realistic that relationship was, how true to life. It really was an eye-opener, to be stuck in a relationship and then to get a wake-up call and realizing how blinded by "love" you've been this entire time. It also showed how powerful love can be, in any form.
Were you disappointed withy the book at all: I wasn't disappointed at all. I felt like I had uncovered a whole new world that I could just dive into. I love Caletti's style of writing, and her plot and characters were fantastic. I was surprised that I fell so in love with her writing.
Cover: I thought the cover was interesting. It didn't intrigue me to read it; the book jacket description did that. However, the cover was still nice and was definitely unique.
Age Range: 14-18+
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal
Comments: The relationships that she crafted were so real because they were complicated. She made reality seem almost like a fantasy, this complex mysterious dream that you never wanted to wake up from. She transformed the realness of life, its harsh contours and grief-stricken moments, into something beautiful, something to hold onto.

The Girl with the Steel Corset

Reader: Ada
Title: The Girl with the Steel Corset
Author: Kady Cross
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Pub Date: 06/01/2011
Galley: Yes
Nominate for Teens Top 10: Yes
Recommend: Yes
Convince us to read the book: This book is going to be the Book-Zero for an entire new frontier in teen literature. It is the only Steampunk book I've read, and now I am scanning all of the shelves in the libraries for anything like it. Cross expertly turned the Victorian-era aspects of the book into its own character which aided Cross in the telling of the main characters. I also like the romance and thought both were adorable and actually believable which is hard to come by sometimes in teen fiction. It didn't feel orchestrated and seemed to follow a natural progression with the plot which was really satisfying.
Compelling aspects of the book: I thought the background on the automatons was actually really interesting. It was so complex, like Cross had actually mapped and drawn all of this complex machinery herself. She was her own Emily and her machine-model was this book. It was fascinating, and the best part was that it all seemed actually plausible.
Were you disappointed with the book at all: I was not disappointed at all by this book, maybe because I went into the novel not really having any expectations or previous baggage. If I did have any previous notions, this book just shot them out of the water!
Cover: I thought the cover was brilliantly portrayed. It was intriguing and definitely reflected the book's plot and mood. The cover is definitely what drew me in.
Age Range: 14-18+
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal
Comments: I would recommend this book to pretty much anyone who had a few hours to spare (or was willing to create a few hours that they could spare). I loved the characters, the plot, the setting, pretty much everything appealed to me. Cross weaved her imagination so well into the Victorian setting that it was easy sometimes to forget that this stuff didn't actually exist in history. You just accepted for the duration of this book that this was a new history, retold, that she had just discovered and decided to write down. It was brilliant, and I envy her writing talent.

Rot and Ruin

Reader: Frances
Age: 15
Title: Rot and Ruin
Author: Jonathan Maberry
Publisher: Simon &Schuster Publishing
Pub Date: 10/5/10
Galley: Yes
Nominate for Teens Top 10: Yes
Recommend: Yes
Convince us to read the book: The whole story is a completely new idea to me;a post apocolyptic zombie story where society still exists. Also, the characters are great. The bad guys are scary, and you care about the good guys immediatly.
Compelling aspects of the book: The most compelling aspect of the book to me is how people are too scared to try to regain their land back from the zombies. It seems like something that would actually happen.
Were you disappointed with the book at all: No
Cover: The cover tempted me a lot, maybe because the look in the guy's eye is really intense. It made me feel like this would be a thriller, which ended up being true.
Age Range: 12-18+
Quality: 5Q Hard to imagine a better book
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal
Comments: **Annotation** In a world full of fear with heart full of misled hatred, Benny Imura begins to find out the truth about his past and his future.
*

Devastation

Reader: Frances
Age: 15
Title: Devastation
Author: Gloria Skuryvinski
Publisher: Atheneum Books For Young Readers
Pub Date: ?
Galley: Yes
Nominate for Teens Top 10: No
Recommend: No
Convince us to read the book: N/A
Compelling aspects of the book: I really loved the characters. They seemed very real and it wasn't hard to care about them.
Were you disappointed with the book at all: Yes
Reasons why you were disappointed with the book: The war was a little bit anti-climatic, though interesting. I found some parts to be a little drawn out and frustrating. Overall though a pretty good read.
Cover: The cover was reasonably tempting, but slightly misleading. First of all, the book is set in a post apocolyptic world instead of a apocolypse happening during the story. However, it is intriguing enough that I picked it up.
Age Range: 12-17
Quality: 3Q Readable
Popularity: 3P Some teen appeal

The Project

Reader: Maddie
Age: 18
Title: The Project
Author: Brian Falkner
Publisher: Random House
Pub Date: 9/13/11
Galley: Yes
Nominate for Teens Top 10: No
Recommend: Yes
Convince us to read the book: This story is entwined with infinite details and facts that make the story all the more enthralling.
Compelling aspects of the book: The most compelling aspect of the book would be that there is hidden meaning and undertone to everything that has happened in WWII, Leonardo's drawings, and creations.
Were you disappointed with the book at all: No
Cover: Before I read this book I had no idea what the Vitruvian man was. This book gave me the determination and drive to actually pursue the meaning in depth on what the topic was about.
Age Range: 14-15
Quality: 3Q Readable
Popularity: 3P Some teen appeal
Comments: What I found enthralling about this story was the history and undertone behind it. I found the werewolf part of the story a little random. But other then that the story was quite elaborately written and made me reluctant to put it down.

Big Girl Small

Reader: Elise
Age: 15
Title: Big Girl Small
Author: Rachel DeWoskin
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
Pub Date: 04/11
Galley: Yes
Nominate for Teens Top 10: Yes
Recommend: Yes
Convince us to read the book: Big Girl Small really tells a story, more than other books I've read. In a way that's hard to explain, this novel hinges on the character's reaction to everything that's happening, and her role in that. Which doesn't sound very unique, I know, but when the characters are so real, the story takes on another level.
Compelling aspects of the book: Note to all authors wishing to write about people wih disabilities: this is how you should do it. Judy is a developed character. In some ways it almost seems like there are two aspects of the story: that she's a dwarf, and that she was involved in the scandal at school. Of course the two are linked, but what caught my attention was that, with her drama, Judy responded as a person, and not as a little person.
Were you disappointed with the book at all: No
Cover: This cover is a great example of striking simplicity. The color change gives it enough movement, and puts the emphasis on the title, and on the girl. The image of the girl and the balloons represents Judy's situation, without trying to tell the whole story.
Age Range: 14-18+
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of her Own Making

Reader: Elise
Age: 15
Title: The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of her Own Making
Author: Catherynne M. Valente
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Pub Date: N/A
Galley: Yes
Nominate for Teens Top10: Yes
Recommend: Yes
Convince us to read the book: This book is the perfect blend of old and new. The writing style has enough of a fairy tale-esque twist that the really unique world works. In a harder style of writing it would have felt like the writer was trying too hard, but, instead, it was cute, and quirky, and like your favorite bed time book that suddenly had deep insights into life, the universe, and everything.
Compelling aspects of the book: I honestly could not stop reading to find out what happened next. There was no way I could have predicted that ******. Even from sentence to sentence, the little things the author includes made me laugh out loud (herding wild velocipedes), made me cry (her shadow), and either way were insightful without sitting you down and telling you that this was a thought on life. I keep a little book next to my bed for when I'm reading, and I write down quotes that strike me. If I would have let myself, this book would have been written down verbatim in that notepad.
Were you disappointed with the book at all: No
Cover: This cover is the perfect mix of adorablity, charm, and intrigue. The more classic style of the outside, with framing and worn leathery stuff fits the style of writing. The illustration is the same way – it looks almost like a paper cut-out that came to life, Alice in Wonderland-y, with a touch of Tim Burton. The illustration style is carried through the book with amazing pictures that add a whole other dimension. And who doesn't love picture books?
Age Range: Under 12-18+
Quality: 5Q Hard to imagine a better book
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal

Comments: **ANNOTATION**

September is not entirely happy with her life of washing teacups, rude little dogs, and mothers who go to work, so when a Green Wind and his Leopard offer to take her to fairyland, off she flies. Upon arrival, however, she finds fairyland is not all it was, and it may just take a Wyverary, a djinn, and a very determined key to get to the bottom of the sudden appearance of taxes.

Legend

Reader: Meghan
Age: 17
Title: Legend
Author: Marie Lu
Publisher: Penguin
Pub Date: 11/11
Galley: Yes
Nominate for Teens Top 10: No
Recommend: Yes
Convince us to read the book: Legend has an interesting, if ill-defined setting (a future in which the United States government has collapsed and given way to several smaller republics waging war over the land that was the continental United States) that borrows heavily from Joss Whedon's Firefly series. This book's world is so much more interesting than the characters, but details of the setting are obscured behind a forced, uninteresting romance and an interesting, if poorly paced, plot.
Compelling aspects of the book: Once the plot picked up – about midway through the book – and more details about the setting and the war being fought, I found myself drawn into the book against my will. Several other people had read and liked Legend, so I picked it up at their recommendation. The first 150 pages are devoted to a forced, uninteresting, and highly predictable "Romeo and Juliet" romance. I was so frustrated that I nearly stopped reading, but I kept it up because I wanted to know more about the world and about the schemes being hatched by background characters. I thought the actual story was solid, even if the writing and characters were not.
Were you disappointed with the book at all: Yes
Reasons why you were disappointed with the book: The characters in Legend are prone to overly detailed descriptions of their clothing and mental states. Most emotion is conveyed through plainly worded statements rather than in their actions. The two lead characters seemed like cardboard cutouts rather than people, and the only reason they started dating was because the plot said so. I think the book would be stronger without the gratuitous romance and alternating first-person perspectives. In general, the writing is pretty weak, lots of telling rather than showing and some fairly clumsy foreshadowing.
Cover: I personally like the cover of this book, but I think it's slightly misleading. It accurately represents the setting of the novel, but it, and the blurb on the back, make the book seem a lot more masculine and action-packed. The book, in my mind, is much more about relationships and would probably appeal more to girls than to guys.
Age Range: 12-17
Quality: 3Q Readable
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal
Comments: The soldiers in this book wear capes as part of their combat fatigues. I was so distracted by how awkward and impractical a cape would be during combat that I was taken out of the story every time they were mentioned. Hasn't the author seen The Incredibles? NO CAPES.

Legend

Reader: Guananí
Age: 15
Title: Legend
Author: Marie Lu
Publisher: Penguin
Pub Date: 11/11
Galley: No
Nominate For Teen's Top 10: Yes
Recommend: Yes
Convince us to read the book: This is an extremely well-executed dystopian action book with intrigue, believable world building, and characters that might as well breathe.
Compelling aspects of the book: Legend has excelled in a detail that an incredible amount of stories overlook; injured characters stay injured for a plausible amount of time. They care about things, they change, and you root for them all the way despite their flaws. This is the best YA book I've read in a long time, especially in the action genre.
Were you disappointed with the book at all: I was not disappointed at all. I had high expectations from what I had heard before starting, and those expectations were exceeded. I was hooked from the first paragraph. The only things that even mildly bothered me were that the title isn't particularly relevant (doesn't really matter because the rest is so amazing) and the gold font for Day's perspective, which looked cool but was difficult to read under the covers with a flashlight.
Cover: The Republic symbol on the cover reflect the contents well, but what really got me interested in the book was other people raving about how awesome it was.
Age Range: 12-17
Quality: 5Q Hard to imagine a better book
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal

The Replacement

Reader: Guananí
Age: 15
Title: The Replacement
Author: Brenna Yovanoff
Publisher: Razorbill
Pub Date: Sept. 2010
Galley: No
Nominate for Teen's Top 10: Yes
Recommend: Yes
Convince us to read the book: This is a very refreshing and creative modern adaptation of the changeling myth, where fairies steal babies and replace them with one of their own. It's from the perspective of Mackie, the changeling, when he's a teenager, and explores all the difficulty he has fitting in and dealing with his adverse reactions to iron.
Compelling aspects of the book: The characters in this story are vivid and compelling. My favorite aspect was the descriptions of Mackie being sick from the iron and how his friends and family tried to help him. The plot was fast-paced and prose was clear and lucid.
Were you disappointed with the book at all: I was not disappointed in the least. The book exceeded my expectations in so many ways that I was just dumbfounded, and the ending was conclusive without wrapping things up too much.
Cover: This cover is beautiful, haunting and relates to the book's content so well that it left me amazed. I had been thinking of reading it and then finally did when a friend recommended it with fervor.
Age Range: 12-17
Quality: 5Q Hard to imagine a better book
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal

A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend

Reader: Guananí
Age: 15
Title: A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend
Author: Emily Horner
Publisher: Penguin
Pub Date: June 2010
Galley: No
Nominate for Teen's Top10: No
Recommend: No
Convince us to read the book: I would not recommend this book because even though it tried to tackle several big themes like dealing with grief, forgiveness, figuring out your sexual identity and slapstick ninja musicals, the story and main character just weren't convincing. Most of the prose was the main character complaining, explaining and griping about her romantic and grief confusion, which was fine at first but became exhausting after sixty pages. The style of switching back and forth every chapter between the epic bike ride in June and tedious theater work and relationship slogging in August was confusing and made me frustrated because I kept wanting things in order. Then again, without the switching the book would have lost the little suspense it had. I ended up skimming and skipping many chapters, and by the end only a couple predictable things had changed.
Compelling aspects of the book: The one thing I liked about this book was when Cassandra kisses the random bass player in the motel hallway. It was the most descriptive scene and was funny and interesting at the same time. I think I would have rather read a short story adaptation of that scene than the rest of the book.
Were you disappointed with the book at all: Yes
Reasons why you were disappointed with the book: I think I covered my disappointment. Since I skipped or skimmed about half the book, I think it doesn't count as actually finishing it.
Cover: I picked up this book because the style of the cover made me think it would be a silly, slightly dumb but fun summer kind of book. It also had "dead" in the title, which always gets my attention. The image of the motel and the bike fit the content physically, but was too cheerful for the book's mood. The pictured girl looks very happy, fashionable and giddy, almost the complete opposite of the grief-stricken,conflicted main character trying to pedal away from her thoughts and obsessing about not being cool and pretty.
Age Range: 12-15
Quality: 2Q Needs more work

Cinder

Reader: Emily

Age: 17
Title: Cinder
Author: Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Pub Date: 01/03/2012
Galley: Yes
Nominate for Teen's Top 10: Yes
Recommend: Yes
Convince us to read the book: Cinder is a fascinating story about a cyborg mechanic in New Beijing. Hundreds of years in the future, Cinder is in the guardianship of a spiteful stepmother and two unpleasant sisters. New Beijing is under the threat of invasion by "Lunars," people from the moon. Cinder is a fascinating tale that embraces the old cinderella story and takes it on a quirky twist to the future. Cinder is the first teen novel I've read in the past few years that is a action packed, romantic, robotic, quixotic novel that keeps you at the edge of your chair. The rest of the series better be as good as this. A+
Compelling aspects of the book: Even though this is a futuristic novel of Cinderella, it is not just a retelling. Ms. Meyer creates an entirely new story.
Were you disappointed with the book at all: No
Cover: Fantastic cover! (and I don't say that often) The red shoe and older font acknowledge the original Cinderella story, but the leg with cyborg parts perfectly represents the science fiction, cyborg main character.
Age Range: 14-17

Genesis Alpha

Reader: Emily
Age: 17
Title: Genesis Alpha
Author: Rune Michaels
Publisher: Athenum Books
Pub Date: 04/26/2011
Galley: Yes
Nominate for Teen's Top 10: No
Recommend: No
Convince us to read the book: N/A
Compelling aspects of the book: I think the psychological aspect of this book is fascinating, especially when the reader's find out (spoiler) that Josh is Max's clone. For most of the book, the reader is bewildered as to why Max murdered the girl, but with the clone coming out, it makes sense. The book is bizarre and confusing, but manages to make sense by the end of the novel
Cover: The cover is fairly busy, not attractive and quite confusing. Although, to be fair, the book is confusing as well. The cover fits the book, but is not an attractive cover.
Age Range: 14-17
Quality: 3Q Readable

The Way We Fall

Reader: Emily
Age: 17
Title: The Way We Fall
Author: Megan Crewe
Publisher: Hyperion
Pub Date: 01/24/2012
Galley: Yes
Nominate for Teen's Top 10: No
Recommend: Yes
Convince us to read the book: The Way We Fall is a novel about Kaelyn, a girl with a solid family and warm community...until people start dying. A mysterious sickness leaves people falling ill and going crazy as a sickness spreads throughout the island. The government prevents any evacuation and through their paranoia, end up killing several citizens. Kaelyn tries to keep her family from falling apart as no cure is created and people resort to violence.
Compelling aspects of the book: As a virus, biological, government threat, natural selection, etc novel, I was quite impressed. I think that the plot was well written and believable, and didn't have people turning into zombies or running around like headless chickens. There was a sense of order to the story, which made it believable and enjoyable to read.
Were you disappointed with the book at all: Yes
Reasons why you were disappointed with the book: I don't think that this novel needs to be part of a series, it reads as if it were meant to end when it did, without a follow-up.
Cover: The cover is very bland and washed out, which is the opposite of the book. Some color would be nice, or just not a giant face on the cover.
Age Range: 14-18 up

Saving June

Reader: Emily
Age: 17
Title: Saving June
Author: Hannah Harrington
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Pub Date: 11/11/2011
Galley: Yes
Nominate for Teen's Top 10: No
Recommend: Yes
Convince us to read the book: Saving June is a poignant story about Harper Scott, a teenager whose older sister June just died. Left with her single mother and a religious aunt, she wonders why her sister did it and what was wrong with her life. At the funeral, she runs into Jake, a moody 19 year old who must have some connection with June. After contemplating on her life, Harper, Laney (Harper's best friend), and Jake take a spiritual journey to California to release June's ashes. Saving June is an emotional story that is both somber and tender.
Compelling aspects of the book: Ms. Harrington writes a deep novel that takes the reader on an emotional rollercoaster. Reading the novel, you feel as if the characters truly come alive. Saving June is not a light hearted book, but it is a beautiful story.
Cover: Peaceful cover. The overall effect is melancholy, which sums up some of the undertones of the novel. I enjoy the falling petals, which seem symbolic of letting something go. I think this cover fits the book as it is.
Age Range: 14-17
Quality: 5Q Hard to imagine a better book
Popularity: 5P Everyone wants to read

The Gathering Storm

Reader: Emily
Age: 17
Title: The Gathering Storm
Author: Robin Bridges
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pub Date: 01/10/2012
Galley: Yes
Nominate for Teen's Top 10: No
Recommend: No
Convince us to read the book: N/A
Compelling aspects of the book: I think what is interesting about this book is that Robin Bridges chose to write about 19th century Russia. Instead of creating a hypothetically historical route (although this book is full of historical ideas), she wrote about magic, necromancy and the undead. Bridges starts the book in a conflicting manner, but manages to tie in vampires, werewolves, and all manner of strange beasts by the end of the book.
Were you disappointed with the book at all: Yes
Reasons why you were disappointed with the book: First, the first few chapters of this book are quite confusing to the reader. The book starts off as a historical novel, but quickly changes into a story of the supernatural. The reader will feel confused about the direction of the story, perhaps the vampire princesses and princes could be tied in better? Second, the synopsis on the back of this book barely suggests supernatural beings, only the main character having the powers of necromancy. The reader would be misguided when first reading this book and think it was more of a historical romance than an historical paranormal novel
Cover: This cover could do with some improvement. The title's font contrasts with the crisp image on the cover. When viewing the cover, it can be difficult to focus in on either the girl or the title. Also, a little less snow on the girl, it would be nice to see more of what she is wearing and perhaps give the reader a better sense of the time period. I suggest a more angular font which would better represent the book.
Age Range: 12-17
Quality: 2Q Needs more work
Popularity: 3P Some teen appeal

Pink

Reader: Elise
Age: 15
Title: Pink
Author: Lili Wilkinson
Publisher: Harper Teen
Pub Date: 02/11
Galley: Yes
Nominate for Teen's Top 10: Yes
Recommend: Yes
Convince us to read the book: Breaking out of the bland model of most teen books, and was actually complex. Instead of a cheerleader whose secret was that she read comics, Ava was switched around in that she wanted more room to experiment with pink, and other fluffier things. Not only did the book have a mixed up aspect going for it, but all of the characters were complex, and reacted in surprising, but plausible ways.
Compelling aspects of the book: As Ava's problems kept stacking up, so did my interest. All of her issues came from her, so the reader could follow her actions and their consequences, without feeling like yelling and screaming at the character. In the end, the way she deals with her mess is utterly human, and realistic because it doesn't tie up all of the ends in a nice little bow, but is a conclusion.
Were you disappointed with the book at all: No
Cover: This book attracted me less because of the cover, and more because of the recommendation from John Green on the cover. However, the more I got into the book, the cooler the cover got, because it fit in, described the character, and introduced a theme that was pulled through the novel. The contrast was eye-catching, and the shadows around the lips made them almost 3-D.
Age Range: Under 12-17
Quality: 5Q Hard to imagine a better book
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal

Countess Nobody

Reader: Emily
Age: 17
Title: Countess Nobody
Author: Lynn Kiele Bonasia
Publisher: Egmont
Pub Date: 06/14/2011
Galley: Yes
Top 10: No
Recommend: No
Convince to read book Comments: N/A
Compelling aspects of the book: Sophie manages to gain international attention about a fictitious count visiting America. The reality of this is relatively impossible, but makes an interesting read.
Were you disappointed with the book at all: Yes
Reason why you were disappointed with the book: Reading the book resulted in several issues. The main character seems to be inconsiderate and rather selfish. She should know what not to post on the internet. It feels as if the character is just doing whatever pops into her head, and her thinking is completely out of this world. Her character is not established and seems flimsy.
Cover: The cover of the book does look like a blog, reflecting the contents.
Age Range: 12-15
Quality: 2Q Needs more work
Popularity: 1P Yech! Forced to read it