Leviathan

Reader: Payton G
Age: 14
Title: Leviathan
Author: Scott Westerfeld
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pub Date: 10/06/09
Galley: Yes
Nominate for Teens’ Top 10: Yes
Annotation: Darwinists believe in nature, and that fabricated animals are the only way to go. Clankers set their stores on how big and destructive their machines are. So the question is... Do you oil a warship, or do you feed it?
Recommend: Yes
How would you convince someone to read the book: I would say that it is an alternate history, with fantastic creatures and a steampunk style.
Compelling Aspect of the Book: I liked that it was the steampunk version of World War II. I don't read much historical fiction, but this was just fantastic!
Cover: I liked the cover on the galley better than the one they went with. I think the galley cover better reflected the book than the real one. The one they went with doesn't really tell anything about the book, although it still looks good.
Did you finish: Yes
Age Range: 12-17
Quality: 5Q Hard to imagine a better book
Popularity: 5P Everyone wants to read it

final cover

Brightly Woven

Reader: Elise S.
Age: 14
Title: Brightly Woven
Author: Alexandra Bracken
Publisher: Egmont USA
Pub Date: March 2010
Galley: Yes
Nominate for Teens’ Top 10: Yes
Annotation: When the weaver Sydelle Mirabil is taken away from her desert village by the wizard Wayland North, she is angry and confused. As they travel towards the capital to prevent war, they are followed by an evil hedge-wizard. It soon becomes clear that Sydelle is no ordinary weaver, and the power she wields could either save the kingdom, or destroy it.
Recommend: Yes
Convince us to read the book: The main character, Sydelle, totally kicks butt. She's strong, capable, and has really cool magical powers that she doesn't know about. We need a lot more heroines like her. The plot is engaging, and has enough twists so that I couldn't guess what was going to happen. The love interest was funny, sweet, and unique. The antagonist was completely evil and shudder-worthy. The world was well planned out, and had cool goddesses. All together, it was one of the best books I've read in a long time.
Compelling Aspect of the Book: Watching Sydelle fully come into her powers was great. You knew from the beginning that she was special, but to see her use all of her ninja-ness was awesome girl-power.
Were you disappointed with the book at all: The climax let me down a little bit. The fact that in the end it was the queen who whacked the bad guy was questionable - I wanted Sydelle to use her magic in a huge duel, and defeat evil all by herself.
Cover: The bright, rich colors of the cover were great, really stood out from the shelf, and got me interested. The fabrics fit with the story, and brought one of those great 'oooh' moments when I got how it fit in with the story. The girl on the cover looked as much like Sydelle as I could reasonably expect. I like how the images fit in with the story, but don't try to tell the whole plot.
Did you finish: Yes
Age Range: 12-17
Quality: 5Q Hard to imagine a better book
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal

After Ever After

Reader: Sabrina K
Age: 16
Title: After Ever After
Author: Jordan Soonnenblick
Publisher: Scholastic
Pub Date: Feb 2010
Galley: Yes
Nominate for Teens’ Top 10: Yes
Annotation: This book depicts the two lives of 8th-grade boys Jeffrey and Tad, who have both beat the odds, and had cancer. This book shows how magical the bond of friendship is, and that no matter what, it can go on. The story shows that the closest bond that can ever be made is brotherly love.
Convince us to read the book: This book shows what life is after having cancer as a child and how two strong boys dealt with it.
Compelling Aspect of the Book: The most compelling aspect of the book was just how much impact cancer had/has on these two boys. I never really knew how much people were affected by this and how drained, both physically and emotionally, you can be during and after having cancer. This book was an eye-opener for me, and having it be two different boys with cancer really portrayed the different outcomes of having cancer. The bond that these boys shared was incredible just to imagine seeing, and throughout the book it amazed me more and more how strong their bond became. This book shows that there is a life after cancer and that you can move forward and persevere.
Cover: The cover of the book did tempt me to pick the book up and reflected the contents of the book dead-on. The cover was original, creative, and profound and it really represented what the book was about.
Age Range: 12-18 and up
Quality: 5Q Hard to imagine a better book
Popularity: 5P Everyone wants to read it

Another Pan

Reader: Elise S
Age: 14
Title: Another Pan
Author: Daniel & Dina Nayeri
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Pub Date: Oct. 2010
Galley: Yes
Nominate for Teens’ Top 10: No
Recommend: Yes
Convince us to read the book: Apart from the cover, this was actually a good book. I love the odd combination of Peter Pan and Egyptian mythology. The characters are fun and relateable. It's a fast-paced, fun read, and very creative.
Compelling Aspect of the Book: The little details the authors put in from Peter Pan made me laugh. The way Tinkerbell is the tomboy Tina, and the LBs are so threatening! The way they reveal the legends is awesome, I wanted to just skip to the legends I was so excited! I also loved how the underworld was the mirror image of Marlowe school, it made me wonder about what the underworld would look like from my school.
Were you disappointed with the book at all: It really got to me that NOBODY recognized the nurse for the bad guy, I mean Peter was supposed to be looking for her and she was in the same building, just walking around right there. That was a little bit far-fetched. Also, the fact that none of this was even hinted to in the last book was implausible. She was the devil last time, and now she's just the spirit of this evil Egyptian nursemaid? And some of the characters fell flat. Connor Wirth - he had such a big role the last book, we knew him as a character, and now he's just a shadow of a boyfriend. Professor Darling—it was hinted that he would have this big awesome role, and then he just didn't.
Cover: The only reasons I liked the cover were that it related to the last book, wasn't photography, and had
pretty pictures of moths. They never stare romantically at each other from windows in her bedroom, and she looks nothing like the description in the book. Also, she's supposed to be poorish, not sitting on massive goose-stuffed pillows. There's a very strong Edward/Bella theme here too, not good.
Did you finish: Yes
Age Range: 12-15
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal

Rocky Road

Reader: Emily

Age: 16
Title: Rocky Road
Author: Rose Kent
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Pub Date: 06/08/10
Galley: Yes
Nominate for Teens’ Top 10: No
Recommend: Yes
Convince us to read the book: Rocky Road is a delightful book about a young girl growing up without a father and a mother with some mental issues. The writing is aimed for people who are in their early teens.
Compelling Aspect of the Book: The main character uses her own creativity to solve whatever life throws at her and isn't easily discouraged.
Cover: The cover of the book was very accurate to the plot, in addition to being very cheerful. I think that it is very tempting, and was the reason for choosing to read it.
Did you finish: Yes
Age Range: Under 12 to 13
Quality: 3Q Readable
Popularity: 5P Everyone wants to read it

Invisible

Reader: Maddie S
Age: 17
Title: Invisible
Author: Hugues de Montablembert
Publisher: Atria Books
Pub Date: Jan 2010
Galley: Yes
Nominate for Teens’ Top 10: No
Recommend: No
Compelling Aspect of the Book: The most compelling aspect of the book is how this man continued to live even though he couldn't see. He was able to do things that people only dream of, and he was blind. I found that incredible.
Were you disappointed with the book at all: I was a little irritated with all the philosophy. I felt like the author was trying to teach me the meaning of life. He was trying to teach me how to live mine which I did not care for.
Comments: I really enjoyed how the story was written. It wasn't written in the normal verse, but in smaller paragraphs and different colors. I enjoyed the mystery to what was going to happen with the text.
Cover: I did not find the cover that tasteful.
Did you finish: Yes
Age Range: 16-17
Quality: 3Q Readable
Popularity: 2P Only for special interest

Dear Anjali

Reader: Sabrina K
Age: 16
Title: Dear Anjali
Author: Melissa Glenn Haber
Publisher: ALaddin
Pub Date: July 2010
Galley: Yes
Convince us to read the book: This book really reminds you how hard it was back in middle school and makes you thank God that you’re finished and done with it. At times the book was a bit too young age-wise and overdramatic but it really portrayed well how it was when you're thirteen years old and trying to fit in, and learning that the world is cruel.
Compelling Aspect of the Book: The most compelling aspect of the book was Merideth herself, and her trouble and pain she went through because of the loss of her best friend. It was intriguing to see this much depth for a 13 year old (not saying that they’re not, but it was refreshing to read about this.
Cover: The cover did tempt me to pick up the book (which reflected the contents). It was girly but melodramatic.
Recommend: Yes
Age Range: 12-15
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal

Illyria

Reader: Annika M
Age: 14
Title: Illyria
Author: Elizabeth Hand
Publisher: Viking
Pub Date: 5/?/2010
Galley: Yes
Nominate for Teens’ Top 10: No
Recommend: No
Compelling Aspect of the Book: The most compelling part of this book was the way it was written. It was written very artistically, which makes a really powerful image.
Comments: The plot of the book is a little disturbing, but if you get past that, it will hold your interest.
Cover: The cover did tempt me to pick it up, because it’s very mysterious, and makes me want to find out what the book is about. I think the cover does a good job of reflecting the feel of the book.
Did you finish: Yes
Age Range: 14-18 and up
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 2P Only for special interest

The Eternal Ones

Reader: Mollie W
Age: 16
Title: The Eternal Ones
Author: Kirsten Miller
Publisher: Razorbill
Pub Date: 08/10/2010
Galley: Yes
Nominate for Teens’ Top 10: No
Recommend: No
Compelling Aspect of the Book: I liked the setting at the beginning of the book, but then the author drops that in favor of a less vivid New York backdrop.
Were you disappointed with the book at all: I was disappointed because as the book went on it continued to show parallels with the more favorable 'Reincarnation'. I liked the main character's poor family life, and found that to be suitable for the larger-than-life past (no pun intended). But Haven (yeah I know, that's her name) seemed melodramatic and too self-absorbed to hold a reader’s interest.
Cover: The cover was disappointing. At first I thought it was two hands grabbing for each other, which would have been befitting and clever. Then I realized it was a snake. That was a letdown.
Did you finish: No
Age Range: Under 12 to 13
Quality: 1Q How did it get published?
Popularity: 3P Some teen appeal

One Night That Changes Everything

Reader: Sabrina K
Age: 16
Title: One Night That Changes Everything
Author: Lauren Barnholdt
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pub Date: July 2010
Galley: Yes
Nominate for Teens’ Top 10: No
Recommend: Yes
Convince us to read the book: This is a great fun read! It really gives you a boost of energy and shows you what a fun time you can have during a small period of time and learn and grow from it. The one down-side though? Eliza whining—at the end you almost want to slap her!
Compelling Aspect of the Book: The most compelling aspect of the book for me was the chemistry between Cooper and Eliza. Even though it was obvious that the pair was going to get back together it was a bit refreshing to read a book about two teenagers (that are both human!) are in love. By doing this the author made the plot and the book a bit cheesy, but not over the top, which made it more personal and easy to relate too.
Comments: The whole concept/plot was a bit (sorry) stupid. Really—a group of boys stealing a girl’s journal and making her do that kind of stuff? That would never happen. I'm not saying it was not fun to read, but it just seemed kind of pointless and dumb. The sub plots overall kept me as a reader more into the book then the actual plot itself.
Cover: The cover seemed like a nice, fun to read book, nothing more and nothing less. Based on the cover you couldn't really tell the book was taking place in Boston, I just assumed it was about a girl who lived it New York. Also, I didn't understand why the girl on the cover was listening to an I-pod when in the book, Eliza (the main girl) would have never had time to even listen to her iPod throughout the book because of the events happening in the book. Overall though, the cover of the book seemed overused and not unique enough to go with the books content.
Age Range: 14-15
Quality: 3Q Readable
Popularity: 3P Some teen appeal