Reader: Grace KL
Age: 14
Title: Allegra
Author: Shelley Hrdlitschka
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Pub Date: 04/01/13
Galley: Yes
Top 25: Yes
Convince us to read the book: I mostly enjoyed this book because of the strong elements of music that I identified with. As Allegra works on the composition you can see her change as a person and become more receptive to new ideas. I enjoyed the way the author described Allegra's composition, with flowing phrases that blended with the rest of the book. Allegra's reactions to problems with her parents felt natural and authentic, and I enjoyed the way her success in dancing mirrored the events in her life.
Memorable or Forgettable: This book was memorable for me because it talked a lot about composing, something I am interested in but have never seen in a book. One thing that really bothered me about this book is that dancing is supposed to be a hugely important part of Allegra's life, but we only get one nice descriptive scene of her actually doing it. I understand that the plot didn't involve much dancing, but it would have been nice to actually see why Allegra enjoys dancing so much.
Cover: I'm not a big fan of just showing a person on the cover, but the look on Allegra's face shows how detached she is from all the people around her. It did reflect the contents with the music notes that appear faintly all over the cover.
Age Range: 14 through 18 and up
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal
Annotation: When Allegra begins attending a performing arts high school, she plans to focus exclusively on dancing. She doesn't expect to make loads of new friends because her dad plays in a popular band, and she certainly didn't plan on composing a full orchestral score with her young music theory teacher.
tags: coming of age / performing arts high school / BFYA nominee / ya lit
Reader: Katie J
Age: 13
Title: Coda
Author: Emma Trevayne
Publisher: Running Press Teens
Pub Date: 05/07/13
Galley: Yes
Top 25: Yes
Convince us to read the book: This book was very, very good. Every page had you thinking things like, "Oh, no she didn't", and "WOW! that was TOTALLY unexpected!" Also, the characters really change your opinion about the others characters.
Memorable or Forgettable: What really made it memorable for me was the characters, and how their image changed several times throughout the book. For example, Haven, a very important character, "changes" personality three times during the book.
Cover: I didn't love the cover. I didn't think it really reflected the cover until I finished the book.
Age Range: 12 through 13
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal
Additional Comments: It is a long book, the print is very small.
Annotation: A boy fights against the Corporation by making illegal music in his underground band.
tags: science fiction / dystopian / underground bands / BFYA nominee / ya lit
Reader: Sophie D
Age: 17
Title: Allegra
Author: Shelley Hrdlitschka
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Pub Date: 04/01/13
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: I found this book to be pretty flat in most respects. The character was really hard to like or relate to. The plot was mildly interesting, but it needed more work. The one part I really liked about it was the description of the music and the way the main character felt when she was playing or dancing. I felt that was realistic, and it was the best writing in the book.
Memorable or Forgettable: What was memorable for me, but not necessarily in a good way, was the character of Allegra. She clearly had some serious issues that she was working out, as her family was falling apart and she didn't fit in at her new school. However, I felt like she also had some deeper problems that were never discussed. She lived completely in her head, and had a really really hard time making friends. It sounded like she was maybe dealing with some anxiety. This was never addressed or resolved in the book, and this made me skeptical about what the book was trying to say. At the end of the book, she 'solved' all of her problems by pushing them down and not talking about them, which is not a healthy attitude and makes me hope that people reading the book who are dealing with the same things don't copy her way of coping.
Cover: The cover is really generic. The music notes were a nice touch, but I wish it could have been a bit more creative.
Age Range: 14 through 17
Quality: 2Q Needs more work
Popularity: 3P Some teen appeal
Annotation: Allegra is turning over a new leaf. She's beginning a year at a performing arts school and determined to take as many dance classes as possible. But the year becomes harder than she expected. Her family might be falling apart and she just might be in love with her music theory teacher.
tags: coming of age / performing arts high school / BFYA nominee / ya lit
Reader: Grace O
Age: 17
Title: Siege and Storm
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
Pub Date: 06/04/13
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: I thought this was a very good second book in a series. It did everything a second book in a series should do. This book enhanced the characters. The book stayed true to the plot with surprising twists and turns. But the book itself raised a lot of questions and answered few. Plus the book left off on a mini cliff hanger to engage the readers to pick up the third book. I kept reading this book because it was well written.
Memorable or Forgettable: I thought this book was more on the forgettable side (not by much). I think this way because the book has no stand alone traits. Everything in this book is designed to push the plot along. To be memorable for a helper book in a series, the book must have a tragic event. Like one of the main secondary characters dying. Or something that almost turns the plot upside down but manages to work with the series.
Cover: The cover of this book is pretty plain. The cover has an almost plain green background. The title of the book is surrounded by lines.
Age Range: 14 through 17
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal
Additional Comments: How the author ends this series will determine how much I like the two previous books.
tags: fantasy / Grisha Trilogy / ya lit
Reader: Sophie D
Age: 17
Title: Black Helicopters
Author: Blythe Woolston
Publisher: Candelwick Press
Pub Date: 03/26/13
Galley: Yes
Top 25: Yes
Convince us to read the book: I was entranced by this book. It's harsh, and hard to follow, and only the bare minimum is explained. It is really like living inside Valkyrie's head. It's hard to tell exactly where it's set, or who the people she is living with are, or who the villains are, or what the mission of her father is, but for some reason that makes the story more realistic. The way the author chooses not to reveal details makes you keep on reading, because you want to know whether you're ever going to find out what's going on.
Memorable or Forgettable: I don't think I've ever read a book like this before. It was an action book, a tale of survival, and a mystery all rolled into one. The character's voice, too, is what made the book really memorable for me. I still can't decide whether she was a hero or a villain, or if as readers we are supposed to sympathize with her or not. She had a cold, calculating way of thinking, and that was very interesting to read.
Cover: I really like the cover. It's simple, but it stands out, and once you look closer, it grabs your attention and pulls you in.
Age Range: 14 through 17
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal
Annotation: Valkyrie has no home. Those People took it from her. But she has her brother, or at least what he's become. And she has one last mission left from her father. One last mission to prove what she can do.
tags: suicide bomber / mystery / thriller / BFYA nominee / ya lit
Reader: Kit K
Age: 15
Title: Belle Epoque
Author: Elizabeth Ross
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pub Date: 06/11/13
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: The dialogue Ross presents us with is perfect, using both English and a wee bit of French to help set the mood. Her descriptions of the setting reel you in from architecture to fashions of the time, though I sometimes got mixed up with the names of places during the story. The characters reflected the time period well and also varied nicely in personalities and lifestyles, offering an array to be experienced. The overall tone was appropriate, but I would have also liked to see a little more between Paul and Maude since they didn't have many scenes together.
Memorable or Forgettable: Belle Epoque was an excellent execution of historical fiction for teens using a mixture of aristocracy and peasantry with flawed but lovable characters.
Cover: The cover was better than most, but could still use room for improvement. It did, however, reflect the contents, but it feels like there's a lot going on with the gold designs.
Age Range: 14 through 17
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal
Annotation: In 1880s France, young Maude Pichon escapes her life as the future wife of a middle-aged butcher, and leaves her farm town life for the excitement of Paris. Forced to take a soul-crushing job to support herself financially, Maude learns that the enchanting City of Light has some secrets up her sleeve. Ross weaves a lovely tale that will keep you reading until you can stay up no longer.
tags: historical fiction / repoussoir / ya lit
Reader: AJ G
Age: 17
Title: If You Find Me
Author: Emily Murdoch
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Pub Date: 03/26/13
Galley: Yes
Top 25: Yes
Convince us to read the book: This is one of the most original, unique books I've read in a very long time. There are books out there about kids from a broken home who don't have much, but this is a story about kids who had almost nothing. Carey and Janessa lived alone in the woods, sometimes with their mother, but usually without her. The voice Carey speaks in is so clearly appropriate, and makes the whole book seem more like looking out from her own eyes, which doesn't often happen, even though many strive for that effect. The whole story is heart-breaking and heartwarming, sometimes simultaneously. It moves at just the right pace, just awkward enough to make you feel the strangeness of Carey's transition to the real world. All the shocks and surprises are actually surprising, and can't be seen from twenty pages ahead.
Memorable or Forgettable: I think what most made this memorable was the extremity of it. These girls had worse than a broken home, they were virtually homeless. Their mom is like the worst person imaginable. They get flung suddenly into a wonderful, near perfect family. It just goes back and forth from one extreme to the other, with Carey trying to hang on to both ends. It's frankly kind of inspiring.
Cover: I'm not a huge fan of the cover. It's certainly striking, and it stands out on the book shelf. It did draw me in, I'll admit. But there's just something about it that bugs me. I think it's that the girl on the cover doesn't look as simultaneously vulnerable and stoic as Carey. She just looks sort of pissed off.
Age Range: 14 through 17
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal
Annotation: Carey and Janessa Blackburn have lived in the woods all their lives. So when someone finds them and takes them away, it's a big adjustment. Faced with a normal life with her father, Carey has to come to terms with how her life ended up the way it did, and how she can move on from it.
tags: coming of age / BFYA nominee / ya lit
Reader: Sophie D
Age: 17
Title: In the Shadow of Blackbirds
Author: Cat Winters
Publisher: Amulet Books
Pub Date: 04/02/13
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: This book was very interesting, as it told the story of two things that aren't usually focused on in books about World War I: the Spanish influenza and Spiritualism. The combination of the real world and the supernatural was very compelling, as each seemed bizarre and surreal in its own way. However, there was a serious lack of character development, and several gaping holes in the story of the book. I feel like there needed to be more effort spent trying to make the events believable and and relate more to each other. There are so many different elements going on that it can be difficult to follow at times, and at others, the way the characters act is totally unreasonable. I think some more editing could have helped.
Memorable or Forgettable: I find Spiritualism fascinating, so that aspect of the book interested me a lot. It was also very atmospheric, and it was wonderfully creepy. I did like Mary Shelley as a character, she was interesting, independent, and her quirks made sense. I just wish that she could have changed a little over the course of the book.
Cover: I really like this cover. It is actually supposed to be a picture taken of the main character by a photographer who takes pictures of people being visited by spirits. Another great visual element of the book was that it seamlessly incorporated pictures of doctors, health warnings, and ghost photography from the time period. I absolutely loved that, it really added to the atmosphere of the book.
Age Range: 14 through 17
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 3P Some teen appeal
Annotation: 1918 is a grim year for America. Each day, American soldiers die at the front, and at home the Spanish influenza seems to be claiming just as many lives. Mary Shelley Black finds herself caught up in a dangerous world of supposed treason, horrific diseases and injuries, and the existence of haunting spirits.
tags: historical fiction / World War II / supernatural / vintage photographs / BFYA nominee / ya lit
Reader: AJ G
Age: 17
Title: Fat Angie
Author: E.E. Charlton-Trujillo
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Pub Date: 03/12/13
Galley: Yes
Top 25: Yes
Convince us to read the book: I read this book in the span of six hours, because I just could not put it down. The characters all had such strong, clearly developed personalities, and they grew at an impeccably timed rate. There is a lot of heartbreak in this book, but it's written from such a completely endearing perspective that you can't be mad at the author for including it in the plot. It feels less like reading a book and more like reading about someone's actual life, since I'm sure this is a situation many families in America currently face. If I had to come up with one critique, it would be that the dialogue was often incredibly forced. But even then, I almost didn't mind because the story was just so touching and sad.
Memorable or Forgettable: While Fat Angie does have some "token (insert underrepresented group here)" characteristics, they don't play as stereotypes at all. The fact that Angie is a lesbian isn't a huge deal to the reader because Angie doesn't treat it like a very big deal. And she is obese, but it isn't written as some stereotyped food disorder. It's not really referenced, other than by other children in the school. In addition to that, I really thought it was striking how unable to process Angie was. The author clearly did their research about PTSD, because the character voice is super authentic and real sounding.
Cover: I think the cover is a pretty good reflection of the contents, although basketball should have maybe been represented more, although I understand why it wasn't. I personally am not a huge fan of the cover, but only because I feel like I've seen it or it's older siblings way too often on the bookshelves.
Age Range: 14 through 18 and up
Quality: 5Q Hard to imagine a better book
Popularity: 5P Everyone wants to read it
Annotation: Angie just cannot catch a break. Her sister is missing, her family is broken, everyone at school thinks she's a freak, and, oh yeah, she's fat. Until she meets the mysterious KC Romance. Can these two girls save each other from their lives?
tags: body image / bullying / lesbian / PTSD / BFYA nominee / ya lit
Reader: AJ G
Age: 17
Title: Eleanor & Park
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Pub Date: 02/26/13
Galley: Yes
Top 25: Yes
Convince us to read the book: I'm just gonna give a disclaimer here; this book is incredibly depressing. With that out of the way, here are all the reasons I loved it. Eleanor is an incredibly likeable, no, loveable character. Her life is just so messed up that you can't not root for her. You want something, anything to go right for her. Which is where Park comes in. Park is an average teenage boy, but he doesn't quite fit into his life, which is something I'd bet good money that all teenagers have felt. The love between them is just so natural and effortless. It's awkward, and it's not perfect. Which makes it perfect for the reader. Because love isn't perfect and easy. It's awkward. All the time. This was just so refreshing in a YA book, to not have it be forced down your throat. Beyond that, I thought the dialogue, voice, and character development were spot on.
Memorable or Forgettable: I think the romance is what makes this the most memorable. Even if the actual interactions between Eleanor and Park are awkward and a little bumbling, it's obvious that they love each other deeply. The way that they think of each other just has this completely natural feel, which helps you forget that it's not happening to you, and I think that's the mark of a truly wonderful book.
Cover: I didn't really like the cover. I think it reveals absolutely nothing about the contents, and is actually rather misleading. It doesn't show the depressing nature of the story, and kind of makes me think of Nick and Norah, which is almost the complete opposite. I get that it's appealing, but I personally didn't like it.
Age Range: 16 through 18 and up
Quality: 5Q Hard to imagine a better book
Popularity: 5P Everyone wants to read it
Annotation: They had never met before, but they knew on some level that this was it. What everyone talked about. Loooooooove. And right when they needed it most. Eleanor and Park will break your heart in the best way possible.
tags: romance / abuse / bullying / BFYA nominee / ya lit
Reader: Sophie D
Age: 17
Title: Etiquette and Espionage
Author: Gail Carriger
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Pub Date: 02/05/13
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: I loved the writing in this book. It is set in an alternate Victorian England, and it is also kind of poking fun at Victorian England. The girls have to fight in giant fluffy dresses, and learn how to manipulate people with accessories. The finishing school aspects were perfect too. It could go really bad and sexist, but I feel like the author properly acknowledged many aspects of feminine power, from flirting to knife fighting.
Memorable or Forgettable: I really expected not to like this book. In the beginning, the author seemed like she was just throwing a whole bunch of fantasy gimmicks together - vampires, werewolves, steampunk - but then it got good. This book is witty, adventurous, quaint, fast paced, and cute. But above all, I found it really clever and fresh. The characters were all realistic, with flaws and good sides. The main character's best friend is an airhead, and distracted by sparkly things, but she's also an awesome friend. Another memorable character is a nine year old mechanic/inventor who refuses to be treated like a girl because "boys have more fun." I found details like this refreshing and fun, and unexpected in what at first seemed like a fluffy steampunk book.
Cover: This cover is an awful match to the book. It makes it look serious, when it's really very funny and clever. It deserves a funny and clever cover. (Also, the model looks really photoshopped, and much older than the character is supposed to be).
Age Range: 12 through 17
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 3P Some teen appeal
Annotation: Sophronia expects to be bored when she's shipped off to finishing school. She doesn't expect adventures aboard an airship, encounters with flying bandits, and learning skills such as secrecy and knife throwing, or to be drawn into a conflict over a secret, powerful object.
tags: steampunk / Victorian / paranormal / Finishing School series / BFYA nominee / ya lit
Reader: Katie J
Age: 13
Title: Whatever Doesn't Kill You
Author: Elizabeth Wennick
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Pub Date: 04/01/13
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: I really did not enjoy this book. I thought it was slow and not interesting whatsoever. The cover was interesting, however.
Memorable or Forgettable: It was slow, and she is just trying to find one man.
Cover: I thought the cover was very cool because it is purple and has two knitting needles that are part of it. I also like how it isn't perfect.
Age Range: 12 through 13
Quality: 2Q Needs more work
Popularity: 1P Yech! Forced to read it
Additional Comments: Did not finish. Not a good book!
Annotation: Jenna Cooper's father was murdered, which ended up destroying the entire family.
tags: coming of age / ya lit
Reader: Kit K
Age: 15
Title: This is What Happy Looks Like
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pub Date: 04/02/13
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: Jennifer E. Smith did an excellent job of unraveling Ellie's past throughout the book and making her a likable character. The author's writing flowed well and kept the reader interested, and the dialogue between Ellie and Graham was witty enough to be enjoyable, but could still have been given a little more attention from the author to make their instant romance more believable. The quickness of their connection put me off a little and I couldn't really see what made them click. The romance was cute and the characters well created, but I wish they had spent more time getting to know each other (not including the emails) before getting together.
Memorable or Forgettable: This book falls somewhere between memorable and forgettable. It isn't the type of book that automatically rockets up your list of favorites, but it is definitely one I would pick off the shelf on a summer day for a quick and satisfying reread. I enjoyed the characters, all of whom were relatable enough, but the predictable plot line and the cliché final package of it all makes this book more regular than outstanding.
Cover: The cover definitely intrigued me with its cute photo, appropriate use of typography, and colors.
Age Range: 14 through 17
Quality: 3Q Readable
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal
Annotation: In a summery chick-flick read, everyday girl Ellie O'Neill's life collides with teen heartthrob Graham Larkin's via email. When his next movie is shot in her town, a surprising and secret romance ensues.
tags: romance / BFYA nominee / ya lit
Reader: Eli S-M
Age: 13
Title: The Rithmatist
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Publisher: TOR Teen
Pub Date: 05/14/13
Galley: Yes
Top 25: Yes
Convince us to read the book: While I liked the characters, the best part of the book was the effort Sanderson took to quantify Rithmatics. Everything was explained in a crystal clear way, and better yet, there were diagrams of various Rithmatic drawings at the end of chapters. Sanderson also manages the plot nicely, making it so that there is never a moment not used to further the plot, character development, or the reader's understanding of Rithmatics. The ending also had two very nice twists.
Memorable or Forgettable: As I mentioned above, the best part of the book was how hard Sanderson tried to quantify Rithmatics. Another of my favorite parts is the alternate history world the story is set in, in which China has conquered much of Europe, causing the fifty islands that make up America to be settled by European refugees, who discovered Rithmatics and based a religion off of it. Small details about the world's history are slowly revealed, such as when they eat stir-fried spaghetti and meatballs.
Cover: The cover was intriguing, though all the clockwork that was shown was actually only a minor part of the book.
Age Range: Under 12 through 15
Quality: 5Q Hard to imagine a better book
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal
Annotation: Joel wants to be a Rithmatist, someone who has the power to create chalk drawings that come to life. While he, due to a tragic accident, missed his chance, he gets a chance to study at a Rithmatist school when students disappear, leaving trails of blood, and he becomes an assistant to the chief investigator.
tags: fantasy / suspense / magic / mystery / steampunk / ya lit
Reader: Lyric K
Age: 14
Title: The Summer Prince
Author: Alaya D. Johnson
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
Pub Date: 03/01/13
Galley: Yes
Top 25: Yes
Convince us to read the book: People should read the book because it is a great book. It it brings up important topics that are relevant. It also has romance.
Memorable or Forgettable: The book was very up front about practically everything wrong in the world that I find distasteful like corruption, messed up gender rules, and certain traditions. Whenever I find that in a book, I usually love it.
Cover: The cover that I saw intrigued me but, at first, I thought it would be a trashy romance (offense definitely intended(not to the Summer Prince)).
Age Range: 14 through 18 and up
Quality: 5Q Hard to imagine a better book
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal
Additional Comments: Amazing!!!! More people should top ten it!
Annotation: June, a teenager in a futuristic, post-apocalyptic, semi-paradise where kids are looked down upon, struggles with not being noticed and she decides to change it. In a combination of love, art, and friendship June makes her way to the top, but she can't defy everything in her path.
tags: science fiction / dystopian / post-apocalyptic / BFYA nominee / ya lit
Reader: Bjorn H
Age: 13
Title: One Shot Away
Author: T. Glen Coughlin
Publisher: Harper Collins
Pub Date: 10/02/12
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: This book had qualities that I appreciated, such as the switching between narrators so that you could observe the story from different perspectives. The problem with this book was that you were just OBSERVING, not becoming entranced with the book. The characters are very shallow and do not develop very well. The writing style is forgettable and bleak.
Memorable or Forgettable: This book, to me was forgettable. The writing style (as I said above) is very forgettable and bleak. The main conflict was when a puppy was stolen, so it did not register any significant emotion or caring from me. The characters do not seem real at all and the small development that happens during the book is choppy and not well written.
Cover: The cover did make me want to pick up the book. It did reflect the contents.
Age Range: 14 through 15
Quality: 2Q Needs more work
Popularity: 2P Only for special interest
tags: coming of age / high school / varsity wrestling / ya lit
Reader: Elise S
Age: 17
Title: Prodigy
Author: Marie Lu
Publisher: The Penguin Group
Pub Date: 1/29/13
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: Prodigy was missing the same zap that Legend drew me in with. Reading the first book it was absolutely exhilarating to process this whole new world, finding similarities to our own backward politics. I came to the end wanting conclusion, only to be told that this whole story was going to keep on going. YA is flooded with sequels, prequels, trilogies, quartets, quintets, and series, series, series. I wanted Legend to have its whole plot arc in that book, which, with some careful editing, is completely doable. Prodigy affirmed that wish. Some plot and character back story would have to be cut, but in my experience with rewrites that can be an extremely helpful step. A solid condensing of the story into one, fabulous standalone book would launch Lu’s series to the next level.
Memorable or Forgettable: Hollywood knows the power of a good action flick, but I think YA fiction is still discovering the wonder of a book that turns off your mind, while still engaging your emotions. Marie Lu balances quality and fluff into perfect equilibrium for AP testing season. I received Legend in the mail about a year ago, and was honestly blown away. The plot drew me in, the character development and realization process was masterfully paced, and the relationship between political power structures and justice shot just enough of a thoughtful-edge into a fun novel. Prodigy echoes many of these qualities. The fast fighting kept me reading with its sheer entertainment value. The characters still thought at a believably interactive clip. The injuries actually took time to heal themselves (a detail which a surprising number of author overlook).
Cover: The covers were a point for improvement. What they lacked, in the words of the wise Project Runway, was “wow factor.” The chrome palate and nondescript symbol frankly do not stand out in a sea of post-apocalyptic fiction. Overall, design needs to be reevaluated for that special BANG that makes Legend really different, because there is so much well used potential. Prodigy has that same spark, but to really ignite the fire that could make it amazing, the books should have been condensed into a stand alone, and it needs a better package. Right now they’re enjoyable; with a little bit of work, they could be a smash.
Age Range: 12 through 15
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal
tags: science fiction / romance / intrigue / BFYA nominee / ya lit
