Reader: Theo S-M
Age: 13
Title: Careers: The Graphic Guide to Finding the Perfect Job For You
Author: Dorling Kindersley Limited
Publisher: Peguin Random House
Pub Date: 03/03/15
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: This book is a non-ficton book about careers - it is pretty straight forward. It is a good book that is way more informative than I thought it would be. In a weird way it was fun to have a look around the book. I mean it is a non-ficton book. But it is fun to compare jobs of people you know.
Memorable or Forgettable: For every job there is a little icon that I strangely enjoy.
Cover: The cover is a perfect refelction of the book, and it did draw me in to the book (originally as a joke).
Age Range: Under 12 through 18 and up
Quality: 3Q - Readable
Popularity: 3P - Some teen appeal
tags: non-fiction / career guide / ya lit
Reader: Courtney D.
Age: 18
Title: Another Day
Author: David Levithan
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Pub Date: 08/25/15
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: This is book is a treat for fans of the book Every Day. This companion book is told from the perspective of Rhiannon and her experience of meeting A, the human who wakes up in a different body every day. While it is written in a similar style as Every Day, Levithan gives Rhiannon a very clear and unique voice. It is fascinating to see A through her eyes and learn how meeting A affected her daily life. My only problem with this book is that it was not the most interesting read since it was the same story as Every Day, but that is to be expected of a companion book.
Memorable or Forgettable: This book was not very memorable just because it was so similar to the companion book. The other book however is an extremely memorable book because it is such an interesting topic and story. Both books tackle difficult ideas such as gender, sexuality, and what it means to be human.
Cover: The cover is very similar to the book Every Day which caught my attention since I liked that book so much. It would also catch the attention of someone who hasn't read the first book which may prompt them to start reading both of them.
Age Range: 14 through 17
Quality: 3Q - Readable
Popularity: 4P - Broad general teen appeal
tags: romance / ya lit
Reader: Sophie L.
Age: 14
Title: Finding Audrey
Author: Sophie Kinsella
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Pub Date: 06/09/15
Galley: No
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: I'll be honest, the only reason I took this book was because the author's name is Sophie (my name) and the main character's name is Audrey (my twin sister's name). The summary was not at all what the book turned out to be. I thought it would be about a romance that somehow heals Audrey, but I felt that so little time was spent on the romance that it seemed like a side plot. Also, the side plot involving Audrey's brother and his computer took over the story. I got bored of hearing about it. The topic of the book is one I've seen much more recently, and seems to be the new thing to write about. I think that it is an important subject to discuss and the book did a good job with that. It never said what exactly "happened". I would have liked to know but as it may have been intentional, I can accept that I don't know.
Memorable or Forgettable: The topic of the book and what can be learned from it was memorable, much less the plot.
Cover: The cover was wonderfully soft which is great to have in a book cover. Great colors, very noticeable. Having the author's name bigger than the title doesn't always work, but this cover does pull it off nicely.
Age Range: 12 through 15
Quality: 3Q - Readable
Popularity: 3P - Some teen appeal
tags: romance / comedy / drama / mental health / ya lit
Reader: Ella O.
Age: 14
Title: Don't Stay Up Late
Author: R.L. Stine
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Pub Date: 04/07/15
Galley: Yes
Top 25: Yes
Convince us to read the book: I'm not sure where to begin. I loved Lisa's journey through the difference between crazy and CRAZY. It must have been hard not knowing what was real and what wasn't, but it was a good plot development.
Memorable or Forgettable: I liked the idea of the creatures and while I was wonderfully horrified by them, I of course - being as curious as I am - wanted to know how they did it. Was it combining key pieces of different animals' DNA, or was it something less intricate, or was it like magic? Anyway, R.L. Stine has a horrifically beautiful mind and I will remember the book for that.
Cover: The cover did not tempt me as as much as the blurb on the back. It's also a bit complicated. Maybe do something like showing the back view of an innocent seeming child who's shadow is warped and twisted into some gruesome shape on the ground.
Age Range: 14 through 15
Quality: 5Q - Hard to imagine a better book
Popularity: 4P - Broad general teen appeal
Additional Comments: I had a gut feeling towards Harry the whole time that was confirmed towards the end, but the actual ending was a wonderful surprise! It sent chills up my spine and a smile across my face. I loved it. Good job.
Annotation: Lisa Brooks lost her father when her family got in a terrible accident. Ever since she's been haunted by waking nightmares and daily hallucinations and doesn't know how to stop them. Then her therapist suggests a babysitting job on Fear Street with an angel-faced sweetheart named Harry. But when when she stays, a monster starts appearing and murdering people and friends. Is it just her hallucinations at it again? Or is it real?
tags: horror / Fear Street series / ya lit
Reader: Sam T.
Age: 15
Title: Illuminae
Author: Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Pub Date: 10/20/15
Galley: Yes
Top 25: Yes
Convince us to read the book: I really like the way that the authors played with plot, character development, and tone through the medium of files and charts, which I thought was a very interesting and innovative way to tell a story. The first half is a little slow and somewhat confusing, although after that the story really begins to heat up and becomes very interesting. I really felt sympathy for the characters.
Memorable or Forgettable: The completely unique layout in the form of documents, transcripts, etc. was very interesting, along with the storyline. I'll remember this for how it constantly keeps you on your toes and keeps you engaged. I don't think I've read a novel quite like this before.
Cover: The cover is very interesting, and seems to reflect the content pretty well without giving too much away. Definitely eye-catching.
Age Range: 14 through 17
Quality: 5Q - Hard to imagine a better book
Popularity: 4P - Broad general teen appeal
Additional Comments: This is a really unique and exciting book. I would be excited to see the authors do another book like this, perhaps either in the same universe as this one (as a sequel) or in a completely different one. I would highly, highly recommend this book.
Annotation: Concerns declassified files surrounding two teens as they struggle to survive during a terrifying epidemic taking place aboard spaceships during an intergalactic corporate war hundreds of years in the future. Exciting, fun, innovative, and scary.
tags: science fiction / dystopian / suspense / ya lit
Reader: Sophie F.
Age: 14
Title: Shackled
Author: Tom Leveen
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pub Date: 08/18/15
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: This book was pretty good to start, but by the end I was thinking it was a lot like another book I had read, Schizo. The narration was fine, but the narrator can be a bit annoying because it isn't clear why she has so many problems.
Memorable or Forgettable: This book was exactly like the book Schizo. It starts out like the character thinks something is true, then obsesses over it, but then it turns out that they actually made the whole thing up in their head. This annoyed me in both books. It's like you read a book and the last sentence is: and then they woke up, it was all a dream.
Cover: The book cover did tempt me and I think it reflected the book contents very well.
Age Range: 12 through 15
Quality: 3Q - Readable
Popularity: 3P - Some teen appeal
tags: suspense / psychological thriller / ya lit
Reader: Eli S-M
Age: 15
Title: The Dead Lands
Author: Benjamin Percy
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Pub Date: 04/14/15
Galley: No
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: I would highly recommend this book. The setting- a post-apocalyptic America that has regressed, for the most part, to the technologies of the early 1800s- was unique and original. The characters were well fleshed out and every one developed over the course of the book, realistically changed by the journey they took. Perhaps most importantly, the Dead Land's multiple plot lines were exciting and well handled. The book changes fluidly between the main expedition, the situation in their corrupt home city, and one character's backstory. The switching allows the book to remain tense and quick-moving even as the expedition travels over vast stretches of uninhabited land.
Memorable or Forgettable: The originality of the setting made this book memorable to me. The apocalyptic flu mutation has occurred long ago and civilization has become close to what is was in the early 1800s. The old world, however, continues to effect the rustic milieu. Radiation from nuclear weapons and unattended reactors has scarred the landscape, making the "dead lands" strange and fantastic places - places just as strange and fantastic as the western US must have once seemed to Lewis and Clark. The irradiated landscape also drives the plot through the development of mutant powers. In this way, the unique landscape serves not just as a backdrop for the story - it is perhaps the most important part of the story itself.
Cover: The cover neither tempted me to read the book nor turned me off. It does reflect the book's contents, but is not unique to them.
Age Range: 14 through 18 and up
Quality: 4Q - Better than most
Popularity: 3P - Some teen appeal
tags: futuristic thriller / post-apocalyptic adventure / Lewis and Clark / ya lit
Reader: Ella O.
Age: 14
Title: The Rules
Author: Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Pub Date: 06/23/15
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: I thought the plot unfolded nicely and the character development seen in Robin was good too. When the book started out Robin believed that you held out for your people and your people held out for you. But truthfully, you need to know how to hold out on your own and I'm glad she learned it.
Memorable or Forgettable: I liked the the secrets, I liked August's idea and where he'd been going with that. And may I add that while Kyle's role may have been a bit predictable I still liked it a lot.
Cover: I. LOVED. THIS. COVER. It was dark, creepy, and let you know that this was a book that'd keep you on the edge of your seat. Good job guys.
Age Range: 14 through 15
Quality: 4Q - Better than most
Popularity: 3P - Some teen appeal
tags: thriller / suspense / ya lit
Reader: Sophie L.
Age: 14
Title: Beyond Clueless
Author: Linas Alsenas
Publisher: Amulet Books
Pub Date: 08/18/15
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: This book wasn't too original. After I got a little bit into the book I realized that the story was going to be the opposite of Clueless. Instead of hitting on the boy who turns out to be gay, a guy who the main character thought was gay, wasn't actually gay and liked her. So the ending to this book was predictable. It also felt a bit like a mixture between Glee and Clueless, with the musical happening. One surprising thing was all of the drinking and smoking. For the most part, the kids in this book are a few months into my future (I'll be a freshman this fall) and it was shocking to see all the bad things these kids do. Those were the only negative things about this book, the romance sections were very relatable to teens and the flow of the writing was good. I didn't ever feel like I wanted the book to just finish already!
Memorable or Forgettable: It was memorable because of the relevance to my life/near future. I also liked the way I could relate to some parts of the book.
Cover: The cover was reflective of the book. I love the colors and find it eye catching but not too much to look at.
Age Range: 14 through 17
Quality: 4Q - Better than most
Popularity: 4P - Broad general teen appeal
tags: romance / comedy / ya lit
Reader: Sam T.
Age: 15
Title: Battlesaurus: Rampage at Waterloo
Author: Brian Falkner
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Pub Date: 07/14/15
Galley: Yes
Top 25: Yes
Convince us to read the book: I thought the authenticity was really good. I felt the author really knew what he was talking about when he described various European locales, and he paints a great picture of war, family, and community. The characters are believable, although you never get to see a ton of character development (although it is in there!). The plot is really interesting, especially considering the extensive world-building that the author has done. The images are very vivid.
One thing I didn't like about the book was the battle itself. I was quite confused who was on which side, and who was fighting what where. I think maybe some explanations of who the various leaders were, some backstory for the war, and some explanation about the war itself would be helpful. I would also like some more in-depth descriptions of the few dinosaurs we encounter. I also feel like the Waterloo aspect of the story was emphasized a little too much and there wasn't enough of the dinosaur aspect. In short, I'd recommend adding some more dinosaurs.
Memorable or Forgettable: This was a pretty unique book. There were some slow parts, but overall it was interesting enough to keep my attention and help make this book more memorable to me. The concept is really original, and I definitely am interested to see what the author does with the next book.
Cover: One problem area seemed to be with the cover. On the cover, it shows a soldier riding a T. rex. When I picked it up, I thought, "Huh... This looks campy, comical, and ridiculous. What a lighthearted read." However, when I began reading, I realized that it was in fact very serious and dramatic with little or no humor. The soldiers riding rexes was in the story but the author made it sound serious, while the cover made it look a tad silly. I still liked it very much, but I feel that both the cover and the title put out the wrong message. Maybe something with both title and cover image that is far less revealing and keeps it a secret. Something without a full, unobstructed view of an actual dinosaur. Perhaps a muddy footprint, an eye, a scaly foot, etc.
Age Range: 14 through 17
Quality: 4Q - Better than most
Popularity: 3P - Some teen appeal
Additional Comments: I feel like this book would be far more interesting to European history buffs than to dinosaur enthusiasts. Although I'm the latter, I still enjoyed this book.
Annotation: In a world where prehistoric dinosaurs and humans coexist, life can be difficult for young Willem in 1815 France. Especially when Napoleon's army of trained dinosaurs and Great Britain's horse-mounted troops are about to fight one of the greatest battles in European history.
tags: historical fiction - dinosaur fantasy mashup / ya lit
Reader: Maude L.
Age: 11
Title: The Executioner's Daughter
Author: Jane Hardstaff
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Pub Date: 04/01/16
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: At first I really liked the book. The only part I didnt like was the end. Because at first it was about a girl living in Medieval England in the Tower of England as a prisioner who was as a basket girl. But suddenly the story changed and there was a "sea witch" chasing her and I felt that it was a little too unrealistic. But otherwise I thought the characters were pretty well developed.
Memorable or Forgettable: The only part of the book that made it forgettable is the "sea witch" because the rest of the book was pretty realistic.
Cover: The cover did not really tempt me. It is just a close up of the main character.
Age Range: 12 through 13
Quality: 3Q - Readable
Popularity: 3P - Some teen appeal
tags: historical fiction / supernatural adventure / ya lit
Reader: Brooke H.
Age: 16
Title: The Messengers
Author: Edward Hogan
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Pub Date: 05/12/15
Galley: No
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: This book had a unique plot and each character had a distinctiveness to them, but I would have liked to see both of these expanded a bit. The plot felt really rushed, and the characters had so much more promise. So basically, the author did a great job with the bones of the book, but I feel there should have been more meat to it.
Memorable or Forgettable: I liked how unique the plot itself was, and how the reader isn't quite sure how things will go. I also appreciated that the relationship between Frances and Peter was a lot more realistic compared to other novels, where Frances had a bit of a crush but it didn't turn into full on romance. The most memorable part for me was the twist at the climax, which I didn't at all see coming.
Cover: The cover doesn't have much to do with the events in the book, but it reflects well on the darkness and mystery of it. It didn't immediately attract me, but it isn't that I didn't like it.
Age Range: Under 12 through 15
Quality: 3Q - Readable
Popularity: 3P - Some teen appeal
tags: psychological thriller / mystery / horror / philosophy / ya lit
Reader: Claire W.
Age: 14
Title: Stand-Off
Author: Andrew Smith
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Pub Date: 09/08/15
Galley: Yes
Top 25: Yes
Convince us to read the book: This book was a fabulous sequel to an amazing first book. The main character Ryan Dean is trying to cope with the cruel death of his best friend Joey. He is dealing with some very serious stuff that is written very well. Stand-Off also doesn't feel like a list of all PTSD and depression symptoms like books similar to this one can. You can also see Ryan Dean really grow throughout the book and overcome his many problems and just be happy.
Memorable or Forgettable: It's memorable because of the way that this book felt so real - like I was actually seeing into a teenage boy's mind. In my opinion it is hard to find books these days that are from a male perspective that are realistic and portray girls realistically through guys eyes.
Cover: The cover was sub-par. Ryan Dean looks nothing like his description and the other boy on the front looks like a girl even though I know it is supposed to be another character named Sam.
Age Range: 14 through 17
Quality: 4Q - Better than most
Popularity: 4P - Broad general teen appeal
Annotation: Ryan Dean is back at Pine Mountain boarding school as a senior. He's trying is to cope with the death of his best friend and deal with his new girlfriend Anne.
tags: coming of age / humor / rugby / ya lit
Reader: Ella O.
Age: 14
Title: Portraits of Celina
Author: Sue Whiting
Publisher: Switch Press
Pub Date: 04/01/15
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: The plot had huge twists and surprises. Still it was fairly predictable but interesting nonetheless. I do think there is some noticeable character development in the main character Bailey.
Memorable or Forgettable: I'm not so sure this book will be memorable for me. Bailey needs more character! Give her some life! It kind of hurts to just see her sit there, moping and shaming herself for everything she does. I mean, thank god Oliver was there or she might have stayed the same, slightly tone-dead girl she was.
Cover: I did actually like this cover. It reflected the contents and Celina's hold over Bailey well. Good job with that one.
Age Range: 12 through 13
Quality: 3Q - Readable
Popularity: 3P - Some teen appeal
tags: paranormal mystery / ya lit
Reader: Sam T.
Age: 15
Title: Wild Boy and the Black Terror
Author: Rob Lloyd Jones
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Pub Date: 05/12/15
Galley: Yes
Top 25: Yes
Convince us to read the book: I thought Wild Boy as a main character was surprisingly easy to relate to, even though he is a younger kid. The setting is interesting and the mystery kept me reading.
Memorable or Forgettable: It seemed pretty memorable, as it is an interesting addition to the genres it belongs to. It is pretty original and it was believable enough to be interesting.
Cover: The black diamond on the front cover related and so did the London skyline. However, the skeleton didn't really seem to relate, other than the fact that it involves a murder mystery. It was an interesting enough design that I picked it up.
Age Range: 12 through 15
Quality: 4Q - Better than most
Popularity: 3P - Some teen appeal
Annotation: Circus freaks Wild Boy and Clarissa have never really been accepted anywhere, (especially after being falsely accused of murder before the events of this book) which is why they live with the Gentlemen - scientists and military men meant to keep the Queen safe in nineteenth-century England. A new threat appears - a murderer who claims to be working for a demon and will stop at nothing to accomplish his goals. Will super sleuth Wild Boy and acrobat Clarissa save the Queen?
tags: adventure / mystery / ya lit
Reader: Ali B.
Age: 14
Title: Bleeding Earth
Author: Kaitlyn Ward
Publisher: Adaptive Books
Pub Date: 02/09/16
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: The plot was weak because nothing of distinct importance takes place between the first chapter and the middle of the book. What was strong was character development. The character gets developed in a cool way. Towards the end we don't know if the main character is insane or not so comparing that version of her to the sane version let the readers see a lot more of her behavior and thinking.
Memorable or Forgettable: Bleeding Earth was memorable because it was original. I've read nothing like it before but I guess that's the point. The second reason it was memorable is simply because the main character is lesbian and dates a girl - it will be good at challenging a lot of people. What was forgettable was most of the plot. Nothing interesting jumps out at you for almost the whole first half of the novel. I could count the number of major settings on one hand. People with little patience will find Bleeding Earth annoying.
Cover: The contents and the cover go hand in hand but the cover also leaves some things secret. I picked this book up because it did look interesting.
Age Range: 12 through 15
Quality: 3Q - Readable
Popularity: 3P - Some teen appeal
Annotation: When the planet starts to bleed, when bones float, and hair covers the earth, everything you knew no longer applies. In this apocalyptic world main character Lea tries to makes sense of everything and most importantly tries to survive as ordinarily as possible. All she knows is that the world is in chaos. Water is becoming hard to come by, people seem to have forgotten their manners and nothing about this is normal. Lea doesnt want to believe any of it is happening ecspecially when people start getting sick. Her only escape is her best friend Hillary and her girlfriend Aracely who she can't be with in public. Day by day the blood rises and Lea will do anything she can to survive hopefully with her girlfriend by her side.
tags: horror / apocalypse / LGBT / ya lit
Reader: Michelle M.
Age: 17
Title: The Kiss of Deception
Author: Mary E. Pearson
Publisher: Square Fish
Pub Date: 06/02/15
Galley: No
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: The book was enjoyable in the fact that it was a light read but still engaging. It had a fairly well-used premise of a princess fleeing her kingdom before she could be wedded to a man she never met, but this well-known idea was well written to fit a new set of characters. Lia is not your typical princess, and she has a very sassy wit and tongue. The characters were generally very enjoyable to read, with entertaining dialogue. The author played around with trying to keep the reader guessing as to who the assassin was by leaving misleading facts and directing the reader's attention the other way. It was decently done, but not the strongest stylistic element that could have been used. The character development was fairly weak, but not detracting from the story.
Memorable or Forgettable: It was one of those books that you personally enjoy, but would not recommend to someone else. I found the characters to be the most memorable in how they reacted to certain situations in ways found to be unique to this book. I enjoyed how the plot progressed, and seemed to progress as a result of the characters' actions, rather than the characters reacting to the plot.
Cover: The cover caught my eye and had a nice design, but it wasn't a large factor in my decision to read the book. After reading it, the cover really does not seem to reflect the contents. It shows that the story takes place in a mostly quiet setting, and is about a girl, but neglects to offer any other idea of what the rest of the plot is about. I think the cover downplays the story and focuses on the wrong element to represent. Rather than focusing on the romantic angle of the girl in a field of tall grass, offer more of a focus on the themes of deception, freedom, and captivity.
Age Range: 12 through 17
Quality: 3Q - Readable
Popularity: 3P - Some teen appeal
tags: fantasy / romance / dystopia / ya lit
Reader: Grace KL
Age: 16
Title: I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives
Author: Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda with Liz Welch
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pub Date: 04/14/15
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: This book is many things, but above all, it is a good story. It is a true story which makes it all the more important. It uses real letters that were written when this story took place to help convey the story. Honestly, the narration was OK, but it wasn't especially lyrical or overly put together. But I think that even if the writing was mediocre, the story as told through the letters would still be strong. The letters are what hold this book together. Another thing that I appreciated about this book was the consistency of the narration. Oftentimes, with a book that has two authors, you can easily distinguish who wrote what. I think that the consistency that we see here is definitely because of the book's third author, who does not play a part in the story, and she did an excellent job.
Memorable or Forgettable: One especially memorable quality for me is how much the two main characters changed throughout the story and how reading things that the other wrote made them realize so much about themselves and what they value.
Cover: The cover was definitely the reason I picked up the book. It was bright, engaging, and seemed as though it would be about sending letters, which is something that I enjoy. I'm quite fond of how the title is the most important part of the cover, and it is almost as if it is uniting the two continents, which is something that the two main characters try to do as well.
Age Range: Under 12 through 18 and up
Quality: 4Q - Better than most
Popularity: 4P - Broad general teen appeal
tags: non-fiction / memoir / cultural awareness / ya lit
Reader: Ella O.
Age: 13
Title: Powerless
Author: Tera Lynn Childs, Tracy Deebs
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Pub Date: 06/02/15
Galley: Yes
Top 25: Yes
Convince us to read the book: Kenna is the daughter of a brilliant scientist and a man who was the greatest superhero of his generation. Kenna herself is quite smart but how are people supposed to realize that when they're too busy not bothering with her because of her lack of powers? This book shows amazing character development in main character Kenna, but also in other characters (Draven).
Memorable or Forgettable: I loved the superpowers mentioned in this book - they're so different from the ones typically seen in superhero books. I wanted to be part of their world so badly while reading this book.
Cover: I thought the cover was interesting and I like the placement of the title. But maybe put the superhero and the supervillain symbols in the eye as well to give it more depth?
Age Range: 14 through 15
Quality: 5Q - Hard to imagine a better book
Popularity: 4P - Broad general teen appeal
Additional Comments: The way this book ended maybe me ripple with excitement for the next book but also angry for not giving me more!! Definitely going to keep a serious eye out for the next novel. Good work guys =)
Annotation: I loved this book. It kept me on the edge and I couldn't put it down. You can relate to it as well. How would you feel, living in a world of extraordinary only to be ordinary?
tags: fantasy / suspense / ya lit
Reader: Sam T.
Age: 15
Title: The Dogs
Author: Allan Stratton
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Pub Date: 09/02/15
Galley: Yes
Top 25: Yes
Convince us to read the book: The book really felt believable. As an average young adult, Cameron seemed very easy to relate to. The story was super suspenseful and mysterious; you never really knew what would come next or when the next plot twist would happen. In fact, you begin to question whether anything that Cameron sees or hears or believes is even real.
Memorable or Forgettable: It was pretty memorable because it was a pretty unique story, even in well-established genres like ghost stories or murder mysteries. The characters and setting all seemed realistic.
Cover: I thought the cover was interesting, reflected the contents, and didn't give too much away.
Age Range: 12 through 17
Quality: 4Q - Better than most
Popularity: 4P - Broad general teen appeal
Annotation: In this page-turning mystery, Cameron and his mother have always been running from his father, who is always out to get them (or, at least, so his mother believes). When they finally settle down in a quiet rural community in an old farmhouse, strange things start to happen. Cameron thinks he is seeing things. It looks as if the past is repeating itself again, and a decades-old mystery will be uncovered...
tags: horror / psychological thriller / supernatural / ya lit
Reader: Allen D.
Age: 15
Title: Battlesaurus: Rampage at Waterloo
Author: Brian Falkner
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Pub Date: 07/14/15
Galley: Yes
Top 25: Yes
Convince us to read the book: The plot was flawless. I mean, I don't know anyone who's been able to use Napoleon in a fictional story like this before. Love, Death, Betrayal, and the best part...Dinosaurs.
Memorable or Forgettable: It was really well done. Each character(even the minor ones) were well devoloped.
Cover: It brought me to it and it reflected the book well. I mean, who can pass up a book with a dude beating people up on a dinosaur?
Age Range: 14 through 18 and up
Quality: 5Q - Hard to imagine a better book
Popularity: 5P - Everyone wants to read it
Additional Comments:
This, was, AWESOME!!!!!!
Annotation:
It's 1815. And dinosaurs are going to be used to rule the world. That is, if one little boy doesn't stop them first.
tags: historical fiction - dinosaur fantasy mashup / ya lit
Reader: Lillian B.
Age: 14
Title: Me Being Me Is Exactly as Insane as You Being You
Author: Todd Hasak-Lowy
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pub Date: 03/24/15
Galley: No
Top 25: Yes
Convince us to read the book: The characters are well-developed and though extremely unique, very relatable. The general format (each "chapter" is a list of things that has to do with what's going on in the main character's life) is very interesting and adds to the painfully awkward charm of the book.
Memorable or Forgettable: I felt a strong connection to many of the characters. Also, I don't read a lot of realistic fiction/coming of age novels, but I really enjoyed this book.
Cover: Well, the book itself is very thick. Like, Harry Potter thick. I guess that caught my attention.
Age Range: 14 through 15
Quality: 5Q - Hard to imagine a better book
Popularity: 4P - Broad general teen appeal
Annotation:
Darren needs to escape. With his brother in college, his parents divorced, and his Dad out of the closet, his life seems way out of control. So he decides to take a little road trip.
tags: coming of age / lists / ya lit
Reader: Claire W.
Age: 14
Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Pub Date: 05/05/15
Galley: Yes
Top 25: Yes
Convince us to read the book: This book had an amazing plot, well-rounded characters, and good dialogue as well. You can really see the main character Feyre grow throughout the book in the way she treats strangers and her family.
Memorable or Forgettable: The plot was like an over done story with a twist in it. But the writing style is what really made it memorable for me.
Cover: The cover was a bit odd. It did not tempt me to read the book. I picked up the book because I love Sarah Maas' other books.
Age Range: 16 through 18 and up
Quality: 4Q - Better than most
Popularity: 3P - Some teen appeal
Additional Comments:
This book had some questionable scenes that I think make it not belong very well in YA.
Annotation:
Feyre's family is in pieces after her mother dies and her father lost his fortune. Feyre is the only thing keeping them alive. But when she mistakenly kills a wolf, a beast-like creature shows up demanding recompense. Feyre is taken captive by the beast whom she discovers is a Fairy lord named Tamlin who she is starting to fall for.
tags: fantasy / action / romance / mythology / ya lit
Reader: Ella O.
Age: 14
Title: The Creeping
Author: Alexandra Sirowy
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Pub Date: 08/18/15
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: The main character Stella and her best friend Jeanie went missing when they were 7, only Stella came back. The plot develops amazingly throughout the story and there's some serious character development as well.
Memorable or Forgettable: The plot twists are what's gonna make this book memorable for me. It wasn't the most interesting book I've ever read and some of the book just seems like filler for between the plot twists but those twists make it worthwhile.
Cover: The cover has this eerie air to it. While I like the black and white theme to it, the picture itself doesn't really make sense. Maybe use a small child to represent Jeanie's and Stella's youth and how it was taken away from them both. Keep the title how it is though, that looks cool.
Age Range: 14 through 15
Quality: 3Q - Readable
Popularity: 3P - Some teen appeal
tags: suspense / romance / ya lit
Reader: Veronica K.
Age: 14
Title: Forbidden
Author: Eve Bunting
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Pub Date: 12/01/15
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: I did not like this book. At all. My first major problem with this book was how the characters spoke. It felt like the author Googled "How do Scottish people talk?" and wrote based on what she found on answers dot whatever dot com. But it was only every three chapters or so. Every other chapter had characters that sounded British to me.
Another problem I had was the romance story. The first day she was in this town, she fell in love. This feels like what literally every new book known to man does. But my problem is the fact that Miss You-Must-Do-Everything-The-Proper-Way-Otherwise-I-Will-Die-Of-Shame fell in love with Mr. Rules?-Pshaw-Where's-The-Fun-In-That. The male in this pairing seems like the kind of person that Josie would look at and say, "Oh, he's handsome. But I mustn't behave like a silly little girl. What would Mrs. Chandler say about that? Oh, look at that behavior! That's horrible! I must never go near him again!" not take one look at him and fall in love.
Yet another issue in this book is how much it feels like a short story, not a novella. This story would have been way better if it had been condensed into 30-50 pages, not the 214 pages it was. That would have been enough time to explain the aunt and uncle's "business" and Josie's reaction to it. It wouldn't be so long that the ending made no sense for all that buildup.
Which brings us to my next issue. The ending. The book is building (I say building, I mean slowly climbing that little slope in a street that is there to let the water run off, until roughly 2/3 of the way through, when the slope jumps two feet, then continues on as previously) like it is going to be a serious historical fiction book. It has all (I mean one, sort of) the characters built as normal people for that time, and they are smart enough to figure something out. But then a whole bunch of pyromaniatical ghosts show up and kill everybody. Yep, that totally makes sense. This ending feels like the author was all, "Whoa, I have a brilliant idea! I'll have a girl catch some wreckers! It'll be great! <write write write> Wait-how am I supposed to end this thing? Um... I have a deadline... Um... Please come up with something... Aha!" and added a rushed ending for a different book.
All in all, this feels like a bad fan fiction. Of what, I'm not really sure, but that's what it feels like to me.
Memorable or Forgettable: What made this book memorable was the informational content. While the book itself was not very great, the whole idea of wreckers in 1807 was interesting. But other than that, it really wasn't that memorable. It's another female protagonist meets mysterious hot guy with a secret type story. I'm probably going to mix this one up with the last one I read, and these two will blend with the next one.
Cover: The cover is kind of boring. It only sort of reflects the contents of this book, and doesn't fit the title at all. I don't think very many people will pick this one up based on the cover.
Age Range: Under 12 through 13
Quality: 2Q - Needs more work
Popularity: 2P - Only for special interest
tags: historical fiction / suspense / ya lit
