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: Michelle M.
Age: 17
Title: Killer Instinct (The Naturals)
Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Publisher: Hyperion
Pub Date: 11/04/2014
Galley: No
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: The first thing that grabbed my attention about this book was its originality. I haven't seen many stories like this and not ones told in this manner. It wasn't a knockoff of some other story, it had its own plot and its own quirky characters to really draw you in. The plot was reminiscent of various detective shows and stories, but the characters were a highlight. Each character is well-developed, with their own quirks and flaws and strengths. The main character, Cassie, was a talented and interesting character I could relate to. The other main characters each brought a fresh breath to the story and kept the story fun to read even during the more "dull" moments of the plot. The way they were written made them seem like authentic human beings with their own separate personalities and not just carbon copies of each other. The characters brought originality and life to the story.
Memorable or Forgettable: My favorite thing about the book was that, although it was written to be a detective kind of story with a giant hunt for a serial killer, it was funny. It had heavy and dark moments, but several times it made me laugh loud enough to get funny looks from the other people in the room. I enjoyed the fact that it had a very interesting plot that kept me hooked, but that it also came back to earth every now and then and lightened up the story with an unexpected but well-placed joke.
Cover: The cover was very eye-catching and interesting and I think it does a decent job of reflecting the contents. I hope they keep it the same.
Age Range: 14 through 18 and up
Quality: 4Q - Better than most
Popularity: 4P - Broad general teen appeal
Additional Comments:
Loved the book! I'm looking forward to reading the sequel!
tags: mystery / serial killers / The Naturals series / ya lit
Reader: Michelle M.
Age: 16
Title: We Should Hang Out Sometime
Author: Josh Sundquist
Publisher: Little, Brown Books For Young Readers
Pub Date: 12/23/14
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: This book is a series of memoirs written by the
author. It has a very strong narrative voice and at times the author will speak
directly to the reader. I thought it was a fun read, and I enjoyed all of the
stories: the I-want-to-smack-my-forehead-why-would-you-do-that
moments, the laugh out loud moments, and the
your-reasoning-is-valid-but-that's-just-not-how-it-works moments. The author
told stories of different girls he liked and things he did in trying to win
them over in an attempt to see where he went wrong. I felt this was a fun book
to read, very lighthearted, and easy to relate to for those who have had rather
facepalm-ing moments in trying to be charming.
Memorable or Forgettable: Things I liked the most were the way the author
told the stories. He was very clear and detailed, and he elaborated without
rambling. I also liked when he spoke directly to the reader as if letting them
in on his personal thoughts. It was a fun book to read, and a unique one as
well.
Cover: I really liked the cover because I thought it
was cute. It's a cute title and the layout of the title/cover made it seem like
it would be a fun book to read.
Age Range: 12 through 18 and up
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal
Additional Comments:
A very enjoyable book. I had a fun reading it.
tags:
memoir / humor / relationship analysis / coming of age / ya lit
Reader: Michelle M.
Age: 16
Title: Guy In Real Life
Author: Steve Brezenoff
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pub Date: 05/27/14
Galley: No
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: What originally caught my eye was the summary -
the summary had a very unique way of describing the story that seemed original,
as compared to many old cliches you often find. When I read the book, I felt
that the story was different from the summary, and that the summary did not
accurately describe the story. Though this disappointed me, I still enjoyed the
story. Elements I found memorable in the story were the plot voice/narrator
voice, and the character development. The narrator voices changed often,
between the voices of Lesh and Svetlana (the main characters) and the
characters of an RPG. I enjoyed reading the main characters' voices and being
able to get inside their heads and understand them, but I didn't like the RPG
characters as much. I understand that parts of it were essential for the plot
of the story, but I felt it also detracted from the story a bit. I thought that
the narrator's depiction of Lesh was quite strong, and though his views
were somewhat strange, they were understandable. Svetlana was also well
written, but I did not feel a connection to her. I thought that later on in the
book there was a very good plot twist that was well set up, but I felt that it
was resolved too soon and it should have been expanded on more.
Memorable or Forgettable: I had a mixed reaction to this book. There were
many flaws I found while reading it, but for some reason I needed to keep
reading it. I was intrigued, and I loved the little romance/love story between
Lesh and Svetlana. I picked it up because of a very promising summary, was
disappointed when the book didn't meet expectations, but kept reading. I loved
reading the unconventional love story, and the differences in their lives. I
thought the characters were relatable, and I got a kick out of the fact that
the main characters live in the same city as me and go to my high school. I
would say it was forgettable in that it spent too much time describing the RPG
characters and not enough time developing the plot. I found it memorable in
that it is unique from many love stories and that there is such a big
difference in personalities of the characters.
Cover: The title caught my eye, but my reaction to the
cover is neutral. I appreciated the mental image of what the characters looked
like, and I appreciated the simplicity of it, but it wasn't eye catching and
does not reflect the contents as well as it could.
Age Range: 14 through 17
Quality: 3Q Readable
Popularity: 3P Some teen appeal
tags: romance / role playing games / ya lit
Reader: Michelle M.
Age: 15
Title: Grandmaster
Author: David Klass
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux
Pub Date: text
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: This book shows all the adventure of ordinary life; he shows a boy and his father competing in a tournament, which is a simple enough premise, but the author managed to keep my attention with subtle changes in the plot. Even though it was set in everyday life with no extraordinary adventure, the simple problems that a normal person would face ended up being captivating. The characters were very believable, all of Daniel's thoughts and emotions were well expressed, and the supporting characters developed well over the course of the book.
Memorable or Forgettable: I really connected with this book because I myself am a chess player, and it brings up old memories of tournaments I played in. I related to the character very well, and the whole story was well developed. An extra perk were all the chess openings and gambits and defenses that the author mentioned, which I will be looking up in the future.
Cover: The cover caught my eye, it had a very intriguing design, and the words, "Winning the game can mean losing everything" was a great attention grabber. I don't think that sentence reflects the contents very well, but the cover is great because the boy literally reflects in the chess piece.
Age Range: Under 12 through 17
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal
Additional Comments I myself loved it because I can relate really well, as a chess player. However I don't know how much other teens will relate.
tags: realistic fiction / competitive chess / ya lit
Reader: Michelle M.
Age: 15
Title: Who I'm Not
Author: Ted Staunton
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Pub Date: 10/01/13
Galley: Yes
Top 25: Yes
Convince us to read the book: This book was amazing. The plot was very descriptive but it kept you hanging, and the character development was very strong. The main character goes from a boy struggling to make money through simple cons, to pretending to be a missing child named "Danny," to an assistant in a police investigation. The story flowed very well and was a very engrossing read, hooking you in from the first pages.
Memorable or Forgettable: The style of the writing is what kept me reading. "Danny" is very mysterious, the only thing revealed to the reader is that he is a foster child who was moved around a lot. But despite the lack of knowledge of the character, you grow attached to him quickly. He is very enigmatic and complex, and the danger of getting caught always hangs over him, which makes the book a thrill.
Cover: I thought the cover was interesting and very eye-catching. It reflected the contents very well; the boy covering his face and putting on a mask.
Age Range: 12 through 17
Quality: 5Q Hard to imagine a better book
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal
Annotation: It's easy to believe your own lies; after adopting the identity of a missing child, "Danny" finds himself accepted by the family as the child they lost; but really, who is conning who? This situation ends up far more elaborate and mysterious than anyone might have believed, especially when the threat of murder is thrown into the mix.
tags: realistic fiction / contemporary / ya lit
Reader: Michelle M
Age: 15
Title: Inhuman
Author: Kat Falls
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pub Date: 09/24/13
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: This book was an adventurous and refreshing read. The main character built strong relationships with people who were strangers at the beginning of the book, as well as going through her own change when she transformed from a soft city girl to a survivor in the wild. The plot became more complicated as the story went on and resulted in a satisfying ending.
The dialogue was decent but I preferred the plot voice. The main character was a believable and easy character to relate to and I admired how the author was able to balance out her personality.Memorable or Forgettable: This book has a little something for everyone. It has the thrill of danger and adventure with plenty of science fiction in the mix, mystery from a missing father with a criminal job, desperation and friendship, as well as a hint of romance.
Cover: I think the cover suited the book well, it's eye-catching and it piqued my interest. The cover shows the isolation of the city from the outside world and manages to convey different ideas of restriction and exploration at the same time.
Age Range: 12 through 17
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal
Additional Comments: I thought that the plot had a bit of a slow take-off, but it was necessary for laying the foundation of the story.
tags: science fiction / mystery / adventure / dystopia / romance / ya lit
Reader: Michelle M
Age: 15
Title: Charm & Strange
Author: Stephanie Kuehn
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Pub Date: 06/11/13
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: The character development in this is really well done in the way that each chapter adds a new layer to the main character's personality. Winston presents a mystery from the first page that you want to figure out. Several times I had to change my perspective on what I thought about the character, and his depth was fascinating.
Memorable or Forgettable: The story smoothly transitioned between the present and flashbacks, and I found the repeating idea of 'build and destroy' fascinating. With every flashback you see a new side of the character which at times makes you wonder how stable he is, but also makes him endearing in a strange sort of way.
Cover: The cover was well done, I think it reflects the mystery of the book very well.
Age Range: 14 through 15
Quality: 3Q Readable
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal
tags: psychological thriller / ya lit
Reader: Michelle M
Age: 15
Title: Earth Girl
Author: Janet Edwards
Publisher: Prometheus Books
Pub Date: 03/05/13
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: The story was carried out well, it was interesting all the way through. The main character is easy to relate to, and is well written. The story is written in a way where you can understand why and what she is feeling, and overall is a good plot.
Memorable or Forgettable: I enjoyed the twists and turns in the book. They weren't super sharp ones that left me confused, but they kept me interested, and I learned new things from the book. It was memorable because of its simplicity. Many books today are all about the supernatural, but this was a nice read because it was interesting, but kind of relaxing.
Cover: I did not like the cover. It caught my eye, but turned me away from the book. I liked the idea of the cover, with the girl being chained to the Earth, but the way it was portrayed made the book seem "mature", and a little bit gross.
Age Range: 12 through 15
Quality: 3Q Readable
Popularity: 3P Some teen appeal
Additional Comments: All in all I liked the book.
tags: science fiction / disability / action / ya lit
