Reader: Claire W.
Age: 12
Title: Doon
Author: Carey Corp, Lorie Langdon
Publisher: Blink
Pub Date: 8/27/13
Galley: Yes
Top 25: Yes
Convince us to read the book: Every chapter the point of view switched since they didn't repeat events. Sometimes I wanted to know where Ve was but the chapter was about Kenna. The other thing was Ve really changes and becomes happier but Kenna seems to get more and more unhappy even though she finds a really really nice boyfriend. I didn't find the dialogue hard to understand since I lived in Scotland for a year but I think other people might have.
Memorable or Forgettable: I loved the plot; it was similar to other things I had read but with a twist. I also haven't read very many books that describe the scene so well. The descriptive language was just amazing.
Cover: The cover was the reason I picked up the book. The cover was just beautiful and done so so so well.
Age Range: 12 through 15
Quality: 5Q Hard to imagine a better book
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal
Annotation: Veronica (nickname Ve) just wants to get away from her life and now she has an opportunity to get out of the country. Her best friend Mackenna (nickname Kenna) grew up in Scotland and wants to go back this summer. So Ve decides to tag along and get away from her bad life at home. Once they get to Scotland Ve starts seeing a very handsome boy in a kilt but no one else can. Now she is starting to wonder if the legend about Doon may be true.
tags: fantasy / magic / romance / A Doon novel / ya lit
Reader: Claire W.
Age: 12
Title: These Broken Stars
Author: Amie Kaufman, Meagan Spooner
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Pub Date: 12/10/2013
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: At the beginning of the book the dialogue is pretty sparse because Tarver and Lilac are trying to talk as little as possible but as the book moves on the dialogue gets richer and richer.
Memorable or Forgettable: This book was completely original in my case. I had never read anything like it. The characters also grow throughout the book which is fun to watch.
Cover: I loved the cover but the back of the book is what made me pick it up. But in the book they say that Lilac's dress in navy blue but the cover had her wearing a teal blue dress.
Age Range: 12 through 15
Quality: 5Q Hard to imagine a better book
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal
Annotation: Tarver and Lilac are thrown into a survival situation. The ship they were flying on was thrown out of hyperspace and now they are together on a planet. They both dislike each other an d have a really really hard time working together but when they finally figure it out everything is much smoother.
tags: science fiction / romance / Starbound / 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: Greta H
Age: 16
Title: Mistwalker
Author: Saundra Mitchell
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
Pub Date: 02/04/14
Galley: Yes
Top 25: Yes
Convince us to read the book: There were definitely some slower parts in the book, where the writing was a bit flat and bland. Overall, though, Willa's character was believable and by the end of the story had undergone reasonable development. I really loved the ending, and the twist that the author decided to throw in there. It was much different and frankly, much BETTER than what I was expecting, being that for most of the book, I was dreading the idea of it having a typical "romance novel" end. The ending that Mitchell chose to write strengthened Willa in my eyes.
Memorable or Forgettable: Though it is technically a romance novel, which tends to be a genre that I do not delve into very often, I really enjoyed this book. The ending, I think, is what really stuck with me, and the ideas that it left with the reader were strong and meaningful.
Cover: The cover is what drew me to pick it up originally. It accurately reflects the contents of the book.
Age Range: 12 through 18 and up
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal
Annotation: Ever since Willa Dixon's brother was murdered, she has been struggling with the way her life and family have changed from the ideal picture she had imagined. In addition, a small-town legend about a ghost trapped in the lighthouse seems to have come to life, and has begun to wiggle its way into her mind. As things become increasingly complicated, Willa must find great strength if she is to save her family and ultimately, herself.
tags: fantasy / urban fantasy / paranormal / gothic / supernatural / ghosts / magic / ya lit
Reader: Brooke H.
Age: 15
Title: Teardrop
Author: Lauren Kate
Publisher: Random House
Pub Date: 10/22/13
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: I thought this book was really good. I'm not completely obsessed with it, but I really do like it. I really like the author and her writing style, because she's very descriptive and good at drawing people into the plot. I also loved the characters. I fell in love with some, and cried for others. There were also some twists that were really quite shocking and unpredictable. The epilogue really left me wanting more, and I can't wait for the next book. The one thing I didn't like was that the love story was really slow, but then all of a sudden they were obsessed with each other in the blink of an eye. It was just a little weird and unrealistic. Despite this, I think the book is definitely worth a read.
Memorable or Forgettable: I think that the most memorable part of the book was its interesting plot. I know for sure that I have never seen any plot quite like this one. It's very unique and original, which is great, because a lot of teen books right now have parallel plots with each other, and it's quite rare to find a plot like this that is completely its own.
Cover: The cover did tempt me. Pretty covers always get to me, and this one was definitely pretty. I love the colors and the water-dress did well to symbolize the contents.
Age Range: 12-17
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 3P Some teen appeal
tags: coming of age / romance / Teardrop trilogy / fantasy / magic / ya lit
Reader: Aiden J.
Age: 13
Title: Grandmaster
Author: David Klass
Publisher: Farrar Strauss Giroux
Pub Date: 02/25/14
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: I think the author did a great job at forming the characters. Instead of having the characters being very bland and boring, he was able to make them into real people. The way the characters grow and change was also very dynamic. The author was also able to keep it interesting throughout the whole book. You couldn't tell what the next page was going to bring.
Memorable or Forgettable: One of the qualities that made it memorable is how the author was able to portray the importance of family. Another quality was how he was able to bring the reader into the mind of the main character.
Cover: The cover made me want to pick up the book, but it only kind of reflects the book. The chess pieces were good, because that was the main focus, but there is a sad looking boy on the cover, and there were not any prominent sad parts in the book.
Age Range: 12-17
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal
tags: realistic fiction / competitive chess / ya lit
Reader: Veronica K
Age: 13
Title: The Rule of Three
Author: Eric Walters
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers
Pub Date: 01/21/14
Galley: Yes
Top 25: No
Convince us to read the book: This book had pretty good dialogue. There were sometimes when it sounded like the characters were lecturing each other in conversation, but all in all it was believable. The characters themselves were a stretch, they seemed to be a little bit to convenient, but they worked, and were pretty realistic for who the author wanted them to be.
Memorable or Forgettable: What makes this book memorable is the lesson it tries to teach you. It is basically The Lord of the Flies, but more relevant to this day and age. It really gets across that society needs rules and that civilization is not as civil as it seems. The plot was also very memorable, as not very many people think along these lines.
Cover: The cover reflects the end-middle and the end. It is very inviting to readers who like this type of story.
Age Range: 12-13
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal
tags: coming of age / post-apocalyptic / ya lit
Reader: Guanani
Age: 18
Title: Love in the Time of Global Warming
Author: Francesca Lia Block
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Pub Date: text
Galley: Yes
Top 25: Yes
Convince us to read the book: I really enjoyed this book because it hit an unusual literary sweet spot of having both strong character development and a strong plot. The characters were believable, endearing and complex; all of them grew and changed and came of age throughout the story. At the same time, a legend-based apocalypse is going on, with elements of Greek mythology and science fiction mixed together, monsters and mad scientists and magic butterflies included. The author wields the strange and beautiful plot skillfully in just over 200 pages, and the ending is satisfying while still leaving a few things mysterious and unresolved.
Memorable or Forgettable: Three things make this book particularly memorable for me: the believability of the characters’ interactions and transformations among the fantastical events, the spectacularly implemented use of flashbacks that added to the story without being distracting, and the way the entire book seemed dreamlike while addressing very real emotions and concerns. At first I was skeptical of the premise, but I ended up enjoying the story very much and rooting for the characters as they fought giants and discovered inner truths.
Cover: This cover is beautiful. It is artistically unique while including several intriguing elements from the book, including the butterflies, Pen’s chopped hair, and the waves engulfing the house. It is one of the best covers I’ve seen. I picked up the book because a friend recommended it.
Age Range: 14 through 18 and up
Quality: 5Q Hard to imagine a better book
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal
Annotation: When her quiet home is overrun by apocalyptic waves and one-eyed giants, Pen must awaken the courage, love, and violence within herself to save the people she cares about most. Recommended to anyone who enjoys mythology, The Odyssey in particular.
tags: coming of age / post-apocalyptic / magical realism / ya lit
Reader: Perrin S
Age: 15
Title: Crown of Midnight
Author: Sara J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Pub Date: 08/27/13
Galley: No
Top 25: Yes
Convince us to read the book: The main character is very fascinating - she is one of my favorite things about the book - and two books into the series and we still haven't figured her out (not completely at least). The way Maas builds her characters is wonderful - each one is full of depth and each one is unique.
Memorable or Forgettable: In the middle of the book there was a scene that was by far the most intense scene I've read in a book. Each sentence rolled off the next in a way that was impossible to put down.
Cover: This cover caught my eye, and really was the reason I read the book. The cover accurately captured the feel of the book and was visually pleasing as well.
Age Range: 14 through 18 and up
Quality: 5Q Hard to imagine a better book
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal
Annotation: Celaena is the best assassin in the land and now she works for the king, which she isn't too pleased about. But everything falls apart as the secrets pile up, as Celaena loses her control and everybody gets dragged into a war that might be bigger and more powerful than they imagined.
tags: fantasy / female assassin / Throne of Glass series / ya lit
Reader: Grace KL
Age: 14
Title: Caminar
Author: Skila Brown
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Pub Date: 03/25/14
Galley: Yes
Top 25: Yes
Convince us to read the book: In my opinion, the hardest thing to do when writing is convey a story in very few words. Skila Brown has done this masterfully in a free verse novel set during the Guatemalan Civil War. The first three poems convey the setting and and atmosphere there without flat out saying it. Background information necessary for understanding the war is given slowly, much in the way that Carlos also learns it.
Memorable or Forgettable: This book was memorable not because it just told a great story, but the poems all worked on their own as just a poem. The author did an excellent job of creating a sort of mosaic. Each of the poems stands well on its own, but together they convey the story of Carlos.
Cover: I am fluent in Spanish, so seeing the title in Spanish was what caused me to pick up the book. The cover does convey the sense of hiding in an unfamiliar place.
Age Range: Under 12 through 18 and up
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 2P Only for special interest
Annotation: Carlos only knows life in the village where he has grown up in Guatemala. But when the soldiers come and terror takes the village up in its grasp, Carlos' only option is to run.
tags: coming of age / Guatamala civil war / poetry / ya lit
