Three Quarters Dead by Richard Peck

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Three “It” girls befriend a lowly 10th grader. They bring Kerry into their circle of friends and allow her share a little of their fame and notoriety. When an accident happens to the girls, Kerry is left reeling from the tragedy and all alone, until she gets a text from one of the girls. Now a dangerous adventure is in front of Kerry, and she has everything to lose.


This is a supernatural story, but it doesn’t become one until the middle of the book. It starts out as a story about a girl who is so desperate to be popular she sits close to the most popular people hoping some of their coolness will rub off on her. I read the book in one sitting and when it was done it’s hard to say how I felt. The book is interesting, and a quick read. It deals with realistic things like peer pressure and popularity. I’m glad I read it, but I’m not sure what to compare it to or who I would recommend it to. Read it yourself and post a comment. Let me know what you think.

Torment by Lauren Kate

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This is the 2nd book in the Fallen series.  Both books are good.  Daniel and Luce are star-crossed lovers who have been together over many generations.  Neither is completely human and they are both trying to do what is good and right in a war that neither has control of.  This story delves deeper into their past and delivers hard core on romance and the torment of not knowing where you stand with the one you love. 

I like this series.  Luce continues to be a kick ass heroin who doesn’t sit around waiting to be rescued.  The new school was a little blah for me, but I liked the new characters and Luce’s growing abilities.  I can’t wait to see what happens next.  I just hope that there is an end to this story before it gets stale.  I think I can hold on for 2 or 3 more books.  The series is fun, no bad language, and keeps the romance to some serious making out.  It’s a must read for Twilight fans.  (The writing and plot are way better than Twilight.)

Click here to read my review of the Fallen.

The Limit by Kristen Landon

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In the not too distant future the government monitors our spending habits.  Families have a credit limit each month and if they go over it, their children are sent to workhouses to until the families can get under their limit.  As long as you pay attention and don’t spend too much your kids are safe. Matt’s family likes to buy stuff.  They never pay attention to their spending and when he ends up in the workhouse he finds out that the workhouse is not what it seems.

The idea for the book is innovative and original.  The ending was realistic without being hopeless, and I think a lot of teens would like to read the book.  I didn’t feel a connection to the characters and I’m not in live with the book, but I think it’s a matter of taste.  This is a good, easy read with a social conscience.  

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

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Did you read Hush, Hush?  If not read it now.  I can wait.  Ok, now read Crescendo.  This is the sequel to Hush, Hush.  Nora and Patch are back.  Will undying, inhuman love survival the wrath of Archangels and Nephilim?  Read it and find out.

I loved Hush, Hush because Nora was such a strong female character and she went with her gut when she thought things where not right with Patch.  The sequel has Nora acting a little crazy, and Patch is off doing things he should not be.  The amount of action in the story is great but some of the twists seemed a little soap opera-esk. The ending is amazing and had me squealing out loud.  Overall I liked the story and I want to know what happens next.  I hope the next book come out soon, and wraps up the story.  Now that we know Patch’s real name all we need to do is figure out who Nora really is and how she will be able to decide the fate of Heaven and Hell.  

You by Charles Benoit

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Kyle is a regular guy.  He used to get good grades and have good friends.  Now he goes to a different school, has harder friends, and he can’t seem to explain all of the blood.  As he thinks back over the things he had no control over and the bad choices he made he tries to piece together where it all went wrong.

The story is good, and the way it’s told (starting with the end and working backwards) is interesting.  This is a realistic look at the way things can go wrong for “good” kids with just a few bad choices.  The book was good, but I found myself comparing it to another recently published book that is much better.  The Knife That Killed Me by Anthony McGowan takes the story just a little further.  It goes a little deeper and has a character that the reader can identify with a little more readily.  Both stories are good, but if you only have time to read one read The Knife That Killed Me.

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The Walking Dead Survival Test

I have to admit to being caught up in the new Zombie TV Show on AMC.  It's based on the graphic novel series by Robert Kirkman.  The show is great even if you not a zombie fan.  Here is an also zombie survival test.  Enjoy.

http://www.amctv.com/originals/The-Walking-Dead/survival-test

Z by Michael Thomas Ford

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Josh is a just a regular kid living in the U.S. after the Zombie virus.  There was no apocalypse.  People got the virus, it was bad, the world moved on.  Zombies are all gone and the world he lives in is pretty much like ours now.  The games are a little cooler and the technology is a little more advanced, but it’s not like everyone has hovercrafts.  Josh is a gamer and his favorite is an online zombie killing game.   When Charlie invites Josh to play a different kind of zombie game his whole world is changed forever. 

I liked the story and the fact that the zombie plague was kind of like most viruses.  Many people were killed but in the end society goes on.  The way Josh reacts to making new friends and doing things he never thought he would is something that most teens can relate to.  I would recommend this book to gamers, guys, and people who like a twist on the zombie genre. 

Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler

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Lisabeth is anorexic but she won’t admit it even to herself. One night after a bad fight with her boyfriend she tries to kill herself. Death appears before her with the Scales of Office. She will be the Black Rider; One of the four horsemen of the apocalypse. She, a suburban teen with an eating disorder, will be Famine. As her supernatural powers grow, so does her control over her own body. She meets the other Horsemen and learns that there are no easy ways out.


When I heard eating disorder I almost put the book down because I hate reading those books. Those stories are too serious and too sad. I’m glad I read it. The story was powerful and the author really captured what it’s like to have an eating disorder. The writing is realistic and heartfelt, but without sacrificing humor. The book is well written and powerful. My only complaint is that she revealed the inside joke about death. I liked that only someone in their thirties would recognize the description of death for who he was. As the book goes on the author gives away the secret with big hints. I like knowing something that the teens in my book club don’t know about the book. I wish she would have kept the secret a little better. I recommend this book to guys and girls who have had or know someone who has had an eating disorder, and to those who like reading about the four Horsemen.

There is a new book in the series.  It will be published on 4/4/2011.  I can't wait to read it.

The Unidentified by Rae Mariz

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Kid is a player in The Game.  Her school is an old mall that the corporate sponsors have modified.  Teens are the players in The Game.  Their grades depend on how well they do, and if they can get branded by a sponsor.  When a prank catches Kid’s interest she finds herself in the middle of something bigger than she ever expected.

This dystopian story is set in the not too distant future.  Teenagers are only allowed to gather in The Game.  The idea of the story is great: A future world where corporations have a captive audience in the teens that they claim to be educating.  The amount of made up slang took away from the story.  It messed with the flow and was distracting.  Other than that the story is great.  I felt empathy for the characters, and I recognized a lot of the teens who make high school fun and those who make it hell.  The truth behind the mystery is revealed on page 267 and it’s like a slap in the face.  I read it in a one sitting and enjoyed it.  I recommend this book to people who liked the Scott Westerfeld Uglies series.  

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