Uglies: Shay’s Story by Scott Westerfeld

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Shay is living in Uglyville waiting for the operation that will make her pretty.  While out on her hoverboard she makes friends with some Crims and starts exploring outside of Uglyville.  What she learns makes her question if she wants to be a Pretty or not.

This is a great new addition to the Uglies “Trilogy”.  Scott Westerfeld has teamed up with Devin K Grayson and Steven Cummings to make the first Uglies graphic novel.  It’s great to see things from Shay’s perspective.  I hope they do a few more of these. 

Eve by Anna Carey

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Eve and the other girls in The School are protected from the outside world and The Plague.  They are learning and when they finish their primary education at age 16, they will go to the secondary school to learn their trade.  Eventually they will help to rebuild society.  That is what everyone believes, but what if things don’t happen that way?  What if life is different after graduation?  When Eve discovers the truth she finds herself on the run fighting for survival. 

I like this story.  It’s a little more Handmaids Tale then Hunger Games, but the adventure and the world around Eve read true and realistic.  I like the romance (usually not my cup of tea) and the pace of the book.  I would recommend this to teen girls looking for a Hunger Games read alike or those who like a little romance with their adventure.  This is already being marketed as a trilogy so expect two more books to come out soon. 

Gone by Michael Grant

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In a quiet town in California, in the middle of class, everyone over the age of 14 disappears. Adults and older teens just blink out of existence. In the world that everyone now lives in there are no rules, no parents, no one to tell kids what to do, fix a broken arm, or make food. Add to that the fact that there are little kids and babies who need to be taken care of and you have a pretty gripping story. But why stop there? Let’s pile on. Some kids have special super abilities and some kids are powerless. When the power hungry kids from the private school come to town and clash with the public school kids anything can happen.


I enjoyed reading this book. I’m reading the sequel right now. I hardly ever read a whole series, because there are too many good stories to get to and I don’t have the time, but I really want to know what is going to happen to these kids. The book drags a little in the middle, and it takes a while to get where it’s going, but the final showdown is worth it, and there are some amazing action sequences that would translate really well to a movie. There is a lot of violence so if you are sensitive to that sort of thing don’t read the book. The main characters are mostly 14 and that is the youngest aged teen I think I would recommend the book to.

Blink and Caution by Tim Wynne-Jones

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Blink is a sixteen year old runaway who spends his time stealing rich kid’s clothes so he can sneak into hotels and eat left over room service before housekeeping cleans up the hallways. Caution is a runaway living with an abusive, drug dealing boyfriend. When Blink sees a not quite kidnapping, and Caution runs away with some serious drug money their lives are thrown into turmoil. Fortunately they find and try to help each other. Unfortunately they are facing double the trouble trying to solve the kidnapping mystery and stay alive.


Why is it that whenever I read a gritty and unusual urban fiction book it’s almost always set in Canada? Those Canadians know how to keep me interested, even without spells or the walking dead. This book is written in a fast and exciting way. Guys who don’t want to read will be sucked into Blink’s story. There’s no flowery prose here, but somehow the story gets told…and it’s told well. The blunt way the story is told mirrors the blunt and rough way these teens are living, without being to over the top.  There’s some cussing, and drugs, and a whole lot of violence, but what do you expect from a mystery book written about runaways. My advice is to Read It.

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

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In Tally’s world everyone normal is an Ugly. It’s ok, because when you turn 16 you get an operation and you become a Pretty. You get to leave your ugly life behind and move to New Pretty Town, where you can party and have fun. Tally has snuck out and seen the parties and the pretty people for herself so she can’t wait for her operation. When there are only a few weeks left until her operation she makes a new friend who challenges what Tally thinks about being pretty. Soon Tally is given an ultimatum; she can turn on her friend or stay ugly forever.


This is one of those books that I read so long ago, and I just assume everyone has read it, but of course not everyone has. I LOVE THIS BOOK!! If you only read one book I recommend this is the one. It’s set in the distant future. The old governments failed, and a virus destroyed all of the worlds’ oil. New ways of living and doing this had to be created. The government decided that the reason people hated and made war was because people where jealous and hated people who were different, so their solution was to make everyone the same; Beautiful. I love the concept and the delivery. This is a clean read, with a lot of action. I recommend it for guys and girls. I predict you will get sucked in.

This is my favorite cover for the book.  It's been reprinted and recovered a lot.

 

Divergent by Veronica Roth

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Candor - The quality of being open and honest in expression; frankness


Abnegation - Renunciation of your own interests in favor of the interests of others

Dauntless - Invulnerable to fear or intimidation

Amity - Peaceful relations, as between nations; friendship.

Erudite - Having or showing knowledge

Society is divided into five factions, each valuing a different virtue. The day has come for Beatrice and everyone else who is sixteen to choose which faction she will belong to. Once they choose, they must complete an initiation. If they survive initiation their faction will become their new family. Beatrice make the difficult choice and starts initiation. What she discovers about herself and the world she lives in, threatens to change her way of life forever.

The book is a Hunger Games and Maze Runner read alike; teens in a distant future, trying to survive. The idea of choosing who you will be for all time, when you are so young, echoes reality where teens are meant to choose a college and career before they even know who they are yet. Reality aside, this kind of survival story is exciting to read. The characters are well thought out and multilayered. I’m interested to see where the story will go if there are sequels. I would recommend this for guys and girls who like action and survival stories. There is some romance and the story is slightly more girly than Hunger Games. The movie rights have been picked up so we will be seing it before to long. 

Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan (Forest of Hands and Teeth Sequel)

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Annah is alone in a dying city. She can’t keep waiting for Elias to return to her, and she can’t stay in the city any longer. She must go back to her village in the Forest of Hands and teeth. When she meets Catcher and he seems to know things about her, she makes the decision to find her long lost sister and find a way to make a home. Of course nothing goes as it should in the Zombie Apocalypse future.


I was so excited to read this book because I really loved the Forest of Hands and Teeth and the Dead Tossed Waves. This book was kind of a letdown. I found myself picking it up, and putting it back down. I just couldn’t get into the characters, or muster up much interest in what happened to them. I’m not really sure what why the book fails to deliver, but maybe it has something to do with trying too hard to weave the stories together, or the hopelessness in the story. This particular story was not for me, but you might like it if you like romance, and tormented lounging (and I know some of you do).

Virals by Kathy Reichs

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Tory moves to a remote island to live with her dad near the research facility where he works. There are other teens on the island and they become friends. After Tory saves a wild wolf dog from an experiment, she and her friends are infected with a virus that gives them heightened senses and reflexes. The virus turns them into Virals. Now they are similar to the wolf dogs that the infection came from; they are a pack. They use their new abilities to try and solve a murder.


This book never took off for me. I read it and kept waiting for the exciting part to happen, but it never did. The beginning was slow, and there was a lot of background and build up about the relationship of the group. Once they were infected and started to have the special abilities, it was still slow. On the front cover James Patterson gives the book an endorsement. I think the book is trying to appeal to fans of the Maximum Ride series, but the book lacks the fast action and believable friendship in the group of teens. It reads less like a teen book, and more like what an adult thinks being a teen is like. This was not the book for me, but it might be for you. Let me know what you thought.

Trapped by Michael Northrop

Scotty and 7 others are trapped in their high school when a record breaking blizzard strikes. Over ten feet of snow piles onto the roof of the school where the kids are trapped. The windows are obscured and the halls are pitch black. There is plenty of food in the cafeteria, but without electricity how can they cook or stay warm? They are buried in the school, and know on knows they are there. They are trapped.

I loved the book. Survival stories are my favorite, especially when the situation is realistic. These are regular students, no geniuses. They are trying to survive it what is a very realistic situation. The teens read true to their age, and the situation, and the description of the events and the weather was so spot on I felt cold while I was reading it. I would recommend this book to guys and girls who like survival stories and realistic fiction. There was no cursing or sex, but there was plenty of longing and death.

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The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

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This is the sequel to The Maze Runner.  I loved the book.  It has complex characters (including some new people), betrayal, danger, action, and a serious mystery.   This book is about as close to the Hunger Games as you’re going to get these days.  I’m hoping that this will just be a trilogy and that all of the answers will be revealed in the next book.  This book is a must read.  I recommend it for mature 12 year olds and older.  There is a little romance, and lots of violence.   It’s a great survival story and those are my favorite!   

Alien Invasion & Other Inconveniences by Brian Yansky

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Jesse is a regular teen living in the U.S. He is at school when everyone around him just stops moving. It looks like everyone has fallen asleep, but they are all dead. That's how the Earth is conquered by aliens; not with a bang and lights and battle, but with silence. What follows next is the real invasion. The humans, or product, that is left are rounded up and taken to houses to work as slaves. Jesse is taken to the house of Lord Vert and is assigned various mundane tasks. If the product is good they will do as their told and live a painless but hardworking life. Jesse and the others are not good product, so Lord Vert has his hands full.


I loved the story. It's funny and heartfelt. The aliens are not all good or all bad, the same way that the human product is not all good or bad. The story moves quickly and does not leave the reader time to wonder what's going on, but when the story ends it leaves you thinking. I recommend this for teen guys who like survival stories, aliens, and humor.

I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

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Nine Lorien children and their care givers escape a planetary massacre.  They flee to Earth, the nearest planet that can sustain life.  They will grow up on Earth, come into their powers, and get ready to fight the evil aliens who destroyed their world.  Once they are of age, they will go home and rebuild their planet.  The book starts with the death of the third Lorien.  This is the story of the forth Lorien.  He moves from town to town, staying under the radar and trying to survive until his powers, or Legacies, are fully developed and he is able to defeat the murderous Modagorians.  This book is about Four's life, his fight, romance,and the friends that he makes while growing up.

This is the first book in a series.  There has to be more because the story does not end.  I can't wait for the next book and to see the movie.  It was a fast and exciting read, with lots of action, PG13 romance, and very little cursing.  I would recommend this to guys and girls and anyone who likes action.  Check out the link below to see more information on the book and play some cool games.  (I didn't include this picture just because Alex Pettyfer looks awesome.  It's just a bonus.)

Click here for the Book Webpage.

Matched by Ally Condie

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Sometimes perfection can be perfect hell.  - Jack's Mannequin 

In the distant future everything is perfect.  People are assigned the jobs they are best suited to, their meals are delivered hot each night to provide the perfect amount of nutrition, and when you turn seventeen you are matched to the person who will be your perfect mate.  But what happens if the government is wrong?  What does it mean if you have more than one perfect match?  Cassia has just been matched but it's not what she thought it would be.  Now her whole world is turned upside down and she's not certain that her perfect world is as it seems.

OK.  Think Hunger Games without the fighting. This book is great.  If what you liked about Hunger Games was the love triangle this is the book for you.  It also has a controlling government meddling in the lives of its citizens.  All of the characters are well thought out, the romance is serious but chaste, and the government was just evil enough to keep me reading.  I've been to the authors webpage and this is going to be a trilogy.  The next book will be out in November 2011 and the way this book ends it seems like we will be learning more about the world outside the perfect suburb that Cassia and her family live in.  I can't wait!

Click here to watch the book trailer on YouTube.





The Maze Runner by James Dashner

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Thomas is in a box that is moving up; when he opens his eyes he is in the Glen. Outside of the Glen is the Maze. He is alone and without a memory of how he got there or why. He is with a group of about 50 teen boys. Together they work hard, farm, and try to solve the Maze. Soon circumstances change; Thomas and the other boys are in a race against time for survival.


Fans of the Hunger Games will like this story of teen survival. What happens at the end lets the reader know that there will be another story. We get to find out a little about a conspiracy and we get a glimpse of the people behind the Maze. I liked the book and can’t wait to read the next in the series.

The Lab by Jack Heath

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In the near future, the world is controlled in by an evil corporation.  There is no government and no police. The only hope for people is The Deck; a secret organization fighting for human rights.  The best agent in The Deck is Agent Six of Hearts.   He is the best agent and not just because he has never failed, or because he has never had to kill anyone during his missions.  He has certain genetic advantages that if discovered, would put him in great danger.  His current mission will reveal things about his past, and force him to decide if he is really human at all.

The book is fast paced, exciting, full of action, and totally addicting.  I found myself turning the pages as fast as possible so that I could find out what would happen next.  This story is strong, the characters are well developed, and the action never stops.  This book would be a great movie, but they would have to have John Woo direct.   There is plenty or violence, but no bad language or sex.  I recommend this series to fans of the Alex Rider series by.  Guys who like action will enjoy the book.  If you read the book at love it there are two other Agent Six books:
Remote Control
Third Transmission

(A forth book will be released in September 2011)

Click here to follow Agent Six of Hearts on his blog.

Zombies Vs Unicorns Edited by Justine Larbalestier and Holly Black

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Team Zombie Led by Justine Larbalestier:         Team Unicorn Led by Holly Black:

Alydia Dawn Johnson                                             Garth Nix

Carrie Ryan                                                               Naomi Novik

Maureen Johnson                                                    Margo Lanagan

Scott Westerfeld                                                       Diana Peterfreund

Cassandra Calre                                                     Meg Cabot

Libba Bray                                                                Kathleen Duey

Justine Larbalestier and Holly Black have an ongoing feud about which creature (unicorn or zombie) reins supreme.  Something that started as friendly banter on Justine’s blog has now become a battle royal to answer once and for all the question of what creature is better. The overall merit of zombies and unicorns are being judged based on social commentary, usefulness as a plot devise in stories, mythology throughout history and the all important total coolness factor.   The two authors gathered supporters for their respective causes and enlisted them to write stories featuring zombies and unicorns.  This anthology resolves the question once and for all.  

I highly recommend this book.  I’m a member of Team Zombie; I’m even thinking of getting a t-shirt made.  Putting aside that unicorns haven’t been cool since a bedeviled Tim Curry tried to kill one in The Last Unicorn (If you haven’t seen the movie you should go to Blockbuster and get it.  This is Tom Cruise before he was crazy.)  the idea for the book is a great one.  In spite of the fact that I’m not a fan of rainbows or horned beasts I love the book.  Even the unicorn stories where good.  Of course the Zombie stories are better, but that’s to be expected.  

This is a great book for older teens, and for zombie or unicorn lovers everywhere.  

The Enemy by Charlie Higson

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Another Good Zombie Story.  This one is Lord of the Flies meets 20 Days Later.  In the not to distant future, London, and the rest of the world has fallen victim to a strange and horrible plague.  The sickness affected only people over the age of 16.  Everyone over 16 has been afflicted with a sickness that wiped out almost every adult.  Those who survived are flesh eating animals.  The kids are the only reasonable people left and they are trying to etch out an existence while avoiding starvation and gangs of flesh eating zombie adults.  

The book could have been cheesy, but it is poignant.  In the fashion of Golding, the author manages to portray kids and early teens as they are, and could be.  Higson shows us many sides of the main characters, and tells the story from the point of view of many different characters.  The story sucked me in and didn’t let go until the end.  Every time you think you know what’s going to happen next, you are surprised.  This is how a zombie story should be. the zombies are the backdrop for the real action...how the kids interact.  READ IT!

This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer

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          When there is no government, no food, and everything you know is now different what hope can you have. For Miranda and her family living in upstate New York is no longer the quiet country life they have always known. Without electricity and with their food supplies dwindling they are struggling to just survive. The book is told in the journal entries of Miranda and is full of amazing detail and imagery. This was interesting and I enjoyed reading it. I was in the middle of another book, but I got sucked in to the story and couldn’t put it down.

          This is the third book in the series about what happens to the Earth after a meteor collides with the moon knocking it closer to the earth. Because the Moon is closer to the Earth there are tidal waves, tsunamis, earth quakes, and volcanic ash blocks out the sun. In the 1st book we are introduced to Miranda’s family and in the second we meet Alex’s family. The third book unites both families.

This is the second book

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This is the first book

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The School for Dangerous Girls by Eliot Schrefer

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          Angela is a dangerous girl. She has been kicked out of a lot of schools. She breaks rules. She dates the wrong guys. Now the family member she was staying with has been hurt and the blame falls on Angela. Her parents are not able to deal with her so they send her to Hidden Oaks; a reform school to make her better. Hidden Oaks is a place for Angela to learn how to obey. As soon as she gets to the school she learns this is not like other schools. Soon she finds out that the school has a terrible secret and that she is the only on who is dangerous enough to change everything.
          The catch phrase for the main character in this book is, “Stay dangerous”. To me the book was not dangerous at all. The characters all had problems and acted in ways that were stupid and not at all interesting. The idea of a school where girls who have been bad, are given a second chance is great. Even the idea that some of the girls are too dangerous and instead of being given help they are forced to live horrible lives full of abuse and punishment is interesting. The idea of a book that exposes what goes on in some of the reform schools in the U.S. is a great one. This book just didn’t pull it off. The plot was thin, the pacing was really slow, and the ending was lackluster. The dialog between the girls is unrealistic, and the dialog between the girls and the parents dosen’t really convey any emotion from either side. Overall this book didn’t work for me.
          If you’re interested in a book about crazy schools, juvenile offenders, and scary faculty I would read Boot Camp by Todd Strasser. Boot Camp gives a much more realistic look into the world of child correction schools. It moves a lot faster and the reader can’t help but be sucked into the characters’ world. While reading Boot Camp I felt a real connection with the characters. I never felt connected to any of the girls in The School for Dangerous Girls.
          If you’re interested in reading about bullying and punishment, but don’t want mare of an action packed adventure I recommend Lockdown: Escape from Furnace by Alexander Gordon Smith. It’s the story of a teen that gets arrested and sentenced to life in a maximum security prison 10 miles underground. It’s very creepy and exciting; complete with masked guards and a warden who is both terrifying and mechanical. Even with all of the drama and horror of the prison, this book still does a better job of exploring the boys who are locked up and the culture that breeds violent and aggressive teens.