All Eyes on Us by Kit Frick

One look at Amanda and Carter and you know they are the golden couple.  They have all the right clothes, cars and friends. Their future is set- they will be the golden couple for years to come.   But if you look a little deeper, things aren't quite as they seem. 

Amanda is having doubts about Carter, but she knows her parents expect her to marry him so that her family will be financially stable.  Carter is dating Rosalie behind Amanda's back. 

Then there is Rosalie.  Her family are fundamental Christians who believe in conversion therapy and have used it to ensure that Rosalie follows the traditional path and finds a man to marry.  However, Rosalie is gay, and wants nothing more than to spend her life with her girlfriend Pauline, but Carter helps her convince her parents she is 'cured'.

When Amanda and Rosalie start receiving strange texts from someone, it seems that all of their secrets are about to be spilled.  It seems that there is someone who wants to see Carter go from the American boy to having his heart broken.  Amanda and Rosalie, unlikely allies, come together to solve this mystery and try to keep all of their secrets safe. 

I enjoyed reading this book. Rosalie is a great character who I felt a great deal of sympathy for.  On the surface, Amanda seems like a typical rich girl who gets everything she wants, however she is also struggling to live a life that she wants, not what her parents want. 

This book does have some mature content, but it would be fine to be in a grade 7 & 8 classroom /library. 

All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

I picked this book up a few weeks ago in Chapters and now that it is summer holidays I finally got around to reading it. This book is written by the author of Elsewhere (a book I know I've read, but apparently I didn't blog about it- which is strange!) This book is set about 90 years in the future, although life is pretty similar to today. There are a few strange things, like having to pay for each litre of water used and chocolate and coffee are illegal, but other than that the story could be set today. Anya Balanchine is the middle daughter of a mob family. Her parents are both dead and she is responsible for her older brother who has a brain injury and her younger sister. Her grandmother is on her death bed and all Anya wants to do is graduate high school and keep her family together. Yet life keeps throwing curves at her. I don't want to give away any of the plot here, but there are lots of things that Anya needs to overcome. Through all of it, there is Win, a boy who Anya really likes and who seems to be there for her. Anya is a really interesting character. She is strong, determined, and very very smart. She misses her parents very badly, and works very hard to make sure they would be proud of her. Anya knows what she wants, and even though she is only 17, she makes some very difficult decisions. I enjoyed reading this book, there are some mature themes in it, but it is a great read.

Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick

I haven't been reading much this fall, but when Emily came to me to tell me she had Silence and said I HAD to read it, I knew I had to make time to read this one. Silence is the third book in the Hush, Hush saga. The second book was Crescendo. I liked reading both of those books. Last year I was on a real paranormal romance kick and the girls in my class really enjoyed reading all these books after me. I find with any series of books it is often hard to pick up where the last book left off. This book was no different.

The Hush, Hush series main characters are Nora and Patch. Nora is a regular teenage girl and Patch appears to be a misguided boy who Nora is drawn to. Patch however is not a normal troubled boy, he is a fallen angel and while he falls in love with Nora in the first book, he will do anything to protect her from the Nephilim and the Black Hand.

In the beginning of Silence, Nora has been returned after being missing for the last 3 months. She has no memory dating back to five months before. All she wants to do is return to normal, go to school, shop and hang out with her best friend Vee. Of course life isn't easy for Nora, she continues to find herself in sticky situations that leave her totally confused. When Nora meets Jev, for some reason she can't explain she finds herself drawn to him, even when every time she is with him she is fighting for her life. Slowly Nora's memories start returning and she realizes that Jev is Patch, the boy that fills her dreams every night. As her memories start returning, Nora is faced with some frightening truths about her life and she must make some big decisions about her role in the war between Angels, Fallen Angels and the Nephilim.

Again, with this book, I found it hard to remember all the names of the different bands that were fighting and the reasons behind these feuds. However, the romance between Nora and Patch is still strong and I can understand why teenage girls enjoy this book so much. I'm not sure that I will rush out and get the next one, but I will always read it if a student gives me a copy!

Kissed By an Angel, The Power of Love and Soulmates by Elizabeth Chandler

About 3 weeks before school ended a student in grade 6 came to tell me that I JUST HAD TO READ THIS BOOK. That's a pretty big statement to make and I was excited for many reasons. 1. Jessica is going to be in my class in September 2. I love it when kids know how much I like reading their books 3. I was ready for a new book.

It took me a bit to get into the series but because Jessica thought it was the best book ever, I kept going. Kissed by an Angel is a romance novel that has a bit of a twist. Ivy is in high school and has just met and fallen in love with Tristan- the athletic, kind, funny boy who every girl wants to be with. Tristan has only had eyes for Ivy since she transferred to his school. He is the only person that Ivy trusts to share her deep faith in angels. When Tristan dies in a car accident, Ivy soon realizes that he is her guardian angel. Ivy doesn't realize it at first, but she needs someone to look out for her because the accident that killed Tristan was really meant to kill her.

The next 2 books follow the same theme, Tristan trying to save Ivy from someone who wants her dead. The other characters- boys from school, girlfriends and a new step-brother are all introduced and try to help Ivy. Yet Ivy doesn't know who to trust. Just when she thinks someone is the real deal, they do something to make her wonder who she can trust and who is trying to kill her.

I found the story to be a little over the top. I can see why girls would like the story- lots of 'true love' and romance even when he is dead. Ivy's obsession with angels was a bit hard to believe- but again, I can see how girls would love this. All in all, I was glad to have read these books. I can see many girls enjoying these stories, romance, guardian angels, suspense at all.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

This is a book that was getting lots of buzz from people I follow on Twitter. It is one of my favourite genres- Alternative Reality. There is just something about authors who can create a world just slightly different from our own that I really like. I really enjoy the way writers introduce us to the characters, setting and different rules that the members of the society are forced to live under.

In Delirium, society has decided that love or deliria nervosa is a disease and must be avoided at all costs. In order to avoid the side effects of the disease, at the age of 18 people undergo surgery and are usually unable to fall in love. The surgery also means that people are incapable of forming attachments to other people and they move through life in a rather protected shell.

The main character is Lena, a girl who is just approaching her 18th birthday. Lena has been counting down the days until she can have the procedure. She feels that only when she is 'cured' will she be safe. Lena's own mother had a great deal of difficulty with the surgery and was never fully cured, Lena was forced to watch her mother struggle to cope with all the feelings she had for people she was close to. Lean wants nothing more than to be matched with whoever the government decides is her perfect match and to get on with her life. Her best friend Hana is starting to think that maybe the cure is wrong and that maybe there is more to life than just drifting through without feeling anything. Hana's questioning of the way life should be really confuses and upsets Lena. Then Lena meets a boy who starts changing the way she looks at her world. Suddenly she is questioning everything she has always believed in.

I really liked the fast paced approach to this story. Oliver has created this believable world where somehow love is wrong. I found myself getting angry with the way love and caring and connections were seen as being so wrong and dangerous. Lena is such a complicated character. Because of her past you can totally understand why she can't wait for this surgery and watching her struggle to realize that maybe society has it wrong is quite the ride. At first I thought the romance aspect of this book would only appeal to the girls, but after finishing the story I believe that the boys will enjoy this alternative reality book as well. This book reminds me a great deal of the Uglies series as well as Matched.

Gone by Lisa McMann

Gone is the third book in the Wake series. If you haven't read the first two books, you should stop reading this one, because there will be spoilers. You can find my review of Wake here and Fade here

Gone is the final book in the series. I love it when I read a series in one sitting. There is nothing worse than finishing a book and having to wait for a really long time for the next book.

Janie and Cabel are still going strong. They have a comfortable relationship together and have made plans for their future. Cabel understands Janie's special ability and knows that he needs to be there to support her. Janie knows that Cabel will always be there for her, even if it is difficult for him.

Then, Janie starts learning more and more about what her future holds. She knows what things will be like for her and she starts to realize how unfair she is being to Cabel. Janie is faced with two very different futures for herself and she is the only one who can decide what path her life will take. Cabel is forced to try to support her and wait for her decision.

I loved the ending of this series. Janie and Cabel have such a great relationship and are so honest with each other. It just didn't seem fair that the two of them had so many obstacles in front of them. When the book was over, I was very satisfied with the whole series.

This is the only book in the series I would be worried about giving to kids in grade 7 and 8. Janie and Cabel's relationship starts to mature and deepen and they are 18 years old. Their developing relationship at this stage may not be appropriate for elementary students to read.

Fade by Lisa McMann

The is the sequel to Wake- if you haven't read it yet, you might not want to read this post because there will be spoilers.

Fade continues the story of Cabel and Janie. After finding each other, you would think their lives would be happier and safer- but this is far from the truth. They are forced to keep their relationship a secret from everyone because they are both working undercover for the police. This time, they are trying to stop a sexual predator. Janie is trying to use her dream catching power to stop an adult at her school from taking advantage of the young women. Cabel is there to support her, but he is really struggling with Janie putting herself at risk. Just as Janie is about to break open the case, things go horribly wrong.

While all of this is happening, Janie is learning more and more about her power and what she is learning isn't making her feel any better about where her life is heading.

Fade grabbed me right away, I read it in one night, I just couldn't put it down. Lisa McMann tells a very compelling story. She not only deals with Janie and Cabel's relationship- but she also deals with real issues that teens are facing. Again, there is quite a bit of swearing and sexual references in this book, but certainly not over the top or inappropriate for kids in grade 7 and 8.

Wake by Lisa McMann

This week, I've been totally swept up in the Wake series of books. Samantha, one of my students from last year gave me this book to read saying that she thinks I'll like it- she was right. I couldn't stop reading it!

Wake is the story of Janie, a 17 year old who is living with an alcoholic mother and basically raising herself. What sets Janie apart from others is that she gets sucked into other peoples dreams when they fall asleep. Since she is mostly around high school kids when they sleep, their dreams are generally filled with the opposite sex in various stages of dress (or undress). Janie fears that her secret will get out, she can't tell anyone because she knows this isn't normal. This leads her to live a fairly solitary life.

When she meets Cabel, she gets sucked into his nightmares and is slowly drawn into his world. With Cabel, while she gets the support she doesn't get anywhere else, a relationship with him is also dangerous on many levels.

This first book in the series was very compelling. There is a bit of swearing and some mature content, but it fits with the age of the characters and the storyline. What I found most interesting about Wake was the writing style. The short, choppy sentences really left me unsettled and uncomfortable, just like Janie felt throughout the whole book. But it also made me want to keep reading.

I found it interesting that this week as I was reading this series, I heard that the book is being challenged as an inappropriate book to have at a school. I really have issues with book banning. These adults that want to stop kids from reading books don't always seem to understand the maturity level or what compels kids to read. You can read Lisa McMann's response here. I have to agree with her- that the content in this book is appropriate for older students- mature grade 7 and 8's. There is some swearing and sexual references- but if you've been around grade 7's and 8's much- this is part of their vocabulary and thinking. It might be a good place to start a conversation.

13 to Life by Shannon Delany

A while ago I read that one of the biggest trends in publishing for young adult readers is romance novels with a supernatural creature (think Twilight) In the last several months, I've read many books that fit this theme: Fallen, Crescendo, Hush, Hush ,and Shiver In continuing this thread- I read 13 to Life today (gotta love the holidays!)
After her mother's death a few months ago, Jessie's life has been very different. Her father and her younger sister have been trying to hold onto her mother's dream of having a successful horse farm. Things are difficult, but Jessie is managing to move on with her life.
When Pietr Rusakova moves into town, Jessie is assigned to show him around school. At first, she finds him frustrating and annoying, but she is slowly drawn into his mysterious ways. As they start spending more and more time together, the two of them find themselves attracted to each other. However, there is a problem of Pietr's family and Jessie's best friend Sarah who really likes him. Jessie trusts Pietr even when all signs are pushing her away, but that trust is pushed to the limit when Pietr reveals a secret that the rest of his family wants kept secret.

This book follows the same formula as many of the other romance novels. There is always an absent (or dead) parent, an attraction, a secret and many many complications. I liked the character of Jessie and also Pietr- both are individuals who are strong and real. I found there were a few unexplained issues in the story. The character of Sarah and the relationship to Jessie was explained, but not really developed. There was also a new love interest for Jessie's father that seemed odd and ended up unresolved as well. Of course in February the sequel comes out and will hopefully answer many of these questions.

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

One of my students (thank Natalie!) suggested I try this book after she read it. I have seen it several times, but have always blown by it because it seemed like a Twilight knockoff. I'm really glad Natalie suggested I read it-I now have to wait until tomorrow to get to the book store to get the sequel.

Hush, Hush is a romance novel- there is no doubt about it. However, it doesn't seem like that at first. When Nora first meets Patch, she finds him annoying, frustrating and aloof. He seems to like tormenting her. However, Nora is drawn to him- against her better judgement.

When strange things start happening around her and to her, Nora begins to fear for her life. She keeps meeting new people who are not what they seem and appear to have hidden agendas and many many secrets. Patch is no different. He tells half truths and does nothing to instill any confidence. Yet Nora is convinced he is safe.

There is a lot of tension in this story between Patch and Nora, and yet it is pretty innocent as well. I can totally see why girls would love this one. While Patch certainly isn't Edward, he has that bad boy appeal that many girls find hard to resist.

Sea by Heidi R. Kling

Sea is a beautiful story that deals with loss, love, sorrow and joy. It is set in Indonesia just after the Tsunami in 2004. Kling is able to paint a picture of life for the people who survived the Tsunami, and the people who came to help restore the land and the people.

Sienna is a 15 year old girl who has dealt with her own loss and sorrow when her mother's plane went missing three years ago. Everyone but her believes her mother is dead, and Sienna has stopped living her life in the past three years. Her dad tries to force her back to life, by inviting her to travel with his team of experts who are travelling to Indonesia to help children in an orphanage.

Once in Indonesia, Sienna quickly realizes that she isn't the only one who has suffered a loss. She meets children who have lost their whole family. Through the sharing of their experiences and helping others, Sienna is able to start the healing process. But, when she meets Deni, a handsome, mysterious orphan, she gets drawn into his life and his quest to find his family. The two take great risks to learn what happened to Deni's family and at the same time, Sienna learns a great deal about herself as well.

The romance aspect of this book would make it more appealing to girls I think. It would be a nice suggestion to read for those girls who are so crazy about Twilight- however, this book is much deeper than a romance novel.
You can check out Kling's website here: http://heidirkling.com/ - be sure to also look at the book trailer on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjmQEPsQzKw

Suite Dreams by Rachel Hawthorne

One of my students, Laura, suggested I read this book, Rachel Hawthorne is one of her favourite authors. I can totally see why she would like this book, it is a nice romance story for girls. Alyssa has just broken up- or is taking a break- from her boyfriend. He decided to go to Australia on a couch swapping adventure for winter break leaving Alyssa on campus alone. Alyssa isn't too sure what is happening with their relationship, she is just trying to fill the time that he is away with work and taking an extra class at school. What she didn't realize is that the man he is couch swapping with is expecting her to be his tour guide and main contact in Vermont.

When Alyssa and Jude meet, there is an instant connection. As Jude and Alyssa start spending more time together the connection grows stronger. But Alyssa is scared that she is falling too quickly for Jude and she still needs to sort out her feelings for her old boyfriend.

I enjoyed reading this story, I liked reading about the developing relationship. I really liked how Alyssa didn't compromise who she was for Jude. I think young women need strong role models in literature helping them deal with relationship issues.