This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

After finishing a great book yesterday, I picked up two new books and neither one of them caught my attention, so this afternoon I tried this one.  It definitely caught my attention!  I'm not even sure where I got it from, or why I picked it out, but I'm so glad I did. 

This Song Will Save Your Life is about Elise, a 16 year old who has no friends at her school.  She is lonely and feels unliked and unloved.  One night while wandering the streets, she bumps into some girls who invite her to an after-hours Dance Club.  There she starts learning how to put her love of music to good use as well as learning what it means to have friends.  But school is still school, nobody there wants to spend any time with her, or even believe she has anything to offer.  However being part of an after-hours club means lying to her parents and things get quickly out of hand for her. 

I thought this book was great.  It was a bit mature, but nothing I wouldn't have in an Intermediate school.  Elise is a wonderful character, I would love to know her, and it really made me wonder why she had no friends, and why there are sometimes just people like that.  I know that Elise will live on in my mind now that I've finished the book. 

Faking Normal by Courtney Stevens

I discovered this new author the way I seem to always find new authors these days...on Twitter.  I ordered this book right away and I'm so glad I did. 

Faking Normal is not an easy read, Faking Normal is the story of Alexi, a young girl living with the secret of what happened between her and a boy by her pool over a year ago. Alexi has told nobody, and nobody seems to understand why she has changed so much.  But when Bodee, a social outcast at school moves in with her family, Alexi starts to discover that living with her secret is slowly killing her.  But how can she learn to trust again?  And is Bodee really the person she can trust? 

I loved this book, it is a bit mature- I actually called the mom of a girl in grade 8 when I thought she might like to read it to let her know about the content.  Even with the mature bits, it is such a great story.  I loved both Alexi and Bodee and their stories continue to live with me. 

The Lies about Truth by Courtney Stevens

I've found a new favourite author- Courtney Stevens writes books that are so well written and so believable that I start one of her books and cannot put it down until I finish it!  I read Faking Normal a few weeks ago (and apparently didn't blog about it) and ordered The Lies About Truth immediately.  I started it last night before bed and finished it this morning- it was that good! 

The Lies About Truth is the story of Sadie Kingston who is trying to find her way after a devastating accident that left her scarred and living without her best friend who died in the same car accident.  Sadie is such a wonderful character, Courtney Stevens describes her anguish and issues in such a way that makes the read not only root for her, but feel her pain at the same time.  Sadie is stuck in the feelings of guilt and anger towards her friends who were with her during the accident and trying to live with her new normal of how she looks.  The only person who really seems to understand her is her best friends younger brother Max.  But Max moved out of the country a month after the accident, and while they grew really close by email, now that he is moving back, Sadie is afraid of how he will feel when he sees her.  Sadie has a list of seemingly impossible things to accomplish before she can move on with her life.  Things like: drive a car again, wear a tank top that will show her scars, forgive Gina and Gray and kiss someone without flinching.  Sadie has a big job ahead of her, but only by accomplishing things on the list can she really start to live again. 

Loved this book!  I can't wait to share it with kids at my school. 

Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith

I picked this book up at Chapters a few weeks ago. I really like buying hardcover books that are on sale.  I find they do that just before the book is going to be released into paperback.  Hardcover books just last a little bit longer than paperback books. 

I actually felt the whole time I was reading this book that I had read it before, but not enough to know what was going to happen. 

In this book, three friends, Alice, Teddy and Leo have been friends forever.  The night of Teddy's 18th birthday, Alice buys him a lottery ticket as a joke- something you can only do as an adult.  To everyone's surprise, the numbers come up as the winner. This means that Teddy, whose mother has tried to make ends meet ever since Teddy's father left them, has more money than he ever thought possible.  For most people, having that much money all at once would come with it's own challenges, for an 18 year old, this is even more true.  As Teddy learns how to handle all of the pressure of that much money, he makes mistakes along the way.  His friends Alice and Leo are at time frustrated with him, sad that he is changing and worried about his future, all the while trying to figure out what they want out of life as well. 

I loved this book, it was a nice quick read, with some really great lessons. Even though all the characters are 18, this book has no mature parts that would be of concern to give to Intermediate students. 

Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott, Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis

I've seen this book being talked about on Twitter, and even looked at it at Chapters one night.  But last week when I saw one of the girls at school reading it, and when I asked her how she was liking it, she raved about the book.  I asked her if I could borrow it when she was done (thanks Olivia!) and she gave it to me last week.  I'm so glad she did! 

Five Feet Apart, which has just been made into a movie is the story of teenagers living with Cystic Fibrosis - a fatal genetic disease that attacks the lungs and digestive system.  The main characters in this story are Stella, a young girl who is determined to follow all the rules and is convinced that that will let her beat the odds at surviving CF.  Poe, her best friend in the hospital who also tries following all the rules, but also wants to experience life.  Then there is Will- he has recently been diagnosed with B. cepacia a complication of CF that has no cure and is certain to end his life sooner than later.  Will is determined to live his last few years of life, really live. 

Stella and Will meet and they must stay five feet apart in order to protect each other from spreading their disease and making things worse for each other.  Of course when two people with very different views of how to live a life come together, sparks are going to fly. 

This is a great story, not only in informing readers about CF, but also about how important it is to live your life to the fullest, no matter how long you have left.  I really enjoyed all the characters in this story, everyone could see themselves in one of these characters.  I can see why the girls are loving this book, I know it is one I will put on my book shelf as well.