Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley. Atheneum Books for Younger Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. 2011. Library copy. Morris Award Short List. The Plot: Some things don’t come back; like Cullen’s cousin Oslo, dead from an overdose. Some things may come back, like the woodpecker that people believed was extinct until [...]
Small Town Sinners by Melissa Walker. Bloomsbury. 2011. Reviewed from ARC from publisher. The Plot: Lacey Anne Byer is a good girl from a good family. She’s sixteen, looking forward to getting her drivers license, spending more time with her best friends Starla Joy and Dean, and getting (hopefully!) a lead role in her church’s Hell House. [...]
Tell Me A Secret by Holly Cupala. HarperTeen. 2010. Audiobook by Octopuppy. 2010. Narrated by Jenna Lamia. Reviewed from audiobook from author. Available from Audible. The Plot: Miranda — Rand — is the good daughter. Xanda — dead Xanda, whose name isn’t spoken aloud by her family — was the bad daughter, the daughter of [...]
Saving June by Hannah Harrington. Harlequin Teen. 2011. Reviewed from ARC from publisher. The Plot: Nine days before her high school graduation, Harper Scott’s older sister June commits suicide. Harper, 16, doesn’t understand. June was the good, popular, nice sister; Harper is the unmotivated disappointment. Harper’s family is no help: her father is with his [...]
Today the One Shot World Book Tour is: Book City! The list of participating blogs is over at Chasing Ray. I’ve chosen a city I’ve never been to, but, because of the author’s books, I feel like I have: Sydney, Australia, as depicted in Melina Marchetta’s book, most recently, The Piper’s Son. So, here is my [...]
Shine by Lauren Myracle. Amulet Books, an imprint of Abrams. 2011. Review copy from publisher. The Plot: “Stunned residents of Black Creek, North Carolina, pray for seventeen-year-old Patrick Truman, beaten and left for dead outside the convenience store where he works.” Patrick is, no, was, Cat’s best friend. Three years ago, something happened and Cat [...]
You Are My Only by Beth Kephart. Egmont USA. 2011. Review copy from publisher. The Plot: Sophie, 14, is protected by her mother: home-schooled, cautioned against leaving the house, moving often go keep themselves away from the No Good. In their latest rented home, Sophie looks out the attic window and sees a boy and [...]
Stay With Me by Paul Griffin. Dial Books, an imprint of Penguin. 2011. Review from ARC. The Plot: Cece and Mack are fifteen when fate — in the form of Cece’s older brother, Tony — brings them together. They have a hundred and two days, from meeting to falling in love to fate bringing it [...]
What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen. Viking, an imprint of Penguin. 2011. Reviewed from ARC from ALA Midwinter. The Plot: Mclean has spent the last two years at four different high schools. At each one, she tries out a different personality: different name, different interests, different clothes. The most recent move lands her at [...]
My Misadventures as a Teenage Rock Star by Joyce Raskin, illustrated by Carol Chu. Graphia, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 2011. Review copy from publisher. The Plot: Who Alex is: “I’m fourteen years old. I’m a rock star.” Who Alex was: “Alex, short for Alexis. She’s a short, pasty, shy, greasy-haired kid with a face [...]
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