Timeless and Timekeeper by Alexandra Monir

Timeless and Timekeeper are two books that tell the story of Michelle Windsor, a teen who discovers that she has the ability to travel through time. The first book, Timeless, is when Michelle discovers her ability while the second book, Timekeeper, reveals a sinister plot to take everything away from her.

It all begins after Michelle's mother dies and she's reunited with her grandparents that she's never known about. Within her mother's belongings, she discovers a mysterious key. When she holds the key and the diary of her one ancestor, she finds herself suddenly transported in time to that of her ancestor. In this new time, she discovers that only certain people can see her, including a young man named Phillip. She and Phillip for an instant connection, but the fact that she's from a completely different time and can't control her time travels puts a huge damper on their relationship. Worried that their unattainable romance might destroy Phillip, Michelle races against time to make things right.

In Timekeeper, Michelle's world shifts when a new boys appears in school looking exactly like Phillip from the past - he even has the same name and signet ring. If he is the Phillip she'd fallen in love with, why doesn't he remember her? Helping Phillip remember their connection, though, is only half of her battle as she discovers that a woman from her father's past (Rebecca) is determined to destroy her. She now has seven days to make sense of her time traveling abilities and figure out how to stop Rebecca. 

In the realm of sequels, sometimes you can get away without reading the first book. In some ways you can with this book, but things will make a lot more sense if you read the first book. Personally I thought Timeless was a stronger book than Timekeeper. Given that both books are about time travel, there is a lot of shifting between the years. The first novel does a better job of making the timeline clear. There were a number of times in the second book that I became confused about which time and what happened in this time. There were characters overlapping because she's visiting Phillip but sometimes he young and then he's an adult but there's also her father and he's around at the same time as Phillip. Years might be mentioned and I couldn't figure out who was at what age at what point in that year. At times it made my head hurt. I almost wanted an actual time line of the character's past to visually see it all work out. But that might just have been me. The second novel also spent a ton of time explaining the logistics of time traveling, all of the rules and explanations as to how this happened. This is another thing that became very confusing, but again I might have just grown too frustrated to put in the brainpower to sort through it all. Both novels have a good plot, but I felt something was lost in the second book that didn't make it as enjoyable as the first novel.

If you're looking for a romance that is not by-the-books but doesn't involve paranormal crossovers (vampires, zombies, etc) this book is worth a shot. The author cares about the history she's recreating and thoroughly researched each era to vividly describe the past. So if you'd like a little taste of history without being stuck in the past, give these books a shot.
MMK

Last Year's Mistake by Gina Ciocca

During Kelsey's junior year of high school, her family moved away. She started fresh at a new school and gladly left behind her first two years of school. During her senior year, however, her past found its way back into her life. When David moves to her new school, she can't avoid the memories of the fact that they'd been inseprable best friends. That was before he started dating girls who hated her and suddenly things became complicated. One event changed it so that for an entire year she didn't have any communication with him. Now he's back in her life and she has to figure out if she ever really let go of the past.

This book is told in alternating chapters between present (senior year) and past (freshman and sophomore year). It jumps between the fact that Kelsey is currently at odds with the fact that David is in her life and the way things had been between them. The novel is fairly typical in the teen drama department. You have the tension between David and Ryan's current boyfriend - not only in terms of Kelsey's affections but also because they're both competing for spots on the baseball team. There's also drama as Kelsey sees her best friend dating someone and not seeing the same side of the girl that she sees. Then there's also the fact that Kelsey doesn't fully understand her own feelings - then and now - as she struggles with him being just a friend and not more. When it comes to the big culminating event that drove them apart, it's a little bit anticlimactic. In my opinion, it makes Kelsey's reaction to completely cut him out of her life a little juvenile and that their entire relationship meant nothing to her. 

The novel is a good read if you're looking for teen romance and a tale of second chances. The drama is fairly typical, but what would the life of a teen be without drama? It has more meat than other teen romances, so it is worth picking up.
MMK

The Heir by Kiera Cass

When I read the third book in the Selection series, I thought it was the end of the trilogy and series. I was wrong and the series continues twenty years later with the story of their daughter in much of the same addicting fashion as the first few books.

After everything that America Singer and Prince Maxson accomplished at the end of The One, things in Illea aren't perfect. They've eliminated the caste system, but the people are having trouble adjusting to the new way of life and the fact that their next ruler will be a woman. Eadlyn is the firstborn of four children and the future ruler, ready to do what needs to be done to prove that a woman is capable of leading the country. With the unrest of the people, the king and queen feel that a happy distraction is called for, so they create a new Selection for Eadlyn to find a spouse. Although she eventually goes along with it, she's an independent and stubborn woman who doesn't want to get married and doesn't believe in love. While she initially planned to push the guys away, slowly a number of them start to work their way into her heart, including Kile, the son of her mother's best friend whom she always thought was annoying, Henri from Swendway who doesn't even speak English and his translator Erik who seems to understand Eadlyn even though he's not even a contestant, but then there are the others who have her questioning what her grand plan is with this competition like Ean who is more than willing to her forever companion without demanding love. The Selection is not without its bumps, but if Eadlyn can stop being so scared, she might be able to find the same kind of love that brought her mother and father together during their Selection.

This is the second to last book in the series - there will supposedly only be five books. While it is helpful to have read the first three books, one can pick up this book and work their way through it without complete knowledge of the prior novels. While it has much of the charm of the first books with the whole teenage "Bachelorette" dating game, Eadlyn is a bit of a brat and unlikable. It has been a year since I read the first novels, but I felt like I could root for America and the other characters, whereas for most of the novel Eadlyn is annoying. She comes off as stuck-up, too good for their entire process because she doesn't want a man. She can do it all on her own. Then she starts to grow and you start to like her and in the next breath she's back to her old ways. It's nice to see her come around near the end and it'll be interesting to see how things turn out in the conclusion. Knowing there's only one book left, though, I wish the love connections were a bit stronger come the end of this book - that it was down to the final four so that we could see who really mattered to her. There's a lot going on that it's hard to think it will all get the right amount of attention in one book. Yes, there are the four or five who she keeps gravitating to, but I wish it was a little clearer who she was thinking about (the first three books had the clearly defined love triangle with America). The author has a plan, so who am I to really say anything. I know, though, who my top three are and it'll be interesting to see if that's the direction Eadlyn goes.

This novel succeeds like the previous three to pull the reader in. It creates a dating game scenario and then gives you unique contestants for you to root for as the main character grows and realizes that love does not make one weak. With the conflict of her heart on top of a country uprising, there's more than enough pull to bring the reader back for the hopefully stellar conclusion of this entrancing series.
MMK

Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross

It is nothing new to re-imagine a story, which is exactly what this novel does. It takes the world of fairy tales and puts a modern day spin on the story.

Mirabelle is embarking on her sixteenth birthday and is ready for the truth. Her parents died when she was a baby and she has since been raised by her godmothers who have kept her away from the place of her birth. Given the fact that she's forbidden to return home and the secrecy around her parent's death, Mira's natural curiosity gets the best of her, and she hatches an elaborate plan to run away and discovery the truth by her birthday. When she arrives in Beau Rivage, she realizes that her plan wasn't completely thought out since she doesn't have a place to stay or any idea where to begin looking. She finds herself killing time in a casino and meets a boy named Blue who rudely warns her to stay away from her brother and get out the casino. When she finally leaves, she runs into an older boy who offers her a place to stay and turns out to be the brother Blue warned her to avoid - Felix. However, Felix is too nice and helpful to be bad, so she disregards Blue's advice. While she waits for an opportunity to search for her parents with Felix's help, she finds herself spending time with Blue and his friends, all of whom seem a little strange. When she notices the way animals flock towards one friend and another coughs up flower petals, she realizes that something isn't right with these people. Then she discovers that one friend has a mysterious birthmark identical to her own, which means she's somehow connected to these people. She learns that each mark relates to a curse or blessing, relating each marked person to a fairy tale. In her case, she is marked to prick her finger on a certain object by her sixteenth birthday and fall asleep until an honor-bound person with her same mark comes along to wake her up. Now, while she searches for her parents, she also has to discover what object will be her downfall. At the same time, she has to figure out what to do about her growing feelings for Blue in conflict with her undeniable feelings for his brother. Given the fact that these brothers are cursed and the women they love are affected by this curse, Mira's situation has just gotten a whole lot more complicated.

There are certain elements of this novel which are frustrating, like the fact that Mira is only fifteen and running around with complete strangers and ready to jump into bed with an older boy that she's only known for a day. Just because he's nice to her and helpful is no reason to be hopelessly in love with him. This novel definitely requires you to suspend reality for just a bit. I personally kept forgetting that she was only fifteen since all of them seemed to read more like eighteen or nineteen. Still, it was interesting to see how these fairy tales play out, especially when this novel toys with the idea of fate and how their destiny is already written out for them. She knows who her Prince Charming is, and, unfortunately, it is not love at first sight. Blue and Felix are horribly cursed and there's nothing they can do about it, which is something Mira will not accept. The novel created a really intriguing world and easily sets up future stories. At least one other novel is coming out in 2015- Tear You Apart - which is Snow White's story, but characters for Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid have been introduced. Her website (http://www.sarahcross.com) features a Cinderella story.

If you enjoy fairy tales and can overlook some literary cliches (head over heels in love with a near stranger, bad boy attraction, etc), this is a enjoyable book. It's fun taking a familiar story and setting it in new world with new twists. Come the end of the novel, you are rooting for the characters to have their happily ever afters and looking forward to more from this strange new (yet familiar) world.
MMK

Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

All Britt wanted to do was have a great spring break hiking in the mountains with her best friend Korbie and forget about her break-up with Calvin. When she learns that Calvin is going on the trip as a chaperone - since he’s Korbie’s older brother - she’s torn between making him pay for breaking her heart and considering a reconciliation. Before they make it to their cabin in the mountains, however, they are hit by a massive blizzard and forced to abandon their car on the side of the road. Britt and Korbie manage to find shelter with two hikers, but it’s not the salvation they’d been hoping for. Shaun and Mason need to get off the mountain, and Britt is the one to help them. She knows that they’re hiding something, and she slowly begins to realize that they might be connected to the disappearances and deaths of three women in these mountains. Now all she cares about is her own survival and the hope that resourceful Calvin would come to her rescue. It doesn’t help her situation when one of her kidnappers turns out to be the opposite of what she things. Can she trust him or not?

This novel is a romantic suspense novel. Given the whole hostage situation, that makes it a little bit of a Stockholm Syndrome novel, although I think that there is some degree of truth behind her feelings for one of the kidnappers. He does genuinely help her throughout the novel and extreme situations do tend to lead to extreme feelings (at least that’s what seems to happen in novels). Whether or not a relationship between them would work in the real world, it makes for entertaining fiction. In terms of the suspense, I figured it out halfway through the novel, but I’ve been accused of thinking too much when I read, so maybe the big reveal will be more surprising for another reader. Even knowing what was going to happen, the novel was still enjoyable. There are enough turns in their journey to keep things interesting and the reader wondering how they’ll get out of this situation.

Overall, this was a satisfying novel. There’s enough to keep you going to the end as you hope everything works out for these characters and justice is served.

MMK

The Selection Series by Kiera Cass

Publishers Weekly captures the my initial reaction to this series: "A cross between The Hunger Games (minus the blood sport) and The Bachelor (minus the blood sport)." While it doesn't have the action that the Hunger Games has, you see similar qualities in the main characters. This is a captivating trilogy that constantly pulls you in different directions but always back for more.

Book One: The Selection
In a future version of the United States (after two World Wars and now known as Illea), the Selection has been established to find a princess for the prince of Illea. Girls of a certain age are encouraged to enter a lottery to be one of 35 girls chosen to be candidates for the Prince's heart. America Singer, has no desire to be a princess. Although she is only a Five, she is currently in love with a Six - a boy named Aspen who is in the caste below her. Everyone knows, though, that getting chosen for the Selection would change everything for her family, so her boyfriend and family both urge her to enter. When she is selected and Aspen breaks up with her, everything does change and a trip to the palace is the perfect escape for her heartache, even though she has no interest in Prince Maxon - a fact she makes clear the first time she meets him. So rather than fighting for his heart, she becomes his friend, which seems to be the perfect solution until Aspen shows up at the palace as a guard and she realizes that she just might have feelings for the prince after all...

Book Two: The Elite
After the Selection was cut down to six, the competition became more serious, as does the conflict America faces between Maxon and Aspen. The decision of which man holds her heart faces multiple obstacle - just when she seems committed to Maxon, something happens that makes her question his true character, but then she also realizes the real consequences of what being caught with a guard in a compromising position. It doesn't help matters that five other girls are monopolizing Maxon's time and affections. How can she be certain of his love is he's also sharing his love with others? On top of the drama of the Selection, the rebels are unhappy with the palace and repeatedly attacking, leaving behind immense destruction and fear. Their displeasure is related to the caste system and how poorly the lower castes are treated, something America is well aware of being the only candidate from one of the lower castes. When given a chance to speak her mind, America finds herself making an enemy of the king who wants her out of the competition, but what about Maxon?

Book Three: The One
America's antics have her walking on thin ice as she has to prove she's worthy of being a princess, despite the fact that she's growing in popularity with the public. After Northern rebels (less violent compared to the Southern rebels) contact Maxon and America, the truth about how little they know about their country's history comes to light and what needs to be changes to create peace. With the king's displeasure mounting against America and the stress of running a country growing, it's time for the Selection to come to an end. While the answer seems clear, it won't be easy.

To be honest, I don't know what it was about this series that I loved so much, but it hooked me and I couldn't put the books down. Even thought the books take place in the future, it feels like the past with kings, queens, princes and a caste system. Whether past or present, it all works to create setting and drama. The first book does a good job of setting America apart from all of the other girls. Come the end of that book, there is the love triangle which initially made me fear that it would be a constant back and forth of who she chooses and it would just make her a wishy-washy character. I thought, though, that the series does a good job of making realistic obstacles for whatever wishy-washiness that arises. She's not just in love with two people, it's history with one and the responsibility of being a princess with another and the fact that he's sharing his "love" with a number of other girls. It's real to be torn and you sympathize with America's struggles. The first book felt the most fluffy - just a romance, but there hints that it would be more and the series delivers in the final two books. The stakes are upped and it's no longer just a competition to win the Prince. Before you know it, you're fully invested in all of these characters, wanting to see a happy ending for everyone and the just desserts for the enemy.

I really enjoyed the series. The first book is nominated for an Abe Lincoln award, which is why I picked it up in the first place. I'm glad I did. This was one of the most enjoyable series I've read in a long time.
MMK

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Along the same lines of Ghostbusters and Supernatural, Anna Dressed in Blood is about exterminating a ghost. When the ghost is an attractive teen aged girl and the hunter is a teen aged boy, things get a little complicated.

Cas Lowood is following in his father's footsteps, which means killing ghosts. After his father was murdered by the ghost he was trying to kill, Cas takes over his job and travels the world dealing with the local haunts who have a habit of not resting peacefully. If a ghost is responsible for mysterious deaths, you can count on Cas to handle the problem. His latest target is "Anna Dressed in Blood," a teen aged girl who had been killed on her way to a dance and now dismembers her victims who dare to enter her house. Cas first meets Anna during a prank gone wrong and was startled - not by the appearance of the ghost, but by the fact that she didn't kill him, unlike other unsuspecting prey. He soon discovers that Anna isn't exactly what she seems and that other forces are at play. With the help of new friends, Cas works to free Anna and to come to peace with the monster that killed his father years ago.

This was an enjoyable book. Supernatural books aren't my usual genre, but there's nothing like a creepy ghost story that makes you double check under your bed before going to sleep. This novel has a good amount of creep factor, although I don't think it will keep you up at night. It's intriguing, though, because like Cas, you start to feel sorry for Anna as you discover this struggle she's dealing with since she feels guilty about killing. As a romance blossoms, you realize that this book appeals to both males and females. Overall it's an enjoyable book. In light of it being an Abe Lincoln award nominee, I'm not as impressed compared to the other Abe books I read. This one is a good story, I liked reading it, and I might even consider reading the sequel Girl of Nightmares. Thinking of it as a book up for an award, though, I feel like there needs to be more to it - something that I walk away with when I finish the book. I didn't feel that way with this book. It's a great story and I enjoyed it, but I don't think there's enough behind it to make it an award winner.

If you're looking for an enjoyable ghost-busting, local-lore-hunting novel, this is the book to pick up. It's a great story that pulls you in with likable characters that you want to see succeed. It might not keep you up at night trembling in fear, but it is a great story.
MMK

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

This novel is nominated for the Abraham Lincoln award. It is as much a teen romance as it is about coping with a divorced parent's betrayal and learning to move on.

The last thing Hadley Sullivan wants to do is travel all the way to London to watch her father get married to a woman she's never met. Yet here she is in an airport waiting for a flight because she missed the first one by all of four minutes. As she waits for the next flight, she befriends a fellow traveler - a teenager named Oliver. The two of them hit it off and even manage to sit together on the flight, allowing them hours to form a bond that helps Hadley face seeing her father for the first time in about a year. Throughout the entire flight, Hadley is trying to cope with the anger and betrayal she feels for her father's decision to leave her mother and her for life and love in England. Even when she lands, she's immediately whisked away for the wedding with no time to address anything with her father. Then she learns the real reason Oliver is in England and feels the pull to be by his side, but who is she to do such a thing for a boy she's only known a few hours? Are Hadley and Oliver meant to be together? And will she make peace with her father before it's too late for their relationship?

This entire novel takes place over twenty-four hours. For the first part of the novel it just seems like two teens hanging out - nothing too memorable about the experience. I didn't initially get the feeling that this was two teens falling in love - the type of love that has Hadley frantically trying to find Oliver after they land. Their relationship seemed to be more about what the other person does for their sanity than necessarily how they make their hearts soar. As Oliver says at the end of the novel, "I feel better when I'm with you" (234). Hadley is going through an extremely emotional time - she's exceptionally mad at her father - and Oliver does a lot to help her cope with that. So this novel is subtly not even really about falling in love. I think this novel is really more about both characters working through the relationships they have with their fathers. Don't get me wrong, there is definitely a relationship that forms between them and Hadley is crushed when she thinks their time has come to an unhappy end, but this book has a bigger picture which makes it more than a fluffy romance.

This novel is a fairly quick read. Through it you get the joy of a romance and the hope that comes with a character undergoing emotional healing. This is a well rounded book and an enjoyable read.
MMK

Irresistible by Liz Bankes

Irresistible is a novel that explores the draws girls have for the “bad boy.” Mia is fortunate to get a waitressing job at the Radleigh Castle Restaurant during the summer. There she meets Dan, a co-worker whom she immediately hits it off with. However, she also meets Jaime, the attractive son of the owner of the estate. While Dan is a sweet, down-to-earth guy, Jaime is the “bad boy” who doesn’t shy away from ruining people’s reputations. When Jaime and his girlfriend Cleo meets Mia, they draws her into their world of questionable relationship statuses, late night swims, and parties in the pool house, all of which escalates when Cleo goes away on vacation. Mia is torn between the perfect guy Dan and the intriguing Jaime who is simply bored with nothing better to do with his time. Mia is unprepared for what happens when this double life is horribly exposed, risking everything she’s gained, including her friends.

While I understand the appeal of the “bad boy,” Jaime just seemed like a jerk. Near the end of the book, it says that he became a better person when he was around Mia, but I wish that was more prominent in the novel because he just seemed like a mean person. He seemed to show no remorse for toying with others. Aside from him being attractive and the allure of a rich guy, I didn’t understand what Mia’s draw was to him. Her constant association with him even turned her into a person with no regard for her family or friends. Come the end of the novel, while it is left open ended, Mia seems to end up getting her act in gear and realizing what she was risking with this relationship, but I simply didn’t understand the draw to Jaime. I always thought that with a romance the reader would want the characters together - to have some sort of reader appeal with the “hero,” but I didn’t get that with this novel.

This novel is for older teens looking for a more complex/sophisticated relationship or “romance.” While I am all for romances, this one missed the mark for me.

MMK

Torn by Erica O'Rourke

So, this is a supernatural romance/adventure.  Its hard not to compare, just a little, to Twilight.  A twit of a girl with two love interests, but Mo turns out not to be as light weight as Bella.  I would never have made it through this book otherwise.  Mo's best friend is killed by really scary other world beings and Mo was witness.  She has vowed to avenge her friend's death even before she really knows what is going on.  Luc eventually fills her in reluctantly as she gets in the way of  supernatural activity that is spilling over into the flat world.  Flat meaning without magic.  There is a powerful ring involved and a destiny to be a vessel to stop a torrent of evil.  It had been thought that Verity would be the vessel to stop the evil torrent.  With her gone it must be stopped some other way and that turns out to involve Mo and nearly cost her her life.  She is a very determined, self sacrificing person which makes her likeable for me.  Luc is similarly likeable and they both mature considerably on the way to the final pages.  Collin, the other guy is never as strong a character as Luc and Mo.  There is room for a sequel here.There is a discussion guide at the end of this book that bring out some issues to think about.  Its a good idea to read these issues even if you don't discuss with anyone.  JDW 12/13

Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer

Adult author Jodi Picoult enters the world of Young Adult literature with a novel that she wrote with her daughter. It is completely different than what the author has written before but is just as enjoyable.
 
This novel starts in the fairy tale world of a book called Between the Lines, about a young prince who goes on a journey to rescue a princess. In the next chapter, however, you learn that the world inside the fairy tale is real and all of the characters are actors forced to repeat the story every time the book opens. The Prince, Oliver, is desperate to escape the world he feels trapped inside. On the outside world is the reader Delilah, who has fallen in love with a book because she feels connected to Oliver. One day she notices something different in the illustration and suddenly Oliver is communicating with Delilah. Together they try to come up with a plan to help Oliver escape from the book so that they can be together. Will it work? Or will Oliver be forced to live his life on repeat.
 
This is a unique and clever story that was enjoyable to read. It was nicely paced with a steady roller coaster of hope and then let down as the pair came up with plan after plan. I liked the illustrations throughout the story and how it intermingled the fairy tale with the current story of Oliver and Delilah. It was also nice to have different chapters from the two different points of view. My only complaint is that I'm a little confused on how it all works out in the end. I wish it was explained a little bit more and that we got to see more clearly how all of the pieces fit together. Otherwise it was a really enjoyable book.
 
I've been a fan of Jodi Picoult for a long time and this book was a nice change. Although it does not sound like her other books, that gives it an authentic feel that she really did write this with her daughter. It was a great story and well worth the read, especially if you ever considered what happens to the characters of your favorite book when you read the last page.
MMK

Newly Wed by Nancy Krulik

This book lies in limbo between good and bad as well as in terms of audience. It doesn't quite have young adult appeal, but it won't quite appeal to an adult audience.

Jen is a senior in college and Jesse has already graduated and is a junior associate at some business. The two, after knowing each other for eight months, are getting married. Through a deal with the online dating service where they met, they get a free wedding if they chronicle their marriage online. It sounds easy enough, but the newlyweds have a lot on their plate between their conflicting personalities, pressures from work and school, as well as other newlywed problems. Will it get to be too much, or with this couple stick it out?

The author of this book is known for children's books and young adults. This book definitely reads like a young adult book in the manner that it's written but I question how much appeal the first year of marriage will have for teens. It is a fluff novel - there's not much depth to it. This might, now that I think about it, be a good transition novel for teens who like romance but aren't quite ready to delve into the adult romance world. The book does a decent job showing some of the newlyweds' struggles but, in a way, it's a simplistic view of their issues. Everything could have gone further and I would have liked more of the blogs they had to post. The book, though, is an interesting idea and the story all works together.

Limbo is the best way for me to describe this book. It doesn't rest fully in one ballpark or the other. It's not bad, but it's not great. It doesn't have the depth of an adult book, but it's not quite a young adult topic. If you're looking for a fluffy romance, this is a decent book to pick up.
MMK

Prom & Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg

This is a quick and enjoyable read that anyone who enjoys Jane Austen will appreciate.

Lizzie Bennet is an outcast at Longbourn Academy because she is one of the dreaded "scholarship" kids. Teased and harassed on a regularly basis, Lizzie can't help but have her defenses up when around fellow students with money. Forced to join her best friend Jane at a reception between their school and Pemberly Academy (a reception in preparation for the ever popular prom), Lizzie meets Jane's beau Charles Bingley and his friend Will Darcy. At first Lizzie thinks Darcy might be nice, but then he proves to be just like all of the other people with money and her defenses shoot up. No matter what Darcy does now, Lizzie won't bend and when things fall apart for Jane and Bingley and the sneaky George Wickham enters the picture, Lizzie doesn't know who to trust or who to believe in. Can she let go of her pride and prejudices to see Darcy's true character?

This novel did a great job capturing the story of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice in a modern time where it's not about finding a husband, but a prom date. It was a pleasant surprise to see familiar characters pop up in new ways. That's definitely not to say that someone unfamiliar with the original tale can't enjoy this novel. It just goes to prove how Austen's tale is truly timeless. Everything flowed nicely and fit logically. At times it felt like the language was off, but I don't know if that was just how I read it - sometimes I find an English accent going off in my head, especially if I'm reading something Jane Austen. Therefore, I don't know if this was just the way I read it or if the language was stilted - like she was trying to throw in some of that formalized talk like from the original novel. It wasn't anything, though, that distracted from the whole of the novel (nor the excessive use of exclamation marks at certain unnecessarily points).

I've always been a fan of Pride and Prejudice so reading this book was a treat. It was a quick read and I really didn't want to put the book down (if only I didn't have a bedtime). Any fan of Jane Austen or chick lit will enjoy this book.
MMK

The Body Finder by Derting

This novel is a great romantic suspense story which combines the teenage drama of falling in love with the suspense of finding a serial killer.

Violet has a unique ability to sense bodies of people and animals that have been killed. She senses the "echo" that the body projects, whether it is a sound, sight, taste, or smell. In addition to the echo, the body leaves an similar "imprint" on the killer. She can then connect the imprint the killer wears to the echo she senses on the body, even though she's the only one who experiences the phenomenon. Luckily the Chief of Police is her uncle and trusts her ability. For the most part, though, she just finds animals. All of that changes, though, when she finds a body in the water, the first body of a man kidnapping girls and killing them. When the next girl goes missing, Violet thinks that she can use her ability to not only find the missing girl's presumably dead body, but also catch the killer. In the meantime, Violet has noticed that her best friend Jay is way more attractive than he was before the school year began, and she's not the only one who has noticed. Now she has to ignore the jealousy she feels towards the females swooning around him and figure out how to keep her feelings in check so that she doesn't ruin their friendship.

I really enjoyed this novel. I thought that it had an even mix of dealing with the hunt for the killer and typical teenage love drama. The novel also includes a few chapters from the killer's point of view which is a nice touch. While I'm not a fan of "paranormal," Violet's ability was really interesting, especially how it wasn't limited to humans and she would sense it with animals. This novel had a nice flow to it and really held my attention - the climax leaves just enough out to have you guessing what's going to happen in the last chapter. It was a great book, although the romantic aspect of it might dissuade boys from reading it.
MMK

Crash Test Love by Ted Michael

Crash Test Love in some ways falls victim to teen cliches but still finds a way in the end to stand out and not fall prey to the predictable.

Henry is the ultimate playboy. He's good with girls - able to read them and figure out who will be an easy hook-up - and has no interest in relationships. All he wants to do is crash Sweet Sixteen parties and find girls. Then he meets one who has him questioning if that's really what he wants out of life. Garrett just moved to town and is done with boys after a recent break-up. As she tries to fit in, the "J-Squad" or the cool girls in school, proposition her with the promise of friendship if she lures Henry into falling in love with her and then publicly breaking his heart. At first she's hesitant but after hearing Henry started a rumor about her, she feels a little payback never hurt anyone. The plan is soon in motion but, of course, they both fall in love and Garrett begins to have second thoughts until it all spirals out of control and they're both left hurt. Will they have a happily ever after or are things just not meant to be for these two characters struggling to figure out how the opposite sex fits into their lives?

Much of the novel seemed to be typical teen cliches - the devious cool girls (we all know about Mean Girls), the bet to break some unsuspecting person's heart, the inevitable falling in love between the predator and prey. That said, it all still worked and I think that the ending saved it from being too cliched by throwing in a touch of reality. One thing I liked was how the author created the main characters' personalities in the way their chapters were written. Henry was into movies so dialogue was written like a script. The author used this format to even show a shift in the character and the way he interacted with the world. However, I didn't really like how he wrote Garrett and her interest in music as randomly the last words would be a song title and the artist in quotes. It was completely random and somewhat annoying. Or else there were "Top three *artist* songs going through my head in relation to *some topic*. I think that it'll really date the book and I wasn't sure if I needed to know the song to get the purpose of the connection or why it was happening. Henry explained why he saw things as a script and I didn't feel Garrett's style was really explained so it was a bit irritating.

This book was a quick read and enjoyable. Despite the cliches it gave a nice dose of reality with regards to relationships.
MMK

The Espressologist by Kristina Springer

After reading multiple adult fiction books in a row, it took me by surprise to return to young adult fiction just because of how simplistic some of the writing is. This novel is an interesting idea but it's just so basic in terms of storyline with minimal conflict. Just the same, it's a nice quick read and sometimes you need a break from the heavy books.

Jane Turner works at a coffeehouse and believes she can define people based on the drink they order. She takes this belief one step further and tries to hook up people based on compatible drinks. After a few great connections, her boss gets wind of it and turns Jane into a promo for the holidays were you can get a drink and a love connection. In the meantime, Jane has connected her best friend Em with a friend from college - Cam - and has a tiny tinge of jealousy that they're hitting it off so well. At the same time, she can't exactly figure out what's going on with Will, the really hot guy who always comes in and flirts with her. Then she gets featured on a hit TV show and her little hobby might be more than she can handle.

This book was cute. It is an interesting idea that our drink choices might define us, but it's all too easy - especially when all of her connections work out so wonderfully. Can she really be that dead on based on people's coffee choices? Come on! Then there's only about ten pages of actual conflict at the end of the novel because Cam seems to have more feelings for Jane than he does for his girlfriend and there goes Jane and Em's bff status. It's too typical and everything ends up happily ever after - even the mean girl starts to sing a different tune. Maybe my expectations are too high and I'm looking for more than just a quick summer read, but this book could have stepped it up a little. Just because it's a fun romance doesn't mean it can't have depth or a lot of conflict. True there was the "what's up with Will" conflict and the "this is too much for me to handle" but it was all so simple and easy. Clearly I'm expecting too much but why not? Teenagers can handle it and if you pass it off as so easy, you risk misleading them.

Was the book good? Yeah, it was a nice quick read. Could it have been better? Yeah, I think so. Should I read it? If you like fun chick lit you'll enjoy this book.
MMK

The Blue Star by Tony Earley

I picked up this book because I had read Jim the Boy by Earley. The story of Jim Glass's childhood and upbringing and enjoyed it. This book begins with the start of Jim's senior year in high school which is just before the December 7th bombing of Pearl Harbor. The setting is in a small farming community in the mountains of West Virginia. Jim has just broken off with his long time girlfriend Norma to whom everyone assumed he would get married. And promptly fallen in love with a new raven haired beauty who is promised to a sailor and cannot date him.
Readers find out what happened between Norma and Jim and how Norma chooses to handle it. They see Jim unable to leave alone the girl who would not have him. There is a town dance during which Jim's best friend Dennis Deane gets a younger student pregnant. Dennis drops out of school. Marries the girl and goes to work at a saw mill in a neighboring town. Its a hard life for him and Ellie even though they are in love. The sailor Chrissie was to marry is blown up at Pearl Harbor and still Jim hates him, resents him, believes its him preventing Chrissie's interest in him. As soon as the school year ends many of the boys including Jim prepare to ship out to military training and the war, hoping they will come home again. There is a tear filled bitter sweet ending sure to make any girl cry. This is romance from a guy's perspective than anyone could enjoy. The setting in World War II, the language, the religious attitudes, the prejudices are all well done. I think lover's of books by Nicholas Sparks would especially enjoy this book. Its not too big, its not as cliched, its not overly dramatic as Sparks can sometimes be. By the way The Blue Star of the title is a flag hung in the window of houses where son's were serving in the war.
JDW6/30/10

Will Grayson, Will Grayson - John Green and David Levithan

Will Grayson and Will Grayson, one is straight and one is gay. One lives in Evansville Indiana and the other in Naperville and their lives are about to become intertwined. Straight Will Grayson has his friend Jane, who he likes, and his other friend named Tiny who is gay. Tiny isn't tiny at all. He's a big offensive lineman who's been friends with Will Grayson since the fifth grade. Gay Will Grayson is more of a loaner and has a few friends including Derek, Simon, and Maura. He's been talking to Isaac online for a year and they decide to meet. They decide on a place in Chicago to meet up at. Straight Will Grayson and his friends are across the street at a club to see a band they all like, but straight Will Grayson can't get in because his fake ID says he's 20 not 21. He's determined to use his ID, and goes across the street to a porn shop where gay Will Grayson is waiting for Isaac. They meet each other with gay Will Grayson thinking that straight Will Grayson is Isaac. Isaac turns out to be Maura, and it was her way of making sure gay Will Grayson was really gay. Tiny and Jane meet up with Will and introduces them to the other Will. Tiny goes off with Will Grayson while Jane and straight Will Grayson say that they like each other, but can't be together because Jane has a boyfriend. Tiny and Will Grayson begin to date and on top of that Tiny has his musical he's putting together about his life. About a week before opening day Tiny and Will get into an argument about the character based on Will. They don't talk for a few days, and he finds out from Jane that Tiny and the other Will have broken up. Tiny and Will make amends and along with Jane put on Tiny's play for the school to see.

I absolutely loved this book. From the opening sentence to the ending sentence the book grabs you, holds on to you and doesn't let you go till it ends. Green and Levithan draw the reader into the lives of both Will Grayson's and you can feel the emotion coming through the words as you read. It's almost like you are there watching the story unfold before your eyes. I would recommend this book to everyone.

T.B. 4/12/10

The Flowers by Dagoberto Gilb

Gilb gives an authentic voice to the young Chicano teen narrator. I would liken this to that which Sherman Alexie did for Native American Teen boys in his book Absolutely Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Sonny is a likable, compassionate kid who lives in the Flowers Apartments with his mother and stepfather. He experiences the comings and goings of many of the residents as he does chores around the building of which he has many. He has his first sexual experiences and his first romance (not at all the same thing). He is witness to prejudice and other not so legal activities in the run down neighborhood. So many, many of the books for Chicano kids revolve around gang activity this is a refreshing book filled with colorful imperfect characters worth getting to know.
I read this because folks were questioning its appropriateness for teen readers. I think its exactly right on. I'm happy to have it in the teen collection for teens to find. JDW 1/8/10