Lock and Key, by Sarah Dessen
Dessen, Sarah (2008). Lock and key. NY: Viking Children’s Books. 432 pages.
Sarah Dessen’s popularity among the patrons who compete with me for YA materials at my library is evidenced by the amount of time it took me to finally get my hands on this book. It’s been pretty much a year since publication, and I’m [...]
The Ask and the Answer, by Patrick Ness
Ness, Patrick (2009). The ask and the answer. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press. 513 pages.
After I busted through the first novel in Ness’s “Chaos Walking” trilogy (The knife of never letting go, 2008), I was psyched to read the second volume and, in the end, not disappointed by the series’ continuation. The second book begins mere [...]
Marcelo in the Real World, by Francisco X. Stork
Stork, Francisco X. (2009). Marcelo in the real world. NY: Arthur A. Levine Books. 312 pages.
In spite of my populist ways and commitment to questioning the often elitist adolescent books awards, reviews and ratings systems, I was curious to read Stork’s well-reviewed novel for young adults. Plus, it had a pretty cover.
Told from the first [...]
The Waters and the Wild, by Francesca Lia Block
Block, Francesca Lia (2009). The waters and the wild. NY: HarperTeen. 113 pages.
I just don’t know what to think about Francesca Lia Block anymore. I’ve always been a fan of her delicately gothic urban fantastic young adult novels; lately, however, I’ve felt a bit let down. I had read an interview with FLB in Voice [...]
Into the Wild Nerd Yonder, by Julie Halpern
Halpern, Julie (2009). Into the wild nerd yonder. NY: Feiwel and Friends. 256 pages.
Fifteen-year-old Jessie has always suspected that she is, at heart, a nerd: an ace in all the advanced classes at school, Jessie occasionally sits in on drums for her older brother’s punk band but attributes her ability to her math skills. Somehow [...]
The Knife of Never Letting Go, by Patrick Ness
Ness, Patrick (2008). The knife of never letting go. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press. 479 pages.
So, you know how I tend to avoid both critically and popularly acclaimed (by my peers, at least) novels? In the case of Patrick Ness’s The knife of never letting go, I’ve been proven a major rube. I just finished the [...]
Touch, by Francine Prose
Prose, Francine (2009). Touch. NY: HarperTeen. 272 pages.
This is another one of those books about which I disagree with one of the major review sources–in this case, Booklist–who gave Francine Prose’s third (I think) YA novel a starred review. Here’s the thing: I think that, in the case of Prose, the author’s reputation has preceded [...]
Chains, by Laurie Halse Anderson
Anderson, Laurie Halse (2008). Chains. NY: Simon and Schuster. 320 pages.
Does the fact that I didn’t fall in love with Laurie Halse Anderson’s National Book Award honor title mean that I’m a bad person? To tell you the truth, I thought that the historical fiction was a bit manipulative (particularly the end of the first [...]
Gamer Girl, by Mari Mancusi
Mancusi, Mari (2008). Gamer girl. NY: Dutton Juvenile. 224 pages.
When fifteen-year-old Maddy’s parents divorce and Maddy, her eight-year-old sister and their mother move in with their grandmother in New Hampshire, Maddy is crushed to leave her Back Bay Boston brownstone, private school and gang of friends. After a disasterous first day at school–in a funny [...]
The Forest of Hands and Teeth, by Carrie Ryan
Ryan, Carrie (2009). The forest of hands and teeth. NY: Delacorte. 308 pages.
Deep in a forest inhabited by zombie-like creatures–beings known as the Unconsecrated who have risen from the dead and who hunger for human flesh–Mary and her family live in uneasy peace in a fenced Village patrolled by Guardians and administered by the Sisterhood. [...]