YA Pick: A Map For Wrecked Girls (Guest Reviewer Oscar Porras)

A Map for Wrecked Girls
by Jessica Taylor
Dial Books
2017
368 pages
ISBN: 9780735228115

"An exciting, high-stakes adventure." --School Library Journal 

Guest Review by Oscar Porras, library media specialist,  at Ysleta Middle School in El Paso, Texas. Follow Oscar on Twitter @oporras_LMS

A Map for Wrecked Girls is a gripping gem that YA readers will fall in love with. Emma narrates the story of her life both before and after she is shipwrecked with her sister Henri (Henrietta) and a boy named Alex who will change their lives.

Before the wreck, Henri and Emma live in San Francisco. Their father left the family to begin a new life with his girlfriend. The sisters'  lives are upended and their relationship falls apart. They travel to Puerto Rico with their mother who is attending a conference there. The three teens are shipwrecked together and forced to survive the island and each other. The two sisters must confront their past as they struggle to see a future. This is a book of survival, growth, personal demons and forgiveness.

Readers who are drawn to romance, thrillers and survival stories will love A Map for Wrecked Girls.


Highly recommended for grade 9 and up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Fun Pick: Trouble Makes a Comeback (book 2)

Trouble Makes a Comeback
by Stephanie Tromly
Kathy Dawson  Books
2016
298 pages
ISBN: 9780525428411


From the front cover: "Digby's back. Trouble never looked so good."

Zoe Webster is finally getting her life on the "normal" high school track. She is starting to date the quarterback, she is making excellent grades, she has a "life," and for those kids on the outside looking in, it's a pretty sweet one at that. She might even  be said to be a popular girl. Just when Zoe's life is normal and she thinks she is happy, Digby returns! And oh, readers, you will be so glad....

In book one, Digby exits leaving Zoe dumbfounded and confused. They kissed! What did that kiss mean? Did it mean anything to Digby? Because Zoe remembers it quite well. Poor Zoe--with the handsome, popular but clueless quarterback by her side, she simply can't quit replaying that kiss with Digby.

Digby's back and in a big way. He's found more clues in the case and he feels that with Zoe's help, they can solve the mystery. Zoe is an unwilling participant who doesn't drag her feet for even an instant. Pretty soon, Digby is a guest in her home and her parents could not be happier because they think Digby is a fine young man. Cute boyfriend Austin couldn't disagree more. He is mad that Digby is now his girlfriend's roommate and BFF. This triangle thing is not even a triangle.
Readers know that the dynamic between Digby and Zoe is too strong for a third side--even if that side is a cute, popular quarterback. Austin can't match Digby in the brains, wit, personality, or banter departments.

The novel rollicks along at a breakneck speed with plenty of teen appeal, snarky dialog, Digby-isms, and the near slapstick smoldering romance in every scene is a thing of cinematic glory! Digby and Zoe may be the greatest pairing since "The Thin Man"  duo of Nick and Nora Charles (William Powell and Myrna Loy). --Hey, kiddies, if you  want to see Hollywood magic, check out "The Thin Man" series of movies! And no, I wasn't born then, either! I just appreciate true film making!

For readers who love a mystery and so much, much more,  this series is comic romance gold. If this does not get made into a movie, there is something wrong with the world. Readers are sure to laugh out loud at Digby's mannerisms, quirks and antics, and shake their head with wonder at the smart, spot-on  dialog. Tromly has mastered her characters and she could write for any comedy show anytime. I can't get enough of the rom-com chemistry of Zoe and Digby.

This is as much fun as you could ever have reading a book! Seriously.....

Highly, highly recommended grade 7-up. Some mature conversations.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Guest Blogger: Teen Blogger's Pick: You and Me and Him

This blog post was written by teen Joshua Gandara who shared his review with me.

You and Me and Him
by Kris Dinnison
HMH for Young Readers
2015
288 pages
ISBN: 9780544301122

You Me and Him by Kris Dinnison is a downright roller coaster of emotions--love, betrayal denial, embarrassment, and self-hate . In this story Maggie, an overweight high school girl,  and her gay best friend Nash have lived in their little town since they can remember. They've always had a close friendship, but when the new guy Tom--your classic hot body Prince Charming, that every girl wants-- arrives it creates a little tension between Maggie and Nash. Nash calls "Dibs" first and Maggie concedes. In a small town every girl must have the new guy and what are the odds that  Tom will fall for either of them? As  Tom hangs around with the duo, he begins to feel a little attraction to Maggie.


After testing her friendship with Nash, the reader will truly understand Maggie and the bonds of friendship. My Thoughts: This book is amazing and I love the way Maggie who is not your typical YA female protagonist in the physical looks department she can still find romance. Very often in today's society we see the stick thin, beautiful model getting all the love, but finally here someone isn't judged on her appearance but rather  by her personality and heart. The book is told in Maggie's voice so we get an insight to her emotions which aren't always so sweet and dandy, but at the end of the day who doesn't like that? Reading this showed me the true boundaries of a friendship and even reminded me in a special way never, ever judge a book by its cover because the book that might not look the best always turns out to be the best book you'll ever read. Don't be put off by the cover art. This is a book for you!

Highly recommended grade 9-up. Profanity.

THIS IS TEEN BLOGGER 100, Joshua Gandara.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I (Pamela Thompson) received the ARC from the publisher. Teen reviewer Joshua Gandara asked to read and review this book. We received no monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Book Club Pick: The Hand That Feeds You

The Hand That Feeds You
by A.J. Rich
Scribner
2015
273 pages
ISBN: 9781476774589


Gruesome and terrible, The Hand That Feeds You is a psychological thriller that delivers a quick one-two punch. Graduate student Morgan Prager is finishing her thesis at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. She meets her fiancé Bennett through her studies (almost unbelievable that a woman of her intellect would date someone she met in the way she found him--but then some women are crazy). Although he can be commanding, assertive and downright mean, Morgan tells herself she is in love with Bennett. She comes home from class one morning and finds the front door open. She fears Bennett may have left the door open accidentally and worries that her three dogs may be loose. Bennett never liked her dogs and Morgan thinks he may have left the door open on purpose.

Entering the apartment, she is overjoyed to see her dogs alive but they are acting strange. Their coats are red with blood. Morgan starts operating on adrenaline and shock. She finds the body of a man she thinks may have been Bennett. It's too hard to tell because the body has been mauled, the face mutilated and a leg torn off. Morgan begins to  fear what her dogs could do to her. They obviously killed once, what if they turn on her? She backs away and locks herself in the bathroom, calls 911 and waits for help to arrive.

How could this have happened? Could her dogs really have killed Bennett? One of her Dobermans is shot by a police officer. The female  Doberman and Cloud, her Great  Pyrenees are taken into custody. Morgan is taken to the psych ward where she struggles to come to terms with the loss of her fiancée, the horrific bloody scene, and the guilt she feels for allowing her dogs to be in this situation.

Once released Morgan searches for Bennett's mother and father. When she finds only dead ends, she has to ask herself: who was this guy I fell in love with? He has no past and no family. There is no record of him being a music producer. In fact, he seems to be a ghost. Then Morgan finds other women who were duped by Bennett, including one who was recently murdered. The police are no help. Morgan turns to her brother and other close friends.

The closer Morgan comes to the truth and the release of her dogs, the deeper the secrets. Could someone have used her dogs to kill Bennett? Who is the real killer? And is he  now after her?

The Hand That Feeds you rockets off the first chapters. By the middle of the story, I felt a bit bogged down and wanted answers to come.  On the other hand, I felt the ending a little rushed.

As a dog owner and rescuer, The Hand That Feeds You really got under my skin. The ick factor creeped me out entirely. It was not just that the dogs attacked and killed; it was that they were then locked up in a terrible environment.

Recommended for adult readers. If you love animals, you may want to pass on this one. I just can't get over it!

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

YA Pick: Midwinter Blood

Midwinterblood
by Marcus Sedgewick
Roaring Brook Press
2013
262 pages

Magical, mysterious, macabre, and mesmerizing, Midwinterblood tells seven stories that are intertwined with the quiet island of Blessed and its strange curse. Powerful and commanding storytelling by Marcus Sedgewick will have readers completely enraptured by his captivating spell.

Journalist Eric Seven travels to a remote Scandinavian island for a story. The islanders, it is said, live forever and never age, but there are not children anywhere. Eric falls for the enigmatic Merle, a woman who seems so familiar, yet he knows he has never seen her before...or has he? Tor, the island's leader, allows Eric to stay and finds a cottage for his use. As Eric explores the island, he is sure he has been there before. Everything is new and strange, yet feels old and familiar. Eric is bone tired and soon dreams haunt his sleep, and a painting hides the secret of the island.

Other stories revolve around the painting and the island. The story of a plane wreck and a pilot. The story of an archeologist who discovers ancient bones from the Viking era. The story of a painter, the story of a vampire, the story of brothers who both loved the same woman, the story of children sired by another, and the story of the island's curse.

Midwinterblood is a beautifully crafted novel that showcases Sedgewick's talent as a storyteller and a magician--he is able to weave separate stories of each individual into the larger story of the island and of lives relived. Love is stronger than the bonds of time and stronger still than the evil curse. The island cannot hold true love prisoner and eventually the right individual will arrive and change the island forever.

Highly, highly recommended grade 7-up. Average readers may struggle with the concept of the seven stories, but good readers will love this novel. Midwinterblood will surely be on everyone's must reads and favorites lists and is likely to be nominated for many state's awards.

Some violence.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Dystopian Pick: Inhuman

Inhuman (Book 1, Fetch series)
by Kat Falls
Scholastic Press
384 pages
2013

Available September 24, 2013

Gritty, gruesome, gripping and taut, Inhuman begins the next great YA series. Part dystopian, part Island of Dr. Moreau, part survival adventure and all great, Kat Falls hits it out of the park with this book.

Lane (Delaney) McEvoy lives West of the great wall--the wall that separates her safe environment from the East where the ferals live. After a biological disaster, the United States is split apart by the Mississippi River. In the East lies the Feral Zone and it's off limits to humans. To go there is a certain death. Lane wonders what happens in the East but she's not that worried about it until she finds out her father may be in the Feral Zone and may be in danger. In order to clear her father's name and save his life, Lane ventures East.

She meets Everson, a guard who says he'll help her and a dangerous but spirited hunter named Rafe. Lane encounters tons of strange characters and learns that the plague can be halted with medicine--which her father has been supplying.

Her father is nowhere to be found and the three must journey to Chicago--facing dangerous territory and even more dangerous predators.

Lane is a feisty female protagonist with moxie that both boys and girls will love. Fans will want book 2 immediately. I want book 2 immediately!

Gruesome and gory details and edginess make this book suitable grade 9 up.

Highly, highly recommended. Don't miss this one!

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the arc from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Series Pick: Clockwork Princess

Clockwork Princess
(The Infernal Devices, book 3)
by Cassandra Clare
Margaret K. McElderry Books
2013
568 pages

Hauntingly beautiful,  fiercely passionate, steampunk inspired, Clockwork Princess delivers a knockout punch of non-stop action, troubled romance and intriguing mystery. Questions are finally answered: What are Mortmain's evil plans for Tessa? Can the Shadowhunters save Jem's life? Why does Magnus agree to help Will, a Shadowhunter? Who will Tessa choose--smoldering hot Will or good natured Jem? What will happen to Charlotte and the Institute if the Consul poisons the Clave against her? What secrets will be uncovered in Tessa's past? Can the automaton army be defeated by a handful of Shadowhunters?

New alliances and interesting romances develop and old friendships are tested. Gabriel  Lightwood arrives at the Institute in a state of panic asking for the Shadowhunters' help. His father has turned into a demon worm and is attacking servants and family. A battle ensues at Lightwood House and his father is defeated. Both Gabriel and Gideon are welcomed to the Shadowhunters' Institute. Jem's disease progresses and the drug that keeps him alive is nowhere to be found. Will enlists Magnus's help to find more of the healing (and addictive)  powder.

Charlotte continues to fight the Consul who insists that she is "just a woman" and as such, too frail to handle such a powerful position as head of the Shadowhunters. Henry is working on a new invention--a portal that the Shadowhunters can use to magically transport themselves anywhere in the world. Charlotte pores over Lightwood's papers and journals hoping to discover some clue as to Mortmain's whereabouts.

When Tessa is kidnapped, the plot races along  at a feverish pace...Will leaves Jem's deathbed in order to save Tessa. Charlotte begs the Consul to allow the Shadowhunters to go after Tessa and Will. The Consul refuses to let the Shadowhunters travel to Wales, but Charlotte ignores his orders and using the portal, the Shadowhunters, along with Magnus and the Silent Brothers,  prepare for a battle with Mortmain's automatons--the Infernal Devices.

Will finds Tessa and they both  mourn Jem's passing. Their true feelings are finally spoken aloud and their passion ignites. Clare is a master storyteller--she lets the reader see just a few kisses, then "fade to black." Magnus discovers the couple the next morning in a compromising situation  and warns them that the other Shadowhunters are on the way.

The Shadowhunters battle Mortmain's automaton army and Tessa finds her inner power and the secret to her strength.

The ending is poignant and promising.--true love can never be broken and endures no matter what happens.
I was sorry when the story ended but thrilled to have the experience of living in Cassandra Clare's world. The Infernal Devices is as satisfying a series as any reader could hope for. The relationship between Charlotte and her husband Henry develops into real love, and Charlotte realizes how much she loves him when he is injured.  Clockwork Princess is an exciting and brilliantly conceived ending to a remarkable YA series! Will is the steamiest, sexiest male protagonist in YA lit to date--Edward who? (wink, Twilight, remember)?

Highly, highly recommended grade 7-up but with caution. In the scene where Will and Tessa "hook up," Will's shirt comes off, kissing, fade to black, and the next morning Tessa wakes with her head on Will's shoulder. Magnus warns them to get dressed quickly.  Teens probably see steamier scenes on network television. If you have the third and fourth  book in the Twilight trilogy,  this novel is right for you.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Book Club Pick: Life Among Giants

Life Among Giants
by Bill Roorbach
Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
2012
331 pages

Read what others are saying

A sweeping saga, an epic tale, a story replete with steamy seduction, passionate romance, boundless sorrow, and relentless yearning, Life Among Giants is Gatsby-ish in its description of an era in American history when rock stars ruled and English rockers  invaded. Skirts were short and the summer of love was possible.

David "Lizard" Hochmeyer is seventeen and a talented football star. He leads his school to gridiron victories but gets kicked off the team for not cutting his hair. Lizard is a standout and could care less what the coach thinks. Older sister Kate babysits for the neighbors--British rock legend Dabney Stryker-Stewart and his beautiful but dangerous wife Sylphide. Their son Linsey is "profoundly challenged" and Kate helps out with his care. David is enthralled with Sylphide, a famous ballerina who haunts his dreams and threatens his future. The famous family lives at High Side--the mansion across the pond from David's ordinary three bedroom family home. High Side is a proper mansion and the Stryker-Stewarts are the golden couple and darlings of the press.

Lizard goes off the college and plays football for Princeton and later signs a contract with the NFL playing for the Miami Dolphins. In all those years, he keeps tabs on the beautiful Sylphide--he cuts out news and magazine clippings for a scrapbook of all her escapades and dreams of her constantly.

The story  continues as Lizard learns to cook and returns to his boyhood home, taking up residence and watching the mansion across the pond. David and Kate question the past--the death of Dabney and the deaths/murders of their parents. The court ruled it an accident but there is their dad's missing briefcase and the FBI case against his company. Sylphide plays a part in all the drama, and Kate blames her for every death. Lizard is blinded by love and desire.

Lizard opens a restaurant with friends Etienne and Ru-Ru and they become a culinary success. The real story of Dabney's death is revealed and a plan to punish the murderers comes together. Revenge is sweet, but to get away with murder is oh-so sublime!

You won't forget Life Among Giants. It is likely to stay with you a lifetime--the larger than life characters of Lizard and Sylphide will join the ranks of literature's great lovers--Antony and Cleopatra, Romeo and Juliet, Tristan and Isolde. Author Roorbach has created a masterpiece of mythic proportions. This is a novel that can be read again and again. It's that good. I loved Life Among Giants and it has made it to my best books of all time list along with To Kill a Mockingbird and The Shadow of the Wind.

Highly, highly recommended for mature readers grade 9-up. Language, mature situations, murder, romantic triangles.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Ghostly Pick: The Dead and Buried

The Dead and Buried
by Kim Harrington
Point
2013
304 pages

The Dead and Buried is a spooktacular mystery with a sweet swoon-worthy boy who has secrets of his own and a smart heroine who refuses to let a mean ghost take over her house and her life.

When Jade and her family move into town and to a posh neighborhood, she questions (to herself) how her family can afford the house, but it's soon forgotten. She's excited to attend a new high school; her last school was small and everyone knew everyone. She can't wait to have new adventures and meet new friends.

Pretty soon, Jade notices other kids staring at her and whispering behind her back. Jade does some digging and finds out a teenage girl was found dead at the foot of the staircase in Jade's new house. Her parents "forgot" to tell Jade this little detail. The kids at school say that Kayla was pushed; others say she simply fell to her death.

Little brother Colby tells Jade he sees a girl in his room and she doesn't talk to him but she "glimmers." Jade thinks Colby is making the girl up, but when Jade keeps finding her belongings moved around, she realizes that an angry ghost might be haunting them.

Kayla (the ghost) is as angry in death aa she was angry and mean in life. Jade has to figure out who pushed Kayla to her death or Kayla will harm Colby. Kayla's diary holds the key to the mystery and the murder. If only Jade can decipher it in time to save her brother.

This is the best ghost story I've read in a long time. It has all the elements of a great story: a large haunted house, a mean and angry ghost who keeps her own secrets, a hidden diary written in "code," a murder mystery, a love triangle or two, a secret about the ghost's family, a nice guy who's as haunted as the house, and a light romance. Kim Harrignton keeps getting it right. Fans of her Sleuth or Dare series will enjoy The Dead and Buried, and anyone who loves a ghostly mystery will race trhough this book.

I loved the way Kayla's diary was written. Instead of coming right out and naming people, she gives everyone a number. Jade has to study the diary to figure out what number is assigned to each person. I was able to figure it out pretty early on and even knew who the killer was, but that didn't stop me from thoroughly enjoying the book.

Highly, highly recommeded grade 7-up. No language. A teen party and a love triangle. Kayla (the ghost) uses boys as her conquests, but no graphic details are spelled out.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Chick Pick: Epic Fail

Epic Fail
by Claire LaZebnik
Harper Teen
2011
304 pages

This delightful romp will remind teen readers of "90210" and "Gossip Girl" with maybe a little "Clueless" thrown in for good measure.

Sisters Elise and Juliana Benton move to Los Angeles with their old-fashioned, conservative parents (no cell phones or text messages in their rooms, no t.v. until homework is done) and two younger sisters. When they enroll in Coral Tree Prep they find themselves in the midst of beautiful celebutantes and uber-rich kids.

Derek Edwards is the son of Hollywood mega-movie stars--think the Jolie-Pitt kids--and you'll have how famous and rich his parents are. Gorgeous, rich and pampared, yet Derek has trust issues. He knows tons of people want to be his friends, just to rub elbows with the Hollywood elite. Oh, poor Derek! Elise thinks he's stuck up or just plain mean and doesn't give him the time of day. She prefers weird, but funny, Webster Grant. Derek has real anger management problems around Webster but he doesn't want to tell Elise about their past.

Girls who revel in gossip and celebrity teen magazines will love this read. Elise finds that appearances can be deceiving and sometimes your first instincts are terribly wrong. Maybe the boy with trust issues has a right to be stand-offish. And maybe the charming boy has a bad-boy mentality.

Recommended grades 9 and up. Some underage drinking; some language, some inappropriate topless pictures leaked to the Internet.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.