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Sarah Mussi’s first novel, The Door of No Return, is a suspense-filled thriller.  It is a robust and vivid adventure rooted in the terrible history and legacy of the African slave trade. Zac Baxter’s grandfather has always told him they are the last descendants of an African King, but Zac always thought it was just a crazy pipe dream his grandfather clung to.  When his grandfather, Pops, is killed by muggers, Zac is devastated. Dumped with foster parents, then forced into an orphanage, Zac stumbles from trouble to trouble, but over time incidents and clues arise to lead him to believe that maybe Pops’ obsession wasn’t a fantasy after all. Read More →

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Artichoke’s Heart is a typical realistic fiction story where the overweight teen girl clears up her relationship with her family, deals with her mother’s illness, gets a best friend, gets over the bullies at school, gets the boy she has a crush on, and learns to be good to herself. The premise is familiar but the writing and characters draw you in.   It is poignant and sweet. I would recommend it for teens and adults. Younger readers should be aware that there is some mature language and topics. Posted by MichelleRead More →

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To be completely honest, Breaking Dawn, the end to the highly successful Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer, was not everything that I had hoped for. However, it does succeed in giving the delightful love story between Bella and Edward that has enthralled us for three books a resounding finish, and Meyer has pulled out all the stops drafting this story. Adding in a few new twists, lots of characters, and bringing back the vampires we love to hate, Breaking Dawn shatters the Twilight mold and boldly enters a whole new arena. One of the new features in Breaking Dawn is having a large section ofRead More →

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Tanya Landman has written many books for children in the UK, and I Am Apache is her US debut, targeted to the young adult market.  I was originally intrigued by the cover art and the write up inside the jacket, which promises that Landman: “takes readers on a sweeping journey of the American Southwest in the nineteenth century. Drawing on historical accounts, she poignantly imagines the Black Mountain Apache as a tribe fighting to survive the devestating progress of nations.”  I like stories of young women (and men) who step outside traditional roles, rise up, and mature in the face of adversity.  This book fulfilledRead More →

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Opening and closing with the funerals of 2 teens killed by drug violence, Walter Dean Myer’s Autobiography of My Dead Brother, is a stark portrayal of youth for urban teens.  I am always impressed by Walter Dean Myer’s ability to tell honest, and sometimes gritty, stories about the difficulties faced by young men, often African American, whose lives are surrounded by violence. His characters are multi-dimensional and he deftly illustrates how much everyone has in common with everyone else, and how fine the line between good and bad choices really is. Fifteen-year-old Jessie has always seen his slightly older friend Rise as a hero, and the boys made a blood-brother bond as children.Read More →

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In Dyan Sheldon’s Planet Janet, we meet 16 year-old Janet, a melodramatic, misunderstood, and self-absorbed teen. Attempting to transcend life’s “mundane crap” Janet, accompanied by best friend, enters her “Dark Phase,” which is marked by dark clothing, thinking about “DEEP AND MEANINGFUL THINGS”, and calculated pursuit of Elvin, an aspiring filmmaker. Meanwhile, life at home in London grows increasingly rocky. At first we only get glimpses of Janet’s family, all seen through her sarcastic teen eyes, so we don’t really know what’s going on in the house.  But when her parents’ normal fights erupt into full crisis and her brother’s volitle personal life gets out ofRead More →

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I have a copy of The Gathering by Michael Carroll and at first I didn’t realize that it was book two in a series (yes, I see the giant “2” on the cover. Whatever.). I’ll definitely go back to read book 1, but I was able to follow along alright. 10 years ago the superheroes were the rescuers of the human race. The supervillain Ragnarok created a device to strip the heroes of their powers. Now, the children of the heroes are finding out that they inherited some powers. If you like shows like Heroes or enjoyed the giant list of superhero movies this summer,Read More →

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Jerk, California by Jonathan Friesen, is the story of Sam Carrier. All Sam can dream of is being an average guy who can actually talk to the beautiful and perfect Naomi. However, Sam has Tourette’s syndrome, which causes his body to twitch and tic and his mouth to not cooperate with his head. However, Sam’s life is about to change, through the long lost words of his deceased father and his new (and unexpected) friends. The journey he embarks on is one of self acceptance, love, and finding out just who you are in the world. As Jonathan Friesen’s debut novel, Jerk, California is oneRead More →

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Walker feels like his life has been going downhill since his father died.  In Ron Koertge’s Where the Kissing Never Stops, this high school junior has to come to terms with the fact that his dad wasn’t who he thought he was, that his life is going out of control, and to top it all off, his mom has take a job as a stripper. Walker’s relationships in the book, with his best friend, Sully, his new girlfriend, Rachel, and his mom, allow him to explore his changing feelings, insecurities, and daily challenges of growing up.  He learns his father left him some land to useRead More →