Winger by Andrew Smith Ryan Dean West is 14, on the varsity rugby team and a junior in high school. This comes with its own set of problems, add a skinny wise guy, rooming with the
biggest bully on the rugby team and you have a very funny book. These are not Ryan's only issues. He is in love with his best friend Annie who only thinks of him as a little kid. This doesn't stop him from creeping on the other girls in school. The trouble Ryan gets into is laugh out loud funny. He handles it with humor and sarcasm. Ryan makes some bad decisions along the way but that's what makes him so likeable.
With all the buzz about this book I just had to read it and I was not disappointed. A coming of age story told by a 14 year old junior in high school. I will say the ending was unexpected and I'm not sure what it had to do with the rest of the story.
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson This has to be one of the strangest books I have read. The premise of reincarnation is not a new but the story of Ursula Todd truly is a unique one. Ursula Todd is born on a snowy night in London in 1910. This is the story of her many lives and deaths. I say deaths because how she dies is just as important and how she lived. She is truly a unique and strong character. Ursula dies and is reborn so many times you need a score card to keep up but it is not until she enters adulthood that we really get to know the character. Each time she dies and comes back she changes something in her life and we see how different choices have different outcomes. Some of the ways she dies are brutal but the most disturbing part of the book was her life during WW II. It was brutal and the horrors she endured left nothing to the imagination. This book is beautifully written but can be confusing at times. Do I recommend it? Yes but it is not for everyone.
All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin This is a story of choices; the right one is not always the easy one. The year is 2083 and 16 year old Anya's dad is the head of Balanchine Mafia. He deals in the illegal sale of chocolate and coffee. After her parents are killed Anya is sent to live with her 80 year old grandmother. She is determined to keep her brother and sister out of the life they grew up in but fate it seems has other ideas. She is falsely accused of trying to kill her ex-boyfriend and the people she is running away from may be the only ones who can save her. I loved this book. The idea that the two things I just gotta have are illegal intrigued me. Anya is strong but conflicted and at times might seem a little to good but that doesn't keep you from caring about her and hoping she chooses the right path.
Smashed by Lisa Luedeke Katie is about to enter her senior year in high school and life is looking pretty good. She already has a full scholarship to college but she also has a dark secret. If she tells anyone it will turn her life and plans upside down, that is, if it doesn't destroy her first.
Smashed is a cautionary tale about teenage drinking and the consequences. It reminded me of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. Told by Katie you feel her pain and just want to give her a hug and let her know she is not alone.
Shine by Lauren Myracle Don't be fooled by the beautiful book jacket. This is a very tough book to read. Cat and her best friend Patrick are close but lately Cat is pulling away and spending more time on her own. Patrick is openly gay and has paid for it many times in this small North Carolina town. But after he is found brutally beaten and left for dead Cat must come out of her self imposed exile and try and find the person or persons who did this to Patrick. As the story unfolds we find that Cat also has a dark secret. This is a tough read and deals with some even tougher subjects; bullying, gay bashing, rape and bigotry. I think this is a must read. It will leave you feeling angry and drained but Myracle's writing is so beautiful it is well worth it.
The One I Left Behind by Jennifer McMahon Thirteen year old Reggie is a little awkward and is struggling to build a relationship with a mother who has no interest in her daughter's life. This is only the beginning of her problems. A serial killer has come to her hometown leaving a severed hand as a calling card and a posed body for the police to find 4 days later. As Reggie tries to find her way, her mother falls victim to the killer but her body is never found. Jump ahead a couple of decades and successful Regina gets a phone call, her mother has been found and is living in a homeless shelter but she is dying of cancer. Regina puts her life on hold to take care of her. Unfortunately for Regina her mom is not the only one to re-enter her life, the serial killer is back and Regina's mom and best friend are in the cross hairs. She only has 4 days to find the killer and save them both.
This was a great book. It had lots of twists and turns that keep you guessing.
Across the Universe by Beth Revis Sixteen year old Amy and her parents are about to embark on a 300 year journey. They are leaving everything and everyone behind to start over on Centurion Earth. In order to make the journey they must be put into a cryogenic sleep, everything is in place for their trip but Amy is woken from her frozen slumber 50 years to soon. She is alone amongst the 2500 inhabitants of Godspeed. I say alone because Amy is nothing like the others. They are human but they have lost their individuality. They are drones with no emotions. As the story unfolds Amy finds out that the others are also being woken from their slumber but they are not as fortunate as Amy, as soon as they are awake they are killed. Amy must figure out who and why before her parents fall victim. Godspeed is governed by Eldest who explains that the people on board Godspeed are the descendents of the original crew. But Eldest has been keeping secrets from the citizens and Amy and her new friend, Elder, must expose him before it is to late.
I usually stay clear of science fiction but I really liked this book. There are some slow spots like when Amy is first frozen she dreams of the life she left behind. Yawn, but once she is awake the action is nonstop with a little romance thrown in.
Winger by Andrew Smith
