Teeth by Hannah Moskowitz This has to be one of the strangest books I have read and believe me I have read a few. When I first started to read it I was skeptical, a story about a fish boy and magical fish, come on. I kept reading and I have to say I liked it. The story is dark at times but it is also about family, friends and choice. How far would you go to save the one you love? It is not always easy doing the right thing, sometimes someone gets hurt. The story is told by Rudy. A lonely boy whose family has moved him and his younger brother, Dylan, to an isolated island where the fish have magical healing powers. Dylan is dying from cystic fibrosis and the fish could heal him. Rudy is the only teenage boy on the island and is feeling very lonely and isolated that is until he meets beautiful Diana and sullen Teeth. Both have secrets but Teeth's could kill.
Butter by Erin Jade Lange We all know that high school can be a painful place but for Butter it was a prison he could not escape. Butter was obese and relentlessly bullied. He was going to put an end to all of his torment. After one particularly bad day at school, he went home and built a website, ButtersLastmeal.com. People could watch him eat himself to death, in fact they could even choose his meal. As his webcast goes live something unexpected happens, Butter becomes popular. He creates an online alter ego P.J. who is everything he is not, cool. P.J. even starts chatting with Anna, a girl Butter has had a crush on for along time, but the problem with secrets are they are eventually uncovered and the results this time a devastating. Butter deals with some tough subjects. bullying, suicidal thoughts, obesity and over eating but Lange handles them beautifully. I think this is a must read.
Meet Me At The River by Nina De Gramont Plain and simple this is a love story with one heck of a twist. If you read any of my other reviews you know that I do not do warm and fuzzy. Meet Me At The River is anything but warm and fuzzy. Luke and Tressa are teenager lovers with a twist, Tressa's mom married Luke's dad so that makes them step brother and sister. Their relationship is frowned upon. Despite the disapproval of everyone around them their loves grows. Luke is always by Tressa's side, even after his death. Tressa is trying to move on but Luke is always there. At first his is a welcome sight and she looks forward to his visits but now she wants to move on but he won't let her....
Good Behavior a memoir by Nathan L. Henry Distrubing. I think this book does for juvenile crime what Go Ask Alice did for drugs only Nathan L. Henry is alive at the end. Good Behavior is about the year 16 year Nathan spent in jail for armed robbery and how he got there. The chapters alternate between his childhood and the year he spends in jail. This a tough read but one worth reading.
Enon by Paul Harding This is the story of a father, Charlie Crosby, who has to come to terms with the death of his daughter and the end of his marriage. Charlie is lost in "what could of been" and starts drinking and taking drugs to cope or just forget.
I thought this was a beautifully written book. You feel his grief and at times you just want to shake him. This is not a feel good book but it is one I would recommend.
Sex & Violenceby Carrie Mesrobian Evan is a 17 year old high school student who thinks of girls in only one way and are here for only one thing. But his world is rocked when he becomes the victim of a violent attack. Evan and his father retreat to their lake house where Evan has to heal both emotionally and physically.
The characters are strong and flawed, especially Evan. This is his story told in his words and it will grab you from the start.
Johnny Cash The Life by Robert Hilburn I grew up listening to Johnny Cash and have always been interested in the man and his life. We all know the story of Johnny Cash, The Man in Black, but Hilburn was a friend and had a more personal look into his life, love and addictions. He divides the book into 5 parts. It starts with his humble beginnings in Arkansas and ends with his recording of "Hurt" in 2002 and the death of his wife June Carter Cash in 2003.
If you are a fan of Johnny Cash you will not be able to put this book down, if you are not, you will be by the time you finish.
Teeth by Hannah Moskowitz
