Speak

Speak
By Laurie Halse Anderson

224p
Puffin
ISBN-10: 0142407321
ISBN-13: 978-0142407325


Annotation:
A traumatic event near the end of the summer has a devastating effect on Melinda's freshman year in high school.

Summary:

Perhaps one of the most compelling and haunting young adult novels ever written. Due to mysterious event that occurred near the end of summer Melinda is finding it harder and harder to speak. At times she complains that her throat hurts, or that her lips are sore, until she practically becomes mute. She has become sullen and withdrawn, her parent are always working and all of her friends have abandoned her, her only ally is the art teacher. Through his makeshift assignments Melinda slowly begins to lower her shields but will it be quick enough or will her silence be her death.

This novel as a level of depth that has withstood the test of time, told with a style that was unlike any other Anderson has created a work that will astonish teenagers, and adults alike. It is only after Melinda reveals all that had occurred at the end of summer bash can we as readers truly appreciate the depth of her revelation. Quite simply this is a novel about the abuses a teenage can suffer through and more importantly the ones they can inflict on themselves.

Heavy Metal and You

Heavy Metal and You
By Christopher Krovatin

192p
Push
ISBN-10: 0439743990
ISBN-13: 978-0439743990


Annotation:
A punk rocker falls for a girl not interested in sex or drugs and must make an effort to change.

Summary:

What happens when a guy with massive amounts of heavy metal music knowledge and a history of getting drunk and partying with his friends happens to fall head over heels for the quintessential “good girl”? That is exactly the premise in Krovatin’s novel Heavy Metal and You. How far would you go to impress the girl you "love"? Would you be willing to change your clothes and you attitude?

Sam is a good student, who knows a lot of about classical literature and is incredibly smart, he also loves heavy metal music and will often show up for class wearing a spiked collar. When he falls for the “straight-edge” girl Melissa who doesn’t drink, do drugs, or tends to like the people who do, it is up to Sam to “straighten” up.

Written by Krovatin in his late teens, this book is teeming with teenage angst. This book captures the essence of a guy’s book, perfect for the reluctant reader or the rock music fan. The characters are well developed and have a realness that is uncommon in many young adult novels. Readers will easily recognize aspects of themselves or people they know within the pages.

This novel does include sex, drugs and strong language, so readers beware.

My Sister's Keeper

My Sister’s Keeper

By: Jodi Piccoult

423p

Washington Square Press

ISBN-10: 143915726X
ISBN-13: 978-1439157268

Annotation:

Conceived to provide a bone marrow match for her leukemia-stricken sister, teenage Kate begins to question her moral obligations in light of countless medical procedures and decides to fight for the right to make decisions about her own body. .

Summary

For years Anna has had to endure countless surgeries, shots and blood transfusions, the problem is Anna is not sick. She was born with the sole purpose of providing her leukemia- ridden sister Kate with everything necessary to keep her alive. Anna has finally had enough, when her parents ask her to give a kidney to Kate, she refuses. The obstinate Anna then decides to seek the help of a lawyer to obtain rights to her body, even if that means a death sentence for Kate.

Picoult's My Sister's Keeper is a stark and emotional read. It forces readers to ask themselves what they would do for a loved one and more importantly, when is it too much. What does it means to be a good parent, a good sister, a good person, if you choose to do bad or selfish things does that make you a bad person? Young adult readers will delve into this situation perhaps with decisions already made and by the climax may have had a change of heart.

Soon to be a major motion picture, this novel will touch even the toughest of people.

Twilight

Twilight

By Stephenie Meyer

544p

Little, Brown Young Readers

ISBN-10: 0316015849
ISBN-13: 978-0316015844

Annotation:

When seventeen-year-old Bella leaves Phoenix to live with her father in Forks, Washington, she meets an exquisitely handsome boy at school for whom she feels an overwhelming attraction and who she comes to realize is not wholly human.

Summary:

Perhaps one of the most popular young adult series in recent times, Stephenie Meyer's Twilight is single handedly bringing back the vampire novel. In this gripping romance seventeen year old Isabella Swan has just moved from sunny Phoenix, AZ to the rainy day capital of Forks, WA. Lets just say the weather is about the only thing she is fond of in Forks.

Bella quickly makes friends even though she is tragically uncoordinated and meets a mysterious student by the name of Edward Cullen. Her heartrate quickens and leaves her with one question , what is the secret about the Cullen Family. And so begins the Twilight Series.

Meyers has made a franchise of the vampire story, Twilight has now become a cultural boom, with movies and action figures in the works. This story has found an audience in the young and old, all are in awe of the relationship of Bella Swan and Edward Cullen.

Perhaps not one of the literary masterpieces, Twilight has found a comfortable home amound the fluff and will be entertaining readers for years to come.

Th1rteen R3asons Why

13 Reasons Why

By Jay Asher

320 p

Razorbill

ISBN-10: 1595141715
ISBN-13: 978-1595141712

Annotation When high school student Clay Jenkins receives a box in the mail containing thirteen cassette tapes recorded by his classmate Hannah, who committed suicide, he spends a bewildering and heartbreaking night crisscrossing their town, listening to Hannah's voice recounting the events leading up to her death.

Summary

Truly one of the most gut wrenching and difficult stories to read in a long time. Clay Jenkins is a nice guy, a good guy. So why did he just recieve a box of cassette tapes from a dead classmate and more importantly why is he one of the reasons why she killed herself, and what can he do about it now?

These are but a few of the questions our protagonist must ask himself over the course of one night. As he travels around town, emersing himself in the life of Hannah Baker going places she went, listening to the experiences that caused her to take her own life is almost more that he can bare. Follow Clay as he tries to make ammends for whatever horrible deed he did and share in the torment as he tries to deal.

This novel is not for the squeamish. 13 Reasons Why shows the audience the importance of humanity is at the forefront of this novel. Hannah, Clay and all the other people on the tapes share a commonality and a bond that will never be broken. This novel illuminates the affect of small gestures and big embarrassments can have on a high school student. Sure to keep you up pondering all the subtleties for night.

Beige

Beige

By Cecil Castelucci

320 p

Candlewick

ISBN-10: 0763642320
ISBN-13: 978-0763642327

Annotation:

Katy, a quiet French Canadian teenager, reluctantly leaves Montréal to spend time with her estranged father, an aging Los Angeles punk rock legend. Dad's an aging L.A. punk rocker known as the Rat. Daughter's a buttoned-up neat freak who'd rather be anywhere else. Can this summer be saved? Now that she's exiled from Canada to sunny Los Angeles, Katy figures she'll bury her nose in a book and ignore the fact that she's spending two weeks with her father -- punk name: the Rat -- a recovered addict and drummer for the famously infamous band Suck.

Summary:

"Katy won't complain....Katy won't complain" Even though Katy doesn't want to be there, even though she feels abandoned by her mom, even though the Rat's place is a mess and he's not like anything she'd call a father,

Is she really the nice girl everyone thinks is she really "Beige" or is there a rough and rockin' punk persona underneath all that nice?

Teens will love this over the top novel about the punk scene in Los Angeles. Castelucci writes a funny and emotional novel about a girl who has to relocate and in the process may learn more about her almost always absent father and more importantly the woman she may become.

Blue Bloods

Blue Bloods
By: Melissa De La Cruz


302p
Hyperion,

ISBN-10: 142310126X
ISBN-13: 978-1423101260


Annotation:
Select teenagers from some of New York City's wealthiest and most socially prominent families learn a startling secret about their bloodlines.


Summary:
A new trend of vampire novels are appearing in bookstores all across the country. Melissa De La Cruz's are perhaps one of the most interesting series on the stands. De La Cruz has melded the Gossip Girl Generation with the vampire genre, creating a combination that leaves you hungry for more.

The popular students at the New York's Duchesne School have a little secret, they are more beautiful, strong and intelligent than even they are aware of. When the students start to display their true tendencies, a power struggle is set to begin. A hipper band of vamps will be hard to find than the ones in Blue Bloods, not only sure you want to become a vampire, you are sure you want to run with Schuyler Van Alen and her posse.

Guitar Girl

Guitar Girl
By: Sarra Manning

240p
Puffin

ISBN-10: 0142403180
ISBN-13: 978-0142403181

Annotation: Molly Montgomery discovers that life as a rock and roll star is not all it is cracked up to be, and now she wants out.


Summary:

Molly Montgomery opens the novel by saying “I’m nineteen years old and being sued”. She is the lead singer of the British punk band The Hormones, a band who has sky-rocketed to success. One problem, Molly wants out! She has seen the effect of success has had on her band mates and wants no part of it. She has attempted to balance all that life has thrown at her for too long and now all she has to do is figure out how to escape. This novel walks us through the alcohol-laden celebrity parties, makeovers, and dirty backhanded deals with Molly leading the way, humorous situations and snappy banter,will keep you turning the pages to see what happens next.

Well written and filled with magazine type articles all about Molly, this novel will create a world its own, perfect for the teen who always wanted to be a rock star. Teen reader who are looking for a step up from the Sure to entice and entertain Guitar Girl keep you rocking out and begging for an encore.

Looking For Alaska

Looking for Alaska
By: John Green

221p
Dutton's Children Book

ISBN-10: 014241221X
ISBN-13: 978-0142412213

Annotation Sixteen-year-old Miles' first year at Culver Creek Preparatory School in Alabama includes good friends and great pranks, but is defined by the search for answers about life and death after a fatal car crash.

Summary:
When Miles begins his first year at Culver Creek Preparatory School in Birmingham, Alabama he is liked but not well known, that is until he meets his dorm mate Chip, a genius with tons of ill will towards the wealthy that attend the school.

Chip just happens to have one person that may change Miles' life forever, Alaska Young. Alaska has the ability to make anyone fall deeply in love, with just a glance. She is beautiful and intelligent and dangerous. A Holden Caulfied of sorts, Miles tries to woo the gorgeous Alaska, until something tragic occurs.

This novel is filled with stark realism, it is filled with feelings of loss and grief. Green does not produce a warm and fuzzy happy ending, which makes the character all that more real. Teens will appreciate the depth that Green goes to provide a story with such drama on a level accessible to them.

Strong language and sexual references are abound so readers beware.

I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone

I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone
By:Stephanie Kuehnert

352p
MTV Publications

ISBN-10: 1416562699
ISBN-13: 978-1416562696


Annotation:
Growing up in a small Wisconsin town, Emily Black is a slutty, obstinate punk rocker and is expected to turn out just like her mother. A mother who abandoned her husband and small child (Emily) to pursue a life filled with punk rock.

Summary:

Emily loves to hear the stories of her mother’s antics and trying to emulate them as best as possible, secretly hoping that by creating a punk rock band she’ll be able to be closer to her, if only in spirit. When her punk band rises to stardom, she gets the fated meeting with her long lost mother only to realize some of the mistakes she made early in her mother made early in life are being repeated by Emily herself. This novel is gut wrenching at time as it is humorous. Emily is a strong willed character who is unwilling to accept the idea that her mother abandoned her.

This novel is tough, filled with bad language and even worse situations. Kuhnert creates a real punk feel in her first novel. Readers will love Emily’s attitude and sharp tongue. Perfect for the more advanced teen reader looking for something with a little substance and grit.