Love is....Complicated

Having just discovered that his girlfriend of three years has been cheating on him, 18 year old Logan Witherspoon is depressed. Spending his mornings waiting to glimpse his EX, exit the bus proves that things couldn’t get much worse. Pessimistic Logan thinks this is how he’ll spend his senior year of high school until he discovers the eccentric and captivating beauty that is Sage.
Entranced by her beauty and charm, they become fast friends until one fateful kiss and the discovery that Sage is really a boy. Frustrated and filled with thoughts of rage and confusion, readers will empathize with Logan as well as the alienated Sage. The two reunite as friends as Logan begins to understand and accept Sage for what she really is; a transgendered teen. As time passes romantic feelings emerge between the two and one fateful night while the two are away on a trip to explore the university both plan to attend in the fall, the two consummate their relationship. Logan is unable to deal with the budding relationship and again becomes uncomfortable. It a moment of frustration and fear he severs all ties to Sage. Sage is the victim of a brutal beating and Logan is left with feelings of guilt when she attempts to take her own life.
Readers will be able to learn from the experiences of Logan and Sage in a setting that is accessible and removed. While some situations should not be encouraged (Sage receives estrogen hormones from Mexico via the mail), much of the violence and sex is occurs off the page. Katcher creates very realistic character in both primary and secondary characters. While the nature of the story is intense, it will expose readers to the plight many transgendered individuals face in a way that is accessible.

One Summer, Two Brothers and Serial Killer

Told through multiple perspectives, this novel is intense from beginning to end.
The story opens as two brothers Jonah (16) and Simon (14) attempt to move their dead horse off the side of the road. Having left the shamble of a house for greener pastures, the two boys decide that their only future lies in Arizona. With only a few belongings and the letters of the letters from their brother Matthew serving overseas; the boys attempt to walk/hitchhike from the Texas/New Mexico border to their destination. As the boys begin their journey they are picked up by Mitch a free spirit with a murderous streak and Lilly a pregnant woman to California so that she can abort the baby. As the story progresses, the relationship between Jonah and Simon becomes further strained as Simon begins to act more and more like Mitch; until Jonah is pushed from a bridge as retribution for sleeping with Lilly. Now separated, Simon is aware of the monster he is riding with, and Jonah is determined to save his brother.
Smith deftly leads the reader through the twist and turns of the journey slowly releasing Mitch’s true intent as well as Matthew’s full story. All the primary characters are extremely well developed and while the ending is graphic and suspenseful. Reader come to discover that the true reason Simon and Jonah are headed to AZ is to meet up with their brother who is attempting to defect from the war, only to discover that Matthew committed suicide three months earlier. Smith attempts to juxtapose the mental breakdown of Matthew and the hopelessness he is experiencing in the war with the experiences of Jonah and Simon.
This novel is not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach, graphic scenes of violence are throughout the novel and readers are forced to unravel all the mysteries at the authors pace. This novel is excellent, but not for all people.

Victim or Hero....You Decide

The story opens as Valerie Leftman is preparing to return to school after a school shooting that left many dead and others including herself injured; perpetrated by her now dead boyfriend Nick. Readers soon discover that the list of targets was created in part by Val in the form of a Hate List; a list of all the people that have ever wronged her of Nick.
Each chapter is introduced by a newspaper-type article relaying pieces the events of the fateful day in May. As Valerie attempts to rebuild a life by returning to school she is forced to face blame and hatred over the event, loss of friendships, guilt over the shooting and loss of a first love. As the story progresses we learn that Valerie was unaware of Nick’s plan, yet feels responsible for the events that occurred. She attempts to grieve over her lost love all while learning to accept that these events were not her fault. Through the help of her caring psychologist and one of the intended victims, Valerie is able to move past the guilt and grief and become a stronger person.
Brown does not shy away from the graphic representation of school violence and creates realistic high school setting; before and after the event. Valerie and Nick are well drawn allowing them to be flawed yet in the same instance human. Brown does not vilify Nick for his actions, and allows reader to see him as Valerie had before the shootings and helps reader to understand her grief. While many of the adults are flat and underdeveloped they are not perfect either. Val’s mother has difficulty dealing with her daughter after the events, and Val discovers that her father is having an affair and still blames his daughter for the events that took place. Positive adults do exist and perhaps the most touching relationship in the novel is between Val and her therapist, an individual who understands her better than she understands herself.
At the conclusion, this novel will have readers emotionally raw, yet inspired and guaranteed to leave a lasting impression.