Forge by Laurie Halse Anderson

In this stunning sequel to the National Book Award Finalist Chains, Isabel and Curzon are once again faced with a trial of survival and must continue their fight for freedom admits the backdrop of our country’s War for Independence. As the tale unfolds this time from Curzon’s perspective, Anderson takes us on a journey to the Revolution’s most famous battle of will, Valley Forge. Enduring the harsh winter as an escaped slave, Curzon must learn to fight his fears and find the strength to hope.

Following events and important figures throughout America’s Revolutionary War, the thrilling story of two young, runaway slaves is not the only thing makes Forge a unique book. Readers will marvel at how Anderson has brought history to life and has shown us little known facts about our nation’s beginnings.

In the first novel, our heroine Isabel takes us to the streets of New York City where some of the first battles for freedom began. In Forge however, Anderson lets us follow the events through a new set of eyes. Curzon is an interesting character voice that differs from Isabel not only because it’s from a young man’s point of view, but from a solider’s as well. In this second installation to the Seeds of America series, Curzon gives us an even more gruesome and realistic look into the time period, war, and   the hardships of a slave. As a big fan of historical fiction, I absolutely loved reading both Chains and Forge; I believe Anderson gives great insight on what was going on (rather than just the war) during 1777-78. Anderson is truly a gifted writer.

Recommendation: Readers of all ages will become absorbed in Anderson’s captivating and well researched novel of early American life and slavery. Living up to its expectations, Forge will not disappoint. Recommend to ages 12 and up.

Content: Violence and graphic images (PG)

|Pages: 281|Published: October 2010|Publisher: Atheneum|

|Genre: Historical fiction, Revolutionary War, middle grade|

|Age Group: Middle grade/YA ages 12+|Price: $16.99|

|Content Rating: 4/5|Enjoyed It: 5/5|Cover: 5/5|

|Overall Rating:|

Out With the In Crowd by Stephanie Morrill

WARNING!: This is a review of a book within a series and contains spoilers! Please read my review of Me, Just Different, Book 1 in this series.
Skylar Hoyt may have vowed to change her partying ways, but it's not so easy to change her friends. Even though the old Skylar is gone, she's still not sure who this new Skylar really is. Add to that two parents battling for her loyalty, a younger sister struggling with a crisis pregnancy, and a new boyfriend wishing for more of her time, and Skylar feels like she can't win. After all, how do you choose favorites among people you love most?

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Skylar is back and ready to tackle the school halls but is she truly ready for the trials ahead? In Me, Just Different, the first book in the Reinventions of Skylar Hoyt series, Sky decides she no longer wants to be known as the school's party-harty girl. Instead, Sky slips from the "it" crowd and makes changes in her life. Meanwhile, her younger sister is about to go through some changes all her own. In this book, Sky is faced not only with her sister's pregnancy, the constant reminders of her "old" self, but the choice between love or duty.

Teen pregnancy plays a big part in this book and goes into detail about how the girls deal with their consequences. Another great teen-pleaser voiced in Out With the In Crowd is relationships: boys, friends, enemies. During the book, Sky is faced with backstabbing friends and a boyfriend stealer. Stephanie does a fantastic job of setting Sky in real-life circumstances and getting results that any teen girl could relate to. Although The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt might be–in some places–categorized under "religious fiction" there is absolutely no preachiness or anything that some might find offensive to read. In short, I'd recommend to anyone without hesitation. 

I think Stephanie's books are a great alternative for fans or non-fans of "it" girl novels. Instead of reading something about a party-girl, you get to see someone fight against it... to realize there is something more than hanging with the "it" crowd.

Recommendation: I believe I enjoyed reading this second installation to the series even better than the first. Great read for teen girls ages 14+. (Don't forget to read Me, Just Different first!)

Content: Some kisses and intensive family drama. (PG) 14 and up because topics are a little heavy for younger readers.

The Last Straw: Randome passage, pg. 129.

He pressed a kiss onto my hand as a smile crept into his face. "Sorry girl. You can't get rid of me so easy."

|Pages: 249|Publisher: Revell|Published: Jan. 2010|Price: Soft. $11.99|

|Genre: Contemporary fiction, romance, high school, family drama, relationships|

|Age Group: YA, ages 14+|Content: PG|
|Series? Yes, The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt|Order: Book 2|

|Enjoyed It: 5/5|Content: 4/5|Cover: 4/5|

|Overall: 5/5|

Thanks for sending this Stephanie!

This review is copyrighted ©2010 by Books and Literature for Teens.

Circle of Friends: Heather + Guest Post

A new beginning awaits Heather Jennings. The position at Clemson means she will finally realize her dream of coaching basketball. Heather is ready to focus on her duties, using sheer force if necessary to prove her independence. Sadly, her triumph is hampered as her father and greatest advocate lies dying of cancer. Battling her grief, she must also deal with a sister who appears incapable of responsibility or achievement. And once basketball season begins, a talented but cocky player who resembles her in every manner challenges all that remains of Heather’s patience.Heather’s life changes when she encounters a man capable of handling her bold and feisty attitude. Straightforward and smug, he entices her to date him, and despite his gruff nature shows a great capacity for compassion. However, the last thing Heather needs is a serious relationship with a man equally fixated on work and opposed to marriage…

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I can't quite pin-point my exact feelings about this book; possibly because it covered quite a bit of stuff on relationships. It's a touchy subject for everyone–teen and adults–and this book is a perfect example. Heather is a strong-headed girl who, at the beginning of the book, has a lot on her plate: a new job as a junior coach's assistant and a father who is diagnosed with cancer. With all this responsibility and adjustment starting, who would think Heather would get involved in a serious relationship with her best friend's brother, Mark. At first I couldn't stand Mark, I kept hoping Heather wouldn't fall for his somewhat-false interest in her; but she didn't. When they stared seeing each other more I began to feel like maybe they were meant for each other. After awhile though, Mark's true intentions were revealed and that really turned me off, especially when Heather didn't see it. I did enjoy reading the first half of the book, I just couldn't enjoy the rest because I don't care for Mark.
One other thing I must point is I think this book (or even this series) will appeal more to young adults that are older, maybe even in their college years. All of the characters are in their twenties and are married, except Heather. I don't mind this much, but I can't really relate with to them simply because I'm not married nor are my friends having babies.


Heather was an good read–still not liking Mark–but a heartwarming story overall. I didn't agree with how Heather and Mark took their relationship "to the next step", but I did appreciate the positive approach to marriage and friendship. It took some getting used to with the 3rd person narration, but smooth writing style all in all. Again, teens younger than 16 might not find this book very interesting, so I would only recommend to older teens.


|Pages: 275|Year Published: March 2010|Publisher: Dancing Lemur|
|Genre: Contemporary fiction, romance, friendship|
|Age Group: YA, ages 16 - adult|Buy/Borrow? Borrow|
|Content: Sensuality and language|
|Part of a Series: Circle of Friends, Book 5|
|Enjoyed It: 3/5|Content Rating: 3/5|Cover: 3/5|
|Overall|

Guest Post with Diane Wolfe

I’m very happy to visit Books and Literature for Teens today! Let me describe the series before diving into my current release.

The Circle of Friends is a Southern-based, YA series that follows a group of friends through relationships, school, and into their early careers. The stories intertwine as the characters learn that with belief and encouragement, they can overcome their challenges. Meant to inspire as well as entertain, these books have been described as “Encouragement Personified.”

This series has been a wild ride! Who knew a dream-inspired story would blossom into five books? It’s difficult to believe the end is approaching. I’m ready to bring the story full circle, though. I possess an outline for a sixth, but right now, it ends with Heather’s story.

Book V is the most unique of the series. It was certainly the most difficult to write. Heather was not my favorite character. I found it challenging to enter her head and write from a perspective so different from my own. Some days, I wanted to kill her! She’s so ornery, stubborn, and mean. Heather has many issues, and the supporting characters add to the challenges in a big way. From the feedback of early reviewers though, I think those struggles produced a really strong story.

Readers will experience no problems diving into Book V, even if they haven’t read the others. All five books in this series are stand alone stories. This book has the added distinction of beginning a few months after Book IV ends, so everything about Heather’s story is fresh and new. Fans of the series will certainly find a few surprises, while new readers will be thrust into the story right away.

For those ready to enter Heather’s world, be prepared! She’s tough and demanding. However, what doesn’t kill you will make you stronger…

- L. Diane Wolfe, Professional Speaker & Author www.thecircleoffriends.net www.spunkonastick.net  www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com

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