Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

|Edition: Paperback, 281 pages|Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire|Release Date: December 2011|Genre: Contemporary fiction, relationships, romance, sports|

|Other Books: Catching Park by Miranda Kenneally (Oct. 2012), Stupid Fast by Geoff Herbach
|Overall Rating: 4/5|

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What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starting position... suddenly she's hoping he'll see her as more than just a teammate.

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A female quarterback? Get out.
Although it may not be realistic, Jordan's status of as quarterback for her high school football team sure makes for an interesting premises for a story...and a adrenaline rush of a love triangle. I don't like football let alone will you find me reading novels about the sport. Surprisingly, after a few pages into the book, I could barely tare myself away from the story. I really enjoyed Jordan's character. Jordan sees football as something more than just a sport, or a way into college. Football is Jordan's way of proving herself...especially to her hard-sell professional football player dad. Talk about a hard thing to live up to.
Getting to know not only Jordan's personal dilemmas but the "behind the scenes" of the entire team as well made the book all the more interesting. You have your star players of course, who are closest to Jordan. They protect her, carry out her plays, and of course never leave her out of a party. Alas, though these are still guys we're talking about. Even worse...jocks. Whether Kenneally had first-hand experience on either being on or observing a football team, all those stereotypes are right on the dot. Girls, hook-ups, partying, and just being egoistic. There is a lot of crude humor and sexual remarks throughout the book. Although mostly coming from the guys, Jordan is a natural "tom-boy" and is not shy about calling shots. It's what makes her character daring and fits her into quarterback material. Despite them all being gruff and fairly egoistic, Jordan and the team care for each other quite a bit. Each player has a special relationship with Jordan which heightens the emotional tension and makes the story all the more captivating.


Being the all-star member of the high school isn't always easy. For one, Jordan is NOT a guy. Jordan hangs-out, puts up with, and relies on her team so much that Jordan has little time left for any other feelings. When a new player (and quarterback) threatens to take her title, instead of showing him who's boss (or sicking the guys on him), Jordan falls in love. Fast paced and full of daring moves, Catching Jordan surprised me with each play of the game and the final score.
Be on the lookout for Kenneally's next sport-oriented book! Recommend to ages 14+

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Content Awareness:

(14+) Sensuality, sexual references, crude humor and language. Main character participates in [moderate] sexual activity.

Honey, Baby, Sweetheart by Deb Caletti

Edition: Softcover, 308Publisher: Simon Pulse|Release Date: 2004|Genre: Contemporary fiction, love, family, friendship|
|Overall Rating: 5/5|
|More Books by Author: The Secret Life of Prince Charming, Wild Roses, The Queen of Everything, The Nature of Jade, Stay, The Six Rules of Maybe, The Fortune's of Indigo Sky, & The Story of Us (2012)

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It is summer in the Northwest town of Nine Mile Falls, and sixteen-year-old Ruby McQueen, ordinarily dubbed The Quiet Girl, finds herself hanging out with gorgeous, rich, thrill-seeking Travis Becker. But Ruby is in over her head, and finds she is risking more and more when she's with him.
In an effort to keep Ruby occupied, Ruby's mother Ann drags Ruby to the weekly book club she runs. When it is discovered that one of the group''s own members is the subject of the tragic love story they are reading, Ann and Ruby spearhead a reunion between the long-ago lovers. But for Ruby, this mission turns out to be much more than just a road trip...

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Once again Caletti has created a vividly adventurous (and humorous) home-spun coming of age story. My first Caletti novel was The Secret Life of Prince Charming and oh the characters! It's the same with Honey, Baby, Sweetheart. The characters are jewels...and the story is so familiar yet so enjoyable.
Ruby McQueen doesn't hang out with boys. She's a good girl, has one girlfriend, a love-sick insecure librarian mother, a little brother, and a chewing machine of a dog. Typical family, typical girl falls for the bad boy next door. Or is it?
I love how Caletti takes a stereotype plot like this and whips it around into a heartwarming story about something completely different–something that makes you sad when the last page turns. Ruby was naturally a keep-to-yourself type. When she suddenly catches the eye of the motorcyle-ridin' bad boy, Travis, Ruby unleashes her alter-ego that has been hiding inside her. Suddenly things starts turning upside-down. Does Ruby really like Travis or does she just like the thrill of the wind rushing against her skin as they zoom down the highway. When Ruby and her family become invovled in a complicated mission to help Lillian, an elderly woman and fellow book-club member, unite with her true love, Ruby gets a lesson in more than just love. Sometimes, adventure is way more exciting.


I love the characters–Miz June, Ann Bee, Harold (he's a hoot), Peach, Lillian, Chip Jr., Ruby, Ann, and even the guy in the whale van. They're so normal, they're people you know...but yet throw them together and you get an unforgettable journey of strength, love, friendship, and breaking away. The humorous yet serious advice the seniors give Ruby is uplifting and inspiring. Highly, highly recommend. If you're a Deb Caletti fan already–what are you waiting for!? Ages 13+


Read More Great Books Like This:
Ten Miles Past Normal by Francis O'Roark Dowell, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, Faithful by Janet Fox, After the Kiss by Terra Elan McVoy, The Ruby Notebook by Laura Resau, A Little Friendly Advice by Siobhan Vivian, Girlfriend Material by Melissa Kantor

Insight by Diana Greenwood

Edition: Hardcover, 244 pages

Publisher: Zondervan

Release Date: April 2011

Genre: Historical fiction, 1930s, family drama

Overall Rating: 4/5

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Synopsis from Goodreads

Some secrets won't let you go. Elvira Witsil lives about as far away from civilization as you can get, in a remote corner of Wisconsin where nothing much ever happens. In a house crowded with her mother, her cantankerous grandmother, and her little sister, Jessie, Elvira feels forgotten and alone.Their house also contains numerous secrets, and Elvira's family holds their secrets closely. Secrets about the father that Jessie never knew, and that Elvira can't forget. Secrets about that day five years ago. And the one secret that Elvira can't quite understand: that Jessie sees things no one else can see.These secrets will lead Elvira and her family on a journey far away from home—on a journey toward redemption and healing—if she can just bring herself to believe.

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Review

I'll admit that Insight was a pretty odd story. I mean her sister knows when people are going to die. I was a bit worried it would turn into be some kind of "paranormal" thing but Elvira's sister's seeing abilities were treated as a gift.
I liked the atmosphere of the Great Depression. Of course there was nothing nice about a depression but it gave the characters personalities. Elvira's granny was moody because she was forced to "wear the pants" around the household at this hard time. Her daughter, Elvira's mother, was distant and rarely gives much thought how Elvira feels. Elvira is going through the transition between girl and woman, so it is a nice coming of age story as well.
When Elvira's mother sees a opportunity in Jessie's ability, the family goes a on a road trip that will change all their lives forever.


Although I can't say Insight was a complete favorite, I still thought it was a nice read. It was mostly the ending is what sold me. The book reminded me a lot of Kimberly Willis Holt's My Louisiana Sky–which is a favorite of mine. The spiritual message in Jessie's visions is what sets Insight apart from other books. The story is told from the unbeliever's view [Elvira], therefore it sets a unique perspective.
Insight will be a nice change of pace for readers. The background story was fairly well developed and even though I did become frustrated with how Elvira's mother was using Jessie's gift to her advantage, the ending made the entire story worth while. Good endings are hard to find these days. Ages 12+ 

Perfectly Invisible by Kristin Billerbeck Blog Tour

It's Daisy Crispin's final semester of high school, and she plans to make it count. Her long-awaited freedom is mere months away, and her big plans for college loom in the future. Everything is under control.

Or is it?

Her boyfriend is treating her like she's invisible, and her best friend is making her sell bad costume jewelry in the school quad—and hanging out with her boyfriend. To top it off, Daisy's major humiliation of the year will be remembered in the yearbook for all eternity. It's enough to make her wonder if maybe being invisible isn't so bad after all.

Can Daisy get her life back on track? Or is she stuck in this town forever?

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Dripping with humor, drama, and the ups and downs that follow the last couple months of high school, Perfectly Invisible had all the makings of a really great story but alas the plot was...no where to be seen? Daisy's glum outlook on her social life and high school goes from bad to worse when her would-be "boyfriend"and prom date suddenly shys away from her. To top things off things are starting to heat up with her long-time crush Chase, but is he who he appears to be? And what about the constant bullying and attention Daisy has been getting from Amber and her gang? Not to mention her parents over-anxious attitude toward her college plans.

I guess the #1 problem that I had with Perfectly Invisible was that when things started getting really good and interesting...the chapter would end and sometimes it would skip several days into the future without so much as a brief note to wrap-up what important climax had occurred in the chapter before it. It was a bit frustrating. The second thing I disliked was that the story was everywhere: Daisy's high school, Daisy's friend's family dilemma, Daisy's college and job woes, and then of course her continuous–and slightly annoying–struggle between Chase and Max. Also, Daisy's parents were just outrageous at times.
 Perhaps the thing that stands out the most is that even though it fits into the category of a Christian fiction book, I felt that the religious views pushed the characters in certain ways–almost robotically–rather than help them or the story along. Daisy takes her Christianity seriously but at the same time it seemed like she used it as a crutch to get her out of tight spots. Basically that is what the story is all about that the same time–Daisy learns to make her own choices based on her Christian outlook and not to get so wrapped-up in what other people may or may not be thinking.

Since Daisy comes from a pretty conservative Christian household readers who do not normally read religious fiction may very well be "shocked" so to speak by Daisy's dating rules. Not like any of it is at all unheard of of course, but I'm thinking that compared to main-stream "dating" it is different. Too different to be enjoyed is simply a matter of taste NOT a matter of religion.  Even though Daisy goes to a Christian school it is no different than a public high school. Mean girls stalk the hallways, playboys play ball, and the geeks usually go unnoticed...but with Daisy, it's about to change.

Despite Perfectly Invisible having some plot issues, I think Daisy is humorously good example of a slightly geeky only-child finishing high school and trying to find where God is leading her in the world of adulthood.  Daisy must prove everyone wrong–er right–and snag the boy and the college of her dreams.

Recommend? Yes, especially those h.s. seniors who are moving forward in both education and life. Interest would lean more to older teens. Ages 14+

Content: Mild sensuality/kissing. Reference to drugs. (PG)

Other Books By This Author| Perfectly Dateless (Universally Misunderstood 1), Split Ends, What A Girl Wants

|Pages: 266|Release Date: July 2011|Publisher: Revell|

|Genre: Christian fiction, contemporary fiction, chic-lit, relationships, school|Content Rating: 5/5|Cover: 4/5–faces! Not good|

|Overall Rating: 4/5|

This original review is copyrighted© by Books and Literature for Teens. Blog Tour possible by Revell/Baker House Publishing.

After the Kiss by Terra Elan McVoy

Becca has been head-over-heels for Alec from the instant they met. He's a brainy jock with a poet's heart—in other words, perfect for her.
Camille is careful with her words and protective of her heart, especially since Chicago. Then a new boy in her new town catches her off guard with a surprise kiss. Too bad that new boy is Becca's boyfriend, Alec.
Camille and Becca have never met, but their lives will unravel and intertwine in surprising ways as they deal with what happens after the kiss.

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Part verse, part narrative, After the Kiss is about heartaches and love gone wrong after two lives are painfully intertwined with a single kiss. 

Innocents and lust do not mix; young love and true love are not the same. Camille’s life may seem to hover in serenity but in reality she dreams of escape. She makes a bunch of new friends, pokes around bookstores and coffee shops. Even volunteers at a local animal shelter–it distracts her from the things she left behind. As she desperately tries to burying herself in the now and not the past, Camille creates a weekly routine in her new of Atlanta, Georgia. Then she sees a boy who truly makes her forget...and remember. 

For Becca life is good as long as Alec is there. When a sudden car wreck causes Becca’s everyday life to change, it sets off a chain of events. That is why Alec was the the party...alone. 

It’s amazing how one little thing in one tiny moment can change several lives to the point where nothing will ever be the same again. After the Kiss a wonderful but heart-wrenching story of a misunderstanding and how easily a relationship can be destroyed, especially if its not true at all. I like how McVoy portrayed the two very different girls: Becca is fighting for love. She’s reckless and determined. Camille is fighting to get away from it and has a careful yet head-strong appeal. When the two girls are united by a boy who doesn’t understand how deeply they feel and love, they spin into a world of hurt, realization, loss, and what it means to be truly in love. Teens can relate to both girls and their stances as well as being touched by the poetic words and inspiration of their grieving voices.

An agonizing narrative that will leave you hanging on every verse, After the Kiss wonderfully animates that sometimes love is worth fighting for and other times, it is not.

Recommendation: Lovely contemporary novel of, well love, both true and reckless. Breath-taking finish–definitely a story you won’t forget. I’m looking forward to reading McVoy other books. Recommend to ages 14+

Content: Sensuality, some language, and underage drinking (PG)

Other Books by This Author: Pure, The Summer of Firsts and Lasts

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|Pages: 400|Release Date: May 2010|Publisher: Simon Pulse|

|Genre: Contemporary fiction, teen issues, romance, relationships|

|Content Rating: 4/5|Cover Rating: 4/5|Overall: 4/5|

Instructions for a Broken Heart by Kim Culbertson

When Jessa catches her boyfriend, Sean, making out with Natalie "the boob job" Stone three days before her drama club's departure to Italy, she completely freaks. Stuck with a front-row view of Sean and Natalie making out against the backdrop of a country that oozes romance, Jessa promises to follow all of the outrageous instructions in her best friend's care package and open her heart to new experiences. Enter cute Italian boy stage left. Jessa had prepared to play the role of humiliated ex-girlfriend, but with Carissa directing her life from afar it's finally time to take a shot at being a star.

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I thought Culbertson’s first novel Songs for a Teenage Nomad was a great story so I was anxious to read another book by her. Instructions for a Broken Heart however did not impress me as much...it was sort of ho-hum. There are tons of books with plots that deal with relationships, break-ups, and dating but if it doesn’t have some sort of unique aspect or characters that make the book different from the rest, it will more than likely won’t be a big hit. That’s exactly what it was for me. Because it really wasn’t anything super special, I honestly didn’t enjoy it like I did Nomad. Although I know break-ups can be a hard thing to handle, I just couldn’t connect with Jessa and her longing to get back together with her cheating boyfriend. She was way too juvenile about the whole thing and I didn’t care for the third-person dialogue in this particular case. A few of the characters did stand-out: Tyler was a cool and Dylan Thomas was an interesting British boy. Alas, the entire book focused on Sean and how Jessa’s best friend was making her “get-over” him so there was not very much room for anything else to happen. The part of the so-called Italian crush (mentioned in the synopsis) was...weird. He only appeared a few times and he didn’t have much effect on Jessa or the story.

Really wish Instructions for a Broken Heart was better. Even so I still like Culbertson and I will definitely read another book by her in the future.

Recommendation: Overall, Instructions for a Broken Heart was an ok-book, the message/story just wasn’t significant enough for me to really enjoy it. If you want to read a book by Culbertson, try reading Songs for a Teenage Nomad if you think this one isn’t your style. Ages 14+

Content: Some language and sensuality. (PG)

More Books by This Author: Songs for a Teenage Nomad

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|Pages: 292|Release Date: May 2011|Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire|

|Genre: Contemporary, relationships, teen issues, travel|

|Content Rating: 4/5|Cover: 5/5|Overall: 3/5|

This review is copyrighted by Books and Literature for Teens. Special thanks to Derry and Sourcebooks.

The Trouble With Half A Moon by Danette Vigilante

Thirteen year old Dellie lives with the guilt that her little brother's death was her fault. Her mother cries all the time and because she wants Dellie to stay safe, she keeps her inside as much as she can. It doesn't matter that Dellie longs to go outside to be like other girls or that there's a boy she likes and he likes her too. All that matters to her mother is that she's safe at home. So, Dellie has no choice but to watch the world of her housing project through her second story window. 

Things start to change soon after new neighbors move in on the first floor. Trouble like this has never happened in Dellie's building before. Now there are men fighting on the stoop, gunshots echoing through the night and Corey, a hungry and abused five year old boy knocking on her door looking for something to eat. Corey reminds Dellie of her brother and even though their friendship is dangerous, she wonders if this time, she'll be able to do what needs to be done. Will she be able to save Corey?

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Despite its heavy topics of grief, loss, and urban life in the streets of Brooklyn’s Projects, Vigilante leaves plenty of room for development and discovery as she weaves a light, but impelling coming-of-age story.

Although Dellie’s situations are mainly impacted from her sometimes gritty surroundings, middle graders will connect with Dellie as she comes to peace with the death of her little brother and, as she experiences the many new things that also come with growing older. Through a simple yet thought-provoking dialogue, this debut author expresses what it feels like to loose the ones you love and to remember to have faith, even if we only see half of what is really there.

This is why I love (and enjoy) reading middle grade books so much. You get a wonderful in-depth and complex story in less than 200 pages yet still manage take away just as much from it as a YA or adult novel. I also liked the fact that Delli’s environment, race, and age didn’t overpower one or the other and were all presented equally throughout the book. Many times authors let only one of these details play the dominate role in showcasing their story. The Trouble With Half a Moon however, lets you flow with a variety of characters as Vigilante shows bits and pieces of Dellie’s neighborhood without loosing sight of the true message of the story. Overall, excellent writing and a great, enjoyable book for preteens.

Recommendation: Highly recommend. Even though it might be marketed towards young adults, I think middle graders would enjoy it much more. This would also be a very nice addition to a classroom library. Lots of good discussion topics! Ages 11+

Content: PG for some violence. More details!

The Last Straw: A quote from pg. 70

She [Miss Shirley] walks over to the moon and uses her fingers to trace where the other half should be. "Just because we cannot see this half of the moon doesn't mean it's not there," she says, studying me. "You have to believe it's there. Faith young one," she says...

|Pages: 178|Published: Jan. 2011|Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons|

|Genre: Contemporary fiction, coming-of-age, family drama, friendship, loss, grief|

|Content: PG|Age Group: Middle grade/YA ages 11+|Price: $16.99|

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

|Overall: 5/5|

Songs for a Teenage Nomad by Kim Culbertson

After living in twelve places in eight years, Calle Smith finds herself in Andreas Bay, California, at the start of ninth grade. Another new home, another new school...Calle knows better than to put down roots. Her song journal keeps her moving to her own soundtrack, bouncing through a world best kept at a distance.Yet before she knows it, friends creep in-as does an unlikely boy with a secret. Calle is torn over what may be her first chance at love. With all that she's hiding and all that she wants, can she find something lasting beyond music? And will she ever discover why she and her mother have been running in the first place?

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Songs for a Teenage Nomad is a artistic story of music and life as our heroine makes an unlikely difference in the lives of her new found friends and discovers the secret behind her mother’s nomadic ways.

The greatest–and most important–aspect in this novel is the numerous mentioning of songs and artists. While not entirely unique, it helps greatly with connecting to the feelings of the characters. From Bob Dylan to Coldplay, Calle recounts her story from past memories to present circumstances and brings a voice through a teenager’s best friend, music. The book is very poetic, yet edgy in a way that makes the characters shine through the sometimes gloomy events that come to pass. Treading in self-discovery themes, Culberston hits two birds with one stone as she depicts relationships and love in both the high school setting and, at home. Teens will enjoy Songs for a Teenage Nomad because of its simplicity and its whimsical melodic setting of the small, sea-side town. Culbertson is definitely a author to keep an eye on.

Recommendation: Highly recommendable to teen ages 12+.

Content: Some dramatic elements and a few bad words; PG

The Last Straw: A quote from pg. 130:

I hear music under the crash of waves before I see any place that could be producing it. Soon, though, hovering in the distant dark appears a ripple of neon, a sign that becomes legible only when I am standing directly in front of it: Lucky's.

|Pages: 240|Published: Sept. 2010|Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire|

|Genre: Contemporary fiction, relationships, family drama, friends, romance|

|Content: PG|Age Group: YA, ages 12+|Price: pbk. $9.99|

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

|Overall: 4/5|

Dream Journal by Karen Halvorsen Schreck

Livy has survived the pain of losing her mother by shutting herself off from the rest of the world. She has alienated herself from her best friend, and her and her father live as strangers in the same house, barely speaking, and never allowing themselves to share the grief that is tearing each of them apart. But when Livy gets swept up in a strong but ill-fated crush, and her mother's condition worsens, she must learn to trust not only those around her, but herself.

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Dream Journal is a emotional story of how people deal with grief. The story opens as Livy, our main character, recounts her dream in the journal her mother gave her. Although Livy’s mother is in critical condition and is very close to dying, Livy’s dad swears her to secrecy so that no one will know the the pain Moore’s are going through. People deal with loss and grief in a variety of different ways, it just so happens, Livy’s father’s way of dealing with her mother’s cancer is by acting like everything is fine. As for Livy, she hides. She hides from her mother, her father, and her best friend. Eventually, Ruth, Livy’s best friend, looses interest in Livy leaving her alone with a group of trouble-making seniors she barely even knows. 
Even though Dream Journal is a well written sad story of loss and goodbyes, it was not a very enjoyable book. First off, I began to immediately dislike Ruth for abandoning Livy in her time of need–Ruth was suddenly too busy chasing boys and getting into trouble. Livy also started associating with a group of party-hardy teenagers who jeopardize their chances of escaping small-town life with a thought-to-be harmless prank. To me, Livy’s personality was numb like the pain she was feeling, so naturally the book is pretty depressing. I cried–which I rarely ever do–and I had bad dreams while reading it. The ending of Dream Journal was predictable, as was Ruth’s misfortune. 

Recommendation: While it was a very dramatic and a painfully honest story, I don’t feel like Dream Journal is a “enjoyable” book to read; of course it probably wasn’t mean to be. Because I feel only so-so about this book–mainly because I don’t like depressing plots or themes–I can only recommend to older teens who can relate to the loss, grief, and confusion Livy goes through. If you don’t like this kind of theme, don’t read. I wouldn’t purchase this book either because you probably won’t want to read it again.For ages 16+.


This Book is For: Teens who can relate to Livy's loss, grief, and confusion.
This Book is Not For: Teens who don't like depressing stories/themes of loss


Content: Sexual references, some language, dramatic elements, and teen drinking (PG-13)


|Pages: 256|Published: 2006|Publisher: Hyperion|Price: Soft. $8.99|
|Genre: Loss, grief, drama, contemporary fiction|
|Content: PG-13|Age Group: YA, ages 16+|
|Enjoyed It: 2/5|Content Rating: 2/5|Cover: 4/5|
|Overall: 2/5|

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.

The Girl Next Door by Selene Castrovilla

While most seniors at her high school are worrying about prom and final exams, seventeen-year-old Sam is desperately trying to save her best friend Jesse’s life. He has a rare, treatment-resistant form of cancer, and his odds of survival aren’t good; he may have only ten months left to live. Through every bit of his pain and anguish, Sam has been by his side—through the grueling, aggressive treatments and their awful aftermath, to sleeping in his room when he’s afraid to be alone. Best friends and neighbors since preschool, Jesse and Sam’s friendship is changing. Now they’re falling in love, and the bond between them grows stronger even as Jesse weakens. Will they have a happy ending...or will their story end in heartbreak? 

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Though the concept of the story in The Girl Next Door was genuine and heartwarming, I did not enjoy reading it. There was something that was blocking my metal capacity to even concentrate on what was going on. Even when I did finally pay attention, the plot was–to put it bluntly–boring and uneventful. 

Sam, the main character and narrator of the book, is trying to "save" her friend (and later more) from dying. Although Jessie might have accepted his future, Sam is unwilling to give him up. It was a touching, sad story, and the ending was probably the best thing that ever happened in the book, but I couldn't help but feel there was a lot missing. There was no in-between things happening with the climax. Everything revolved around Jessie's illness and Sam's life did too. The entire plot went in circles and followed a pattern of events; you never got to really hear about Jessie and Sam's life before his illness. I also did not like the fact that the author kept throwing in religion but never really got anywhere with it. What is the use of mentioning something if all you do is ride the fence. In short, that part of it was rather confusing. 

Overall, the idea of the story was good; I just felt like there was something was missing, perhaps the characters were a bit too incomplete. 

➲Recommendation: It's okay to read a story of loss once in awhile but The Girl Next Door might not be the one to choose first. Because it wasn't a terribly unenjoyable book (it just didn't suit my tastes), I must take in consideration of those who just might enjoy this book. My suggestion would be to borrow and skim through it. It's a very short book and the whole plot is pretty much presented in the first couple of chapters. I wouldn't recommend purchasing it at all until you've read it. Please note, I would not recommend to young teens as it deals with mature situations, sexual scenes, and language. Ages 16+ (PG-13).

This Book is For: Older teens who like stories of loss.

This Book is Not For: Younger teens or others who are not interested in its themes.

Content: For a book that suppose to be about love, loss, and life, it sure had a lot of things that weren't very "touching". The language for instance was on the verge of being explicit, there was more than one sexual scene, and a ton of sexual remarks.

The Last Straw:  If an author wants to write a story of love, why can't it be appropriate for all ages to enjoy?

|Pages: 237|Publisher: WestSide |Published: April 2010|Price: Hard. $16.95|

|Genre: Contemporary fiction, romance, drama, loss|

|Age Group: YA, ages 16+|Content: PG-13|

|Enjoyed It: 2/5|Content: 1/5|Cover: 3/5|

|Overall: 2/5|

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

I Now Pronounce You Someone Else by Erin McCahan

"Here comes the bride"–if she can pass chemistry. Eighteen-year-old Bronwen Oliver has a secret: She's really Phoebe, the lost daughter of the loving Lilywhite family. That's the only way to explain her image-obessed mother; a kind but distant stepfather; and a brother who has a small personality complex (he thinks he's Jesus). Bronwen must have been switched a birth, and she can't wait to get away from her family for good. Then she meets Jared Sondervan. He's sweet, funny, everything she wants–and he has the family Bronwen has always wanted, too. She falls head over heels in love, and when he proposes marriage, she joyfully accepts. But is it Jared she truly needs? And if he's not, she has to ask: What would Phoebe Lilywhite do?

.............................................................

If I only had one word to describe I Now Pronounce You Someone Else I would say personality. Not very often do books have a personality all to their own. This book not only brings an almost-untouched plot to the table of YA, I Now Pronounce You throws in various aspects of a girl's life and a unique circumstance that most teens fear to tread.
Bronwen. That's a different name. It goes perfect with the story because this story isn't your typical YA novel. Bronwen, the narrator of this book, has a unique dilemma. Not only does Bronwen have a background of identity issues, insecurity, and family frustrations, she just told her boyfriend “no”. Oh, did I also mention she's getting married? Toppling on a sea of big life decisions, readers will watch Bronwen pull through... but not without a few twists in the mix. One thing I liked about I Now Pronounce You is that–no matter how many times I tried to guess the situation–Bronwen always surprised me.
Out of all the themes I Now Pronounce Someone Else incorporates: friendship, love, family, identity, and dealing with life decisions–I think perhaps the topic that stood out the most for me was the value of purity. No, no, this isn't a book about one of those girls who goes around talking about purity-rings or her virginity. No, instead our heroine displays a very strong sense of morals and heartfelt devotion. In a world almost void of virtues and innocences, Browden’s voice rings true. I believe many teen girls will relate to Bronwen's struggles, maybe even give them hope for the road ahead.
Bronwen's issues with her family and personal identity will also hit home-base with many teenagers. Because Bronwen's relationship with her mother is falling apart and is constantly hurt by her stepfather's seemingly uncaring actions, Bronwen feels unloved. In turn, she invents a sort of alter-ego, Miss Lilywhite. Family life is such a broad topic and although it is showing up more frequently in the market these days, parent interaction with teen characters is often largely ignored. Bronwen's battle with big decisions doesn't stop at college; Bronwen is swept off her feet by a man (yes, a man) who she believes to be The One. Whatever shall she do? Only Bronwen can decide... and the results?–a stunning drama you don't want to miss.

Recommendation: I Now Pronounce You Someone Else is a great book for teen girls. Finding a book that deals with these subjects so honestly and maturely yet with the lightness of a classic Young Adult novel is rare. My suggestion: skip your next read and pick up this one instead. Recommended to ages 12+.


This Book is For: Teens and older young adults who enjoy a good drama or romance story.
Content: Mild sensuality, coupe of bad words (_am), and some emotional family situations. A-okay for ages 12 and up.


The Last Straw: "Agreeing with crazy people is so much easier–and certainly more diplomatic–than disagreeing." - pg. 3 of I Now Pronounce You Someone Else


|Pages: 258|Published: June 2010| Publisher: Scholastics|Price: Hard. $16.99|
|Genre: Contemporary fiction, teen romance, drama, family drama, friendship|
|Age Group: YA, ages 12+|Content: PG|
|Enjoyed It: 4/5|Content Rating: 4/5|Cover: 5/5|
|Overall: 5/5|

OTHER SIMILAR AUTHORS & BOOKS:

The Lonely Hearts Club - Elizabeth Eulberg

Love Rules - Dandi Daley MacKall

Melody Carlson (Notes From a Spinning Planet series)

Lipstick Apology - Jennifer Jabaley

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