Winger by Andrew Smith

Published May 14, 2013 by Simon and Schuster
5 Stars

Goodreads Review

Ryan Dean West is a fourteen-year-old junior at a boarding school for rich kids. He’s living in Opportunity Hall, the dorm for troublemakers, and rooming with the biggest bully on the rugby team. And he’s madly in love with his best friend Annie, who thinks of him as a little boy.

With the help of his sense of humor, rugby buddies, and his penchant for doodling comics, Ryan Dean manages to survive life’s complications and even find some happiness along the way. But when the unthinkable happens, he has to figure out how to hold on to what’s important, even when it feels like everything has fallen apart.

Filled with hand-drawn info-graphics and illustrations and told in a pitch-perfect voice, this realistic depiction of a teen’s experience strikes an exceptional balance of hilarious and heartbreaking.

Review:  I think I've discovered a genre love I never knew I had.  I love reading contemporary YA with a male protagonist.  Some of my favorite books such as John Green's Looking for Alaska and Paper Towns, Jesse Andrew's Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, and Evan Roskos's Dr. Bird's Advice for Sad Poets feature hilariously awkward and endearing main characters.  I can now add Andrew Smith's Winger to that list.  Ryan Dean, the main character, is charming and vulnerable and very authentic.

Winger tells the story of Ryan Dean, a 14 year old kid who has the book smarts to already be a junior at a private boarding school, but still has the street smarts of a 14 year old kid (ie, not many).  This leads to some hilariously embarrassing interactions because all of his friends are 2 years older than him and are often exasperated at his antics.  His immature 14 year old mouth often gets him into trouble.  Even though Ryan Dean spends a lot of time thinking that he's a loser, don't believe him.  He's athletic, smart (maybe not the most wise but what 14 year old is?), and very charming.  He is a complete joy to read.

I really loved the character Joey.  He was like the great voice of reason with Ryan Dean.  Ryan Dean would go off on some crazy tangent or get himself involved in some crazy scheme and Joey was there to slap some sense into his head.  I absolutely loved the friendship that developed between these two characters, it was so endearing and cute and (without spoilers promise) made the ending even more sad. 

I am very excited to read this for a second time.  There is a lot of subtle development underneath all of the jokes about balls and I'm really excited to re-read it and see what I can catch.  It's very artful storytelling and I think the words chosen are a lot more deliberate than they seem.  That's very difficult to achieve, and I think Andrew Smith is brilliant for it.

So overall I loved Winger.  It's funny and touching and has a great balance between poignant moments of friendship, love, and personal growth and jokes about balls.  I highly recommend Winger and I think it's a perfect addition to your YA collection.

Dr. Bird's Advice for Sad Poets by Evan Roskos

Published March 5, 2013 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
5 Stars

Goodreads Review
“I hate myself but I love Walt Whitman, the kook. Always positive. I need to be more positive, so I wake myself up every morning with a song of myself.”

Sixteen-year-old James Whitman has been yawping (à la Whitman) at his abusive father ever since he kicked his beloved older sister, Jorie, out of the house. James’s painful struggle with anxiety and depression—along with his ongoing quest to understand what led to his self-destructive sister’s exile—make for a heart-rending read, but his wild, exuberant Whitmanization of the world and keen sense of humor keep this emotionally charged debut novel buoyant.



Review:  Do you ever just randomly pick up a book without knowing much about it and it's just the perfect thing for your life? Well that's what happened for me. I wandered into the bookstore with the goal of just getting a coffee but then Dr Bird's caught my eye. I had no idea what it was about, but I saw the blurbs from Matthew Quick and Jesse Andrews and thought "I need to read this". 

Turns out Dr. Bird's is about a boy with depression and anxiety.   The synchronicity is rather freaky because I've suspected that I have depression for years but I've never really taken action to get some help, I've always tried to deal with it on my own. Dr. Bird's helped me realize that I cannot do it alone and I've started taking steps to find a therapist. I really appreciate this novel and the perfect timing in which it came into my life.

Do you ever just randomly pick up a book without knowing much about it and it's just the perfect thing for your life? Well that's what happened for me. I wandered into the bookstore with the goal of just getting a coffee but then Dr Bird's caught my eye. I had no idea what it was about, but I saw the blurbs from Matthew Quick and Jesse Andrews and thought "I need to read this". Turns out Dr. Bird's is about a boy with depression and anxiety. The synchronicity is rather freaky because I've suspec.

Also I need to read more Walt Whitman.

Sidenote:  I posted this review up on goodreads a few weeks ago and the author, Evan Roskos, took time to leave a very lovely comment on my review.  I wanted to thank him for the words of encouragement and for writing such a wonderful novel.

Butter by Erin Jade Lange

Published September 18, 2012 by Bloomsbury
egalley for review from netgalley
4 stars
DAC

Goodreads Review
A lonely obese boy everyone calls "Butter" is about to make history. He is going to eat himself to death—live on the Internet—and everyone is invited to watch. When he first makes the announcement online to his classmates, Butter expects pity, insults, and possibly sheer indifference. What he gets are morbid cheerleaders rallying around his deadly plan. Yet as their dark encouragement grows, it begins to feel a lot like popularity. And that feels good. But what happens when Butter reaches his suicide deadline? Can he live with the fallout if he doesn’t go through with his plans? With a deft hand, E.J. Lange allows readers to identify with both the bullies and the bullied in this all-consuming look at one teen’s battle with himself.

Review:  Butter is the story of an obese boy looking for acceptance and normalcy.  It's a story about how tough high school can be if you aren't perceived as one of the perfect popular crowd.

I could completely relate to Butter and his struggle with depression, self loathing, and his addiction to food.  I think that people try and self medicate in a lot of different ways, and for a lot of people food is their security blanket.  It's what they turn to when they are sad, lonely, bored, or scared.  Butter just wants acceptance, I think he's afraid to allow himself to be happy.  He eats to create a literal barrier between himself and other people because he's afraid to let people in.  His weight stops people from trying and he doesn't have to worry that they might get to know him and not like him for who he his, not just his appearance. 

I've read some reviews that say that Butter's classmate's reaction to his suicide plan as unrealistic.  Well, I disagree.  Maybe I have less faith in today's youth but it wasn't long ago that I was in high school and I could totally see my classmates egging people on.  I was an outcast too, and I could completely see someone doing anything to get the popular crowd's attention, and in turn the popular crowd taking full advantage of that. 

Butter is an extremely difficult book to read, and I think it will strike a deep chord with any person who as ever felt desperate to fit in.  It is equal parts heart warming and breaking, but handles some extremely sensitive topics with care and grace.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Published March 1, 2012 by Harry N. Abrams
5/5 stars

Goodreads Review
Greg Gaines is the last master of high school espionage, able to disappear at will into any social environment. He has only one friend, Earl, and together they spend their time making movies, their own incomprehensible versions of Coppola and Herzog cult classics.

Until Greg’s mother forces him to rekindle his childhood friendship with Rachel.

Rachel has been diagnosed with leukemia—cue extreme adolescent awkwardness—but a parental mandate has been issued and must be obeyed. When Rachel stops treatment, Greg and Earl decide the thing to do is to make a film for her, which turns into the Worst Film Ever Made and becomes a turning point in each of their lives.

And all at once Greg must abandon invisibility and stand in the spotlight.

Review:  Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is Fantastic (yes with a capital F)! It's so hilarious I was literally loling through the entire book. It's kind of like if John Green was a sarcastic a-hole (and I mean that in the most affectionate way possible). Most of the time I find rambling tangents kind of annoying, but I loved the humor, even though sometimes it got to a place that made me more than a little shocked.  Kind of like this.

No seriously.  I was mostly cracking up, but every now and then I'd be like "Oh dear God!"....but mostly laughing hysterically.  A word of warning, the humor is a major part of the book, and it is NOT kid friendly, so if crude humor and swear words aren't your style, approach with caution.

One of my favorite aspects of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is the stylistic choices.  The story is told in a variety of ways including bullet point lists and screenplay style, which makes it so much fun to read.  I also just really enjoyed the writing style.  Greg is very self deprecating and there are a ton of silly interjections that just made me laugh out loud.   

However, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl isn't all dirty jokes (I promise).  I think there's a pretty deep message too, maybe not a happy one, but a message all the same.  It talks about how not everyone is a fighter, and not everyone has profound moments when faced with death.  Sometimes people just die, and even though you may know that person, it doesn't mean your life will be all that changed.  There's a lot of pressure on people to feel SO SORRY that someone is dying, that everyone has to drop everything because they know someone who is sick, even if that emotion is fake and forced.  And a lot of times people care more about the guilt they feel about not caring then they do about the actual dying person.  We make a person's death about us, and we'll do things we think they'll want (such as make a movie commemorating their life) without really considering who the dying person actually is and what they would want.  This message isn't hopeful or heartwarming, but it's way more honest than a lot of other illness and death books out there.

So basically, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl will appeal to a select audience.  If you're looking for a sentimental coming of age story where the MC learns a profound lesson through the death of a manic pixie dream girl, move along, this is NOT your book.  However, if you're looking for a realistic view of how effed up death can make you and how it's not something that can be tied up in a neat little package of revelations and self discovery told in hundreds of pages of laugh out loud ridiculousness, then run (not walk) and get Me and Earl and the Dying Girl.

Purity by Jackson Pearce

Published April 24, 2012 by Little Brown Books for Young Readers
4 Stars

Goodreads Review
A novel about love, loss, and sex -- but not necessarily in that order.

Before her mother died, Shelby promised three things: to listen to her father, to love as much as possible, and to live without restraint. Those Promises become harder to keep when Shelby's father joins the planning committee for the Princess Ball, an annual dance that ends with a ceremonial vow to live pure lives -- in other words, no "bad behavior," no breaking the rules, and definitely no sex.

Torn between Promises One and Three, Shelby makes a decision -- to exploit a loophole and lose her virginity before taking the vow. But somewhere between failed hookup attempts and helping her dad plan the ball, Shelby starts to understand what her mother really meant, what her father really needs, and who really has the right to her purity.

Review:  I read Sisters Red, Jackson's first book, last year and was underwhelmed.  It was hard to say exactly why, but I just didn't connect to the story like I wanted.  But Purity is a very different story from Sisters Red, and I think Jackson Pearce should write more contemporary stories, her voice translates excellently.  Purity is a fantastic story about love, faith, and freedom, plus I'm a sucker for father daughter stories :)

Purity handles the topics of death, sexuality, and religion with a gentle grace. Shelby, the main character, is an interesting heroine.  Her motivations are difficult to understand in the beginning, but as you listen to her rationalize her decisions and we being to learn more about her relationship with her mother you start to understand why she does what she does.  I liked the growth the character displayed and the questions that she raised.  I think it's very important for people to question the religion you're raised in and to make sure that you follow what you truly believe, not just what you are taught. 

The best part of Purity is the development of Shelby's relationship with her father.  I think her dad was my favorite character, and there were some adorable and terribly awkward interactions that made him completely endearing.  His attempts at a sex talk and doling out punishments were particularly hilarious. 

Purity packs a lot into just over 200 pages.  There are a lot of questions raised that I think every person should think about in their own life.  It's a lighter book with a lot of humor, but with some important messages as well. 

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Published September 29, 2011 by Dutton
5 Stars

Goodreads Review
Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood. 

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

Review:  How have I not reviewed this yet!?  Mega fail on my part!  I read Stephanie Perkins's other book, Anna and the French Kiss, and while I enjoyed it, I wasn't in OMG LUV like so many other readers.  Well, I can say that with Lola there was a lot of OMG LUV.  Much more than with Anna. 

Firstly let's discuss this PERFECT cover.  This is what all book covers should be, a reflection of  the story within.  We know exactly what this book is about because of the cover.  We know it's about a girl with a cool fashion sense, the setting is in San Francisco, and we even get Cricket's bracelet/writing on his hands habit and that their relationship is based around their bedroom windows (they're sitting on a window sill). 

There are so many aspects of Lola that I love.  I really enjoyed Lola's zaney fashion sense.  I am not like that at all (I'm such a tomboy) so it was fun to live vicariously through Lola.  I also loved the setting and her family situation.  It's so refreshing to see a same sex couple in a completely normal life.  Her dads are regular dads, they live normal lives and react like any father would.  I have to give major props to Stephanie Perkins for making Lola's parents an important and stable part of her life.  I also loved how Lola is a companion novel to Anna, and we get to see some of the characters we love from Anna, but from a completely different perspective.

One of the best things about this book was how I could relate to every character.  I have been in Lola, Cricket, and Max's positions in different relationships.  I've been in a relationship that isn't working and gotten feelings for someone else, I've been head over heels for someone with a girlfriend, and I've also suspected a boyfriend of cheating (and I think he probably did) and turned into a green-eyed jealous monster.  It almost felt like this book was my love life in novel form lol. 

Ok now let's talk about Cricket.  Oh Cricket, you are soooo my type (way more than St. Clair).  Let's see.  Tall and dark?  Check.  Engineering and Science?  Check.  Shy in a you-don't-know-you're-beautiful way?  Check.  Hopelessly romantic?  Check.  Cricket is everything I look for in a YA romantic interest and he totally captured my heart.  Lola and Cricket's relationship is believable, it's a slow building love, and it seems completely real.  (Writing this review some 8 months after reading it makes me want to pick Lola back up again!  Oh why do I have so little time...)

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth

Published February 7, 2012 by Balzer + Bray
5 Stars
DAC 2012

Goodreads Review
When Cameron Post’s parents die suddenly in a car crash, her shocking first thought is relief. Relief she’ll never have to tell them that, hours earlier, she had been kissing a girl. 

But that relief soon turns to heartbreak, as Cam is forced to move in with her conservative aunt Ruth. She knows that from this point on, her life will forever be different. Survival in Miles City, Montana, means blending in and not making waves, and Cam becomes an expert at this—especially at avoiding any questions about her sexuality.

Then Coley Taylor moves to town. Beautiful pickup-driving Coley is a perfect cowgirl with the perfect boyfriend to match. To Cam’s surprise, she and Coley become best friends—while Cam secretly dreams of something more. Just as that starts to seem like a real possibility, her secret is exposed. Ultrareligious Aunt Ruth takes drastic action to “fix” her niece, bringing Cam face-to-face with the cost of denying her true self—even if she’s not quite sure who that is.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post is a stunning and unforgettable literary debut about discovering who you are and finding the courage to live life according to your own rules.


Review:  This is by far the best book I have ever read on Christianity and homosexuality. I was thoroughly impressed with how the author handled this very touchy subject.  There is no moral of the story crammed down your throat, no secret agenda. It's a story of a girl dealing with the loss of her parents while on the brink of womanhood, and it is told beautifully, honestly, and lovingly.  


One of the aspects of The Miseducation of Cameron Post that I have to comment on is the writing style.  It is a lot more like adult literary fiction than YA, but for this type of story it works well.  The writing could have easily overpowered the story, making it feel heavy handed and slow to read, but Danforth does an excellent job painting a complete picture.  It's easy to get completely submerged in her writing.


I really appreciated how honestly Danforth handled Cameron's sexuality.  Nothing about it was overdone, it was understated and shy and exactly what so many kids go through when they get their first crush.  Straight or gay, I could completely related to the confusion and excitement of young love.  


I also really liked how the Christian characters weren't one dimensional villains.  I think it could have been very easy to make these characters judgmental and cruel, but instead I could understand where they were coming from.  I wanted to hate Ruth, Rick, and Lydia, but I understood those characters and realized that in their mind they were trying to help Cameron and her classmates.  It's fairly obvious that they weren't very successful with their methods, but Danforth doesn't outright condemn them either.  It is possible for good people to do very bad things without realizing it.


Overall The Miseducation of Cameron Post is a fantastic addition to the growing LGBT themed books in the YA community.  It shows how sexuality isn't a black or white issue and I hope it will raise awareness that people are people first, and their sexuality and religion second.  This is a fantastic book for parents and teachers to start a dialogue about tolerance for different sexualities.  

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Published in 1999 by MTV Books and Pocket Books
4 stars


Goodreads Review


Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.This haunting novel about the dilemma of passivity vs. passion marks the stunning debut of a provocative voice in contemporary fiction: The Perks of Being a Wallflower. This is the story of what it’s like to grow up in high school. More intimate than a diary, Charlie's letters are singular and unique, hilarious and devastating. We may not know where he lives. We may not know to whom he is writing. All we know is the world he shares. Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it puts him on a strange course through uncharted territory. The world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends. The world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. Through Charlie, Stephen Chbosky has created a deeply affecting coming-of-age story, a powerful novel that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller coaster days known as growing up.

Review:  The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a teen classic.  It's paved the way for many novels with its take on drugs, sex, abuse, friendship, and growing up while told through the letters of a fifteen year old boy whose innocent view of the world charms the reader.  It's not so much that subject matter is unique, but the voice in which it is told is delightful.  It's Charlie's observations of the world, simple though it may be, that makes this story so intriguing and relateable.  


Yes there are certainly aspects of this book that may be difficult for some people to read, in particular the ending, but I think that these difficult elements all make Charlie the way he is, both the things that happened to him in the past and what he experiences over the course of the book.  


While I doubt I'll become one of the rabid fans that swear by this books genius, I still really enjoyed the story and would recommend it to kids in high school who might be feeling a little "uncool".  I know that I do wish I had read it when I was a freshman, I probably would have really loved it then.  The Perks of Being a Wallflower is already over 10 years old, but I still find it extremely relevant to today's young adults.  It is a timeless tale of finding yourself that all teens experience. 

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

Published March 9, 2010 by Dial
4 Stars

Goodreads Review
Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life - and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey's boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie's own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they're the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can't collide without the whole wide I world exploding.

This remarkable debut is perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Francesca Lia Block. Just as much a celebration of love as it is a portrait of loss, Lennie's struggle to sort her own melody out of the noise around her is always honest, often hilarious, and ultimately unforgettable.

Review:  I read The Sky is Everywhere because my friend Gabrielle Carolina over at The Mod Podge Bookshelf really loves this book, and I can totally see why.  By far the best thing about The Sky is Everywhere is the writing.  WOW.  Nelson's writing style is one of the most compelling and unique of any that I've experienced in YA.  The story itself isn't uncommon, a girl loses her sister and is trying to put her life back together after her death, but it is the way in which this story is present that makes it so special.  I could completely relate to Lennie, even though I have never gone through the tragedy of losing a sibling and best friend, how Nelson writes Lennie's thoughts make her totally relatable, hilarious, and heart breaking. Also, I loved the note convention used at the beginning and end of the chapters.  I loved that the poems were printed on paper, cups, wrappers, trees, whatever was around.  I love visuals in books and these really lend to the story and make it way interesting. 


I also could totally understand why Lennie has feelings towards two different people.  With Toby she's looking for someone who can understand her pain and make it go away.  It's not so much that she actually loves Toby, quite the opposite she has tremendous feelings of guilt, but at the same time she is drawn to the person who can understand.

And then there's Joe.  Let me just say that a man who can play an instrument well is dead sexy.  He's the boy who can actually help heal her.  I think it's so important that he moved to town after Bailey's death.  He doesn't know pre-death Lennie, and loves her as she is now.  I loved how he helped draw the music out of her and healed her with his.  He helps her accept what happened and helps her see that life will go on and that she can go on, not forgetting her sister, but remembering all of the beautiful lessons she taught.  (My only criticism of Joe is that he fell in crazy love with Lennie a little too fast.  I would have liked to see the beginning stages a little more, so the healing love they experienced at the end would have been more supported).


Overall The Sky is Everywhere is a beautifully written book about losing a loved one and finding out that love can heal.  (Word to the wise, the UK hardcover edition has full colored photos of Lennie's poems.  I really wish I could get my hands on a copy, if anyone knows where I can buy it, please comment!)

Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

Published in 2010 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

5 Stars

Goodreads Review

“I’ve left some clues for you.
If you want them, turn the page.
If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”

So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the New York Timesbestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have written a love story that will have readers perusing bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own.

Review:  I love treasure hunt type stories.  Like, really really love them.  When I was a little kid I would make up treasure hunts for my younger siblings and I would spend HOURS drawing maps, hiding clues, and creating decorated boxes for the "treasure" (usually some apples or something, what I was only 6, don't judge).  I've always daydreamed about finding a hidden passage, a secret diary, and some sort of clue trail of my own.  I just LOVED the idea of finding a secret message tucked into the stacks of my favorite bookstore.  It is my ideal adventure.


I absolutely loved the two main characters, but I think I connected more to Lily.  I loved her kooky style and her brother and her dog and her freaking majorette boots.  I also loved how she was the one to initiate the journal.  She is more bold than me, because while I dream about finding a secret, she creates one and puts it out into the world.  


Overall Dash and Lily is an adorable romance.  It's an excellent tale about how the idea of a person may be different that who they really are, but that doesn't mean they still aren't right for you.  It has a great theme that fairy tale prince charmings and princesses are wonderful, but they're only fairy tales.  Real life relationships aren't as perfect, there are things that will frustrate and annoy you, but they're real and that is magic.

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

#1 in Perfect Chemistry Series
Published in 2008 by Walker Books for Young Readers
3 Stars

Goodreads Review
A fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers. 

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.  In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.


Review:  Perfect Chemistry is a modern day West Side Story.  It's a classic tale of two star crossed lovers from opposite sides of the tracks defying social norms to be together.  


I really enjoyed the beginning of the book, when Alex and Brittany both had preconceived notions about each other's motivations.  I liked that as the reader I had insider knowledge and knew just how wrong each was about the other.  I also really enjoyed some of their sweeter moments as Brittany and Alex learned the truth about each other (the wedding scene in particular was excellent).  I also really enjoyed Alex's relationship with his family and how he tried to protect them from the gang while still appearing loyal.  He walked a fine line, and it was really interesting to read.  


There were a few parts of the books that weren't bad, but did leave me a little disappointed.  Once Alex and Brittany recognized they liked each other it got a little cheesy and cliche for my taste.  I tend to be a pretty cynical person so sometimes I didn't fully believe the character's motivations.  Also Alex is in a gang but I didn't feel like there was enough gang violence.  Gangs are really serious, and I can't help but feel there should have been more intimidating Alex into doing more bad things.  I didn't feel like the gang was as in control of Alex as they should have been.  And let me just say that I know this book is YA, but  this is a romance people, I needed a little more in the sex scenes!  Lots of good making out, not enough doing it.

The one thing that bumped this review down from a 4 star to a 3 star is the epilogue.  I felt like the book had a good, concise ending until I read the epilogue.  That took the book into ridiculously perfect happily ever after territory and I just couldn't take it seriously anymore.  


Now don't get me wrong.  I still really enjoyed this book, I just think it wasn't quite what I was expecting.  So many people raved about it so I think I set myself up for failure.  Perfect Chemistry is a great book for people looking for a forbidden love/Romeo and Juliet type story.

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Published in 2009 by Viking Juvenile

3 Stars

Goodreads Review

“Dead girl walking,” the boys say in the halls.
“Tell us your secret,” the girls whisper, one toilet to another.
I am that girl.
I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through.
I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame.

Lia and Cassie were best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies. But now Cassie is dead. Lia's mother is busy saving other people's lives. Her father is away on business. Her step-mother is clueless. And the voice inside Lia's head keeps telling her to remain in control, stay strong, lose more, weigh less. If she keeps on going this way—thin, thinner, thinnest—maybe she'll disappear altogether.

In her most emotionally wrenching, lyrically written book since the National Book Award finalist Speak, best-selling author Laurie Halse Anderson explores one girl's chilling descent into the all-consuming vortex of anorexia.

Review:  I'd be lying if I didn't say that I was really anticipating reading Wintergirls.  I read Speak a while ago after watching the movie (which I actually liked!  Who knew I'd like a K-Stew movie) and I loved the book.  However, I'm sad to say that Wintergirls fell short for me.

I really enjoy reading books about mental illnesses including eating disorders.  I find there are so many different ways an author can go when they're writing a story about mental illness.  I felt like Anderson was close to hitting the mark, but didn't quite make it.  I couldn't connect to her writing style which is surprising because I really enjoyed her writing in Speak.  However in Wintergirls it was a little too poetic and "flowery" for my taste.  I guess I was expecting a much more direct form of story telling, and Wintergirls kept me guessing as to what was really going on.  I couldn't tell if it was a contemporary or paranormal book, and that ambiguity frustrated me and turned me off from large chunks of the story.  


Another aspect of the book I didn't really like was the lack of character growth.  I didn't get the impression that Lia really learned anything by the end of the story.  I was hoping that I would get some sense that she was going to get better, that she would have some sort of epiphany about what she was doing to her body and her family.  That never happened for me.  At the end she still seemed selfish and defensive.  

This review isn't to say Wintergirls is the worst book I've ever read.  I did enjoy some parts, largely the horrific side effects of anorexia and bulimia, but for me parts of the book felt too hung up in a specific writing style or convention to tell the story clearly.  Overall I would say Wintergirls is a good book, but nowhere near some of Anderson's other works.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Published January 10, 2012 by Dutton Juvenile
5 Stars


Goodreads Review
Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now. 

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault. 

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.


Review:  I need to put a disclaimer on this review that I highly doubt this review will adequately describe just how much this book means to me.  I've always been a fan of John Green's work, but The Fault in Our Stars takes him to a new category.  There are definitely still the elements that make it a John Green book, such as teens that have a better vocabulary than most dictionaries, references to obscure books, music, and lots of poetry, and in-depth analyses of the meaning of life.  But with The Fault in Our Stars, he does this better than any book he's written before.  Yes these teens are maybe too smart, and yes I had to look up a word more than once, but never the less this book looks at death, love, and illness in a way that is so REAL.  


First I want to give you a little background on where I'm coming from, and why Hazel in particular touched me on a very personal level.  When I was 14 (just about to enter high school), I had to go to the doctor for a routine checkup.  I had some basic bloodwork done, then went home to await the results.  I got a call at 1:00 AM that night saying I had to go to the hospital right then and there.  It turns out my platelet count (they're in your blood and cause it to clot) was so low I was considered a "medical emergency" (An average count is 150,000 - 500,000.  I was at 7,000).  On top of that my red blood cell count was HALF of what it should have been.  I spent that first of what would be many weekends in the hospital with doctors trying to figure out what was wrong with me.  

They eventually diagnosed me with ITP (Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura) which is basically where my immune system attacks my platelets for no reason.  But I went through months before the diagnosis where they thought I could have anything from ITP to a bone marrow disorder to leukemia.  Yes, I went around for about three months thinking I had blood cancer.  Not very pleasant for a girl just starting high school.  Luckily for me I didn't have luekemia, but I was still in the hospital 1-3 times a week for two years.  I was on a very aggressive steroid treatment as well as periodic IVIg treatments that not only didn't really fix my blood problem, also caused me to gain 80 lbs, have severe mood swings, and lead me to some pretty hard core self image and depression issues.

After 2 years my doctors decided I had to go to a more drastic from of treatment by way of splenectomy.  Word to the wise, if you can avoid having abdominal surgery, I suggest you do it because it hurts like a bitch.  If that didn't work we would have had to resort to forms of chemotherapy, which totally scared the shit out of me.  Luckily the splenectomy worked and after a couple weeks my counts leveled to a perfectly healthy 300,000 which was way better than expected.  I'm basically cured and I don't have to take any medication or do anything special now.  I just have to be aware of my immune system because I am missing a spleen, so I can get sick more easily than other people.  But compared to having blood cancer?  I'll give the spleen freely, again and again.

Ok, I'm telling you all way too much information so you can understand where I'm coming from when I say this book hit me on a very personal level.  John Green does an excellent job capturing the feeling of being sick.  From puffy steroid face to midnight hospital runs to being afraid that your death will ruin the ones you love, John Green covers the realities of illness with sensitivity and honesty.  He really gets what it's like to be sick, and to be so sick that you could die.  It doesn't fall into that sappy lifetime movie-esque melodrama of so many other cancer books.  

I also just LOVE Hazel and Gus.  So much.  And I won't spoil the plot, but I totally did not expect what happened to them in this book, and I am so glad it didn't go the way I was expecting it to.  I loved how their relationship forms and how they understand each other.  What's really great is these characters are people, not just their disease.  Plus the banter back and forth is adorable while their serious conversations made me think about my life and what I really valued.  I particularly loved the lesson Gus learns about wanting to leave a mark on the world, a legacy, something to be remembered by after he has died.  I think we all feel like that, but is the whole world knowing who we are really what's important?  Isn't having people who love you and loving them back enough?  I also loved their "infinity".  I don't want to say more than that, because I don't want to spoil, just tell you a little bit about why I love this book so much.  

While I'm not happy with the cover nor the blurb (I get why Jodi Picoult is on it, I just hate the fact that she is) I hope people outside the YA and nerdfighter community will pick this book up.  The Fault in Our Stars should be read by everyone who has ever felt like their life was less valuable due to something they cannot control, anyone who has ever wanted to be seen as more than "that cancer girl", and anyone who has ever had to come to terms with the finality of a human life.

Freedom by Jonathan Franzen

Published in 2010 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
3 Stars


Goodreads Review

Patty and Walter Berglund were the new pioneers of old St. Paul--the gentrifiers, the hands-on parents, the avant-garde of the Whole Foods generation. Patty was the ideal sort of neighbor, who could tell you where to recycle your batteries and how to get the local cops to actually do their job. She was an enviably perfect mother and the wife of Walter's dreams. Together with Walter--environmental lawyer, commuter cyclist, total family man--she was doing her small part to build a better world.

But now, in the new millennium, the Berglunds have become a mystery. Why has their teenage son moved in with the aggressively Republican family next door? Why has Walter taken a job working with Big Coal? What exactly is Richard Katz--outré rocker and Walter's college best friend and rival--still doing in the picture? Most of all, what has happened to Patty? Why has the bright star of Barrier Street become "a very different kind of neighbor," an implacable Fury coming unhinged before the street's attentive eyes?

In his first novel since The Corrections, Jonathan Franzen has given us an epic of contemporary love and marriage. Freedom comically and tragically captures the temptations and burdens of liberty: the thrills of teenage lust, the shaken compromises of middle age, the wages of suburban sprawl, the heavy weight of empire. In charting the mistakes and joys of Freedom's characters as they struggle to learn how to live in an ever more confusing world, Franzen has produced an indelible and deeply moving portrait of our time.


Review:  

I really enjoyed Franzen’s writing style.  He is clear, descriptive, and intelligent.  I had a clear picture of the main character’s objectives and their inner struggles.  Their backgrounds were laid out in a way that allowed me to see their growth without feeling like there was a massive info dump to get there.  However there were times when I thought Franzen was trying too hard to be “cool”, in the way a 6 year old boy thinks poop and dead bugs are cool.  There are some really weird analogies used that do not help me connect to the story (using the phrase “a firm little clitoris of discernment and sensitivity” to describe a woman’s intelligence for example….???? I’m sorry but I don’t know anyone who would describe a person as being a clitoris of anything.  Just saying).

In particular I enjoyed Joey’s transformation.  I loved how he went from a spoiled and entitled little shit to a man who had to make some huge choices.  He started off with that “nothing bad can ever happen to me” mentality that so many teenagers seem to have, and then when something REALLY bad happened he learned to take responsibility for not only his actions, but the ethical and moral implications of those actions.  In the end he turned out to be one of the most stable characters, which was something I could not predict based on his character at the start of the book. 

The character I could relate to the most was probably Patty.  I can completely understand how she can have everything she’s “supposed” to want and still be horribly unhappy.  I can also understand how a husband can do everything right and still be wrong, and that the man who does everything so horribly wrong can be the only man you can love.  It’s not healthy, but I get it. 

The only character I didn’t like was Richard.  I couldn’t understand his point of view or his motivations.  I didn’t like how he said he cared about Walter so much but couldn’t have enough self-control to stay loyal to the one person who always stood by him.  I also didn’t think this character was all that realistic.  Sure he was a “rock star” but I didn’t think he was neither famous nor rich enough to have women just throwing themselves at him.  He didn’t come across charming or sexy, just dirty and rude.

I think the overall theme of the book was a person’s sense of duty and if they were too cowardly to live up to their duty or if they had the courage to seek the freedom from duties that made them miserable.  Every single character had to make a decision about their duties in life, whether it be to their children, spouse, friend, company, country, or themselves, and if they were going to meet expectations or not.  More often than not they have to choose between two conflicting duties, which is not an easy thing.  This was probably my favorite aspect of the book, and the development and choices of the characters were both expected and surprising. 

Overall Freedom is like one of the videos on the weird side of youtube.  Whether it’s a dog scratching its balls or a kitten randomly puking, there’s something freakishly fascinating about it.  That’s what Freedom is; equal parts captivating and disgusting.  I can really only recommend this book to you if you’re willing to take a look at the nastier side of people and can handle seeing some of that reflected in yourself. 

Shine by Lauren Myracle

Published April 27, 2011 by Amulet Books
5 Stars

Goodreads Review

When her best guy friend falls victim to a vicious hate crime, sixteen-year-old Cat sets out to discover who in her small town did it. Richly atmospheric, this daring mystery mines the secrets of a tightly knit Southern community and examines the strength of will it takes to go against everyone you know in the name of justice. 

Against a backdrop of poverty, clannishness, drugs, and intolerance, Myracle has crafted a harrowing coming-of-age tale couched in a deeply intelligent mystery. Smart, fearless, and compassionate, this is an unforgettable work from a beloved author.

Review:  Shine is a very important book that covers the topics of homosexuality, drug use, and small town mentality.  It's about how ignorance can breed fear and hate.  But Shine is also about overcoming social expectations to do what is right.

I really liked how Shine handled such a wide variety of problems without ever feeling forced.  The main story is about a gay hate crime, but as the motivations behind that crime unfold we get to see the fronts put up by everyone in the town fall away.  We see that everyone has things about themselves that they are ashamed about.  Instead of putting things out in the open where they can be resolved and get help they shove it down where it never gets dealt with and just festers and gets worse.  I think this creates a sense of isolation and helplessness. 

However I did find parts of the story very predictable.  There would be times where I figured out something way before Cat and I would just sit there thinking 'Come on girl, figure it out so we can move on."  Eventually she'd figure it out and we'd move on.  There were also times where my imagination was way worse that what actually happened.  I think that because it was a YA book parts of the story were toned down a bit.  I don't have a problem with that but when I was expecting an ocean of hurt and only got a medium sized pond of hurt I felt a little underwhelmed (if that analogy makes any sense at all).

Beyond the who-done-it aspect of the story, I think the most important part is the commentary on how fear causes us to be selfish and act with a fight for survival mentality.  We forsake other's well being for our own when fear takes us over.  And ignorance and misunderstanding cause fear.  We have to all be more tolerate and take an active role to understand each other and people who are different in order ot overcome that fear.

After the cluster that was the WSJ Article of Doom and the more recent National Book Award mess I can only hope that people will continue to read books and make up their own minds about the merits of a book.  Shine is a dark book that covers dark topics yes, but overall it has a message of hope and that even the most prejudice of people can learn to accept and love.

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

Published May 24, 2011 by Scholastic Press

4 Stars

Goodreads Review
The fifty contestants in the Miss Teen Dream pageant thought this was going to be a fun trip to the beach, where they could parade in their state-appropriate costumes and compete in front of the cameras. But sadly, their airplane had another idea crashing on a desert island and leaving the survivors stranded with little food, little water, and practically no eyeliner.

What's a beauty queen to do? Continue to practice for the talent portion of the program--or wrestle snakes to the ground? Get a perfect tan--or learn to run wild? And what should happen when the sexy pirates show up?

Welcome to the heart of non-exfoliated darkness. Your tour guide? None other than Libba Bray, the hilarious, sensational, Printz Award-winning author of A Great and Terrible Beauty and Going Bovine. The result is a novel that will make you laugh, make you think, and make you never see beauty the same way again.

Review:  Zany, wacky, silly, hilarious, empowering, awesome.  All adjectives that can describe Libba Bray's satire on modern beauty stereotypes and women's roles in today's society as well as consumerism, racism, LGBT issues, and politics.  This is a perfect book for fans of Drop Dead Gorgeous, Miss Congeniality, and Legally Blonde (AKA me).

I really enjoyed all of the girls on the island and their unique personalities.  What I liked was how each girl started off with their own preconceived notions, their own mold that they were trying to stuff themselves into (in particular Mary Lou was amazing).  As the book progressed they learn how to let go of society's demands and expectations of them and to become the girls that they truly are.  I think this is a lovely message for the book and I really enjoyed the delivery.

The humor in this book is pretty out there, I will admit.  I consider my sense of humor to be pretty dry, so this over the top slap stick humor was a little too much for me at times.  Other times this humor was right on point and had some very poignant undertones.  Beauty Queens has varying levels of humor, so don't be surprised if you find yourself simultaneously rolling your eyes and laughing out loud. 

Overall Beauty Queens is a very funny satire that comments on beauty and how we try and contain it and give it structure and definition instead of letting it be the wild exciting thing it is.  While the humor doesn't always hit the mark for me, when it's on it's SO ON and speaks truly about sexuality and growing up.

Want to Go Private by Sarah Darer Littman

Published August 1, 2011 by Scholastic Press
4 Stars

Goodreads Review

Abby and Luke chat online. They've never met. But they are going to. Soon.

Abby is starting high school—it should be exciting, so why doesn't she care? Everyone tells her to "make an effort," but why can't she just be herself? Abby quickly feels like she's losing a grip on her once-happy life. The only thing she cares about anymore is talking to Luke, a guy she met online, who understands. It feels dangerous and yet good to chat with Luke—he is her secret, and she's his. Then Luke asks her to meet him, and she does. But Luke isn't who he says he is. When Abby goes missing, everyone is left to put together the pieces. If they don't, they'll never see Abby again.

Review:  This is a hard book to review.  Want to go Private is an intense book. I want to say it should be read by older teens, but no. This is a book middle schoolers need to read because the dangers really do start that young, as much as I hate to admit it. I went onto a chat room for the first time when I was in 5th grade (I was only 10 years old, I was put in school early). The dangers are out there, and not only do parents need to educate their children, but they also need to educate themselves. I was worried this book was going to be all shock factor, but it really covers a lot of facts and offers some very useful insight into internet predators. I was very impressed. 

Sidenote: I've read reviews that say that Abby was asking for it for being so stupid and she deserved to be raped. No girl deserves to be raped, and no girl ever asks for it. If you believe that then you can go fuck yourself. 

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

Published in 2010 by Speak
5 Stars


Goodreads Review
One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, Will Grayson crosses paths with . . . Will Grayson. Two teens with the same name, running in two very different circles, suddenly find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, and culminating in epic turns-of-heart and the most fabulous musical ever to grace the high school stage. Told in alternating voices from two YA superstars, this collaborative novel features a double helping of the heart and humor that have won them both legions of fans.


Review: Will Grayson, Will Grayson is a ridiculously hilarious book about high school students trying to find themselves through, friendship, love, betrayal, and musical theater.  


This book is told from the perspective of two different Will Graysons, each written by one of the authors, and gives an interesting reading experiences.  The first Will Grayson is written by John Green and is a quite and introspective boy who is often overshadowed by the loud and super gay personality of his best friend Tiny Cooper.  We'll call this Grayson BFF Grayson.  The second Will Grayson is written by David Levithan and is dealing with being gay and in the closet and the feeling of loneliness that comes with that.  I'll call this Grayson emo Grayson.  


At the beginning of the book I found myself liking John Green's chapters more, but I soon figured out that it wasn't BFF Grayson that I liked, it was the humor found in Tiny Cooper who is a force to behold.  More on him later.  When it comes to the actual Graysons, I found myself relating a lot more to emo Grayson.  I was a huge loner myself in high school, and I could really relate to feeling like no one understood him and that desperate search to find someone who could love you for just being you.  Also some REALLY shitty stuff happens to him which I hated but thought was brilliant.  


I love all of the crazy stuff that happens that brings the characters together.  There's a lot of great humor and you can tell that the authors not only have similar writing styles, but have a strong friendship.  All three of the main characters (BFF Grayson, emo Grayson, and Tiny Cooper) grow so much throughout the book.  I really loved Tiny Cooper though.  I really connected to him.  At first I thought he was going to be a stereotypical gay sidekick character, but he is so much more than that.  I think a lot of his personality comes from insecurity, and I love how both graysons help him learn to love himself and in the process, grow as people themselves.   I also absolutely loved the ending.  Tiny Dancer is everything I hoped it would be, and so much more.  I actually teared up at the end which is something I was not expecting.


Overall Will Grayson, Will Grayson is a wonderful coming of age story about people learning to accept their friends for who they are and to love themselves.  I highly recommend this book to any gay teen who is feeling lost or alienated and to all teens as a book about accepting those who are different.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Published December 2, 2010 by Dutton
4 Stars

Goodreads Review

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris—until she meets Étienne St. Claire: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.

As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near-misses end with the French kiss Anna—and readers—have long awaited?

Review:  Anna and the French Kiss is just a cute story.  It's a story about a girl who is thrown into a completely new setting where she is exposed to new experiences, meets new people, and even falls in love.

I really enjoyed this story.  The flirtatious interaction between Anna and Etienne was just adorable and so much fun to read.  The romance is certainly the strong point in this book, and it's done very well.  The character interactions and development were very well done as well.  I thought all of the characters were relate able and believable.  No one was completely bad and no one was perfect either, which I really appreciated.  Finally I LOVED the setting.  I've never been to the Paris part of France (I have been to the Riviera area like Toulon and Nice) and Anna and the French Kiss really made me want to travel there.  Everything was described so well I thought I was actually there.  I just wanted to stroll down the street visiting various monuments while eating a delicious baguette. 

My only real criticism has nothing to really do with the book or the writing, but just my general frustration with the characters themselves.  I think that if they had all just sat down and talked a lot of the drama could have been avoided.  I kept thinking, oh my gosh, why didn't you just TELL her/him/them!?  Also, I know a lot of people are head over heels for St. Claire, but I was not attracted to him.  His description was not my type and the picture of him in my head wasn't attractive, so I didn't have that attraction to him like most people.  I think that if I knew Etienne in real life I wouldn't have been attracted to him or been friends with him.

On the other hand, I LOVED Anna.  I loved her love for old movies, we could have totally bonded over that.  I am a movie freak too and it would be so much fun to have a movie marathon with Anna.  She goes through a lot of drama and a lot of really crappy things happen to her, but I loved reading about her growing as a person and learning from her mistakes.  She is not a perfect person, and I can really relate to her. 

Overall, Anna and the French Kiss is an adorable book set in the romantic streets of Paris.  It's a perfect light romance that is sure to charm and become a favorite.

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Published in 2005 by Puffin
Ages 15+
5 Stars

Goodreads Review
Miles Halter is fascinated by famous last words and tired of his safe life at home. He leaves for boarding school to seek what the dying poet Francois Rabelais called the "Great Perhaps." Much awaits Miles at Culver Creek, including Alaska Young. Clever, funny, screwed-up, and dead sexy, Alaska will pull Miles into her labyrinth and catapult him into the Great Perhaps. 

Looking for Alaska brilliantly chronicles the indelible impact one life can have on another. A stunning debut, it marks John Green's arrival as an important new voice in contemporary fiction.


Review:  Looking for Alaska is a coming of age story that is both ridiculously hilarious and touchingly poignant at the same time.  This book deals with friendship, love, and death in a real and honest way that will hit home with not only teens but adult readers as well.  Brilliantly set up into two sections of "before" and "after", Looking for Alaska shows how a single event can change a persons life forever.


First I want to comment on the humor in Looking for Alaska.  There is a lot of it, and I like it.  The writing is witty and the dialogue snappy and clever.  More than once I literally laughed out loud while reading this book, much to my embarrassment because I got to the mother fucking fox hat in the middle of a crowded Starbucks.  


There is sex, drinking, and smoking in this book, but they are realistically done.  The sex isn't beautiful and perfect, it's awkward and a little embarrassing.  The drinking and smoking are also realistic in that for most teens they can experiment without anything horrible happening beyond a hangover and maybe throwing up after going a little too far.  However, I think Looking for Alaska also gives a warning about being irresponsible and the serious consequences drugs and alcohol can have without sounding like a public service announcement.  It handles a tough topic in a way that won't turn teen readers off for sounding too much like their nagging parents.


This book is truly unique in the young adult genre.  Looking for Alaska has equal parts hilarious moments and deeply emotional moments.  There are some great instances of reflection about life's purpose and the morality with which you achieve it that challenges younger readers into thinking beyond the mega hot brooding vampire.  That is the best part of this book, in my opinion.  How Green challenges the reader with complex issues is what makes this book a true classic.  


Overall Looking for Alaska is at it's heart, a story about self discovery.  It's about finding out who you are and seeking the great perhaps that lives within.