Choker by Elizabeth Woods

Cara is a loner. She doesn’t have many friends at all. She left her best friend Zoe behind when they were just kids and she’s never replaced her. There could be no replacement for Zoe. But Cara wishes she could see her again, especially now.

Cara’s high school life consists of living in the fringes of society. She is part of the track team, but not quite part of the girls. But an incident in the cafeteria escalates Cara into running and hiding, especially from Alexis and Syndey, whose mission is to make Cara’s life miserable. They have everything going for them, especially Alexis, who’s dating Cara’s fantasy boyfriend, Ethan, who’s more than real. She doesn’t understand how someone that nice could be with someone that nasty.

Living beside Sydney doesn’t help either. Cara gets to watch the parties, the friendships, the life she’d love to lead through her bedroom window. It’s not enough that people in school don’t include her, but her parents are always absent as well, working through the nights in their law firms and leaving Cara by herself.

But one day, Cara comes home, and Zoe’s there. Her best friend, who’s run away from problems of her own asks Cara to help her, hide her, protect her….and Cara is ecstatic to have her best friend back in her life again. It’s easy to help Zoe with her parents gone, and Zoe more than helps Cara with her self-esteem and problems at school. And slowly, Cara’s life begins to blossom, from making friends, to even catching the attention of Ethan….

But then, one night Sydney mysteriously drowns. Accidental or deliberate? The town is rocked to its core, and Cara begins doubting how harmless her best friend is. It isn’t until Alexis shows up missing that Cara’s doubts become stronger. Is Zoe to blame?

Elizabeth Woods makes a stunning debut in her first novel. A glimpse into the life of a girl who’s been bullied and separated, Woods, connects the reader to the character through those emotional ties that are so important. The twist in the book is subtle and Woods manages to reveal it slowly but steadily throughout the narrative. This novel will keeper readers entranced until the end. Perfect pairing with de la Pena’s I Will Save You. Recommended.

Recovery Road by Blake Nelson

Mad Dog Maddie....that's what people called her when she got wasted.  Her alter-ego comes out and there's no stopping her.  That's why she's at Spring Meadows for eight weeks.  Her parents sent her there to dry up but how can she even try when it's like living in her worst nightmare?  She shares her space Jenna and Angela, but it's Trish that she's drawn to, and a friendship begins to develop. 

The girls share their stories, as well as their lives inside rehab.  They go to the movies together, confide in each other, and work to make it out.  Trish's rehab stint is nearly over, but the two promise they'll continue their friendship outside the walls of Spring Meadows.  After Trish leaves, Maddie is on her own....until she meets Stewart. 

There is no mingling between patients in Spring Meadows, but Maddie can't help it.  During the rest of her time there, she and Stewart become close, unlike any other person she's ever been with.  Maddie also knows she's putting her personal demons aside and vows to hold onto sobriety.  Life right now looks so much different and feels so much better than she could have imagined.  But now it's her time to leave...and also leave Stewart behind.  Again, another promise is made outside of rehab...

But it's those promises Trish, Stewart and Maddie make to each other that become problematic in the real world.  Maddie's friendship with Trish starts out well, but slowly takes a downward spiral when Trish tries to push past the damage she's done.  Maddie's family life is still hard for her to handle, but going back to school and trying to make it past the whispers and rumors is the most difficult.  And when Stewart gets out of rehab, it's into his arms that Maddie runs.

Sometimes though, the things you run from are the things you should run away from.  Maddie's life is a completely different one than when she left it to go into recovery.  Things are beginning to become clearer, including her wanting to graduate, making new friends instead of the ones she got into trouble with, and her love for Stewart.  Real life gets in the way, and are the lessons and treatment at Spring Meadows enough to keep Maddie's life in synch or will she turn again to the demons in order to cope with the stress she faces?

Blake Nelson is an author who crosses bounderies in genres.  This novel is realistically portrayed not only through the characters and their interactions, but also the situations each character finds themselves in.  A powerful story begins to unfold in parallel worlds pre and post rehab.  Blake doesn't sugarcoat Maddie's experience, but writes with gritty realism that resonates throughout the book.  Nelson gets the reader down to the level of the characters, and this is what makes this a remarkable YA book that flows and will quickly take the reader along for the journey. 

The Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBride

Tessa and Noelle have been best friends for years. They’ve shared everything together in the small town of Centerville, Ohio. But with all relationships, events can stagger and tear them apart. And that’s what happened two years ago.


Now, Cooper, Noelle's older brother, is telling Tessa she's alive and coming home.  After two years of abduction by a stranger, Tessa’s best friend is back, but not completely. Tessa thought it was hard to live knowing her best friend was gone, possibly killed. She’d gone through therapy to understand that loss, but now…it’s harder to live knowing Noelle is back and what happened to her. Two years at the hand of a monster can change a person to someone you never even knew. How do you deal with something like that?  Can a friendship you thought was gone forever be re-kindled, and more importantly, can it be the same?

In high school, Tessa’s passion in photography has put her in the advanced classes, which she loves. A new student, Max, is in her class too, and Max sees Tessa for more than what she shows to everyone else, and slowly Tessa lets him into her world. The theme for the next photography project is the opposite of tensions – up down, hot cold, lost found….and all Tessa can think about is Noelle,

“kidnapped, abducted, snatched
Enslaved, imprisoned, restrained.”

When Noelle finally tries to start a normal life by entering into high school, both girls know it will be a long, hard journey, with students knowing what happened to Noelle, with Noelle facing her past and present, and with Tessa trying her hardest to create the perfect balance for not only her best friend, but herself and Max as well.

Kristina McBride creates a dramatic and bold debut novel that deals with real-life issues that have been on the front pages of newspapers as well as televisions today. Many people see the “inside story” of an abductor and can only imagine the horror. McBride writes about the opposite of the abductor and focuses on the life of the abductee after her rescue and the implications of her new life on her as well her family and friends after the tragic events have been aired in public. Paired with the photographic theme of Tessa’s work that creates not only the title of this book, but permeates with symbolism throughout, McBride has created a novel that will keep the reader engaged with the characters as well as the plotline and relationships, and what ultimately will happen to Tessa and Noelle…is there such a thing as resiliency after something that devastating? This debut novel focuses on the now and how the victim and those closest to her must cope with the tragic loss of two years without reliving the past and its brutality. Perfect pairing with Mazer’s The Missing Girl and Scott’s Living Dead Girl.

Book trailer: I Will Save You by Matt de la Pena

Here's the newest one born this year!  Enjoy  :)

You can also download it on the Northwest High School Library webpage.  The booktrailer link is under the Might Red "N":

http://www.nisdtx.org/120820731141528687/site/default.asp

I Will Save You by Matt de la Pena

Kidd doesn't want to remember his past, but sometimes he's forced to.  Now part of a group home for teens, his counselors ask him to remember.  Maria is the one Kidd likes the most but now she's.  But he remembers their sessions, and tries very, very hard to take her advice.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

Now, he's bound and locked away for pushing someone off a cliff.  And he has all the time in the world to think about his life, from beginning to end....

Kidd remembers his mother, whom he lived with and loved very much.  And a father who tried to love, but used his fists instead.  He remembers seeing Mr. Red, Maria's friend, for the first time at Horizons, in his floppy sombrero and tie.  He remembers Maria telling Kidd to stay away from Devon.  But he's the only guy in Horizons who helped out Kidd, even though it may have hurt.  But he also loves flirting with danger and death - it's a thrill ride Devon can't pass up on and one Kidd isn't too sure he wants to experience.

And one day, Kidd just walks out of Horizons, intent on finding a new life....He ends up finding Mr. Red again, who works at a campsite in Encinitas.  Red hires Kidd on, and now all Kidd wants is a normal life.  A hard worker, he does everything Red asks and more.  He knows this won't last long, especially when Devon shows up and starts causing problems. 

Devon takes Kidd on adventures, but they're dangerous and life-threatening.  Kidd doesn't understand how Devon knows so much about him and what he's thinking, but even if he is dangerous, Devon makes sense.  But then again, so does Mr. Red, who's the nicest guy Kidd ever met.  But the person who changes his life is Olivia....

Some people have scars on the outside, some on the inside.  Devon and Olivia have a lot of similarities, and that makes each one trust the other.  And Kidd is determined to keep Olivia away from Devon, even if it means breaking all ties with him.  Devon isn't about the leave....and one night, when the grunions come onto the beach, when Kidd and Olivia are sitting by the cliff, the dark comes out.  But is the dark there to hurt or help Kidd? 

Matt de la Pena is one of those authors who gets it right everytime.  This book combines different voices in the form of diaries to flashbacks, to stream of consciousness to the present, all from the main character.  De la Pena also combines characters that are in direct contrast with each other, from the privileged, to the lost; the capable to the troubled.  It's the striking use of contrast that makes this book such a good read.  It doesn't bog down, but instead makes the reader become incredibly close to Kidd, Red, and Devon.  And it will definitely keep the reader in suspense until that sudden epiphany happens, when the reader is slowly drawn into the reality of what is happening in the novel.  It will pull you and keep you turning the pages.  One of the best I've read this year.

The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney

Themis Academy has the best and brightest. You see the ivy-covered walls, the graduates going on to prestigious colleges, students performing at the top of the game, both academically and athletically. It’s the perfect, picturesque campus….but it’s only the surface of what really happens.

Alex, a junior a Themis, is gifted with musical talent. She does everything a model student is expected to do, but one night changes her life. When she wakes up in Carter’s room, all she wants to do is disappear and hide, but it doesn’t happen. Now, everywhere she turns, he’s there telling everyone what happened, and the shame she feels for that one mistake is now becoming the new fodder on campus. The stares, the whispers, and the lies…

Alex doesn’t realize that there is help on campus, even if the teachers and administrators only want to see the façade they’ve created. Now, walking on campus, going to the caf, even trying to study in the library is extreme torture for Alex. She does everything to avoid Carter, but he keeps showing up. With the help of her roommates, Maia, and TS, Alex is introduced to the Mockingbirds, a group on campus dedicated to underground justice.

In bits and pieces, her nightmare comes back to her and the reality of the situation is serious – date rape. It’s after the Mockingbirds decide to “take the case” that Alex begins to feel that there is justice, especially after hearing and seeing other cases of bullying and student abuse that go on at Themis Academy. But she also knows that her situation is a he said/she said situation, and will it be that easily remedied?

Drawing on personal experience, author Daisy Whitney takes the reader inside the walls, hearts, and justice of the students in this novel. The complexity of the Mockingbirds itself creates a system that has a complex structure for both the accuser and accused. Alex’s character runs deep, from the personal shame, to fear and humiliation, to a sense fresh beginnings. Whitney writes an excellent novel on the psychological and emotional response of and from a victim who has nowhere to turn but inwardly and a group who saves her from it. This is an excellent novel and one that will resonate with readers, especially after a year where bullying has made headline news. Highly recommended

Bruiser by Neal Shusterman

Tennyson doesn’t really like the Bruiser. He’s weird, standoffish, and just a huge bulk of nothing. But when his sister Bronte begins dating the Bruiser, that’s when Tenny’s had enough. The only way to break them up is to confront the guy, and that’s what Tennyson plans to do.

But his confrontation with the Bruiser isn’t what he expected. Brewster, aka Bruiser, doesn’t fight back, even though he’s big enough to pound Tennyson down. But it’s what Tennyson sees that makes him realize there’s more than meets the eye. Brewster’s back is covered with scars, bruises, bump, blisters…like someone has beaten the living daylights out of him….

And that’s where the story truly begins. Brewster and his little brother Cody live with his Uncle Hoyt, a mean drunk who works a steamroller at night and stays home during the day. Uncle Hoyt keeps Brew and Cody close, not wanting any outsiders in their “circle” and when Tennyson and Bronte step over that boundary, they don’t quite understand what they stepped into….

Strange coincidences – Tennyson’s bruised knuckles from lacrosse disappear, Bronte’s sprained ankle feels instantly better….and when they’re around Brew, they notice his red, injured knuckles and the limp he now has. Cody knows the secret and knows that his big brother would never let anything hurt him. Now Bronte and Tennyson know his secret as well, but they don’t know all of it or the ramifications it will have not only on Brewster himself, but on their family and friends as well.

If your family is falling apart; if you want so badly to be the next MVP; if you want to make a person’s life better by showing them true friendship….how far will you go? But more importantly, would you be willing to sacrifice one for the sake of all? Which hurts more – living in your own bubble without any meaningful relationships or caring for the people around you and making whatever hurts them your own?

I know I have an amazing book in my hands when I read through it in one sitting, but don’t want to read it all because then it’ll be over. Such is the case with Neal Shusterman’s newest YA novel. This isn’t just about child abuse, but something much deeper, much more emotional, and very thought-provoking. What seems innocent and helpful at first can be deadly and dangerous if put in the wrong hands. Shusterman not only wields a powerful tale told in different voices of the main characters, but also works magic on the reader by pulling them in on a rollercoaster ride of emotional and edge of your seat situations. I also loved his subtle use of vocabulary enhancement as well…something all readers get when they read, perhaps more so with this book. Excellent read for all secondary grade levels.

Dark Song by Gail Giles

Ames lives a more than comfortable life....large house, private school, expensive vacations and clothes. She has her circle of friends, with Em at the center. Ames is known as the "good girl," one who never challenges the rules and does well in school. But Em has given her a taste of what it feels like to bend rules, and Ames likes that feeling.

And then her world crashes. Her way of life is completely shattered, thanks to her father and she learns the hard and fast way of what life will be like. Her circle of friends have abandoned her, her way of life given away at garage sales, and what little they have left is swept away in a tide of embarrassment to Houston, where she now lives in the projects, mucking away discarded drug needles and animal droppings in her new home. She hates her life, her parents...everyone except her little sister. And that's where she meets Marc.

Marc takes him time when it comes to approaching Ames. His attraction to her began the first time he saw her. He knows the dangers and the unfamiliar territory Ames has moved into and he sees something in her that others don't - he tests her dark song, that feeling of living on the edge, the thrill of breaking rules without attracting attention, and finds hers without ever letting her know his own dark song he plays so well...

Ames feels the dark song too and the music is getting louder and stronger the more she follows Marc into his world. And she likes it...but will what she likes destroy her and her family or rescue her from a world she knows nothing about?

Gail Giles is a master of YA fiction on the edge. She's crafted a book where readers are drawn to Ames's privileged life and the deliberately crafted downhill ride she finds herself in. Picture perfect on the outside, the dysfunctional family side is revealed to the reader in perfect literary accompaniment. Fans of her body of work will not be disappointed!

YOU by Charles Benoit

You see the jocks who walk the halls with their packs, looking like kings and making sure the weak know where they stand. People like Jake….

You see the girl that will be with almost anyone and uses them as much as they use her. People like Kristi….

You see the guys who wear hoodies, black shirts and baggy jeans and really don’t care about anything. People like Derrick, Max and Ryan….

You see the girl that gets along with everyone. The one you think about all the time, talk to as much as possible, just to look at her. People like Ashley….

You see the one the sparkles along the outer edges. He gets along with adults and can bring down the strongest by knowing what makes them tick. People like Zack….

And you see yourself. Wondering how you got where you are now. Looking at the choices you’ve made that altered your course of life and wondering which one was THE one that changed your life. Looking at the anger that bubbles deep inside of you and how you’ve tried to ignore it. And then you really look around you and see all of the blood….You’re name is Kyle Chase and this is your story.

What a POWERFUL book. This is Charles Benoit first venture into YA literature, and he comes in with welcome arms. You is the story of one main character, but the story cannot be told without the characters that surround Kyle. But makes this novel such a strong one is how Benoit writes about the STARK REALITY of high school from the perspective of the main characters. When you read this, you are walking down the halls of high school and understand what Kyle is going through as well as his reasoning for acting the way he does toward his teachers and parents. Reminiscent of Gail Giles’s Shattering Glass and Chris Krovatin’s Venomous, this is a book that goes the distance and doesn’t stop. I read this is one sitting and think teens and adults will too. Highly recommended.

After by Amy Efaw

Devon sits wrapped up tight after IT went away. Even when her mother gets home, Devon continues to wrap herself up tight emotionally and physically. But when the police come into the apartment, her blankets are ripped away and what is exposed is what happened to Devon, what she did….

For most of her life, Devon felt like she was control of her world. Soccer was the center, but her academics revolved around that. She had her coach, her best friend Katie, and her mother, with no on else allowed into her world. But one summer she met him….the one who took her breath away, the one she let her guard down for. And that one time left Devon punishing herself for letting her carefully orchestrated life go. That was nine months ago. Today, the police found the baby in a trashcan outside of the apartment. Covered in trash, with the plastic bag tied shut, it was barely alive when they took her to the hospital.

Now Devon sits in a juvenile facility for criminals, awaiting trial to determine whether she should be tried as an adult or not. Her only hope is to divulge in detail what eve she denies to a lawyer she doesn’t quite trust.

Amy Efaw has written an emotionally charged novel about one fifteen year old’s experience. Horrific to imagine is the act of what Devon did herself, but what makes this novel even deeper is the psychological and emotional layers that Efaw writes about as well. Those teen readers who enjoy reading realistic fiction will devour this novel. Includes a short afterward about this topic that has made headlines in national news.

Stolen by Lucy Christopher

Gemma Toombs remembers her old life. She hung out with her friends in the park, took the double-decker bus to school everyday, came home to parents who wanted only the best for her, which she didn't see as in her best interests. She traveled with her parents because of her mother's job and this is where her old life slammed to a halt - in an airport in Bangkok.
She was irritated with her parents and needed a break. It was just one cup of coffee...just one cup of coffee with a stranger she felt like she knew. His ice blue eyes, strong body, tanned skin. It was just harmless flirtation with a guy older that what she'd ordinarily flirt with. When he brought back her coffee, it was only a matter of minutes before she started feeling lightheaded, disoriented...then the world blacked out.
And she woke up in hell. Outside of the shack he took her to, all she could see for miles was red sand and some giant boulders. No one else in sight. No movement. No sound. And then he told her, "I'm keeping you forever."
This is Gemma's story, told to the reader through a letter she wrote to Ty. Her letter shows the duality of Ty's role in her life, past and present - when she didn't know he was there and when she is only too close to him. All Gemma wants is to leave, but how?
For a first novel, Lucy Christopher brings out the best in white-knuckled reading. The reader can only guess what will happen between Gemma and Ty and the ultimate ending of their relationship. Along the way, Gemma describes her eventual psychological breakdown, not realizing it for what it truly is until it is named at the end of the book. This is one that will capture the YA audience within just a few pages. If your teens liked Feathered by Laura Kasischke, they'll equally enjoy this one. Highly recommended.

Girl Stolen by April Henry

Cheyenne is sick, so she lays down in the back seat waiting for her step-mother to get her antibiotics for her pneumonia. When the car starts again, immediately Cheyenne knows something isn’t right…the sound of the door slamming, the breathing…it’s all different. How does she know this? Because Cheyenne is blind, and now she’s a passenger in a carjacking and the beginning of her nightmare.

Griffin scans the parking lot, looking for easy prey. It’s the holiday season, and people can be so stupid. It’s a mere matter of minutes to open a car, get the goods and resell it for easy cash. His dad has taught him well. But then he sees the glint of metal dangling from a steering wheel…the ultimate prize – a Cadillac Escalade. His father is going to be proud of this one. And when he drives off, he drives into a new nightmare.

Both teens are drawn together, although they are worlds apart. Cheyenne’s father is the vice-president of Nike while Griffin’s father cooks meth and has a secret chop shop for cars. Cheyenne has gone to private schools while Griffin dropped out. They don’t trust each other and can only suspect the worse. For Cheyenne, it’s the unexpected; for Griffin, it’s prison. The only two things they have in common is both lost their mothers…and each one holds a slender piece of compassion for the other.

But when Cheyenne’s identity is found out, the stakes are risen. It’s now about ransom, not a car. And Cheyenne’s fate becomes more solid when Griffin’s father and his two buddies decide that she is a liability, more a thing to be disposed of than a person.

Henry has written another incredibly suspenseful YA thriller that will leave readers gasping with surprise. What starts as another mystery novel quickly turns into a unique adventure of a completely blind girl who needs redemption to live. This adult author has taken to YA writing with fluidity, and writes for a genre that begs for more for mystery lovers. A great pairing with Abrahams Reality Check or Bradbury’s Shift.
Henry Holt, 2010

Booktrailer: Dirty Little Secrets by C.J. Omololu

What a great book....

Dirty Little Secrets by C.J. Omololu

2010. New York: Walker & Co.

Lucy, Phil and Sara have lived with their mother and her habits most of their lives, which seemed to get worse after their father left the family. But now, Lucy is the only one left at the house, and she has to continue to keep her mother’s secret, even though it’s emotionally putting a chokehold on her.

At first it wasn’t too bad. Lucy was able to navigate through the house, and her room was always clean. They still had running water, and the appliances in the kitchen worked. But that was over three years ago. Now, there are only pathways between all of her mother’s “collectibles.” Running water is non-existent, and the kitchen floor is filled with dirty brown sludge. Mold is beginning to creep up the curtains, and the house smells…

“Garbage girl….” It’s the words that keep Lucy from making friends, becoming too close to anything, revealing her mother’s secrets. But regardless of how insulated she keeps herself, it doesn’t work. She has a best friend, Kaylie, and it’s here she finally finds relief from her everyday life. And now, Josh is beginning to notice her….and Lucy isn’t sure if she should get involved, even though her heart tells her differently.

But when her mother dies unexpectedly in the house, Lucy must make a choice. Call 911 and ensure that her life will become not only local news, but possibly headline news too, or try to clean up her life…and her house…on her own. No one ever needs to find out.

This novel takes the reader through the day in the life of Lucy, and not just any day but the most critical day. Her decisions are heavy and she debates these over and over in her mind. Not only does the reader see Lucy’s predicament, but they also see her past revealed with every layer of trash she shovels out of her house. The topic is new and news, and interest in it is high (ie television series about this psychological problem). Omololu writes about not only the character by this disease with clarity and feeling. Readers will keep turning the pages to find out what decisions Lucy makes and what ultimately happens. This is a book to watch....powerful, relevant, and intriguing.

By the Time You Read This, I'll be Dead Trailer

By the Time You Read This, I'll be Dead by Julie Anne Peters

Dealyn is biding her time. She has been since the last time she tried to die (not her first), but this time she’s more determined than ever to play it out to a successful conclusion.

She loves her solitude. At this school, no one really bothers her. She doesn’t talk to other people or get involved with anything or anyone. She represses any feelings she may have for others, be it empathy for Emily, the girl everyone picks on because of her weight; or contempt, for JenniferJessica, who lives to ruin others’ lives. But her solitude doesn’t last long because of three people – Chip, Kim, and Santana.

Chip and Kim are Daelyn’s parents, and they walk a narrow path between obsessively keeping watch over their only child and allowing her freedom and trust. But how far does it go? Daelyn doesn’t trust her parents either – they have never understood her and only glossed over the terrible things in her life that have happened.

And then there’s Santana, who just won’t leave Daelyn alone after school. He comes to sit beside her on the bench, talking about nothing, entertaining himself and wanting her to see him. Santana wants Daelyn’s friendship because she’s intriguing… he likes her, but how can he bridge the chasm she’s filled with distrust for anyone? Should he tell her what’s wrong with him, or would it ruin a budding friendship he’s trying to create?

And the secrets…Daelyn doesn’t tell anyone about the new website she’s found called Through The Light. They don’t know about the DOD (date of determination), set at 23 days; the WTG (ways to go) that rate different ways to commit suicide; or the FF (final forum) where the J_Doe’s talk about the reasons why they want to die…and where Daelyn finally tells her story – the terrible, ugly side of humanity that has plagued her from junior high to high school. The bullying, the assaults, the humiliation, the abuse…

She has a countdown, a way to go, and a goal – will she finish it?

What a powerful book, with an intriguing ending! Peters doesn’t sugarcoat anything in this book, but shows the dangerous side of something that plays out in people’s lives everyday – bullying. Through her writing, the readers can see not only the experiences Daelyn’s come up against, but how it’s affected her psychologically through the way she views herself versus the way others do. This book will keep readers turning the pages because Daelyn’s character evolves slowly but progressively, allowing the reading to, at first, puzzle about her and what she’s done, followed by the full story of why she’s done what she has. For those who enjoyed 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher, get ready to go up a notch on this one. Recommended.

Dawn by Kevin Brooks

Dawn is fifteen years old. She loves music, especially the Jesus and Mary Chain. She loves her two dog, Jesus and Mary. And right now, she wants to kill God. That is her resolution for the new year.

Right now, Dawn lives with her mother. After hoping for his demons to disappear but they never did, her father disappeared from their lives. Now, it’s Dawn who takes care of her mother, making sure she doesn’t burn the house down when she gets drunk and passes with with a cig in her hand; helping to try to keep track of days lost in her mother’s self-induced haze; doing to cleaning and shopping for the house.

Dawn doesn’t have any friends, except the neighbor boy Splodge, who watches everything from his doorstep. She definitely isn’t in the same group as Taylor and Mel, the popular goddesses at school.

“My name is Dawn.
I’m thirteen years old
My name is Dawn.
I don’t want to think about it.
But every day it hurts more and more and the cave in my
head gets smaller and smaller and the cave in my head gets
darker and darker and the cave in my head gets colder and colder
and if I don’t get out of it soon, I think this cave is going to
kill me.”

She lives in her own tight-knit world, where she can control the safety, and who is allowed in is up to her. Until one night, when Taylor and Mel unexpectedly show up and turn Dawn’s world upside down.

Inside Dawn’s self-imposed inner kingdom, she holds secrets. Secrets about her father…secrets about herself…and the secret about the duffel bag full of money in her house. Who is it really from and why is it here? That’s the conundrum, and one fateful night, when Taylor and Mel come over, some of the secrets pour out of Dawn as the popular girls pour alcohol into her…and that safe world Dawn has created begins to crumble.

Kevin Brooks takes you on a tour de force YA thriller ride when secrets begin to reveal themselves slowly and deliberately. But what makes this such a great novel is that he pairs those secrets with the emotional pain of a teen in a topic that is slowly coming to the surface in many of today’s YA novels. This was published in December of last year, so it’s a relatively new book and worth putting on your shelves. Excellent for high school and those that stuff their minds and voraciously read all of Brooks’s novels. Recommended.

Accomplice by Eireann Corrigan

Finn and Chloe have been best friends since fourth grade. They live next door to each other, stay at each others homes – one would even say they’re like sisters, finely tuned into each others’ families and lifestyles. Chloe is the beautiful one, the one who everyone revolves around. Finn is more down-to-earth; a local girl who befriended the city girls when she moved in.

Now they’re juniors in high school and fast approaching what it’ll take to get into an ivy-league school and all the pressures that come with it. It doesn’t leave the girls a lot of time, but enough time for Chloe to flirt with Dean and Finn to help her. They had enough time for them to still watch television and the drama that unfolded on the L.A. Price show when Margaret Cook came home after being abducted. The girls had enough time to plan…

Applying to get into a prestigious university is one thing; getting in is another completely different beast, and Chloe and Finn know that. After hearing their counselor reiterate the fact that what they’re doing now in the small town of Colt River has no bearing on them actually getting in, and hearing as well the statistics of how many students across the nation apply and how many actually get in leaves the girls, but Chloe especially, in a spiral of desperation. And with enough time on their hands and a seed of inspiration, the girls create a scenario that will definitely make them stand out. Months of meticulous planning, and the show is about to begin…

What Finn doesn’t realize is that eleven days will take its toll on her. While Chloe’s abduction goes into full swing, Finn sees the brunt of it and the impact it’s taking not only on her hometown, but on individuals themselves. But how far is too far? When does it stop being a game and start being real?

A great novel from a great YA author, Corrigan puts her signature on this book. The reader is hooked on page one and the pages continue to flip until the final moment on the last page. The hook happens not only with the fullness of the character, but with the situation as well. What the main characters find fascinating, the reader sees the nightmare behind it from a classmate’s to a parent’s perspective. This is a fast paced white-knuckle book where the reader gets to live through the perpetrators’ actions and watch the victims’ emotional and mental breakdowns. Recommended. This book isn't due for publishing until August 2010. Publisher: Scholastic
I'd be happy to share this galley with the first person to contact me:
naomi.bates@gmail.com

Last Night I Sang to the Monster by Benjamin Alire Saenz

Zach knows two things - his past life and where he is now.

In his past life, he had a father who was alcoholic, a mother who was clinically depressed, and a brother who ruled with his anger. In order to avoid this, Zach would disappear with his friends, getting drunk and using drugs to escape. He also remembers people his in past life. He remembers Mr. Garcia, who saw the potential in him, but Zach never believed it. He does remember that Mr. Garcia showed him kindness and acceptance, which is smoething he never got from anyone.

And Zach knows where he is now. He's in rehab for his drinking problem. He knows he's been there for awhile and also realizes that he doesn't have to be there since he's eighteen years old. He knows it's a place he needs to be. He also knows that the people in there with him have affected him, even though he doesn't want it. There's his therapist Adam, who seems to see right through him but won't give him the answers he wants. And there's Rafael, an older man who truly see him when others may not.

What Zach doesn't know is how he came to be in rehab in the first place. Something went down, and he's repressed those memories...the other thing he doesn't see too well but knows it's real are the monsters that chase him, haunt him...want to tear him apart, perhaps not physically, but hurt him nonetheless.

What is he hiding, even from himself? And who or what are the monsters that want to hurt him?

Saenz has written an extremely realistic novel about a young man and his journey through rehab, but it's more than that. Saenz not only makes the main character stand out, but the secondary characters are just as real and important. Without them, not only would Zach's world fall apart, but so would the storyline. Beautifully written around one life, stories of other lives begin to speak to the reader as well. Strong written and emotionally charged, readers will be drawn in. Highly recommended.

Broken Soup by Jenny Valentine

Rowan looks back at her life and realizes how great it was. Mum was happy, Dad was home, Jack glued the family together, and Stroma, her little sister, was...well, just Stroma. But that all changed when Jack died.

Rowan looks at her life now and realizes how impossibly hard it's getting. Mum doesn't talk, eat or even recognize she has other children. Dad moved about a few months ago, Jack...well, he's dead and Rowan can't think about that because now she has to care for her six-year old precocious little sister Stroma in everything.

But one day, that all changes when a stranger with a lop-sided grin gives her a negative that he believes belongs to her. And that one act of kindess begins a chain reaction of lives intersecting, all through chance, and how one lost life impacts so many.

Rowan looks at her days and doesn't see breakfast, a beautiful concoction of lovely flowers, hot toast, oatmeal, and orange juice in a clean glass cup, but rather she sees everything floating together, mashed up, messed up, mixed up...broken soup...

What a great read!! Valentine's characters float off the pages and into your heart. Bee, Sonny, Carl; Stroma, Harper and Rowan; even Jack are enormously full characters that will grab at your heart strings and have you hoping against hope for good things to happen. This is a fast read but one that will continue to shape characters into their true selves to the very end. Highly recommended.