Wish by Joseph Monninger

author’s website: website
release date: November 9, 2010
appeals to: YA or Middle Grade
genre: Contemporary Fiction
length: 208 pages
publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
overall rating: 4 of 5 Stars

*the inside flap*
Bee’s brother, Tommy, knows everything there is to know about sharks. He also knows that his life will be cut short by cystic fibrosis. And so does Bee.
That’s why when a wish foundation sends him on a trip to swim with great white sharks, Bee vows to make it an unforgettable memory.
But wishes don’t always come true. At least, not as expected. Only when Bee takes Tommy to meet a famous shark attack survivor and hard-core surfer does Tommy have the chance to live one day to the fullest.
And in the sun-kissed ocean off a California beach, Bee discovers that she has a few secret wishes of her own. . . .

*my thoughts *
When I picked up wish, I glanced at the cover, saw a girl swimming under water, and thought it would be some kind of mermaid story. (I know, I know – Read the cover, right?! However, I preface this admission with the fact that my selection occurred during a rushed library trip when I was given 5 minutes to “get in and get out.”) I realized as soon as I started reading, that my prediction was about as far from correct as possible! Wish is actually the story of a fifteen-year-old girl named Bess who is accompanying her eleven-year-old brother Tommy to California where he is going to swim with great white sharks. Tommy has Cystic Fibrosis, and at his sister’s urging, he applied to the Blue Moon Foundation for a wish. Since Tommy is obsessed with sharks, his wish was to swim with great whites – something that sounds terrifying to me! Obviously, Tommy was selected, and in this story, he, Bess, and their mom travel from their home in New Hampshire to San Francisco for a long weekend of shark related activities. Along the way, you realize that Tommy’s obsession with sharks goes beyond that of most 11-year-olds...in fact, he probably knows as much as some of the “experts” whose books he reads. When they get to California, and realize that the Blue Moon Foundation didn’t understand his knowledge level, both Bess and Tommy are a bit disappointed. Fortunately, Tommy’s friend Ty – a shark attack survivor – lives close by, so Bess and Tommy go to visit him, and that is when the fun really begins.
If I had known that this was a book about a young boy with CF, I probably wouldn’t have picked it up, but I am really glad that I did. The story is quick moving, and has several funny parts. There are also shark facts interspersed within the story that were fun to read. While the story was fun, there were constantly reminders of the strain that Tommy’s condition put on him and on his family. It was interesting to read about the lives of people who are so impacted by something so uncontrollable. It was also amazing to read about how dedicated a 15-year-old girl can be to her brother. While most teenage siblings fight and bicker, she honestly watched out for him and took care of him at all times. Often she even put his needs before her own. Overall, this was a great story, even though it was out of the norm for my book picks.

The Lying Game by Sara Shepard

author’s website: website
author’s HarperTeen website: link
release date: December 7, 2010
appeals to: Young Adult
genre: Suspense / Contemporary
length: 320 pages
publisher: HarperTeen
overall rating: 4 stars

*the inside flap*
I had a life anyone would kill for.
Then someone did.
The worst part of being dead is that there’s nothing left to live for. No more kisses. No more secrets. No more gossip. It’s enough to kill a girl all over again. But I’m about to get something no one else does—an encore performance, thanks to Emma, the long-lost twin sister I never even got to meet.
Now Emma’s desperate to know what happened to me. And the only way to figure it out is to be me—to slip into my old life and piece it all together. But can she laugh at inside jokes with my best friends? Convince my boyfriend she’s the girl he fell in love with? Pretend to be a happy, carefree daughter when she hugs my parents good night? And can she keep up the charade, even after she realizes my murderer is watching her every move?
Let the lying game begin.

*my review*
I was a little hesitant to pick up “The Lying Game” because I have read a few reviews that described it as similar to the Pretty Little Liars series that Sara Shepard is famous for. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the PLL series! But I wasn’t sure that I wanted to read a similar series with different characters. However. . .when The Lying Game came in at the library, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to read it, and I am SO glad that I did!

Are there similarities between “The Lying Game” and Pretty Little Liars? In a word, yes. Both books have an unknown killer, rich popular girls as the main characters, and mysterious notes warning that secrecy is the only way to stay safe. BUT if you think about the mystery/suspense genre, ALL mystery stories have the ingredient of an unknown killer – that’s why they are mysteries!

Beyond those minor similarities, I felt that this book was quite different from the PLL series! In “The Lying Game” we meet Emma and Sutton; twin sisters separated for a lifetime, who learn about each other because of a tragic event – Sutton’s murder! Though the story is narrated by Sutton, Emma (who was raised in the foster system, and is two weeks shy of turning 18, when the story begins) is really the main character (since she’s alive). Sutton accompanies Emma in a very interesting way. Sutton can hear and see everything that Emma can hear or see. She can also “hear” Emma’s thoughts and understand her memories. What is even more interesting is that Sutton can’t seem to remember her own memories with the exception of quick images or feelings here and there. When Emma goes to Arizona and is forced into assuming Sutton’s life, there is suspense, excitement, and mystery at every turn.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and read it in one sitting! Having a narrator that knows everything about the main character, but isn’t the main character, gave this book an interesting perspective. (It almost felt like the voice-overs that Mary Alice gives on Desperate Housewives, if you’re familiar with that show.) The story line itself was excellent. The style that Shepard developed in the PLL series of introducing a ton of seemingly minor characters, who will eventually play larger roles, seems to be continued in this series. The secret identity ingredient also adds to the suspense, because throughout, I was just waiting for someone to figure out that Emma wasn’t really Sutton.

Overall, this was a great read, and I’m thoroughly looking forward to the next installment!

*short and snappy*
writing: Character driven and filled with details and suspense, but in a way that was never confusing or tedious to read.
plot: Suspenseful and entertaining with twists galore
characters: The main characters (Emma and Sutton) are obviously well developed, and tons of seemingly minor characters were introduced throughout the story, making me wonder what roles they will play
memorable line: “She swiveled to the computer, clicked the mouse on Sutton’s Facebook status update window, and began to type: Game on, bitches.” p. 204
(*Note: I try to keep the language on this blog clean, but after reading the PLL series, watching the TV show, and now reading this book; there are some times when adding “bitches” to the end of a statement just makes it more powerful. . .not necessarily appropriate, but powerful :) )
judging by the cover: I LOVE the juxtaposition of the twins on the front cover. It is also a fun way to keep the partial portraits that were used in the PLL series.
miscellaneous: The Lying Game website has several fun things including an interview with Sara Shepard

Beastly by Alex Flinn

author’s website: Alex Flinn
release date: October 2, 2007
appeals to: Young Adult
genre: Fairy Tale Retelling
length: 336 pages
publisher: HarperTeen
overall rating: 4 Stars
body image & self perception issue: disfigurement

*the back cover*
A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright – a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster.
You think I’m talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It’s no deformity, no disease. And I’ll stay this way forever – ruined – unless I can break the spell.
Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I’ll tell you how I became perfectly . . . beastly.

*my review*
Beastly is an interesting look at the story of Beauty and the Beast, but with a few twists: the story is set in modern New York City, and the story is told by the beast. Kyle has just about everything a ninth grade boy could want: he’s the best looking boy in his grade, his dad is famous, they have plenty of money, and he is extremely popular. Unfortunately, he knows all of these things and is also extremely conceited and acts like he is better than everyone else. Then, an unfortunate run in with a witch transforms him into a beast, with one simple “out” clause: he must fall in love with someone who loves him in return within two years.

What was interesting to me was that Kyle doesn’t even think about finding a girl. Instead, he tries to find any method possible of reversing the change. He truly believes that looks are so important that no one would possibly love him in this new form. As time passes, Kyle experiences a roller coaster of emotions, and gradually, you begin to see a change in him. He moves through emotions almost like a person would move through the stages of grief. At first he is in total denial, then he’s angry, and then he gives up completely. It is when he has given up that I thought the most growth occurred. When Kyle began to explore aspects of himself, the most growth occurs.

Since this is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, we know that a “Beauty” must be coming, but the situation that brought the girl to Kyle surprised me (even though it is quite true to the fairy tale). I tried to imagine being in her shoes, and it would have been a terrifying experience! Because this is a retelling, the story was slightly predictable, but it is handled in a way that makes it very enjoyable.

While this is a fantasy story, there are elements of the story that could apply to real teenagers as well. It is easy to understand how important looks are, especially in high school. Kyle believes that looks are the most important thing, until he loses them and has to use his personality to make an impression. Throughout the book, internet chat room conversations that are interspersed between the chapters. They are from the “Unexpected Changes” chat group and they provide a fun look into other fairy tales as the creatures vent and give each other advice. What is really interesting is that all of the characters have issues that also apply to real life. “SilentMaid” likes a boy and wants to change so she can be with him, “Grizzlyguy” is torn because he likes two girls, and of course “BeastNYC” is trying to find his true love despite the animal-like appearance. The conversations are funny, but they have underlying messages too.

Overall, this is a clever way to retell Beauty and the Beast in a way that can definitely apply to modern readers.

*short and snappy*
writing: clever – it really captures the attitude and emotion that Kyle is feeling throughout the story
plot: not a ton of action, and slightly predictable, but all of the internal change makes it captivating
characters: complex – there is a lot of development and change in Kyle from the beginning of the story to the end
miscellaneous: An excerpt of the book and a video feature about the upcoming movie are available here

Into the Wild Nerd Yonder by Julie Halpern

author’s website: Julie Halpern
release date: September 29, 2009
appeals to: Young Adult
genre: Contemporary
length: 256 pages
publisher: Feiwel & Friends
overall rating: 4 stars

*the inside flap*
It’s Jessie’s sophomore year of high school. A self-professed “mathelete,” she isn’t sure where she belongs. Her two best friends have transformed themselves into punks, and one of them is going after her longtime crush. Her beloved older brother will soon leave for college (and in the meantime, has shaved his Mohawk and started dating . . . the homecoming queen!).

Things are changing fast. Jessie need new friends. And her quest is a hilarious tour through high school clique-dom, with a surprising stop along the way – the Dungeons and Dragons crowd, who out-nerd everyone! Will hanging out with them make her a nerd, too? And could she really be crushing on a guy with too-short pants and too-white gym shoes?

If you go into the wild nerd yonder, can you ever come back?

*my review*
This was a very cute story about the importance of friendship and staying true to yourself. In the book, Jessie is having friend trouble, because her two best friends (Bizza and Char) have decided that being punk and hanging out with Jessie’s brother’s friends is much cooler than they have been before. However, Jessie doesn’t see the transition as a positive thing, and begins to drift away from Bizza and Char, especially when Bizza starts to make decisions that highlight her not-so-nice nature, like going after Jessie’s long-standing crush Van. As Jessie drifts away from Bizza and Char, she experiments with different groups of people in her school and finds some great friends to hang out with at lunch and in her classes. When she is invited to an evening with the Dungeons and Dragons crowd, she has a lot of hesitation because of its “nerdy” nature – even though the evening’s host is a very cute, if pretty nerdy, guy that she might be interested in.

Throughout this book, Jessie meets new people and is questioning the new groups of friends she’s trying out, while she continues to be frustrated with the fact that her old friends dumped her. And through it all, she turns to sewing as her release time. She is on a mission to sew a different skirt for every day of the school year, and is well on her way. The sewing aspect was a fun addition, but it also makes a lot of sense later in the story.

What really stood out to me in this story was the awesome family dynamic in Jessie’s family. Her brother, Barrett, is a senior, but is super supportive of Jessie. Even though he teases her about things, he really cares about his sister, and that comes through strongly in the story. They have the very cool brother-sister relationship that I always wanted when I was growing up (as an only child).

Overall, the book was cute, fun, and easy to read, and it really drives home two important messages: (1) be true to yourself, and (2) friends are important to everyone, but they should let you be yourself.

*short and snappy*
writing: light and easy to read, even when Jessie was having a hard time
plot: a little predictable, but there were some surprises along the way
characters: fun and different – there were a lot of different personalities represented in the book, and all of them had the quirks that made them seem realistic
judging by the cover: the cover is really cute, and the die-20 in the background makes a lot more sense as you read the story!
miscellaneous: there is a lot of Dungeon and Dragon talk throughout the book, and since I know nothing about that, it was sometimes difficult to understand. BUT, Jessie knows nothing too, so it was kind of like learning along with her.

The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg

author’s website: Elizabeth Eulberg
release date: December 29, 2009
appeals to: Young Adult
*Debut author (technically 2009)
genre: Contemporary
length: 320 pages
overall rating: 4 Stars

*the inside flap*
Love is all you need . . . or is it?
Penny is sick of boys and sick of dating, so she vows: No more. She’s had one too many bad dates, and has been hurt by one too many bad boys.

It’s a personal choice . . . and soon everybody wants to know about it. It seems that Penny’s not the only girl who’s tired of the way girls change themselves (most of the time for the worse) in order to get their guys . . . or the way their guys don’t really care.

Girls are soon thronging to The Lonely Hearts Club, and Penny finds herself near legendary for her nondating ways – which is too bad, since the leader of The Lonely Hearts Club has found a certain boy she can’t help but like . . . .

*my review*
On the cover of the book, Stephenie Meyer is quoted as saying “A must-read for anyone who’s ever fallen in love – or sworn it off completely.” And I completely agree. It really is the story of how swearing off something can lead you to understand how that might not always be the best option.

Penny is a very likable character. She seems confident and doesn’t like getting pulled into the drama that is surrounding her in her daily high school life. Her best friend, Tracey, is equally fun, but with a lot more sass and a bigger, louder personality. Tracey is also very protective of Penny in a way that shows how important the friendship is to her. Diane rounds out the threesome, but she is a character that seems to still be looking for her identity. She’s been in a relationship for so long that she hasn’t been truly able to define her own personality.

These girls seem like many girls in high school. They have been in crappy relationships, they’ve watched (and experienced) their friends changing or ignoring them because of boys, and they have finally had enough. Penny starts the club, but Tracey and Diane quickly join, only to be followed by a huge chunk of the female population of their high school. The best thing about this growing group is that it really shows the importance of friends.

The friendship in this story is amazing. The girls are incredibly supportive of each other. They are the kinds of friends that I wish I’d had in high school – or now for that matter! The book is cute and has a fun plot, but it also has a great message: you shouldn’t ever give up yourself or your friends for a boy.

The story is a little bit predictable, but there is enough doubt about decisions to keep you interested in the story. There is a little bit of romance, a lot of friendship, and of course, a huge helping of The Beatles. In fact, sections of the book are introduced with Beatles lyrics that tie into the plot of the story. And of course, our lead character – Penny Lane – is named after a Beatles song; as are her two sisters – Lucy (in the sky with diamonds) and Rita (Lovely Rita).

*short and snappy*
writing: sincere – Eulberg really captures the essence of Penny to create a fun story
plot: slightly predictable, but there are a lot of times that Penny isn’t even sure what decision she’ll make, and you feel that as a reader
characters: varied in personality, but the main characters are all very fun and supportive of each other
memorable line: Anybody who has ever clung to a song like a musical life raft will understand. Or put on a song to bring out an emotion or a memory. Or had a soundtrack playing in their head to drown out a conversation or a scene. (p. 16)
judging by the cover: the cover is very cute and ties directly into the Beatles theme since it mimics the cover of the Abbey Road album
miscellaneous: I was especially drawn to this story, because my mom actually had a Lonely Hearts Club when she was in high school (in the early 70s). When I told her about this book, she explained that their LHC didn’t have dating restrictions; it was just a group of girls that met for dinner or breakfast or to do fun things. There were even boys that came regularly.

Pure by Terra Elan McVoy

author’s website: Terra Elan McVoy
release date: April 6, 2010
appeals to: Young Adult
genre: Contemporary
length: 330
overall rating: 4 Stars

*the back cover*
Promise. Betrayal. Confession. Revenge.

Tabitha and her four best friends all wear purity rings, symbols of the virginity-until-marriage pledge they made back in middle school. Now Tab is fifteen, and her ring has come to mean so much more. It’s a symbol of who she is and what she believes—a reminder of her promises to herself, and her bond to her friends.

But when Tab meets a boy whose kisses make her knees go weak, everything suddenly seems a lot more complicated. Tab’s best friend, Morgan, is far from supportive, and for the first time, Tabitha is forced to keep secrets from the one person with whom she’s always shared everything. When one of those secrets breaks to the surface, Tabitha finds herself at the center of a betrayal that splits her friends apart. As her entire world starts to unravel, Tab’s forced to re-examine her friendships, her faith, and what exactly it means to be pure.

*my review*
With all of the stories about teens who are struggling with things like drinking, drugs, abusive parents or relationships, and other negative things, it was interesting to read a book with a message about abstinence. I don’t believe that this is categorized as “Christian Fiction,” but there is a lot of discussion about Tabitha’s Christian faith in the book. Primarily because she is struggling to understand acceptance and boys in terms of her faith.

Tabitha is a genuinely nice girl with nice, supportive parents. Her parents are a lot more open with her than mine ever were with me, but it is still refreshing to see supportive parents in a story sometimes. Throughout the story, Tabitha has a lot of questions and internal debates that seem very real. For example, on page 47, she is debating whether or not she should call the boy. And if she does, how does she explain the purity ring. There is an entire paragraph of questions that she is asking herself, and I would imagine that a lot of teenagers are probably asking themselves the same kinds of questions every day.

Another big issue comes when Tabitha and her best friend, Morgan, don’t see eye-to-eye on an issue. Tabitha begins to feel strain because Morgan has been there for everything, and now that they’re fighting, Tabitha has to figure things out on her own. While Tabitha’s parents are supportive of her, they are not religious people. So in this story, McVoy also introduces us to a Youth Group leader – Marilyn - who Tabitha is able to approach with her questions. I appreciated that Tabitha felt comfortable talking to someone about her problems, but I loved that Marilyn didn’t just solve them for her. Instead, Marilyn gave her some things to think about (primarily a poem and a Bible verse) so that Tabitha could figure things out on her own.

Overall, this is a very real story of a girl who is serious to her faith, a devoted friend, and a little bit curious about her first romance. The romance in this story is a first love that doesn’t move too fast, and it shows the nerves that are tangled up in the experience of having your first relationship.

*short and snappy*
writing: fun and light - McVoy captures the voice of a real teenager and creates a book that is fun and easy to read even when it covers difficult topics and situations.
plot: there are twists and turns, just like in real life, but the story feels genuine
characters: realistic – McVoy really introduces a variety of characters with their own experiences and opinions to share
memorable line: (really a conversation from pages 216-217)
“If He didn’t love us for our failures and frustrations, if He wasn’t pleased somehow with our attempts to find meaning, rather than inherently knowing it all already, I think God’d be a lot more pissed off with us, don’t you?”
“Maybe He is really pissed off with us,” I mutter back . . .
“If He was,” Marilyn whispers, “I don’t think He’d keep giving us so many beautiful things in the world, would He?”
judging by the cover: I have the paper back and I love the cover – the daisy is simple, but it reminds me of pulling the petals off thinking “I should, I shouldn’t, I should, . . .”
miscellaneous: McVoy’s next book “After the Kiss” is also available. Her page about it is here or the Amazon link is here.

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

author: Jenny Han
release date: May 5, 2009 (Paperback -- April 9, 2010)
appeals to: Young Adult
genre: Contemporary/Romance
length: 288 pages
overall rating: 4 stars

*the inside flap*
Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer--they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one terrible and wonderful summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along.

*my review*
The Summer I Turned Pretty describes the kind of summer I wish I could have had growing up. Belly is an ordinary 15-year-old girl who doesn’t understand why she is getting more attention from boys than she is used to. She also doesn’t really care, because she isn’t getting the attention from the boy she wants it from. While reading about Belly’s experiences and emotions, the descriptions are so realistic that I felt like I could have been having those same feelings – at I’m sure I did at fifteen. Flashback chapters give a feel for the embarrassment that Belly felt growing up as she developed crushes on the boys who saw her as a little sister.

The summer romance angle in this story doesn’t seem contrived, and is again what any girl would love: boys, the beach, bonfires, and not a care in the world otherwise. My one complaint would be that Belly was a bit whiny and indecisive. I found myself feeling like Belly needed to pick a boy and get over the others. She had three great options! She also tells about how she doesn’t need the “No Pouting” rule anymore, but then goes off to pout. This being said, I think we all know how easy it is to pout when crushes go unnoticed or, even worse, when they are unreturned. Jenny Han captures the emotions of a teenager’s first love and the angst and confusion that accompany that experience. And the ending definitely left me wanting more.

*short and snappy*
writing: smooth & genuine – Han captures the emotions and experiences of a teenager’s summer and first love
plot: realistic – boys, the beach, bonfires, love, confusion, all ingredients of a real teen summer
characters: multifaceted – even the minor characters are very developed
judging by the cover: it gets you in the mood for a good summer romance
miscellaneous: because of its summer setting, this would be a great book to read on the beach OR to read if you can’t get to the beach