A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend

Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend by Emily Horner


Summary (from SLJ): After the death of her best friend, Cass finds herself questioning her own identity, sexuality, and place in the high school hierarchy.  This funny, touching, and sweet coming-of-age story explores serious themes in a fresh way.  Cass's tentative questioning of her own sexuality and her hesitant approach toward her first serious romantic relationship will delight readers who struggle with similar issues, as well as those who simply enjoy a well-crafted story.


Thoughts: This is truly a sweet, feel-good story.  It's great to see a novel that demonstrates what a real teen would feel and how real teens might respond.  The parents are generally absent from the story and that frustrates me.  However, as you watch Cass grow (through flashbacks as well as present tense story-telling) you get to see some true high school problems work themselves out.  I know this books explores sexuality (Cass is gay), but it does so in a non-sexual, rather innocent way.  This is a great novel that I would recommend.

Paranormalcy

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White


Summary (from GoodReads): Weird as it is working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, Evie’s always thought of herself as normal. Sure, her best friend is a mermaid, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she's falling for a shape-shifter, and she's the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours, but still. Normal.

Only now paranormals are dying, and Evie's dreams are filled with haunting voices and mysterious prophecies. She soon realizes that there may be a link between her abilities and the sudden rash of deaths. Not only that, but she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

Thoughts:  I really enjoyed this book.  I thought the way Ms. White portrayed the paranormals and the responses from the humans surrounding them was fun and vibrant.  I'm not usually a reader of vampire, werewolves, and mermaids, but this book was fascinating.  There was a lot of humor, a romance, and action.  This is the first in an expected trilogy.  (So far Supernaturally is pretty good, too!)

Birthmarked

Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien


Summary (from GoodReads): In the future, in a world baked dry by the harsh sun, there are those who live inside the walled Enclave and those, like sixteen-year-old Gaia Stone, who live outside. Following in her mother’s footsteps Gaia has become a midwife, delivering babies in the world outside the wall and handing a quota over to be "advanced" into the privileged society of the Enclave. Gaia has always believed this is her duty, until the night her mother and father are arrested by the very people they so loyally serve.

Now Gaia is forced to question everything she has been taught, but her choice is simple: enter the world of the Enclave to rescue her parents, or die trying.

Thoughts:  Wow. Wow. Wow.  I really enjoyed this book.  I loved Gaia.  I really felt her indecision and pain.  There was definitely a lot of action and even some unexpected romance.  This is the first in an expected trilogy.  I will be reading the next novel for sure.  I just have to know what happens.  This is a must-read for anyone who liked City of Ember and Maze Runner.

Small as an Elephant

Small as an Elephant by Jennifer Richard Jacobson


Summary: A mother leaves her young son at a campground.  Told from the boy's perspective, it's his journey to find her and the elephant she wouldn't let him go see on the way to the campgrounds.

Thoughts:  I thought this was a good book.  It was not action-packed.  However, the story flowed and I could identify with the characters.  If you like The Miner's Daughter, I think you would enjoy this book.

Uglies, Pretties, Specials

I read two more books in the Uglies Series by Scott Westerfeld.  They were great!  I really identified with the main characters.  There was humor, sadness, struggles, and action in all three of these books.  I decided not to read the 4th book, Extras, because the main character is different and the reviews of the book were "Meh" at best.  I would definitely recommend this series to anyone coming down off of a Hunger Games, Maze Runner, or Divergent binge.

Girl of Fire and Thorns

Girl of Fire and Thorns  by Rae Carson


Summary: Elisa is the chosen one.  Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.


Thoughts:  I didn't care for this book.  I finished it, but it took awhile.  I wish there were more to the main character.  She just seemed so insecure and concerned with her size.  I don't like heroins like that.  I prefer stronger characters.  I also didn't quite understand the turmoil between the people in the book.  But perhaps you want to read it and tell me why I should keep reading the series?

Uglies

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Summary: On your sixteenth birthday you get an operation to make you pretty.  It's what every "Ugly" dreams of.  Tally's new friend Shay doesn't want to be pretty so she runs away.  Tally must now make a choice: find her friend and turn her in (like the authorities want her to), or never be pretty.

Thoughts: This was a pretty gripping book.  I enjoyed it immensely and it kept me turning pages.  The romance aspect is a little hap-hazard, but the action is great.  There's a really good societal and emotional aspect to the book as well.  This is a definite recommend if you like post-apocalyptic novels.  If you liked the Maze Runner, Hunger Games, or Divergent series you'll like Uglies.  I'll be reading the rest of this series this summer.