Cat Patrick. REVIVED

I was drawn to this book because I adored Cat Patrick's first book FORGOTTEN so much. (I even interviewed her about the premise.) If you enjoyed FORGOTTEN, you will love this one too!

Daisy is part of a unique program. When she was four-years-old, she was in a school bus accident. The bus skidded off the road into the water and all the kids were proclaimed dead. But in reality, about twenty of the kids were rescued and given a drug called Revive, which brought them back to life.

Since she was an orphan before the accident, Daisy lives with two agents from the secret government program. They monitor her and are seen as her parents to the outside world. Also, if Daisy gets into an accident, they are there to "revive" her. She's died five times already. Death begins to take on a different meaning for Daisy than for other people.

Each time she dies, the "family" must relocate, for obvious reasons. She takes on a different last name each time, but she's able to retain her first name, which gives her some consistency in her life. Daisy doesn't get to attached to people in each new location, because she knows she may not stay long. But this latest move to Omaha, Nebraska is different. Daisy becomes really close with two new people in her life. She also begins to uncover a mystery about the Revive program. She learns some dangerous facts about the organization that she's trusted with her life since she was four. 

The novel is an intriguing and unique mix of realistic fiction, science fiction and romance. It has some wonderful, endearing main characters. I couldn't put it down. I really loved it!

The brilliant execution of such a completely original idea is what I loved about FORGOTTEN and here it is again. Also, as with FORGOTTEN, REVIVED brings up fascinating ideas and questions. Just think about the moral dilemmas inherit in being able to revive people. In the book, the serum costs a million dollars. You see all of the issues attached to that? Why would it be right to revive some people and not others? You see the boatload of questions a reading group could have with this novel??

What a talented writer! I'm a huge fan and cannot wait for another book!

For more about Cat Patrick, check out her website, Twitter and Facebook account. You won't be disappointed with either of her books!

Megan Miranda. FRACTURE

"A lot can happen in eleven minutes."

I heard about this intriguing novel at a TLA author panel. It only took a few minutes for the author to rope me in. I'm sure it will be the same for you, once you read more.

Delaney fell into a crack in a frozen lake. She remained unconscious for eleven minutes before she was rescued by her best friend. After several days in a coma, she wakes up. Miraculously, she has no brain damage.

But her brain is changed. Delaney discovers she has an unusual "gift" of sensing when someone is about to die. She is pulled towards the person from across a room or even from across town. She is baffled by what's going on, and she doesn't tell anyone because she fears she'll be called crazy.

Then she meets Troy, an older boy who has a similar talent. She connects with him. But as she gets to know him, she realizes that he has a dark side that frightens her. What does she really know about Troy? Why does he seem to always be hanging around when people die?

The premise hooked me, but the nonstop tension and mystery kept me furiously flipping pages to the very end! You would think that after nearly dying that one's life would be a breeze afterwards. But the experience caused fractures throughout Delaney's entire life. Her relationship with her mother is in trouble, along with her relationship with her best friend. Delaney has to figure out how to live after getting her life back.

Megan Miranda has written a stellar first novel! The characters of Delaney and Decker are realistic and memorable. She depicts Delaney's struggles and emotions with such power and feeling. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Read more about Megan Miranda at her website. Looks like we have a sequel coming from Delaney's best friend's point of view called VENGEANCE. Cool!

Connect with the author and other fans at the FRACTURE page on Facebook.

Jennifer Brown. HATE LIST

"A breeze gusted right at that moment and swept down the collar of my shirt, billowing the front of it. I shuddered, my spine suddenly getting really cold." 

Valerie and her boyfriend, Nick, compiled a "hate list" of people who bullied them and they often spoke about how much better off they'd be if those people weren't around. Valerie thought they were just joking. Nick didn't. Nick took it all very seriously. In fact, one morning shortly after entering the school commons, he began shooting at people. A shocked Valerie did what she could to stop him, even getting herself shot, before Nick turned the gun on himself.

This school shooting novel is unique because it focuses on the aftermath of the incident. It's also unique in that has a character in Valerie that makes people conflicted. The other students mostly still hate her, because they think she was in on the plan. But a few realize that she actually stopped him and saved lives. A few even think that she was a hero.

Her parents are also conflicted about Valerie. You assume that good parents will stand behind you no matter what. You assume that when everyone else has deserted you - your parents will still be there. But Valerie's parents are confused, hurt, and mad. They think she caused this tragedy and they refuse to listen to her explanations. However, she doesn't talk much in the aftermath either, so she isn't helping herself at first.

I was glued to the page until I finished the book. I really loved it. The characters were smartly drawn, as frustrating as they were at times. I got impatient with Valerie, and I was disappointed by her mom, but I was infuriated by her dad. But again, it's a credit to the writing that I got so passionate about the characters.

Original Cover

Another great characteristic of the writing is how the story is simultaneously told in two timelines until they weave seamlessly into one. The first is the aftermath and how Valerie is managing. The other is flashbacks of the story that builds up to the shooting. It sounds like it would be confusing, but it makes perfect sense and works brilliantly. I'm not sure it would have worked at all, if it had been told in one straight storyline. It worked so well, because Jennifer Brown is a wonderful writer!

Overall, it's a moving, emotional, excruciatingly truthful book. You won't forget it.

Visit her website here. She has another book out now and another on the horizon. She's definitely a great new author to watch!  Check out the gripping trailer below:

Will Allison. LONG DRIVE HOME

Have you ever had a day where everything was going wrong and you got so frustrated that you made a poor decision because you were angry? Maybe you lashed out at someone unnecessarily and had to apologize later? Hopefully all that happened was saying something mean. But what if you were having that kind of day and someone lost their life because you became short tempered and angry?

Glen Bauer was taking his daughter home from school and he witnessed several incidents that ruined his mood. He decided to put a little scare into a kid that was driving reckless. But the little scare ended in dire consequences. Even though the scare only took a few seconds, the repercussions reverberated throughout Glen's life for years. After the accident, piece by piece, Glen's family was torn apart. His wife lost faith in him, and his daughter lost her family.

Once I began this book, I couldn't put it down. I was devastated along with Glen to watch how one moment in time can change your whole life. If there was ever a time when you wish you could go back and have a "do-over," this was it for Glen. But unfortunately, life's not like that.

You will not be able to put this one down. You will be on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next. You will wish you could talk some sense into some of the characters. Most of all, you will root for Glen and his daughter.

This is an adult book, but appropriate for older teens.

Check out Will Allison here.  LONG DRIVE HOME is his second book, but he's written short stories, as well. I think he's a bright new star in the publishing world!

Jacquelyn Mitchard. ALL WE KNOW OF HEAVEN

Bridget and Maureen have been best friends forever. One icy night while driving back from a cheerleading competition, their car swerves and hits an oncoming truck. Both girls are so badly hurt that it's difficult to identify them. The paramedics make an identification based on which girl was driving. Maureen dies and Bridget is badly hurt and left in a coma.

Friends and family mourn Maureen and hold vigil by Bridget's bedside. Danny, Bridget's boyfriend, visits Bridget almost daily to talk and sing to her. Several weeks later, everyone is thrilled when Bridget wakes up. The doctors begin a physical therapy program for her and say that it will be a long road, but that she will begin to get better. All Bridget can say at first is a few syllables. One day when one of her doctors looks at her teeth to begin reconstruction on her jaw, he notices that her dental records don't match her mouth. After putting a few pieces of the puzzle together, including a DNA test, the doctors realize a huge mistake was made. Maureen didn't die - Bridget did.

Both parents are understandably confused, horrified and shocked. The fallout makes for an amazing story. But that's really only the beginning. Maureen's struggle to re-learn how to speak and do basic tasks like grab a glass of water is the real meat of the story. Not only does she have much to overcome physically, but she also struggles emotionally. She feels like people see her as the girl who should've died. She feels like Bridget was the girl everyone loved and she was only the shadow following her. To complicate things further, Danny is spending a lot of time with her. Maureen wonders if he is only trying to stay close to Bridget or if he really likes her. Will she be able to overcome her physical and emotional obstacles and begin to live a normal life again?

The author is incredibly talented to be able to move between so many points of view so easily. I could really feel the emotions behind all of the characters. So many people were affected by the events in the story. Each family was thrown into a tailspin by the accident, and then again when told about the mistaken identity. You can imagine the roller coaster of emotions. The reactions of the family, as well as the entire town were brilliantly written. Maureen is an amazing character. She displayed the frustration you would expect, along with the determination and courage to persevere. Her added sass at the end definitely made her my hero!

This is a moving book that you won't soon forget!
Click here for more young adult novels by Jacquelyn Mitchard.


Also, click below to check out the cool trailer from the author's website: 

Deb Caletti. STAY

This is only the second book I've read by Deb Caletti, and I already love her! I just looked over my review of THE FORTUNES OF INDIGO SKYE and I wasn't surprised to see that I had used quotes from the book, because I'm going to do that again here. Deb Caletti's writing is so spectacular that it's difficult to write the review without sharing some gems with you.

 "I realized that fear and guilt were both cheap and easy emotions, ready and always available, the salt and pepper to the more exotic herbs that took more effort to gather, like courage or determination or regret."

The funny thing is - that quote sums up the book better than I could. After reading the book, go back and read it. You'll see.

Clara knew when she met Christian that it was going to be a turning point in her life. He was "the one." They instantly had a powerful attraction to each other. The fact that he was so impressed with her gave Clara a powerful feeling. So, when things start going downhill, she begins to feel responsible. He begins getting jealous at the drop of a hat, possessive and controlling about where she goes and how she spends her time. Clara rationalizes his behavior and even begins to start believing some things she says about her. She finally decides to break up with him. But Christian will have none of that. He refuses to let her go. Clara and her father move out of town for the summer to get away from him. Will he finally leave her alone? Will she be able to find herself again and heal?

"Empathy took the edge off, and the truth is, we need our edge. Our edge is trying to speak to us, and we are too, too good at shutting it up."

The novel is told in two time periods that meet up together near the end. If that sounds strange, it is. And not too many authors could've pulled it off so smoothly. As we live through Clara meeting Christian and developing their relationship, we are also living through Clara's new life and wondering how the relationship ended. To make the plot even more layered, Clara's father is hiding something from her. Interestingly enough, they are able to help each other in the end.

You will love this! It's deep, moving, complex, suspenseful and brilliantly written! I can't wait to read more from her! For more about Deb Caletti, check her out here. 

By the way, this is one of those books that I think all teenage girls should read, so they know the difference between someone who is good for you and someone who is BAD for you.

Suzanne Collins. MOCKINGJAY

I'm so sad it's over. Suzanne Collins is a brilliant writer. It's a large task on its own to create such a detailed fictional world, but to also create such a suspenseful, intelligent, action packed plot as well is genius. It's unforgettable, for sure.

Katniss and Peeta have survived through another game. But the ending was even more rebellious than the first and Katniss has a big surprise for her at the end. She's been rescued by the rebels to be their leader. Will she be the Mockinjay for real, as their symbol for the revolution? Does she really have much choice?

To make things more complicated, Peeta was rescued too, but by the other side. The Capitol has him. Katniss feels it's her fault because of how they were separated in the arena. She knows he's being tortured and it's all because of her. More blood on her hands.

She agrees to help the rebels, but with hope that she can save Peeta and the other remaining victors. Whether or not she can save herself is questionable. But she isn't sure she even cares anymore.

A perfect ending to an intriguing, horrifying, incredible trilogy! You must read it! I warn you that you'll want to have all three on hand. Once you begin, you won't want to stop until the end.

Of course, the trailer:

Suzanne Collins. CATCHING FIRE

After winning the Hunger Games in book one, Katniss and Peeta continue their facade of being in love. The realize that they're on thin ice because of the rebellious way they won. They continue to play the game as they travel among the districts in their victory tour. But they begin to notice little signss of unrest among the districts. And when a man gets killed because he displayed a small sign support for them, Katniss realizes that there is much more going on then she realizes.

Finally, she realizes the effect that their little stunt in the games had when the ultimate punishment is announced. The 75th anniversary of the games, called the Quarter Quell, is a special games. It calls for something unique to happen. Katniss and Peeta must compete again. The President declares that this is to symbolize that the Capitol has power over even the strongest in the districts.

This is just as suspenseful as the first book and leaves even more questions unanswered! You won't be disappointed! I don't think I can move onto another book until I've finished this trilogy!

This post wouldn't be complete without a trailer!

Suzanne Collins. THE HUNGER GAMES

I know, I know...I'm the last person on the planet to finally read THE HUNGER GAMES. Here's the deal. I ordered it for the middle school library I was at when it came out. I planned to read it, since I loved GREGOR and this new book by Collins was already receiving so much buzz in Libraryland. I even began reading it. But the whole idea of fighting to the death just turned me off. Frankly, it didn't appeal to me at all. And there are so many more books to read, that I just declined.

Since then, I've heard so many people rave about it and now it's even becoming a movie. Alas, I finally read it. And yes, it's as good as everyone says. I couldn't put it down. It kept me up at night.

For those few left who haven't read it. Here's the summary:
The setting is sometime in the future and all that's left of North America is a country called Panem. There are 12 Districts and a central district called the Capitol. Years before, the districts rebelled against the Capitol, so now to be continually punished, each district has to give up one boy and one girl to compete in the Hunger Games. The two children are chosen randomly through a drawing, called the reaping. The game itself is brutal. The contestants are put in this arena to fight to the death. The winner is then given a life of luxury and fame for the remainder of their life.

The characters and action are what made the book so appealing. Katniss is the female character. Her younger sister's name is pulled at the reaping, but she volunteers to go in her place. Peeta, the boy who is chosen, has an interesting connection to Katniss. Through the story, we learn more about Katniss's past with her hunting partner, how the death of her father transformed her life and how she may actually have the skills to win the game.

The action wasn't as gruesome as you might imagine. Although the fact the the entire world is watching the games is a little disconcerting, even more so since it's mandatory to watch. Sadly, there are elements of our current society that make the idea of watching this as entertainment not so far-fetched. What I really appreciated was the hunting and survival skills that Katniss needed to use. It reminds you of how important those skills really are when you're in life or death situations. But there were also a lot of mind games, so it was really fascinating.

Overall, it's though-provoking, moving, sad and action-packed!

If you haven't read it yet, it really is a book you won't soon forget. Now I'm really excited about the movie!

Here's a pretty cool fan-made trailer I found.

Lauren Oliver. BEFORE I FALL

On the surface, Samantha Kingston seems to have the perfect life. She's popular, has a wonderful group of friends and a boyfriend, who most girls in school would die for. But when she dies and begins reliving her last day over and over, she begins to question her choices. She begins to see people differently. Perhaps the boy she wrote off as a loser, really isn't. Perhaps there is more to the girl who everyone called psycho. Maybe her perfect boyfriend isn't really so perfect. With each passing "last" day, Sam learns more and more about what it means to be alive.

I've been hearing about this book for a while. Now I understand what all the praise was about. I'm stunned that this is Lauren Oliver's debut novel. It's unbelievably beautiful, heartbreaking and complex. I love it! I didn't want it to end. Sam and her friends are written realistically. The setting and events felt very real. (Maybe because it felt like a giant flashback to my own high school days...). She captured the teen environment perfectly. The actions and reactions by Sam, her friends, Kent and Juliet felt natural. I couldn't put it down. The ending was brilliant!
If you haven't read it yet - go get it now! You won't regret it!

Lauren Oliver's next novel is due out next month. It's on my list! Check her out here.
Check out the trailer

Lisa Graff. UMBRELLA SUMMER

Annie Richards lost her brother suddenly. He died from a rare heart condition that no one could have known about. That event caused Annie to because extremely cautious in everything she does. When she bikes she wears not only her helmet, but also various pads and tape for her her ankles. She's even been caught wearing her helmet while walking down the street. She becomes engrossed in a book about preventing disease. She figures since they didn't catch what was wrong with her brother that she could easily catch something too. If she feels slightly bad, she fears she has various conditions like African Sleeping Sickness. Plus, she avoids foods she used to love like hot dogs, because they may have e coli. She doesn't see how this is causing her to miss out on her life and normal 10-year-old fun. Her friends and family notice her caution, but aren't able stop her behavior.
Then a very special neighbor moves in across the street. Mrs. Finch has recently lost someone too, so maybe that's why Annie listens to her. They become friends and Mrs. Finch is able to help Annie see how to embrace life again. And maybe Annie can now help her parents learn to move on after her brother's death too.
This was a lovely, charming and funny book. Annie is quite the character. She is able to make you see how all of her precautions make perfect sense. Her voice fells like an authentic 10-year-old girl.
I also love the sense of community and friendship in this book. You won't regret reading this sensitive, hopeful book.

Click here for more about the author & to check out her other books.

Susan Beth Pfeffer. THIS WORLD WE LIVE IN

This is a sequel that brings the characters from LIFE AS WE KNEW IT and THE DEAD & THE GONE together. It continues the story of the catastrophic events after the moon was knocked closer into orbit around the earth. It's been a year since the event, and Miranda and her family have settled into a routine of sorts. Miranda and her brothers scavenge the houses around them for whatever they can use. Food it still delivered weekly, although still only enough for two small meals a day. There really isn't much left of the town they live in. There are virtually no people left. 

Then Miranda is surprised by her father, his wife, their baby daughter and three strangers. (One of the strangers is Alex from DEAD & the GONE). Miranda has mixed emotions. It was difficult enough with the four of them alone, but with six more people, how will they manage? On the other hand, she's also thrilled to see her father again. Plus, the baby brings hope of survival. However, just when things are beginning to look up, another tragedy strikes the town, which calls for some heavy decision-making about their future.

I loved the first two novels in this world, so I was thrilled that the author decided to write another. I was eager to see how Miranda and her family continued on after such devastating events. Not to mention, the inclusion of Alex was awesome!

This was action packed, suspenseful and sad. The author does such a wonderful job of creating the mood for this "end of the world" type atmosphere. In all three books, I was so enthralled. And frankly, I'm still not satisfied with the ending. I don't mean this in a negative way at all. I'm just not ready to give these characters up! I still want more. I want to go to more places with the characters to see how the rest of the world is handling everything. Is that asking too much?

If you haven't read the other two, you really must. 

Here are my reviews of the other two:

LIFE AS WE KNEW IT review

More about the author, check out her blog: http://susanbethpfeffer.blogspot.com/

She's got some great stuff on there about all the novels. (pre-writing notes, interviews, etc)



THE DEAD AND THE GONE review

Elizabeth Scott. LOVE YOU HATE YOU MISS YOU.

Another great one from Elizabeth Scott! What a thoroughly awe-inspiring author!

Amy’s just been released from Pinewood rehabilitation center. It’s been 75 days since Julia died. 75 days since she’s had anything to drink. She won’t drink ever again, since it reminds her of that night. Amy thinks it’s her fault that Julia died. She begins writing letters to Julia in a journal to work through her grief. She also begrudgingly sees a psychiatrist.

The worst part of it the whole thing is that her parents are acting differently towards her. They’re acting like they care all of a sudden. Before they left her alone most of the time. She’s trying to deal with getting through the day with the crushing weight of Julia’s death on her mind, not to mention being a total outcast at school. So the last thing she needs is doting parents. Will she ever be happy or even want to be happy again?

As I may have said before, Elizabeth Scott is fast becoming one of my favorite authors! I always feel a sort of kinship with her characters and stories. Is that weird? Anyway, this is one of those books that I didn’t want to end. Here is one of my favorite paragraphs:
“I didn’t want those words from her, not like that, not there, but at the same time I wanted them so badly that if I could have plucked them from the air, swallowed them down, and let them swim inside me, I would have”

This is a book you won’t soon forget. It’s beautifully written. The characters are deep and real. Loved it!!

Katherine Paterson. FLIP-FLOP GIRL

How timely. Katherine Paterson just received a lifetime achievement award from the International Board on Books for Young People today! Well-deserved!
Now about FLIP-FLOP GIRL…
Vinnie is already dealing with the death of her father when her mother uproots her and her brother to go live with her grandmother in a new town. She’s angry and she feels guilty about her brother. Mason has stopped talking or eating. She thinks it’s because of her yelling at him at the funeral. In the new town, the only positive is her new teacher. She likes him a lot, and he seems to care about her. Then she encounters a mysterious girl who has a rare confidence about her, even though she appears to be an outcast. Her name is Lupe. She doesn’t have any decent clothes and she appears to only have one pair of shoes, orange flip-flops. Plus, while it bothered Vinnie that no one wanted to talk to her or play with her, Lupe seemed oblivious to this and happily played hopscotch alone. Perhaps this girl, this flip-flop girl, will be just the friend she needs.
This is a wonderful, honest depiction of the emotions a child goes through after a death. Vinnie’s anger and loneliness are intense. Lupe is an intriguing character. It’s a meaningful and compelling story you won’t soon forget.
Check out her website for more by Paterson (you know her from Bridge to Terabithia, Great Gilly Hopkins, Jacob Have I Loved, etc...)

Gayle Forman. IF I STAY

I had been hearing about this one for a while, so I was excited to finally get to read it! I was not disappointed at all. This premise was quite unique. Five minutes after we get a wonderful introduction of Mia and her family and falling in love with each and every character, disaster strikes. Mia finds herself in an in-between stage. She’s not dead, but she’s not conscious either. She is witnessing everything going on around her. She sees her family members come in and talk to her. She sees her best friend and boyfriend both distraught.

In flashbacks, we learn more about Mia and her life up to this point. She has a wonderful life. She’s a talented cello player and will probably get accepted to Julliard. Her musician boyfriend loves her deeply and has his own successful career. The only major problem is that their careers will take them in different directions. Before the accident, Mia had a decision to make. Now she has a different, more compelling decision overriding everything. Mia realizes that it’s up to her to stay and wake up or take the easy route and go to sleep for good.

The premise alone made this an intriguing story. But, wow, I was constantly amazed at the beautiful writing. It really is a beautiful, heartbreaking story.
And if that doesn’t convince you, this book trailer will totally do the trick!



Here is the author's website for more.

Sarah Ockler. TWENTY BOY SUMMER

What a spectacular writer. This is Sarah Ockler’s first book and all I can say is WOW. I can’t wait for more from her. I’m so glad my copy isn’t a library book, because I dog-eared so many pages that I would be ashamed to return it to the library! For example, listen to this
“As the California announcement took an awkward dive out of Red’s mouth and flopped onto the table waiting for a response, all I could think was, A year later is still way to soon.” (how visual!)
And
“Once Frankie’s asleep, my best-friend superstrength disappears. My breathing shatters, tears blur the stars in the overhead skylight, and all the ghosts I tried to leave home float like dandelion seed wishes into our room.” (beautiful!)
There’s more magnificent parts, but I don’t want to give away too much of the plot.
So anyway, about the story. Frankie and Anna are best friends who’ve gone through a traumatic event together. They get a chance to go to the beach with Frankie’s family for three weeks. Frankie concocts a plan that includes meeting a new boy each day for a total of 20 for the summer. More boys means more chances to meet the right one – it’s scientific!
The summer is fun, but also becomes a major turning point for the girls. Secrets, lies, and heartache make for an unforgettable journey.
As you can already tell, I loved this book. I even took longer to read it because I wanted to continue to cherish it. The characters are wonderful and real. The emotions are raw and honest. The characteristics of first love are portrayed accurately and lovely. And the writing is to be enjoyed over & over again. Again I say, WOW!

For more on Sarah Ockler, check out her website here.

David Hernandez. NO MORE US FOR YOU

I love when I find a new author! I was browsing a the library & this was on display. (I fell for my own marketing tactics - both books I selected were from the display!) The title is what grabbed me. How sad, right? Anyway...
Isabel lost her boyfriend in a car accident almost a year ago. Carlos has just been dumped by his girlfriend. They meet through a new girl at school, Vanessa. So far, you’d think this was a typical girl-meets-boy book. But, it’s far from that. Isabel has some serious issues with death. She is obsessed with imagining how everyone around her will die (car wrecks, fires, plane crashes, etc.) Carlos works in a museum and eats red licorice all day. The two of them end up on a double date with Vanessa and a Carlos’s friend Snake. It looks like things may work out for them when tragedy strikes. Typically, this event would cause them to “bond,” but this is not a typical story. It has a somber mood throughout, but it’s not depressing. In the hands of a different writer, I would not have enjoyed the story at all. But the writing is so beautiful and engaging that I wanted to stay with these characters. Some scenes were so intricate that I felt like I was watching a scene in a movie. Anytime I find myself post-it-noting page after page, I know that’s some awesome writing. Here’s one of my many bookmarked snippets:

“I left Snake leaning by himself on the fence and made my way across the quad, students cutting in front of me from the left, the right. Two gulls fought on top of an empty table for a bag of potato chips, pecking and squawking and flapping their gray wings. By the time I reached Mira, the other guy was gone, the note was open in her hands. It was a long letter. So much ink it had to mean trouble.”

Don't you have a crystal clear image in your head?
But, it’s not just the writing that I admire; the characters are real, endearing, and you care about them. Highly Recommended!

I was not surprised to find out that David Hernandez is also a poet. Check out his website here. I look forward to more from him.
Here's his first novel:

Neal Shusterman. ANTSY DOES TIME

Another sequel. I didn’t plan it this way – really. But this is a sequel you could totally read by itself, without the first book*.

You gotta love a book that begins with a parade float that, well,... floats away. Antsy and a few of his friends see the beginning of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade debacle on TV. So, they hop on the subway to watch in person. The giant cartoon raccoon has blown away, along with three balloon handlers hanging on. The float finally gets caught up in the Empire State Building. Shortly after watching the events unfold right in front of his eyes, Antsy, hears some news from an unusual classmate, Gunnar. Gunnar tells Antsy that he has an incurable disease and will die in the coming months. After an act of kindness gets out of hand, Antsy begins to really help Gunnar with his last few months and get a quite a bit of attention for it. But as Antsy gets to know Gunnar and his family, he finds out that circumstances are really more serious than he thought. Plus, he has his own family drama. Antsy’s father now owns a restaurant, which is great, except that it keeps him so busy that Antsy hardly ever seems him. When he does see him, Antsy ends up screwing up and making him mad. He’s from a family of “fixers,” but he wonders how he can fix all of these dramas.
This was a quirky, funny, sad, heart-warming and wonderful. I marked so many great spots that I wanted to quote here, but if I did that, I would have to practically copy the whole book here, which is illegal. The events are really unexpected, but I think what I like best in this book is the cast of characters. They are so distinctive and lovable in their own ways. The dialogue between Antsy and his friends is right on. The curmudgeon Mr. Crawley is perfectly mean, but awesome. Kjerston is understandable in her desire to “reclaim her youth,” at sixteen. Even the minor character Skaterdud made me smile in his perfectness. Great! Loved it! Read it! (yes, that's Skaterdud not Skaterdude - read the book)

*You should still read the first one, though.

Click here to read my review.

A tidbit for ya...
Notice on the cover how the author's last name is different on each book. The first one has the "e" in his last name upside down. In the sequel, he has the "e" printed like this ë. Both relate to the story in the book. But, can you imagine how that conversation went with his publishers: "yeah, I'd like to turn the "e" upside down in my last name, yeah- right on the cover of the book. I know this will perplex people. Just do it."

Deborah Lynn Jacobs. CHOICES

Wow! What an intriguing book. Kathleen has just lost her brother in a car accident. She’s devastated. Then strange things begin to happen. She wakes up to a different reality each day. One day she’s Kathleen, another she’s Kate, and then Kay and Kathy. In one reality she’s lost her best friend and her mother is in a downward spiral, while in another she’s still has her best friend and her mom is doing great. But one aspect is constant in all realities – Luke. He seems to follow her to each world. Perhaps he has some answers to what is going on? She also wonders if she can find the “reality” where her brother is still alive.
The premise of the book really piqued my interest. Fortunately, it turned out as cool as it sounded. I really enjoyed this book. Now I’ll have to check out the author’s other books.

Susan Beth Pfeffer. THE DEAD AND THE GONE

I got my lucky hands on an advance copy of the companion novel to LIFE AS WE KNEW IT* by Susan Beth Pfeffer, called THE DEAD AND THE GONE (due out in June). When I first heard about the book, I thought it was a sequel, and I was anxious to see what happened to Miranda and her family after the disaster. Then I learned that this is actually a companion novel, and I came to realize that this was a much more interesting direction to go in (which is why the author decided to write this story, I’m sure). We get to go back to the same events in the first story, but see them in a completely different city, with different people. In this novel, we get to see how these events affect New York City. Now that I think about it, I was curious how this disaster would play out in other areas in the world while I was reading the first book. So, it seems natural that the author would explore this from another point of view, and I am glad she did.

We join Alex Morales on the day of the asteroid hitting the moon. He’s working at the pizza parlor. He doesn’t even realize what’s happened for a while, since it was a cloudy night. Then when his uncle shows up later that night at his house to take them all to his grocery shop to gather up all the food, he begins to see how bad things are. Alex’s mom has been called to work at the hospital. His father is away in Puerto Rico. His brother is away in the Marines. Alex, who is only seventeen, is left to take care of his two younger sisters. Since it’s on the coast, New York is affected by the flooding from the tsunamis. Whole boroughs of New York are being evacuated. People who can leave are leaving the city for safer places. The city slowly declines to feeling half-dead. Alex isn’t sure if he should leave the city, since he’s hoping his mom and dad will return.

This was just a gripping as the first novel. Ms. Pfeffer evoked the same eerie mood just as brilliantly as in the first book. I was glad to visit this world again, even as depressing as it was. It was intriguing to see how different people handle this type of tragedy. Alex was carrying a tremendous weight on his shoulders, and I was amazed that he could continually find the strength to go on. It makes you wonder how you would handle it yourself. The drama was heart wrenching and completely realistic. And yet somehow, the book ends with hope. I’m still thinking about how haunting the first book was, so now I’ll have two versions of the story to haunt me!

*My review of the first book is here

By the way, sometimes the cover on the Advance Reading Copy is different from when the final copy is published. I really, really hope they keep the cover on this one. I love it. It portrays the mood of the book so well. And isn't it just beautiful!

Ms. Pfeffer's written a ton of other books. Check it out here: http://www.iblist.com/author8156.htm

More about her at her blog: http://susanbethpfeffer.blogspot.com/