Novi Teens Read

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

2010-08-25T17:16:00.003-04:00

Put a hold on this final installment in the Hunger Games trilogy at the library today.

Tangled by Carolyn Mackler

2010-03-29T14:45:00.004-04:00

4/5
Tangled is a story about four teenagers who are all on vacation. The book is broken up into four parts, one from each character's perspective. I really like this aspect of the book because it allows you to see everybody's perspective. Each character is going through different things in their lives, from insecurities, depression, and death. Some parts had me cracking up, other parts had me close to tears. Overall I recommend it to all girls, who would probably enjoy it more than guys.
-Kristen

Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

2010-03-23T14:18:00.003-04:00

4/5
Everyone's heard of this romantic story of a young solider and an idealistic college student who fall in love and are torn apart when John has to return to the army. Sparks' writing tugs on the heartstrings and makes you feel for both characters in equal measure. With plenty of twists and turns and an ending that is far from cliche, Dear John is a book that will stay you. Those who have watched the movie should realize that the book is very different. Happy Reading!!
-Neha

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

2010-03-15T16:04:00.003-04:00

4.7/5
The book is just as good as the movie; the book's rich imagery & descriptions drew me in, as did the self-recriminating heroine, Lily. It's a quick read & I would recommend it to anyone looking for a book to read.

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

2010-03-10T14:48:00.004-05:00

5/5
Wintergirls is the chilling tale of an anorexic girl's life after the death of her best friend. This book reminded me of Speak (also by Anderson) in it's focus on one girls emotions after a tragic event.
-Samantha

Prey by Michael Crichton

2010-02-16T13:54:00.003-05:00

4.5/5
This book addresses a social issue of technology overpowering humans. In this book micro-robots are created and have become a species of their own. Slowly, they target a prey: humans. This fast-paced novel is impossible to put down. This would be recommended to anyone because of the author's captivating and narrative style.

Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman by Louise Plummer

2010-02-02T12:30:00.004-05:00

5/5
I love teen romance novels, so I read everyone I can get my hands on. When I read "The Unlikely Romance..." I thought it would be just another good romance like the rest, but I could really relate to the main character. She was tall and awkward and in love with her brother's best friend. The best part about this book is that Kate herself was writing it. She has revision notes and uses the "Romance Writer's Phrase Book." The book is a must read for teen girls.
-Emily

Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

2010-01-24T10:59:00.002-05:00

5/5
I liked that the culture was exhibited throughout the book, and that each chapter was told from a new point of view.

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

2010-01-14T14:01:00.003-05:00

5/5
Sarah Dessen's Along for the Ride is about a girl who just graduated from high school. She moves to live with her dad and new stepmother for her summer to get a fresh perspective and break out of her routine. She uses night time as her time to go out and clear her mind of her family troubles. She meets a boy to endure her night time adventures with. He ends up helping her in many ways. The books goes through her struggles with family, friends, and herself. Sarah Dessen fans won't be disappointed! It is a fast read and easy to get lost in. I definitely recommend it.
-Kristen

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

2010-01-05T13:50:00.003-05:00

5/5
My copy of Ella Enchanted has a peeling spine and dog-eared pages from all the times I've re-read it. You'd think that a retelling of such a popular fairytale would have gotten old after...oh, the 19th or so rereading. But Ella Enchanted told the Cinderella story in such an innovative way that I couldn't help but be drawn to the book again and again. Levine truly makes the characters come alive. I found myself rooting for Ella page after page as she struggled with Dame Olga and her daughters Hattie and Olive. Every character had a personality - even the usually faceless prince. The addition of creatures like ogres and elves just served to add to the magic of the story. If you enjoy a story with twists and turns, a story full of wonderful descriptions and witty repartee, then I heartily urge you to pick up a copy of Ella Enchanted today!

-Lucia

Girl, interrupted by Susanna Kaysen

2009-12-29T10:43:00.004-05:00

4.5/5
This book goes in depth on why mental illness occurs. It goes into the mind of a suicidal girl. It gives a great analysis of life.

Running Out of Time by Margaret Haddix

2009-12-21T14:07:00.004-05:00

5/5
Running out of time is a wonderful novel with adventure, thrills, history, and suspense. A young girl in her teens is trusted with the responsibility of saving her town when all the children get sick. As she struggles to find a cure, she also learns that the life she has been living is not real. She lives in a historical town stuck in the 1800s, while the rest of the world lives in 1999. The girl has many adventures as she strives to save her siblings and all the kids in her town.

Brief History of Montmaray by Michelle Cooper

2009-12-16T14:33:00.003-05:00

3.5/5
Sophie is given a journal for her birthday and she proceeds to document the demise of her current life on the island of Montmaray. It is the late 1930s and Sophie lives on the island kingdom of Montmaray with her sister Henry, and cousin Sophie and Sophie's mad father their reigning king. There pleasant existence is changed forever when some Nazi soldiers arrive on the island. The beginning of the story is a bit slow as Cooper builds the characters and history of the island but soon the pace quickens and you will hardly be able to put it down. Recommend for 7th grade and up.
-Suzanne

Pirates by Celia Rees

2009-12-12T14:17:00.003-05:00

4/5
Using the overly cliche plot of a princess running away from her homeland to avoid marriage, this author turned it into an adventurous novel. This story takes place in the 1700s when royalty and pirates existed. The princess has run away from a marriage and climbs aboard a pirate ship. This exciting book is an absolute must for adventure lovers.

Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis

2009-12-08T15:19:00.002-05:00

5/5
As the fifth book in the Chronicles of Narnia, it matches up to the standard of it's predecessors. It follows Edmund, Lucy, and Eustace, a new character. The trio is sucked into a picture and sent into the Narnia world. This book has many adventures with Caspian, who is the new king of Narnia. Other characters from the books before also appear. The newest character Eustace is very well developed. Edmund and Lucy also mature as the story progresses, and this book shows how much.

The Truth about Forever by Sarah Dessen

2009-11-30T13:02:00.002-05:00

4.5/5
Macy Queen has been merely going through the motions of life after she witnessed her father's death. But then she joins the Wish Catering crew and meets Wes, and her world turns upside down. Slowly, Macy begins "living" again. This is not just a love story - it is the story of how a emotionally-scarred girl ventures out of her shell. The Truth about Forever is touching, heart warming, and beautifully written. I highly recommend it for a rainy day.
-Lucia

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

2009-11-24T16:03:00.002-05:00

5/5
At over 1,000 pages, Gone With the Wind may be daunting at first, but it quickly becomes a book that you simply can’t put down. Margaret Mitchell's masterpiece is set in the Civil War era and tells a captivating story of the southern belle Scarlett O'Hara and the infamous Rhett Butler. The novel was later made into one of the most successful films in history, starring Vivian Leigh and Clark Gable, however the movie cannot even compare to the book. Margaret Mitchell depicts characters in the book as multi-faceted, understandable, and all with lifelike human emotions and interactions. Through all of struggles in the course of the novel, Scarlett stays strong, and in the end, she is still hopeful of what tomorrow will bring. Gone With the Wind is brilliant in its entirety, so complete with historical facts and engaging with an unpredictable plot. Poignant and enchanting, Gone With the Wind proves itself to be one of the best novels ever written. It is a book I would highly recommend to anyone.
-Alice

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

2009-11-18T18:29:00.002-05:00

4.2/5
I was very skeptical at first when I picked up this book(despite my love for Sophie Kinsella)because it is a story of a girl haunted by the spirit of her Great-Aunt Sadie, who can't find rest until she finds her necklace. However, Kinsella makes the situation almost believable through her vivid description. Lara a jaded twenty-something and her Great-Aunt, who comes back from the dead as a 23 year old from the 1920's, make a hilarious duo. Infused with Kinsella's trademark wit and charm, Twenties Girl is am immensely satisfying and uplifting novel.

-Neha

Fever by Robin Cook

2009-11-16T17:31:00.002-05:00

5/5
It was an interesting book about a young teen girl who gets leukemia. It mainly goes through her father's adventures while he looks for a cure. It is very heart warming to see the daddy-daughter scenes. There are some very dramatic scenes, all of which help contribute to the advancement of the plot.

-Rohini

Maximum Ride: the final warning by James Patterson

2009-11-11T14:46:00.002-05:00

5/5
I liked this book for many reasons. I liked it because it was a cliffhanger at the end of every chapter. It makes you want to turn the page and you really don't want the book to end. It combines a lot of life values. It is about 6 humans who were mutated and have wings. These 6 people were tested and tortured until they were able to escape. Max is the leader of this gang. The rest of the gang includes Fang, Nudge, Gasman, Iggy, and Angel. This story is about how they are trying to save the world because some people want to demolish half the world.
-Chaitanya

Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

2009-10-29T13:43:00.003-04:00

4/5
Imagine a world in which you can hear every man's thoughts. That is the reality for Todd and all the men in the town of Prentiss. One day Todd stumbles across a startling secret. But how do you hide a secret when everyone can read your thoughts? Todd soon discovers that to protect himself he has to flee the only home he has known. But fleeing may not be enough because an army is hunting him down. A great adventure/sci-fi tale. Grades 9 - 12

Antsy Does Time by Neal Shusterman

2009-10-22T13:32:00.003-04:00

5/5
Antsy decides to help a dying friend(Gunner) by giving him a month of his life. Before he knows it the whole school is donating time to Gunner. Time becomes a commodity that kids can use to purchase other things. You can prove your love to your girlfriend if you give her a week of your life. Soon Antsy is the overseer of years of time. Gunner seems a bit cheered by the response of his fellow classmates but difficulties at home keep him somber. As Antsy gets to know Gunner he soon realizes that there are deeper issues brewing in Gunner's life and Antsy begins to suspect that Gunner may be faking his illness. Find out what Antsy discovers about life, love and family in this great read. Grades 7 - 10.

Airman by Eoin Colfer

2009-10-15T14:33:00.004-04:00

3.5/5
Connor has always wanted to fly. In the end of the nineteenth century there is no precedent for individual flight. Connor will not be deterred and he becomes apprentice to a brilliant scientist in the king's court. Together they scheme to design a flying machine. One day as Connor's teacher is meeting with the king they are ambushed and killed by a rival. Connor witnesses the event and is thrown in prison by the rival of the king. Connor's mind begins to be consumed with revenge and flying. Will he escape his prison? Could his interest in flying be able to give him the ultimate freedom? Find out by reading the book. If you have read it then tell me what you think by posting a comment. Grades 6-10.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

2009-10-07T20:19:00.004-04:00

3.5/5
The sequel to Hunger Games starts slow but finishes strong. Katniss is back at home and trying to make sense of her victor lifestyle. Her defiance of the capitol during the games has sparked uprising in the districts. The government is trying to control the districts through her and her tour as victor. In a desperate attempt to reign in the districts the capitol celebrates the 75th hunger games by pitting previous victors against each other. Good action as usual but the romance seems cheesy and a bit forced. The questions that remain will leave most "hungry" for the final book.

Make Lemonade by Virginia Wolff

2009-09-28T19:23:00.005-04:00

4/5 Stars
LaVaughn needs a job so that she can earn money so that she can go to college. She sees a posting for a babysitter and calls the number. When she shows up for the job she meets Jolly a teenage mother of two. LaVaughn has a bad feeling from the start that this won't be the money making opportunity that she imagined. She watches the kids and begins to be-friend Jolly. The two girls struggle and fight together to learn how to change their circumstances. It is written in a prose format that makes it easy to read. This is a touching glimpse of urban life.
Grades 8 - 11.

2009-08-03T19:26:00.001-04:00

Grave Shadows by Jerry Jenkins

2009-07-15T13:54:00.001-04:00

Grave Shadows is one of my favorite books I have read this summer. I decided to read this book because there are many other books like this one in the Red Rock series that I liked. The genre of Grave Shadows is mystery and Bryce and Ashley are trying to figure out 2 mysteries at once. Bryce and Ashley’s friend Jeff has cancer and his dream is to be able to ride a 200-mile bike ride to raise money for cancer research. But the doctor doesn’t think Jeff can make it through the bike ride. But Jeff is a kid with a lot of determination .Can he prove the doctor wrong? While Bryce and Jeff ride the bike race together on a two person bike, Ashley is trying to find Jeff’s missing sports memorabilia. At the same time Ashley is also trying to find her friend Haley’s missing cousin .Can the two mysteries be connected? I really liked this book and if you like mysteries you will too. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

Compound by S.A. Bodeen

2009-07-11T14:34:00.000-04:00

Paper Towns by John Green

2009-07-11T14:33:00.001-04:00

Bliss by Lauren Myracle

2009-02-05T16:42:00.003-05:00

3/5 Stars

The cover got me with this book. It is a bit creepy looking and I was interested to read a book written by the author who wrote the ttyl series. So my expectations were pretty high for the book. The book is about a girl named Bliss who has grown up on a commune but who is dumped off with her grandmother to attend a real high school. She has all the normal insecurities of starting a new school and a whole new way of life. Also, she discovers at school that she has the ability to understand the dead. An evil ghost is haunting the school and is eager to combine power with Bliss. The ghost communicates with another girl at the school who tries to manipulate Bliss into cooperating. Overall I would say the book is a three out of five. It is creepy but the pace of the story is slow and the characters are not very well developed. The end of the story almost had me gagging. If you read this please share your thoughts. Grades 8 - 11.

Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List: Rachel Cohn and David Levithan.

2009-01-04T22:26:00.005-05:00

4/5 Stars

Maybe some things can’t last forever, that they have to change, and people have to move on from their childhoods. Naomi and best friend+boyslut Ely thought that they would be BFFs 4ever... but when Ely violates the sacred "No-Kiss-List..." by kissing Naomi's boyfriend Bruce the Second, everything goes SPAZ. Will Naomi and Ely's friendship stay alive, will they solve their various family, friends, love issues? Cohn and Levithan use simple, hilarious, and straight-talking prose in an endearing story that is 100% original as well.
This story reminds me of Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist, but the prose is a bit more choppy and awkwardly timed. The story is told from 1st person accounts, and I feel like there were a bit too many character's to keep track of (in middle of passage -> hey, wait, who's talking again?) The closeness of Ely and Naomi, doesn't need to be stated. But even when they fight, their closeness, their understanding of each other, is touching. The authors manage to create excitement and uncertainty yet still let you into the character’s hearts. And the sign language is so sweet.
Naomi and Ely’s story is about friendships as much as love. It's about relationships: those that change, are born, and are renewed. It's a funny, sweet story, and I would recommend it for some light reading.

Let it Snow: Maureen Johnson, John Green, Lauren Myracle

2009-01-04T22:22:00.002-05:00

5/5 Star

I once heard this song, like a fresh breeze singing“...can’t you feel, can’t you feel my heart? My love” Add Christmas bells ringing, and that perfectly portrays the essence of these Christmas stories. The yearning hearts of all these young lovers and lovers-soon-to-be.
Maureen Johnson is absolutely hilarious (I burst out laughing quite a few times). She has an amazing ability to observe and pick up on quirky details, making Jubilee’s account, cute, dorky, and absolutely lovable. (The Flobie village debacle was... (I have no words for it...)) The interaction between Jubilee and Stuart, her love interest, is a bit more serious and their emotions are portrayed with (adorable) honesty, no overdramatic, gushy angst. I do like the rather subtle way they arrive at the conclusion that they are perfect for each other.
John Green’s group of semi-misfits (not in an angry rebel way of course:) Tobin, Duke, and JP blaze on an adventure through the blizzard in pursuit of cheerleaders and some delicious hash browns. Their sarcastic banter and odd adventure will make you laugh. Tobin takes a big leap from friendship to love, and his perspective on the leap is innocent yet insightful. I liked this story best because of character’s attitudes (which I related to most) and the complexity of his theme.
Lauren Myracle tells the last story, the reuniting of two lovers. Abbie’s story felt like the weakest part. First of all, it felt a little too long. Despite this, Lauren Myracle does an excellent job of bringing the characters from the three stories together, albeit a little bumpily. But I loved the feeling of strong, lasting love Ms. Myracle brought to this Christmas picture- contrasting well with the previous two, new, loves to make the big Christmas love story complete.
Let it Snow is what it is, teens+blizzard+Christmas= winter storm that buries the reader in six feet fuzzy, young love. So, READ THIS BOOK, it’ll feel like a fresh breeze in this world of cluttered up overly-hormonic hotguy-hotguy-hotguy-hotgurl pop fiction. Actually, I’m inspired to read some other Maureen Johnson books now.

An Abundance of Katherines, by John Green

2008-12-04T15:02:00.003-05:00

Everyone has a type - Colin Singleton's type is purely linguistic. He's been dumped nineteen times in his short, annagrammatically full life, and all nineteen of those times, it's been a Katherine that broke his heart. Born a prodigy, he struggles to find genius within himself with his his best friend a quasi - religious Sunni muslim. Having just been dumped for the nineteenth time, Colin embarks upon a roadtrip to find his 'Eureka moment' or moment of genius. Follow Colin and his friend, Hassan, on their roadtrip across America, as they struggle to find themselves, a future for themselves, and a way to explain love in An Abundance of Katherines.

Newes from the Dead by Mary Hooper

2008-12-03T20:35:00.002-05:00

In 1650, a young medical student is ecstatic to be in attendance at his first autopsy. He is ready with pen and paper until he notices a small flicker. Did the body just move? Could this girl have survived a hanging? She was tried for a crime and put to death should she be revived if she is not dead. This is a great story that is told in alternating chapters by the medical student and Anne the dead girl. It is intriguing to think about her story and in the appendix an actual account of the real story is printed. Great Read!!

Antsy Does Time, by Neil Shusterman

2008-11-11T16:02:00.002-05:00

When Anthony Bonano (aka "Antsy") finds out that his friend only has a limited time to live as a consequence of a grave illness, he is so fueled by friendship and sympathy that he signs a month of his life over to his “dying” classmate Gunnar Umlaut. Soon everyone at school follows suit, giving new meaning to the idea of “living on borrowed time.” But Gunnar seems to have other issues, too: a father who is mysteriously absent and a "hot" sister who likes Antsy. Does Gunnar really have only six months to live, or is news of his imminent death greatly exaggerated? And will Antsy's father ever stop working enough to spend precious time with his family? The juxtaposition of these two families in this darkly comic novel will make every reader look at his own family in a new way.

Two Parties, One Tux, and a Very Short Film About The Grapes of Wrath, by Steven Goldman

2008-11-11T15:36:00.004-05:00

When David tells Mitchell Wells he’s gay, Mitchell’s okay with it—but it still seems to change things between them. Since David’s not "out" to anyone else, the guys agree to be set up with prom dates by Mitchell's sister. Then, one of the most popular girls in school decides to date Mitchell, and he’s gone from zero to two girlfriends in sixty seconds. From his tanking English grade(a not especially realistic sub-plot) to his floundering friendships to his love life—the one thing that’s taken a bizarre turn for the better—Mitchell is so confused, he’ll be lucky if he lasts another week in high school! And then there’s the prom . . . Poignantly written, the loose plot lines are resolved a little too conveniently, spoiling a story whose characters are realistic and likeable. Note: graphic sexual descriptions may put some readers off. They get in the way of the important themes of finding one's own identity and being true to oneself.

Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney

2008-11-07T12:22:00.002-05:00

This is the first in the series called the Last Apprentice. Tom is the seventh son of a seventh son which gives him some unique gifts. Since there are few opportunities for seventh sons to find work, Tom is asked to apprentice the local spook. The spook deals with all the unearthly and unmentionable things in the land. He deals with boggarts, ghosts, and witches. Tom is reluctant to pursue such a career but with little other options becomes the apprentice. While his master is away Tom is tricked into aiding a imprisoned old witch. His error costs him dearly. The pace is quick and some of the horror parts quite graphic. Recommended for grades 7 - 12.

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

2008-10-24T11:57:00.002-04:00

Every year in the 12 districts tributes are selected to participate in the hunger games. In some districts kids have been training their whole life for the chance to be a tribute. In Katniss' district it is a guaranteed death sentence. The two tributes selected from each district are sent to an arena where they must kill each other in order to survive. The last person standing is declared the winner and given a comfortable life for the rest of his/her days. Katniss has no intention of participating but when her younger sister is called to serve as tribute she volunteers to go in her place. This is a great read!! The characters are well developed and the plot is fast paced. Highly recommend - Grades 8 - 12

Chasing Yesterday - Awakening

2008-10-06T16:58:00.002-04:00

J.D. wakes in a hospital with no memory of how she got there. The doctors inform her that she has retrograde amnesia. She begins to have flashbacks of her former life. At times she is so overwhelmed by these visions that strange things happen. Glasses shatter and she seems to have incredible strength. Her mother arrives to take her home but it all seems unfamiliar. Can she learn to become the girl she used to be? Will she ever feel normal again? The adults in her life seem to fill her with unease and paranoia. Who is she and will she discover the answers she needs before it is too late?