The Blood Between Us / Zac Brewer / 274 pgs

I have to admit that I wouldn't have picked up this book if not for the fact that it fulfilled some reading challenge categories I needed to check out. On a whole, it has some things going for it. It's an interesting mystery. The narrator, Adrien, starts out as a 13 year old boy whose adopted scientist parents were just killed when their home lab blows up. His sister, Grace, who was the natural born daughter of his adopted parents, has never been kind to her adopted brother. Grace has always resented Adrian, and isn't shy about letting him know. Both are taken in by their godparents, Victor and Julian, but Adrien doesn't want to go back to the east coast boarding school that he has attended with Grace. He wants to go to a boarding school in California. Four years later, at the start of their senior year, Adrien is asked by a dying Victor to come back, and he enrolls back into his old school. His sister is still a jerk, and she's managed to make nearly everyone hate Adrian, which makes him feel like a pariah. Oddly, he is receiving text messages indicating that Grace had something to do with their parents' death. Is it true? Is Grace capable of being that horrible?

At the same time, I was not as sympathetic to Adrien as I think the author would hope. He was extremely arrogant and narcissistic, and sometimes I thought he and Grace deserved each other as siblings. Also, the resolution to the mystery surrounding the book came out of nowhere and didn't quite fit. On a whole, I give it three stars out of five, but I'm feeling generous today.

Where She Went (If I Stay #2) / Gayle Forman / 264 pages / Young Adult - Realistic Fiction

Where She Went takes place 3 years after Mia's accident, is in Adam's POV, and spans 24 critical hours. Adam's last day in New York, before leaving on tour, he happens to run into Mia. Is fate giving these two another chance? Will Adam finally get answers to the questions that have haunted him for the past 3 years? How is Mia dealing with her choice to stay?

“There are so many things that demand to be said. Where did you go? Do you ever think about me? You've ruined me. Are you okay? But of course, I can't say any of that.” 

A lot has changed for both Adam and Mia. Their dreams have come true musically, but is it enough, if they don't have each other? This was a great follow up of these characters and their very special story will surely hold a place in many young hearts. 

❤ "You don’t share me. You own me." ❤

Bruiser / Neal Shusterma / 328 pages

     This Truman nominee book was one that I didn't want to finish, but I couldn't turn away.  Brewster, or Bruiser, is an empath.  He takes on other people's emotions and other people's actual physical injuries.  Luckily it only works with people he cares about.  He is a loner with no friends when Bronte decides to befriend him and make him a boyfriend.  Her twin brother Tennyson also becomes a friend. 
     The conflict revolves around Brewster, his abusive uncle, his younger brother Cody, and his secret.  Awful things happen in his home life.  His uncle is a sick, twisted individual who tries to keep Brewster isolated from all others while using him for his own ends.
     Bronte tries to help him make friends and become a part of school life with unintended consequences.  Her brother also helps Brewster, but finds himself using him for his own ends.  The whole book has to come to a resolution for Brewster or he will not be able to survive.
     The character could be compared to the Appalachian "sin eater" or even to a Christ figure taking on "sins" of others.  There is much that could be discussed in a group in this book.  It is not black and white or at all clear cut.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower/Stephen Chbosky/213 pages

Charlie is a sensitive, intelligent, troubled outcast who is afraid of starting high school, so he writes letters anonymously to someone he heard was a good listener. Through these letters, Charlie documents his freshman year, although he starts by talking about how his middle school years ended with the suicide of a close friend and how that broke apart his group of friends. So, he's starting high school with no friends and a reputation of being a freak. He eventually makes friends with a group of seniors who introduce him to new things.

This book was made into a movie by the author last year. I would be interested in seeing how this series of letters translates to the big screen. It's a YA selection that deals with teenage angst.

Various Positions / Martha Schabas / 325 pages

I chose this YA book because I thought it would mostly be about ballet and I love ballet books.  (like ballet shoes by Noel Streetfield) 
Wow.  That is not really accurate for this book. Yes, a fourteen year old girl is enrolled in a dance academy in Toronto and hopes for a career.  However, there is her finding teen porn on the computer, taking her own porn photos, her obsession with her teacher, her sexual encounter, her family's apparent lack of any ethical compass to guide her.  Her family is so dysfunctional and unavailable that she is truly on her own and  makes some really bad choices in this book.  At the end, she does own up and the teacher she inadvertantly set up doesn't go to prison, but there is so much in there that many parents may be alarmed when they see what is in this book.  Oh yeah, it leaves anorexia an open door for success in achieving a "dancer's body."  Yep.

Rules of Attraction / Simone Elkeles / 326 pages

Okay, okay, so I like sappy books. This second in the series (after Perfect Chemistry) is about the second Hispanic brother who returns from Mexico to finish high school in Colorado where he meets a girl and has trouble with a drug gang. It's pretty much the same type story. I don't think that all Mexican guys have anger issues, but they seem too in these stories. To add yet another pc touch to the story, the girl's best friend is a gay guy. I can hardly wait to read the next book about the last brother who wants to be an astronaut. Stay tuned.

Perfect Chemistry / Simone Ekeles / 360 pages

Rich white girl, poor Latino boy, gangs, love -- hey-is it West Side Story? This time it is in a north suburb of Chicago. I kept trying to guess which one had million dollar homes on Lake Michigan and shared a high school with a poor, gang-infested Mexican neighborhood. Just couldn't see it.

So I just suspended my doubts and went with the story of perfect blond pom pom girl Brittany and unwilling gang-banger Alex who meet in chemistry class.

The chapters alternate between the two characters stories and it becomes pretty engrossing despite the unrealistic features in the story. This author won author of the year from the Illinois Association of Teachers of English. She gives Brittany a disabled sister and distant parents who expect perfection which makes her much more likeable than her surface image. Alex is just trying to stay a step ahead of the gang troubles and keep his brothers out of any gang activity. It's good enough that I'll read the next book, but not enough that I'd give it 5 stars.

Hold Still / Nina LaCour / 229p

 Caitlin's best and only friend, Ingrid, has just committed suicide.  How does Caitlin deal with such a loss?  How can she not blame herself for not seeing the signs?  How can she read the diary that Ingrid hid in Caitlin's bedroom the night before she died?  How does life go on?

Both sad and uplifting, this story gives a personal and realistic view of the struggles of both mental illness and  the loss of a friend to suicide.  A Gateway Award nominee this book is more for older teens - grade 8 and up.  Heavy, but will definitely keep their interest.  Give to fans of 13 Reasons Why, Hate List, and/or If I Stay.

Born to Rock/ Gordon Korman/ 261 pgs.

I thought it was time to read something by Gordon Korman (actually, listen to it on cd) since he is coming to the Library District. What a fun book! I don't generally choose "guy" books, but this was really entertaining.
I was hooked right from the beginning wondering how the president of the Young Republicans Club was going to end up with a punk rock band. It was well done. Even the promised cavity search. Korman also offers a small look into the life of a "roadie" that travels with a rock band. I am much happier reading about it.
He ties the book together at the end with a great ending. I reluctant reader might actually read this, especially if he likes heavy metal or goth.

Lock & Key / Sarah Dessen / 422 p.

17 year old Ruby is abandoned by her Alcoholic mother; so she is court ordered to move in with her older sister Cora and her husband Jamie.  Ruby goes from a run-down, broken home to a rich neighborhood and a formal prep school.  Needless to say she runs into a few bumps as she adjusts to her new life and learning that it is okay to ask others for help.

The book was an enjoyable read, the characters are realistic and the story focuses on several issues: making choices, friendship, family, Independence, and types of child abuse.  I heard this book on tape and thoroughly enjoyed the reader.  Recommended.