The Rest of Us Just Live Here / Patrick Ness / 319 pages

You know who they are, those indie kids-- the ones who end up being The Chosen One when the supernatural happens, the ones who have the unique powers, the ones who pretty much save the world from the Ultimate Evil?

Well this is not their story.

This story focuses on (somewhat) ordinary kids who just want to graduate high school before it gets blown up.  Again.  Mikey wants to ask Henna out before her family goes to Africa and has a severe case of OCD.  Mel has to graduate a year late while coping with anorexia.  Jared keeps a lot of secrets from his friends, revealing to them only 1) he's gay, and 2) he's part-god (the God of Cats to be exact; cats love this guy).  Each chapter also begins with a short side story on the indie kids' battle against the Immortals, particularly focusing on a girl named Satchel, though there are other characters like Finn, Dylan, Finn, Kerouac, Finn, Wisconsin, Finn, Finn, and even a prince.  Oh, and not to mention Finn.

This book was recommended to me by a friend, and I must say: this was a witty, yet sad, yet heartwarming book all at the same time.  Every character faces a different conflict, both internal and external, while having to deal with the flaws he or she has, making them more realistic.  As the books tagline says, "Sometimes you have to find the extraordinary in the ordinary."

Popular: A Memoir/ Maya Van Wagenen/ 259 pages

Truman Reader Nominee Popular: A Memoir by Maya Van Wagenen is a winner in my book!  Maya is entering eight grade in Brownsville, Texas.  Through a series of coincidences she comes across a vintage teen etiquette book  written by model Betty Cornell.  With the support of her Mom, Maya sets out to use the etiquette rules written in the fifties during the school year.  Her goal is to write about her experience and see what happens.  Will she become popular?  Maya starts with the simple surface changes, caring for hair, skin, wearing make-up and finally dressing as a proper 1950's teen.  Then it's time to take on the hard stuff.  Interacting with people.  Maya's record of what happens makes for an interesting read.  What she learns along the way should be required reading for every teen and maybe even adults.  This book would appeal to teens and adults.  Without being preachy it passes along an important lesson.

Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things / Carolyn Mackler 246

Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things / Carolyn Mackler 246 p.

15 year old Virginia Shreves is overweight.  Her mother is pressuring her about her weight.  Her best friend has moved half a world way.  Her family is a bunch of thin stars.  Her mother is a adolescent psychologist, her brother was a big man on campus at the private school she attends, her sister is a Peace Corps volunteer.  She doesn't feel accepted at school.  She is kind of interested in Froggy.  She likes fooling around with him but doesn't want him seeing her fat.  When her brother is sent home from college for date-rape, her parents seem to gloss over it.  Virginia reacts by questioning her family's values.  She works through a lot of angst.  She comes out a stronger better person.  She rebels taking charge of her life and changing it.  She finds her own style complete with purple hair and an eyebrow ring and a more outgoing personality.