Divergent by Veronica Roth

There are lots of books trying to be the next Hunger Games, and this is one of the best contenders that I've read in the last few years. It's set in a future-world-gone-bad and a teenager has a life-changing choice to make about her future. Society is divided into five factions—abnegation (selflessness), candor (honesty), dauntless (bravery), amity (peaceful), and erudite (intelligence)—and sixteen-year-olds must choose which virtue they will dedicate their life to. Tris makes a surprising choice and in the following weeks of training must dig deep to survive in a hostile environment. She learns some secrets about the factions and she suddenly finds it difficult to live in her black and white world when she knows that all is not as it seems. There's lots of action here and also characters to care about. I have had quite a few students (and teachers) excited to talk about this book.

The Edumacation of Jay Baker by Jay Clark

Jay Baker, the freshman narrator of this book, is so full of jokes and pop culture references that sometimes I could hardly keep up with him. He's secretly in love with his cheerleader best friend, dealing with his parents' separation, and fighting off a bullying homophobic former friend who constantly torments him at school. Although Jay Baker would have you believe he's kind of a wimp, he seems to have no problems with girls falling for him—in fact, he starts up a relationship with tennis-playing Caroline who can match him joke for joke, and then finds he has two girls vying for his attention. It's a very enjoyable, funny book about the trials and tribulations of an unusually smart, funny guy with a lot going on in his life. His interactions with his mom, dad, sister, and history teacher all seemed very true to life—and I appreciated that the adults were meaningful characters in the book. I read through this quickly and liked it a lot—it's Jay Clark's first book and I'm sure he will be a talent to watch. Recommended for high school guys and girls.

A World Away by Nancy Grossman

I know that there is a whole world of Amish romances out there but I have never read one. I thought when I picked this YA book up it might be something like that for a teen audience. I still have no idea how this compares to the adult Amish romances, but I found this to be an enjoyable coming of age story with an interesting cultural twist. Eliza is a 16-year-old Amish girl who longs to get out of her sheltered community and experience life among the "English" (that's us). When the opportunity to be a nanny for a Chicago family arises she jumps at the chance to give up her plain dress. She buys her first pair of jeans at Walmart and heads off to the land of cell phones, texting, television, video games, movies, computers, and much more. She meets a romantic interest very quickly who loves to show her new things and introduces her to his friends. Of course, she struggles at first to make sense of the world of "English" teenagers, but she enjoys many things about her new life. She makes a startling discovery also—her mother's sister whom she has never even heard of lives nearby. Aunt Beth was shunned many years ago for marrying an outsider. This is the life that Eliza would be choosing if she decides to leave the Amish community. In many ways the book was predictable—of course she would meet a boyfriend and be forced to decide between going back to her Amish community or joining the larger world. But I wasn't sure until the end what choice Eliza would make or how she could ever be happy in either world. All in all this was an engaging story that made me want to keep reading and opened my eyes to a culture about which I know very little. Definitely recommended for high school readers—and let's face it, it's girls who will enjoy it the most.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Steifvater

I will confess that I really didn't want to read this book and that it took me a long time to get into it. But after finishing it I have to admit it was extremely well-written and original, with a compelling (if slowly-paced) plot. The heart of this story is the island of Thisby, a rugged place where life is hard and children grow up and leave as soon as they can. What makes Thisby unique are the bloodthirsty water horses that rise up out of the water each year and are tamed and ridden by the men of the island. The fierce water horses (or  capaill uisce—pronounced cappel ishka—as they are called) eat human flesh and drown their riders. The islanders race the horses each November in a dangerous and deadly race that brings the island brief fame and an economic burst. That's the background, and the island and the horses are central to the story. But the book is really about two teenagers who enter the races as strangers but slowly come together in spite of their rivalry. The book alternates between the viewpoints of Sean Kenndrick (an orphaned young man who has won the Scorpio Races four times and loves his water horse Corr more than life itself) and Kate "Puck" Connelly (also orphaned and racing to earn money to save her family's home and to keep her oldest brother from leaving for the mainland). Steifvater makes Thisby, with it's foggy, cold beach and crusty inhabitants seem like a real place. She also brings Puck and Sean to life slowly and deliberately until by the last chapters you know your heart will break because there is no way they both can achieve what they wish for. This is definitely a notable book—the starred reviews show that. For a reader with the persistence and patience to stay with it and live in Thisby for a while it will be a rewarding read.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

This boy-meets-girl story was made to be turned into a movie. It takes place during 24 hours in the life of Hadley, who is reluctantly flying to London for her father's second wedding. She misses her flight and while waiting for the next one meets a young man named Oliver. They strike up a friendship during the long overnight flight then go their separate ways. Hadley to the wedding and Oliver to an unknown destination. Hadley is nursing a lot of resentment and sadness toward her father and Oliver is secretive about his reason for traveling. When Hadley pieces together some of Oliver's backstory she takes off through London to find him and continue their new and promising relationship. It's definitely a feel-good story, but with enough depth of character and complexity of relationships to save it from being too fluffy. It's an enjoyable read for romantic-minded readers in grades 8-up.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

It’s hard to feel sorry for Anna—she is spending her senior year of high school at a boarding school right in the middle of Paris where she quickly meets a new group of friends and begins to explore her new city and learns to enjoy the newfound freedom of living on her own. But Anna isn’t happy. Her father forced this new life on her and took her away from her hometown of Atlanta, her best friend Bridgette, and her almost-boyfriend, Toph. At first Anna spends time e-mailing Bridgette and planning her reunion with Toph (the last time she saw him they kissed but she’s not sure where they stand now). But when she meets handsome, charming Étienne St. Clair she can’t stop herself from falling for him. The only problem is that he already has a girlfriend. And even if he didn’t, her new friend Meredith clearly has a long-standing crush on him. But St. Clair seems to like Anna—at least he likes taking her around Paris, going to movies, and sitting by her at every meal. What’s a girl to do in the most romantic city on earth? How can she hide her feelings for him? And how can she be “best friends” with someone she loves so much? This is a predictable yet fun romance with a fine romantic setting and believable characters. Recommended for high school romantics and world travelers.  (FYI—except for some well, French kissing, and teenage drinking this book is pretty innocent. It would be fine for 8th graders on up.)

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

This unique story of spies, war, and friendship grabbed me and tricked me and kept me on the edge of my seat. Most of the book is the written confession of a British teenager who is captured by Nazis in France during World War II. The Germans torture her but give her six weeks to write out all she knows and she seems to be giving them all her secrets in order to stay alive. Her story tells of a remarkable friendship with another young woman who became a pilot during the war. Together the two girls ended up flying into France, but their mission went terribly wrong. This book has twists and turns and many secrets—so many that I don't want to tell any more about the plot for fear of giving them away. Suffice it to say, at one point in the book I had to go back and re-read previous chapters just to see what was truth and what was lies. Readers with an interest in aviation, spies, or World War II will love this. Other readers just might develop some new interests as they get pulled into the world of Verity and Kittyhawk. I would recommend this book to high school students and adults.

Peter and the Starcatchers by Ridley Pearson

This prequel to Peter Pan is a delightful story that would interest a wide range of readers. Barry and Pearson have taken a familiar book and made an inventive backstory that both explains some nagging questions (Why doesn't Peter get older? How can he fly? How did Captain Hook lose his hand? Where did the mermaids come from? And more), but also has a compelling storyline that stands alone. The action takes place aboard three ships--two that are headed to Rundoon and carrying mysterious trunks, and one pirate ship that will stop at nothing to steal the treasure. Peter and his orphan friends are on the rickety ship called Never Land, which also carries a plucky girl named Molly Astor, who turns out to be a Starcatcher. This book is packed with just what you would expect—action, magic, and humor. I have heard that the audiobook of these stories (it's the start of a series) are narrated by Jim Dale and are outstanding. I also have seen Peter and the Starcatcher on Broadway and it is fabulous. The writers and directors took a good book and made it better—it's even more clever, funny, and compelling than the book.

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment

A common theme of children's literature is a group of kids taking on the world with no help from parents or other adults. While the kids in this book have wings, special powers, and have had their DNA altered, they sort of reminded me of futuristic Boxcar Children. They are a family of six, headed by a 14-year-old girl named Max. When Angel, the youngest of their "flock," is kidnapped, they all return to The School to rescue her. From there they escape to New York City and along the way they face great danger and Max begins hearing a voice in her head telling her she was created to save the world. The appeal of this book is threefold—the action and adventure, the fascinating genetic experimenting going on, and the relationships between the kids in the flock. Several book reviews have pointed out that the kids in this book talk like adults and are not believable, and while somewhat true, it didn't make the book any less enjoyable. Sometimes you just have to suspend your disbelief and enjoy a good story. Thank you to Siena in the Unbound Book Club for finally convincing me to read this book.

How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr

Imagine you are a teenage girl with problems of your own (including the heartbreak that your father passed away last year) and your grieving mother decides to adopt a baby. Then imagine that the pregnant teenager carrying this baby moves in with your family while waiting for the baby to be born. This is what happens to Jill and she's not very nice to anyone—her mom, her boyfriend, Dylan, or Mandy, the unwanted pregnant teenager. The book alternates between Mandy and Jill's perspectives and readers see that both have good reasons for why they are the way they are. The question is, will they be able to overcome their own problems and make their new life together work? This is actually a kind of quiet book that delves into the minds of these two girls. Sara Zarr is a good writer and this is definitely worth reading.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Call me crabby but I am having trouble getting excited about any of the newish paranormal/dystopian teen romances. Everyone is jumping on that bandwagon and in my opinion, only a few people are getting it right. I found this book to be rather ridiculous, full of plot holes, mostly depressing, and not very romantic at all. I listened to it as an audiobook and didn't like the narrator either.  Now, I'm sure some people will really like it—it's not like it's the worst thing I've ever read—I'm just saying I had trouble finishing it. Here's the premise: the earth is teeming with the unconsecrated, zombies that are dead but feed on living people and infect them with the plague so they in turn become unconsecrated. Mary lives in a village ruled by religious sisters and surrounded by a fence that keeps the unconsecrated out. Mary dreams of seeing the ocean someday but for all she knows there may be no other humans left in the world. When the village is overrun by the unconsecrated, Mary and a few others escape to a convenient fenced-in path that leads to places unknown. Mary loves Travis but is betrothed to his brother Harry, but neither is really as enticing as the thought of getting to the ocean. The good news is that it's not a steamy romance so it would be appropriate for 7th grade on up.

Room by Emma Donoghue

This is not strictly a YA book but I know lots of high school students have read it. It took me a few starts to get into it but it was definitely worth reading. It's a story of unimaginable horror about a college student who is abducted and held prisoner by a sex offender for 7 years in a 12x12 reinforced shed. The thing that makes this book readable is that it is narrated by her 5-year-old son who has never known anything but the room that they live in. The young woman (we never learn her name) shields her son Jack from her captor, Old Nick, and from the knowledge that he is a prisoner. Jack doesn't even know there is an outside world until his mother hatches an escape plan and sends him out into the world to freedom. I thought the book was most interesting after they escaped—imagine a child learning everything about the world after spending his entire life in one room with one person. It's a tough subject but there's definitely a lot to talk about and think about here.

Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip by Jordan Sonnenblick

Jordan Sonnenblick first impressed me with Notes from the Midnight Driver, which I enjoyed for it's humor, it's emotion, and the way Sonnenblick's characters love music. Like Notes from the Midnight Driver, this book is for teens (unlike some of his other middle grade titles) and features a character with an interest in the arts—this time photography. Actually, Peter is a baseball pitcher who has big plans to play high school baseball with his best friend AJ. However, a major arm injury leaves Peter with no chance of ever pitching again. So he enters high school not quite knowing who he is without baseball as his identity. Fortunately, his grandfather, a professional photographer, has been subtley teaching him the art of photography and turns his equipment over to Peter when he need it most. Unfortunately, Peter sees signs of dementia in his grandfather and doesn't know how to best get help for him. In another fortunate turn of events, Peter meets Angelika in photography class and she becomes more than just his photography partner. This book has no huge surprises or big twists and turns—it's just a year in the life of a kid trying to be himself and do the right thing for his family, friends, and girlfriend. It's alternately funny and sad and a great choice for 8th or 9th graders.

Legend by Marie Lu

The back cover says this is "a romantic thriller set in a post-apocalyptic world" and that's exactly what it is. It's a fast-paced story of June, a wealthy military prodigy and an excellent strategist, and Day, a defiant young criminal fighting against the evil Republic. As you might guess, the two characters are fighting against each other but end up attracted to each other. It's a good story with lots of action and intrigue and yes, romance. It kept me interested but it did not have the "wow" factor that I thought it might have. I think if it had come out before The Hunger Games (and so many other post-apocalyptic romances) it would have a lot more of an impact on me. I hate to compare every post-apocalyptic book to The Hunger Games--it's kind of like comparing every fantasy to Harry Potter. But the truth is, teens will make these comparisons and they are hungry for books that will blow their minds and rock their worlds. Legend was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it to readers of futuristic fiction, but I can't say it is as complex, mind-bending, or as well-written as Suzanne Collins' books.

Chomp by Carl Hiaasen

Wahoo Cray is missing a thumb. An alligator bit it off in the wildlife sanctuary that is his back yard. And his dad is recovering from a concussion caused by a dead iguana falling on his head. And a reality TV show has asked Wahoo's dad to be the animal wrangler for an episode being filmed in the Florida Everglades. Yes, it's another Carl Hiaasen book that's just perfect for middle schools kids who like adventure and humor. Derek Badger, the totally fake "action hero" from Expedition Survival! wants to wrestle alligators and eat live bats and it's up to Wahoo and his dad to keep disaster from happening as they film the show. But the real danger comes when Wahoo's friend's abusive father shows up in the Everglades with a gun. This will obviously appeal to the same kids who love Hoot, Flush and Scat—which is a good thing. Recommended especially for middle school boys.