Category Archives: Young Adult/Teen 12-18
Review: Suspicion by Alexandra Monir
Alexandra Monir
Random House Childrens’ Books
Published December 9, 2014
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After her parents die in a suspicious fire at their family estate, Imogen wants nothing more to do with her family or her heritage at Rockford manor. When her cousin, once her closest friend and ally, also perishes, Imogen stands as the last relative capable of inheriting the property. She returns home alone to the site of countless childhood memories, of which she is now the last survivor. When police uncover evidence that her cousin’s death may not have been accidental, Imogen realizes the murderer must be among the faithful few left nearest to her. The truth will shock her.
This is one of those stories which begins at the climax and leaps back to its beginning to retell events as they happened. It’s not my favorite plot device, but it’s difficult not to invest in this story for its own sake. The pace is quick and the stakes only get higher, sort of like one part Princess Diaries, one part fairytale and one part suspense. It has this sort of otherworldly yet historical flavor to it. Seems odd, but in this case it turns out to be a great mix.
The storytelling is solid and the characters thoughtful and sometimes surprising. The plot is peppered with these really strange moments that at the time seem too bizarre to work into the plot, but the author does a great job of pulling all those odd moments together to make the whole story make sense.
One instance of very mild profanity.
Sexual Content
Brief kissing.
Spiritual Content
Imogen has the power to cause plants to grow and flourish rapidly. There are rumors of a curse on the Rockford family from generations past and rumors of a secret hidden within the garden.
Violence
Police investigate the violent death of a teenaged girl. Few details given, but the cause of death was head trauma.
Drug Content
None.
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Review: Mechanical by Pauline C Harris
Pauline C Harris
Fire and Ice Young Adult Books
Published April 1, 2013
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Drew has little memory of her existence before waking at a science lab. She’s a creature of perfection – an android – beautiful and strong. Her Creators have a special mission for Drew and others like her. She must join human teenagers in a local school setting, observe them and occasionally bring them to the lab.
At first Drew is mystified by the intricacies of human behavior. Gradually she begins to admire the strange beings. Soon she longs to be one of them, especially when she learns the story of Christian salvation.
As she experiences greater pressure to bring teens into the lab, even when force is required, Drew begins to question her mission and the Creators who would ask her to do such a thing. Why would they do this? Is it wrong? Can she stop them?
While observing teen culture as an outsider makes for an interesting premise, Drew seldom behaves like a classic android. Her responses are much more emotional than logical, even from the beginning of the story. The plot outcome does explain this in part, but it’s still kind of an obstacle from a reader’s perspective. I just kept expecting her to be more steadfast and methodical rather than impulsive and fearful.
The pacing of the plot, while interesting, was also uneven. In the last couple of scenes the story kicks into high gear, roaring up to a cliff-hanger, which seems designed to leave the reader desperate to crack the cover of the sequel. It’s good stuff, but I found myself wishing the plot had taken off earlier in the story. I liked the way Harris wove in some spiritual elements, though.
No profanity.
Sexual Content
Brief kissing.
Spiritual Content
Some of the kids Drew encounters at school describe their Christian faith. Drew is fascinated and longs to know whether God cares for her, too. A fellow android cruelly points out that without a soul, she can’t qualify for salvation.
Violence
Drew and the other androids bring students to the lab, using force if necessary.
Drug Content
None.
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Review: Wonder by R J Palacio
R J Palacio
Knopf Books for Young Readers
Published February 14, 2012
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Fifth grade student August Pullman faces his first day at school. After being homeschooled for his entire previous education, his parents have decided it’s time for him to be around other kids his age. He’s prepared academically. He’s even met a couple of students already who’ve been very kind. But no one has prepared the rest of the school for August and his unusual appearance. When some students turn cruel, Auggie and his few friends band together, determined to outlast the hazing.
The story is first narrated first by Auggie and then others in his life, each of whom battle a deep insecurity, often less visible than Auggie’s. The changes in point-of-view at first seem like it might distract from the depth and poignancy of Auggie’s story. Instead, each adds richness and harmonious layers and broadens the view and understanding of a remarkable boy and his equally remarkable family and friends.
When an author can include an entire commencement speech and make even that jaw-droppingly wow-worthy, the rest of the book can only be more incredible. And with Palacio’s novel, this is most definitely so. Each character is so lovingly crafted. Even Auggie’s parents (let’s face it, a lot of kids’ books have half-created, silly parents) were phenomenal. I adored his entire family.
Each time the story changed to a different point-of-view, I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to like the new narrator as much as the previous one, and each time I was proved wrong. There were so many great moments, from the building of friendship between Auggie and his classmates to his sister’s struggles with her own friends. Ack! And the moment Auggie’s dad tells him what really happened to the mask? I was a blubbering mess. So moving.
Not since reading The Book Thief for the first time has a story so fully reached out and latched onto my heart and soul. This is an amazing story, one all young readers and their parents should read.
No profanity.
Sexual Content
Brief kissing.
Spiritual Content
None.
Violence
Boys pick on another boy younger than they are and a fist-fight ensues. It ends quickly.
Drug Content
None.
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Review: Marked (House of Night #1) by PC Cast and Kristin Cast
PC Cast and Kristin Cast
St. Martin’s Griffin
Published May 1, 2007
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Zoe’s friends and family totally flip out when she’s marked as a vampire. An instant outcast, she retreats to her grandmother’s house for some much-needed advice and then turns herself over to the House of Night, a sort of boarding school for fledgling vampires. There she’ll be educated and wait to see if her body is strong enough to undergo the transformation into an adult vampire.
Even among other fledglings, Zoe is far from normal. Her vampirism seems to be developing at an advanced pace and her mentor has high hopes for what this might mean. Unfortunately, some other students see Zoe as a threat to the well-established hierarchy, and they will do whatever it takes to sabotage her.
Many things about this book disappointed me. Zoe’s attitude, for one. She started off angry and bitter at the world, smarter than everyone around her. I found it snobby and really off-putting. Her family and human friends were half-characters sort of slapped together without any deep thought to their own motivations or personalities. Why did Mom do that? Because she’s stupid and annoying. Really? I didn’t dig it.
Once she got to the House of Night, Zoe seemed a little easier to impress and her friends seemed a little more worthy. Her blossoming romantic feelings for her dream guy felt shallow. Why isn’t she concerned about his behavior with his apparent ex? She was kind of concerned for a minute but then pretty quick to dismiss it. And what virtues does Mr. Dreamboat have to offer? He’s hot. And he’s infatuated with her. Does a girl need more? (Yes!)
In fairness, this book had been on my reading list for a long time and I may have had unreasonable expectations for it. It’s definitely more the steamy-vampire-novel than the deep, introspective story of a young girl experiencing an unpredictable transformation. But alas.
Vampire-lit lovers: I recommend Julie Kagawa’s The Immortal Rules.
Extreme profanity and crude sexual language used with moderate frequency. Also – despite the use of explicit sexual language in earlier scenes, Zoe refers to her responsibility cleaning a stable as shoveling “horse poopy.” She also refers to breasts as “boobies.” I’m not a fan of the explicit language, but the infantile words seemed equally out of place. Very strange.
Sexual Content
Brief description of a couple engaging in oral sex and several references back to that scene.
Spiritual Content
Zoe connects with her Cherokee spiritual heritage in a spiritual encounter. Vampires also worship a goddess. Along with the fledglings, they participate in elaborate rituals and ceremonies to honor the goddess.
Violence
Several references to blood lust. In one scene, a human boy is threatened by vampires.
Drug Content
Zoe attends a ritual at which marijuana is burned like incense. Former school friends also drink and use drugs, a behavior of which Zoe disapproves.
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Review: The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley
The Hero and the Crown (Damar #2)
Robin McKinley
Open Road Integrated Media
Published November 18, 2014 (Orig. 1984)
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About The Hero and the Crown
Surrounded by royalty blessed with magical ability and rumors of her mother’s despised foreign ancestry, Aerin never felt at ease as the king’s daughter. Desperate to escape her loneliness, she befriends a retired war horse with a weak leg and stumbles onto an ancient recipe for a fireproof lotion. When rumor of a small dragon terrorizing pasture animals and children in a nearby village reaches Aerin’s ears, she decides to ride out from the castle alone and attack the beast herself.
Thus begins her reputation as a dragon-slayer, not a noble enterprise in her kingdom, but a place and an identity for Aerin. When a dragon emerges who is greater and more terrible than any she’s ever faced, Aerin bravely rides out to meet it. But the dragon proves to be only a small part of a grave evil which seeks to destroy her homeland forever. With a strange blond man from her dreams to guide her, Aerin begins another quest to save the people who do not love her from a threat they cannot understand.
My Review
I first read this story as a teenager and read it many times since. It’s been years since the last time I visited Damar and Aerin, so I was eager to see if the story was as great and engrossing as I remembered. It’s definitely still one of my favorites. I’d forgotten that there are some passages that leap from one point-of-view to another, causing some momentary confusion, but the characters are phenomenal. Aerin is the perfect misfit. Her horse, Talat, has enough character for three companions, and he doesn’t even speak! Great stuff.
As often happens in the way of fairy tale romances, Aerin has two admirers, one familiar and the other mysterious. For myself, I felt like there wasn’t enough virtue in the mysterious guy to make him worthy of her. He is powerful and handsome, but sort of aloof and selfish. I much preferred the other guy. The preference didn’t cheapen my experience reading the story, though.
Also – side note – I love the new cover!
Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.
Sexual Content
Aerin spends nights with her traveling companion and accepts his invitation to “not sleep” one night. Their intimacy is hinted at but not described in any way.
Spiritual Content
Brief mentions of religious icons or priests of Aerin’s people. Many people claim that Aerin’s mother was a witch. (She was indeed a student of a mage.) Trouble from the north is referred to as demon mischief. It’s not precisely described as to whether it’s a creature or more of a spiritual problem.
Violence
Brief descriptions of battles between men and beasts.
Drug Content
Aerin hallucinates and suffers physical ailment after eating leaves from a surka tree.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
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