My Life in…

This was a fun, enjoyable read. I was pretty surprised at how it ended, and how it didn’t end up quite as neatly as I would have thought. Josh is a nice kid and this book seems even more relevant today with issues of online identity. I’m curious to read the sequels because this doesn’t seem like it would lend itself to more books very easily.

This was one of the last Sarah Dessen books I hadn’t read and I was saving it because waiting a year or two between books is hard! I thought this was excellent – darker than many of her other books, but another great main character and interesting storyline. My only issue with this book is that Rogerson never seemed likable from the beginning, so I had trouble seeing why she stayed with him. Many people who are abusive have moments where they are sweet or charming and that’s part of the reason it is so difficult for their partners to leave, but I didn’t really see that here. Other than that it was a perfect book! Highly recommended.

This isn’t out yet, and I don’t want to give away too much, but I was very disappointed in this book. I feel like the early Alice books actually had plots, and this one is just a series of scenes. Some were enjoyable (prom was a highlight, as were some of the goofy moments she has hanging out with her friends), but some of it seemed less significant (one throwaway line about her relationship with Sylvia doesn’t make up for an unnecessary baby shower). I’ve been disappointed in a bunch of the last Alice books because sometimes they feel less about the characters and more about hitting certain controversial issues. This one wasn’t controversial at all, but it just felt like it was hitting storylines that should be included in a book about senior year, rather than an interesting story about Alice. I miss the days of Alice sitting around the kitchen table and joking with Ben and Lester. I like that she’s grown up, but I want more than just moments in her life. I want a story.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Simon and Schuster

This was a great books for high school students. Eli is dark and brooding but likeable, and his multidimensional characterization really drives the story. His relationship with his father was interesting and I loved trying to figure out the mystery. It was hard to put down.

This is a beautifully written book about such an ugly and unspeakable topic. Akilah and Victoria are so young that when I was reading it, I wondered why we shelved it in the YA room, until we got to the part about what had actually happened. This is a powerful book that all teen girls should read.

I enjoyed this although it didn’t quite live up to some of the hype it’s received. I liked how it portrayed the different rates at which girls and guys grow up. Juli was crazy annoying in the beginning but as she deals with some serious events in her life she realizes obsessing over a guy is a bad idea. Bryce is very self-centered and it’s nice when he finally makes a connection, first with his grandfather and then with Juli. Not sure I buy how it ended up for either of them entirely. Just because the story has played out over several years doesn’t automatically make an infatuation deep and meaningful.

I read the 2010 edition, but this was originally published in 2000. When I was young I read a memoir called In The Man’s House by Carol Barkalow that covers much of the same ground as this from the perspective of a soldier in the first group of women cadets to graduate from West Point. I LOVED that book, and really enjoyed this one. Andi’s struggles were interesting and it was nice to see her step out. Really my only critique was that it was too short. I’d love to find out what happens to her next.

I picked this one up years ago because I loved the cover, despite my reluctance to read historical novels. I learned of the supernatural element later, which didn’t really entice me to pick it up. I finally gave this one a try and was pleasantly surprised. The characters are very strong, and I was surprised at how attached I became to them, particularly the ones that started the book in a much less positive light. I was slightly more interested in what happened in the real world rather than the shadow world, but I’m intrigued to find out what happens next.

This is a book with some great characters. It is a perfect pick for reluctant readers since it is written like more of a middle grade novel, but with the edgy characters that don’t feel too young for teens. I liked that Maleeka is smart and wants to do the right thing overall, but sometimes getting picked on is much, much worse. The cover of this is great as well!