50+ years of DNA

Double Helix by Nancy WerlinThe story begins with Eli, a senior in high school who decides to take a job instead of going to college.   He decides to take a job at Wyatt Transgenics, a famous biogenetic research company.  The company is run by noble prize winner, Dr. Quincy Wyatt.  After taking the job, he soon realizes that his father hates Dr. Wyatt.  His father wants him to quit his job but  he refuses to tell him why.  Eli and his father’s relationship is strain because his mother is dying of Huntington disease.    As he continues to work for Dr. Wyatt,  Eli discovers some secrets about his family.  People who are interested in science will absorb this book.  Other recommended books:  Double Identity by Margaret Petersen Haddix, Eva by Peter Dickinson, and Being by Kevin Brooks (although, I didn’t really like Road of the Dead).

Truth and Lies during the Spanish Inquisition

I really liked this book.  It is a historical fiction.  I know most students avoid historical fiction, but I enjoy them because they offer me an opportunity to learn about events that I might have limited knowledge about. 

Well, it is a story about two best friends and how their relationships change during the Spanish Inquisition.  One girl learns that everything she has been told about herself and her family is a lie.  The other girl reacts in a jealous manner, which leads to betrayal.  The story begins slowly but if you stay with it, you will enjoy.

Fantasy at its best

I almost forgot to mention but Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely is superb!  Read it, I’m sure you will like it.  I’ll explain more soon.   It is definitely not about vampires or werewolves, thank goodness.  Other good reads are:  Holly Black’s Ironside, Alex Flinn’s Beastly and A.M. Jenkins’ Repossessed.

The Forecast is bleak….

Life as we knew it by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Imagine yourself as a teenage girl.  Your biggest worries: friends, boys, grades, siblings, future plans, and parents.  Although, you complain, life isn’t too bad.  Now, imagine a meteor hitting the moon.  It might seem implausible but it can happen, right?  The media is saying that it is very likely to happen.    What would happen to life on earth?  Well, this is the premise of “Life as we knew it” by Susan Beth Pfeffer.  This story talks about the effects on the environment and how people react during a time of crisis.

This is a survival story about a high school student and her family after a meteor collides into the moon.  This unexpected event causes massive damage and death throughout the world.  There are earthquakes, tsunamis, floods and volcanic eruptions.  Food, electricity and gas are commodities.  As you read, you begin to see how some characters react as they realize that their options are dwindling.  People have to make tough choices if they are going to survive.  I’m sure that this book will become a classic.  This story doesn’t offer a hallmark ending; it isn’t optimistic.   When you are finished reading, you will want to know more about what happens to the family so I hope that there will be a sequel published in the near future.

Killer’s Tears

 

The Killer’s Tears by Anne-Laure Bondoux

Killer’s Tear took me by surprise.  I was not expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. This is a truly remarkable and emotional story about a young boy who ends up being raised by his parent’s murderer. I really don’t want to provide too much detail because this book is definitely worth reading.  I am looking forward to reading Ms. Bondoux’s other books in the very near future.

YA in crisis: Cut by Patricia McCormick

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prior to reading, I heard so many good things about this book, so I unfortunately decided to give it a try.   It wasn’t exciting  or interesing at all; boring plot–couldn’t relate.  Perhaps, I expected too much.  However, SOLD was terrific.

I really do like poetry…but not this one

Love: Selected Poems by e.e. cummings

I picked this book as a quick read.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t moved by the poems. The images dominated and the subject matter was boring.  I couldn’t maintain any interest in this book.  Rather than reading this book, I would suggest picking up anything by Ellen Hopkin (her stuff is more free-verse though), anything by Maya Angelou’s I Know Why A Cage Bird Sings, Nikki Grimes’ Bronx Masquerade or Jazmin’s Notebook, Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar, anything by Robert Frost (he’s my favorite), Nikki Giovanni’s Love Poems (I first read her poems in junior high), Karen Hesse’s Out of Dust or Tupac Shakur’s The Rose that Grew From Concrete.

Tantalize, I think not…

Cynthia Leitich Smith’s Tantalize

It took me forever to finish reading Tantalize.  I do enjoy the stories about werewolves and vampires but not when they are redundant and uninspiring. Tantalize is a perfect example.   As my co-worker said, “It has all been done before.”  So frankly, it was rather boring and dry because it didn’t offer anything new.  In retrospect,  I expected too much because of the book cover and summary description.  Oh well.

Definitely, check out: Annette Klause’s Blood and Chocolate, Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series, Melissa De La Cruz’s Blue Blood series, Ellen Schreiber’s Vampire Kisses, and Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely (which I haven’t read yet but I am very excited about it because of what I’ve heard).

Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber – Raise your hands if you want to be a vampire!

I was pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed this humorous vampire tale.  The story is about a sixteen year old goth girl, Raven who is in love with Anne Rice’s vampire stories.  When her grade school teacher asked her what she wanted to be when she grows up, she replied, ‘a vampire’ which surprised her teacher.  Raven’s fascination with vampires grows stronger through the years.  Then, one day, she “bumps” into Mr. Right who she thinks is a vampire.  Is he? Well, you’ll have to read this funny, yet romantic vampire story to find out.

Inside Out by Terry Trueman — Outside In

If you’ve never read anything by Terry Trueman, I suggest you pick up any one of his many books.  He is a terrific writer.  Having read, Stuck in Neutral and Cruise Control, I wanted to read more of his writings.  Well, Inside Out is the story of sixteen year old Zach who has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. The story takes place inside a coffee shop.  The coffee shop  is being held up by two teenagers.  You see, Zach’s perceptions and feelings are skewed. While all of the hostages are panicking,  Zach isn’t.  All he wants is his favorite snack which is a candy bar. This crisis situation leads to some astonishing post-traumatic events.  Definitely, a worthwhile read.