As I Wake by Elizabeth Scott

17 year old Ava awakens with amnesia and a feeling that something is wrong with her life, her mother, and her friends but when the mysterious Morgan appears, her flashbacks of life as a spy for a shady government agency begin to make sense.

Reviewed by Becca, 16:

Ava wakes up in an unfamiliar house and a life she cannot recognize. She was recently released from a hospital to a loving mother and caring friends. Ava cannot remember anyone from her life but she thinks they are not who they say they are. Ava starts having dreams and visions she cannot explain. It turns out the dreams and visions are actually memories from a completely different life. When Morgan, the boy from her memories, appears in her life, events start to unravel. Ava learns what truly happened to her.

Between by Jessica Warman

By weaving through her memories and watching the family and friends she left behind, eighteen-year-old Liz Valchar solves the mystery of how her life ended in the Long Island Sound.

Reviewed by Sydney, age 13:

This is the story of Liz who at first did not care about anything except herself, but one day after her birthday party she wakes up and find that everything is different. She then goes on to realize all her past mistakes and what she does to make herself a better person.

This book is easy to read and hard to put down. An excellent book.

Reviewed by Becca, 16:

Between was a remarkable book that I could not put down. Elizabeth Valchar, the perfect, pretty girl, wakes up to a thumping noise the morning after her eighteenth birthday party on her family's yacht. When she goes outside to figure out how to stop the noise, she finds what she never expected, her body lying dead in the water. She starts to question everything that ever happened when she was alive. As circumstances unravel, she finds out that no one around her is who they seem, even herself. Elizabeth must find out how she died and who killed her.

Bloodthirsty by Flynn Meaney

Awkward, sun-allergic sixteen-year-old Finbar Frame decides that his only chance to get a girlfriend is to pretend to be a vampire, while his athletic, popular, fraternal twin brother tries to encourage him to be more "normal."

Reviewed by Becca, age 15:

Bloodthirsty was a hilarious book to read. Sixteen year old Finbar is the kind of guy who never gets the girl. One day he realizes that all the girls in his school are obsessed with a vampire book called Bloodthirsty. Finbar meets all the criteria to "fake" being a vampire; he is allergic to the sun and his skin is ghostly pale. Finbar decides to see what happens when he pretends to be a vampire.

The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern

Forced into a humbler life with relatives in Ireland after the sudden death of her father, spoiled 16-year-old Tamara Goodwin discovers a diary of future entries written in her handwriting that she hopes will reveal the truth about her mother's troubling health.

Reviewed by Katie, age 13

The Book of Tomorrow..... what is it? A book about a book? A book about a history of books? A book about a book about the past, present, and future? No, it's much more. Tamara was born into a content life of luxury and privilege. Her world turns upside down when her father dies and leaves her family in despair and financial shambles. When a traveling library comes to town, Tamara finds a book unlike any other, a book that changes her life. The author, Cecelia Ahern, combines detail, timing, and suspense as she writes this work of merit. Although it is highly recommended for older teens, it was enjoyable and an easy time-passer. It was an interesting novel, I recommend it!

Dark Song by Gail Giles

After her father loses his job and she finds out that her parents have lied to her, 15-year-old Ames feels betrayed enough to become involved with a criminal who will stop at nothing to get what he wants.

Reviewed by Mesley, age 15:

People are going to enjoy this book. It's slightly haunting and very tragic, but it's also fascinating. Sort of in the way an optical illusion is. You're mesmerized by the craziness of what's happening in the story. It carries itself well - meaning it flowed neatly from one chapter to another. It's also full of surprises that I'm sure will shock and disturb readers.

The Daughters Break the Rules by Joanna Philbin

When fourteen-year-old Corina impulsively reveals incriminating information about her multi-billionaire father, he replaces her unlimited funds with an antiquated cell phone, a Metrocard, and a twenty-dollar weekly allowance.

Reviewed by Becca, age 15:

This sequel to The Daughters is fabulous! Carina, Lizzie and Hudson are best friends who are always there for each other. Carina's dad cuts her off financially. She lies to get a job planning the Silver Snowflake Ball by saying she'll use her dad's connections. When all fails, she must decide whether to reveal that her father cut her off.

Don’t Expect Magic by Kathy McCollough

Struggling with pessimism after her mother dies and forced to leave her best friend to move in with her famous life-coach father, Delaney is astonished to discover her father's secret identity as a fairy godmother and that she may have inherited the fairy godmother gene.

Reviewed by Savannah, 13:

I wasn’t sure if I would like it, at first, but I soon found myself sucked into the twisting path of fifteen year old Delany Colens. Trying to adjust to life with the dad she never knew is hard enough on its own, so of course he ends up being the wish-granting, wand-bearing, winged savior of every princess dreams. That's right: a fairy godmother. At first, it seems to be a definite turn-off to Delany, but in time it becomes the glue that sticks them together and, in some cases, pulls them apart. Turns out, I quite enjoyed reading this delightful, fun, engaging, and even romantic tale of an inner child shining through to the person that locked it up. I didn't expect magic, but I definitely got it.

Double by Jenny Valentine

When sixteen-year-old Chap is mistaken for a missing boy, he leaves the home where he has been living temporarily and takes on this new identity, not knowing that it is as dangerous and uncertain as the life he has left behind.

Reviewed by Catherine, age 17:

Jenny Valentine's novel, Double, is a remarkable fiction book of a teenage boy who just doesn't know who is. He believes that his name is Chap, and he was raised by his Grandfather until he mysteriously disappeared one day and suddenly became an orphan. While he was in London he was mistaken for a missing boy, he embraces his new identity and moves in with the boy's family. He soon finds out that he isn't the only one hiding a secret and becoming someone else isn't going to be as easy as he would have hoped. Double is a mysterious book of betrayal, family loss, and identity. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a suspense-filled thrilling read.

The Duff: (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) by Kody Keplinger

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper starts sleeping with Wesley Rush, a notorious womanizer who disgusts her, in order to distract her from her personal problems, and to her surprise, the two of them find they have a lot in common and are able to help each other find more productive ways to deal with their difficulties.

Reviewed by Becca, age 15:

The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend was an amazing book! I finished it in one day! Bianca, a seventeen-year old, does not feel as pretty as her friends. Wesley, the guy she cannot stand, calls her the Duff. Surprisingly, she starts to like the guy she thought she hated.

Reviewed by Sarah, age 13:

The Duff by Kody Keplinger, was an incredible book. I couldn't put it down. I found myself relating to the character Bianca in many ways. This book was real and relatable to any teenager. I would highly recommend this book to anyone. I also enjoy how descriptive the book was, throughout the story I could picture it vividly in my mind. All in all, a terrific book! 5 stars.

Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler

When Delilah, her mother and her aunt spend the summer in Vermont settling Delilah's estranged grandmother's estate, long-held family secrets are painfully brought to light and Delilah finally learns some difficult truths about her family's past.

Reviewed by Becca, age 15:

Fixing Delilah Hannaford was one of the best books I have ever read! I am hoping there will be a sequel. Lately things in Delilah's life have been falling apart. Her grades used to be good, but now they are dropping. Her friendships are falling apart. Delilah's so-called "boyfriend" is not her boyfriend anymore. Her grandmother has died and Delilah needs to spend the summer settling her grandmother's estate with her mother. Delilah's mother refuses to discuss her family's past with her. She discovers family secrets making her wonder whether most of what she has known is true. Delilah meets one of her friends from her childhood who teaches her to look at life in a new way.

Forgotten by Cat Patrick

London Lane forgets everything each night and uses notes to struggle through the day, but she "remembers" future events and when they become more disturbing she realizes she must learn about the past lest it destroy her future.

Reviewed by Brittany, age 16:

When London goes to sleep, she forgets everything that happened the night before. She makes notes to remember things. The book was well written. If this book was a movie, I'd give it to thumbs up. Since it is a book I will give it 4 stars. This book got to my emotions. Some parts of the book I was screaming to the book and was like what is Jamie doing? London meets a cute boy and they go out. They each have their own secrets. This book makes you see that you can change your future but not your past. This book is worth the wait.

Heart of a Samurai by Margi Preus

Reviewed by Katie, age 13:

Heart of a Samurai is an inspirational book about a young boy named Manjiro [later to be named John Mung]. His journey starts when Kuroshio, the Black Current, sweeps them out to sea. After being adrift for days, they arrive on Bird Island. There they live horribly for months until they are rescued by a kind American captain and his crew. After a while, Manjiro is found to be an excellent whaler. They land in Oahu, and Manjiro's friends, Denzo, Jusuke, Geomon, and Toreamon decide to stay, while Manjiro is adopted by Captain Whitfield. Together they go to America, and Whitfield takes a wife. Together they have William, who Manjiro takes kindly to immediately. Manjiro and his friend, Terry, go to California for the great Gold Rush in 1850. There Manjiro finds enough gold to take his friends and him back to Japan. When they arrive, they are arrested for one and a half years. Finally, they were allowed to return to their homes. Three days after returning home, Manjiro was giving the lowest rank of Samurai, sadame-komono. Later, he died at the age 71 in 1898.

I loved this story of friendship and love and would highly recommend this book to all samurai lovers. Although the story is dull at first, my opinion of it brightened by every word. Written by Margi Preus, this book was an absolute delight and a wonder with pages full of descriptive facts.

How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr

Told from their own viewpoints, Jill, in grief over the loss of her father, and Mandy are thrown together when Jill's mother agrees to adopt Mandy's unborn child but nothing turns out as they had anticipated.

Reviewed by Rebecca, 15:

This was a really great book, especially for girls that come from broken homes. This book made who fall in love with all the characters! They were all so different and you could totally relate to all of them. Mandy's decision to give up her baby was heartbreaking and the ending is the perfect resolution :) I loved this book and recommend it to others. It's mysterious, suspenseful, dramatic and tragic.

Reviewed by Catherine, 17:

How to Save a Life is an extremely powerful novel by Sara Zarr. It is about a teenage girl, Jill MacSweeney, who has just lost the most important thing in her life, her father, to a tragic accident. It's the start of her senior year and she doesn't know where she is headed in life, when suddenly her Mother decides to adopt a baby. Jill's life is unexpectedly turned upside-down and there is nothing she can do to stop her mother's decisions.
This is an amazing book of courage, friendship and what it means to be a family and the many roads we can take to become one. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good quick read.

I am J by Cris Beam

J always felt different. He was certain that eventually everyone would understand who he really was: a boy mistakenly born as a girl. Yet as he grew up, his body began to betray him; eventually J stopped praying to wake up a "real boy" and started covering up his body, keeping himself invisible - from his family, from his friends...from the world. But after being deserted by the best friend he thought would always be by his side, J decides that he's done hiding - it's time to be who he really is. And this time he is determined not to give up, no matter the cost.

Reviewed by Catherine, age 17

I am J is an incredible fiction book, about a teenager, J, who has always been very different. No one really has ever really understood him. J figures that he is a boy who was mistakenly born as a girl. As J runs into his teenage years and continuously covers up his body he tries to hide his true self from his family and friends. Once everyone has deserted him he decides he should no longer try to hide who he really is and embarks on an unstoppable journey.

I am Jay is an amazing book of determination, true friendship, and self-discovery. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an inspirational quick read.

iBoy by Kevin Brooks

Tom Harvey was an ordinary Londoner until an attack that caused fragments of an iPhone to be embedded in his brain, giving him incredible knowledge and power, but using that power against for revenge could have consequences.

Reviewed by Peter, 14:

iBoy is the story of a 16-year old boy named Tom Harvey from South London. He was hit by an iPhone thrown at him from a tall building. After waking up from a coma, he found out that his brain had actually fused with parts of the iPhone and as a result, he gained some superpowers. He used these superpowers to take revenge on the gangsters in his neighborhood that beat up and raped his friends. As the title suggests, it has a flavor of science fiction. The mixture of science fiction and action make the book very exciting and compelling. I just wanted to finish reading it before stopping. I'm satisfied with the ending after reading this book. Anyone who likes science fiction or action would enjoy this book. My only concern is that there are some brutal parts and some foul phrases in the book. Anyway, this is a story that takes place in a neighborhood with gangs.

I’ll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Raised by an unstable father, Sam Border has long been the voice of his silent younger brother, Riddle, but everything changes when Sam meets Emily Bell and, welcomed by her family, the brothers are faced with normalcy for the first time.

Reviewed by Catherine, age 17:

Holly Goldberg Sloan’s novel, I’ll Be There, is a remarkable fiction book of two brothers, Sam and Riddle and their daily struggle for survival. Sam and Riddle were raised by their father, Clarence, for most of their life, and know nothing about a normal society. They have moved around in their truck from city to city living in run-down homes for years with Clarence. Sam is a regular teenage boy who loves music and meets a girl, Emily Bell, who is his age at her church. He soon starts to get comfortable with her family, when they finally realize something is just not right about the two brothers. That night they disappear for months, and that’s when the real adventure begins. The Bell family then searches for months for the two brothers. I’ll Be There is an incredible book of determination, true friendship, and brotherly-love. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an inspirational quick read.

Jane by April Lindner

In a contemporary retelling of Jane Eyre that is part irresistible romance and part darkly engrossing mystery, an orphaned nanny becomes entranced with her magnetic and brooding employer, a rock star with a torturous secret from his past.

Reviewed by Catherine, age 16:

Jane is an amazing fiction book, about 19 year-old Jane Moore whose parents have recently passed away and left her with virtually nothing. She is forced to drop out of college, and find a job; she finally acquires a job as a nanny for an old-time rock star's daughter. She takes the job and moves to Thornfield Park with her employer and his daughter. Soon after she finds out something is terribly amiss at Thornfield Park. There are a string of strange events that leaves Jane seriously wondering. Jane is a retelling of the classic Jane Eyre; it's an incredible book of romance, mystery, and suspense. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an easy read. It is one of my favorite books to date.

The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney

Some schools have honor codes.
Others have handbooks.
Themis Academy has the Mockingbirds.

Reviewed by Catherine, age 16:

The Mockingbirds is a very powerful book, about a teenage girl named Alex who lives at Themis Academy, a quiet boarding school, and was date-raped. At Themis the administration overly trusts their students to always do the right thing. So, Alex quickly comes to understand that no adult will help her, and she must turn to the Mockingbirds if she ever wants justice.

The Mockingbirds is an amazing book of courage, and being able to speak out on things that truly matter. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a quick read.

Monster High by Lisi Harrison

Frankie Stein was created in a laboratory, and when she enters Mount Hood High School camouflaged as a "normi," all she wants is to fit in, but it takes the help of another new student who believes that everyone should be treated equally before Frankie even has a chance.

Reviewed by Becca, age 15:

Monster High was a great book. The chapters' narrators alternated between the two main characters, Frankie Stein and Melody Carver. Frankie Stein is looking forward to going to Merston High School. Little does she know that the school is full of various types of monsters just like her. Melody, a normie, just moved into town. She develops a crush on a boy who is one of the monsters. Frankie begins to wonder whether monsters and normies can live together.

Reviewed by Katie, age 13:

A new book just waiting to be read; Monster High was the average pastime. Those who enjoy both romance and the paranormal are sure to love it. Chock full of mystery, betrayal, and the old sappy ending- Twilight fans are sure to want to have a peek. I gave the book a modest 3 out of 5 due to the use of excessive syrup, however, I liked it. Perfect for that midnight Halloween reading. I recommend this book to all teenagers. I just couldn't put it down!

The Rivals by Daisy Whitney

Alex's role in the Mockingbirds, an underground student justice system at her elite boarding school, is challenged when she tries to stop a group of students using prescription drugs to help other students cheat, as school officials turn a blind eye to the wrong-doing.

Reviewed by Catherine, 17:

The Rivals is the extremely powerful sequel to The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney; Alex Patrick is back and this year she is the head of the Mockingbirds at Themis Academy. At the start of her senior year The Mockingbirds is presented with a case that is unlike any other they have seen before. It isn't rape. It isn't bullying. It isn't hate speech. It's a prescription drug that students are using to cheat. Now Alex must set aside everything she knows to try and help the students of Themis Academy before it's too late. The Rivals is an amazing book, of courage, friendship, and being able to speak out on things that truly matter. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good quick read.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Returning champion Sean Kendrick competes against Puck Connolly, the first girl ever to ride in the annual Scorpio Races, both trying to keep hold of their dangerous water horses long enough to make it to the finish line.

Reviewed by CJ, 11:

It's a great book I enjoyed the story (especially the "water" horses) and I really wanted to know what happens at the end of the race. A lot of action happening in this book, some romance, and a cool (if you like some blood) creatures call CAPAILL UISCE. The capail are kind of water horses but much more than that, they are faster, larger and the fact that they eat meat (humans too) only helps your imagination and the desire to ride in one someday. How and why Puck and Sean decided to participate in this race that kills a lot of the participants and their own problems in life shows you that when you want something so bad you should go for it even if nobody thinks you can, but will also show you what's really important when you think about it.

Reviewed by Rebecca, 15:

This book was really great. When I read it I didn't want to put it down, it was so interesting. I've read other books by this author that have a lot of romance and that are interesting as well, but this book was different. The Scorpio Races was well written and captivating, it had just enough romance in it to keep you interested but it was mysterious and dangerous. I loved how the main character Puck, was strong-willed and independent. I also liked how the author made Sean Kendrick very level headed yet very wild like the november ocean in Thisby and the capaill uisce.:) I very much enjoyed reading this book because for one, I love to read but also it kept my attention which is a great trait in books and authors.

Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

Fed up with the violent rivalry between the football and soccer teams at Hamilton High, Lissa and other players' girlfriends go on strike, but the girls will succeed only if their libidos can be controlled longer than the boys' can.

Reviewed by Sarah, age 14:

Ha-ha this book was very interesting! It definitely had its ups and downs. I found myself mentally yelling at the heroine in the story at times for choices she made, but I loved the empowering confident vibe it left me with and the powerful girl lead. I read this author's last book the D.U.F.F and she has also hit a home run with this one! I really enjoyed this book all in all and would recommend it to anyone looking for an empowering romantic comedy.

Sketchy Behavior by Erynn Mangum

As part of an art class assignment, high school junior Kate unwittingly sketches a wanted murderer, propelling her into instant celebrity and extreme danger while her parents fret and police provide constant protection.

Reviewed by Taylor, age 17:

Erynn Mangum's Sketchy Behavior is an unconventional and somewhat unbelievable, yet entirely entertaining story of a young teenage girl, Kate Carter, being swept up into the adult world to help improve it. One day in art class Kate is asked to draw a sketch of an undisclosed person. When that person turns out to be a known serial killer, her sketch helps the police find him. This act of heroism springboards her into fame as her local friendly police must keep her safe from the dangers that come from becoming a public figure. The characters are all not only believable, but they are also very relatable: they could be your homeroom teacher, your friendly local policeman, your best friend, or your very own parents. Though the storyline has a few discrepancies in the legal process and procedures, it is nonetheless entertaining for pre-teens and teens.

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

Hadley and Oliver fall in love on the flight from New York to London, but after a cinematic kiss they lose track of each other at the airport until fate brings them back together on a very momentous day.

Reviewed by Sarah, age 14:

Wow! This book was by far the best I have read in a while. It had me laughing, smiling, crying & relating to the story. It was quirky and witty. The book was real and portrayed teenager years and love very well. I would recommend it to anyone. I couldn't put it down & found myself hanging to every last word. Great, great book!

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

Sixteen-year-old Min Green writes a letter to Ed Slaterton in which she breaks up with him, documenting their relationship and how items in the accompanying box, from bottle caps to a cookbook, foretell the end.

Reviewed by Sydney, age 13:

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler starts out when a girl named Min goes to her friend's birthday party and meets a boy named Ed. Min then goes on to tell the story of when she and Ed were going out, and their memories together, then finally at the end of the book she tells why they broke up. Teenagers can easily relate to the story. It is easy to read but it was a little bit boring because it was not written in a very interesting way. Overall the book is just okay.

Reviewed by Catherine, 17:

Why We Broke Up is cleverly written novel by Daniel Handler. The novel is a letter that tells the story of a mix-matched teenage couple Min Green and Ed Slaterton. Min is writing the letter to Ed explaining every single reason why they broke up. The letter mostly tells the story of things, random objects that she collected throughout the course of their relationship. These things all tell the story of why they broke up. Min is an "arty" girl and Ed is the co-captain of the basketball team, they have extremely different friends and their lives are always clashing. Why We Broke Up is a strange but intriguing narrative of true friendship, but not true love. I recommend this book to any teenager looking for a good story on lust, truth, and friendship.