Something in Between

Something in Between
by Melissa de la Cruz

From the publisher:
"It feels like there’s no ground beneath me, like everything I’ve ever done has been a lie. Like I’m breaking apart, shattering. Who am I? Where do I belong?

Jasmine de los Santos has always done what’s expected of her. Pretty and popular, she’s studied hard, made her Filipino immigrant parents proud and is ready to reap the rewards in the form of a full college scholarship.

And then everything shatters. A national scholar award invitation compels her parents to reveal the truth: their visas expired years ago. Her entire family is illegal. That means no scholarships, maybe no college at all and the very real threat of deportation.

For the first time, Jasmine rebels, trying all those teen things she never had time for in the past. Even as she’s trying to make sense of her new world, it’s turned upside down by Royce Blakely, the charming son of a high-ranking congressman. Jasmine no longer has any idea where—or if—she fits into the American Dream. All she knows is that she’s not giving up. Because when the rules you lived by no longer apply, the only thing to do is make up your own."

I pretty much dislike all politicians and I don't pretend to know what the answer is for illegal immigrants in this country, but I do feel like this book is important to our country's situation right now. This book wasn't life-changing, and everything was solved too easily with some slightly flat writing, but I still think it is important to read it. It will make you think and will put a face on a serious problem. That being said, I didn't love it. Several plot lines felt very contrived, and I'm still trying to figure out how undocumented immigrants working as a bus driver and a hospital janitor could afford to buy a house in California. And the main character just happens to befriend a rich old lady, and the son of a congressman just happens to see her and fall in love with her. Also, the main character knows that she can be deported if she has any police involvement, but she keeps making stupid decisions that put her in situations where she could get arrested. However, it was interesting to get a glimpse into the Filipino culture, and I loved the strong, loving family unit that was portrayed. 

Areas of concern:
*A handful of cuss words - no "f" word, although there is a part where one of the characters is trying to text it over and over, but it keeps auto-correcting to "duck". (Okay, that was actually pretty amusing.)
*Quite a bit of teenage drinking and partying.
*Talk of secondary characters "hooking up".
*Making out by the main character and her boyfriend, but they don't feel ready to go any farther.
*Bullying of some young boys because of their illegal status.

Suggested Ages:

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 14+

School Library Journal - Grades 6-10
(*Those are really differing age groups.  I think I would go with grade 8 and up.)

Stupid Fast

Stupid Fast
by Geoff Herbach

From the publisher:
"I, Felton Reinstein, am Stupid Fast. Seriously. The upper classmen used to call me Squirrel Nut, because I was little and jumpy. Then, during sophomore year, I got tall and huge and so fast the gym teachers in their tight shorts fell all over themselves. During summer, three things happened all at once. First, the pee-smelling jocks in my grade got me to work out for football, even though I had no intention of playing. Second, on my paper route the most beautiful girl I have ever seen moved in and played piano at 6 a.m. Third, my mom, who never drinks, had some wine, slept in her car, stopped weeding the garden, then took my TV and put it in her room and decided she wouldn’t get out of bed.

Listen, I have not had much success in my life. But suddenly I’m riding around in a jock’s pick-up truck? Suddenly I’m invited to go on walks with beautiful girls? So, it’s understandable that when my little brother stopped playing piano and began to dress like a pirate I didn’t pay much attention. That I didn’t want to deal with my mom coming apart."

This is an amazing story with wonderful characters and heart-wrenching issues. It would be wonderful for reluctant boy readers and yet, I cannot recommend it because of the horrible language - serious cussing and hard profanity. It is 311 pages and I marked 262 objectionable words or phrases - and that was not counting the gross vulgarities from the boys in the locker room and such. Not to mention the use of the word "retard" or "retarded" over and over again. We are very conscious of that word in our school and I was appalled at the constant use of it in this book. Do I need to go on another rant? Yes, that might be the way teenagers talk today, but why do that speak that way? Because that is what books like this and other media outlets are teaching them is normal or even cool. Why ruin this amazing story with language like that? It didn't get the point across any better. I understand that in moments of great stress or anxiety, some words may occur, but having them just be a part of speech for a 15 and 13 year old? No, no and no! It just makes me sad because this book could have been extraordinary. 

Areas of concern:
*Aforementioned bad language on practically every page.
*Vulgarities from teenage boys.
*A family dealing with severe mental illness.
*A small boy finds a parent after they committed suicide.
*Father issues (I don't want to give too much away)
*A teenager tries to kill another teenager and there are literally no consequences.

Suggested Ages:

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 12+

School Library Journal - Grades 7+
(*Mrs. Duke strongly disagrees with those recommended ages!)

The Running Dream

The Running Dream
by Wendelin Van Draanen

From the publisher:
"An award-winning and inspiring novel.  When Jessica's dreams are shattered, she puts herself back together—and learns to dream bigger than ever before. 

Jessica thinks her life is over when she loses a leg in a car accident. She's not comforted by the news that she'll be able to walk with the help of a prosthetic leg. Who cares about walking when you live to run?

As she struggles to cope with crutches and a first cyborg-like prosthetic, Jessica feels oddly both in the spotlight and invisible. People who don't know what to say, act like she's not there. Which she could handle better if she weren't now keenly aware that she'd done the same thing herself to a girl with CP named Rosa. A girl who is going to tutor her through all the math she's missed. A girl who sees right into the heart of her.

With the support of family, friends, a coach, and her track teammates, Jessica may actually be able to run again. But that's not enough for her now. She doesn't just want to cross finish lines herself—she wants to take Rosa with her

Winner of the Schneider Family Book Award"

Another nearly perfect book by Wendelin Van Draanen. I loved this book! My only disappointment lay in the fact that it ended. I wanted to hear more about Jessica's future and how her parents coped. Once you begin reading this book you will be sucked in like Jessica's suction sock and it will never let go. I appreciate the massive research the author obviously did on the loss of a limb - not just the medical treatments, but the emotional and mental aspects of it. I thought the different stages Jessica went through were very realistically portrayed - the loss, the anger, the self-pity, the loss of self-worth, and on and on. And I loved that those stages didn't just end and another begin, but she had to keep battling all of them for a long time. At one point she says, 

It's disturbing how fast weeds take root in my garden of worthiness.
They're so hard to pull.
And grow back so easily. 

I was happy that Jessica had such strong support:
*From her family..... how her parents coped with nearly losing their daughter, then having to help her through the recovery, having to worry about money and medical bills - they were wonderful.
*Her best friend, Fiona...... what an amazing friend! She was ALWAYS there for Jessica. I loved this character!
*Her coach...... he didn't coddle her, he pushed her and helped her to get back to her running.
*Her teammates........ even though she tried to push them away, and succeeded pretty well, they were there for her when she was ready for them to be, and were so happy and excited to help her.
*Jessica would be upset if I didn't mention Rosa. Rosa helped her in so many ways, even though before the accident Jessica had never really "seen" Rosa. 

Another thing I love about this book is that it teaches us important truths. Here's one:

That's all anybody with a disability wants. Don't sum up the person based on what you see, or what you don't understand; get to know THEM." 

Having just seen the movie Wonder (I read the book several years ago) and now reading this, I hope it has made me more cognizant of how to treat people who might be different than I am. 

Please read this book....... by yourself, with a friend, as a family, or in a classroom. You will not regret it.

Areas of concern:
*Loss of a limb
*Death of a teenager
*A very brief period of prescription drug dependency, but it was quickly squashed by her parents
*One brief kiss

Suggested Ages:

Kirkus Reviews - Ages 12+

School Library Journal - Grades 7+
**EVERYONE should read this book!**

The Truth About Forever

The Truth About Forever
by Sarah Dessen

From the publisher:
"A long, hot summer...

That's what Macy has to look forward to while her boyfriend, Jason, is away at Brain Camp. Days will be spent at a boring job in the library, evenings will be filled with vocabulary drills for the SATs, and spare time will be passed with her mother, the two of them sharing a silent grief at the traumatic loss of Macy's father.

But sometimes, unexpected things can happen—things such as the catering job at Wish, with its fun-loving, chaotic crew. Or her sister's project of renovating the neglected beach house, awakening long-buried memories. Things such as meeting Wes, a boy with a past, a taste for Truth-telling, and an amazing artistic talent, the kind of boy who could turn any girl's world upside down. As Macy ventures out of her shell, she begins to question her sheltered life. 

Is it really always better to be safe than sorry?

This is the first Sarah Dessen book I have read, and I'm kind of torn about it. On one hand, I loved the characters and the storyline. I was completely drawn in to the heartache and attraction the 2 main characters shared. I hurt for Macy and her mother and their dysfunctional relationship and loss of self. The secondary characters were beautifully drawn and were every bit as important to the story as the main ones. I loved every member of the Wish team and want to go hang out with them. There is a deepness about this book, and it isn't your ordinary YA contemporary. 

On the other hand, I was not happy about the cussing and partying and sneaking out that was portrayed. Don't tell me that is "normal" teenage behavior, because it doesn't have to be. However, if that is what they are reading in books and seeing in movies and on TV, then it convinces teenagers that that is how they are supposed to act. The whole moral of this book is saying that when Macy was trying to be perfect she wasn't healing and moving on, but when she was sneaking out and drinking then she was really becoming a better person. I was a little uncomfortable with that, even though it wasn't that stark in its telling. 

My students constantly ask for more of Sarah Dessen, but I'm not convinced she is a good fit for middle school. If my students want YA contemporary, I'll steer them towards Kasie West, who tells the same type of stories without all of the bad language and behavior. 

Areas of concern:
*Quite a lot of profanity, vulgarities and cussing. The *f* word rears it's ugly head twice and it is completely unnecessary.
*Quite a bit of teenage drinking.
*Sneaking out at night.

Suggested Ages:

Booklist - Grades 9-12 (I agree with this one.)

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 12+

School Library Journal - Grades 7+

with their eyes: September 11th: The View From a High School at Ground Zero

with their eyes:
September 11th:
The View From a High
School at Ground Zero
by Anna Thoms

From the publisher:
"Tuesday, September 11, started off like any other day at Stuyvesant High School, located only a few blocks away from the World Trade Center. The semester was just beginning, and the students, faculty, and staff were ready to begin a new year.

But within a few hours on that Tuesday morning, they would all share an experience that transformed their lives.

Now, on the tenth anniversary of September 11th, we remember those who were lost and those who were forced to witness this tragedy. Here, in their own words, are the firsthand stories of a day we will never forget."

Very different perspective on the events of September 11th. Here are some random ramblings on what I read:
*I think it would be interesting to do some sort of follow-up on the people in the book. Have they been affected by PTSD, or health issues due to the particles in the air? 
*I recently visited the 9/11 Memorial Museum and saw the flag that was put on the fallen towers. I wish I would have known the story behind it when I was there. 
*I was struck by the thoughts of one of the high school students who was so angry with the out-of-town visitors who were taking pictures and treating it as a tourist attraction. He wanted to tell them that when something that meant a lot to them was blown up in their backyard, that he would make sure to come and take pictures there.
*The story of the young man whose family had left their windows open that day and when they were finally allowed to return to their home, the dust and debris were everywhere. 
*The resiliency of youth was very apparent. Some of them hardly seemed affected at all, aside from the trial of having to go to another school for a few weeks.

 
There were many more things that touched me or made me think. I just did a genre book talk with a 7th grade student. She had read Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story, and was using it for her historical fiction genre book. Wow. Something that we lived through and changed our world is now history for my students. That is why it is important to have these kind of books available for them to read. And I loved that is wasn't just from the students' perspective, but custodians, teachers, administrators and even a lunch lady. Fascinating, traumatic, and touching stories!

Areas of concern:
*There is some language as they interviewed people and used their exact words - even the uh's, um's, like's... So the "s" word was used a handful of times, and the "f" word appears 3 times. I was actually pretty impressed that was all that was in it considering the circumstances.
*There is nothing graphic mentioned, but there were disturbing allusions to the events of September 11th. 

Suggested Ages:

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 13+
School Library Journal - Grades 7+

Interference

Interference
by Kay Honeyman

From the publisher:
"I will not get involved…I will not get involved…I will not get involved…

As a congressman’s daughter in Washington, DC, Kate Hamilton always pushes to make things right. But when a scandal sends her family to Red Dirt, Texas, she decides to step back for a while. She’ll take pictures for her portfolio. She’ll volunteer at her aunt’s animal shelter. And most of all, she’ll stay out of politics (including her father’s latest election) and away from guys (especially after her ex’s betrayal).

But…

If Kate’s political skills can be useful in Red Dirt, should she really let them go to waste? After all, her friend Ana Gomez and quarterback Kyle Stone would be a perfect match. Her dad’s campaign could benefit from a teenage perspective. The irritatingly handsome Hunter Price should learn he doesn’t know everything…When Kate’s plans backfire, she must find the soul beneath her DC spin, and risk her heart—the biggest involvement of all."

The front cover of this book says, " Friday Night Lights meets Jane Austen's Emma ...", and that is a pretty perfect description. This is a very fun book that I read in practically one sitting. Even though the main character does a lot of stupid things, she is still likeable (so reminiscent of Emma ). It is interesting to see her progression and growth throughout the story. 
One of the questions I ask my students when they are book talking with me is, "Does the setting enhance the story, and is it important to the plot?". The answers for this book are yes and yes. I could feel the West Texas sun and dirt, and nowhere on earth is high school football as important as West Texas. 
I also enjoyed seeing the growth of the family as they came together after some hard times. The political aspect was intriguing and added to the tension of the storyline. 
I loved the secondary characters from Hunter (the slow buildup to a romance), Ana (the nice girl who helps the main character become a better person), the new campaign manager (who adds a lot of humor), to the protagonists who were spot-on.
I thought this was a really fun book, and I appreciated the lack of bad language (even from the jocks!) .

Areas of concern:
*The main character's ex-boyfriend causes a scandal by posting pictures of her on the internet. In one of the pictures she appears drunk, but in reality she was just imitating a fellow party-goer who WAS drunk. 
*At a party after a football game, a drunk player tries to force his attentions on a character. She gets away.
*An ex-boyfriend spreads ugly rumors about a girl and how far she went (the rumors aren't true) and she is bullied throughout the book.
***I thought it was a pretty clean read. No bad language and just a couple of sweet kisses***

Suggested Ages:
Kirkus Reviews - Ages 13-17
School Library Journal - Grades 9+
*Mrs. Duke thinks that because of the absence of bad language and the very light, slow-building romance, it is okay for older middle schoolers.*

Going Vintage

Going Vintage
by Lindsey Leavitt

From the publisher:
"When Mallory’s boyfriend, Jeremy, cheats on her with an online girlfriend, Mallory decides the best way to de-Jeremy her life is to de-modernize things too. Inspired by a list of goals her grandmother made in1962, Mallory swears off technology and returns to a simpler time (when boyfriends couldn’t cheat with computer avatars). The List:
1. Run for pep club secretary
2. Host a fancy dinner party/soiree
3. Sew a dress for Homecoming
4. Find a steady
5. Do something dangerous
But simple proves to be crazy-complicated, and the details of the past begin to change Mallory’s present. Add in a too-busy grandmother, a sassy sister, and the cute pep-club president–who just happens to be her ex’s cousin–and soon Mallory begins to wonder if going vintage is going too far. "

A fun, albeit slightly forgettable book about one girl's decision to go offline after catching her boyfriend cheating on her with a "cyberwife". The main character, Mallory, is a normal high school girl who has kind of lost herself because of her complete involvement with her boyfriend. After discovering he was cheating on her, she decides that life was way easier for teenagers in her grandmother's time so she decides to give up all electronics and starts to live by a list her grandmother wrote back in 1962. Mallory is very close to her sister, Ginnie -  my favorite character - who is 2 years younger than her. After an argument, Ginnie takes away everything pre-1962 from Mallory's room so she can't cheat. It was pretty amusing to think about all of the things in our rooms that post-date 1962 :) . I really loved their relationship. 

“My mother makes up for all shortcomings because she birthed Ginnie. I might not have loads of friends, but Ginnie is enough. More than enough.”

One of the things I really liked about the book was the close family connections. Mallory and Ginnie are the best of friends and sisters, they have kind of weird, but united parents and a greatly loved and admired grandmother who unknowingly provides the catalyst for Mallory's decision to "go vintage". It was good to see Mallory find herself while working through her list of things to accomplish during her junior year. And I totally approved of the new boy interest. He was a great character and their interactions were always entertaining.

"“Because I like being around you.” He’s still looking out the window, and I wonder if he’s focusing on one object when he says this and what that object is. “I probably shouldn’t, but I do. And I can’t say why. I mean, I can think of a bunch of reasons why.”
Like? Like?
“But given … the obvious roadblock, I’m not sure how much we can get to know each other.” He rushes on. “As people, because you’re an interesting person and I value that in friendship. That’s seriously what I’m after, not that I’m after you and I’m not talking about, you know, ‘knowing’ each other. Like in a biblical way or anything, although you’re obviously pretty. I mean, very pretty and totally worth knowing both ways … Okay, shut it, Oliver. Shut it.”

And finally, I liked how it all came together at the end and culminated with another list - this time one that she made for herself. I don't want to spoil anything, but I appreciated where the author took the characters at the conclusion of the book. All in all, it was a fun book to read.

Areas of concern:
*I don't remember any cussing, there may have been one or two mild words.
*There was a lot of talk of making out and hooking up. Teenagers were seriously kissing in one of the characters bedrooms - nothing else happened.
*While there wasn't anything too graphic in this, I wouldn't call it a squeakly clean read. 

Suggested Ages:

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 12+

School Library Journal - Grades 7+

Slow Dance in Purgatory

Slow Dance in Purgatory
by Amy Harmon

From the publisher:
"The hallways are empty, the school day long over, the din of lockers and youthful laughter have dissolved into silence. It's as if the very walls are waiting. And then through the intercom a song starts to crackle, the soundtrack of a forgotten life. And the band begins to sing - "Lovely Maggie falls for Johnny, a boy no one else can see. Heartthrob Johnny, 50s bad boy, trapped for eternity. Lonely boy and lonely girl, unsolved mystery. Maggie and Johnny, only high school sweethearts, because Johnny can't ever leave. Do wop, Do wop.." 

In 1958, a rumble goes down outside the brand new highschool in Honeyville, Texas. Chaos ensues, a life is lost, and Johnny Kinross disappears. But in 2010, someone finds him. Orphaned at the age of ten, 17-year-old Maggie O'Bannon finally finds a permanent home with her elderly aunt in a small Texas town. Working part-time as a school janitor, she becomes enmeshed in a fifty-year-old tragedy where nothing is as it seems and the boy of her dreams might vanish when the bell rings. 

This volatile and mismatched romance is doomed from its start, as Maggie struggles to hold on to yet another person she is destined to lose. Secret love and hushed affection are threatened by outside forces, resulting in a desperate race to keep a secret no one would understand. Deeply romantic, funny and tender, Slow Dance in Purgatory captures the heartache of a love story where a happy ending might be decades too late."

It's official. Amy Harmon could write the phone book and I would read it and love it. 
This one is very different from some of her others, being more Young Adult and paranormal-y, but it was still intense and addictive. Be warned, it ends on a huge cliffhanger so you'll want to have the next book on hand. And it is really hard for me to review because I read Prom Night in Purgatoryimmediately after I finished, so I'm afraid I'll give something away and say too much. Suffice it to say, I really liked it, it held my interest, it was unique and different, the writing is superb, I cared about the characters, and I ordered it for my middle school library.

Areas of concern:
*There is some cussing, it didn't seem overdone or gratuitous.
*There is talk of a mom who is sleeping around.
*Some kissing.
*A very violent story is underlying the whole book. There is talk of blood and staring eyes, gunshots and fighting.
*Ghosts are talked about and seen. 

The Start of You and Me

The Start of You and Me
by Emery Lord

From the publisher:
"It’s been a year since it happened—when Paige Hancock’s first boyfriend died in an accident. After shutting out the world for two years, Paige is finally ready for a second chance at high school . . . and she has a plan. First: Get her old crush, Ryan Chase, to date her—the perfect way to convince everyone she’s back to normal. Next: Join a club—simple, it’s high school after all. But when Ryan’s sweet, nerdy cousin, Max, moves to town and recruits Paige for the Quiz Bowl team (of all things!) her perfect plan is thrown for a serious loop. Will Paige be able to face her fears and finally open herself up to the life she was meant to live?"

So many things to love about this book!  It didn't tick any of my YA pet peeve boxes, and that is really saying something.  Some of my favorite things about this book:
*No insta-love! 
That's right, these characters get to know each other and become good friends before anything else happens. What?! Does that really happen in life?! I loved their friendship and the fun they had together.
*Loving, over-protective parents. 
So often in YA, authors further the story by having completely absent parents (one character had that, but the main character definitely had involved parents). Paige's parents are divorced but both very involved in her life. I was also glad to see her grow closer to her little sister by the end of the book. 
*Supportive, fun, and loving girl friends. 
I'm so over mean girls. It was very refreshing to read about a close group of friends who were always there for each other. A favorite quote from the book:

“In friendship we are all debtors. We all owe each other for a thousand small kindnesses, for little moments of grace in the chaos.” 

*A loving, albeit forgetful-because-of-Alzheimer's grandmother. 
I loved that Paige was so close to her grandmother and told her everything. Her grandmother was a role model for her because she had continued to live a full life even after losing her husband. How important that was to Paige who had lost her first boyfriend and was struggling to move on with her life.
*The eventual love interest is not an amazing athlete, definitely not the coolest kid in school, is always compared to his much cooler cousin.... He is a Quiz Bowl nerd and I loved that!
*Caring and inspiring teachers. 
I hate books that have teachers ignoring bad behavior, or even encouraging it. I know so many good and wonderful teachers who have made differences in lives, so that is good to see portrayed in a YA book.
*I love that Paige is a goal-setter. 
She knows what she wants and knows what she needs to do to accomplish it (although she was mistaken about some things), so she makes her list of goals and sticks to it.
*This is my nerdiness coming out, but I loved the Pride and Prejudice references. 
Paige and Max's argument over who the better character was - Jane or Elizabeth - was perfect, and actually made me rethink some of my views on the subject. 
*And oh, so many good quotes in this one! Here are a few of my favorites:

“In books, sometimes the foreshadowing is so obvious that you know what’s going to happen. But knowing what happens isn’t the same as knowing how it happens.  Getting there is the best part.” 

In speaking of why we reread books we know don't end well ( Romeo and Juliet ,Wuthering Heights ... ):

“The point is that we already know it doesn’t work out, but we reread them anyway, because the good stuff that comes before the ending is worth it.” 

And one last one on friendship:

“Because with true friends, no one is keeping score. But it still feels good to repay them – even in the tiniest increments.” 

I'm sure I could come up with many more lovable things about this book, but the ones I've listed should convince anyone to read it. I enjoyed it immensely! I will definitely be recommending this one to my middle schoolers, and look forward to more from this author.

Areas of concern:
*A small amount of bad language. 3 uses of the *s* word, 1 of *bs*, and one of *h*.
*Some talk of teenage partying, but nothing inappropriate by the main characters.
*Death of 2 people very important to the main character.
*Main character sneaks out at night to go help a friend.
*A couple of sweet kisses.

Suggested Ages:
Publisher's Weekly - Ages 12+
School Library Journal - Grades 7+

Don't Look Back

Don't Look Back
by Jennifer L. Armentrout

From the publisher:
"Samantha is a stranger in her own life. Until the night she disappeared with her best friend, Cassie, everyone said Sam had it all-popularity, wealth, and a dream boyfriend. 

Sam has resurfaced, but she has no recollection of who she was or what happened to her that night. As she tries to piece together her life from before, she realizes it's one she no longer wants any part of. The old Sam took "mean girl" to a whole new level, and it's clear she and Cassie were more like best enemies. Sam is pretty sure that losing her memories is like winning the lottery. She's getting a second chance at being a better daughter, sister, and friend, and she's falling hard for Carson Ortiz, a boy who has always looked out for her-even if the old Sam treated him like trash. 

But Cassie is still missing, and the facts about what happened to her that night isn't just buried deep inside of Sam's memory-someone else knows, someone who wants to make sure Sam stays quiet. All Sam wants is the truth, and if she can unlock her clouded memories of that fateful night, she can finally move on. But what if not remembering is the only thing keeping Sam alive?"

Don't Look Back was amazingly gripping - I read it in one day because I literally couldn't put it down. There was intensity of emotion, there was heart-pounding intrigue, there was pathos and sympathy inducing drama. My heart was wrenched by the main character and her situation. I loved to see the changes she made in her life and I cheered her on in her progress. This could have been an absolutely fabulous book.
(Takes a deep breath)
HOWEVER....
There was awful teenage behavior throughout this book. Intense bullying, horrible language, drinking, partying, hooking up with one person and then another, posting of pornographic pictures of a girlfriend on social media, parents who are encouraging bad behavior. Guh - why, why, why?! This book could have been so amazing without all of the disgusting-ness. Granted, the plot needed the main character to make a big change, but much of what was in this is so inappropriate for middle school, let alone for me. 
I also felt like we were left with some major plot holes. I never did understand why Del was acting the way he was. What was driving his great desire to stay with Samantha? It certainly wasn't love. I also never felt like I understood why Cassie had such a hold on Samantha to begin with. 
(Big sigh)
Oh how I wish all of the bad content had been left out of this or perhaps not described so graphically. I can't recommend it because of that.

Suggested Ages:
Booklist - Grades 7-10
Publisher's Weekly - Ages 14+

School Library Journal - Grades 7-10
(Those grades 7-10 suggestions are the reason I purchased this one for the library.  However, I very much disagree with that suggestion.)

Every Last Word

Every Last Word
by Tamara Ireland Stone

From the publisher:
"If you could read my mind, you wouldn't be smiling.

Samantha McAllister looks just like the rest of the popular girls in her junior class. But hidden beneath the straightened hair and expertly applied makeup is a secret that her friends would never understand: Sam has Purely-Obsessional OCD and is consumed by a stream of dark thoughts and worries that she can't turn off.

Second-guessing every move, thought, and word makes daily life a struggle, and it doesn't help that her lifelong friends will turn toxic at the first sign of a wrong outfit, wrong lunch, or wrong crush. Yet Sam knows she'd be truly crazy to leave the protection of the most popular girls in school. So when Sam meets Caroline, she has to keep her new friend with a refreshing sense of humor and no style a secret, right up there with Sam's weekly visits to her psychiatrist.

Caroline introduces Sam to Poet's Corner, a hidden room and a tight-knit group of misfits who have been ignored by the school at large. Sam is drawn to them immediately, especially a guitar-playing guy with a talent for verse, and starts to discover a whole new side of herself. Slowly, she begins to feel more "normal" than she ever has as part of the popular crowd . . . until she finds a new reason to question her sanity and all she holds dear. "

This book is an interesting, educational, and heartrending look at a young woman with Pure Obsessional OCD. The main character Samantha, or Sam as she prefers to be called, just wants to be normal. She hides her mental illness from everyone except her family and her amazing psychiatrist, Shrink Sue. It is very hard to hide, but she has worked out many strategies to help with that. For instance, she is obsessed with the number 3, so she can’t stop and park her car unless the odometer lands on a 3. She uses the excuse that her parents won’t let her drive anyone because she just got her license. When she can’t get out of driving someone, she pretends to miss a turn so she can keep driving until she hits the 3. It was very interesting to see some of her coping strategies – she had many of them. I also loved that she had an incredibly supportive family at the beginning. However, farther into the book there was a dichotomy between how the parents were portrayed in the beginning and how they acted throughout the rest of the book. Sam starts driving other people all the time, she leaves the house late at night to go swimming (she’s really not going swimming), and they suddenly don’t question those behaviors. 

She has an incredibly toxic group of friends who are the mean/popular girls in the school. (Query: Why do mean and popular so often go together? You would think the nice girls would be the popular girls.) She is so frightened that they will find out about her mental illness that it actually adds to her mental illness. Why does she stay with them? She feels like she doesn’t have anywhere else to go. That is until she makes a new friend who introduces her to “Poet’s Corner” – a group of kids who meet in a secret room and read poetry they have written to each other. After they read, they have glue sticks thrown at them and they proceed to glue their poem to the walls of the room. The new friend tells her this room and these people will change her life. They do.

There are many things I loved about this book. However, I would have loved it even more if not for the bad language, the making out, and loss of virginity. One of the many passages that bothered me:
“Then I blush, remembering how he kissed me in the water that night. How I wrapped my legs around his waist in the deep end, both of us clothed but kind of acting like we weren’t.”

If those things don’t bother you the way they bother me, then I definitely recommend Every Last Word. One of my 8th grade girls made me read it because she loved it so much, and wouldn’t talk to me until I finished (it took a while)…… actually, she wouldn’t talk to me unless she was asking if I had read it yet – which question was posed over and over again. 

There are many poems in this book, the one that captures the whole essence of the book (and was written in 3’s) is titled, Every Last Word.

These walls heard
me when no
one else could.

They gave my
words a home,
kept them safe.

Cheered, cried, listened
Changed my life
for the better.

It wasn’t enough.
But they heard
every last word.

Areas of concern:
*It was interesting that there were little to no uses of mild cuss words, but there were many uses of the “s” word and at least 5 of the “f” word.
*Quite a bit of sexual content as far as talking about hooking up and making out. A lot of intense kissing scenes described. “Kurt wasn’t a very good kisser. All tongue, jabbing into my mouth over and over again, circling way too fast.” The loss of virginity scene wasn’t terribly graphic, but still disturbing. 
*There is some bullying that never gets addressed and seems to just be expected.

Suggested Ages:

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 12+

School Library Journal - Grades 8+

The Truth About Faking

The Truth About Faking
by Leigh T. Moore

From the publisher:
"Jason just wants a date with Harley. 
Harley just wants a date with Trent. 
Trent's still getting over Stephanie.

When Harley and Jason decide to fake date, they uncover a school of deceptions. Trent's got a secret, but so does Jason. And the more time Harley spends secretly kissing her fake boyfriend, the further she gets from her dreams with Trent. 

Worst of all, Harley's mom is getting cozy with her hot massage therapy student, and even Harley's Reverend Dad can't fake not being bothered by it. But when the masks finally come off, can everyone handle the real truth?"

This is a pretty good YA book for those middle schoolers who love the YA books. The main character, Harley, is the daughter of a minister, and while some of her friends cuss and party too hard, she doesn't agree with those things and has no problem telling her friends not to swear. Their family is careful about how Harley talks, how she dresses, they keep tabs on where she is, and they have high expectations for her behavior. Her parents are in a very loving and strong relationship. All of those things can be all too rare in a YA book. I also really appreciated how the author dealt with the topics of religion and homosexuality and was very respectful and kind about both. The story itself is cute and the characters are very likeable - with one exception for me, and that was the character of the best friend. She went off the deep end after her parents divorced and went from boy to boy to boy, and didn't seem to be a very good friend to Harley. At the end it wrapped up her story all too neatly and I didn't buy it at all. Other than that, I quite liked this book and think my older middle schoolers will enjoy it.

Areas of concern:
*The *s* word and a few others were used a little too frequently, but the main character never said them and she disapproved.
*The best friend wants to make out with every guy she meets.
*There is suspected adultery.
*There is kissing and tongues are mentioned.
*Homosexuality is discussed.
*Religion is discussed.