23 Minutes

23 Minutes
by Vivian Vande Velde

 From the publisher:
"Fifteen-year-old Zoe has a secret ability: she can travel back in time twenty-three minutes to relive events she wants to change. But Zoe has learned from experience that this is more curse than gift. Things almost never end well and people just tend to think she’s crazy.

But when she steps into a bank to get out of the rain and finds herself in the middle of a robbery gone horrifyingly wrong, Zoe knows she’s the only one who can help. The problem is, she has only a limited number of tries to make things right. Plus, a single mistake could get her killed—and not even time travel could bring her back from that.

Zoe has always considered herself a loser, about as far from a heroine as a girl can get. Now she has to dig deep to find a strength she never thought she possessed."

Wow, what a ride! I had a great time reading this book. It had an amazing concept, it was full of excitement and tension, and you couldn't help liking the 2 main characters. It reminded me a little of the movie 50 First Dates because of how Zoe would have to explain everything to Daniel every time she went back because she is the only one who remembers anything during her playbacks. Does that sound confusing? It really isn't when Ms. Vande Velde explains it. I will definitely be talking this one up to my students.

Areas of concern:
*Many people get killed in different ways, but those deaths get undone in the "playbacks".
*Under 10 uses of the "d" and "s" words.
*The main character comes from a very dysfunctional family and lives in a group home.

Suggested Ages:

Kirkus Reviews - Ages 12-17

Booklist - Grades 7-10

The Similars

The Similars
by Rebecca Hanover

From the publisher:
"A New York Times Bestseller!

Don't miss the series debut that readers are calling Gossip Girl meets The Umbrella Academy, set in an elite boarding school, where secret societies rule, nothing is as it seems, and the genetic copies of attending students have just joined the Junior class...

This fall, six new students are joining the junior class at the elite Darkwood Academy. But they aren't your regular over-achieving teens. They're DNA duplicates, and these "similars" are joining the class alongside their originals.

The Similars are all anyone can talk about. Who are they? What are the odds that all of them would be Darkwood students? And who is the madman who broke the law to create them? Emmaline Chance could care less. Her best friend, Oliver, died over the summer and it's all she can do to get through each day without him. Then she comes face-to-heartbreaking-face with Levi, Oliver's exact DNA copy and one of the Similars.

Emma wants nothing to do with the Similars, but she keeps getting pulled deeper into their world. She can't escape the dark truths about them or her prestigious school. No one can be trusted, not even the boy she is falling for with Oliver's face.

This exhilarating and riveting debut by Rebecca Hanover is the next obsession for readers who devoured Two Can Keep a Secret, One of Us Is Lying, Scythe, and Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful."

The plot of this book was pretty fascinating and the characters were likable, but there was something about the writing that was off putting for me. And there is a pretty obvious political statement going on throughout the book which, for some reason, always irritates me in a young adult novel. However, I don't think middle schoolers will mind or even notice. All they will care about is the exciting story, the boarding school setting (my students LOVE boarding school settings!), and the romance. There are several twists that will keep them reading and the end will have them yelling for more! Luckily the second book has now come out so they won't have to wait. Is it the best book I have ever read? Nope. But I will be recommending it to certain students that I'm sure will love it.

Areas of concern:
*A small handful of cuss words.
* A few kisses and talk of wanting to spend the night but deciding it wasn't the time.
* Possibly just the idea of cloning.

Suggested Ages:

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 14+

School Library Journal - Grades 8+

The Mysterious Benedict Society

The Mysterious
Benedict Society
by Trenton Lee Stewart

From the publisher:
""Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?" 

Dozens of children respond to this peculiar ad in the newspaper and are then put through a series of mind-bending tests, which readers take along with them. Only four children-two boys and two girls-succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and inventive children could complete. To accomplish it they will have to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules. But what they'll find in the hidden underground tunnels of the school is more than your average school supplies. So, if you're gifted, creative, or happen to know Morse Code, they could probably use your help."

I finally got around to reading this one after several students told me how wonderful it is. I'm glad some of my students love it, but I can't see all of my students loving it. I had to force myself to read it clear up until about 65% of the way through. And, oh my goodness, the suspension of disbelief that has to go on to read this! (Minor spoilers ahead.) Men from L.I.V.E. come to kidnap these children and take them to the school, and then a couple of days later the children are driven there and dropped off and no one notices? They even use their real names and no one bats an eyelash. And then they communicate by nighttime Morse Code transmissions from their bedroom window and no one notices? It is supposed to be a super secure place and they just flash lights out their window and then watch the mainland for signals back, which no one notices either. *Sigh* 

This book seems like it is trying to be like A Series of Unfortunate Events, but without the tongue-in-cheek wit and wonderful weirdness of those books. And about 3 times the length of one of them. However, once again I have several students who love this series, so it doesn't matter what I think. For middle schoolers this is a fun, semi-exciting start to a series. For adults, maybe not so much.

Areas of concern:
*Children being stolen and used for nefarious purposes.
*Children being punished severely for minor or no infractions.

Suggested Ages:

Kirkus Reviews - Ages 11-13

School Library Journal - Grades 5-9

The Forgetting

The Forgetting
by Sharon Cameron

From the publisher:
"What isn't written, isn't remembered. Even your crimes.

Nadia lives in the city of Canaan, where life is safe and structured, hemmed in by white stone walls and no memory of what came before. But every twelve years the city descends into the bloody chaos of the Forgetting, a day of no remorse, when each person's memories – of parents, children, love, life, and self – are lost. Unless they have been written.

In Canaan, your book is your truth and your identity, and Nadia knows exactly who hasn't written the truth. Because Nadia is the only person in Canaan who has never forgotten.

But when Nadia begins to use her memories to solve the mysteries of Canaan, she discovers truths about herself and Gray, the handsome glassblower, that will change her world forever. As the anarchy of the Forgetting approaches, Nadia and Gray must stop an unseen enemy that threatens both their city and their own existence – before the people can forget the truth. And before Gray can forget her."

There I was, calmly reading what I thought was a normal, run-of-the-mill, YA dystopian novel, when all of a sudden a twist hit that I was totally unprepared for. What?! So, while I enjoyed the beginning, it wasn't anything that I hadn't read a hundred times. But then, BAM, and all my perceptions were changed. 
This book pretty much has it all. Corrupt government, evil rulers, intense situations, sweet romance (with some pretty steamy kissing), strong heroine and funny, handsome hero, strong supporting characters and a surprising twist in the plot. I read and loved this author's book Rook , but didn't ever finish The Dark Unwinding . I think you just have to have patience at the beginning of her books, because they all seem to start very slowly. But believe me, they pack a punch later on. The premise in this one is so interesting and has so many facets. I was worried when I heard that there was another book in the series because I wanted resolution and ANSWERS in this one. Luckily the next book is just a companion book and not a sequel, so you don't have to worry about a big cliff hanger. 

Areas of concern:
*A scene of torture which is intense but not graphic.
*A pretty gruesome stabbing.
*An attempted suicide.
*Talk of floggings and a war in the past.
*A character witnessed some horrible events in the past and tries to describe some of it.
*Attempted mass murder.
*The afore-mentioned steamy kissing.
(All of that together sounds pretty terrible, but it was nothing worse than many other dystopian/science fiction books out there. They can get pretty violent.)

Suggested Ages:

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 12+

School Library Journal - Grades 8+

The Six

The Six
by Mark Alpert

From the publisher:
Adam's muscular dystrophy has stolen his mobility, his friends, and in a few short years, it will take his life. Virtual reality games are Adam's only escape from his wheelchair. In his alternate world, he can defeat anyone. Running, jumping, scoring touchdowns: Adam is always the hero.

Then an artificial intelligence program, Sigma, hacks into Adam's game. Created by Adam's computer-genius father, Sigma has gone rogue, threatening Adam's life-and world domination. Their one chance to stop Sigma is using technology Adam's dad developed to digitally preserve the mind of his dying son.

Along with a select group of other terminally ill teens, Adam becomes one of the Six who have forfeited their bodies to inhabit weaponized robots. But with time running short, the Six must learn to manipulate their new mechanical forms and work together to train for epic combat...before Sigma destroys humanity."

Sometimes science fiction books are chilling and un-nerving because they show things that could actually happen in our world. I felt like that with this book. Technology is increasing so quickly, and who knows what things are being worked on that we know nothing about? I'm pretty sure there is a lot of work going on in the Artificial Intelligence area that I am unaware of. This book is science fiction in the truest sense of the genre. It isn't dystopian, it isn't time travel, it is science. I loved that it made you think of all the ethical questions that would arise in these circumstances. 
Aside from all of the science, this was a gripping, exciting book. There is a ton of action and conflict. 
I cared about the characters - robot or not - and the plot was believable and intriguing. As a parent, I can only imagine the roads I would be willing to go to save my child, so I definitely had a lot of empathy for Adam's dad. I am ordering books 2 and 3 for our library.

Areas of concern:
*The whole premise of the book is that the teenagers all have terminal diseases and will die in 6 months or less.
*The moral and ethical questions that arise from the decisions that need to be made.
*There is fighting and violence.

Suggested Ages:
Kirkus Reviews - Ages 12-16
School Library Journal - Grades 8+

Masterminds

Masterminds
by Gordon Korman

From the publisher:
"From bestselling author Gordon Korman comes a thrilling new middle grade trilogy about a group of kids living in a Pleasantville-type town who discover a dark secret that connects them to some of the greatest criminal masterminds of their time.

Eli Frieden lives in the most boring town in the world: Serenity, New Mexico. Only thirty kids live in the idyllic town, where every lawn is perfectly manicured and everyone has a pool and a basketball hoop. Honesty and kindness are the backbone of the community. There is no crime in this utopia.

Eli has never left town…. Why would he ever want to? But everything changes the day he and his friend Randy bike to the edge of the city limits. Eli is suddenly struck with a paralyzing headache and collapses. Almost instantly, a crew of security—or “Purple People Eaters,” as the kids call them—descend via helicopter. Eli awakens in the hospital, and the next day, Randy and his family are gone.

As Eli convinces his friends Tori and Malik to help him investigate Randy’s disappearance, it becomes clear that nothing is as it seems in Serenity. As the clues mount to reveal a shocking discovery, the kids realize they can trust no one—least of all their own parents. So they hatch a plan for what could be the greatest breakout in history—but will they survive? And if they do, where do they go from there?

This first book in a thrilling new series from the middle grade “mastermind” Gordon Korman is sure to be a hit with his myriad fans.. "

This is a very fun and exciting book. It is told from the different perspectives of five 13 year olds who live in the most perfect town in all of the land. They discover some terrible secrets about their perfect little town and their perfect lives that changes everything for them. It has a very gripping story line, and makes you want to grab the next book as quickly as you can the second you finish. The characters are all likable, but more than that they are interesting . Once you know their secret, it is fascinating to look at them in a different light. I can definitely see why my students love this one. I will be recommending it to everyone.

Areas of concern:
*Possible death of a main character.
*Parents and all adults end up being the enemy. (One of my pet peeves, however in this one it is very understandable and necessary.)\

Suggested Ages:

Booklist - Grades 5-8

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 8-12
*I think 8 and 9 are a little young for this one.  I would say at least 10 and up.*

The Stellow Project

The Stellow Project
by Shari Becker

From the publisher:
"When a killer storm unexpectedly hits Manhattan, seventeen-year-old Lilah Stellow’s dad insists that she and her younger sister, Flori, take refuge at their cabin in the mountains. But instead of joining them with the experimental drug that keeps Lilah alive, he disappears just as news reports name him as a prime suspect in an act of ecoterrorism.

As days pass without her medicine, Lilah finds herself teetering on the edge, caring for her sister, and growing increasingly certain they’re being watched. In her search for answers, Lilah is thrown into the center of a mystery involving an off-the-grid research facility and finds herself drawn in by Daniel, an intriguing boy who is the son of the lead scientist. As she dares to seek answers, Lilah slowly realizes that even the best intentions can go horribly wrong."

It will be hard not to juxtapose this book with the last one I read. I started off the review of The Start of Me and You by saying that there was so much I loved about that one. I can start out my review of The Stellow Project by saying that there was so much I DIDN'T love about this one. It pretty much ticked all of my pet peeve boxes on YA lit. Completely absentee parents, insta-love where she doesn't really even trust him, a best friend that drops her the minute trouble comes along, and questions, questions, questions and not one answer. And that doesn't even begin to cover my disgust at the bad language. This one is obviously the start of a series (because not one question gets answered), but I won't bother getting the second one for our library. I don't recommend this at all, although there was plenty of action, drama, and interesting situations so I can see some teenagers liking it even if I didn't.

Areas of concern:
*Around 40 uses of the *s* word and around 10 uses of the *f* word.
*Children on their own.
*Children kidnapped by evil scientists.
*Parents portrayed as evil.
*Teenagers sleeping together with very little clothing on (nothing happens - maybe some kissing?)
*There are no trustworthy adults. Some may seem trustworthy, but you never really know.

Suggested Ages:

Kirkus Reviews - Ages 12+

School Library Journal - Grades 8+

Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25

The Prisoner of Cell 25
by Richard Paul Evans

From the publisher:
"My name is Michael Vey, and the story I’m about to tell you is strange. Very strange. It’s my story.

To everyone at Meridian High School, Michael Vey is an ordinary fourteen-year-old. In fact, the only thing that seems to set him apart is the fact that he has Tourette’s syndrome. But Michael is anything but ordinary. Michael has special powers. Electric powers.

Michael thinks he's unique until he discovers that a cheerleader named Taylor also has special powers. With the help of Michael’s friend, Ostin, the three of them set out to discover how Michael and Taylor ended up this way, but their investigation brings them to the attention of a powerful group who wants to control the electric children – and through them the world. Michael will have to rely on his wits, powers, and friends if he’s to survive. "

I have many students who absolutely LOVE this series, and when the new one came out this year they literally shrieked with joy when it came into the library. I enjoyed it and it kept my interest, but I definitely didn't love it. There were some things that bothered me that wouldn't bother the targeted age group (see "Areas of Concern" below). Sensitive readers should wait to read this one. But it was a riveting, fun story and I loved that it was a clean read. Boys and girls both will enjoy this series.

Areas of concern:
*Tons of violence - torture, murder, kidnappings... (Nothing was graphic, it was just talked about.)

Suggested Ages:

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 12+

School Library Journal - Grades 5-9

The Paladin Prophecy

The Paladin Prophecy
by Mark Frost

From the publisher:
"Will West is careful to live life under the radar. At his parents' insistence, he's made sure to get mediocre grades and to stay in the middle of the pack on his cross-country team. Then Will slips up, accidentally scoring off the charts on a nationwide exam.

Now Will is being courted by an exclusive prep school . . . and is being followed by men driving black sedans. When Will suddenly loses his parents, he must flee to the school. There he begins to explore all that he's capable of--physical and mental feats that should be impossible--and learns that his abilities are connected to a struggle between titanic forces that has lasted for millennia.

Co-creator of the groundbreaking television series Twin Peaks, Mark Frost brings his unique vision to this sophisticated adventure, which combines mystery, heart-pounding action, and the supernatural"

This is a fun ride of a book that hooks you from the very beginning and doesn't ever let up. The action is continuous, the characters are incredibly fun, the plot lines are a little confusing, but all in all it is a very entertaining book. The characters were my favorite part. The main character, Will, is a good young man who loves his parents and tries to do his best without drawing attention to some of his extraordinary skills. When strange things begin happening and he has to run away, he meets Nando, a taxi-driver who immediately becomes a friend that goes to many great lengths to help Will. I loved Nando for his good heart, his courage, and his smart-alecky remarks. When Will arrives at his new school, I fell in love with his roommates - especially the hysterical Nick. Why oh why did I not mark some of his quotes?! And why has a movie not been made of this yet? It would definitely make a good one. Fun, fun, fun.

Areas of concern:
*Quite a bit of bad language. Around 30 uses each of the "d" word and the "h" word. 8 uses of the "a" word, and 1 use of the "s" word. 
*This is nit-picky, but a group of male and female teenagers share a sort of apartment with a common kitchen and living area with their bedrooms jutting off from the common areas and no supervision aside from a creepy evil guy who makes surprise inspections.

Suggested Ages:

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 12+

School Library Journal - Grades 7+

SIX

Six
by M.M. Vaughan

From the publisher:
"* Kirkus Starred *
Parker and his sister will do whatever it takes to find their father in this adventure packed with action and mystery from the author of The Abilityand Mindscape.

Parker and his family share a secret: they can, with the help of advanced technology, communicate between themselves through their thoughts.

When Parker, his dad, and sister Emma move to New York three years after his mother's death, Parker is having a hard time. He misses London and his friends, his father is distracted with his new job, and Emma is looking out for him instead of the other way around.

And then Parker's dad, on the cusp of a technological breakthrough, is kidnapped. Thanks to a message his dad sent via thoughts before the signal cut off, Parker is suddenly on a rescue mission. Now Parker and Emma, along with their friend Michael and Polly the pig, must find this person - the only link to their father; but the search asks more questions than it answers. But all the signs point to one thing: the company his dad works for is up to something big. Huge. A perfectly sinister project that threatens far more than Parker's family. A project called SIX.

* Kirkus - Starred Review *

Three kids, a pet pig and a helpful chauffeur must unravel a mystery of cosmic proportions.

Twelve-year-old Parker is struggling with his family’s move from England to upstate New York. Parker has a new nemesis. His inventor father has mounting job stress. Only his 10-year-old sister, Emma, seems to be acclimating. With a specialized program for the deaf at their school, friends and a new pet pig, she is thrilled. Keeping secrets in the Banks family is difficult, thanks to his father’s invention, which allows each of them to hear one another’s thoughts—but Parker’s father is hiding something from his family that could change everything if it comes to light. When Parker and Emma’s father disappears, the two siblings enlist Michael, a fellow victim of bullying and an uber-wealthy computer genius, to help them find him. Unfortunately the only people willing to lend a hand are a conspiracy theorist and a patient at a psychiatric hospital. Creative details, likable characters—Brendan, Michael’s chauffeur, stands out especially—and an X-Files–worthy mystery keep the pages turning, but it is the supportive and loving Banks family that makes this story shine. A surprise ending will encourage readers to think beyond the text and grapple with some real-world dilemmas.

Inventive, entertaining and thought-provoking."

I am going to keep my eye on this author. I really enjoyed her first book, The Ability , and now I really liked this one. I was just talking to someone the other day about how the science fiction genre so often contains no science. That is not the case in this one. Science abounds, and it is very interesting science. There was a lot of action and suspense surrounding the science, and the children in the story have to go to great lengths to uncover secrets about the firm their father worked for. 

I liked the characters of Parker, Emma and their dad. I found it refreshing to have a deaf character who was never treated like a person with a disability. Emma is tough, loyal, compassionate and fiercely devoted to animals and the environment. Parker is believable as a boy who is just trying to survive a new school and bullying. Dr. Banks is a loving father with a tremendous amount of stress and pressure on him that the children don't understand. They have no idea that everything he is doing is to keep them safe, so it is sad when they resent him and all the time he takes away from them on his work. Another character, the new friend Michael, has kind of an Artemis Fowl feel to him. Not in a bad way (I can't stand Artemis Fowl), but because he had unlimited resources, computer genius, absent parents, and servants who would do whatever he said. Add all of those characters to an interesting plot, and we have ourselves a winner. Middle school students should love this one! 

Areas of concern:
*Grief over a lost mother/wife.
*A kidnapped father leaving 2 children on their own.

Suggested Ages:

Booklist - Grades 5-8

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 8-12

TimeRiders

TimeRiders
by Alex Scarrow

From the publisher:
"Liam O’Connor should have died at sea in 1912.
Maddy Carter should have died on a plane in 2010.
Sal Vikram should have died in a fire in 2026.

Yet moments before death, someone mysteriously appeared and said, ‘Take my hand ...’

But Liam, Maddy and Sal aren’t rescued. They are recruited by an agency that no one knows exists, with only one purpose—to fix broken history. Because time travel is here, and there are those who would go back in time and change the past. That’s why the TimeRiders exist: to protect us. To stop time travel from destroying the world... "

Several of my students love this series, so I thought I should read it and see why. It starts out with a bang on the Titanic and then goes back and forth between time and decades throughout. I've read several time travel books, and I think this one is my favorite as far as making sense and explaining the "science" behind it. I thought the plot and the changes in history were well thought out and really interesting. What would have happened if Hitler had won? (Well, it wasn't really Hitler winning, but you'll have to read that for yourself.) And the notion of saving teens from death to have them become TimeRiders that live the same 2 days over and over again watching for changes was kind of brilliant. The characters were likeable and appealing (especially non-human Bob), but I would have liked more background on most of them. I'm going to assume things will eventually come out as the series progresses, though. I think it would have slowed things down to have it all dumped in this first book. All in all I enjoyed it, and I'm hoping it will help students become a little more interested in historical fiction because of the adventures the TimeRiders have. One little problem is that this series is published in the UK with 9 books in the series, but only 4 have managed to make it across the pond so far. I don't know why they don't publish the rest of the series in the US, but I went ahead and ordered the rest of the series (actually I don't have the ninth one yet) online from bookdepository.com. The kids who have discovered this series absolutely love it. I liked it.

Areas of concern:
The use of Jesus Christ, Christ, Jayzus as expletives.
Some cussing, but not over the top.
Violence is rampant, but not gratuitous. The TimeRiders are placed in many scary situations that they have to get out of.
Some scary Gollum-esque nuclear-mutated humans that are cannibalistic (I may have just made up a few words there).

Suggested Ages:

Kirkus Reviews - Ages 12+

School Library Journal - Grades 8+

In The After

In The After
by Demitria Lunetta

From the publisher:
"They hear the most silent of footsteps.
They are faster than anything you've ever seen.
And They won't stop chasing you...until you are dead.

Amy is watching TV when it happens, when the world is attacked by Them. These vile creatures are rapidly devouring mankind. Most of the population is overtaken, but Amy manages to escape—and even rescue “Baby,” a toddler left behind in the chaos. Marooned in Amy’s house, the girls do everything they can to survive—and avoid Them at all costs.

After years of hiding, they are miraculously rescued and taken to New Hope, a colony of survivors living in a former government research compound. While at first the colony seems like a dream with plenty of food, safety, and shelter, New Hope slowly reveals that it is far from ideal. And Amy soon realizes that unless things change, she’ll lose Baby—and much more.

Rebellious, courageous, and tender, this unforgettable duo will have you on the edge of your seat as you tear through the pulse-pounding narrow escapes and horrifying twists of fate in this thrilling debut from author Demitria Lunetta."

Let me start by saying that I don't usually like alien invasion/zombie infestation books.  I could name off several that other people loved and I did not:  The 5th Wave , The Forest of Hands and Teeth, Ashes, and so on.  So it came as a great surprise to me that I really liked this book. Maybe it was because I never felt completely hopeless.  In all of the others, I lost all hope for the puny humans and knew that however the books were resolved (I never finished the series), it would be completely unrealistic.  Okay, I realize there is nothing realistic about any alien invasion/zombie apocalypse book, but somehow In the After made it feel possible. 

The book is divided into 2, possibly 3 parts.  There is explanation of the character's life in The Before (a very short part in the beginning and then told through flashbacks and memories), then there is her survival and finding of Baby in The After, and then comes the part in New Hope.  I found all three parts fascinating.  Amy is a heroine to root for, she is smart, sassy, loyal and just keeps on ticking no matter the horrors that keep coming at her.  I loved Baby and the silent, yet completely dependant and trusting relationship they formed.  At times while reading this, I would become very aware of the noise I was making while walking through the house or doing dishes or whatever.  How hard would it be to live in complete silence?  I found it interesting how the author portrayed that through Amy and Baby's interaction with Amber. 

New Hope was intriguing, and I for one didn't see what was coming (although several other reviewers said they did).  This was an exciting, fast, and breathtaking read.  I was invested in the characters and cared about what happened to them.  I understand this is just a duology, so we should get questions answered and have resolution after just one more book.

Areas of concern:

Very few cuss words.

Attempted rape.

Disgusting and violent alien/zombie creatures.

Evil dictator.

Suggested Ages:

Booklist - Grades 7-12

Kirkus Reviews - Ages 13+

Loop

Loop
by Karen Akins

From the publisher:
"At a school where Quantum Paradox 101 is a required course and history field trips are literal, sixteen year-old time traveler Bree Bennis excels... at screwing up.

After Bree botches a solo midterm to the 21st century by accidentally taking a boy hostage (a teensy snafu), she stands to lose her scholarship. But when Bree sneaks back to talk the kid into keeping his yap shut, she doesn't go back far enough. The boy, Finn, now three years older and hot as a solar flare, is convinced he’s in love with Bree, or rather, a future version of her that doesn't think he’s a complete pain in the arse. To make matters worse, she inadvertently transports him back to the 23rd century with her.

Once home, Bree discovers that a recent rash of accidents at her school are anything but accidental. Someone is attacking time travelers. As Bree and her temporal tag-along uncover seemingly unconnected clues—a broken bracelet, a missing data file, the art heist of the millennium—that lead to the person responsible, she alone has the knowledge to piece the puzzle together. Knowledge only one other person has. Her future self.

But when those closest to her become the next victims, Bree realizes the attacker is willing to do anything to stop her. In the past, present, or future. "

It took me almost a month to finish this one, and that is usually a very bad sign. It wasn't all bad, and I mildly enjoyed it, but I definitely could have lived without it. I found the time-travel element with all of the "Future Me" and "Past Me" references very convoluted and confusing. If some tiny thing in the past gets changed, wouldn't that have incredibly far-reaching consequences? Gordon B. Hinckley told the story of a passenger train that started out in Oakland, CA headed to Newark, NJ. When the train reached Newark, it was discovered that the baggage car wasn't there. When the officials looked for the baggage car, they found that it had made it to St. Louis correctly, but a switchman in St. Louis carelessly moved a piece of steel 3 inches and then pulled a lever to uncouple the car. A baggage car that belonged in Newark, NJ, actually ended up in New Orleans, LA, 1500 miles away, just because of 3 inches. Isn't it the same concept for time travel? Any tiny change in the past would have huge ramifications hundreds of years later. A small change would become a great gap and things would end up far differently, so I found all the visits in time to fix things very distracting. I know the author discusses the Doctrine of Inevitability, but then doesn't really seem to stick to it very well. And I do know that you have to suspend belief a little bit when reading time travel books, but this one just seemed a lot more awkward than others I have read. Maybe that is the consequence of having read it so slowly.

However, the book was fun and exciting with a snarky heroine fighting against all odds. I thought the author did a good job of building the future world - the Pentagon was fun :) . From what I understand this is a duology, so I will probably go ahead and get the second book for the library and hope the kids will not be as befuddled by it all as I was.

Areas of concern:
I don't remember any bad language, in fact the main character always substitutes the word "blark" or "blarking".
A couple of mild kisses.
Mildly intense action sequences.

Suggested Ages:
Publisher's Weekly - Ages 13+
School Library Journal - Grades 9+
*Mrs. Duke says, "I'm not sure why the ages are so high on this one.  It seemed like a very clean read to me".*

Remake

Remake
by Ilima Todd

From the publisher:
"Nine is the ninth female born in her batch of ten females and ten males. By design, her life in Freedom Province is without complications or consequences. However, such freedom comes with a price. The Prime Maker is determined to keep that price a secret from the new batches of citizens that are born, nurtured, and raised androgynously.

But Nine isn't like every other batcher. She harbors indecision
and worries about her upcoming Remake Day -- her seventeenth birthday, the age when batchers fly to the Remake facility and have the freedom to choose who and what they'll be.

When Nine discovers the truth about life outside of Freedom
Province, including the secret plan of the Prime Maker, she is
pulled between two worlds and two lives. Her decisions will test
her courage, her heart, and her beliefs. Who can she trust? Who does she love? And most importantly, who will she decide to be?"

I fluctuated between "this is a really cool concept", and "this is so lame" throughout this entire book. The main character made me uncomfortable and irritated most of the time, there were some plot issues, and the love triangle was awkward as well. However, all that was reading it with my adult eyes. I think teenagers will overlook the lameness and really enjoy this one. It does make you think. There are several topics that could develop into great discussions with your teenager. How important is family? What would it be like to never know what "family" even meant? What is real freedom? Is the greater good more important than individual good? And many more. So all in all, I think it is a worthwhile read for older teenagers, but I think it will make the younger crowd uncomfortable.

Areas of concern:
Frank talk of maturation.
A lot of discussions about sex and gender.
Talk of teenagers showering together and sleeping together (they had been given hormone suppressants and had not gone through puberty yet).
Some kissing.
There are biblical quotations scattered through the book, if that is of concern to you.

Suggested Ages:
Publisher's Weekly - Ages 12+
*Mrs. Duke thinks 14 and up is a little more like it.

The Vault of Dreamers

The Vault of Dreamers
by Caragh M. O'Brien

From the publisher:
"From the author of the Birthmarked trilogy comes a fast-paced, psychologically thrilling novel about what happens when your dreams are not your own.

The Forge School is the most prestigious arts school in the country. The secret to its success:  every moment of the students' lives is televised as part of the insanely popular Forge Show, and the students' schedule includes twelve hours of induced sleep meant to enhance creativity. But when first year student Rosie Sinclair skips her sleeping pill, she discovers there is something off about Forge. In fact, she suspects that there are sinister things going on deep below the reaches of the cameras in the school. What's worse is, she starts to notice that the edges of her consciousness do not feel quite right. And soon, she unearths the ghastly secret that the Forge School is hiding—and what it truly means to dream there."

I'm pretty torn about this book. There were some aspects I loved, some that confused me, and some I just didn't like. The part I loved was the Forge School/reality TV show. Being a little bit of a reality TV lover myself, I was intrigued by the idea of a reality show in a boarding school for the arts. Very cool concept!. The thought of always being filmed, during every waking moment, is a little daunting, but our main character signs up to do it so she can have a better life. It is fascinating to see her character go through all the peaks and valleys of life constantly on the screen, and being ranked at the same time by viewers. This book could have been amazing if the author had just stayed on that track. Unfortunately, it veers off into a weird territory - a combination of science fiction and paranormal - that kind of lost me. And I have NO idea what was happening at the end. However, it was a fun book to read and it will be interesting to see what happens from here.

Areas of concern:
15 year old girl keeps sneaking out at night.
A handful of bad language.
Some teenage kissing.
An abusive stepfather at the very beginning.
Drug use on teenagers so they will sleep.

Suggested Ages:
Booklist - Grades 8+
Publisher's Weekly - Ages 12+

The Ability

The Ability
by M.M. Vaughan

From the publisher:
"Delve into the extraordinary abilities of the twelve-year-old mind in this thrilling start to a middle-grade series that expands the possibilities of power.

No one has any confidence in twelve-year-old Christopher Lane. His teachers discount him as a liar and a thief, and his mom doesn’t have the energy to deal with him. But a mysterious visit from the Ministry of Education indicates that Chris might have some potential after all: He is invited to attend the prestigious Myers Holt Academy.

When Christopher begins at his new school, he is astounded at what he can do. It seems that age twelve is a special time for the human brain, which is capable of remarkable feats—as also evidenced by Chris’s peers Ernest and Mortimer Genver, who, at the direction of their vengeful and manipulative mother, are testing the boundaries of the human mind.

But all this experimentation has consequences, and Chris soon finds himself forced to face them—or his new life will be over before it can begin."

I really liked this book, and I think middle-schoolers will LOVE it! It is a quick and exciting read. The characters are fun and diverse, the plot is original, and the whole time I was reading it I was thinking about what a fun movie this book would make. Picture Dan Ackroyd and John Belushi or Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill (without all the crudeness) as Ron and John. Awesome!

I really liked the main character and his loyalty and integrity. He is plucked from an incredibly dysfunctional home (I have hopes his mother may eventually improve) and put into an elite school. He was struggling in his old school, although the teacher and headmaster were a little (no a lot) over the top, but Chris excels at his new school, where his particular abilities are appreciated. There are a lot of topics in this book that could encourage good discussions. The Myers Holt Academy is a very skillfully drawn setting (again - great movie material), and it made me want to be a student there myself. There is action and suspense, and a reason at the end to be excited for the sequel, without an annoying cliff-hanger. It's just a really fun book. Read it and see who you picture in a movie version :) . Movie producers - take note.

Areas of concern:
A handful of the *d* word.
Creepy, evil twins.
An abusive home and school environment for the main character at the beginning.
The main character steals money for food, and then technically steals from cab drivers by not paying them. (I know I said he had integrity in my review, but you'll see what I mean when you read it.)

Suggested Ages:
Publisher's Weekly - Ages 8-12
School Library Journal - Grades 5-8

Illusive

Illusive
by Emily Lloyd-Jones

From the publisher:
"The X-Men meets Ocean's Eleven in this edge-of-your-seat sci-fi adventure about a band of "super" criminals.

When the MK virus swept across the planet, a vaccine was created to stop the epidemic, but it came with some unexpected side effects. A small percentage of the population developed superhero-like powers. Seventeen-year-old Ciere Giba has the handy ability to change her appearance at will. She's what's known as an illusionist...She's also a thief.

After a robbery goes awry, Ciere must team up with a group of fellow super-powered criminals on another job that most would consider too reckless. The formula for the vaccine that gave them their abilities was supposedly destroyed years ago. But what if it wasn't?

The lines between good and bad, us and them, and freedom and entrapment are blurred as Ciere and the rest of her crew become embroiled in a deadly race against the government that could cost them their lives."

I'm really conflicted about this book. There were some things I disliked intensely, but other things were enjoyable.

Things I disliked:
~ The main characters name - Ciere Giba. Personally, I like to be able to pronounce the names of the characters I'm reading about, so I found that name incredibly annoying. We find out later the name has some sort of meaning that totally confused me and it is pronounced like Sierra without the a on the end.
~ The book starts out with an incredibly hung-over teenager naked in a hotel bed with a boy passed out on the floor next to her clutching a bottle of tequila.
~ Bad language with the *f* word jarringly thrown in 5 or more times. I say "jarringly" because there really wasn't any bad language at all until suddenly the *f* word pops out of a character's mouth. Later in the book there was a handful of uses of the *s* and the *a* words.
~ The main character did incredibly stupid things over and over again that affected all the people around her. I like my heroines to have a little bit of commonsense.
~ One of the main crew members is a male prostitute. That fact is referenced several times and not explained.
~ The author mixed tenses in the same paragraph several times. Now, I tend to do that all the time, but I expect better in published authors.

Things I liked:
~ I thought it was a really unique premise.
~ It was exciting
~ There was a twist at the end that completely surprised me

Bad things outweigh good things for me on this one and I very much doubt I will read a sequel.   

Areas of concern:
I addressed a lot of concerns above.  One other major concern is massive law-breaking, including murder.   Quite a bit of violence, as well.

Suggested Ages:
Kirkus Reviews - Ages 12+
School Library Journal - Grades 7-10
*Mrs. Duke disagrees and thinks this should be for older readers.