The Here and now

The Here and Now
by Ann Brashares

From the publisher:
"An unforgettable epic romantic thriller about a girl from the future who might be able to save the world . . . if she lets go of the one thing she’s found to hold on to.

Follow the rules. Remember what happened. Never fall in love.

This is the story of seventeen-year-old Prenna James, who immigrated to New York when she was twelve. Except Prenna didn’t come from a different country. She came from a different time—a future where a mosquito-borne illness has mutated into a pandemic, killing millions and leaving the world in ruins.

Prenna and the others who escaped to the present day must follow a strict set of rules: never reveal where they’re from, never interfere with history, and never, ever be intimate with anyone outside their community. Prenna does as she’s told, believing she can help prevent the plague that will one day ravage the earth.

But everything changes when Prenna falls for Ethan Jarves.

From Ann Brashares, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, The Here and Now is thrilling, exhilarating, haunting, and heartbreaking—and a must-read novel of the year."

I am definitely not a fan of this author's Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, so I shouldn't be surprised that I didn't love this one. The premise was good, the time-traveling was interesting,the characters were pretty likeable and the writing was good (except for the typos in my ARC. I'm sure those were corrected for the book). I guess the biggest problem that I had with the book is that these 2 teenagers know that they are the last hope for the world and yet they spend most of the tim...more I am definitely not a fan of this author's Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, so I shouldn't be surprised that I didn't love this one. The premise was good, the time-traveling was interesting, the characters were pretty likeable and the writing was good.  I guess the biggest problem that I had with the book is that these 2 teenagers know that they are the last hope for the world and yet they spend most of the time talking about whether or not they should have sex. They know the exact date that they need to save the world and they waste the 2 days before that laying on the beach or sitting on swings. Seriously? They couldn't have done anything beforehand to try and change the outcome of what was approaching? And the ending was really disappointing. I will be taking a pass on the rest of the series. Areas of concern: I don't really remember much bad language. If there was any, it was just a handful, and no major words. Teenagers constantly talking about sex. A society where children can be taken away from their families or killed for breaking rules. Suggested Ages: Booklist - Grades 7+ Publisher's Weekly - Ages 12+

Mila 2.0

Mila 2.0
by Debra Driza

From the publisher:
"Mila 2.0 is the first book in an electrifying sci-fi thriller series about a teenage girl who discovers that she is an experiment in artificial intelligence.

Mila was never meant to learn the truth about her identity. She was a girl living with her mother in a small Minnesota town. She was supposed to forget her past—that she was built in a secret computer science lab and programmed to do things real people would never do.

Now she has no choice but to run—from the dangerous operatives who want her terminated because she knows too much and from a mysterious group that wants to capture her alive and unlock her advanced technology. However, what Mila’s becoming is beyond anyone’s imagination, including her own, and it just might save her life.

Mila 2.0 is Debra Driza’s bold debut and the first book in a Bourne Identity-style trilogy that combines heart-pounding action with a riveting exploration of what it really means to be human. Fans of I Am Number Four will love Mila for who she is and what she longs to be—and a cliffhanger ending will leave them breathlessly awaiting the sequel."

This was a welcome relief after going through several duds in the YA category. I really enjoyed it and found it refreshingly unique. It was my first android book (I haven't read Cinder yet), but the main character felt more human than some of the supporting characters. It had a lot of action, a little romance, and a very interesting plot. I really liked the main character and loved how hard she tried to keep a hold on her humanity. However, I didn't feel like I made a connection with any of th...moreThis was a welcome relief after going through several duds in the YA category. I really enjoyed it and found it refreshingly unique. It was my first android book (I haven't read Cinder yet), but the main character felt more human than some of the supporting characters. It had a lot of action, a little romance, and a very interesting plot. I really liked the main character and loved how hard she tried to keep a hold on her humanity. However, I didn't feel like I made a connection with any of the secondary characters, aside from her mom. I didn't like the insta-love at the beginning, and quite frankly I have no feelings for the guy except quite a bit of distrust. The best friend went from best friend to psycho in about a minute. I was also left with a lot of questions (Sarah?! - Why didn't her mom TELL her anything?!). I'm sure those will be answered in the next book/books, but I would have liked to have a little to go on. That all being said, I really liked it and am interested to see what happens in the next one. Areas of concern: A handful of cuss words. A lot of violence towards the main character and loved one. The main character is forced to use violence, but hates that she has to and tries to control herself to do the least amount of damage when it is necessary.

Suggested ages:
Kirkus Reviews - Ages 12+
School Library Journal - Grades 7+

Paperboy

Paperboy
by Vince Vawter

From the publisher:
"An 11-year-old boy living in Memphis in 1959 throws the meanest fastball in town, but talking is a whole different ball game. He can barely say a word without stuttering, not even his own name. So when he takes over his best friend's paper route for the month of July, he knows he'll be forced to communicate with the different customers, including a housewife who drinks too much and a retired merchant marine who seems to know just about everything.

The paper route poses challenges, but it's a run-in with the neighborhood junkman, a bully and thief, that stirs up real trouble--and puts the boy's life, as well as that of his family's devoted housekeeper, in danger."

Oh Newbery, I'll never understand you. I just checked and I have to go clear back to 1997 to find a Newbery winner or honor book that I really LOVED ( Belle Prater's Boy ) . I haven't read them all, by any means, but the ones I have read have been kind of blah. This one was good, but I didn't find anything outstanding about it. It felt like it was trying to be too many things. A book about a child with a disability. A book about sports (although that was hardly mentioned - just that the main character loved baseball and had quite an arm). A book about race relations. A book about growing up in the 60's... Now if all of those things had meshed, it would have added up to a really good story, but it was like the author all of a sudden said, "Oh, I'd better put something about race relations in here now", instead of it being seamlessly woven into the story. I enjoyed parts of this book, and it was inspiring that it had a lot to do with the author's real life, but I'm not sure how much it will get checked out in our middle school library.

Areas of concern: A handful of swear words. Scary violence towards the main character and one of his loved ones. A woman who drinks excessively and has a man other than her husband come to her house, and then she gets hit by him.  A character finds out that his father isn't his biological father.

Suggested Ages:
Publisher's Weekly - Ages 10+
School Library Journal - Grades 6-9

The Loop

The Loop
by Shandy Lawson

From the publisher:
"Ben and Maggie have met, fallen in love, and died together countless times. Over the course of two pivotal days—both the best and worst of their lives—they struggle again and again to resist the pull of fate and the force of time itself. With each failure, they return to the beginning of their end, a wild road trip that brings them to the scene of their own murders and into the hands of the man destined to kill them.

As time circles back on itself, events become more deeply ingrained, more inescapable for the two kids trapped inside the loop. The closer they come to breaking out, the tighter fate’s clutches seem to grip them. They devise a desperate plan to break free and survive the days ahead, but what if Ben and Maggie’s only shot at not dying is surviving apart?"

I chose to read this book because of the synopsis in the front cover. It sounded like it could be similar to All Our Yesterdays , by Cristin Terrill, which was mind-blowingly awesome. Sadly, this one didn't even come close to the imaginative world-building and intensity of plot that was the hallmark of All Our Yesterdays . The loop was never explained fully, the characters weren't fleshed out very well,and although there was non-stop action, a lot of it was accompanied with question marks on my part. So while it wasn't terrible, it just wasn't as good as I was expecting, and I didn't really care too much about what happened to the characters. But it will probably appeal to middle school students because of the action and the brevity of the book (only 198 pages).

Areas of concern:
A handful of the *s* word and at least one of the *a* word. A couple of mild kisses. One character accidentally sees the other naked in the hospital. There is quite a bit of violence, since the whole premise of the book is that these 2 teenagers stuck in a loop where they get murdered at the end. In trying to get out of the loop, the teenagers did some illegal things like stealing a car.

Suggested Ages:
Booklist - Grades 7-10
Kirkus Reviews - Ages 12+

Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library

Escape from
Mr. Lemoncello's Library
by Chris Grabenstein

From the publisher:
"Kyle Keeley is the class clown, popular with most kids, (if not the teachers), and an ardent fan of all games: board games, word games, and particularly video games. His hero, Luigi Lemoncello, the most notorious and creative gamemaker in the world, just so happens to be the genius behind the building of the new town library.

Lucky Kyle wins a coveted spot to be one of the first 12 kids in the library for an overnight of fun, food, and lots and lots of games. But when morning comes, the doors remain locked. Kyle and the other winners must solve every clue and every secret puzzle to find the hidden escape route. And the stakes are very high.

In this cross between Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and A Night in the Museum, Agatha Award winner Chris Grabenstein uses rib-tickling humor to create the perfect tale for his quirky characters. Old fans and new readers will become enthralled with the crafty twists and turns of this ultimate library experience."

I enjoyed some things in this book, and I was annoyed by some things in this book. I loved all the literary references, but they felt kind of forced and show-y, and the target audience won't understand most of them. Although since this book is technically a love letter to librarians, maybe that is really the target audience and not middle schoolers. (Audience is not the word I'm looking for, but I can't think what it is. Target readers?) And I found it a little disturbing that a book about libra...moreI enjoyed some things in this book, and I was annoyed by some things in this book. I loved all the literary references, but they felt kind of forced and show-y, and the target audience won't understand most of them. Although since this book is technically a love letter to librarians, maybe that is really the target audience and not middle schoolers. (Audience is not the word I'm looking for, but I can't think what it is. Target readers?) And I found it a little disturbing that a book about libraries didn't really have much to do with the love of reading. The love of gaming was more apparent. There was one character who loved to read, but it was made to sound like she read because she had no friends and once she made friends she stopped having her nose in a book all the time. Those are my feelings, but I'm hoping middle schoolers who love Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will love this. It has the same kind of stereotypical mean, rich kid; the same kind of know-it-all kid; the same good, honest, loyal-to-friends kid... And maybe it will cause some readers to look into the books that are mentioned (and mentioned, and mentioned). Suggested ages: Publisher's Weekly - Ages 9-12 School Library Journal - Grades 4-7

Perfect Ruin

Perfect Ruin
by Lauren DeStefano

From the publisher:"On Internment, the floating island in the clouds where 16-year-old Morgan Stockhour lives, getting too close to the edge can lead to madness. Even though Morgan's older brother, Lex, was a Jumper, Morgan vows never to end up like him. She tries her best not to mind that her life is orderly and boring, and if she ever wonders about the ground, and why it is forbidden, she takes solace in best friend Pen and her betrothed, Basil.

Then a murder, the first in a generation, rocks the city. With whispers swirling and fear on the wind, Morgan can no longer stop herself from investigating, especially when she meets Judas. He is the boy being blamed for the murder — betrothed to the victim — but Morgan is convinced of his innocence. Secrets lay at the heart of Internment, but nothing can prepare Morgan for what she will find — or who she will lose."

This is a very unique take on the YA dystopian genre. The imagination that came up with it is pretty amazing. For the most part I liked the characters (although I never really trusted any of the side characters) and I thought the plot was interesting and at times intense. Yet for some reason it just didn't grab me. I liked it, but I didn't think it was earth-shattering. It started out pretty slowly and took me a long time to get into it, and then at the end it had some really weird twists that I had a hard time buying into. But all in all it was pretty enjoyable. I doubt I will read a sequel, although I am a little intrigued as to what will happen to the characters in the next book. Maybe I will skim a sequel :) .
I do believe teenagers will really like this book, and a lot of other adults have loved it as well, so give it a try.

Areas of concern:
I don't remember much bad language at all. There is a very sweet and tender romance that involves kissing. The children of Internment are betrothed at birth, and there is some discussion of girls starting to take a pill to prevent pregnancy at a certain age because no one can have children without permission.

Suggested Ages:
Publisher's Weekly - Ages 12+
School Library Journal - Grades 7+
*This author has written another series (The Chemical Garden trilogy) that I don't have in my library because all the reviews said ages 14+ or 9th grade and up due to mature content, but this one is really very appropriate for middle school.

Also Known As

Also Known As
by Robin Benway

From the publisher:
"Which is more dangerous: being an international spy... or surviving high school?

Maggie Silver has never minded her unusual life. Cracking safes for the world's premier spy organization and traveling the world with her insanely cool parents definitely beat high school and the accompanying cliques, bad lunches, and frustratingly simple locker combinations. (If it's three digits, why bother locking it at all?)

But when Maggie and her parents are sent to New York City for her first solo assignment, her world is transformed. Suddenly, she's attending a private school with hundreds of "mean girl" wannabes, trying to avoid the temptation to hack the school's elementary security system, and working to befriend the aggravatingly cute son of a potential national security threat... all while trying not to blow her cover.

From the hilarious and poignant author of Audrey, Wait! comes a fast-paced caper that proves that even the world's greatest spies don't have a mission plan for love."

What a fun book this was! I haven't read the Gallagher Girls series, but I'm guessing that they are similar. Also Known As is laugh-out-loud funny, the dialogue is fast and witty, the plot is really exciting (there is a chase scene which is heart-pounding), the supporting characters are awesome, it is set in Manhattan, and the romance is adorable. I loved that the main character had great parents who were very much a part of the story and who expected certain behavior out of their daughter. The...moreWhat a fun book this was! I haven't read the Gallagher Girls series, but I'm guessing that they are similar. Also Known As is laugh-out-loud funny, the dialogue is fast and witty, the plot is really exciting (there is a chase scene which is heart-pounding), the supporting characters are awesome, it is set in Manhattan, and the romance is adorable. I loved that the main character had great parents who were very much a part of the story and who expected certain behavior out of their daughter. The main character is snarky and oh so funny, but she loves and respects her parents and tries very hard to live up to their expectations. The best friend has all the classic bad-girl habits, but she improves. I would whole-heartedly recommend this book is it wasn't for the concerns below. Areas of concern: There is a lot of cussing with many uses of the *s* word and the *a*-*h* words. The *f* word is started but never finished. The best friend character has a "swear jar" deal with her doorman and has to pay 5 dollars for every swear word. He is making a killing off of her. The best friend has totally absent parents and there is talk of her having slept with her old best friend's boyfriend. She takes her mom's prescription pills, she gets completely drunk at a party, and seems to have a history of pills and alcohol. The teenagers skip school at the drop of a pin. There is kissing, not anything too graphic. This all sounds really bad, but I will say that the main character doesn't drink, refuses pills, and respects her parent's authority (while being snarky about it).   You are left with the feeling that the best friend's behavior will change drastically as she becomes more involved in Maggie's family.

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