You Killed Wesley Payne- August 22nd

Grade: B

"Clique. Click. Bang." This totally hip take on mystery noir will have you charting out your own school cliques and wondering just where you would fit in at Salt River High. It's no surprise that Sean Beaudoin's latest book, You Killed Wesley Payne, has been nominated for the ALA Teen's Top Ten of 2011. It's a slick, fast paced "who-done-it" that will keep you on your toes until the final page.

Dalton Rev, a teenage private detective, begins his year at Salt River High determined to find out who killed Wesley Payne. With a turf war brewing between the Balls (football team) and the Pinker Caskets (thrash rockers), Rev must root out the culprit, find a missing wad of cash, and not loose his street cred with the alluring Macy Payne. Will Rev find the murderer before he is taken out by the Fack Cult T? Will Macy become his Girl Friday? Rev will have to play it cool- real cool- to get to the bottom of it.

Looking for more noir- go to the source baby: The Big Sleep- Raymond Chandler, Double Indemnity- James N. Cain, The Maltese Falcon- Dashiell Hammett

Anna And The French Kiss- August 15th

Grade: B+

Oh l'amour... it's new, exciting, and sometimes horribly frustrating! We are, of course, talking about the budding romance between Anna and Etienne- not how we feel about Anna and the French Kiss. As far as chick-lit goes, we think this is one of the more interesting ones and even if you aren't really into the romance, the descriptions of Paris are worth the read.

Anna is looking forward to starting her senior year in Atlanta, especially since she seems to be on the verge of capturing her high-school crush. But when her father decides that she will be attending a boarding school in Paris instead, Anna is far from thrilled. Although she struggles to master the language, Anna adjusts quickly to life in Paris and becomes friends with a popular group of students where she meets Etienne St. Clair. Of course, St. Clair already has a girlfriend, but rampant flirting soon begins. Will Anna and Etienne share a kiss or will the dreaded "I like you as a friend" rear it's ugly head?

The usual high school drama ensues as relationships are established, broken, fixed, or destroyed but the real gem in this version is the character of Anna. She's smart and sassy with just enough innocence about being in love to make this book stand out a bit from the rest. It also helps when you have an author with a gift for transporting the reader to a location with the perfect amount of description.

We enjoyed this first novel by Stephanie Perkins and we'll probably pick up her next one: Lola and The Boy Next Door (Sept. 29).  Interested in more chick-lit? Try: Suite Scarlett- Maureen Johnson, How Not To Be Popular- Jennifer Ziegler, Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty- Jody Gehrman, Into The Wild Nerd Yonder- Julie Halpern

Five Flavors Of Dumb- August 8th

Grade: A

Pitch perfect (yep, we went there)! We just can't say enough good things about this 2011 Schneider Family Teen Book Award Winner. It's an original story with realistic characters and relationships. There's nothing gimmicky or pandering here and we know our teen readers will enjoy the book just as much as we have.

High school senior Piper, began losing her hearing when she was six-years-old. Now, almost completely deaf, she has been working hard to keep up her grades in order to attend her dream college. But when her parents dip into her college fund to finance cochlear implants for her baby sister, Piper is left with resentment and an empty bank account. Her opportunity to replenish the funds comes in the form of the local school rock band- Dumb. After attending an impromptu performance, she offers some sound marketing advice and the band makes her an offer she can't refuse: get them a paying gig and she can become their paid manager. Piper doesn't see this as much of a challenge (she never sees her deafness as a disability- which we love) and quickly gets to work despite the lack-luster support of her family. Of course, once she realizes that Dumb is full of super-egos, faux musicians AND suffering from an identity crisis- Piper will have to dig deep into some unexpected resources just to keep them from breaking up.

Five Flavors of Dumb is a superb behind-the-music journey that will leave readers completely satisfied. We love everything about this one (including the adults in the story) and hope that if you can only get through a couple on our list, that this is one of them. Want more rock-n-roll angst? Try: Lemonade Mouth- Mark Peter Hughes, Guitar Girl- Sarra Manning, Dogbreath Victorious- Chad Henry, Songs for a Teenage Nomad- Kim Culbertson

Texas Gothic- August 1st

Grade: A-

Rosemary Clement-Moore has been a favorite of ours for several years now and her latest book is yet another must-read. We have to admit that anyone who can successfully combine ghosts, archaeology, and awkward flirting in a Nancy Drew type mystery is a freaking genius!

Reluctant to join her family in their paranormal talents, Amy Goodnight tries to have a magic-free summer watching over her aunt's Texas herb farm. Unfortunately, when a body is discovered next-door, it unleashes the curse of the Spanish monk and Amy must determine what exactly the ghost wants. Is the mystery truly from the world of the beyond or are there more sinister plans involving lost gold and land feuds? And to make matters worse, Amy can't seem to avoid Ben McCulloch, her hot cowboy neighbor who continues to find her in the most embarrassing situations (ie. their first meeting involves her chasing after escaped goats while wearing nothing else but her underwear).

There's a lot to love about this book and it's possible that it could turn into a series. We didn't give it a full 'A' simply because there were a couple of slow moving sections and the witch aspect was a bit weak... and maybe we are just being too picky. The archaeology- all good. The mystery and ghosts- all good too. The romance- absolutely hilarious. Once you finish with Texas Gothic, we suggest you try out her Maggie Quinn: Girl vs. Evil series and then, The Splendor Falls.

Crossing The Tracks- July 25th

Grade: A

A 2011 William C. Morris Finalist (recognizing outstanding, first-time authors writing for teens), Crossing The Tracks tells the coming-of-age story of Iris who is hired out as a companion to a country doctor's elderly mother. Set in 1920's rural Missouri, 15-year old Iris is still recovering from the death of her mother while trying to understand why her father cannot "be concerned with the details of me." Resentful at being sent away from her home, Iris is soon welcomed into the Nesbitt household where compassion and sensitivity guide each day. Here she begins to come out of her shell both to the benefit of herself and her new foster family.

Barbara Stuber has crafted a story full of love, loss, and friendship. Each character brings a wealth of emotion and personality to the page- we think you will enjoy them all. Beautifully written and just enough unanswered questions at the end to keep you wondering about each character. We couldn't possibly think of giving it anything except an 'A.'

It's a short one, so if you want to continue pulling on your heart strings you might want to try: Cannery Row- John Steinbeck, The Watsons Go To Birmigham 1963- Christopher Paul Curtis, The Schwa Was Here- Neal Shusterman

The Iron Thorn- July 18th

Grade: B+

Welcome to the world of Steampunk- well, at least one version of it. We love this genre and think that it will become quite popular over the next two years. The Iron Thorn by Caitlin Kittredge is the first in the Iron Codex Series and most readers have found the uber-cool mix of a Victorian flavored America, featuring clockwork machinery, biologically enhanced monsters, and an oppressive ruling class known as the Proctors, to be a perfect blend of adventure and romance.

Aoife Grayson is terrified that she will fall victim to the madness that has claimed her mother and brother. Determined to escape her fate, she leaves her boarding school and sets off to find her father's estate in the hopes of discovering a way to ward off her demise. Her friend Cal, accompanies her and they soon meet Dean, who offers to guide them to the estate. As the mystery of the world unfolds, readers are drawn into the vivid descriptions of the landscape with it's dangers around every corner. The Lovecraft-ian world that Kittredge has created is definitely intriguing despite being a bit slow at times. Be warned, the ending is quite abrupt and considering the size of this first book, we aren't sure that the characters accomplished much. We really like Aoife and her developing relationship with Dean. And we love the clockwork engines, monsters, and set-up of the environment, it's the "fairy" addition we aren't too sure about.

Want more Steampunk while you're waiting for the next Iron Codex installment? We have several suggestions: Leviathan- Scott Westerfeld, The Bone Shaker- Cherie Priest, The Hunchback Assignments- Arthur Slade, The Girl In The Steel Corset- Kady Cross, Clockwork Angel- Cassandra Clare.

Cryer's Cross- July 11th

Grade: C-

A new series from YA author Lisa McMann, Cryer's Cross looked to be a promising horror/ghost story. And based on the popularity of her Wake trilogy, we had high hopes. We love a good scary novel and this one... well, there are some problems.

Cryer's Cross Montana is a small farming community where everyone knows each other. In fact, all of the teens attend a one-room high school. So when students go missing, it's very noticeable. Kendall, a senior who struggles daily to calm her OCD, begins to track small similarities between each disappearance. But when her boyfriend, Nico, becomes the next victim, Kendall looses focus and is soon questioning her own sanity. Messages mysteriously appear carved into her school desk, pleading whispers beg for help, and beckoning phantoms surround Kendall as she is drawn deeper into the secretive past of the town's history. Sounds great so far, doesn't it?

Kendall is a well developed character, the setting is appropriately creepy and mysterious, and the plot is engaging...and then the author dumped an illogical, sloppy explanation upon us. It actually felt like she had gotten tired of writing and decide to wrap it up and not well- at least this part of the story. Now perhaps our expectations were too high, but there are some really good horror stories out there with the same number of pages and great characters. Even more troubling, we can't decide if we want to read the next one or not. We like Kendall, but we don't want to get slapped with such a lazy ending. We're kinda frustrated with this one. You'll have to let us know how you feel about it.

Since this one was such a shorty, we had time to read a couple of others which we highly recommend: Graveminder- Melissa Marr and Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children- Ransom Riggs.

The Reapers Are The Angels- July 4th

Grade: A-

This winner of a 2011 Alex Award (given to 10 outstanding books written for adults that have special appeal for young adults, ages 12 - 18) ranks high on our list of favorite zombie novels. With a heroine that could give Katniss Everdeen a run for her money in the self-loathing department, The Reapers Are the Angels, is anything but just another walking dead wanna-be. In fact, the zombies or "meatskins"as they are called in the book, are not the highlight of the story. Keep in mind, this is an adult novel with mature themes so not all of our readers may be ready for this one.

Its been 25 years since the apocalyptic event that left behind a world populated by zombies. 15 year-old Temple has never known a life without the "meatskins." Haunted by mistakes in her past and pursued by a man vowing revenge, she maintains her one rule: kill or be killed. But as her story progresses, you realize that it is not the dead or the living that Temple really fears- it is herself and what she believes she has become.

Ultimately, Alden Bell (a.k.a. Joshua Gaylord) has crafted a story that looks at relationships between people set in what appears to be a world without hope.We expect to see more of this post-apocalyptic theme in the next few months and hope that they will be as well written and engaging as this one. Until then, we can suggest a few other titles: The Road- Cormac McCarthy, Blood Red Road- Moira Young, The Forest of Hands and Teeth- Carrie Ryan, Life As We Knew It- Susan Beth Pfeffer.

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares- June 27th

Grade: B+

We love this scavenger hunt approach to a contemporary teen romance. It starts in a bookstore and roams throughout New York City during the holidays. Told in alternating voices- Dash's and Lily's, we follow these two teens, wondering if they will ever actually meet. Full of wit and humor, romance readers will be instantly drawn into the search.

We had a difficult time grading this one and it's the ending that made us drop from an A- to a B+. We just weren't quite sold on the wrap-up. We don't want to say much more than that, read it and decide for yourself. Keep in mind that the dialogue is mature as are many of the situations, but we also know that teens appreciate real-life situations and candor from their authors.

Looking for more from these two authors (Rachel Cohn & David Levithan)? We've got several on our shelves: "Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist," "Very LeFreak," "The Realm of Possibility," and "How They Met, And Other Stories."

Jane Eyre- June 20th

Grade: A

It's one of the great Classics!- Okay, for some of you, that is not a good recommendation. It's true that Classics tend to fall into one of two categories: the action packed or the observational narrative- but that can also be said of a lot of contemporary novels too. And don't cross this one off your list just because it's one of "those English class books." We love Jane's spunky attitude, bookish imagination, and her relentless pursuit of equality- we think you will too. 

Orphaned as a child, Jane is deposited with a cruel aunt who later sends her to a boarding school. While there, she witnesses the best and worst that the Victorian world has to offer women. Determined to live a life of integrity and self worth, she sets out to find employment as a governess. She is soon hired by Mr. Rochester and moves to Thornfield where she discovers that not all may be as it seems. Will Jane and Mr. Rochester have a happy ending? You won't know until the final page.

Still not convinced that the Classics are for you? Jane Eyre not exciting enough? Don't completely give up on them- Dracula and Frankenstein fall into this category too. If, however, Jane Eyre has merely whet your appetite for more of the Classics, here are a few of our favorites: Oliver Twist- Charles Dickins, The House of the Seven Gables- Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Last of the Mohicans- James Fenimore Cooper, Madame Bovary- Gustave Flaubert, Pride & Prejudice- Jane Austen, The Virginian- Owen Wister.

Wolves, Boys, & Other Things That Might Kill Me- June 13th

Grade: A

We love this book! Chandler has crafted a YA novel that achieves the perfect balance between humor, blooming relationships, and a highly charged conservational debate. Weird combo, we know and we just can't figure out how she managed to make it all work together so well. It's no surprise that this book has been chosen for the 2012 English Quest competition as well as a host of YA literature awards.

The story follows 16 year old KJ Carson who lives with her father just outside of Yellowstone Park. A bit of a loner, KJ signs up as a reporter for her school newspaper. While on staff she be-friends the new guy, Virgil Whitman, and they team up to write a column called "Wolf Notes." The reports describe the activities of local wolf packs living in the park and it doesn't take long for tempers to re-ignite the debate of whether or not the wolves should have been re-introduced. The town finds itself divided yet again between the conservationists and the ranchers and when things turn really ugly, KJ finds herself at the center of the conflict.

With many unfortunate similarities to actual outcomes of public debates, it is our hope that this thought-provoking read will inspire much discussion on what civil discourse really looks like and how it can be properly used.  We'd love to hear your opinions on this one.

Steel- June 6th

Grade: C

Author Carrie Vaughn made our summer reading list last year with her first novel: Voices of Dragons. We found it to be imaginative, well-written, and we were hoping for a sequel. 

This second YA novel by Carrie Vaughn takes us on a high-seas adventure as Jill, a competitive high school fencer, finds herself magically transported to an early-18th century pirate ship. With such a great story line and awesome cover, you'd think that this would be a slam-dunk in the "best book to read department." Sadly, we found it quite difficult to make it through the entire adventure. Everything just seemed to fall flat and the extensive research (the highlights are included at the end of the story) seems to have only inspired several story lines that were never clearly linked together or followed through. Taken in parts: the fencing competitions, the time travel mystery, the pirates, the curse- you've got some great starters, but it wasn't crafted together well enough, in our opinion, to even want a sequel. Maybe we're wrong on this one; you'll have to let us know.

Now, for all of you serious pirate fans, we would hate to leave you without anything good to read. So, if you're looking for a truly salty adventure try: Bloody Jack- L.A. Meyer, Pirate Latitudes- Michael Crichton, Pirates- Celia Reese, or The Dust of 100 Dogs- A.S. King.

Across The Universe- May 30th

Grade: A

We liked this one so much, we gave it the Titan Library Best Book 2011 rank- and we mean it!  The first chapter alone is worth your time even if you think you're not a Sci-Fi fan.

The Earth is dying and a new planet that will sustain human life has been discovered. Amy, along with her parents, have been selected to be cryogenically frozen for the 300 year trip to their new home. However, she is awakened 50 years too early and discovers that someone is systematically murdering the other sleeping passengers. Furthermore, life on board the Godspeed is not going according to the original plan due to the tyrannical leadership of Elder. Amy must grapple with this life altering event, figure out who to trust, and stay alive long enough to find the killer before her parents become the next victims. But don't think this is just a "who-done-it" set in space.

Beth Revis has crafted more than a typical murder mystery here. In fact, most of the discussion we've had has been about the rebellion that is inspired by Amy and Eldest (the second in line to take over after Elder), their developing relationship, and the inexplicable actions of those who follow blindly. There's soooo much here for some heavy discussion. And we're not 100% sure, but we are REALLY hoping that there will be a sequel.

Dig into this one and enjoy!

Matched- May 23rd

Grade: A

We have loved reading all of the dystopian fiction that has tried to fill the gap left behind by The Hunger Games. Some of it's been quite good and Matched, by Ally Condie, although not as action packed as The Hunger Games, has us eagerly awaiting it's sequel (Crossed, Nov. 2011).

Matched tells the story of Cassia and the predetermined world she lives in which is created and controlled by the Society. They make all of the decisions for everyone, including who you will marry. Cassia always had complete trust in the Society and looked forward to being paired with her ideal mate. However, it isn't until after her match has been announced, that a "glitch" in the system shows her the face of another, leaving her to question whether or not it is this new person that she should ultimately be with. As her faith in the Society begins to crumble, she realizes that she must choose not only who to be with, but also who to become.

Dystopian fiction fans will see parallels between Matched and other novels like 1984, The Giver, and Brave New World. We're hoping that the rest of the trilogy will hold some surprises for us and maybe even (dare we say it?) some unresolved conflict. Matched really has an opportunity to distinguish itself and not merely become another teen romance in a totalitarian world.

We have faith in you Ally!

The Beyonders: A World Without Heroes- May 16th

Grade: A-

We thought we would start out with an adventure, and this was a great choice! A funny, exciting, action-packed epic that we must warn you, does not end on the final page.

Two teens, Jason and Rachel, are drawn into the troubled world of Lyrian. They are then drafted as possible heroes who can piece together the Word. If pronounced correctly, in the presence of emperor Maldor, the magic will destroy him and end his reign of terror. Their challenge is not just to survive gathering each syllable, but to also stay one step ahead of the emperor who knows a rebellion exists. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that the Word will even work.

We love the overall plot (we can never turn down epic fantasy quests), but we wish we had been able to get to know the characters a bit more. Several of the challenges, although brilliantly constructed, were too easily overcome with very little reflection upon the part of the victor. It may seem like an odd thing to ask for more, especially when you consider that the book comes in around 464 pages, but we're Harry Potter fans, we can take it.

Regardless, we're on board for the rest of the adventure and we hope you'll join us.