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Best of 2015 Teen Titles

The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich-
includes several different forms of media to tell the story. It’s pretty dark and psychological.

Marina by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
-come on, the man is a genius. Absolutely loved this story, dark, Gothic and scary

Fig by Sarah Elizabeth Schantz
-the story of a young girl doing everything in her power to bring her mother back from her psychotic break.

Mindwalker by AJ Steiger-
 I loved the concept of being able to go inside memories and delete or change them.

The Secrets of Lake Road by Karen Katchur –
Small town, drowning of a child in the lake and it brings up a whole lot of town secrets from the past.

What I am looking forward to in 2016 Teen

Harmony House by Nic Sheff

“Harmony House is more than just a creepy old estate. It’s got a chilling past—and the more Jen discovers its secrets, the more the house awakens.”

Laila’s Flight by Laura Williams McCaffrey

“Sixteen-year-old Lyla lives in a bleak, controlling society where only the brightest and most favored students succeed. When she is caught buying cheats in an underground shadow market, she is tattooed-marked-as a criminal.”
The Keeper of the Mist by Rachel Neumeier

For fans of Shadow and Bone “Now the father she barely knew—the Lord of Nimmira—has died, and ancient magic has decreed that she will take his place as the new Lady.”

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare
“It’s been five years since the events of the Mortal Instruments…Emma has dedicated her life to to discovering exactly what it was that killed her parents and getting her revenge.”

Night Study by Maria V Snyder

Because she is on my Auto-buy list. I love her books

Favorites of 2016 -Adult

The House of Shattered Wings by Aliette de Bodard

There is never a dull moment in the story, and the world building was amazingly detailed and hauntingly post-apocalyptic.

Blue Labyrinth by Douglas Preston

For me, this was one of those books that truly deserves the line “I couldn’t put it down.” I haven’t found myself so immersed into a story since The Da Vinci Code. This is a very well written suspense thriller that I enjoyed immensely and can see why these authors are so popular. Deservedly so.

Mythmaker by Marianne de Pierres

I highly enjoyed Mythmaker, it kept me hooked and constantly surprised with the twists. In Peacemaker I was introduced to Virgin Jackson, now in Mythmaker I never wanted to let her go. What a fun ride.

Lie in Wait by Eric Rickstad

The author weaves several storylines together, what’s described as a “quiet” Vermont town is currently in uproar over a court case that is ongoing. Politics, ethics, equal rights, community and strong religious views all take part in the plot to find the killer.

Three Days in April by Edward Ashton
A techno-thriller set in the near future with a focus on mixing of cyborgs, natural humans and those that had alterations done

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Solu’s luxurious celebrity-filled “Cruise to Lose” is billed as “the biggest cruise since the Titanic,” and if the new diet sweetener works as promised—dropping five percent of a person’s body weight in just days—it really could be the answer to the world’s obesity problem. But Laurel is starting to regret accepting her friend Viv’s invitation. She’s already completely embarrassed herself in front of celebrity host, Tom Forelli (otherwise known as the hottest guy ever!) and she’s too seasick to even try the sweetener. And that’s before Viv and all the other passengers start acting really strange.

*But will they die for it, too?*

Tom Forelli knows that he should be grateful for this job and the opportunity to shed his childhood “Baby Tom-Tom” image. His publicists have even set up a ‘romance’ with a sexy reality star. But as things on the ship start to get a bit wild, he finds himself drawn to a different girl. And when his celebrity hosting gig turns into an expose on the shocking side effects of Solu, it’s Laurel that he’s determined to save.

Emmy Laybourne, author of the Monument 14 trilogy, takes readers on a dream vacation that goes first comically, then tragically, then horrifyingly, wrong.

 

I found myself laughing through most of this story. It was very silly and shows a comedic side to Emmy Laybourne, which I really enjoyed. Even in times when it took a more serious turn, I couldn’t help but giggle.

Laurel is the hermit type who likes quiet and peace, so taking a super-hyped cruise for the rich, and  being the lucky-to-be-first to try an amazing weight loss product, soon becomes a nightmare at sea for her. Tom is a reality star who is getting to that stage in his career where he wants to drop his agent and make his own decisions. He takes the job as host on the voyage to help boost his career and maybe his love life. When he keeps seeing Laurel around the ship, he finds he is drawn to her; there is something different about her and he’s intrigued.

When the Solu products are given to the passengers, the results are immediate and overwhelmingly satisfying. The real vacation and parties begin and everybody is in high spirits, even Laurel who is shyly becoming attracted to the celebrity host, Tom. As the days go on, Solu’s results are impressive and those taking the sweetener are ecstatic with the outcomes. The more time they stay on the diet, the weirder things become. Soon Laurel’s and Viv’s friendship is taking a turn for the worse, and Tom is regretting accepting the job. People begin acting curiously as the outrageous mood swings begin.

I found Sweet to be entertaining and a bit surprising. It makes for a fantastic summertime read, and I recommend it to those who enjoy quirky comedies. Great for teens of all ages and very different from Emmy’s Monument 14 series.

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ON INTERNMENT you can be anything you dream – a novelist or a singer, a florist or a factory worker… Your life is yours to embrace or to squander. There’s only one rule: you don’t approach THE EDGE. If you do, it’s already over.

Perfect Ruin is the first book in Lauren DeStefano’s riveting new series, the Internment Chronicles.

Paperback, 356 pages

Published March 10th 2015 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Internment is a city in the clouds ruled by a monarchy. The population is restricted; all citizens’ life records are closely watched and medication is strictly controlled. Morgan’s brother is one who went too close to the edge, and now her whole family is on the watch list. When a girl is found murdered, their small protective community begins to feel claustrophobic and secrets long held unfold everything Morgan thought she knew.

One day, a body is found on the train tracks, murdered. Such crimes do not exist on Interment, and it causes a panic among the people. They are confused and terrified. The deceased’s partner is on the run, accused of the act. Morgan is curious about the accused and soon finds out there is a underground group of citizens who see the darker side of Internment and want to escape. Morgan’s curiosity in the murder and why it happened, along with her family’s history, brings unwanted attention from the leaders. It soon becomes a game of cat and mouse when secrets are finally revealed to Morgan.

The writing is pretty fast-paced and the world building is creative and imaginative.  I really enjoy reading books by Lauren DeStefano. I find her stories fun reads, and a bit dark with very memorable and strong characters. If you are a fan of her Chemical Garden series as I am, you’ll enjoy this new series as well. Science fiction, romance, and mystery all in one.

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When Apple’s mother returns after eleven years away, Apple feels whole again. But just like the stormy Christmas Eve when she left, her mother’s homecoming is bittersweet. It’s only when Apple meets someone more lost than she is that she begins to see things as they really are.

A story about sad endings.
A story about happy beginnings.
A story to make you realise who is special.

Hardcover, 330 pages

Published 2015 by Bloomsbury Publishing (first published August 14th 2014)

Apple has always felt that her grandmother is strict and difficult to live with. So when her free-wheeling, relaxed mother shows up out of the blue and offers Apple to come live with her, Apple is quick to accept. But Apple’s mother has a surprise of her own, and what Apple thought would be a bonding experience with her mother becomes something much more. She encounters a woman who was never ready to be a mother, a brand new love, and she has to grow up fast.

Apple learns what is important to her through the mistakes that she makes and the new friendships she finds. Apple and Rain is a coming to age story, mixed with discovering the harsh realizations of life. It’s a heart-warming story of family and friendship, and of finding both in unexpected people and surprising ways.

The story is great for younger teens and reminded me a bit of Judy Blume’s work. What I enjoyed most about the story was Apple’s developing compassion for others and how she begins to see the bigger picture. I recommend this book to young girls who enjoy reading about social and family situations. I liked this story, and the endearing way the family finds to re-connect in hard times.

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Krista:

Cover

I love this cover, very eye catching and pretty.

Characters

There are a handful of characters as Nina ends up joining a group of outcasts. But the story really focuses on her and her intentions to save her sister.

Favourite

I liked Nina the best; totally understood her actions and thoughts with what was going on around her. Her priorities and intentions were always in the right place.

Least Favourite

Nina and Mellie’s mother. She could have played a bigger role in their lives, even under the circumstances.

Beginning

Nina is debating her future role in society and how to protect and take care of her sister when some unexpected news causes everything to change.

Storyline

Mellie has committed a sin that endangers her whole family who are barely getting by already. If her secret gets out, the church will bring unwanted attention to their family, and they will have to pay, ruining the future for all of them. In trying to protect her sister, Nina escapes and joins a fugitive group, which is also being hunted by the church.

Ending

Perfect.

Thoughts

Rachel Vincent has yet to disappoint me with her writing. It’s very well crafted, great pacing and never a dull moment. I love stories that include a secluded community on the cusp of discovering life is not what it seems. This book pulled off the story well, and I ended up being somewhat surprised at the somewhat twist towards the end. It all made sense when revealed, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Quote

“I feel like my life is a book, and someone turned the page before I was ready, and now I can’t follow the story.”

 

Belinda:

Cover

A red and pink butterfly shiny embossed along with the title against a buttery mat black backdrop. The wings of the butterfly look like they’re ink bleeding out onto the page. It’s quite dramatic and eye catching.

Characters

There is an over abundance of evil characters.

Favourite

Hmm, Annabelle. Coz… all the reasons.

Least Favourite

Mellie. UGH! Stupid, stupid, stupid girl.

Beginning

Life it tough and Mellie’s mistake makes life impossible.

Storyline

Nina does her damndest to keep her crap together. She runs into a group of outcasts with the same abilities as she has and they begin to work together to keep Mellie safe.

Ending

You wouldn’t believe it if I told you.

Thoughts

I didn’t mind that I guessed the major plot points early on in the book because watching how Rachel Vincent crafted the storyline was entertaining. I wanted to slap the daylights out of Mellie, but that may just be watching some of my own stupidity played out in the book, making me overly sensitive.

The possibilities for further books to be great, mean that I’m interested to see where Rachel will take Nina, Finn and the others.

Quote

“Exorcists aren’t born every day, but I think it’s reasonable to assume the Church had a few at one point.” ~ Finn talking to Nina

 

 

Joelene:

Cover

A dark cover with a luminous butterfly centre page and the title in sharp capitals. The cover is lovely but nothing about it connects to the story within – not even the title.

Characters

A soulless horde of demons, a holy order that is just as merciless, and trapped in the middle are Nina, her sister, and several new friends who might just be her key to unlocking the secrets to her world.

Favourite

Devi. She stands out. Though she’s not in the book all that much, she steals most of the scenes she’s in.

Least Favourite

Despite quite a bit of time being devoted to her, I never got a clear idea of who Melanie was. We’re told a lot about her personality, but what we’re told doesn’t mesh with the choices she makes. She feels more like a vehicle than a person.

Beginning

In a world ruled by the Church and preyed on by voracious demons, Nina is doing her best to keep herself and her sister fed. It may mean selling her immortal soul to the Church – if the demons stalking her don’t get it first.

Storyline

Nina has always thought that she knew how her world worked. When a demon attacks her and she meets a boy who can do things that only church officials should be able to; everything she thinks she knows begins to unravel.

Ending

The world Nina thought she knew is as tangible as ash. Along with her friends, she’s going to have to figure out how to survive a new – and much more deadly – reality.

Thoughts

This is an amazing premise. I think Vincent says that she’d been thinking about it and talking it through for a few years before sitting down to write. That makes sense; there’s quite a bit to this world. On the other side, there are a bunch of things that I didn’t get. I’m guessing that demons come from a pretty bleak realm if they’re so impatient to get themselves a human shell. But what’s the point of possessing a human when there are so many restrictions? No sex, no excess (food, alcohol, drugs) of any kind, frequent mandatory church sessions. Having the coveted human shell seems more like a chore. Also, the love was pretty insta. I liked Finn, and Nina had her moments. I think they could have worked well together if built up more gradually.

Quote

“The plan is to send the bastards back to hell, then dance on their corpses.”

“She’s kidding about the dance.” Reece’s gaze was focused on the end of the alley, his eyes narrowed in concentration as he listened.

Finn stepped up to my side. “No, she’s not.”

 

Discussion Topics:

The title The Stars Never Rise comes from the poem ‘Annabel Lee’ by Edgar Allan Poe. Do you see connections between the title and poem, or is the allusion tenuous?

For fun-if you found out one day that you are going to develop a gift that would help save others lives…would you train to develop it or be too shy to reveal yourself?

 

http://rachelvincent.com/

Paperback, 368 pages

Published June 18th 2015 by MIRA Ink (first published June 9th 2015)

ISBN 1848453833 (ISBN13: 9781848453838)

Joelene:

 

 

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