Book Review: Symptoms of Being Human by Jeff Garvin

Title: Symptoms of Being Human

Author: Jeff Garvin

Publication Date: February 2016

Pages: 335

Read the full synopsis on Goodreads!

Riley Cavanaugh is the child of a congressman running for reelection, so the pressure has always been on to be a model teen. The problem is, Riley isn’t exactly what the conservative South Orange county would call “model.” Riley is sarcastic, rebellious, and gender fluid, meaning some days, Riley feels like a boy. Others, Riley feels like a girl. No one else knows except Riley’s therapist, who encourages Riley to start a blog to work through the feelings and potentially overcome some of the more harmful ones. Riley finds the blogging therapeutic—that is, until the blog goes viral, and someone from school threatens to out Riley to the world, as well as threatening Riley’s life. Riley must make a choice—abandon the blog that has come to mean so much to a lot of people, including Riley, or stand up and face the world head on.

I could not put this book down. It’s so well-written, and Riley’s voice feels so incredibly authentic. I felt for Riley, and the roller coaster Riley goes on is so captivating. Though the bulk of the story focuses on the struggles Riley is facing, be it bullying at school, the worry that Riley’s words carry too much weight with some of the blog’s followers, or the feelings Riley is developing for Bec, another outcast at school, Riley is so very fully-formed as a person.

The same is true of all the characters in the book, actually. I love Bec, the mysterious and misunderstood (and delightfully funny) loner that Riley comes to have feelings for. Bec encourages, sometimes even indirectly, Riley to propel forward into this unknown territory of openness, but she’s not JUST there for Riley. Bec is her own person, too, and you see that in the writing. I LOVE Solo, Riley’s first friend at the school, who is a huge Samoan football player that is obsessed with Star Wars, and is generally just the greatest dude ever. I want him to give me a piggy back ride.

PLEASE read this book. It’s so engrossing and beautiful and wonderful and I love everyone. Even the bullies at school have their own crap going on, but the narrative doesn’t excuse their behavior, just explains where it might have stemmed from, and I love that. I also like Riley’s parents and therapist. There are also bits sprinkled here and there about how everyone is so obsessed about knowing what parts (“Girl or boy? Yes.”) Riley has, and the book makes a point to never actually tell you, because that’s the point. It doesn’t matter. The outside doesn’t matter at all, it’s how Riley feels on any given day that matters. That's why I haven't used any pronouns in this whole review. I don't know which to use, and the book never says. 

Ugh, everything about this book is SO GREAT.

Read it and let me know if you agree. 

--Kayla

Want to check out Symptoms of Being Human? Find it on the CMRLS catalog and put it on hold!

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Our Teens Review Books: Awake by Natasha Preston

Author:  Natasha Preston

Genre: Young adult, mystery, romance

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Publication Date: August 4, 2015

314 pages, paperback

Check out the full synopsis on Goodreads.

            Awake starts with a girl named Scarlett Garner who doesn’t remember anything before the age of four.  She was always told about some mysterious house fire that resulted in her memory loss. But then, she begins having dreams that she believes are memories.

            Her parents have a secret. When Scarlett begins asking questions they don’t know what to do about it.  She stays mad at them for not answering her so she turns to the only person she can trust, Noah, her new boyfriend. Noah has a secret too. He has a secret life where he belongs to a cult on an island that doesn’t have technology or fast food.

Noah is on a mission for Eternal Life; which is to bring Scarlett home but when his feelings begin to get in the way of his mission he is conflicted with the most important decision of his life: Scarlett the girl he just met or everything he’s ever known.

            This book has many secrets and surprises that you will never see coming.

This book was okay. I would not recommend it though. I did not like the format of the book some of it did not flow right and I just believe she could have written a much better book especially after writing The Cellar.

3 stars

-       --  Gracie

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Unfortunately, we do not have this book in our system, but if it sounds like something you’d be interested in, please do let us know and we can order it for you!

-        Stefani

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Our Teens Review Books: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Published: May 5, 2015

416 pages, hardcover

Read the full synopsis on Goodreads!

Want to check out A Court of Thorns and Roses? Find it on the CMRLS catalog and put it on hold!

A magical story of the classic Beauty and the Beast, retold by the beloved Sarah J. Maas. With her unique spin on other majestic stories, I'm interested in what Sarah's main character, Feyre, has to offer to the novel. 

The beginning of the chapter introduces us to Feyre's world and daily life. She's an excellent hunter who kills for the survival of her family, and prefers to keep to herself a majority of the time. Witty, analytical and crafty, Feyre can bargain any product for a few measly coins. Swallowed in poverty, Feyre must carry the burden of taking take of her eldest sisters and crippled father, promised by her mother. In the midst of the winter hunting becomes increasingly difficult, but that won't stop Feyre from trying. A casual cold night of hunting, Feyre spots a healthy deer and prepares for an attack, until she witnesses a wolf lurking within the distance.

A possible faerie.

Faeries, particularly High Fae, are powerful beings that once ruled humanity with an iron fist. They viewed humans as pitiful insects and treated many in inhumane ways. For centuries humans have been captive to the faeries' powerful grip, but eventually humans rebelled against the faeries and war was declared. A war so deadly it wiped out thousands in masses, six high ruling queens created a peace treaty between humans and faeries.

Taking her chance, Feyre manages to kill the wolf, and that's when everything changed...

At the beginning of the chapter I was interested in Feyre, her sisters and the world surrounding their lives. It's told in a common way: average humans living in poverty conditions and everyone just lives. Nothing special, and then Feyre's whole life is changed when she killed a wolf lurking from the wall of Prythian, High Fae territory. The High Fae Lord, Tamlin, came to avenge his dead subject, and basically demands Feyre to live with him or else face death. Of course, Feyre leaves with Tamlin but in hopes to escape the castle to return to her family again. Personally, I enjoyed the story without the romantic elements. Not saying I have major issues with romance, but I felt after Feyre left her family with Tamlin to Prythian, it became more about romance than anything else. Honestly, I wanted to know more about Prythian, the High Fae and the brewing terror that lurks in Prythian and I only received a quarter of the High Fae citizens and homeland. I understand Feyre being bound to the High Fae's (Tamlin) castle, but considering Feyre's curious nature and adventurous streak, the story should've been revolving around the mystery of High Fae's weakening power and the ultimate ruler that holds Prythian.

Not only that, but I wanted Feyre's family to develop and form without the help of Feyre. The consequences of being co-dependent for so long, and then suddenly have to fend for one's self is something I wanted to see in ACOTAR, but that didn't happen like I hoped. I wanted Cause-and-Effect themes in the story, the actions of Feyre's to Tamlin's actions, and what would be the effect of it.

Even though romance between Feyre and Tamlin was predominant in the story, it didn't stop Feyre from bonding with other individuals. She did form a friendship with Lucien, Tamlin's High Fae wingman. Having Lucien in the novel was incredibly refreshing, and I enjoyed every witty remark and quip that came out of Lucien's mouth. There was development in Lucien's character, but I wished Lucien and Feyre bonded a bit more in the story, I think it'll be a better dynamic and possible love interest. There's also Tamlin's servant, Alise, a cold yet calculating individual. There were bits of Alise's backstory, but it didn't last long and then she only appeared whenever it was convenient. Such a waste of potential, and she could've been Feyre's female support in the midst of masculinity.

Other characters are basically nonexistent, and new characters arrive near the end of the book. The plot starts to pick up, but it's near the end of the book as well. I tried to remain captivated, but I think the romance between Feyre and Tamlin was too much for me. Oh, uh, there's some scenes in the novel that's 16+ rated, so... Take note. There's violence, bits of gore, and lots of physical connection so I'd advise teenagers to adjust to the adult themes or skip them.

I'd recommend this story for romance lovers and Beauty and the Beast fanatics. To me, it's not top notch like I've anticipated and not enough action. Too much romantic angst, and Feyre could've interacted with other beings besides the two main love interests.

The story isn't bad, but it could've been better in my opinion. Also, some of the exact plot elements are very similar to Sarah J. Maas's other novels. Anyway, I'll rate it 3.0 out of 5. I'm not a romantic person, so reading this book had been somewhat of a chore for me. This isn't the best book I've read, but when I'm bored and have nothing better to do, this book would fill my boredom and romantic mood.

-- Amber

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Book Review: Daughters Unto Devils

Title: Daughters Unto Devils

Author: Amy Lukavics

Published: September 2015

Pages: 231

Check out the full synopsis on Goodreads!

Amanda Verner’s life changed last winter. From her fit of insanity—presumably a result of cabin fever—and her new, sickly baby sister who cries endlessly, Amanda has sought to forget the long, harsh winter in the arms of the post boy. Soon she finds herself jilted and pregnant, and on her way to a new homestead in the prairie, where her family, ignorant of her condition, has decided to try to stick out the upcoming winter that promises to be worse than the one before. Amanda thinks this may be her chance at a fresh start—that is until they arrive at the cabin, which is covered in blood, and Amanda’s visions from last winter begin to return. Amanda fears she may find out soon enough what lurks in the prairie fields.

I was, pardon my pun, dying to read this book. As soon as it came in the run on the new shipment, I snatched it up and checked it out for myself. I really, really wanted to love it. Which is why it was a bummer to find out that it was…alright, I guess?

Here’s the thing: Amy Lukavics is a very good storyteller. The eerie atmosphere of this book hovers over it like a blanket, and honestly, the almost glacial pace of the first 150 pages only lends itself to that feeling. I was willing to be led along slowly, and I love a good build up. The problem for me was the character development. Basically, there wasn’t any. Despite the ample opportunity we have to get to know these characters, we really kind of don’t.

That said, there was some stuff I really loved about this book. I love a good spooky story, and the last quarter of this book ramps it up to eleven out of nowhere. It’s been touted as Little House on the Prairie meets Stephen King, and that’s a pretty apt description. If you've ever seen the movie The Others, it's a little bit like that--a long, slow wind-up, and then the climactic ending hits you like a slingshot. I’ll warn you, though, the imagery in this book gets downright gruesome, so I wouldn’t advise it if you’ve got a sensitive stomach.

I can’t say much about the ending for fear of spoiling it, but I’ll say this: If you’re looking for a happy ending, you should look elsewhere.

Check it out and let me know what you think!

--Kayla

Want to read Daughters Unto Devils? Find it in the CMRLS catalog and put a hold on it!

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Our Teens Review Books: The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey

Title: The Girl at Midnight

Author: Melissa Grey

Published: August 28, 2015

357 pages, hardcover

Read the full synopsis on Goodreads!

This is a debut novel. When it comes to debut novels, things may go a little weary, or somewhat lackluster within the beginning. Other times, a debut novel could introduce the author with high quality in his/her writing, and reveal to the audience what they're capable of. 

Melissa Grey shows us the world of Avicen, a fantasy world within the human realms of New York City. Avicen is mystical, magical and special, but hidden within the shadows...- or preferably, shadow dust. Two worlds held together, but the power of magic conceals everything. To the bird-like creatures of Avicens to fiery human hybrid dragons called Drakhari(s), these main species been at war with each other for centuries. How did the war start? Who knows, the reason's been long gone, yet both party continues to battle without hesitation, blind by ignorance and unquestioned hatred. The war will increase by bloodshed, hatred and fury, and will corrupt all civillians. Unless there's an ultimate resolution: Obtain the firebird.

The world is quite whimsical in its own way without being out of touch. Descriptive, but too descriptive if I might say, and the flowery paragraphs can become overbearing. I enjoyed the Avicen world, but I felt the human world should've been touched, too. Besides the worlds, the Avicen bird/human hybrids are interesting. They're not abnormal creatures, in fact, they respond and act like every other human being, so, suppose it's a good thing? I would like to say the same for Drakhari(s), but unfortunately, the dragon creatures weren't mentioned nor developed as I hoped for. 

Characters? They carry high potential being intriguing, well developed characters. There's quirks in each character that makes them stand out, and then the dialogue what shines in the character's development. The main character, Echo, is a snarky, feisty girl who take first, then ask questions later. I find Echo funny and I do appreciate her get-it-done attitude. Other characters? Well, as I previously stated, they have these 'quirks' that makes them stand out, but I feel like they're relying on that one trait as their core personality. Like, (spoiler?) there's feisty girl, nerd, jock... But they don't have anything else besides that, and it becomes somewhat dull. 

Not much action, but rather scenarios of hide and seek. 

Reading the book is entertaining to a degree, but what stopped me from completing is the cliches. There's many cliches within the story, and I don't have a deliberate issue with cliches, it's just the execution is predictable and in your face, which I cannot bring myself to continue reading. It's like I already knew what's going to happen, and then it happens. I knew who's going to become 'The Chosen One' since the very beginning, knew who's going to be rejected, what's the result ETC. There were plot holes that confused me, and then I wished certain areas were further explained instead of simply appearing within the story. 

As of general, I didn't take this story very seriously. On another note, this is the author's first novel, so I not going the rips the story to shreds because it isn't a bad novel, but it's not top notch, either. If I had to rate it, I'll give it a 3.0/3.5 in rating. I say, read it for entertainment or if you have a knack for modern fantasy and description, like, flowery description. 

-- Amber

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Want to check out The Girl at Midnight? Find it on the CMRLS catalog and put it on hold!

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Our Teens Review Books: White Space by Ilsa J. Bick

Author: Ilsa J. Bick

Publisher: Egmont USA

Number of Pages: 560

Rating: 7 out of 10

Synopsis (taken from Barnes and Noble): 

Seventeen-year-old Emma Lindsay has problems: a head full of metal, no parents, a crazy artist for a guardian whom a stroke has turned into a vegetable, and all those times when she blinks away, dropping into other lives so ghostly and surreal it’s as if the story of her life bleeds into theirs. But one thing Emma has never doubted is that she’s real.

          Then she writes “White Space,” a story about these kids stranded in a spooky house during a blizzard.

          Unfortunately, “White Space” turns out to be a dead ringer for part of an unfinished novel by a long-dead writer. The manuscript, which she’s never seen, is a loopyMatrix meets Inkheart story in which characters fall out of different books and jump off the page. Thing is, when Emma blinks, she might be doing the same and, before long, she’s dropped into the very story she thought she’d written. Trapped in a weird, snow-choked valley, Emma meets other kids with dark secrets and strange abilities: Eric, Casey, Bode, Rima, and a very special little girl, Lizzie. What they discover is that they–and Emma–may be nothing more than characters written into being from an alternative universe for a very specific purpose.

          Now what they must uncover is why they’ve been brought to this place–a world between the lines where parallel realities are created and destroyed and nightmares are written–before someone pens their end.

Review: 

This moment has been almost 8 weeks in the making. I originally received White Space as an ARC about a year ago and never could bring myself to start it until I found The Dickens Mirror. Why did I give this book a 7 out of 10? If I could, I’d give every single book I read a 10, but that’s not really rational. I love this book because it’s all over the place and the description rivals some of my favorite horror films. I’d liken the author to Stephen King if I hadn’t only seen his movies(i.e., The Shining, Carrie, etc.). There are so many different perspectives at once that it is difficult to pinpoint exactly what is happening. Are the characters real? Is one of them the “real” character and the rest have stemmed from this “real” character? However, I couldn’t give it above a 7 BECAUSE the story was so confusing. Even when you think you’ve finally figured it out, some aspect of the plot changes and you’re left questioning what you thought you knew about the plot and the characters. The writing was riveting and the characters were beautiful. I didn’t end up in a mess of tears like All the Bright Places, but I felt their pain and suffering and even joy, with them. Purple panops is my new favorite phrase and I love the idea of multiverses incorporated in the story as a Now. If you haven’t heard of The Dark Passages Series, I definitely recommend picking up a copy and trying it out. 

-- Taylor

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Does White Space sound like something you'd dig? Find it here on the CMRLS catalog and check it out!

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Book Review: The Accident Season by Moira Fowley-Doyle

Title: The Accident Season

Author: Moira Fowley-Doyle

Publication date: August 18, 2015

Pages: 288

Read the full synopsis on Goodreads!

Every year during October, Cara and her family are inexplicably prone to accident and injury. They ban anything too hot or too sharp, cover every hard surface and sharp corner with padding, and try to make it through each school day without fuss. Still, cuts and bruises become a way of life, though those are the least of their worries this year. Classmate Elsie has gone missing, and no one seems to remember she even exists. As Cara unravels the Elsie mystery, she also comes closer and closer to discovering the source of her family’s curse.

This book is not what I expected. I figured there would be a witch, definitely a ghost or two, and maybe even a Great Moral Lesson for what exactly is causing so much trouble for this family.

This book is all of that and none of that.

First of all, Fowley-Doyle’s writing is absolutely stunning. This is a slow burn of a story, which can be off-putting for some people, but I found myself incredibly intrigued by the magic woven in each word. By description alone the story sounds like it would be scary, but it’s not. It’s triumph and tragedy wrapped up in an eerie little package, and the fact that it refuses to pigeonhole itself into any particular category really works. I’ve never felt as haunted by a book as I was this one.

The characters are all really solid, too. Everyone is just a tiny bit off and unpredictable. Our protagonist, Cara, is very sweet. She wants the best for her family and sees the good in people and situations, but often ignores the obvious warning signs that something is wrong. Alice, her older sister, will break your heart. There’s clearly something going on with her, but it takes a long time for it all to come to light, because she’s so good at pretending and everyone else is good at letting her pretend and even allowing themselves to believe it. Sam, their ex-stepbrother, is a rock that grounds them all. It’s painful to watch him break. And Cara’s spooky best friend Bea is the glue that holds them together, even when she can’t keep herself from falling apart.

I can’t say too much, because even though there are things you see coming, the way the whole story comes together is beautiful to watch. The story is told from Cara’s point of view, and with that comes her imagination. There is sometimes no indication as to when her reality slides into the unreal, though that’s kind of the point. As a reader, you’re never sure what exactly is real and what’s not, and in the end, it doesn’t really matter.

HEADS UP: There is some potentially triggering content, though it’s not at all graphic and more heavily implied than anything else. Also, there is a particular relationship that may be a little weird for some, so if you’re unsure, you may want to spoil yourself just a teensy bit ahead of time. Even so, knowing what happens doesn’t make the writing any less beautiful.

You’ll have to determine for yourself whether this is your particular cup of tea. That said, it’s definitely mine.

Let me know what you think!

--Kayla

Want to check out The Accident Season? Find it on the CMRLS catalog and put it on hold!

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Our Teens Review Books: Beta by Rachel Cohn

Author: Rachel Cohn

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Synopsis from Goodreads: 

Elysia is created in a laboratory, born as a sixteen-year-old girl, an empty vessel with no life experience to draw from. She is a Beta, an experimental model of a teenage clone. She was replicated from another teenage girl, who had to die in order for Elysia to exist. 

Elysia's purpose is to serve the inhabitants of Demesne, an island paradise for the wealthiest people on earth. Everything about Demesne is bioengineered for perfection. Even the air induces a strange, euphoric high, which only the island's workers-soulless clones like Elysia-are immune to. 

At first, Elysia's life is idyllic and pampered. But she soon sees that Demesne's human residents, who should want for nothing, yearn. But for what, exactly? She also comes to realize that beneath the island's flawless exterior, there is an under­current of discontent among Demesne's worker clones. She knows she is soulless and cannot feel and should not care-so why are overpowering sensations cloud­ing Elysia's mind? 

If anyone discovers that Elysia isn't the unfeeling clone she must pretend to be, she will suffer a fate too terrible to imagine. When her one chance at happi­ness is ripped away with breathtaking cruelty, emotions she's always had but never understood are unleashed. As rage, terror, and desire threaten to overwhelm her, Elysia must find the will to survive. 

What I thought: 

Beta is an intellectually stimulating and emotionally engaging story of identity and free will that will have you on the edge of your seat.  In Beta, they live on an Island called Demense, where only the wealthiest people in the world live. 

            Beta tells the story of Elysia, a first in a teenage line of clones.  She is not able to experience emotions or desires.  Elysia is only a toy, a servant, to the people.  She’s 100% expendable.  Any signs of being a “defect” will result in immediate termination. But, what happens when Elysia finds out she might actually be a defect? Will she fight for her freedom?

            Beta is a jaw-dropping, well-written story with many ups and downs that will keep you guessing. The only complaint I could have about this amazingly beautiful book is the ending.  My goodness.  A cliffhanger you would never imagine.

            Overall, I really enjoyed this book.  It was a serious page-turner with all kinds of plot twists. I recommend this book for a new, thrilling dystopian series, and I cannot wait to read the next one.

4 STARS

-- Gracie

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Want to check out Beta? Find it here on the CMRLS catalog and place a hold on it!

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Our Teens Review Books: Insignia by S.J. Kincaid

Author: S.J. Kincaid

Publisher: Katherine Tegen

Synopsis from Goodreads: 

The earth is in the middle of WWIII in Insignia, the first entry in S. J. Kincaid's fast-paced sci-fi adventure trilogy perfect for fans of Ender's Game.

The planet's natural resources are almost gone, and war is being fought to control the assets of the solar system. The enemy is winning. The salvation may be Tom Raines. Tom doesn't seem like a hero. He's a short fourteen-year-old with bad skin. But he has the virtual-reality gaming skills that make him a phenom behind the controls of the battle drones.

As a new member of the Intrasolar Forces, Tom's life completely changes. Suddenly, he's someone important. He has new opportunities, friends, and a shot at having a girlfriend. But there's a price to pay. . . . 

REVIEW:

Insignia is a very technical, sci-fy and action packed oriented book, and I love it! The set up is an understanding, common way to reach towards the readers, and the main character is relatable to us, and our nerdy habits. Tom Raines is an expert gamer that uses his skills to pay rent- and by rent I mean finding any hotels with cheap prices and trying to maintain a decent living with his drunkard, gambling father. Tom has acne, short height, scrawny, and his life is just terrible; however, all that could change completely with a simple "yes". 

I enjoyed the premise of the book, however, there's no mistake that the plotline is repetitive, but the characters do make up for the plot itself. Each character has their own unique quality that shines through each page, and the interaction is sentimental, which makes you focus more on them instead of the story. Now for the story: it's military centric, and describes a lot of technology, numbers, coding, and other techno science stuff. Oh, and with advance vocabulary. The characters go through youth training, so there's not going to be any deliberate fighting, but military fighting isn't the same as our 21st century fighting. World War III is in effect, however, war is battled through the galaxy. Each planet is being dominated for possession, and considering human nature, the world is fighting to control which part of the planet and solar system. Androids are battling it out without human bloodshed, such a genius idea, no? Tempting, but there's a lot behind the scenes that propaganda won't tell you. Masses of riches are being produced, and waves of money-hungry investors are ready to get their hands on it.

Besides the military and political agenda, Insignia has cool features of advanced gaming systems, holograms, and incredible microchips that could transform society into something bigger, better, and very dangerous. I would indulge further on the technology, but it'll lead to spoilers, so, I'd say it's going to get very technical in the book.

There's barely any swearing, but I'll just place a warning for curious young readers. Action is abundant, but it's artificial action, so there's nothing to sincerely worry about (or is it?). If you can handle advanced words, technology being described every other page, and action, then I would recommend this book.

Personally for me, I'd give it a 7.5 out of 10.

-- Amber

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Want to check out Insignia? Find it here on the CMRLS catalog and place a hold on it!

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Our Teens Review Books: You Killed Wesley Payne by Sean Beaudoin

Author: Sean Beaudoin

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Synopsis from Goodreads: 

You Killed Wesley Payne is a truly original and darkly hilarious update of classic pulp-noir, in which hard-boiled seventeen year-old Dalton Rev transfers to the mean hallways of Salt River High to take on the toughest case of his life. The question isn't whether Dalton's going to get paid. He always gets paid. Or whether he's gonna get the girl. He always (sometimes) gets the girl. The real question is whether Dalton Rev can outwit crooked cops and killer cliques in time to solve the mystery of "The Body" before it solves him.

Sean Beaudoin (Going Nowhere Faster, Fade to Blue) evokes the distinctive voices of legendary crime/noir authors Dashiell Hammett and Jim Thompson with a little bit of Mean Girls and Heathers thrown in for good measure. It'll tease you, please you, and never ever leave you. Actually, that's not true. It's only a book. One that's going to suck you in, spit you out, and make you shake hands with the devil. Probably.
What I thought: 
You Killed Wesley Payne is an interesting, funny and somewhat parodish book about pulp mysteries, and honestly I found it pretty interesting. I'm planning on rereading YKWP again to understand a few misconceptions, but overall this is an entertaining book! 

I'm not too quick to read mystery (pulp, excessive) books, but maybe it's the cover that gotten me interested. 

The premise of the story is ideal: 17 year old Dalton Rev is an amateur wannabe-detective who solves crimes/mysteries on his detective website. Dalton decided to solve Wesley Payne's murder requested by Wesley's sister, Macy Payne. Police claims Wesley committed suicide, but is it so? Only one way to find out... at Salt River High. 

I really enjoyed the setup at the beginning, creating this direct, mysterish themed setting through sharp monologue and funny dialogue. I just going to be blunt with ya, Dalton Rev is certainly funny with his snarky comments, seriously. I believe that's what made this book stand out from the rest... 

Throughout the story we began to understand Dalton and his main purpose for being a detective, his personal 'whys' and explore Dalton's homelife when not in 'detective' mode. I like Dalton's reasoning based on Lex Cole(man?), main character of a detective series within this book and I gotta say... it's amusing. I'm sure I would base half of my logic/reasoning on my favorite character! Other characters besides Dalton are his family, 'friends' and cliques that runs predominantly in this mystery book. Salt River High is the main focus resolving Wesley's murder, but not only that, the crude adults and students serve a plot, too. The main cliques that are 'suspects' are Balls and Pinker Caskets (Football seniors verses Gothic emos). These two clique runs the school, but with two big kings urging to cut each others throats to be the only one remaining on top, it's up to Dalton and his quick thinking to resolve this brewing battle AND use the cliques to resolve Wesley's mystery. 

I liked the interaction, it's sharp and cut clean, 'to the point' I will say. The bonding is brief, but it gives up a taste of emotions from each character. Personally, I like Kurt Tarot, Newspaper, and Chuff... I don't know how to explain it, but I wanted to know more about those characters, unfortunately, we don't have much characterization for them :( but of course, this is about Dalton and not those three. 

I don't have any personal issues with this novel, to be honest. My gripe about this novel is too many nicknames and that makes it difficult for me to keep up. Using odd phrases that I have no clue what it means...- guess that's why we have a specific dictionary for them, eh? 

I sincerely enjoyed this book, and I recommend giving it a read! At least, for a 14+ audience. There are a few scenes that are a bit, 'touchy', so keep that in mind. Don't mind too much about the swear words, it's actually hilarious how it's alternated into something wacky. Anyway, it's a humorous book to read for the sake of entertainment. 

-- AMBER

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Want to check out You Killed Wesley Payne? Find it here on the CMRLS catalog and place a hold on it!

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Our Teens Review Books: Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Author: Beth Revis

Publisher: Razorbill

 

Synopsis from Goodreads:

A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone - one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship - tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

What I thought:

First and foremost, this book was pretty awesome.  I was not expecting to love this book as much as I did.  My favorite part about this book is that it kept me on my toes as to what was going to happen next.  Throughout the book there were so many unexpected turns that blew my mind and only made the book more addicting.

I have many things that I enjoyed throughout this book starting off with my favorite character.  My favorite character would have to be Harley.  I loved how compassionate and artistic he was.  Another thing that I enjoyed about this book was its special type of curse words.  (Yes, I know that sounds weird and kind of morbid of me to say.)  The words such as “frexing” and “shite” were used quite often throughout the book and I enjoyed them because you really got a feel for the characters’ attitude and the culture they were raised upon on their ship, Godspeed.  I also loved the dynamic relationship that each character had with one another. 

I enjoyed how the author put tiny details throughout the book that were cleverly tied in together at the end.  I am not going to give anything away but once you read it you will understand! I highly recommend it!

Final verdict: I give Across the Universe an 8 out of 10.

-- Olivia 

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Want to check out Across the Universe? Find it here on the CMRLS catalog and place a hold on it!

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Our Teens Review Books: Trouble from the Start by Rachel Hawthorne

Today we’ve got our second teen review! This one is by Amanda, and she’s reviewing Trouble from the Start by Rachel Hawthorne.

Title: Trouble from the Start

Author: Rachel Hawthorne

Publication date: April 28, 2015

400 pages, paperback

Check out the full synopsis on Goodreads!

Trouble from the Start is about a girl named Avery whose dad is a cop. Avery is about to graduate from school, and she is desperate to get her first kiss and first boyfriend, but she never talks to a guy for long. She finds out she has to live with Fletcher, a bad boy with a reputation for getting into trouble. Now Fletcher has to do chores and get a job. He thinks he’s tough and Avery has to deal with him for the summer before she leaves for college. But throughout the course of the summer, she’ll find out there’s more to Fletcher than what meets the eye.

This is a great book. I really enjoyed it. I liked how the author used dual point of views because it allows each of the characters to tell their own side of the story. My favorite character is Avery because she tries to be independent, and she’s really smart. She even helps tutor kids in school.

However, I didn’t like all the bad words and drinking in the book. On the other hand, Fletcher drinks root beer instead of beer, and that’s definitely my favorite part.

I would recommend this book to girls who are in the same stage of life as Avery: first boyfriends, first kisses, or anyone who likes a good romance.

-        -- Amanda

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Want to check out Trouble from the Start? Find it here on the CMRLS catalog and place a hold on it!

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