I have nothing but respect for the Printz awards. In the past they have chosen some truly aMAZing books (like "The White Darkness" or "Looking for Alaska") some not so much my favorites but still, they always choose books just a little bit different, which is what I really like. Each book tends to deal with difficult issues surrounding teens that take my breath away and never fail to get me thinking. 2009's choice is no light-weight either. I've actually had "Jellicoe Road" in my TBR pile for several months now and just haven't had a chance to pick it up. Now that I've finished it, I'm just kicking myself for not reading it sooner. Taylor Markham is head of her house at the Jellicoe School, where many of the students, like her, are orphans or have been abandoned by their parents. Taylor was brought to Jellicoe School by the mysterious Hannah after her mom left her at a 7-11 when she was 11. Each year, the students fight the Cadets, who camp near the school for several weeks and the Townies in a type of territory 'war' that determines control over various trails, streams and buildings in the bush. This year, Taylor has been selected as the school's leader and is more than reticent to participate. Then Hannah unexpectedly disappears and Taylor knows it's connected to the disappearance of her mother and will stop at nothing to find out more. Joined by other students, the mysterious Cadet leader Jonah Griggs, and the Townie Santangelo, Taylor slowly unravels the story of her past and the stories of those she loves most.To be competely honest, for the first part of the book I was pretty lost. There are several storylines and everyone seemed to have 'history' which made for some confusing reading. But knowing how many people have raved about it, I just kept reading hoping to make sense of it all. And it did. Taylor's story came together with such unexpected beauty that I found myself totally intrigued by each new revelation and it's effect on Taylor and her friends. That's not to say I missed some things along the way - I actually had to reread several parts after finishing becuase I totally missed one major revelation. Oops. But I can't say enough good about this book: there is such heartbreaking sadness, wonder and hope found here that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone. ( )

Taylor Markham has a lot on her mind. She’s just been appointed as leader of Jellicoe Boarding School for the war games between her school, the cadets, and the townies. When she goes to territorial negotiations she discovers that her old boyfriend is the cadet’s leader. But worst of all, her guardian Hannah has disappeared. She thinks that the adults know where she is, but they wont tell her, and she’s afraid that Hannah might just disappear like Taylor’s mother did.

Powerful at it’s ending, the book takes over three hundred pages to build up steam. It could have been edited down to about 250 pages to be more effective. ( )

I was a bit confused at the beginning and almost stopped reading after going back and forth between excerpts from the manuscript to what is happening in Taylor's life in the present. However, I kept on reading and finished it at 1 a.m. in the morning sobbing my head off.

The plot was unique and the characters were interesting and complex. Just know that the italicized print is talking about the past and regular print is talking about the present. They will eventually tie in together and I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did. ( )

While the beginning is a bit confusing, it's well worth pushing through until things start to become clear - for the reader and for Taylor. It's only appropriate, really, for the beginning to confuse us, since Taylor is sort of lost herself. Since she is telling us the story as she struggles with her role at school, her missing mother, the disappearance of a favorite adult, and needy peers, we see her frustrated state of mind. There are intriguing hints of a story that took place a generation before, and slowly the two stories connect. The ending is an unexpectedly forceful tearjerker, with happy and painful moments crushed together. At its heart, it feels like a story about how character and friendships can be formed at an early age, and how those moments never really leave a person - but it never turns the story into anything cheesy. I do think that this focus will appeal to teens who are in that intense friendship stage. This begs to be reread.

Recommended to readers looking for an emotionally gripping story who have the patience for a slow start. ( )

Reviewed by Tasha for TeensReadToo.com

Taylor Markam was abandoned by her mother at a 7-Eleven on Jellicoe Road when she was a mere eleven years old. Only moments later a woman by the name of Hannah picked her up and brought her to the Jellicoe School. Now she is seventeen and finds that Hannah is a rock in her inconsistent life. While she has Hannah, Taylor doesn't know much about her family except the horror stories she remembers of her mother.

She does find comfort, though, in a manuscript that Hannah has written about a group of five friends who met in the worst circumstances, but developed a remarkable friendship when they only had each other. When Hannah just up and leaves, Taylor doesn't understand what has happened and she becomes a wreck. Not only does she have to deal with Hannah's disappearance, but she has just been named the head of her House and the leader of the school kids in the annual territory wars against the "Townies" and "Cadets."

In the war, the three groups battle and negotiate, following an extensive set of rules that might as well be history. As the war wages on, Taylor learns to take an active role in her community, as well as develop relationships that she never thought possible. Especially with Jonah Griggs, the leader of the Cadets, whom she already has quite a history with.

This war will be like no other. It will not only be between the normal three parties, but among friends, hearts desires, and, most of all, Taylor herself.

From the title I was expecting a light and fun read. Wow, was I wrong! This book is filled with heartbreak, joy, laughter, and sorrow. It completely blew me away and surpassed every expectation I had, even though I was expecting something completely different.

Before I even get into the elements of the story I have to comment on how much talent the author has. Melina Marhetta's writing style is indescribable. It seemed that she was so comfortable writing the story and her words just flowed from page to page with great clarity. I loved how the author weaved many intricate details and mini-stories into one big story, making it like a puzzle that slowly comes together until those last couple of pieces just fall into place.

The only miff I had with this book is that it took me probably until the third chapter to actually understand what was going on. In the beginning, there were two stories and it was hard to wrap my head around everything that was happening. After that, though, it seemed the author settled into writing and the story took off.

Taylor, without a doubt, is one of the best characters that I think has ever been created. She has this true voice where you can hear and feel her emotions ring out. By the time the book had ended I felt like I knew Taylor like I know my best friends. While Taylor was the main character, the author did a fabulous job creating the other characters, too. Unlike many supporting characters in books, the characters in JELLICOE ROAD all had their own voices and became their own people, with real and likable personalities.

I highly recommend this book to readers everywhere. Whether you're a girl or a guy, you will treasure this novel and hold it near and dear to your heart for a long time to come. JELLICOE ROAD is a beautiful love story, a heart-wrenching story of loss, a poignant self-discovery, and, most of all, an unforgettable tale.

Pre-order this book NOW!! It hits stores August 26 and you don't want to miss out on this one-of-a-kind novel. ( )