Kearsten says: A bizarre mix of cutesy manga high school romance and the Ring. I probably won't look into others in the series, but it was pretty creepy!

Kearsten says: This was a short yet interesting book about an African-American teen girl who moves with her mother from Brooklyn, NY to a small town in Connecticut. Angry at having to move and desperately missing her friends, Pemba initially brushes off her strange experiences in their new home, but when she seems to form a connection with the ghost of a slave, she delves deeper into the history of her house and the small town.

Pemba is an easy character to sympathize with - her father died several years before in the Iraq war, and she and her mother both miss him. Her mother moves them for a good job opportunity, but understandably, Pemba's resentful about leaving her friends and boyfriend, a feeling acerbated by the fact that her cell phone gets very little service in the small town. The ghost story is slight yet still creepy, and the glimpses into the ghost's life - in the late 1700s - are unsettling. Pemba writes about her feelings and impressions in a journal in verse, and I found those reflections the most interesting parts of the book.

This would be a great ghostly read for reluctant readers, or for those looking for high interest/low reading level books.

Recommended.

Kearsten says: This was so unexpectedly good! Having read a lot of Harlequin novels as a teen (and not a few as an adult), I expected a quick, light romance, but while this was a quick read, that was simply because I didn't want to put it down!

Charlotte's parents are famous for debunking ghosts and hauntings, so when she finds herself haunted by very scary spirits, she's more than a little reluctant to let her parents know. And while there is no romance, there is a boy who could, someday, maybe, turn into a love interest - and it doesn't get in the way of the stroy at all. :)

Kearsten says: First off, I ended up adoring this book - I immediately put volumes 2-5 on hold, and am very annoyed that they have not magically appeared on my desk instantaneously. I can't believe other library users dare to have known about this delightful series before me. I feel cheated. ; )

That said, I wasn't crazy about this at first. I was a bit confused, and not just because I had to read this from right to left, as traditional Japanese comics are read. While I have had a bit of experience with this, it's not exactly easy for me. The other reason I was a bit lost: this story is set in a dystopian Japan, where the passing of the Media Betterment Act enables the Media Betterment Committee censors to ban and confiscate 'offensive' media. In response, the Library Defense Forces were created and are the only obstacle between the Committee and the people's free access to books and information. As deaths resulting from the Committe/Defense Forces wars have been decriminalized, working for the Forces is incredibly dangerous...and, in Iku Kasahara's eyes, incredibly heroic.

In her teens, Kasahara's 'offensive' book purchase was protected by a Library Defense Force agent, and his actions inspired her to join the Defense Force. However, it's very hard work - the job she wants requires that she not only train to be an elite soldier, but also to complete extensive training as a librarian. Exhausted and frustrated by a hard-nosed (and cute-as-can-be) instructor, Kasahara's show more finding it difficult to keep herself motivated.

This is that bizarre mix of serious and cutesty-sweet that I've only experienced in shojo manga, and is evident in the cover illustration, in which a female soldier (Kasahara) is smiling and cradling a rifle. Okaaaaay.... Kasahara goes on a wilderness survival training exercise - serious - and when they stop for the night, abruptly falls asleep on her instructor's shoulder. When another instructor approaches, Kasahara's instructor shoves her off his shoulder in a pratfall manner - weird, yet adorable. Kasahara's that awkward yet very physically capable female character, and her mean instructor (or is he?) clearly is fascinated by her, yet determined to ignore that fascination. I ate it up.

I also am enjoying the artist/writer's asides - for those of you more familiar with manga and/or shojo, is this author aside normal? I seem to remember it in others... And I really like it. : )

Recommended!
(from http://abookandmesittinginatree.blogspot.com/) show less

Kearsten says: I enjoyed this story of a 16-year-old boy who takes on the responsibility of raising his baby daughter. It's rough and sad, but one of those books I think should be taught in schools, if only to start a discussion about how this decision to have 'fun' has changed a young man's entire future. Interestingly, one of my personal book groups read and discussed this, and none of them felt that the main character, Bobby, was realistic. They all agreed that a boy willing to take on this responsibility was completely fictional - I'd love to discuss this with some teens and get their thoughts!

A quick, low-level, high-interest book - Recommended!

Kearsten says: The first time Rose realizes she can taste in the food she eats the feelings of the cook, it's a lemon cake steeped in her mother's feelings of loneliness and despair. At eight (or nine?), this is an awful realization, and Rose spends a good portion of the next 10 (and then some) years trying to avoid food ruined by cooks' emotions.

I found this fascinating and not a little heartbreaking. Rose's family is one in quiet trouble, as her mother pretends to be happy and content on the outside, but funnels her hidden depression into projects (and, eventually, an affair). Rose's father, an matter-of-fact, organized lawyer(? I never actually got a clear idea of what he did for a living) is very contained with a secret of his own, and Rose's brother: well. Possibly autistic, definitely lacking in social skills, his bright mind and emotionally blank face is the star around which Rose's mother orbits to the detriment of everyone else in the family. And smack dab in the midst of this family is Rose, a young woman with an extremely uncomfortable curse. How she comes to terms with this skill, and how it forms her life is an interesting and darkly magical journey.

This could be a fascinating teen book discussion!

Kearsten says: Charlie and Fielding have starred in Jenna and Jonah's How to be a Rock Star for four years and have starred in their own off-screen romance for the paparazzi for nearly as long. Unfortunately for Charlie and Fielding, they're not actually a couple - in fact, they loathe each other, and every moment spent pretending is agony for the two. When they're finally found out, as will happen, they agree to star in a Shakespeare in the woods production of Much Ado about Nothing in an attempt to salvage their careers. They're also forced to spend some time together - without agents, assistants or photographers - and begin to realize that they may not hate each other as much as they thought...

This was pretty charming - it's not at all hard to believe that some Hollywood romances are for the publicity, and the reasons for Charlie and Fielding's is completely plausible. Their chemistry is good and their banter even better, so I eagerly hoped for a happy ending for the two.

Charlie's an anxious workaholic, having been in the business since she was a kid, and her fear over losing her career is understandable, as is Fielding's frustration over being forced to act practically 24/7 - as he was an unknown when he was cast as Jonah, he is nowhere near as fearful of his career ending as is Charlie.

I liked the behind-the-scenes feel of the book, both while on television sets and then while rehearsing for a stage performance. While secondary characters were pretty flat (it's a show more quick, short read), I felt Charlie and Fielding were pretty rounded (though Charlie's spazzing and superficiality started wearing on me) and the plot fun. The ending wrapped a little too quick for me, but leaving things open a bit the way the authors did felt realistic in light of the characters' feelings - neither one of them is completely sure what they'll do next, so declarations of forever love would be pretty out of place..

A funny, charming, light romance! Recommended. show less

Merideth says: Pancho, orphaned after the death of his father and his developmenally delayed sister, knows that his life is over. Just as soon as he is able, he is going to run away from the home he's been placed in, and kill the man who is responsible for his sister's death. D.Q. abandoned at the home as a child, is also facing the end of his life, as a rare cancer slowly kills him. The two boys are opposites -- laconic Pancho and effusive D.Q., but they bond over the summer as D.Q.'s mother forces him into an experimental treatment for his illness, and as D.Q. writes the "Death Warrior Manifesto"

Overall, this book was underwelming for me, despite having some strong points. Diadactic writing, weak supporting characters and unbelievable plotting drag down the strong characterization and charming interactions of the two main characters.

Kearsten says: Grace has lived all her 16 years in the Hills, a small section of a barren desert region, outside a city where a religious dictator, Keran Berj, rules through violence and fear. The People, who live in the Hills, have dedicated themselves to undermining Berj, raising their young men to be soldiers and many of their young women to be Angels - suicide bombers well versed in Berj's rules and beliefs, so as to better enable them to sneak in to carry out their purpose.

The book unfolds during a tense train ride, headed towards the border, where Grace will be free from the People and her past, a botched mission and a life as an outcast, if she can only get there alive.

I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about this book. It's well-written, through sparse prose, which must be Scott's style. Grace is a very sympathetic character, which I think is the point, but I think she may be a little too sympathetic - she reveals that she's always doubted her "destiny" as an Angel, not quite admiring the other girls who trained with her who were dedicated to the belief that death by suicide bomb. It seems a little more fanaticism, and not quite so easy a "oops, this is wrong, we're all people wanting the same thing" turnaround might have been more realistic.

However, I do think it was a powerful book, showing that 'evil' people have different motivations, and may not be as evil as one thought. I plan to suggest this one for my teen book group.

Kearsten says: Bobby Framingham is a star quarterback and is waiting to hear about scholarship opportunities (and searching for scouts at every game). But when a fellow student outs Bobby before he's ready - in a very public article - Bobby finds himself in the national spotlight, as others force him to become the sort of 'role model' he's not quite ready to be.

This is an unusual novel - a first-person, male point-of-view from the perspective of an in-the-closet gay football player. As Bobby repeatedly mentions (I get it, thanks!), there are no 'out' NFL players currently in the league, so Bobby's out status could very possibly limit his chances of a professional career. Bobby's emotional ups-and-downs are very realistic, as are his family's, friends' and teammates' reactions, but good and bad.

While this book did end up feeling a bit preachy, it's unusual viewpoint and positive message makes it worthwhile.

Recommended.

Nora has a new lab partner, and his name is Patch, but she doesn't understand why she is so drawn to him. After a lot of connections, with him turning up wherever she is. Then dangerous things start happening, and Patch always seems to be around - is he protecting her or harming her? This is a supernatural romance, so Patch is a fallen angel who eventually becomes a guardian angel through protecting her. There are a lot of plot points all put together, and many unanswered questions - it's no surprise to me that there is already a sequel on the way. I think it is exciting for teens - I can see why they would like it. A romance where very little happens sexually, but the romance and smouldering looks factor is high. There is danger, but Nora is usually pretty protected. Most of the work that happens is through Nora and her friend's minds. I won't be reading more in the series - this feels sort of like Twilight to me.

This is another fast-paced adventure for the Cahill siblings. They just discovered that they are Madrigals - the worst of all the Cahill families. The Cahills and their au pair end up in China, where they are separated during a fight. Dan ends up with their cousin Jonah, who has been sort of in the background during many of the missions. Jonah is a rap star and famous mogul, and he manipulates Dan into believing that Amy doesn't want to be with him anymore. While Amy and Dan take different paths through China, they both end up at the top of Mt Everest, with many of the Cahill branches right on their heels. Korman does a good job with this one - incorporating the Cahills' fears that they are truly murderers and evil with the story, as well as the siblings' fight. There are some cool ideas in this book, but as always, this series does a good job of just telling some of the history and allowing tweens to explore the rest for themselves. There is a very obvious code in the book as well, to allow kids who haven’t been following all the clues a little taste of solving the clues.

One thing I have to say about this series is that I have read much more of this series than I usually do, and I think that really speaks to what compelling reads these books are. First of all, they do a great job of bringing snippets of history to life - something Rick Riordan does in his Greek mythology books too. I think this might also make tweens read more about these events. The clues and the branches of the family can sometimes be confusing, but I think that just makes kids keep reading. This one went a lot faster than the Gordon Korman one - I am surprised at how well she writes suspense and action. There is also a surprising innocent death, which is painful for the Cahills. At the end of the book, however, there are some great rewards - they discover why Nellie has always been mysterious, and why their branch of the Cahills is so important. Good one and I can't wait for the big finish!

I am really disappointed in this book. There were many times when I struggled to get through it, and I didn’t even care about the ending – it is too long, too complicated and uninspiring. Sadie and Carter are siblings who have been kept apart for years after the death of their mother in a mysterious accident. They are reunited on the night their father blows up the British Museum and the Rosetta Stone, trying to make things right. His entrapment opens the siblings up to a life they have never been introduced to before, including a whole host of Egyptian gods. It turns out that Sadie and Carter are the descendants of Pharaohs, and have strong magical powers. They go on a journey trying to save the world from Set, who has descended on Camelback Mountain in Phoenix (one of the only interesting things about this book). I really like Egypt and their gods and goddesses, but I found myself uninvolved in this book. There were scenes that were reminiscent of the Percy Jackson series, and I just felt like there was too much going on. And at more than 500 pages, I felt like it could have been split into two books, or edited down, or something. Just not the greatest, and I will not be reading more in this series.

This is a raw graphic novel with a lot of emotion. It is about three teenage boys in Bend, Oregon, whose fathers are all Marines stationed in Iraq. They each spend a lot of time sitting and waiting for their fathers to email them, hitting Refresh constantly to see if they have responded. They also have misinterpreted what it is to be an adult male, trying to drink illegally, pick up girls and use casual violence to see how tough each boy is. There is a lot of violence and blood spatter throughout the book, but it is strangely contrasted by the lack of violence from the fathers in Iraq. The fathers are totally divorced from the action at home, including unpaid bills and boys at loose ends. The painful end culminates with one of the boys choosing the Marines over a college education - it is definitely painful to read. But a very interesting look at boys today, and their lack of direction and their misinterpretation of being tough.

Daphne is an orphan who has always believed she is extraordinary. When a parcel without return address is sent to her with a magical pair of scarlet stockings, she believes that this is her ticket to ballet stardom. A set of coincidences set up the dichotomy between her loving adoptive family and her desire to be famous. This is reminiscent of many classic orphan stories, especially Noel Streatfeild. But this book is weirdly divorced of both parental guidance and actual reason – at 14, Daphne accepts a job as an assistant to a star, and no one finds this unusual. Similarly, at 15 she is accepted to a ballet company, and goes to live in Paris by herself, with no guidance. Daphne is almost possessed by the demons she was warned about in a riddle that goes along with the stockings. Daphne as a main character veers wildly between being someone readers can understand, and someone likeable to someone that turns readers off and is cruel and cold. The book is interesting, and a little terrifying too. The complexity of the title makes me wonder if there will be a sequel.

Wonder Blake has a background in children’s television (a local Kids Inc.) and a family that’s falling apart after her sister died. Plus they have moved to a Cape Cod town where Wonder is hated for what she is and is not. So when she is discovered by her sister’s agent singing in a Dairy Queen, she jumps at the chance to change her life. However, some of the changes may prove to be too much for Wonder. Cohn does a great job exposing the seaminess of the music industry and the hard work that goes into becoming a star. While Wonder has natural talent, her stardom doesn’t happen in a day or even in a semester. It also exposes how people have to re-make themselves over and over to fit the latest trends, and hide who they really are to be popular. This book was really good, and I found myself really liking Wonder. However, there is sex involved that seems a little gratuitious – Wonder almost has sex with a guy from her local town, but when she doesn’t put out, he gets together with someone else. Then she does end up having sex with someone she thinks she loves. But Cohn makes you love Wonder and root for her, no matter what.

Lolly is a sailor in Florida who goes out alone on her sailboat one day. Her boat capsizes, and then she is separated from it, leaving her without hope of being found in the huge ocean. Then a miracle happens and a group of manatees saves her and restores her. This book is currently in Youth, and definitely needs to move to Teen – Lolly is 15 and has sex with her boyfriend and it is discussed several times during the course of the book. This book is confusing – some parts of the book are written in a very spare style. There are things Lolly doesn’t want to explain about her life – she is very private. However, the book as a whole is written in a very literary fashion, and while it’s an interesting female survival story, I think teens would have a hard time identifying with Lolly. Her survival and experiences are so personal that she has difficulty explaining them, and I think teens who have not seen any of this would not be able to connect with her. The title also does not have much to do with the story – Lolly is referred to as a hippie chick, but I think teens looking for a survival story will not look at this, and teens looking fo a book about a hippie chick will be disappointed. Ultimately, I think this book is not very successful.

Kearsten says: Yancy has lived his whole life in fear of his older brother. Diagnosed with a conduct disorder, his older brother Will's extreme behavior - violence, threats, etc - has basically held their whole family hostage. In order to escape, Yancy has been spending lots of time at a local horse boarding facility, adopting a recuperating horse named Shy, but when Will threatens Shy, cutting off his tail and slashing at his side with a scissors, Yancy, fearing for his horse despite telling his parents what happened, runs away.

Yancy writes of his "adventure" in a journal his parents had given him, including illustrations a la Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. The immigrant Yancy meets while on the run takes him in, giving him a place to stay and board Shy, while Yancy helps out on the ranch where the man is employed. Yancy begins to see his family situation from his parents' point of view - how difficult must it be for them to struggle with such an out of control child, both wanting to help him, to fix him, while trying to protect Yancy and themselves - and when they find him, he tries to come to terms with the whole situation.

I was skeptical of this story from the moment I realized how similar the format was to Alexie's National Book Award winner, and my skepticism increased through the first couple of chapters. Yancy's voice is very young for a 14/15-yr-old at the beginning (especially one who's faced a troubled sibling, who it is show more later revealed is into drugs, etc.). Alonzo throws is some curse words, but it feels forced. She seems to hit her stride at about the middle, and the descriptions of his family's troubles are scary and sad. I also felt that Yancy's feeling that as the 'good' son, he's become invisible to his parents, as they're forced more and more to cope with their oldest son was realistic and handled well.

I read this as a consideration for the mock Printz awards we hold in our county, and while I think this is worth reading, I don't think it's the best teen book of the year.

Recommended. show less

Part of the Manga Literary Classics, this is an odd combination of traditional manga elements and the classic novel. The story is adapted from the novel Daddy-Long-Legs, and is well-edited to give young readers the idea of the characters and the flavor of the story. However the story was originally written for older readers, seeing as it is about falling in love, courting, and college. I am not sure how enticing this would be for the young reader who might otherwise pick up a graphic novel, and I am not sure that an older reader would be assigned Daddy-Long-Legs and go find the manga edition. However, the Manga Literary Classics series has a lot of other classic novels in it, and so students might want to read the whole series. The art is well-suited to Judy Abbott – she is perky, strong and funny, and the chibi art is perfect for her personality. This is a good adaptation, and I think the series is strong, but this book might not be suited to young children.

Jesse and Jen have just gotten married and are documenting their first year of marriage for the dating site they met through. There are plenty of ups and downs in their first year, including a separation. But this is a love story at heart, and older teens will be interested in the frank look at romance and marriage. This is a no-holds barred look including budgeting, cooking and lots of sex. The sex is romantic without being too graphic. I really think this would belong in some intermediary collection between teen and adult, but for now, even with the sex, it is still more teen than adult. This is definitely romantic – even with the separation Jesse and Jen ultimately belong together. And it does remind me of other teen romances, just with a little more adult theme. It was like candy – reading it was fun, but unmemorable.

This weird book is billed as a mystic thriller, and it is definitely about so many things that it is hard to know where to start. Miya, who lives in Japan, and Chelsea, who lives in Los Angeles, live eerily similar lives. The book is told through short chapters and photos, and will appeal to teens who are involved in either the gothic Lolita lifestyle or reading manga with its visual style. The reader is plunged into the stories of these two girls who began reading each other’s blogs. They are tied together through many things, including younger brothers with some sort of developmental disabilities, a manga series that they are both obsessed with, and missing parents. Throughout the book the girls clearly have a shared history, but it never is elucidated. The book is gauzy and ethereal, much like the gothic Lolita style. The one thing this book does well is explain this lifestyle and its appeal. I liked the mystery part of this book, and how the girls eventually came together in an unexpected way. I did appreciate how unusual this book is, and hope that it finds an audience among the manga readers even though it is in the fiction area.

Tallulah has gotten herself into trouble again. She has traveled cross-country with an unreliable boyfriend in order to help out a friend. The boyfriend has abandoned her, robbed her, and while walking through a culvert she finds a dying dog. Tallulah ends up being arrested and eventually begins work at the veterinary clinic where she takes the dog. She is stranded in Tennessee, unable to get in contact with the friend who needed her so badly. As time goes on and Tallulah reflects on her friendship with Maeve, it’s obvious that Maeve is mentally ill, at least to the reader. Fletcher does an amazing job of showing the fragility of being a teenager – how she feels like any decision she makes is the wrong one, even when she is trying her hardest. There are wonderful characterizations in this novel, including the people she works with at the vet clinic. Readers will really put themselves into Tallulah’s place and the complexity of the situation she has found herself in. She is a true friend and ultimately rises above her situation. I really liked this book and found it absorbing.

I have always loved the Alice books, and this one is no exception. She does such a terrific job with the feelings of teenage girls. In this book, set in the summer before the girls go to high school, Alice is volunteering at a hospital, and she and her friends are trying to get in shape. Alice’s friend Elizabeth takes this a little too far, and teeters on the edge of anorexia – something that Elizabeth’s mom talks about with Alice. Alice also talks to her older brother about sex, and he is frank and honest with her, something that I really appreciate in a book for teenage girls. I think it is not that often that you read something that educates without preaching. The girls also go to a seminar where the range of female bodies is discussed – again, without too much ulterior motive. But what I think Naylor gets best is Alice’s life – how she is always changing and questioning life and what to do. It really hits a spot with me, and I hope it does with girls as well. I will definitely keep reading in this series – I love Alice and her experiences.

Merideth says: Nailer lives on the Gulf Coast, working inside dead ships, scavenging for copper and other materials. His life is one of labor and violence -- most of the latter due to his unstable and brutal father. However, when a huge storm delivers a clipper ship on the beach, he gets tangled up in the life of Nita, a "swank" running for her life. Nita might be Nailer's way out, or she might get him killed.

Fast paced, dystopian fiction, but not up to the hype. Flat main characters and a retread plot drag this book down from great to good.

Susan says: This is one of the National Book Award finalists for Young Adult Literature, and I decided to try and read them all this year. This is the first one, and wow, it was good and a total adrenaline rush. Nailer is on light crew, scavenging ships for usable materials when the book opens. He has a terrible life, but dreams of better things. Then there are a series of events, including a “city killer” storm, that cause him to take his life in his own hands and gamble for something better. The book is full of adventure that would keep teens reading. The science fiction was pretty easy to understand – while Bacigalupi doesn’t spend a lot of time explaining backstory, it all is very apparent. When you begin the book, you feel like you are in another place, but it is clearly the United States in the future, after global warming and climate change has done its part. But the adventure is truly mind-rocking. It kept me on the show more edge of my seat the entire time I was reading, just hoping for the characters to survive. Bacigalupi deals with prejudice and other current topics in this book, and it is very violent – there are many deaths, but they are purposeful and realistic. Basically, just a really great ride. Plus I was so happy that it was not a series opener. show less

This was a seriously creepy book by an author who I didn’t know had it in her. Bliss has been raised on a commune, but when her parents decide to dodge the draft, they leave her with her grandmother in Atlanta. When she gets there, she begins to see that things aren’t all what they seem, and there is a mysterious story about a girl who killed herself at the school. There are some unresolved questions at the end of the book, some of which add to the horror of the novel. It is definitely a suspense novel – chapters told through Bliss’ voice are interspersed with notes from someone’s journal, and Myracle purposefully puts out some red herrings to confuse readers. There is violence here, including a young student whose father is in the KKK, but she loves a black teen, cruelty to animals, blood needed for sacrifice. Definitely creepy, and it combines Bliss’ story with information about that historical time period, including the Manson trials. This is a long book, and it did take me a while to get into it and figure out where it was going. Not as gory as some horror stories nowadays, but it doesn’t need all the gore to tell a suspenseful story.

This is a National Book Award finalist, and it made me read a book that I probably would not have read. I would suspect that this book would be really popular in Glendale, but I’m sure it’s not so popular here. Reese is in juvenile detention, and Myers pulls no punches in depicting the harshness of his jail time. He fully admits what happened and why he did what he did. But he is struggling to find another way, especially after the police come back for him in regards to a new crime he could not possibly have committed. Some things in this story are stereotypical to me – Reese’s family are dealing and abusing drugs, except for the favored little sister. Reese believes that this young girl can go to college and make something of herself, and at the end of his time he commits himself not to save himself, but to save her. The prison information is gritty and does not make prison sound appealing at all. I think this is a really good book, and it really did make me worry about Reese and his future. As always with Myers, well-written.

Josh has always played online computer games with his brother. They play together all the time. So when his brother suddenly goes offline, he knows something is wrong. He finds out what it is all too soon – his brother has been accused of a brutal murder. Josh thinks there is no way it is possible, but as he continues to find out more information, he realizes it isn’t just possible, it is true. The murder plotline is combined with a plotline about genetics, designer babies (Josh was born to save Max’s life) and a lot of really thoughtful questions about ethics, psychopaths, and makes us human and good. I think the fact that there are so many moral questions packed in this book makes it very unique. The science and genetics within it make it a good discussion book, and it also might make teens look towards Josh’s future to see what he will turn out to be. The book is fast-paced, but short, so it would make a good book report book too. The sister of the dead girl is also very present in the book, and her complicity in the crime is making her a little crazy. This, too, adds a moral dilemma to the book. Complex for such a short book.

I have wavered back and forth about whether this is a teen or a youth book, but I think it should stay in youth. Julia is a 16 year old in 1907 England who lives with her father. Her father is always traveling abroad for his work, and Julia stays at home without experiencing anything. She is longing for something new, and convinces her father that she should be allowed to go to Syria with him on his next trip. He agrees, and she goes on a politically charged, dirty, wild experience through the desert. This is at the time that the Young Turks are trying to come into power, and one of the Englishmen with their tour party is trying to get people into this group. The tour group that Julia and her father are with are all lying about their true motives in Syria – no one is as they seem. While Julia is 16, and there is a very light romance with the man rallying for the Young Turks, Julia is very naïve. Careful readers will be able to figure out exactly what’s going on long before Julia does in the last few pages of the novel. I think this book is more suited to the Youth Department, where historical fiction circulates better. And there is nothing in this book that would draw teens to it.

This is a really good book – really perfect for young teens who don’t want too much sex or drugs or drinking. In fact there is none of that in this book. Sophie and her three friends get involved in a mystery that is a puzzle. They meet an older woman who lives next door to their Catholic school, and she tells them about a mystery that was intended for her daughter when she turned 16. Unfortunately, she is estranged from her daughter now, and wants to be able to solve the puzzle and give the treasure to her daughter. There is lots of intrigue, along with the physical work of solving the puzzle. There is a little romance, but not much, and the girls choose to be friends over everything else in their lives. School fits into this story very well, as the girls enlist a teacher to help them over some of the hurdles., but their parents are all fairly absent from the plot. These are New York City girls, so they are pretty independent. But all in all, a great book with a lot to think about.