Crank

Crank by Ellen Hopkins is a story in verse meaning that the entire story is comprised of poems. It's the story of Kristina, a sixteen-year-old girl who goes to spend a summer with her father who she hasn't seen in years. While there, she meets a boy who she falls in love with after he introduces her to the "monster" - meth. Kristina, now calling herself Bree, becomes addicted to the monster and continues to get high even after she returns home to her normal life with a solid family, good friends, and a bright future. As she falls deeper into her addiction, Bree battles with Kristina about how to live her life and who she should become. The verses are a bit strange and disconcerting, and the story is depressing and graphic. Read this book if you like stories in verse, if you're interested in teenage drug use, or if you want to look like you read giant books (537 pages), but you want to finish it in one or two days. I give it a 6 out of 10.

The Diamond of Darkhold

The Diamond of Darkhold by Jeanne DuPrau is the fourth, and final, book in the Series of Ember. It picks up where the second book left off, with the main characters, Lina and Doon, living in the village of Sparks. It has been a tough winter, and food is scarce. Some villagers are suffering from illnesses that can't be cured. The people of Ember are working on collecting materials to build new homes when the winter ends. When a roamer brings along a mostly destroyed book, Doon and Lina begin to question what happened to their old city. Is there something there waiting for them? Should they return? And what will the find when they get there? Read this book if you liked the first two, if you want to find out what happens to the people of Ember and Sparks, or if you like easy, quick reads. I give it a 7 out of 10.

Cut

Cut by Patricia McCormick is written from the perspective of fifteen-year-old Callie who is in a girl's home or some sort of institution due to her habit of cutting herself. Although the novel is from her perspective, Callie does not talk at all during therapy or group or to her roommate. Callie learns about the other girls in her group, but doesn't seem able or willing to talk about herself until they threaten to remove her from the home because of her non-participation. She then has to decide if she really does want to get better or if she's fine continuing to cut herself and remain silent. Read this book if you like young adult fiction, if small, quick books are your favorite, or if you want to learn more about this strange phenomenon affecting young girls. I give it a 7 out of 10.

Inkheart

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke is a young adult fantasy novel about a father and daughter, Mo and Meggie, who find themselves in a mysterious adventure when strangers show up at their house one night. Meggie is thoroughly confused, but her father seems to know more than he lets on. Meggie later finds out that her father can read characters out of books and has found himself in a bitter battle against an evil character from a book. In addition, his book reading skills have caused his wife to disappear into a book and he's been desperately trying to get her out ever since. Meggie and Mo find themselves in desperate danger as they try to figure out the mysteries of Mo's gift. Read this book if you like fantasy, if you've seen the film, or if father-daughter stories touch your heart. I give it an 8 out of 10.

So Yesterday

So Yesterday by Scott Westerfeld is about the world of cool hunting. Hunter is one such cool hunter which means he finds Innovators, people who come up with new ways to be cool, and steals their style in order to spread the new idea of cool. When Hunter meets the Innovator, Jen, his world gets turned upside down as he is led on a chase to find his missing boss, discover the origin of some mysterious shoes, and uncover a conspiracy that goes deeper than he thought. While the beginning of the story seems somewhat interesting, the end of the story is anticlimactic and unimaginative.  In general, the book is a giant disappointment from an author who shows promise in his other books. Read this book if you like letdowns, if you are interested in weird worlds that make you roll your eyes, or if you like predictable, boring reads. I give it a 2 out of 10.

Go Ask Alice

Go Ask Alice is a supposed real life diary of a fifteen year old girl and her descent into the world of drugs. Speaking to her "one true friend" (her diary) the teenager confesses that she enters into the world of drugs accidentally when slipped some acid at a party. From that point forward, the girl is hooked on various types of drugs that she gets from new friends. The journey follows her from her home to San Francisco and back. The words sometimes seem to come straight from the mouth of a teenager, while other times I started to wonder what teenager ever spoke with such eloquence. After reading some of the controversy online, I truly believe that this was never a real life diary. Find out for yourself, but beware the outdated feel of the book as it's from the 1960s. Read this book if you like diaries, if you enjoy reading teen fiction about drug use, or if you want to see for yourself if you think it's authentic. I give it a 6 out of 10.

Brisingr

Brisingr by Christopher Paolini is the third book in the Inheritance Cycle. It follows Eragon's and Saphira's journey after their success during Battle of The Burning Plains. Eragon is faced with several choices as he struggles to fulfill the several duties and oaths he has taken on in the last two books. First, he must help his cousin, Roran, save Katrina from the Ra'zac. Then, he must follow Nasuada's demands for what she feels is right for the Varden. Eragon must decide who he is faithful to and what he must do in order to help bring down the evil king Galbatorix. The book was very well written and leaves the reader wanting to find out how the cycle ends in the fourth book (yet to be titled or released). Read this book if you like fantasy, if you read the first two books, or if you're interested in young adult fiction. I give it a 9 out of 10.

Scrambled Eggs at Midnight

Scrambled Eggs at Midnight by Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler is a story about young love told from two alternating perspectives: Cal and Eliot. Cal is fifteen and travels with her mom, a wench at Renaissance Fairs, from job-to-job. Eliot is fifteen and lives with his parents on a Christian fat camp for kids. When the two meet, they find that their love for each other can help them deal with their odd parents and strange circumstances. However, those very same things they need to deal with might keep the two of them apart. Read this book if you like teen romance, if you want a quick read, or if you like stories told from more than one perspective. I give it a 7 out of 10.

The Looking Glass Wars: Seeing Redd

The Looking Glass Wars: Seeing Redd by Frank Beddor is the second book in his trilogy chronicling the true story of Alice in Wonderland.  In this book, Alyss has returned to power as the Queen of Wonderland after defeating her evil aunt, Redd Heart. Redd's whereabouts are unknown, but some suspect that she is somewhere on earth after travelling through the Heart Crystal.  When forces begin an attack on Wonderland, many believe Redd is back. However, could it be that forces within the Wondernations are conspiring against Alyss? What about the mysterious King Arch who rules over Boarderland who has always hated the way women rule Wonderland? Or is Redd really back, ready to regain the thrown that she thinks she deserves? As Alyss and her forces unite against an unknown enemy, relationships between family members and lovers are revealed and put to the test. This book was definitely slower than the first one. I had a very difficult time getting through the first half of the book where background stories of several characters are being laid out. Read this book if you read the first, if you're interested in fantasy, or if you enjoy fractured fairy tales. I give it a 7 out of 10.

Extras

Extras by Scott Westerfeld is the fourth book, and I believe final book, in his Uglies series. A new main character is introduced, Aya, who now lives in a world where your status in society depends on your popularity. One way to become very popular is to "kick" a new and interesting story on the city-wide feed. Aya thinks she has found her big story when she catches some mysterious girls doing dangerous tricks, but as she digs further, she realizes that there is a much larger story to tell that could potentially affect the future of the entire world. The book discusses several interesting issues, but the introduction of a new main character turns the series dull and pointless. He should have stopped at a trilogy. Read this book if you read the first three, if you like stories about an uncertain future, or if you want a quick read. I give it a 6.5 out of 10.

Twilight

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer is the first book in the popular series of vampire novels about Bella and Edward. Bella is a junior in high school who moves to Forks, Washington to live with her dad. She meets a mysterious boy named Edward who is very different from anyone she has ever met. She notices that him and his siblings never eat, their eyes change color, they are very pale skinned, and they stay away from other students. However, Bella instantly falls in love with Edward, and once Edward begins talking to her, he falls in love with her as well. When Bella learns that Edward is a vampire, she must decide if her love is worth the risk. This book is very popular among teenagers and is a fast romantic read if not a bit cliche and cheesy. Read this book if you like romance novels, if you like books about vampires, or if you want to read the book before you watch the film. I give it  7 out of 10.

The Looking Glass Wars

The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor is the first in a trilogy of the "true" story behind Alice in Wonderland. Alyss Heart is a princess in the land of Wonderland. When her evil Aunt Redd decided to take the thrown, Alyss' parents are murdered, and she must escape through a porthole to another world. Alyss ends up in Victorian Oxford, and must assimilate to her new life as an ordinary little girl. Alyss must forget the world that she came from to make her life easier in our world. As she continues to live her life, a royal guard from her land searches for her in order to bring her back to Wonderland to claim the thrown.  Meanwhile, in Wonderland, the citizens, thinking Alyss is dead, form an army to fight against Redd. The book is fast-paced and interesting as the readers learn what really happened to Alyss, not the horrible make-believe story written by Lewis Carroll. Read this book if you like fantasy, if you enjoy retold classic stories, or if you enjoy intense battles of good against evil. I give it an 8 out of 10.

Paper Towns

Paper Towns by John Green is Green's third young adult fiction novel. In this book, Q is a high school senior in love with his mysterious next door neighbor, Margo. When Margo takes him on an all night adventure of revenge on her enemies, he believes things will be completely different between the two both at home and at school. However, when Q returns to school the next day, he realizes Margo is missing. Margo remains missing, but Q and his friends pick up on a trail of clues seemingly left for him to discover where Margo has disappeared to. This book has several literary references and borders between mystery and emo. Read this book if you enjoyed An Abundance of Katherines and Looking for Alaska, if you like mysteries, or if you want to keep up on the latest teen fiction. I give it an 8.5 out of 10.

Sold

Sold by Patricia McCormick is the story of Lakshmi, a thirteen-year-old Nepalese girl. Thinking that she is going to work in the city as a maid, Lakshmi is excited at the prospect of helping her poor family by sending home her income. She soon realizes, however, that she has been sold as a sex slave by her own stepfather, and the prospect of ever returning home is very dim. Lakshmi must undergo the terrible humiliation of becoming a prostitute at a young age which means learning how to become a different person. The book is written in a series of short verse rather than prose which makes the book easy and fast to read. Read this book if you want to learn about a terrible tragedy happening right now in our world, if you are interested in a short, easy to read book, or if you want to keep up on the current young adult fiction. I give it an 8.5 out of 10.

The Prophet of Yonwood

The Prophet of Yonwood by Jeanne DuPrau is the prequel to The City of Ember. It follows a girl named Nickie who travels to Yonwood, North Carolina with her aunt in order to sell her great-grandfather's large house. This town has recently had interesting events occurring including the vision of a prophet about a fiery future. The town now follows the prophet's mumblings as it attempts to create good in a world seemingly headed for disaster. This book is not nearly as good as the other two. It rambles on about disconnected events and stories that don't really add up until a final, last minute chapter that summarizes many years and tries to connect this story with the other Ember books. Read this book if you are reading the series, if you are interested in stories about blind faith, or if you are planning on reading the other two books and want to get the crappiest one out of the way first. I give it a 6 out of 10.

The People of Sparks

The People of Sparks by Jeanne DuPrau is the sequel to The City of Ember. Lina and Doon await the arrival of the rest of the Emberites to the new place they have found. They then come upon a tiny town known as Sparks whose citizens are at first willing to help the Emberites at least until they are able to live on their own in a few months. However, as tensions rise between the two groups of people, war seems imminent, and it's possible that the horrors of humans that destroyed the world and the population years ago might rise again. Read this book if you want to know what happens after The City of Ember, if you're interested in questions about human relations, or if you just enjoy a good, short, easy-to-read book. I give it an 8 out of 10.

The City of Ember

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau is a novel about Lina and Doon, twelve-year-olds living in a city called Ember, a place that is lit by large lights all over the city. Ember seems to have fallen on some hard times, however, and blackouts are becoming more and more frequent. When this happens, pure blackness swallows all of Ember. No one has ever left Ember as the unknown regions are also full of complete darkness. Doon suspects that he might be able to help the city of Ember, and begins to search the generator that runs all of Ember's electricity. As times seem to be getting worse, Lina discovers a clue that might help them escape. Lina and Doon must work together in order to figure out how to save Ember before it's too late. Read this book if you like mysteries, if you're interested in novels that take place in a strange future, or if you enjoy book series. I give it an 8 out of 10.

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume 1: The Pox Party

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume 1: The Pox Party by M.T. Anderson is a strange tale set in the pre-Revolutionary colonies. Octavian is a young boy whose mother was a princess in Africa. They both now live in Boston among men constantly conducting experiments. Octavian has the finest of educations, and is a beautiful violin player. As the Revolutionary War approaches, Octavian becomes aware of his real purpose in this strange house with these strange men. Several turning of events take place throughout the book which change Octavian's circumstances and thoughts. The book is written in the form of letters and journal articles and all in the voice of pre-Revolutionary English which can make it difficult to follow. Read this book if you're interested in historical fiction, if you like books that are written in interesting prose, or if you like difficult books that have big vocabulary words. I give it a 7 out of 10.

The House of the Scorpion

The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer is a young adult sci-fi novel about Matt, a young boy who finds out he's the clone of the wealthiest and most powerful drug lord in the world. El Patron runs an entire country called Opium which sits between the United States and what used to be Mexico. El Patron loves Matt, and, even though clones are usually treated as disgusting livestock, gives Matt a quality education and showers him with love. Matt later finds out the real purpose for his existence and struggles with what he shall do in order to escape his terrible destiny. Matt comes to realizations about the world, about people, and about himself. Read this book if you like sci-fi, if you enjoy coming of age novels, or if you're interested in books that might give you a scary glimpse of the future. I give it an 8 out of 10.

This Lullaby

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen is a teenage love story centered around newly graduated from high school Remy. She is so ready to tie up any loose ends at home the summer before she heads off to Stanford for college. This includes dumping her boyfriend, finish planning her mother's wedding, and spending time with her three best friends. While she gets all of this done, an unexpected "summer boyfriend" named Dexter comes along and screws with Remy's plans to leave her home without ever looking back. Remy's cynical take on relationships and love center around her mother's five failed marriages, and her father's only attempt to reach her through a sappy one hit wonder titled "This Lullaby." Remy must decide if her faith in love can be restored of if she can continue living her life as if she doesn't care. Read this book if you like chick lit, if you enjoy love stories, or if you're a sap for happy endings. I give it a 6.5 out of 10.