The Beautiful Between

Another first-time YA author --- Alyssa B. Sheinmel!!

Connelly compares herself to the fairy tale character, Rapunzel. Not because she has long, flowing hair.....but because she feels locked up....locked up by all her responsibilities. The SAT's, college applications, but most of all family secrets.

Connelly's mom has never been forthcoming about dad's death. He died when Connelly was only 2 years old, but she still doesn't know why or how. Now a classmate's sister is dying.....what is the connection between Connelly's dad and Kate? Read the book and find out.

Blood on my Hands

Todd Strasser is a favorite author of mine --- this is his newest book.

Cell phones....and cell phone cameras are everywhere. Callie learns firsthand the danger of a cell phone camera.

The book begins, "In the dark woods behind the baseball dugout, I'm kneeling next to Katherine's body, my heart racing, my breaths shallow and fast, my emotions reeling crazily at the sight on the ground before me." At first Callie doesn't understand.....why is her friend lying on the ground? Why does she appear wet? As Callie realizes her friend is dead and the shiny wetness is her blood, other people arrive on the scene.

Perhaps the worst case of bad timing ever....as Callie reaches down and picks up "something" next to Katherine, a cell phone starts snapping pictures. Callie is holding the murder weapon....and now it looks as though she is the one who committed the crime.

Can Callie prove her innocence? Read the book and see!

Weekend reading!

Just a quick post before the Packer-Bears game. Yesterday I finished The Beautiful Between by Alyssa Sheinmel and started Blood on my Hands by a favorite author, Todd Strasser. Now... back to gameday!!

Stolen by Lucy Christopher

First-time Australian author, Lucy Christopher has already had several awards associated with this, her first book!

Sixteen-year-old Gemma is travelling with her parents to Vietnam. Like many 16-year-old girls, she gets in an argument with her parents about her clothes. As things end up, she is going to meet her parents at the flight gate. That never happens.

Ty , a mysterious, older, ruggedly handsome stranger buys her coffee and sits down with her. He also slips a drug into her coffee and kidnaps her. With the use of a fake passport he takes her to the middle of the Australian Outback.

Ty has been planning Gemma's kidnapping for years. He has been watching her. His intentions are for the two of them to live the rest of their lives in isolation....together. Read the story and see what happens to Gemma.

Tell Me A Secret

This is a debut book by author Holly Cupala. Seventeen-year-old Rand is the main character. She has had a lot to deal with the past several years. Her older sister Xanda died .... and it seems as though the family has been hiding some of the facts surrounding her death. Mom says her boyfriend was drunk and that he was no good. Is that the truth or not? Mom is very controlling and dad just disappears.

As the story begins Rand has to deal with another life-altering event. While away at summer camp she discovers she is pregnant. She comes home to find her boyfriend "with" her best friend. The book is a bit heartbreaking and also a bit hopeful. Read the book to see what choices Rand makes.....adoption? art school? work? Does she reconcile with her family?

I Am Number Four

I stayed up late reading this book -- I had to finish it and see if "John Smith" would survive the battle against the Mogardians.

Pittacus Lore is the author of this new book. On his website he says he is an alien from the earthlike planet, Lorien, which is a hundred million miles away! He has been on earth for 12 years.....are you still with me?

John Smith is the main character in the book and he is number four! Nine aliens came to earth with their guardians. Three have already been hunted down and killed by the Mogardians. John knows he is next. He looks like an ordinary teenager from Paradise, Ohio --- but there is much, much more to him than you see.

Read the book - it is amazing!! The movie comes out February 18! http://findnumberfour.com/