Showing posts with label High School. Show all posts

The Vinyl Princess by Yvonne Prinz

Title: The Vinyl Princess

Author: Yvonne Prinz

Publish Date: December 2009

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Pages: 313pp

ISBN: 0061715832

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Annotation: Allie is a teen music junkie. On her summer break from school she get’s a job at Bob & Bob Records (the coolest record store in town). Here Allie begins to piece together her secret identity as the Vinyl Princess.

Plot Summary: Sixteen-year-old self-proclaimed music geek, Allie, spends every free moment practically running Bob & Bob's Records. She knows everything there is to know about vinyl's and composes articles for a blog and a zine. Her best friend and vintage fashion maven Kit, hang out at bohemian eateries and coffeehouses in downtown San Francisco. Her home life is complicated yet oddly normal. Her mom is in the dating pool and her father’s twenty-something wife is pregnant, making Allie a new older sister. Like most teenage girls, Allie struggles with boys, never seems to get it quite right. While working in the record store, a boy starts to notice Allie, and Allie starts to notice him. She secretly fantasizes about him liking her. Soon enough, Allie realizes what his intentions are. She has several interesting encounters with music customers and has an eye-opening summer.

Personal Response: LOVED this book! Any teen who has a passion for music will relate to this story. Allie is definitely a likable character. Her trials and tribulations are relatable even if you aren’t a music geek—it’s the young emotions and teenage angst that ring true. Although taking place in Berkley, California, the author is from Edmonton, Alberta. It’s interesting to think about this being classified as Canadian being that the backdrop of the story is California. With that said, Allie is the nickname of the main character, who’s name is Alberta. I thought it was kind of cool how the author weaved in her home state as the main character’s name.

The Vinyl Princess blog: http://www.thevinylprincess.com/

~Reader’s Advisory~

Themes: Staying honest with who you are and not letting anything or anyone pull you down. Coming-of-age.

Age Range: 12 and up

Subjects: Music, Records, Zines, LPs, Hipsters, Friendship, Blogging, Internet, High School, Teen Angst, Relationships, Coming of Age, Realistic Fiction.

Similar Titles:

The Hipster Handbook by Robert Lanham

Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen

Rage by Julie Peters

The Summoning by Kelly Armstrong

Title: The Summoning

Author: Kelly Armstrong

Publish Date: July 2008

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Pages: 416pp

IBSN: 0061662720

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Paranormal/Supernatural

Annotation: Fifteen year old Chloe Saunders is sent to live at Lyle House, a home for mentally-disturbed teens, when she starts seeing ghosts. It is there that she learns the truth about her gift and much much more. . .

Plot Summary: Chloe Saunders thought she was a typical teenager; getting by in high school, waiting for her crush to ask her out to prom, and LOVING movies but then it happened-she saw a ghost. At first Chloe assumes it must be her imagination, but when a mysterious janitor with severe burns chases her at school, Chloe understandably panics and reacts badly, landing her in a home for children with mental problems. The Lyle House is a group home where she will stay along with six other teens to receive counseling. Chloe is determined to recover quickly but instead of things getting better they get worse as Chloe stumbles upon the ghost of an old man desperately trying to tell her something important. The Lyle House turns out to be so much more than it originally appeared to be.

Personal Response: I really enjoyed The Summoning and am looking forward to reading the sequel as there are many twist and turns at the story’s end, leaving an interesting cliffhanger that will almost force readers to continue the ride. I like the way Chole narrates the story from a film director perspective (comparing her life to film). I found this made the story more fascinating as she was a theater arts student before she was admitted to the asylum.

~Reader’s Advisory~

Themes: Trust yourself.

Age Range: 12 and up

Subjects: Group Homes, Mental Illness, Ghost, High School, Friendship, Schizophrenic, Art, Movies, Theater Arts, Asylum

Series: The Darkest Powers Series

The Summoning (2008)

The Awakening (2010)

The Reckoning (2010)

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Another Kind of Cowboy by Susan Juby

Title: Another Kind of Cowboy

Author: Susan Juby

Publish Date: December 2007

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Pages: 352pp

ISBN: 0060765178

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Annotation: Unlikely pair, Alex Ford and Cleo O'Shea—both sixteen--become best friends through horsemanship.

Summary: Alex Ford has loved horses and dressage forever, in fact he even pretends his bicycle is a horse until his father actually wins a real live horse in a poker game. Alex is elated by this. Turnip is not the best horse, but together they become a winning team in Western riding. Having an affinity of dressage, Alex finds out that his father’s girlfriend has a dressage horse that she doesn’t ride. When a stable opens near his home, Alex begins to take lessons in dressage. This is when he meets Cleo, an incredibly wealthy dressage riding student with a colorful background involving drugs and alcohol and plenty of rebellion. Together, they become friends and untangle their life issues: Cleo is looking for love and Alex has been hiding his homosexuality. Cleo helps him gather self acceptance and strength to be who he is. As Alex gains confidence and self acceptance, his aspirations and his personal relationships seem full of promise.

Personal Response: I liked this book, yet I felt it was extremely predictable and everything seemed to happen so easily—the stable opening up near Alex’s house, the dressage horse that Alex’s father’s girlfriend doesn’t ride, the trainers supporting Alex as they are an elder gay couple. At the same time, I felt this was an inspiring story for teens to read—it shows the hardships of hiding who you are and explores an unlikely friendship.

~Reader’s Advisory~

Themes: Self-discovery, Fitting in

Age Range: 12 and up

Subjects: Friendships, Homosexuality, Relationships, Humor, Family Relationships, Dysfunctional Family, High School, Horsey, Dressage, Alcohol, Drugs, Self Discovery, Fitting In,

Similar Titles:

Ribbon Chasers by Becky Rodgers Boyette

Take the Reins by Jessica Burkhart

Little Black Lies by Tish Cohen

Title: Little Black Lies

Author: Tish Cohen

Publish Date: October 2009

Publisher: EgmontUSA

Pages: 320pp

IBSN: 1606840339

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Annotation: Sara Black, the new kid in town, fell into her first lie of being from London, England, when really she is from Lunden, Massachusetts. From then on, the lies escalated, turning from little white lies into big black lies, all in the name of fitting in.

Plot Summary: As the new eleventh grader at Anton High School, Sara Black just wants to fit in, especially because Anton High School is perhaps the most elite public school in the country. She figures by being the new student, she has the ability to fudge her previous life and dually hide her tarnished family past by telling a few white lies. Though, she runs the risk of breaking her fathers heart in doing so as her father is the janitor of the school and suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). When another social climber gets jealous of Sara, she decides to take on Sara’s stories, putting Sara’s reputation on the line.

Personal Response: I think this is a good read as it goes into detail about the pressures of fitting in, and the length teens go to make sure they are part of the in crowd. An interesting aspect of this novel was the description of the “in-crowd” in which were based on intellect, rather then the usual sports, good looking, cheerleader types. The students actions are formatted based on the pressures they face in order to succeed in life. The author keeps the readers engaged with all the predicaments Sara enters and provides meaningful lessons threaded throughout the story.

~Reader’s Advisory~

Themes: Awkward new student wants to fit in.

Age Range: 12 and up

Subjects: High School, Dysfunctional Family, Obsessive Compulsion Disorder, Friendship, Lying, Moving, Popularity, Outcast, Privilege, Mean Girls, Cliques, Love, Social Life

Kissing Doorknobs by Terry Spencer Hesser

Addiction by Toni Jordon

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers

Title: Some Girls Are

Author: Courtney Summers

Publish Date: January 2010

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Pages: 256pp

IBSN: 0312573804

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Annotation: Regina Afton is part of the mean girls clique but not for long as she becomes ostracized by her clique after her best friend, Anna’s boyfriend attacks her and Anna chooses to believe Regina led him on.

Plot Summary: Regina Afton was a member of the mean girls, the Fearsome Fivesome, until Anna the groups leader, finds out that Regina and her boyfriend slept together. But Regina didn’t willingly hook up with up Anna’s boyfriend, rather she was forced. Anna does not want to hear this so she shuns Regina, all the while Kara, another member of the mean girls clique, is enjoying Ragina’s ban. Together, Kara and Anna set out to destroy Regina with cruel attacks that escalate while Regina chooses to fight back with physical violence. As this is all happening, Regina self-reflects about her former life and behaviors, she realizes that she didn’t always treat people well. Her one source of support is one of her former targets, Michael, whom Regina took part in making his life miserable. Michael see’s the connection they have and although his feelings towards her are full of disdain, he reaches out to help Regina.

Personal Response: A very compelling read about the lengths a person will go to fit in and additionally the lengths a person will go to seek revenge. In fact, this story was pretty gritty, I found myself cringing as I read about all the blackmail and fighting. This is a very emotional read and definitely packed with page-turning action.

~Reader’s Advisory~

Themes: Fitting in.

Age Range: 12 and up

Subjects: Bullying, Cliques, Revenge, High School, Sexual Assault, Popularity, Friendship, Social Life, Suicide, Mean Girls,

Similar Titles:

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Boys, Girls and Other Hazardous Materials by Rosalind Wiseman

The Everafter by Amy Huntley

The Witches of Willowmere by Alison Baird

Title: The Witches of Willowmere

Author: Alison Baird

Publish Date: September 2003

Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)

Pages: 224pp

ISBN: 0141313730

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Annotation: Sixteen year old Claire is having dreams of the 17^th century Salem witch trials. As she struggles to understand why she is having these dreams, she becomes increasing fascinated with magic and the Wiccan belief system.

Plot Summary: Clair is sixteen years old and basically living on her own. Every time she passes by the Willowmere, her curiosity arouses as she is intrigued by the beautiful and mysterious estate. The owner of the estate, Dr. Myra Moore, befriends Clair and tells her about the Wiccan belief system. As Claire learns about this belief system, she wonders if this can help her understand why her mother left her. In addition, she wonders why she is having vivid dreams of the Salem witch trials of the 17^th century—and what her connection is to the girl in her dreams.

Personal Response: I really loved this story and look forward to reading the next two books in the series. Alison Baird does an excellent job at weaving in teenager dialog and keeping the reader intrigued. The ending definitely left you hanging—I am glad I don’t have to wait for the next book to come out.

~Reader’s Advisory~

Themes: Self discovery. Good verses evil.

Age Range: 14 and up

Subjects: Wiccan, Abandonment, Witches, Urban Fantasy, High School, Identity, Teenager, Reincarnation, Good verses Evil,

Similar Titles:

Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison

Dime Store Magic by Kelly Armstrong

Taltos by Anne Rice