Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

Yes, I am a huge John Green fan. And yes, I liked this book very much. I was delighted that the last sentence of so many paragraphs were profound and spoke a basic truth. It's like he peppered small philosophical statements throughout the whole story.

We have Aza who is struggling with a mental disorder that causes a voice in her head to tell her she will contract some horrible illness from microbes. She knows that microbes are in all of us. Maybe she is just the host. Maybe the microbes actually control her. Maybe she doesn't even control her own thoughts. Even with therapy and medicine (which she doesn't always take), the nagging thoughts are still there. It is excruciating at times to feel Aza go through it.

Aza's best friend Daisy is much more extroverted. They have been friends since grade school and often hang out at Applebee's using a bunch of coupons (much to the disdain of their usual waitress). Neither have a lot of money and both go to public school.

Daisy is particularly interested when one of the city's wealthiest businessmen disappears on the eve of his arrest. Aza went to a camp with the man's son (named Davis), so Daisy is sure they can use that connection to help solve the mystery (and get the reward). Aza is not so sure. Will Davis even remember her? And even if he does, he lives in a mansion and goes to private school.

This story is not about the solving the mystery; it is about Aza coming to grips with her life. John Green does an extraordinary job of putting us right in her head. Dealing with anxiety myself, I know what it is like to have those irrational thoughts that seem beyond my control. I like to say my brain is working against me as if it is completely separate from me. It is a rare and amazing thing to hear your own voice in a story. This book is one of those times. I felt Aza's pain all the more because I have personally felt some of her struggle.

For more info, check out the Indianapolis Public Library catalog and the author's site.

Warcross by Marie Lu

Emika needs money to pay three months back rent or she and her roommate will get kicked out on the the street. Since the death of her father, the fastest way for her to make a lot of money is bounty hunting. Using her hacking skills she can hunt down a person who is not dangerous enough for the over worked police to find themselves. It's a tough job, but it pays well.

She hunts her latest shortly before the start of the International Warcross Tournament. Warcross is a interactive three dimensional virtual reality game that has swept the globe. Everyone can play, but only a few are professionals who play in the annual tournament.

Emika could never dream of being in the tournament due to her criminal record. Also, her ranking in Warcross is never high because she plays often under a different name. As the tournament begins, she decides to hack in to get a valuable power-up in the game and sell it. It is a decision that thrusts her into the international spotlight and gets the attention of Hideo, the game's creator. Emika has idolized Hideo for years. Now, she may get to meet him in person.

Emika's hunting and hacking skills may be just what Hideo needs to find someone else hacking the virtual world he created. The best way to do that...put Emika in the tournament.

This incredible story exists in a bleak world where most of the planet is caught up in Warcross. The technology is believable enough that it seems possible and may not be that far into the future. I recommend going along with Emika as she becomes immersed in the dangers of the game and the real world.

For more info, check out the Indianapolis Public Library catalog.

What Goes Up by Katie Kennedy

Eddie has a chance to escape his life. He is one of several candidates chosen to be tested for one of two positions in NASA's secretive Interworlds Agency. The testing is anything but normal, but then so is the job.

Eddie feels pressure to separate himself from his criminal father. Eddie's  beloved grandmother raised him and taught him to all that she knew about science and the world. He still mourns her recent passing.Rosa is one of the other candidates. Her parents are highly successful scientists. She feels the pressure to do well.

During the testing, Eddie provides interesting, unconventional responses. His troubled past bothers the higher ups who do not quite trust him. Eddie struggles to not end up proving them right.

Then a life changing event happens. Visitors from beyond our planet arrive. From another world, another dimension? It is a historical event and Eddie and Rosa are right there when it happens. With their instructor Reg as a guide, the teens may be the only ones who can deal with the visiting beings to our planet.

For more info, check out the Indianapolis Public Library catalog and the author's site.