If Rock and Roll Were a Machine by Terry Davis

Bert Bowden wanted a motorcycle. His parents were against it, but he got one anyway. He doesn't feel like a motorcycle guy, but he feels good when he's riding it. It was something the he had to try.

Bert is not sure of himself anymore. He used to be a smart, outgoing kid until a teacher crushed his spirit. The teacher thought Bert was a know-it-all. He was personally irritated by Bert's classroom outbursts, so he turned the other kids against him. Since then, Bert has been adrift.

He tried out for football, but didn't make the cut. He tries writing for the school paper (his teacher even thinks he could write professionally some day). There's a girl he kind of likes, but he never expresses it.

This is a slice of Bert's life at a time when he seems to be finding his direction. Too often things happen in our early life that even we may not recognize at the time but have long lasting effects. Bert is lucky enough to find adults who want to help him and encourage him. Will riding a motorcycle help him? Maybe not, but riding one at least puts him on a road going somewhere.

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

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

This has been on my radar for quite some time. I heard about it at a couple of conferences I attended, but didn't think much about it. Fortunately, a young person at my library recommended it to me, and I cannot wait to tell her how much I liked it.

Once again I found myself in the pages of a book. Ari, our narrator, says things that I have thought in my own head (and even said out loud to a few people). I always pause when I hit one of those lines. It is a moment of clarity and wonder. I am always surprised that others have felt the same way that I have. But enough about me...

Ari doesn't have any friends until he meets Dante. And he questions their friendship often (for a long time). Dante is so different. He seems so sure of things and thinks about life a unique way. Dante's father is a professor; his mother a therapist. They are outgoing and friendly. Ari's dad doesn't say much; he was in Vietnam and never talks about it. His mom is a teacher and more open with Ari, but she, too, keeps things locked inside. Neither talk about Ari's older brother who is in prison.

Ari wants nothing more than to know about his brother. He was just a child when his brother was incarcerated, so he has only possible memories of him. Ari wants someone to at least acknowledge that his brother exists.

With Dante, Ari's life is more interesting and frustrating at times. They are both growing and learning about themselves as tragedies happen and events separate them.

If it seems like I am being purposely vague, that would be because I am. I don't want to give anything away in this amazing story about these boys and their complex relationship with each other and their parents.

Books fascinate me. If you read enough and you are lucky, you might find one that speaks to you on levels you never could have imagined. This is one of those books for me.

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

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

What are the odds of two people finding each other in such a large world with so many others? It is a rhetorical question, but it is kind of a miracle when it happens.

In their own ways, Eleanor and Park are set apart from the crowd. Park is the son of a Korean mother and an ex-military father. Park is not the tough, athletic guy his dad would like him to be. He prefers rock music, wearing black shirts and reading comics.

Eleanor is the new girl in school. Her red hair and unique way of dressing (second hand mostly) make her stand out and an easy target at school. She has recently moved back in with her mom and her horrible new step father after being abandoned at a family friend's house for over a year. Eleanor is very careful at home because her step father could explode at her at any time.

Call it fate or whatever you wish but on the first day of school, Eleanor has no where to sit on the bus except next to Park. It is not love at first sight - in fact it is avoid any contact at all on first sight and for several days after. It is only a small connection at first that breaks the barrier between them and it grows from there.

There are more complications than I am willing to spell out here. I will say that Eleanor's home life make it difficult for her to trust anyone and causes her to hesitate to let anyone see her for who she really is. For his part, Park is crazy about Eleanor and only hopes she will eventually see in herself what he sees in her.

Rainbow Rowell has created a story of two young people who need someone and unexpectedly find each other. I was particularly happy with the later stages of the story even as I cringed at the potential danger that could be coming. The story is set in the 1980s. Having been a teen myself then, I liked the many references to the time.

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

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

In 2045, the OASIS is the virtual escape for almost everyone living in the bleak real world. The OASIS is a vast world created by James Halliday who on his death launched a game to find a hidden egg within the world. The winner will inherit Halliday's fortune.

The world wide search is on and Wade (avatar name: Parzival) is ready for the challenge. He (like so many others) studies everything about Halliday and his life - every movie, tv show, album and video game Halliday ever liked in hopes of finding a clue. Individuals (called Gunters) like Wade race against an organized corporation to get the egg and control of the OASIS. For five years, no one even reaches the first level, but when someone does the game truly begins.

Halliday was a teen in the 1980s, so OASIS and the game are filled with references to that time period. Being a teen in the 80s myself, I was fascinated by this part of the story. The author does an incredible job capturing the 80s even in brief snippets throughout the story.

OASIS is also like living in a big video game with battles to be fought and prizes to be won. It is a place that seems like it could exist in our futures (hopefully without the dismal real world).

I thoroughly enjoyed the world the author created. Anyway who likes video games or the 1980s might want to check this one out.

Click here for more info about this book from the Indianapolis Public Library.