Super Fake Love Song by David Yoon

Have you heard this before? A guy wants to impress a girl so he makes up something about himself knowing he cannot keep lying to her forever. If he is successful, it will all fall apart. The plot has been done before many, many times. What sustains this one is the humor and likeable characters. 

Sunny Dae tells the new girl in school, Cirrus Soh, that he is in a rock band. How does a self proclaimed nerd who posts videos on how to make cosplay accessories end up in such a lie? Sunny has a older brother (Gray) who is in a band. Cirrus assumes Gray's room (full of posters, guitars and cool clothes) is Sunny's. And since she seems excited about guys in bands, he goes with it. 

Sunny also tells Cirrus that he and his band will be playing in a contest soon. The band will have to be his two best friends (and fellow video makers) who now also part of the big lie. They are not happy about it, but support their best friend even when he is headed for disaster. 

It is no spoiler to say that Cirrus eventually finds out the truth. It is just a matter of when, and also how she reacts. Which I am not revealing here. 

In addition to the humor, I like this story for its positive portrayal of friendships and exploration of the brothers' relationship. Sunny's two friends are there for him through it all. They disagree and argue, and frankly, Sunny treats them badly for his own personal gain. But ultimately, they stick with each other. Sunny's brother is different story. Sunny idolizes his brother and wants them to be closer, but Gray is not a willing participant. It is the rockiest relationship in the book. 

This story could easily have turned into a wacky series of misunderstandings, but it strives (and attains) much more than that. 

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

 

We Didn't Ask for This by Adi Alsaid

The annual lock-in night at the Central International School is an event of legend. The secret party, the activities, new relationships are all  anticipated throughout the year. The lock-in is a time when you can become a new person, change your outlook, forge new bonds that you will carry with you the rest of your life. 

Being locked in for a night is different than just being locked in. And that is what Marisa does - she chains herself to the door (with other helpers doing the same at all exits). She wants her demands met before she will unlock herself. The demands are all intended to help the environment, but the most important one to her is stopping the construction of a resort on a nearby island that will destroy the coral reef. 

If this were any other school, it is possible nothing would change. But the students are children of ambassadors, diplomats, international business executives, missionaries and politicians. People with power or know the right people. 

What we have are an interesting group of students - some join Marisa's cause right away; Some just want their lock-in activities to happen; others just want out and will do what is necessary to stop Marisa. 

Though a school setting is familiar to books I read, the idea of students trapped in school is different. Particularly, when they are not trapped for some sinister reason. This story lets the students develop and show their reactions in a high stress setting. They are all not selfless. They have their own motivations and interests that hold them back. They doubt, they scheme, they withdrawal, they disagree. 

I enjoyed meeting this diverse group of teens, and I hope you do, too. 

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

This Will Be Funny Someday by Katie Henry

Izzy accidentally tried stand-up comedy one day. Accidentally? How do you end up on stage in front of people without meaning to? Izzy did it by trying to avoid her boyfriend - that is a story in and of itself. Oh, wait that is a big part of this story. Let me back up a bit...

Izzy feels like a fifth wheel in her own family. Her mom is a big time Chicago lawyer and works all the time, so no mother-daughter time for them. Dad is busy, too. Her older sister and brother seem to get all the attention. Izzy feels like she can't get a word in at the dinner table. So, she drifts through life on her own.

The only one who seems to need her is Alex, her boyfriend. Since she and her best friend, Naomi, stopped speaking to each other over Alex, Izzy only spends time with him. You quickly start seeing red flags in Alex's behavior and wonder why Izzy doesn't see them, too. 

Being on stage is liberating for Izzy. It is the one place she can say what she wants and people listen. The problem is that in order to stand-up, Izzy digs herself a big hole of lies. She lies to her parents, Alex, and her new college age friends. It's a mess that cannot be sustained forever. 

But Izzy is persistent and tries to keep her life in balance. Check this story out and stick with her as she attempts to reinvent herself. 

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

It Came from the Sky by Chelsea Sedoti

Gideon and is brother Ishmael are so different. Gideon is a serious science guy who dreams of going to MIT. He even has his own lab in the shed outback. Ishmael is a laid back prankster. Gideon worries; Ishmael goes with the flow. They get along, but rarely see eye to eye... until one of Gideon's experiments blows a huge crater in the backyard, and they decide to tell everyone it was from an alien spacecraft. 

You can understand why Ishmael would do it (he is too enthusiastic - he may have helped increase the size of the explosion). Gideon, though, is supposed to be the level headed one. But he sees an opportunity to do a social experiment that will make his MIT application stand out. The problem is people actually believe the story - people from all over the world are suddenly interested in their small town. 

 Lots of things happen in this humorous story. The brothers keep the people interested by faking other alien activities (like making crop circles). The head of their mom’s company (a health products network that is probably a scam) shows up to exploit the town for marketing and his own self- indulgence. Gideon is secretly dating Owen; secretly because as the only openly gay males in their school, Gideon does not want people to think that they are dating because they have no choice (yes, Gideon is insecure). Oh, there is a giant lave lamp in the center of town.

This is a fun read even though you want tell Gideon to chill out. There is some suspense (like how much trouble are these two going to get into); some romance; a little adventure; fake science fiction. Really, a bit of everything.

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

You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson

Liz never cared about being prom queen. She has tried to keep herself out of the spotlight at school. But when she does not get a scholarship for her dream college, getting that crown is the only path to make it happen. Being Black and gay is not going to make it any easier. 

In her small hometown, prom is a huge deal - and the competition for king and queen is even bigger. The winners get a scholarship, so it's not just a popularity contest. Way before the students vote, contestants must earn points by attending events and doing volunteer hours all while being publicized on social media. 

Ever since her best friend Jordan unceremoniously shut her out freshman year, Liz has tried to hide: get good grades and lose herself in her music. So making herself visible to the whole school is not easy. If she doesn't get the scholarship, the grandparents who raised her will mortgage their house and who knows what else, and Liz will not let that happen. 

So what else is going on with Liz? Her mother died of sickle cell anemia, and her younger brother has it, too. Jordan has popped back into her life as one of the prom king contestants. Her friend Gabi is driving her to be someone else just to win. And who is the cute new girl Amanda who is also running for prom queen? 

I really enjoyed this book. Great story with unique (not stereotype) characters. 

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

Who Put This Song On? by Morgan Parker

Morgan feels like she does not fit in anywhere. She is one of the few black girls in her private Christian school (she's not sure she is really Christian, either). Her anxiety and depression puts her parents on edge. Last summer it became too much, so she tried to kill herself.

Now in therapy and on medication, she is trying to get through life. She has two good friends, Meg and James. But even they do not understand what it is like to be black in a school and society so focused on white people. Take history class, the teacher gives bare information about Rosa Parks and Harriet Tubman. Morgan has to dig deeper on her own to find how awesome these woman were. And when she tries to bring up in class, she is labeled as difficult. She is tired of being the representative of her race when no one will listen to her even when she tries to be authentic.

Her parents think her mood swings are just that; something she can control if she would just try. When she explodes in anger and frustration, she is accused of being dramatic.

And then there are guys. Why do guys turn out to be such jerks? Not that Morgan thinks that; often she blames herself and feels that no one will ever truly like her (she's just too weird, right?).

I was first struck by the humor in this story. Morgan is genuinely funny. As the story progresses, Morgan's issues are revealed. She has deep insecurity and such low self esteem. She wants to be better, but struggles to find the balance. It's an incredible story that appears to be largely autobiographical. From personal experience, I can say there is so much truth about her anxiety and depression. I hope young people find this book and take some solace from it and know that they are not alone.

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

Crying Laughing by Lance Rubin

Winnie's life is about to change - in a lot of ways all at once. Like, Evan, one of the funniest guys at school, laughs at an off hand comment she makes. She know she's funny and so does her family and friends, but mostly she keeps her humor to herself. But Evan laughed at something she said!

At the urging of Evan and her best friend Leili, Winnie joins the school's improv group even though she said she would never perform in front of people again after her disastrous stand up routine at her bat mitzvah. Also, Evan may like her.

So Winnie has good things happening as the school year starts until...(did you really think everything would be rosy with 'crying' in the title?) Until she is told that her dad has been diagnosed with ALS, a degenerative disease with no cure.

Winnie's dad wanted to be a comedian until he put his career aside to stay at home with Winnie while her mother went to work. He introduced her to comedy. They trade silly responses and phrases to amuse each other (often to her mom's annoyance). Her dad is the reason Winnie wants to be a comedian, too. Now her dad has a difficult time grasping things and is unsteady on his feet.

So get ready for a ride on the roller coaster that is Winnie's life. It's a fun ride, but it has its down moments, too. It is a story that shows life does not always have answers, but can be funny all the while.

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

Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett

Birdie loves mysteries. She reads them; she watches them. How cool would it be to have a real mystery to solve. When she starts working as a overnight clerk at an old hotel in Seattle, she may get her wish. A gentlemen, who may or may not be the famous reclusive writer Raymond Darke, frequently comes into the hotel, goes to a room and leaves in less than an hour. No one knows what Darke looks like, so could it really be him? And what is he doing at the hotel that only takes an hour?

How does Birdie even know about all this? Well, that's complicated. Birdie hangs out at a diner and one night she met Daniel and they went to his car and had sex and never saw it each other again. Birdie has tried to put it out of her mind, but, much to her surprise, Daniel works at the hotel. He tells her about the potential mystery (even though she tries to avoid interacting with him out of embarrassment).

The rest of Birdie's life is not so straight forward, either. She lives with her grandfather (her grandmother having just recently passed away). Her mother died when she was young. She has a quirky aunt who lives in an old theater. Birdie also has a sleeping disorder which causes her to doze off anytime (but she is not willing to get ant treatment for it).

Really, Birdie is a nice person who just trying to make sense of everything. Unfortunately, life is not a mystery where everything wraps up neatly. This is a fun read with interesting characters and those lingering questions about Raymond Darke. 

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

Going Off Script by Jen Wilde

Lately, I have read several books with strong young women characters who are tired of being pushed around and decide (although often reluctantly) to fight back even if it means sacrificing something important to them. And so we have Bex.

Bex arrives in Los Angeles to pursue her dream of being a television writer. She has grown up poor in a small town in Washington. She has landed an internship on her favorite show Silver Falls (full of teens and werewolves). Some aspects of the job are amazing - working with the show's stars, seeing the sets and possibly meeting her first love. Other things...Well, Hollywood is a tough place sometimes. The show runner, Malcolm, is moody and uptight and has no respect for interns. He is, however, willing to take the script Bex wrote and put his name on it. Ya, he is a major jerk of unspeakable proportions.

Included with the tension of her new job, Bex is struggling to come out to her cousin, Parker, who she is staying with. He is gay, too, but she doesn't want to appear to be imitating him (as she has been accused in the past). The fact that she has never come out to anyone only adds to her nervousness. But this is LA, and she's away from home. And there is this stunningly beautiful social media star that Bex meets at a party. Could Bex ever hope to have the Shrupty Padwal as her first girlfriend?

Fighting for your dreams is hard, as Bex finds out. She has people who support her, so she is not as alone as she sometimes feels. After all, you can't change the world all by yourself.

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

Amelia Westlake Was Never Here by Erin Gough

Amelia Westlake doesn't exist. She is made up; the creation of two teen girls who cannot stand each other. They are opposites who reluctantly team up to fight injustices at the private girls school that both attend. 

Will is a scholarship student on the verge of expulsion. She doesn't do her homework and talks back to teachers. She is also not overly concerned about her appearance. Will is ready to take down the school and all of its pretentiousness.

In contrast, Harriet is an excellent student and treats all faculty with respect. She is smartly attired. She has been training to win the big doubles tennis tournament for a long time. Even when the staff's questionable behavior is pointed out to her, she is always willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. Harriet would never risk her future taking on the school administration.

Yet, circumstances bring Will and Harriet together. The swim coach is a pervert who is too friendly with some of the girls. He is an Olympic medalist who brings students and money to the school, so the administration will never reprimand him. Harriet agrees to help Will create a comic about the coach to be submitted to the school paper but only if it is anonymous. Thus, Amelia Westlake is born.

Needless to say, Amelia Westlake takes on a life of her own in a crusade that grows beyond the two girls. The question is can the girls make a difference at the school without getting in a lot of trouble.

It's a fun story about female empowerment and doing what is right no matter what the cost. Good messages for young people.

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

Hope and Other Punch Lines by Julie Buxbaum

Abbi survived the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. That day was Abbi's first birthday. She is Baby Hope captured in a famous photograph holding a red balloon and being carried by a fleeing woman. That photo has become a symbol of hope.

But Abbi is not really Baby Hope. She was that baby, but now she is 15 and does not feel connected to the photo. At this point in her life, she just wants to put it behind her.

Noah wants to know more about that day. He is interested in the other people in the photo who are running in the back ground. He feels it is fate that he and Abbi end up working at the same summer camp as counselors. Maybe he can get her to help him find the others and interview them. Her involvement will give his project credibility. Noah's best friend Jack thinks the whole idea is stupid.

Told in the alternating voices of Abbi and Noah, we learn how each is coping with the day that changed the world. Will Abbi get the illness that has already taken so many 9/11 survivors? Why is Noah so interested in the other people? Why does his mom never talk about his dad who died in the attack that day?

Those of us old enough to remember September 11 do not need reminders. But younger people should know what happened that day and understand why the aftermath will reverberate for generations. This story does a good job of bringing the horror and sadness of the day without recreating the actual events. Readers can experience the personal loss through these characters.

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

Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu

Vivian is tired of the guys (particularly athletes) being treated like gods in her school. They get away with everything including verbally and physically assaulting girls. Back her day, Vivian's mom was a Riot Grrrl (although now, her life is just going to work and -gasp!- dating a republican.) Going through her mom's box of old stuff, Vivian finds the inspiration she needs to take on the system.

Not that Vivian isn't hesitant about spreading her newly created Moxie Girl zine around school. She knows the risk. Girls are often subjected to greater scrutiny than the guys. She keeps the zine anonymous partly out of fear, but also because the Riot Grrrls had no true leader making the movement more organic.

When the zine is out, everyone is talking about it. Lucy, a new girl, who Vivian has seen be treated badly by the guys is excited about it. Claudia, Vivian's best friend...not so much. Maybe they should wait out their time until the graduate. Being an outsider, Lucy knows all schools aren't like this.

Vivian also has her eye on a new guy in school. Will he understand what she's trying to accomplish? As Vivian learns, starting a revolution is not easy. Maybe this book will inspire young women to fight a system that treats them as less than equal.

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

The Spaceship Next Door by Gene Doucette

Three years ago, the spaceship landed in the small town of Sorrow Falls, Massachusetts, and then nothing happened. Scientists photographed, probed and scanned the ship. The ship just sat there - no lights, no door, no noises, no aliens, nothing.
The military moved in and built a base around the ship along with manned check points at the entrances to the town. Some town residents became famous when the press showed up. And a group of dedicated (some would say odd) UFO enthusiasts are permanently camped out along the military perimeter fence. For all that and given the circumstances, a government analyst thinks the town has remained too unaffected by it all.

Sixteen year old Annie Collins knows everyone in her hometown and knows just about everything that is going on. When the analyst shows up pretending to be a journalist, Annie immediately hears about it and seeks him out. They form a reluctant partnership to try to find the answer for whatever he is looking for (even he is not sure).

Obviously, something happens with the ship or it wouldn't be much of a story. I don't want to give away too much, but I will say that people who are known to be dead are seen walking around town.  Aliens (maybe), zombies and soldiers. Do I need to say more?

I don't want you to think this is an action packed story (yes, there is some), but it is also about the people of the town dealing with extraordinary circumstances. It is about Annie dealing with her sick mom and the absence of her father. It is an interesting mix of science fiction and realistic fiction. Did I mention aliens and zombies? Good story.

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

Immoral Code by Lillian Clark

I started reading this because I thought it would be a suspenseful story of teens planning and carrying out a heist. It is that, but it is much more a tale of friends on the verge of heading off to college and ultimately going their separate ways; Each one has their own motives for risking everything to help a friend secure the money to go to MIT.

Bellamy has never met her father. He has lead a life acquiring great wealth and another family. Bellamy and her mother scrape by. When his fortune is figured into her financial aid application, Bellamy can't even get a loan. And she sure can't ask her father for money. So what is Bellamy to do?

In steps her best friend Nari, a total computer genius, who has an idea about skimming money from Bellamy's father's numerous accounts a little at a time. To pull it off, they need their other friends: Reese (artist extraordinaire), Santiago (future Olympic diver, he hopes) and Keagan (Nari's boyfriend).

What I like most about this book is how the characters are written. They are not teen stereotypes. We know their motivations and complexities. We also see them disagree about the illegal act they are planning. Keagan doesn't like it. Even though he goes along, his reservations never go away completely. The five teens have unique relationships with every other person in the group. They argue; they support each other; they rely on one another.

Even though, this story was not the intense caper I was hoping, I enjoyed it for the strong teen characters.

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

Easy Prey by Catherine Lo

Three students are brought together to do a school project for their most despised class. Each has a history with the other.

Jenna ran with the popular crowd until nude photos of her were sent sent out to the whole school last year. People tell her to get passed it, but they have never been through it so what do they know.

Matthew (aka Mouse) is a computer guy hoping to get into MIT. His grades do not mean anything to his dad who wishes Mouse were a star athlete like his cousin Troy (who was also Jenna's boyfriend until she accused him of posting the photos). Mouse was Jenna's best friend; now his father wants him to stay way from the girl that tried to ruin Troy's life.

Drew is a jock and a player (as in girls). He is Troy's best friend, and flirts with Jenna even though he knows he cannot date his best friend's ex (not that Jenna would date Drew).

So their little group finds themselves in the principal's office facing serious allegations of leaking nude photos of a teacher. The three of them are the only ones who had access to the photos, so one of them must be guilty but is not saying anything. How did they get access to the photos? That's half the story and is a frustrating exercise in asking (sometimes out loud) what the characters are thinking.

It is an story that is timely and suspenseful which makes for an interesting story but a sad commentary on what teens face in real life.

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

Oh My Goth by Gena Showalter

Welcome to the goth version of It's a Wonderful Life. You know that movie where the guy gets to see what the world would be like if he had never been born. OK, this is not really like that, but there is a bit of fantasy involved for a teen girl who gets so see what the world is like if goth were popular and she was the queen of the school. That girl would be Jade.

Jade has shut herself off from everything. Dressed in black on the outside and filled with darkness on the inside. She has friends, but she never gets too close (she might even be pushing them away). She can never open herself up to anyone - the fatal car crash that took her mother is proof of that.

Jade is one of the goth kids that are bullied by the popular kids (including Jade's former best friend, Mercedes). Jade is not one to be pushed around, so she strikes back at others when necessary. This does not make her a favorite with teachers.

Mercedes is popular and has tormented Jade and her friends for years. So when she and Mercedes essentially trade places in their alternate world, they both get to see what the other is going through. If they each learn a lesson, will they go back to their old lives? Come to think of it, maybe this is more like the Prince and the Pauper or Freaky Friday. Either way, it is fun look at two girls who need an otherworldly intervention to make things better for everyone.

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

Your Own Worst Enemy by Gordon Jack

During a student body election that goes completely off the rails, all three candidates end up in the principal's office on election day.

Who are the candidates? Stacey has wanted to be the president for her whole high school career. She has been involved in student government and many clubs. A few weeks before the election, she is running unopposed.

Julia is new to school having just moved from Canada to live with her aunt. Her features make some think she is a Latina, but even she's not sure. Her mom is white, but she never knew her dad. Mom thinks Julia should be an individual and not worry about racial identity.

Tony only wants to hang out his parent's mansion (they travel a lot) and get high. School is of no interest. He is talked into running for president by a mo-hawk wearing freshman. Tony's platform is all about getting his favorite chocolate milk back in the cafeteria.

And then there's Brian, Stacey's best friend and election confidante, who falls for Julia the first time he sees her. His life is not complicated at all: friend to one candidate and hopeful boyfriend to another. Another force in the whole election is Kyle, Brian's little brother, who will do whatever he can to make Brian's life miserable. Oh ya, Kyle has a mo-hawk.

Even school politics can be messy. And when the stakes are high, even the most respectable student can dirty. For the reader, it's all fun and worth the time.

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

The History of Jane Doe by Michael Belanger

Ray lives in a weird little Connecticut town, Williamsburg (aka Burgerville). Being the history buff that he is, he knows all about the strange happenings his town's past including the green cows. Were the cows real? Does it even matter when everyone still talks about them?

One day, a young woman comes to town who Ray (the narrator) only calls Jane Doe for this story. She chooses to hang out with Ray and his friend Simon when she could obviously be part of the popular crowd. Jane is unlike anyone.

Jane loves folk music thanks to her Grandma Irene (a somewhat famous singer in her day) who has a connection to Burgerville. The story of the one time folk festival that Irene organized is one of the stories shared between Ray and Jane. Ray takes Jane to all the sites of famous Burgerville historical moments.

I'm finding its difficult to describe this book. Really, it is two young people discovering themselves (ya, I know what teen book isn't). Ray gets to do a rare thing: share his interests with someone who is interested (or at least interested in him enough to listen). Jane...there is more going on with her than Ray knows and for a short time he gets to see her for who she is.

The story is quirky, funny and serious, too. I look forward to another book by this author.

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

Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe by Preston Norton

Cliff's older brother, Shane, is dead. Shane is the only thing Cliff care's about. He doesn't care about school or his stupid classmates. His dad is abusive, and his mom is his dad's enabler. Basically, Cliff's life sucks.

Sometimes when nothing feels right, Cliff goes to the Monolith, a tall abandoned never finished seven story office building in his small town. He and his brother used to go there, and hang out on a top floor balcony.  But now, Cliff goes by himself.

Cliff is a big, physically big. So big that his nickname is Neanderthal. He is called a lot of things by classmates who think they are so clever. He is not afraid to throw punches if necessary. He does just that against Aaron Zimmerman the popular quarterback. Cliff hates Aaron.

So imagine Cliff's astonishment (and skepticism) when Aaron tells him (after waking from a coma - NOT caused by Cliff)  that he saw God. Not only that, God gave Aaron a list and wants Cliff to help him make their high school a better place. It's a nice goal, but why would Cliff want to help Aaron do anything?

Maybe Cliff and Aaron can change their small part of the world. Maybe Cliff can discover more about his brother. And maybe not everyone at school hates Cliff like he thinks they do.

Interesting characters and an intriguing plot make this a worthwhile read.

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

Simon Vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

So they made a movie based on this book (no, I haven't seen it). It was the movie's release that prompted me to finally read the book.

Simon is gay, but he hasn't told anyone yet. He has been corresponding (emailing) with another guy who goes to the same high school, but neither know each other's identity. Simon is curious, but the other boy wants to keep the secret. Along comes Garrett who accidentally sees one Simon's emails and decides he can use the info to get something for himself (a date with Simon's friend, Abby). Yes, Garrett threatens to out Simon to everyone unless Simon helps him get to know a friend. What a jerk, right?

Simon is not ready to share his sexuality with the world and is afraid that it will scare off his potential boyfriend if he is outed. This could be his first boyfriend ever! It might be...Simon is not sure if he is reading the signals correctly. The other guy seems to be flirting, so it could happen.

Simon has a great group of friends. They are written with more depth than you might find in many teen novels, and I found that refreshing. He also has nice (but not perfect) parents. So Simon's world is pretty good (except for some uncertainty about being accepted for who he is). It's a pleasant, fun read.

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