This Boy by Lauren Myracle

A day in the life of...well, actually four years in the life of a boy. We follow Paul through his time in high school - freshman to senior years. There is nothing particularly outstanding about Paul. He enters high school hoping to be a different person. He becomes friends with Roby who also wants more from his life.

Through freshman year, we get a dialogue between the two friends and a running commentary from Paul (our narrator). They talk about girls and clothes and sometimes nothing. I found much of their talk humorous and mostly relatable (I was once a teen boy, too). There were moments where I asked myself 'do modern guys really talk like this' that I let slide because I found Paul and Roby so amusing.

As the boys grow physically and change their appearance (Paul becomes tall and lets his hair grow long), the attention from girls, and the attraction to them, becomes stronger. But it is still never any easy road. They are both heavily crushing on Roby's long time neighbor Natalia.

One of the beautiful aspects of Paul's and Roby's friendship is the balance they provide for each other. Paul pushes the limits and Roby's influence keeps him from going too far. It's not to say that they don't have arguments, but they always come back together.

Truth be told, there is no story arc here. There is no motivation driving the plot. It really is just the ongoing life of 'this boy' named Paul. He has ups and downs (and it does get dark and ugly). I have seen some criticism that the story is boring. Obviously, no story exists that is for everyone. I have enjoyed the author's other books, and I liked this one. Maybe that is as much because I was a teenage boy and found my own teen thoughts in some of Paul's.

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

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.

Everything Grows by Aimee Herman

Eleanor was bullied by James. She didn't know him other than from the torment he gave her. One day, James commits suicide. So Eleanor cuts her hair and dyes it. Eleanor also starts writing to James in her journal. She tells him everything that is happening in her life - and it's a lot.

Eleanor's mom tried to commit suicide about a year ago. She fears her mom will try it again. Eleanor goes to group therapy to help deal.

Eleanor is also exploring her own sexuality. She knows she's gay, but it feels like there is more. She hasn't come out to anyone...yet. Although her mom's friend Flora seems like a good place to start since she is gay, too.

She loses an old friend. Gains new ones. Meets James' parents. And tries to find who she really is and who she is supposed to be. As readers, we take some big steps with Eleanor, but is only just the beginning for her.

Eleanor's story is a positive one for young people struggling with identity, particularly LGBTQ teens.

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.

Every Moment After by Joseph Moldover

For Matt and Cole, everything change the day a shooter entered their first grade classroom and killed their classmates. Matt was sick at home and feels guilty for not being there. Cole was rescued by the police chief, a moment that was captured in a photograph that became famous. And their friend, Andy...he didn't survive. Matt and Cole are now graduating from high school and must decide what to do with the rest of their lives.

The shooting is never far from their minds. How could it be living in the same small town where it happened. Matt and Cole tell their stories in alternating chapters. Cole is trying to work up the courage to tell Viola (who moved into town way after the shooting) how he feels about her. He thinks an end of summer grand gesture is the way to go. He is depending on Matt to get the money needed to pull it off which unfortunately may lead to doing questionable things (like selling Cole's dad's old pain medication).

Matt is forever questioning whether he should even by alive. He escaped the shooting because his diabetes kept him home that day. He still regrets it, and it has made him more impulsive than Cole. He feels left out of the dominant conversation of his life. He looks for answers in sex, in indifference to his glucose levels and in physically pushing himself to the brink of death.

I have read more than few books about school shootings, but they usually cover the tragedy itself. This one delves into the long, painful aftermath: the survivors, the permanently injured, the parents of the victims, the children of the heroes, the broken families and even the childhood home of the shooter. It excruciatingly relevant in the time we are living. A shooting happens somewhere and the world moves on. For those directly affected, the trauma never truly ends.

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

The Nowhere Girls by Amy Reed

As I write this, the news is filled with stories of prominent, powerful men being exposed as sexual harassers. For all the progress women have made, many men still treat women as objects, conquests and prizes. It feels as if we are currently having a shift in attitudes. Hopefully, this story can  help.

Last year, Lucy was raped at a party by some members of the football team, but no one would believe her. The law looked the other way. The boys are still free and continue to harass other girls. Lucy was persecuted so much that her family left town.

Grace has just moved to the same town and now lives in Lucy's old house. Her family move to Oregon from Kentucky when her mom was deemed too progressive to be the minister of their church. Grace finds Lucy's pleas for help scratched into the wood work in her bedroom and wonders what happened.

Grace finds Rosina and Erin at her new school sitting all be themselves at lunch and joins them. She asks them about Lucy. Erin doesn't want talk about it, and Rosina is tired of hearing about it. Besides, they both have their own issues.

Rosina spends all of her 'free' time working in her family's restaurant and babysitting the many young children of her family members. Her mom is constantly critical of her no matter what she does. And she is a lesbian in a school that is not so accepting of such things.

Erin is autistic. She is obsessed with undersea life and Star Trek: the Next Generation. They allow her to escape from the things in life that make her anxious. For all her mom has read about autism, she still does not seem to understand what Erin really needs sometimes.

Together, the girls decide (with some reluctance) to push back against the 'boys will be boys' attitude of the school and the town. The invite other girls to a meeting to talk about Lucy and their own experiences. The gathering leads to the Nowhere Girls, a group that includes members of every clique. The group decides action is needed to stop girls from being harassed. Taking a stand is a risk and often scary, but they know they are doing the right thing.

I hope this book empowers young women and men and helps educate them in the way we all should behave. That showing respect is something we all deserve. That no one is entitled to make others uncomfortable. And that physical interaction and sexual intimacy is about consent from both people involved.

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

I Hate Everyone But You by Gaby Dunn & Allison Raskin

Two best friends separated for the first time. Ava stays in California to go to film school. Gen goes to Boston to study journalism. Some would say they are opposites and wonder why they are friends at all. Ava is uptight, anxious and struggles with issues that have caused her to take medication and see therapists. Gen is a free spirit, open to new experiences and doesn't shy away from meeting new people.

They promise to communicate everyday. So through e-mails and texts, we see their friendship strain against the separation as they each have new experiences that do not include each other. They tease, criticize, question, encourage and support each other. There is no question that these to young women have a strong friendship, but that doesn't stop them from fighting. As time goes on, the strain starts to show.

Neither Ava nor Gen is perfect. They make mistakes. They do things the other one questions: Ava joins a sorority (Gen: really?). Gen explores her sexuality (Ava: are you gay now?). There are guys and girls, kissing and sex, possible love and definite heartbreak. Truly, this first semester is a test for them. But it's amusing and worth the time.

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

Optimists Die First by Susin Nielsen

Petula fears the world - at least the things that could harm her. She is very careful, like how she will not walk next to a construction site. It's too risky. She keeps a scrapbook of unusual ways people have died. You can never be too careful. Petula knows this because her baby sister Maxine died, and she feels responsible.

To deal with the loss, Petula is forced to be in an art therapy group at school, and it is horrible. First, the therapist treats them like preschoolers. Second, she does not belong in a group with Ivan who is prone to outbursts, Koula who is a druggie and an alcoholic, Alonzo who tried to commit suicide and Jacob who is missing an arm and obsessed with movies .

OK, so Petula stopped crafting which she loved and did all the time. And she stopped talking to her best friend and crafting buddy, Miranda. It's not like she is the only one not dealing well with Maxine's death. Her mom keeps adopting kittens (much to her dad's dismay).

When Jacob (who isn't so bad after all) suggests the group make videos, Petula is reluctant. How could a video possible help her when she doesn't have a problem? Petula just needs to open herself up to the others and Jacob in particular.

Petula's journey of loss, discovery, self-examination and perhaps love are worth the reader's time.

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

Every Hidden Thing by Kenneth Oppel

There was a time not so long ago when dinosaurs were new. Not to the planet, but to the knowledge of humans. The fossilized bones of dinosaurs had to be discovered and dug up to reveal the extinct creatures. The bones had to be assembled and the creature classified and named. Some of the men doing such work were formally educated like Professor Cartland. Some were self-taught like Michael Bolt. Cartland and Bolt are rivals and hate each other so much that they often stoop to petty sabotage.

This story is about the children of those two men - Rachel Cartland and Samuel Bolt. Both were raised without their mothers by fathers who surrounded them with science and the new discipline of paleontology. Rachel and Sam want to search for bones like their fathers. Sam might not have the money to go to school, but could be like his father. Rachel...well, women do not go to university and become dinosaur hunters. It's not proper.

Sam and Rachel meet for the first time on the night Sam's father is presenting his latest find and Rachel's father is there to embarrass him. Sam feels a connection to Rachel (even as they are both pulling their fathers apart during the fight that breaks out). Rachel has never had boys show interest in her (and is considered plain by most standards), so she hesitates in the face of Sam's interest.

Maybe they would never see each other again...until their super competitive fathers end up pursuing the same dinosaur that could be the most extraordinary find of all. The search takes them all out west (Rachel had to beg to go since a young lady does not travel in the wilds of the west with a bunch of young male students). The heated battle between the two parties is not even the worst of it. They face the hot dry conditions and the ever looming presence of Sioux who view the Badlands as sacred ground.

Through it all, Sam and Rachel find each other. If they survive this expedition, can they be together when their fathers hate each other so much?

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

The Haters by Jesse Andrews

Wes and Corey love music, well except the music they hate on...which is a lot of it. They know they are haters - it's what they do. They are attending a jazz camp (Wes plays bass and Corey plays drums) with a bunch of young people way more into jazz than they are.

Back home, Wes and Corey do not play together a lot - they usually just end up listening to music. Needless to say they are not the best players in camp, so they end up in the worst group. But so does a guitar player named Ash. On the first day of camp, the three end up jamming together. They are so impressed with themselves that they decide to form a group and immediately hit the road to find venues to play.

What could go wrong with spur of the moment tour? Wes, Corey and Ash find out as the head through the South on route to New Orleans. It is a road trip of disasters, disappointments, weird characters and epic moments.

Music has a way of bringing people together. Wes, Corey and Ash came together through music and their lives will never be the same.

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

Character, Driven by David Lubar

Cliff's life changes when he sees Jillian for the first time. Yes, she is that beautiful. She is new to school, and everyone notices her when she walks into class. Cliff knows he does not have chance with her but that doesn't keep his mind from thinking up things to say to her.

Cliff is telling us the story of his senior year. Jillian is only one part of it. His dad lost his job and is pathological about saving money. Cliff works two jobs to contribute to the money his mom brings home from working at a bakery. Cliff's dad is constantly harping about what Cliff cannot do because it is a waste of money (like go to a concert of one of  his favorite bands). His dad also tells Cliff he is wasting his time with art. Cliff is not sure what he wants to do with his life, but he would like art to be an option.

Cliff has two best friends, Butch and Robert. Butch has changed her name many times since he's known her. She is "a little twisted, but in a good way" (her skull collection is a good example). Robert moved from Jamaica. Both are very smart and 'fight' with each other constantly.

Then there's Jimby whose mother drank a lot while she was pregnant. As described by Cliff, it messed up Jimby's brain a bit, but he would take a beating for Jimby. Cliff tries to help Jimby whenever he can.

Cliff knows he is writing us a story and makes occasional references to remind us. In reality of course, it is David Lubar who has (once again) given the reader a story filled with humor and poignancy. There are some basic truths to be found alongside the funny musings of Cliff.

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

Firsts by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn

Mercedes has sex with virgin guys. She wants to teach them so they will give their girlfriends a better first time than she had. It's not just physical instruction; she tells them how to dress and behave and where to go on dates. She is just providing a service.

She has to keep her sex life a secret (particularly from her best friend Angela) which is difficult because she has helped so may guys (even she is kind of appalled at the number). She thinks the boys will never tell anyone for fear of their girlfriends finding out. If it were to get out...her life would be over.

Mercedes' sex life is not all about virgins. She has a weekly Wednesday 'date' with her chemistry partner Zach. He wants her as a girlfriend, but she wants none of it. She likes their arrangement just the way it is.

Mercedes is just trying to bide her time until she can go to MIT next fall to study chemistry, but life is complicated. Mercedes' dad left when she was young and her mom might as well be gone to for the lack of attention (let alone affection) she shows to her only daughter. Mercedes at least has Angela, although it is becoming more difficult to face her. Angela started a prayer group that is only attended by Mercedes and Angela's boyfriend (who Angela won't have sex with until they are married).  Even the new girl Faye (who is gorgeous and seems to catch Zach's attention) is confusing Mercedes. Is Faye flirting with her or just wanting to be frieds?

Mercedes thinks she is in control, but nothing is as it seems. There is a lot more to Mercedes and this story than sex.

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

Infinite in Between by Carolyn Mackler

When you were a freshman, did you wonder who you would be when you graduated? Did you think about what your life would be like over the four years of high school? I didn't. At least, I don't remember giving it any thought. I sure didn't know what I wanted to do after high school.

At freshman orientation, five students (Gregor, Zoe, Jake, Whitney and Mia) are assigned to the same group and must complete a project together. They choose to write letters to their future selves and agree to meet after graduation to read them.

We follow each of them through the four year of high school. Whitney is beautiful and popular. Gregor is not so popular but totally taken with Whitney. Jake is athletic (but no longer on the football team) and has a crush on his best friend, Ted. Zoe is the daughter of a famous actress who has a scandalous secret. Mia is searching for her identity and casually watches the others.

We follow each student through their ups and downs. We see how they change and grow and how their lives intersect with each other. In order to tell the story over a four year period, the author jumps several months at a time often leaving us with mini cliff hangers. The letters themselves aren't really important; they are just the vehicle for bringing the five together.

I found this story intriguing because it is different from many other books about teens. Normally, we see teens and their lives change around major events. This story allowed us to see a group of teens changing as a normal course in life.

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

Seconds: A Graphic Novel by Bryan Lee O'Malley

Write down your mistake, eat a mushroom, go to sleep, wake up anew with your mistake erased. If only it were that easy. First, the mushrooms are special. Second, the mistake must have taken place on the premises (in this case, the Seconds restaurant).

Katie is a talented young chef trying to open a second restaurant while not quite able to step aside at the first one - in other words, the staff thinks she's bossy and wishes she would go away.  The construction on her new restaurant is not going smoothly, causing her much stress. In the middle of this, she starts seeing a strange girl sitting on her dresser in the room where she lives above the Seconds restaurant.

In the dresser, she finds a mushroom and the instructions to erase mistakes. An accident in the kitchen that burns one of the servers causes Katie to follow the instructions for a 'revision'. A run in with her ex-boyfriend prompts her to do it again. The mysterious girl on the dresser warns her that she is only entitled to use the power once, but life is full of mistakes so if you have a chance to correct them...

Needless to say, things get out of hand for Katie. What life does she really want for herself? Does she want her ex-boyfriend back? Does she want to renovate the old building for her new restaurant or should she have chosen the other one at better location?

The author/artist (who also gave us the Scott Pilgrim series) has created vibrant graphics to tell this intriguing story. The manga inspired characters inhabit wonderfully detailed panels that only add to the enjoyment of this story.

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

The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu

Can rumors destroy you? Can your reputation be so ruined by others that you can no longer function? Alice was popular and now she is called a slut and shunned. One party started it all and the death of the star quarterback made it worse.

Alice lives in a small Texas town where football is everything. So when there is no game, what else is there to do. Parties are not those huge deals you see in the movies where hundreds of teens pack a house. Mostly, people (the popular upperclassmen and a select few of younger teens) hang out and drink. Occasionally, something big happens like at Elaine's party where Alice had sex with two guys in the same night. Brandon, one of the guys himself, said it, so it must be true.

Kelsie didn't go to the party (she was ill), but she has been Alice's best friend for...well, since she moved to Texas from Michigan. She was such a nerd back then and decided to start over in her new home. Alice was the first one to speak to her and they have been friends ever since - until the party. How could she risk losing her semi-popular status by staying linked to Alice the town slut?

Josh is Brandon's best friend. He was in the car when Brandon crashed and died. It was Alice's fault. She kept sexting him. It was that distraction that caused the crash. Josh can't keep that kind of info to himself, so now everyone in town knows (including the adults).

Kurt has been crushing on Alice for a long time. He is very smart and keeps to himself. Yes, he lives next door to Brandon, but Brandon would never admit to speaking to Kurt civilly (like he sometimes does when they are by themselves). And that's just fine with Kurt. He doesn't care about the rumors or whether they are true. He just wants to help Alice.

Through the alternating voices of Elaine, Kurt, Josh and Kelsie, we learn about the events leading up to the party and the accident. They each have their own motives and perspectives. What do they reveal and to whom? And is it too late for Alice.

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

The F--- It List by Julie Halpern

I don't have a bucket list - you know, a list of things you want to accomplish before you 'kick the bucket.' It's not that I've done everything I have ever wanted to. I just don't feel the need to write these things down. Becca, on the other hand, has been making a list for a long time, but now is the time for her to act...

Becca has cancer. The prognosis for recovery is good, but why take chances? Knowing she will be sick and too weak to work on her list, she gives it to her best friend Alex to do some of it for her. 'Bucket list' is too morbid (especially since Alex knows Becca is not going to die), so they call it the F--- It List.

It's unfortunate that Alex went to the first day of school not knowing anything about Becca's condition. They had a falling out (over a guy) and had not spoken all summer. And Alex could have used her best friend since she was dealing with the sudden death of her father.

We follow Alex through her life coping with her father's death, her friend's cancer (and treatment which is sometimes worse than the disease) and Leo, a guy she may be dating but not exactly. The time with Leo makes Alex's life more complicated for many reasons, one in particular is that Alex feels guilty for having fun while Becca has lost her social life, her strength, her appetite and her beautiful hair. Alex loses herself in horror films dreaming of the day when she can make her own.

This story is not about completing items on the list. That occurs, but it does not drive the story as much as Alex's relationships with the people in her life.  Alex and Becca both need each other and it comes through in their conversations. They are funny, honest and sometime harsh.

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

Fault Line by C. Desir

Ben didn't go to the party with Ani. Her friend Kate did, but she's not completely sure what happened. It was brutal and horrific and Ani will never be the same. Was she drunk? Did someone drug her? It was not like her at all, and no one knows who is to blame.

Ben meets Ani just before the start of his senior year. She was hard to ignore as she walked through the parking lot. Fortunately for Ben, Ani noticed him, too. Besides Ani's gorgeous looks, what Ben finds most striking is her directness. There is no BS with her; none of the typical games that Ben has experienced with other girls. The tension about sex is broken with Ani's straightforward personality.

There is no question that Ani was the victim, but rape has a way of making the innocent feel guilty. Ben blames himself for not going. Kate blames herself for not intervening. Ani just blames herself.

The aftermath can only be described as excruciating for all involved. Ben wants the old Ani back. He sees hints of her, but they are fleeting. He misses the playful, sexy girlfriend who he could talk to. But that Ani is gone, replaced with someone who only wants the physical and not the emotional connection.

This is not always an easy book to read. Everything goes from good to bad in one night, and there are no easy fixes. You can't be mad at Ben for not doing the right thing, because there is no obvious right thing to help Ani. It is a refreshing reminder that rape is not a crime for just the victim; it affects everyone in that person's life.

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

Sex & Violence by Carrie Mesrobian

Sex & Violence - it's a title that gets people's attention. Two words with general meanings that when put together can take on many connotations.

For seventeen year old Evan, sex is a casual pursuit. He has never gotten too attached to any of his partners. He has grown to look at women and admire them for the physical attributes and ponder the possibility of sex with them. The thing about sex is that you may not be the only person attracted to someone. For Evan, this is bad. Collette offers herself to him and he takes her willingly. When her ex-boyfriend finds out, Evan is cornered in the shower and brutally beaten.

Evan's dad moves them to the small lake Minnesota town where he grew up. Evan and his dad have moved many times since Evan's mother died, but he has never been to this place. Constantly moving has caused Evan to not form close relationships (with friends or lovers), so he is reluctant to befriend any of the other lake kids. He avoids doing things that bring back memories of his beating (like the shower). He also hesitates to hook up with any girl although the desire is there. It is particularly tricky with Baker who is dating a large athletic guy who could easily pummel Evan if he is not careful.

This book could have fallen into a typical story arc of Evan meeting the right girl and learning to trust in himself and others again. But life is not that easy. There are many issues being addressed in this story. For one, Evan's dad is acting differently. He is more casual and open and seems interested in the married woman next door. Two, the specter of Evan's uncle is never far away. Evan explores an off-limits island and finds things that bring him closer to an uncle who has just disappeared.

It's an amazing, complex story that does not tie up solutions to life's problems in neat little boxes.

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

Confessions of a Hater by Caprice Crane

A new school in a new city means a new life for Hailey. She's tired of being a nobody, so now its her chance to reinvent herself. And to help she has her sister's journal titled How to be a Hater filled with all kinds of advice on how to be popular. Hailey's perfect sister, Noel, is off at college and has no idea that her sister has the journal, let alone that it will become the blueprint for her new life.

So on the first day of school, Hailey finds herself in the company of the popular clique of girls lead by Skyler. Hailey has ascended the ladder quickly even beyond her own expectations. Being in the elite group is not without its price. Skyler is clearly in charge and has the say so on what is acceptable fashion and behavior. It is not for Hailey, so she ends up forming her own group of misfits (ones often abused by Skyler and the other popular kids) called the Invisibles.

The Invisibles end up in a battle for supremacy of the school with Skyler and her followers. Hailey's intent is to use her sister's journal to end Skyler's reign of terror and raise the profiles of her new friends. And personally, it doesn't hurt that she catches the attention of Chris, the cutest boy in school.

Hailey tells her story with humor often making observations on only slightly related topics. Even though her actions are sometimes misguided, she is a likable person with much to offer any reader who is willing to spend time in the world of teenage drama.

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

The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle

When I read teen books, I often think about my life as a teen. I did not do wild things - no drinking or partying. So when I read about those things (which I know actually go on) I can't really identify with them. I suppose I live vicariously through the characters. Every once in awhile, I read a story that touches me because it does relate to my own experiences (when I was a teen or older). This is such a story.

Lauren Myracle (who have already admitted to being one of my favorite authors) writes with such honesty. She creates characters with true experiences that I can feel because I have lived them, too.

Wren is graduating from high school. She has been the model daughter following her parent's wishes. She has applied and gotten early acceptance to the school of their dreams. She has refrained from dating to focus on her school work. So it is the summer before she heads off to...well that's the big secret Wren is keeping from her parents.

Charlie is also graduating. He works in his adoptive dad's wood shop. He grew up in foster homes. He was fortunate to find his current parents. He is devoted to his brother (who is confined to a wheelchair). He is hard working and honest and well help anyone. Charlie has more experience dating including one girl who cannot take no for an answer.

There is a moment on the last day of school when Wren's gaze meets Charlie's from across the crowd. They meet up by chance later and a real connection is made. The summer turns into an unexpected romance for both.

The real truth in the story, the parts I have felt, were between Wren and Charlie: the touches, the longing when separated, the first kiss, the physical awkwardness. Does she feel the same way I do? Is this really happening? As I read those moments, I relived just a little bit of my own life.

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