The Latte Rebellion by Sarah Jamila Stevenson

Asha and her best friend Carey are secretly planning a trip after they graduate. The problem is that any money they make working goes into their college funds. They come up with a scheme to sell t-shirts online promoting the 'Latte Rebellion' to raise awareness of mixed-race students. Before they know it, the rebellion takes on a life of its own. Students in their school and across the country are wearing their shirts and starting their own chapters based on the website's manifesto.

For Asha, the Latte Rebellion is a chance to do something important; for Carey is a distraction from her school work and other activities that will get her accepted by the college of her choice.

I picked this book because I was intrigue by the idea of students creating such a group. I was mostly pleased with the story, but the one thing that bothered me was that no adults took Asha seriously. She never tells her parents about the rebellion, but they do not seem to trust her on any level anyway. They also constantly push her academically. Maybe that is just how many teens feel, but it would have been nice to have one adult actively support her.

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

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Samantha is one of the popular girls at her school. She has all the privileges that go with it - looks, fashion, a group of friends, a cute boyfriend (that she hopes to get much closer to). On the night of the big party, Sam is in a car accident that ends her life...sort of. She relives her last day over and over again from the time she wakes up in the morning to the moment of the screeching tires.

She does not know how many times she will relive her last day. Will it go on forever or until she makes amends for something? She tries to do things differently each time.

Even though this book sounds like a ripoff of the movie Groundhog Day, it shares a similar premise and that is all. Sam knows she has been spared from death (at least temporarily, she thinks), but she does not know where it will lead. This is one of the best teen books I have read in the last few years. It is almost impossible to not wonder what will ultimately happen to Sam and how it will affect those around her.

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

Freaks and Revelations by Davida Wills Hurwin

It seems that every book I have chosen lately tackles some serious issues. This particular book follows two young men through the 1970s leading up to the time their paths cross in the early 1980s. Doug is a punk rock neo-Nazi who sees violence as a way of life. Jason is a gay teen thrown out of his house and living on the street. Neither has an easy path or supportive family.

The thread that holds their stories together is the question of how they will meet. For each chapter all we know is how much time it is 'before.'

This is based on a true story of Timothy Zeal and Matthew Boger who now give presentations about the experiences.

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

Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede

This is not a book I would normally read (fantasy is not my thing), but it was chosen for a book discussion group I was leading a few years back. I really did like this one and have recommended it often.

What I liked most is the main character, Princess Cimerone. She refuses to do all the princess things she is supposed to. She would rather learn magic and how to fight than marry some prince. She does not even get to choose her future husband. So...she runs away. She offers to be servant to a dragon who lives in a cave. All the other princess's who are serving dragons have done so involuntarily. It turns out the the princess is quite helpful to the dragon and the other creatures in her new home.

If you like this one, there are three more.

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

Hothouse by Chris Lynch

I was recently going on long weekend trip and was looking for books to take with me. It was unusual for me not to have any young adult books to read. I had thought about reading this one before, so I grabbed it off the shelf and took it. I didn't actually end up reading it until I was back home. That's good in a way because it is definitely not a light subject.

The main character, Russ, is dealing with the death of his father, a fireman who lost his life in the line of duty. His friend (more like used to be friends when they were kids) also lost his father in the same fire. Their dads were best friends to the point that they named their sons after each other.

Everyone in town is honoring the two firemen. Russ is getting free drinks and bus rides. His dad is celebrated at memorials and fundraisers. But for Russ it is almost too much to deal with. He just misses the guy he looked up to who worked odd shifts and made breakfast when he came home.

This story is not quite as sad as you may think, but there is a sense of foreboding. It's as if something else is going to happen.

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

You by Charles Benoit

Kyle is not who he used to be. He used to get better grades; now he thinks school is a joke. He used to have different friends; now he hangs out with the 'hoodies.' His parents used to treat him like they do his little sister; now they just criticize him all the time. Things are not all bad - at least he has Ashley and someday he will tell her how he feels so they might actually be a couple.

So where did it all go wrong? Kyle needs to know before time runs out. And how come there's so much blood?

I must confess that I wasn't sure about this book when I started it. The narrator's perspective took me a few chapters to get used to. Like Kyle, I wanted to know what was going on. We are also introduced to another character that made the book interesting enough for me to recommend it.

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

Kick by Walter Dean Myers & Ross Workman

Kevin has never been in trouble in his life, but one night he is arrested after driving a car into a pole. There are many unanswered questions about what really happened, but two things are certain - Kevin is thirteen and has no license. Fortunately for Kevin, Sergeant Brown steps in to see if he can help. He likes Kevin, but he is not sure Kevin is totally innocent particularly since he saw him lose his temper during an important soccer game. Ultimately, Kevin must tell the truth or go to juvie.

Walter Dean Myers' characters live in troubled worlds. He has written some incredible books. Fallen Angels is one of my favorites and tells the story of young soldiers in Vietnam. Monster is the story of a sixteen year old on trial for murder.

For this book, Myers teamed up with a teenager who wrote him an e-mail. They alternate chapters to tell the story of Kevin and Sergeant Brown. It's not as dark as some of his other books, but is a promising start for new author Ross Workman.

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

Lockdown: Escape from the Furnace by Alexander Gordon Smith

Alex is framed for murdering his friend and sent to the Furnace, a special prison a mile below the earth's surface. The prison is hell below earth for Alex and his fellow prisoners. In the middle of the night, horrible creatures randomly drag prisoners from their cells never to be seen again. The guards patrol with large, vicious dog like creatures, but never stop the gangs from attacking others. Escape is the only hope, but is it even possible?

This is one of the books I think about when I am asked to recommend books to teens. It is dark and tense; there is terror and excitement. Alex is never truly safe and you feel it on each page. The story does not end here; the sequel, Solitary, is available and a third book is expected.

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

Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance by Emily Franklin & Brendan Halpin

This book has the pinkest cover of any book I have ever read. Not that I choose books based on their covers. When I look for a book, I want a premise that is different. In this one, Charlie and Fielding (aka Aaron) have spent the last four years on a popular Disney-style show. On the show, they portray Jenna & Jonah, two average high school students (and next door neighbors) who are secretly world famous rock stars. To keep interest in the show alive, they must also pretend to be in love off screen even though they have truly grown tired of each other.

When we enter the story, Charlie and Fielding are not sure if their show will be cancelled or not. They are strolling along on a beautiful California day acting all romantic for the paparazzi cameras that they know are out there. They have given up everything just to be in the popular show and the tension is high between them but must remain a secret. Something happens that changes everything and forces them to prove something to the world and each other.

This book took a different direction than I was expecting, but I still liked it. If you are looking for a nice quick read, I recommend it.

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

Purple Heart by Patricia McCormick

War is ugly. Things happen so fast you cannot even be sure of anything including what happened yesterday. Matt Duffy wakes up in a military hospital in Iraq. His head injury makes it difficult for him to remember how he even got there. He knows he was on patrol and that he and his buddy Justin chased a car into an alley. The rest is just flashes of memory.

Matt tries to make sense of everything he is learning knowing that he will be questioned about the death of a civilian during the incident. Who can he trust when his own brain seems to be working against him? There are no easy answers.

Patricial McCormick tackles serious topics (see Cut) and makes them accessible through the eyes of her characters. Matt is still a teenager when he is wounded in Iraq. Through Matt's story we get a glimpse of what life might be like for the many troops currently serving in war zones. I recommend this book to anyone curious about the lives that soldiers are living.

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