Dead to You by Lisa McMann

Ethan was abducted when he was seven. He got into a car in front of his house and was gone for nine years. His four year old brother, Blake, was the only witness. Now he has returned to his family as a sixteen year old with no memories of the family he was taken from.

It is an adjustment for them all. He has a little sister born after he was taken, a brother who is mad at him for getting in the car and parents who just want   their family whole again. He also must face the continuous questions of what happened to him while he was gone.

He quickly becomes attracted to the neighbor girl who knew as a boy, but she has a boyfriend who is athletic and popular. She is his only relief the tension in his house.

At times life is almost normal for Ethan, but those moments are few. He wants his memories to come back, but nothing is there. There is no real happy time for the people in this story. Blake and Ethan fight. Ethan's parents are strict about being home on time and checking in frequently.

As I read, I felt Ethan's family was pushing him too fast. A family gathering happens the a few days after he returns and he goes back to school the next Monday. None of it helps Ethan adjust any quicker.

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

You Have Seven Messages by Stewart Lewis

I surprised myself by reading this over this past weekend. If this was an action packed book that kept me riveted to the point where I couldn't put it down, I could understand (it probably helped that I had the TV off all day on Sunday). I was drawn into the story which is about a teen girl who discovers her dead mom's phone with seven unanswered messages.

Upon discovering the phone in her mom's still vacant studio, Luna listens to each message and uses it as a puzzle piece to discover what really happened the night her mother died. The phone messages could easily have been a gimmicky tool, but the author uses it well to drive the story. It never becomes the total focus. In fact, Luna only listens to another message after exploring what she discovers in the previous one. 

Luna's dad is a famous film director and her mom was a model. She loved her mom and her unconventional way of life. She always thought her mom and dad were happily married, but a year after her mom's accidental death she is not so sure. Her dad also is not forthcoming about details. His loves Luna, but is afraid to reveal too much. 

The discoveries about her mother allow Luna discover more about herself. She explores her interest in photography and opens herself up to the boy cello player across the street. 

This is a nicely crafted story with a little suspense and a little romance. 

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

Rock On: A Story of Guitars, Gigs, Girls and a Brother (Not Necessarily in That Order) by Denise Vega

Orion is in a band that is yet to be named. Through local appearances and their blog, the band is gaining notice as they work toward the local battle of the bands competition.

Ori is an exceptional guitar player, decent singer and pretty good song writer. He always lived in his brother Del's shadow. Now that his brother has lost his lacrosse scholarship and returned home from college, Ori is dealing once again with Del's Jekyll and Hyde personality. Once Del would have helped Ori with a girl he liked, but now Del sees any girl as an opportunity including Dawn, a friend of the band's new bass player. Del was enthusiastic about Ori's band, but now he is just jealous of its success. 

Ori has the support of his band mates and Alli the band manager (although she doesn't let him get away with much). He is just struggling to find himself and what he wants to be.

I've written before that this is the type of teen book that I like. I enjoy realistic fiction about teens in interesting situations. The rock band aspect is what drew me to this one.

For more information about this book, check out the Indianapolis Public Library catalog, the author's website or Ori's band site.

Battle Royale by Koushun Takami

Think, the Hunger Games, only brutal. In all fairness, this story came before the Hunger Games. It also is only similar in the overall concept of young people being thrown into a situation by their government where they must fight to the death.

In this case, 40 members of a junior high class think they are going on a field trip but wake up in a class room on an island as part of 'the Program.' Everyone in the country of Greater East Asia knows about the annual program since the results are broadcast. Still it is shocking to awake and realize the other students sitting next to you will be killed in the next few hours.

Shuya can't believe that anyone in his class would be willing to kill anyone else. Maybe if they all get together and refuse to participate they can all stop this insane exercise. He teams up with Noriko, the girl his friend had a crush on. He feels compelled to look after her even when she is hurt.

After being released on the island, the students take different paths over the next few days. Some scheme to escape. Some want to destroy the leaders who are making them do it. Some are just hiding hoping it ends soon. Others, in spite of what Shuya may hope, are ready to kill others to win.

The center of the story revolves around Shuya, Noriko and the mysterious loner Shogo as they work together to survive. All the students are mentioned, many in detailed sections describing their own schemes to survive; others are only mentioned at the moment of their deaths.

This is a gripping story for those who don't mind graphic descriptions of violence committed by young people.

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

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

Jazz's dad is a notorious serial killer who got caught because he started killing people in the small town where he grew up.

Jazz was raised by a man who shared the gory details of his killings. He taught Jazz how to be a killer and now Jazz struggles with those urges in every aspect of his life. For the past four years, Jazz's dad has been in prison and Jazz has lived with his grandmother, the woman who raised his father. She is no longer mentally stable (if she ever was).

When a body is found in a field, Jazz and the town must relive the killings of his father that brought them world wide attention. Jazz tries to help the sheriff (the one who caught his father) because Jazz knows how serial killers think. He knows this murder is not isolated. He knows that the killer is copying his dad's first murders. Jazz knows he can help catch this new murderer. But can he convince the sheriff?

Jazz is a victim of his circumstances. He is a tortured soul. He seriously doubts his own ability to control his urges to kill. He knows how to do it and get away with it. Jazz wants to catch the killer even at great risk to himself and those around him - maybe to prove to himself and others that he is not like his father.

Barry Lyga is one of my favorite authors, and he has created another memorable book that tackles tough subject matter.

For more information about this book, check out the Indianapolis Public Library catalog and the Barry Lyga's website.

Tessa Masterson Will Go to Prom by Emily Franklin & Brendan Halpin

Lucas and Tessa have been best friends for as long as they can remember. Now as seniors, Lucas is ready to profess his feelings for Tessa and ask her to the prom with a grand gesture that the whole town will see. Imagine his shock when Tessa confesses that she actually likes girls. It's bad enough that she embarrassed him but how could she keep this secret from him when they always shared everything.

It doesn't take long for everyone in town to know Tessa turned Lucas down AND that she recently bought a man's tux for the prom (she is hoping to go with her co-worker, Josie). People protest in front of her family's small store that is struggling to survive against the massive new store that came to town. Her locker is vandalized at school. She is taunted and pelted with food. Tessa can't even talk to her best friend Lucas because he is not speaking to her anymore.

The school tells Tessa she cannot go to the dance with another girl or dressed in boy's clothes. What will the school board decide when Tessa's family files an official protest? What can they do since Tessa states that she will go to prom?

Ultimately, this is not just about whether Tessa can attend prom; it is about being accepted by friends, family and society as a whole. Having grown up in a small Indiana town similar to the one in this story (although mine was urban and not rural), I can only wonder what the reaction would have been if two teens of the same sex had wanted to go to prom. It was a different time for sure. No one was openly gay in my school, but I have no doubt there was someone who dreamed of going to the prom with a member of the same sex.

Although this book has a lighter tone that it could have, this is a serious real issue for many. With all the talk of bullying among young people, there are too many adults bullying young people and encouraging others to do the same. I hope this book continues to raise awareness that people are more the same than they are different and that acceptance of others is a great gift.

For more info about this book visit the Indianapolis Public Library catalog or visit Emily Franklin's and Brendan Halpin's website.

Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip by Jordan Sonnenblick

I really like Jordan Sonnenblick's books. This one was no exception. He writes about regular teens dealing with interesting problems. In this case, it is Peter who has more time on his hands now that he is no longer an athlete.

Going into his freshman year, Peter was planning on trying out for the baseball team with his best friend AJ. They switch back and forth as pitcher and catcher and together they were unstoppable. That is until Peter seriously injured his pitching arm during a game. He had been feeling the pain long before but ignored it and now he will never pitch a ball again (something he cannot bring himself to tell AJ).

Also, something is wrong with Peter's grandfather, but Peter promises not to tell his parents. Peter's grandfather, a professional photographer, has taught him all about cameras and taking pictures. One day when they are attempting to capture the image of an eagle in flight, Peter's grandfather blanks out and misses the eagle. Shortly there after, he gives Peter all his photography equipment. These blanking out episodes and memory loss are only getting worse.

The upside in Peter's life is Angelika who he meets in photography class. She volunteers them to be the sports photographers for the school paper, so they spend a lot of time together. They discover more about each other than the portraits they must take for a class assignment.

I'll admit that this is not my favorite book by this author, but I still like the story of a teen dealing with struggles with good people around him to help.

For more info about this book visit the Indianapolis Public Library catalog or visit Jordan Sonnenblick's website.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

How do I describe this book? Let me start off by saying that I really liked it. I read it in less than a day which is kind of unusual for me. It is funny and quirky.

The narrator is Greg who is obviously writing the book (more than once he questions whether the reader will make it to the end of 'this stupid book'). Throughout the story, Greg is self deprecating to the reader and the other people in his life.

His goal throughout his school life it so go unrecognized. He has been successful at this by carefully navigating the different cliques. He makes himself acquainted with each one without becoming involved with them. This fragile network he has created is imperil when a girl he dated a long time ago (and treated badly during the break up) is diagnosed with cancer. Only the unrelenting urging of his mother could make him contact the girl, Rachel, to be her friend in her time of need. His senior year is turning out much differently than he planned.

And then there's Earl. Greg and Earl seemingly have little in common except for the movies they make together. They have been making them for years and admit they are not very good. Bad acting, terribly lighting, cheap costumes, homemade props all lead to a series of films no one else would want to see, and that is just fine because Earl and Greg both agree to never share them with anyone.

In addition to the typical format for a book, Greg often uses lists and a script format (to recreate dialogue). He deals with his own self esteem issues with humor that sometime works and sometimes gets him into trouble. Although Greg might not agree, he has an interesting life filled with intriguing characters.

For more info about this book visit the Indianapolis Public Library catalog or visit Jesse Andrews' website.

Guy Langman: Crime Scene Procrastinator by Josh Berk

Guy Langman's dad is dead, and he realizes he doesn't know much about him. His mother (much younger than his dad) doesn't talk about her late husband and knows little about his younger days. Guy does know that his dad made his money by inventing a valve for scuba diving equipment and finding a sunken treasure. His dad also said many interesting things, so Guy is going to write a book of his dad's quotes.

Writing a book would be very ambitious for Guy who generally doesn't do much of anything. He is interested in video games and girls, but that won't get him very far in life. His friend, Anoop, talks him into joining the after school forensics club. It doesn't hurt that Raquel is in the club.

How is this all tied together? Well, someone breaks into Guy's house and steals coins from the sunken treasure. He and his friends decide to put their newly acquired forensics knowledge to the test since the police seem uninterested in the case. Guy knows whoever stole the coins must be connected to his dad.

The 'mystery' is not the main part of the story. It is ultimately about a young man discovering more about his father and coming to terms with his death.

For more info about this book visit the Indianapolis Public Library catalog or visit Josh Berk's website.

What Boys Really Want by Pete Hautman

This is the kind of book I really like - interesting high schoolers dealing with issues in a humorous way. I've been reading a lot of darker teen books lately particularly ones with dystopian settings. I needed a book like this to provide a break.

Adam and Lita have been friends for a long time, but a rift forms when Adam gets the idea to write a book. Being an author has long been Lita's dream, but she has recently gotten distracted giving out relationship advice anonymously on her blog instead of working on her novel. Adam has only ever been interested in money making schemes, so Lita is annoyed when Adam decides selling a book on what boys really want could make money.

The conflict and hope of teen relationships are dealt with throughout the story. Lita has been known to sabotage Adam's relationships because she knows that those girls are not really Adam's type. She tries to help her best friend Emily get the attention of Dennis (who is only interested in Blair). Lita meets grease monkey Brett who may be dating Blair even though she is showing interest in Adam. Don't worry, it all gets sorted out in the end.

Told in the alternating voices of Adam and Lita, both boy and girl perspectives are represented. It's a quick, fun read.

For more info about this book from the Indianapolis Public Library catalog or visit Pete Hautman's website.