Uninvited by Sophie Jordan

If you were branded a violent person, would that make you one? If everyone treated you like you were a killer and then you were put into situations where you had to defend yourself, would you kill to survive and, thus, confirm everyone's suspicions about you? It is an interesting scenario to contemplate. For Davey, it is her life.

Davey had everything. She is a musical prodigy - playing multiple instruments at a young age with no formal training. She attends an exclusive private school and has been accepted to Julliard. She is dating, Jake, the hottest boy in school.

A few weeks before graduation she receives the test results - she has the 'killer gene.' A carrier of the gene is supposedly predisposed to violence. In a society that takes no chances with carriers, Davey is expelled from school, loses her admission to college and is forced into public school where she must be locked up in a classroom (aka a cage) with other carriers. Once you are marked, you are marked for life. And her life will never be the same.

With her future taken from her, what will become of Davey? She always feared carriers herself and now that she is one she must spend time confined with others. Some deserve the label, but others do not: like Gil, a smart boy who doesn't seem like he would hurt anyone and the the mysterious Sean, who protects Davey when situations arise. They may be her only allies in her new life.

This is one of the best books I have read so far this year.  The story is full of heart wrenching unfairness and action driven suspense. It is a world that does not seem that far from our own. And this is not just another copycat dystopian book with a strong female protagonist. Davey must fight for her survival, but has a great vulnerability, too. She is not trying to save the world, just herself, and her story doesn't end here.

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

Crash Into Me by Albert Borris

Four teens who don't know each other meet for the first time to go on a road trip. What brings them together? Suicide.

Owen, Frank, Audrey and Jin-Ae all want to die. They met online and decide to travel from the east coast to visit the graves of famous people who committed suicide (like to Seattle for Kurt Cobain). Their final destination is Death Valley where they will each end their own lives.

Jin-Ae is a lesbian, but she fears her parents reaction if they ever found out. Frank's father wants him to be a star athlete, but Frank will never be that. Audrey just hates her life in general.

Owen has tried committing suicide six times. He has much he could say, but he doesn't talk much.  He has researched suicide (types, causes,  pertinent stats). He knows it all; just not how to complete it.

I know it sounds pretty grim, but this is more a trip of discovery for these young people. The trip is a chance to escape from their lives and find out what life is like out in the world. Their issues are not uncommon and unmanageable. They just need to see that for themselves.

This story has much to offer so don't be turned away by the topic.

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

No One Else Can Have You by Kathleen Hale

Kippy idolizes Diane Sawyer. She likes the way she investigates stories and interviews people to get to the truth. And the truth is what Kippy wants to find after her best friend Ruth is murdered; not just murdered but brutally murdered and hung in cornfield like a scarecrow.

Ruth was Kippy's best friend. They had been best friends since grade school and even as they grew older and changed, they were still there for each other. OK, Kippy was a little clingy at times, and Ruth got annoyed that Kippy didn't have a boyfriend and could dress better if she just tried, but they still hung out together. In fact, Ruth was coming over to Kippy's house the night she was killed.

The murder has caused quite a sensation in the small town of Friendship, Wisconsin where the two girls live. Thankfully, Ruth's boyfriend Colt is quickly arrested by the sheriff who is convinced he has the killer...except Kippy finds out that Colt was somewhere else at the time. So why won't the sheriff listen to her? The only one who does believe her is Ruth's older brother, Davey.

It is up to Kippy and Davey to find the real killer even if it means breaking a few laws themselves. They gather evidence, question suspects (like the sleazy old lawyer Ruth was sleeping with) and stop another murder from happening...oops, make that a third murder from happening.

Kippy is driven, but not perfect. She is very likable and her heart is the right place. Even when no adults will believe her, she presses on. It is complex story with Kippy in the middle. Good stuff.

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

Thousand Words by Jennifer Brown

Ashleigh did something stupid. Her boyfriend, Kaleb, is headed off to college soon, but instead of being with her at the big end of the summer party he is with his baseball buddies. It's happened a lot lately and Ashleigh just wants to get his attention, so her friends talk her into texting him a nude photo of herself. He's the only one who will ever see it, right?

Several months later we find Ashleigh spending time after school doing community service for her 'crime' (did I mention she was underage?). She must research the topic of her indiscretion and write a pamphlet that will be used to dissuade others from doing the same thing she did.

Her life is kind of mess. Her best friend isn't speaking to her. Her mom is disappointed. Her dad is furious (he's the superintendent and now has parents calling for his resignation over the texting scandal). And the kids who are not straight out bullying Ashleigh are talking about her and looking at the picture.

One mistake and Ashleigh's life has totally changed. Is it fair, probably not. Is it a lesson for others, yes.

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

Something Real by Heather Demetrios

Toxic parents. If you've read enough teen books (particularly realistic fiction), then you know the type. They do not support their children emotionally and are often only concerned about themselves. Welcome to Choe's living hell.

Chloe grew up on a reality show as Bonnie, one of 13 children on Baker's Dozen (Baker being the family's last name). Chloe is the only biological child born from her mother. Her older brother and sister are twins from a surrogate. The other children were adopted with the help of the production company, MetaReel, to achieve the magic number.

Chloe is now 17 and trying to live a normal teen life. After the show was cancelled and her parents divorced, Chloe's family moved across country so they could start fresh. She changed her name and hair color in hopes that no one will recognize her. For the past few years, she has had real friends that have no idea she is Bonnie, the girl who tried to commit suicide on national television. Yes, it was that bad for her.

Chloe and her brother Benton are surprised to come home one afternoon and find the MetaReel crew on their lawn. Chloe was promised that she would never have to do the show again . Her parents say they need the money to support the children and send her and all her siblings to college. Chloe doesn't care what the reason is; her life is about to change for the worst.

From the moment the cameras return, Chloe is in agony. The only reprieve she gets is her new boyfriend.but even that is not easy because she doesn't want him and her friends to get pulled into the show and the tabloid headlines. Dodging paparazzi, having every moment captured on camera, being edited to appear differently than you are and having your mother talk about you to the nation is too much for Chloe, but no adult will listen to her.

Most of the adults in Chloe's life are horrible. Chloe is blamed for the show's original demise and her parent's divorce. She is threatened by the show's producer. She is called names and treated like a psychopath. No one can see that being on television caused many of her issues, not the other way around. Her mother is particularly twisted in her obsession with the show (and her new book). She is totally blind how the show has negatively affected her own daughter. It is sometimes excruciating to endure (and I'm just talking about me, the reader).

This is the third book I have read recently that involves reality television. I suspect it is not the last. I have always been concerned about the children of reality TV. Adults can make their own decisions and choose to be on shows, but children need adult consent. Those adults need to think about the long term effects on children.

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

Bad for You: Exposing the War On Fun by Kevin C. Pyle & Scott Cunningham

Wow, a non-fiction book. This is a cool exploration of the many ways that adults have tried to take away fun from kids and teens. For example, the war on comic books went all the way to congressional hearings in the 1950s. Comics were thought by some to cause juvenile delinquency. It seems laughable now, but a comic code was created and enforced. William H. Gaines was a publisher of many comics at the time and a very vocal proponent of the publisher's rights to print what they wanted (can we say First Amendment). He did stop making comics, but (thankfully) kept publishing Mad Magazine.

So what else have adults tried to curtail or stop all together: skateboarding, fairy tales, role playing games (beware D&D enthusiasts), video games, telephones, cell phones (and all that other technology you love so much), long hair, playgrounds, recess and even chess. Don't worry, they know what is good for you: standardized tests and more homework.

As you can probably tell by the cover, this is not some dry examination of facts. It is a mix of text and illustrations (lots of them) that examines not just why adults have imposed these restriction, but the history of how we got to that point. Surveys and studies are cited to support the arguments.

Amazingly, restricting young people often resulted in the behaviors that were trying to be avoided in the first place. Not that all the adults were being cruel on purpose they were just ill-informed and misguided.

For more info, check out the Indianapolis Public Library catalog and one of the creator's sites: Kevin C. Pyle.

This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

It's incredible when you find yourself inside the pages of a book. So, I'm reading about this 16 year old girl named Elise (obviously, not like me). She splits her time between her divorced parents (mine are still married). Because she has no friends, she decides to remake herself to fit in with the popular crowd (I never did that). It doesn't work, so she tries to slit her wrist (I never came close to anything like that). See, Elise feels pathetic and worthless (OK, that one I've done). There is one particular paragraph in this book that so clearly summarizes my feelings for a good part of my life. It's amazing and a little scary at the same time.

Sometimes at night, Elise sneaks out of her mother's house and walks. One night, she meets Pippa and Vicky who take her to a warehouse club called Start (that's only open on Thursday nights). Because they are older and regulars, Vicky and Pippa get underage Elise in the door. Elise feels out of place - she doesn't dance or drink. It's just one more place where she feels like she doesn't belong. There is the music, though...

Elise loves music and she knows a lot of it. A chance to see the inside of the club's DJ booth is enough to get her interested in being a DJ herself. OK, so where is this all going. Well, Elise learns how to DJ and gets a chance to do it at Start. There are romantic complications and difficulties with her parents, usual teen stuff, but we get to experience it with Elise. If only life's issues were as easily dealt with as they are in books.

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

Roomies by Sara Zarr & Tara Altebrando

Two girls, one on each coast, are counting down the days until they start college where they will be each other's roommate. They e-mail each other to get acquainted and share more than just who is bringing the microwave.

Elizabeth lives in New Jersey, and even though all her friends are staying in state she cannot wait to leave for California. She wants to escape her beach town life and her mom and, who knows, maybe she will even get to know her dad who left years ago to live in San Francisco.

Lauren lives in San Francisco with her parents and her five younger siblings. Even though she is just going across the bay, she worries that her parents will not be able to deal with all the children without her. She has never had room to herself, so she was disappointed when she learned that she had been assigned a roommate.

A complication neither girl foresaw happening over the summer was boys. Yes, they each start dating - if that's what it is. Who wants to get serious over a guy when you only have a few months until you both go away? Just one of the many discussions that happen between Lauren and Elizabeth who find that sharing some topics through e-mail are easier than facing them in person and are sometimes more difficult when you really don't know the other person.

Each girl's story is told in alternating chapters, but is not entirely told through e-mails. We know what is going on with each girl including what they are not sharing with each other.

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

Scar Boys by Len Vlahos

Harry hides his face to the audience when he is on stage. He tips his fedora down over his sunglass covered eyes and pulls his collar up. He knows the reaction he will get if he exposes his scarred face; he has seen it many times. Harry has always tried to keep himself hidden, to go unnoticed in the crowd, but there is a freedom in playing music. It is a freedom he gets nowhere else. And the whole band thing wasn't even his idea.

Harry was struck by lightning. Well, that is what people think. The truth is he was tied to a tree that was struck by lightning and the resulting fire burned his face and neck. He was young at the time, so most of his life has been a series of hospitals, surgeries and therapy. And keeping away from bullies and pretty much everyone else - until he met Johnny.

Johnny didn't seem to care about Harry's face and Harry was so grateful for a friend that he pretty much went along with every idea Johnny ever had. So even though neither had played an instrument before, Johnny suggested that they start a band - and the Scar Boys was born.

And in the music there is freedom for Harry, but not without a price. A friendship is tested - add a girl and a road trip to the mix and Harry learns a lot more than he planned.

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

Totally Unrelated by Tom Ryan

At a little over a hundred pages, this is a quick read for sure. If you have read many of my reviews, you know that I love books about music and that's why I sought out this one - particularly since it involves Celtic music.

Neil is the member of a family Celtic band who has made quite a name for itself locally. His parents and siblings can all play multiple traditional Celtic instruments, but Tom can really only play guitar. He's tried the others, but could never master them. He tried dancing, too, like his younger twin sisters, but he is not that coordinated. To top it all off, he is the only one without red hair and freckled skin. Yes, Neil is a bit of an outsider in his own family.

As his family's annual summer tour gears up, Neil and his friend decide to form a band (not Celtic) to perform in a battle of the bands contest (ok, his friend had to practically beg him to do it). With the addition of a new cute girl as their lead singer, they are surprised with their own potential.

Now, I could go on but I'm afraid I will tell you the whole story (again, it's pretty short). Besides you will miss the humor and fun of following Neil through his two musical journeys.

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