Gabi, A Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero might be a hard sell to readers because of its unusual cover, but I think readers will gravitate to this book because of the fantastic and authentic voice of Gabi Hernandez.


Description: Gabi Hernandez chronicles her last year in high school in her diary: college applications, Cindy's pregnancy, Sebastian's coming out, the cute boys, her father's meth habit, and the food she craves. And best of all, the poetry that helps forge her identity.


Review: Gabi, a Girl in Pieces is a breath of fresh air and a book that you won't easily forget. Written in a diary format, Gabi chronicles and reflects upon all her moments during her final year of high school. The slice of life diary format style can be tricky to write because the author can easily slip into telling the story rather than showing it. In this case Gabi's fresh voice and interesting commentary on her family, friends, and her future is what makes the format work.
  Gabi's voice is fresh and funny. She is upbeat even even amid the exceptionally tough things going on in her life such as her drug addicted father, her pregnant best friend, and her best guy friend who just came out to her and is now homeless because of his sexual orientation. In the midst of the chaos, Gabi is interested in creating a future for herself. She wants to go to college and works hard to achieve her goal even though she hates Algebra 2 with a fiery passion. She gets frustrated with her traditional mother who insists on instilling Mexican tradition in her daughter's life. Gabi would also like to find the right boyfriend and have a nice romance in her senior year of high school.
  The reason I loved Gabi so much is that she became an universal voice despite of her physical appearance, her ethnicity, and even her gender. Yes, Gabi struggles with her weight, self perception and could be easily labeled as "a fat girl", but she doesn't obsess about it. Gabi loves to eat and she's not ashamed of being a person who loves to eat. More, though, Gabi isn't self-deprecating and doesn't believe a weight loss fundamentally changes her. In fact, there's no weight loss in here at all. Gabi comes to own who she is as she is and says that nothing else matters in terms of other people's perspectives about it. It's wholly refreshing. Instead of bowing to others perception of her, Gabi remains true to herself which is very hard to do when your 17/18 years old.
  Gabi's honesty is not only appealing but I also loved how strong and empowered Gabi was at the beginning and how much more she grows in the book. The weaving of Mexican culture into the story was also done quite well and adds a flavor to the story. While we may not agree with what Gabi's mother enforces or how her Tia consistently shaming Gabi, we are given a context to understand their point of view. I also appreciated that each supporting character is also nuanced and flawed which also made the story believable.
 I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I loved Gabi.  I really hope we get books that have characters like her. I cannot wait to see what Quintero writes next.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some strong language, underage drinking, drug use mentioned, and frank discussion of sex. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.

If you like this book try: The Absolute True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, If I Ever Get Out of Here by Eric Gansworth, Yaqui Delgado wants to kick your ass by Meg Medina, Drown by Junot Diaz

 Reggie and Me is more than a story about a girl who was raped. It is first and foremost a survivor story, of a girl rising above her emotional obstacles. Dani's resilience is inspiring and admirable. 


Description: Reggie and Me is the first book in the Dani Moore Trilogy. Dani's story is told through her diary in the wake of her rape and subsequent court case. Having moved with her mum, Dani starts year eleven at a new school, facing various challenges that bring a renewed energy to face whatever is thrown at her and carry on regardless. She realises that ‘normality’ is something that she can define herself, with the help of her dog Reggie and the people around her. 

Review: Reggie and Me offers a different kind of story in regards to the topic of sexual abuse. The focus is not on the fact that Dani was raped, but rather how Dani deals with the aftermath. I really liked how Yates treats a tricky and sensitive topic such as sexual abuse with warmth, honesty and compassion and woven into a compelling story about a girl overcoming some pretty horrendous challenges. When I think of Dani Moore long after I closed the book, the first term came to mind was not 'victim' a label which she refuses to standby, but rather a survivor who is trying to rebuild her life and figure out how to be normal again. 
  Dani's story is told in first person in a diary format. This format allows us to get a first hand look at Dani and her emotions. I would have liked to actually see what Dani goes through rather than her recounting all which happened in the story in each entry, which can be a bit tedious. One of the biggest strength of the book is that Yates doesn't make Dani's recovery unbelievable in which she succeeds and has a perfect day every day. Dani has really bad days from trying to overcome bullying from some of her female friends and when her self confidence takes a hit, which happens to all of us. Another very strong aspect of the book is displaying the relationship and parallels between Dani and her rescued dog Reggie. 
  Though Reggie and Me deals with a tough issue, it is ultimately uplifting and is helpful without ever being preachy and heavy handed. It shows us that we have a long way to go from erasing 'victims' from our vocabulary and replacing it with 'survivors'. 
Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: There are some derogatory slurs in the book. Recommended for Grades 8 and up.

If you like this book try: Just Listen by Sarah Dessen, Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr

  After reading some heavy books, I needed something light to read. I picked up The She-Hulk Diaries, which I thought would nicely blend chick lit with superheroes. For the most part, the book succeeds and I had a fun time reading it.

Description: Saying there are two sides to Jennifer Walters's personality is an understatement. When she hasn't morphed into a 650-pound, crime-fighting, hard-partying superhero, she's a single lawyer trying to get her act together. Hilarious and action-packed, The She-Hulk Diaries tells her story, as she juggles her intense legal career by day with battling villains and saving the world by night. Maybe bad guys will stop trying to destroy the planet so she can have a real social life and even meet a guy who isn't trying to take over the universe.

Review: The She-Hulk Diaries a light book that you can enjoy when you want to put your brain in rest mode. There are no large epiphanies or flowery descriptions in the book, but rather you will have a fun time as if you were hanging out with friends. I really enjoyed the humorous writing style. It was informal, friendly, and read quickly since it was composed mainly in a diary format. It didn't take me long to snicker and giggle while reading this book, especially with the back-and-forth banter between Jen and her best friend, Dahlia. There are many "geek culture" references that I spotted and enjoyed, from Skyrim to LARPing, and the science-themed lyrics penned for Jen's ex-lover's band Fringe Theory are outrageously fun.
  The characters for the most part are dimensional, diverse (culturally and racially, too!), relatable, and likable. I loved Jen, Dahlia, and Genoa from the start, and appreciated the depth of the other characters. She-Hulk aka Shulky was also a delight in that she also had her own personality and came to life on the pages. The villain, though, was very easy to identify and didn't take me by surprise.
  While I appreciated the fact that Jen is a smart heroine and more than capable of fighting her own battles, in the court room and as She-Hulk, I was bothered by the fact that majority of her personal goals and much of the novel is focused on finding a PFLOML (That's "Potential Future Love of My Life") or mooning over an ex who's unexpectedly back in the picture. Though I like a romance (this one features a very hilarious and awkward romance) it felt forced in this story and it didn't quite move beyond infatuation/lust for me.
  If you're looking for a fun book to help cleanse out your genre palate, give The She-Hulk Diaries a chance. It won't necessarily blow you away, but it will leave a smile on your face. 

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: There is some strong language, crude humor, and sexual situations. Recommended for older teens and adults only.

If you like this book try: The Night Gwen Stacy Died by Sarah Bruni, The Charley Davidson series by Darynda Jones, Bridget Jone's Diary series by Helen Fielding

 Are you looking for a suspenseful read to take with you on the beach? Check out S.J. Watson's debut novel Before I Go To Sleep especially if Memento is your kind of movie. If you like psychological thrillers instead of blood and gore, this book would be a great choice for you.

Description: 'As I sleep, my mind will erase everything I did today. I will wake up tomorrow as I did this morning. Thinking I'm still a child. Thinking I have a whole lifetime of choice ahead of me ...' Memories define us. So what if you lost yours every time you went to sleep? Your name, your identity, your past, even the people you love - all forgotten overnight. And the one person you trust may only be telling you half the story. Welcome to Christine's life.

Review: Before I Go To Sleep is an absorbing psychological thriller that grabs you right away and won't let you go. As the book opens, Christine wakes up every morning thinking she is still in her early 20s until she looks in the mirror and discovers she’s in her late 40s. The bathroom is plastered with photos that doesn't recognize. She has absolutely no recollection of her friends, family, her life, and even her husband. She is able to transfer things from short term to long term memory but is unable to retain them after she falls asleep, repeating the same nightmarish cycle all over again. While her personal memories (i.e. herself, her family, etc.) have vanished, she does remember how to do things and knows the names of objects. 
   We know as much, and as little, as Christine. Fiction and truth collide when her doctor advises her to keep a journal in order to remind herself every day of who she is.  The story is told by others don't mesh with what she has written down herself. I really enjoyed how Watson played with this notion of memory and the unreliable narrator. At times I, like Christine, had to second guess myself whether or not specific events happened or not in the book.
  The characters are removed in the book, which normally I would have a problem with as a reader, however, it makes sense with the mysterious tone of the book. When I did find more about Christine, I didn't really like her but I still felt bad for her, if that makes any sense. 

   I will warn you that the book unravels at a leisurely pace. It was really hard for me to not turn to the end. I tend to do that with mysteries and thrillers if I'm pretty confident on the identity of the perpetrator. I did manage the big twist before Christine, however, I actually enjoyed the journey to the big reveal. The prospect of constant amnesia is frightening enough, but having people manipulate your memories is just creepy. Overall, the book held my interest and made me think about how fragile memories can be.
 
Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is strong language, violence, sexual dialog and situations. Recommended for mature teens and adults only.

If you like this book try: Turn of Mind by Alice LaPlante, Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane, The Dark Room by Minette Walters, Black Out by Lisa Unger

  Alex Flinn's critically acclaim book, Breathing Underwater is one of my go to books for teens looking for a serious, well written, contemporary novel. Many books written about abusive teen relationships are written from the perspective of the victim, who is almost always a female. Breathing Underwater is the first book written not only by a male point of view but also of the abuser. Check back tomorrow with my interview with Ms. Flinn about her book and the recent controversy of it being challenged in Richland School in Washington.   


Description (from Goodreads): Nick is one of the chosen few at his high school: intelligent, popular, and wealthy. People think his life is pretty easy. Except for one thing. Nick has never told anyone about his father's violent temper.
  When Nick meets Caitlin, he thinks she is the answer to all his problems. Caitlin is everything Nick has ever wanted- beautiful, talented, and in love with him. But then everything changes, and Nick must face the fact that he has gotten more from his father than green eyes and money.

Review: Breathing Underwater is an absorbing read, allowing the reader to get a chance to learn about the abuse from the abuser's perspective. Flinn does a remarkable job in bringing the important and hot issue of abusive teen relationships with authenticity and rawness without ever resorting to cliches or the dreaded after-school specials that we were made to see in school.
  When the book opens, we are witnessing Nick's trial. We quickly learn that Nick was arrested because he physically assaulted his girlfriend, Caitlin, who now seeks a restraining order against him. The judge requires him to join an anger management class and to keep a journal recording his thoughts. Through a diary format, we learn how things between Caitlin and Nick transpired and go on a journey of self discovery and a chance at redemption.
  Nick is everything a guy could want. He is rich, handsome, athletic, and smart. While he superficially has everything he could desire, what he longs for and is in desperate need of is love. Much to everyone's ignorance, Nick is subjected to his father's physical and verbal abuse. Believing he can handle himself, Nick doesn't seek help and tries to avoid his father's triggers though he doesn't always succeed. Nick has always felt left out and carries a hole in chest. He craves attention and a driving desire to feel secure and loved by hanging out with his friends and their families. When he comes across the beautiful, sweet Caitlin, he believes that his hole could be filled by just being with her.
  The power of Breathing Underwater isn't in the plot, but the slow horrifying realization that Nick has become like his father without ever thinking about it. His father's physical and verbal abuse has shaped Nick's ideas of how to behave in a relationship: he bullies, tortures, and finally hits Caitlin. At first he truly believes that he has done nothing wrong by putting Caitlin 'in her place'; however, things slowly change as he recognizes his anger and abuse when he writes all of his thoughts down. There are loud pauses throughout his journal entries, which comes across as Nick trying at first to rationalize his actions but then admitting he was wrong to behave like he did. His anger permeates his writing and body language.
  Though we are aware of Nick's background and feel bad for him, his behavior toward Caitlin are never justified or forgiven. Like life, things aren't wrapped up nicely in a bow where everyone suddenly changes and is forgiven for the mistakes they made. The situations and dialogue ring frighteningly true, detailing the familiar cycle of abuse. I was really happy to see Nick's friends pick up on the red flags regarding his treatment of Caitlin and coming to her help. The sessions at the anger management classes that Nick attends are eye opening and with a twist I never saw coming.
 Breathing  Underwater isn't about placing blame, but rather admitting that you have a problem and you are willing to seek help. I would highly recommend reading this book because abusive teen relationship is a real problem and the more we learn about the issue, the better we can find a solution.

Rating: 4 stars

Why is was Challenged: On January 25th, 2012, Richland, Washington school district challenged Breathing Underwater and two other books due to "profanity," "dark themes," and "sexual content."  Source: Alex Flinn's blog. 
 In March 13, 2012, Breathing Underwater was reviewed approved for 12th grade. Source: Richland School Board Minutes.

Words of Caution: I generally have a hard time understanding the issues surrounding challenges of realistic fiction. Yes, there is a dark theme of dating violence in the book, but unfortunately it's a reality. I really don't know how you can address the issue of dating violence without showing any of it, which this book does very tastefully. We get enough to understand what is happening and it is used for a purpose. There is some language, an allusion to sex (to be honest, it's like a fade out scene, you get more on today's TV shows, and violence in the book which would make it PG-13 if it were a movie. Recommended for Grades 8 and up.

If you like this book try: Things Change by Patrick Jones, Bitter End by Jennifer Brown, But I Love Him by Amanda Grace, Albatross by Josie Bloss

 Have you heard of Typhoid Mary? Did you think it a woman who carried the disease with her and purposely transferred and killed many people? I did but after reading Julie Chibbaro's Deadly I realized that I didn't know Mary's story at all. 

Description: Sixteen-year-old Prudence Galewski takes a job in the early 1900s as assistant to the head epidemiologist at New York's Department of Health and Sanitation, who is trying to discover how a seemingly healthy woman can be spreading typhoid fever.

Review: Deadly is an absorbing read that weaves historical fiction, coming of age, and medical mystery seamlessly together. The year is 1906 and our heroine and narrator, Prudence is 16 years old and in her final year at a school for girls where cultivating the skills and charms are considered classes and instead of a degree with your name on it, you get a financially secure husband as a reward for your completion. The school does, however, allow senior students to seek part-time secretarial work.
  Unlike most of her classmates, Prudence isn't interested in being a "lady" and desires more for her life. Prudence is an outsider in more ways than one. She's always been scientifically curious, particularly regarding the nature of infection and disease. She's seen way too much ugliness growing up among the impoverished tenements of New York City and assisting her midwife mother. She finds the typical lifestyle of a woman of her time to be confining and boring. Instead of seeking comfort, Prudence wants to make a difference and have a purposeful life. When she lands a position as assistant to an epidemiologist working for the Department of Health and Sanitation, she believes she has gotten the opportunity of a lifetime. She quits school completely to help investigate the microbial mystery of Mary Mallon, an immigrant cook and suspected "healthy carrier" of typhus.
  Deadly is entirely composed of Prudence's diary entries. Instead of a just being a record of what she did or the people that she interacts, they are deeply personal and insightful as Prudence pours out her insecurities and doubts on paper. As a female working in a "man's job" she is faced with discrimination, from men and women alike, and at times harassment, but Prudence stays strong and pushes forward in order to pursue her dreams.
  The diary entries are pretty short and the pacing speeds up quite nicely when we the investigation surrounding an outbreak of typhoid begins. All outbreaks seem to stem from Mary Mallon, a poor Irish immigrant who works as a cook. Mary seems to carry the typhoid disease yet has never been sick herself. She adamantly denies she's been unwittingly infecting a series of employers' families and instead insists she's the victim of anti-Irish discrimination. As Prudence delves into the investigation, she is torn between her medical rationality and her compassion for the woman's untenable situation. It was interesting to watch the struggle between rational science and popular opinion as shaped by a sensational, reactionary press. By the way, it was the press who dubbed Mary Mallon as Typhoid Mary and started the urban legend.
 Prudence may be ahead of her time, but I think she fits just nicely in ours. I would definitely recommend Deadly to readers who are interested in a great historical fiction story, curious about science or likes TV shows such as CSI.

Curriculum Connection: Science and Social Studies
 
Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 6 and up.

If you like this book try: Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson, Newes from the Dead by Mary Hooper, Fleshmarket by Nicola Morgan

  When I reviewed Megan McCafferty's Bumped for the Cornucopia of Dystopia blog tour, I claimed it to be the most disturbing book I've read in 2011. I stand corrected. Lucy Christopher's debut and Printz honoree title, Stolen, let me speechless and had me thinking for days. This book was so frightening that I couldn't deal with reading it by myself and began telling coworkers just to distance myself from it. I was hooked from the start of Stolen and I can definitely see why it was listed as a Printz contender.

Description: Gemma, a British sixteen year old, is abducted while on vacation with her parents by a somewhat familiar stranger and taken to the Australian outback, where she soon realizes that escape attempts are futile. During her captivity, she learns that her captor is not as despicable as she first believed.

Review: Stolen at its core is an edge of your seat thriller. With recent news stories about kids, particularly girls, being abducted and held against their wills, we are reminded that Stolen is something that could very well happen which makes it even more horrifying.
  As our story begins, Gemma is en route to Vietnam from England with her parents with a layover at the Bangkok airport, where she meets the mysterious boy named Ty, who she believes has met before. Ty asks Gemma to a cup of coffee with him and within a few minutes, she is drugged, supplied with a new passport and clothes. When Gemma regains consciousness, she is in a rustic house deep in the Australian Outback tied to the bed with ropes with Ty who is going to "keep her forever" and "save her from the same troubles he faced".
  Though Ty never sexually abuses her, Gemma is truly a captive, stripped from vital necessities. After several escape attempts fail, Ty wears down her defenses as Gemma realizes that escape is impossible though she tries to persuade Ty to let her go or at least visit a town with people. After what feels like an eternity, Gemma begins to discover the stark power and vibrancy of the wilderness and becomes absorbed in it. She also learns how Ty orchestrated his master plan in "saving her".
  Christopher's writing is taut, beautiful, haunting, and disturbing at the same time. The book is written in a series of letters from Gemma to Ty, where she dutifully records every single incident from the beginning to the end of their journey. Her letters are urgent, especially with addressing Ty as "you" only. In addition to the fabulous writing, Christopher also zeroes in the complex psychological study that is also a reflection of the hypnotic beauty of the outback, which Ty passionately loves and feels has been “stolen” by those who would exploit it for gain. There are many symbolism and metaphors throughout the book, which some may be a bit too forced but I was captivated by the whole novel to really not notice.
  Though a thriller generally relies on a good plot, Stolen is much more of a character driven story. Gemma is a likeable character who we immediately feel sorry for. As she slowly begins to learn how Ty orchestrated his grand scheme, she realizes that he has been stalking her for years, devising a crafty plan to steal her away to make her love him-which she ultimately believes she does. It is as if Gemma never really had a chance to escape from Ty at all.
  Ty is simply a psychopath. Christopher gives us enough back story to his character and glimpses of his weaknesses that we can try to understand how his twisted mind works. After learning a bit about him, I couldn't forgive Ty for drugging, kidnapping, and violating Gemma's human rights nor do I think that's Christopher's point. I think we were shown how twisted and manipulative Ty's mindset is, because to him, Ty did nothing but love Gemma.
  Speaking of love, there is no such romance in this book not even an inkling. I was appalled to read comments from some readers who expressed how Gemma fell in love with Ty or how they wished Ty could drug and kidnap them. I don't know how you define romance but to me drugging, kidnapping and being denied your basic human rights does not equal a love story. That being said, I think Stolen would be an excellent book club choice for teens and should be read by mature high school students readers due to its disturbing and adult themes.

Rating: 5 stars

Words of Caution: There is some strong language, drug use, kidnapping, and other mature themes in the book. Recommended for Grades 10 and up.

If you like this book try: Girl, Stolen by April Henry or Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott

  Looking back on my high school required reading list, I only seem to have read just one book about slavery and racism which was Huck Finn by Mark Twain. I hope to read To Kill a Mockingbird later this year and recently finished John Howard Griffins amazing personal account of racism in his modern classic nonfiction novel, Black Like Me.

Description: Before the Civil Rights Movement occurred, journalist John Howard Griffin pondered what is was like to be black in the Deep South. If he only changed the color of his skin, how different would his life be? Black Like Me is a personal account on how humans reacted in the response to something is essentially really trivial, the color of ones skin. 

Review: Griffin spent a little over a month, some of November and December of 1959 with his skin artificially darkened by medication. He wanted to do a sociological experiment in how people reacted to race in America's South. Going into this project, he realized that it wasn't going to be easy and sought out help and support from various people. During those months, he traveled through Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia, finding out at first hand what it is like to be treated as a second-class citizen. While we all have read several stories of injustices, the lynchings, the civil rights cases before, Griffin's experiences are raw and thrust in front of faces. We both participate as both the observer and the participant of these daily injustices such as the rudeness of the clerk when he tried to pay for a train ticket with a big bill; the difficulty he had in finding someone who would cash a traveler's check for a Negro; the bus-driver who wouldn't let any blacks off the bus to use the restrooms; the white man who followed him at night and threatened to mug him.
   In attempts to not generalize, Griffin provides both from both races who helped him regardless of his race at the time. As you can imagine, this report created a lot of stir when it was officially released. Many of the people who replied to Griffin's story wrote that they too feel guiltily and ashamed about how the minority have been treated but are afraid to stand up because of the strong back lash they would feel if they had let their opinions be known and heard. While some may argue that Black Like Me is "the white experience of racism", I would actually argue that this book forces everyone regardless of their race to think about racism and stereotypes we project upon each other.
 Black Like Me is a powerful, unflinching, influential, and gripping story. Though it is nonfiction, it does not read like a textbook but rather as a nonfiction narrative with many similar characteristics of an adventure story. Like Griffin, I was always scared that someone would find out the truth. His interior monologue how he himself is transformed by simply darkening his skin is utterly fascinating. Just the simple act of writing his wife a letter explaining that he is okay seems like a crime. Though Griffin only spends a month with dark skin, his revelations of how we treat each other is still relevant today. Black Like Me is a must read and I now understand why it has been on a required reading list for many schools.

Rating: 5 stars

Curriculum Connection: English, Social Studies

Words of Caution: There is some strong language in the book. Recommended for high school students and up.

If you like this book try: White Like Me by Tim Wise or "Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?" by Beverly Daniel Tatum

  Author Sarah Ockler might ring a bell for a few of you. Her 2009 debut, Twenty Boy Summer, was unfortunately and, I think,  randomly targeted in a book challenge along with Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson just this year by a professor in St. Louis. You can read more about the challenge and my reaction on this by reading this post. Note: the article is no longer available online. Like her debut novel, Fixing Delilah is also about loss, grief, but also about love and hope.

Description: Delilah is falling apart. She is losing friends, disinterested in school, and spending way too much time with her non-boyfriend. A phone call announcing the death of her estranged grandmother, however, changes everything. When she visits her family's house in Vermont, she begins to unravel tightly held secrets that her tore family apart. Delilah is desperate to find out the truth, but is she willing to deal with the truth?

Review: Fixing Delilah is a delightful read. As the book opens, Delilah and her mother are on their way to Vermont to arrange a funeral for Delilah's now deceased grandmother and to take care of her estate. Delilah will spend her summer in Vermont instead of the usual partying and hanging out in her hometown in Pennsylvania. During her stay, she tries to get her emotionally distant and workaholic mother to open up about her family. Delilah doesn't remember much of her grandmother and even much less about Aunt Stephanie, whose name is never mentioned by her mother or Aunt Rachel.
  The more Delilah pushes her mother, the more resistant her mother becomes. Delilah can't help but feel that her grandmother's and aunt's death are some how connected to the strained relationship she has with her once close mother. She is terrified that the same cycle will continue to carry on in the present and future. As you can see, there is a mystery element that drives the story of Fixing Delilah. We are given bits and pieces of the past. One question leads to another and essentially where are given three questions to solve: What happened to Stephanie? What was the fight that tore apart Delilah's family 8 years ago? Can this once broken family be connected again? Although these are interesting questions, I thought they fell flat in the story and they didn't hold my interest. For one thing, we are told too much information right away and then large hints are given throughout the book, which is why I was able to solve the mystery before Delilah. The mystery aspect of this book, in my opinion, is the book's weakness.
  What I really liked about Fixing Delilah is the sweet romance between Delilah and Patrick, a childhood friend whom she instantly reconnects with during her stay at Vermont. Their relationship is based on friendship and slowly becomes more. They actually do talk and share their opinions on their lives, which is nice after the numerous "love at first sight" and "my heart aches when I'm not with him" stories that I have been reading lately. Their romance is sweet, realistic, and lyrically portrayed in Fixing Delilah. It's the chapters that develop Delilah and Patrick's relationship that made me continue to read the book.
  I also enjoyed the cast of characters in the book too. I had a hard time at first in liking Delilah, but I warmed up to her as she starts to break down the walls she builds around her. Like Delilah, her mother also goes through a transformation from being cold, robot-like to being warm and vulnerable. Aunt Rachel has a new age vibe that contrasts the coldness of Delilah's mother and me smile on numerous times in the book. My favorite character, however, is Patrick. I instantly knew I would love him when he is first seen reading his annotated copy of  The Cather in the Rye and then more so with his music. The family secrets, sweet romance, and the homey feel of a small town make Fixing Delilah a good read. Fans of Deb Caletti's and Sarah Dessen's novels will feel right at home with Ockler's latest book.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language in the book and some allusions to sex.

If you like this book try: Guyaholic by Carolyn Mackler, Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen, The Queen of Everything by Deb Caletti

  I'm probably in the minority of people who have never read Go Ask Alice before until now. The book has been extremely popular and not to mention controversial since it's original copyright of 1971. After 39 years, Go Ask Alice is still current with its theme of drug abuse.

Description: An unnamed 15 years old teen chronicles her descent into drugs after struggling to find acceptance amongst her peers and her overachieving parents.

Why it was banned/challenged: Go Ask Alice has a long track record of being banned and challenged throughout its 39 years of being in print. In 2008 the novel was challenged as a reading assignment at Hanahan Middle School in Berkeley County, South Carolina because of blatant, explicit language using street terms for sex, talk of worms eating body parts, and blasphemy. Source: ALA

Review: Go Ask Alice is a harrowing account of one teen's desperate attempt to find acceptance by doing anything possible. The unnamed narrator finds comfort in recording her struggles in a diary. She feels left out in her over achieving but distant family, she is ignored by the boy who she has a crush on, she has insecurities about her appearance, and is the new/weird girl at her new school. What starts off as a spiked drink at a party quickly turns into a crush and burn drug addiction and eventually time spent at a psychiatric center.
  I can't help but think that Go Ask Alice is anything but a cautionary tale of drugs. It is written during the 1970s where teens were highly experimenting with both drugs and sex. The diary entries are a cry of help and you can feel the teen's confusion leap off the page. Interestingly enough it is no way near graphic or horrific of other YA books that I have read about that deal with characters' drug abuse. I clearly remember being taken aback when I read The Basketball Diaries by Jim Carrol and the passages where the horrible withdrawals are described.
  Although the book is marketed as a "true story", it turns out that the book is not based on any teen's story but rather a culmination of various teens' case studies conducted by Beatrice Sparks. Sparks is credited in most places as the editor of Go Ask Alice. The true author of the book has never been clearly identified. Reading the book as an adult, I can easily pinpoint the inconsistencies in the narrative and voice. There are many vocabulary words and phrases such as "Dear Diary" that a 15 year old would never use. Nor would the teen remember her drug trip so vividly after being passed out for hours. Despite the inconsistencies in the writing, I can see why teens are drawn to Go Ask Alice: because it happens in real life. It does not hide or sugar coat life's problems but shows the gritty details. With drugs and sex still being a predominant factors in teen's lives, I can understand why schools would want to use this book for discussion.  

Rating: 3.5 stars

Curriculum Connection: Health

Words of Caution: Since this is a book about drug abuse, there are numerous drug references throughout the book. There are also allusions to sex, however, there is no graphic detail except the narrator telling the reader she has slept with someone. There is also some strong language and street slang in the book. I would recommend this book to mature 8th graders and up.

If you like this book try: Crank by Ellen Hopkins, Smack by Melvin Burgess, or The Basketball Diaries by Jim Carrol