VVMBookBlog

The Shadow Thieves by Anne Ursu

Zee (Zachary) and Charlotte are cousins. After many of Zee’s friends become ill in England, he travels to the United States (Minnesota) to stay with his cousin. The strange thing is that many of the middle schoolers whom Zee comes in contact with become ill too. Charlotte listens to his story about “Grandmothers, plagues, strange man-like men, and shadowless boys.” She doesn’t know if she should believe him, but after a visit to her “shadowless” friend who is sick, Charlotte decides she not only should believe him but also help him. Did I tell you about the secret door in the MOA? No, read and find out!

The Shadow Thieves is a quick paced adventure/fantasy novel. It also has a mix of mythology tied into the plot. This is the first book in the Cronus Chronicles. Readers will certainly be ready for the second book.

Nothing but the Truth (and a few white lies) by Justina Chen Headley

Fourteen year old Patty is half Asian and half white. She is conflicted and doesn’t feel comfortable with herself and “fitting in.” Her mother is no help. In fact in the beginning of the novel her mother sends her to a “Belly Button Grandmother” to have her future read instead of letting her go to a school dance. When the Belly Button Grandmother sees an accident and white boyfriend in her future, Patty’s mother sends her to math camp at Stanford University. Luckily her mother doesn’t know she received an I (incomplete) on her “The Truth about Patty Ho” paper for English class.

Math camp is much better than Patty expected. She finally feels a little more comfortable with herself and meets a boy. When her mom shows up unexpected, life gets miserable. Instead of staying on campus she is forced to live with her aunt where she learns about her father whom she never knew, herself, and her mother.

Emil and Karl by Yankev Glatshteyn (translated by Jeffrey Shandler)

Karl is a Christian boy and Emil is a Jewish boy in this novel set in Vienna during the onset of WWII. Both boys lose their parents and are left alone. Karl quickly goes to find his friend Emil. The two boys try to figure out how to survive in a world gone mad. Struggling to find a safe place and food, they are helped by neighbors and strangers who seem to pay a steep price for helping these boys. The one thing they have is each other, and they seem inseparable.

This is another WWII novel with a different twist since it happens before the war begins. The cruelty against Jews, socialists, etc. is shown in a unique perspective. Emil and Karl show the strengths of true friendship and perseverance.

Red Rider’s Hood by Neal Shusterman

Do you remember the story of Little Red Riding Hood? Red Rider’s Hood is Little Red Riding Hood meets gangs, werewolves, and vampires. This action packed story starts with Red taking a bag of money in his red Mustang to his grandma. His car gets stolen, his grandma gets robbed, and a gang wants him to join. Red learns how dangerous this gang, the Wolves, can be instantly, but he still contemplates joining. His Grandma, of course, is against this idea. She actually knows quite a bit about the Wolves and wants Red to have no part in this gang. As the story unfolds, Red has to choose between the gang and his grandma. It shouldn’t be a difficult decision, but… Did I mention there is also a girl involved? Red Rider’s Hood is a great book for those wanting action and a little horror. Remember there are also werewolves and vampires.

This is the second book in Neal Shusterman’s Darkfusion Series. The first book is Dread Locks. Although I haven’t read it yet, I look forward to the same creepy fairy tale twist!

Between Mom and Jo by Julie Anne Peters

Nick is the narrator telling his story through flashbacks. His life has been complicated. One of the first complications is the fact that he has two mothers. This only becomes a complication when he is picked on by bullies at school (calling him “Dickless Nicholas”) and when a his third grade teacher shows her prejudice (by not hanging his family picture). Life becomes even more crazy as Nick gets older. Erin, his birth mom, gets cancer. Jo, his other mom married to Erin, is an alcoholic. Although Erin is his birth mom and probably the more stable of the two, Jo has a huge place in Nick’s heart. When Jo and Erin are separated due to “another woman,” Nick’s life is more complicated than ever.

This is a book that has mature content. Since Nick is a teenager, one of his mom’s must talk to him about sex. It also talks frankly about alcoholism, divorce, and other “difficult” topics. Between Mom and Jo is a realistic read about the difficulties of being a teenager. Nick shares his frustrations of school and home as a typical teenager.