YALSA Award

Jonas lives in a perfect world, but when he becomes the Receiver and is transferred memories from the past, he soon realizes that there are some serious issues with the way his "perfect world" is being run.
It was cool to see Jonas, the main character, grow and develop as a person.
In the beginning, he was as ignorant and naive as the rest of his peers, but he eventually matures and becomes aware of the problems around him.
The way Lois Lowry described surroundings were very clever. For example, (this is a bit of a spoiler) Jonas's world was in only black and white and I didn't realize it for a very long time because the author didn't outright say it; that made me feel Jonas's confusion when he first sees color.
It was really interesting reading about how Jonas's city functioned and what its rules were- it was very different from ours.
The novel gave me a lot to think about; it made me wonder how much bad things we can eradicate until the eradication itself becomes a bad thing. The line between good and evil becomes more and more blurry the closer you get.
The Giver is a nice book to read and I recommend it!
Reviewer Grade: 8

This isn't your typical comic book. It doesn't have fantasy super heroes or talking animals. This novel is about your everyday girl in a real-life situation that falls in love with roller derby. I wasn't expecting to like this book because I'm not much of a comic book person but it surprised me and I loved the message. The only thing I would change is the age of the main character because some of the events in the story were questionable because she is seems young. If you are looking for a really quick read with a good message then this is the book for you.
Reviewer Grade: 8

Sixth grader Miranda Sinclair started receiving strange letters that somehow predict the future. After she got more and more letters, Miranda was determined to solve the mystery behind them.
The novel really conveys the feeling of normalcy; it seems like the every-day life of an ordinary middle schooler, but when the future-predictions letters are added into the mix, it feels surreal- almost dream-like.
It got a little confusing in the middle for me because I couldn't understand why the characters were doing what they were doing, but it all gets brilliantly explained at the end. The way it all tied up was wonderful and worth all of the confusion; the ending really was the best part.
The characters were all like ordinary people I'd see everyday, which gave me the feeling that I was reading realistic fiction rather than science-fiction.
Their personalities weren't typical and they weren't just generic personalities (e.g., a a mean popular girl or a nerdy unpopular kid).
Reading When You Reach Me was a roller-coaster (especially the last part!) and I really recommend it to everyone.
Reviewer Grade: 8

Twilight has an interesting story idea. The love story between the two lead characters, Bella and Edward with the rivaling Jacob Black is a good basic plot, however the way the story was written made me want to burn the book, and some things were just strange. Like the main male, Edward is a vampire and when Bella finds out she has no emotions about it whatsoever. The book is kind of disturbing. I do not recommend it to anyone.

I saw the trailer for this book and I wanted to read it before I watched the movie. I was slightly disappointed when I read this. I was hoping for a cool, unique, different aspect of an alien book but I was wrong. The book was extremely confusing to read, I found myself reading over a page 5 times to understand where I was at in the book. The plot jumps around in different time periods so many times without warning. The annoyance I suffered from the book might be different from your perspective of the book. There was also a love story that was going to emerge but failed miserably. The only thing I enjoyed, which is why I gave this 3 stars, was the action portions. Even though the writing STYLE was confusing, the writing itself is quite intriguing, kind of like a poem. Once you understood where you are at, the action scenes pull you in but then it goes back to round one, which is boring, confusing, and annoying.
Reviewer Grade: 12

Looking for Alaska is a fantastic book for readers who want to be absorbed in feelings. The book revolves around Miles Halter, a skinny and shy teenager that moves to Alabama to go to a boarding school called Culver Creek Life comes at him fast when he meets his new room mate The Colonel, a Japanese kid with a Southern accent named Takumi, and a beautiful girl named Alaska Young. This group of kids enjoy smoking and drinking by the lake and pulling pranks while trying not to get caught by The Eagle, the schools headmaster. A love story appears and as the story progresses, the plot thickens and it is a rollercoaster of emotions that will keep anyone at the edge of their seats.
The book is a cliché love story but with a twist and not everyone can relate. It made me emotional but I wish there was more to the book. I felt like the book could've had more surprising elements to it but there was one part of the book that was definitely a shocker. Even though that one part of the book shocked me, I wanted to feel that way the entire time. Some parts were boring to me but overall it had a creative back story and layout.
Reviewer Grade: 12

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon introduces a little girl named Minli, who lives in a town that goes through difficult times, with people each working from dusk till dawn. Minli though, seems to think that with the stories that her father tells her, there is some hope left. So, Minli sets on a difficult journey to meet the Man in the Moon (told in one of her father's stories) that will give her a fortune to help her family and the town that she lives in. When I started this book I couldn't put it down, the author of this book made this story seem like many stories, which is why I continued to read and finish this book. If I were you I would definitely read this book.
Reviewer Grade: 8

This book was about a boy and he is captured by berserkers and was taken on a great journey to find who he truly is. He learned to defeated some of his greatest inner demons and learned that there are two sides to every story. Also he learned the value of humbleness and that good thing come at a price. He also learns that patients there is beauty in everything. For a grade I give this book a 4.5. I loved this book. It was about an amazing adventure into new places and a road to self discovery. I had mighty beasts and gentle giants. It is a great book for teens and would recommend it for anyone that loves books with great quests and beasts with two sides. A light side that brings love and acceptance, and a dark side that brings chaos and hate. I hope anyone who reads this loves it as much as I did. The only thing I did not like about this book is that my favorite characters did not end up in a relationship, but there are other books in the series I have yet to read.
Actual Rating: 4.5
Reviewer Grade: 8

Ethan Wate has lived in Gatlin all his life - and all he wants to leave his hometown more than anything. That is until he meets the new girl at school, Lena Duchannes, who lives with her strange reclusive uncle Macon. Typical teen love story, right? No. Lena and her family are Casters, meaning they have magical powers. Every girl in the family, when she reaches sixteen years old, is "Claimed" and becomes either good or bad - Light or Dark. Lena is terrified she will be a Dark Caster. Teaming up, she and Ethan search for a way to keep the ritual from turning her evil, discovering dark magical secrets hidden within the town along the way. This book is hilarious, adventurous, and romantic (the romance is kept fairly PG). The characters were likable and unique. The setting, Gatlin, is mysterious and fascinating. The rest of the series isn't as good as this one, unfortunately - but I'd definitely recommend this one to anyone who loved the Southern Gothic genre, romance, or adventure in general. (I'd rate it PG-13 for minor language, a little romance, and violence).
Reviewer Grade: 9

Matched by Ally Condie tells the story of a young girl living in a society where everything is chosen for you - who you are, where you live, who you marry. Cassia, the protagonist, is matched with her best friend - everything seems to be going great until it is discovered that she has also been Matched with another boy. This book had a lot of potential and an interesting concept, but I personally felt it didn't really deliver. The pacing was slow. There wasn't much tension. The characters were a little one-dimensional and cheesy. Although it wasn't one of my favorite books, it could make for a nice summer read.
Reviewer Grade: 9