“Along for the Ride” by Sarah Dessen

Info

Contemporary YA fiction (ages 12-19)
Viking, 2009 

Summary

Since Sarah Dessen is my favorite YA author, this was an easy and likable read for me. What I enjoyed most was that the characters were either about to start college or had been out of high school for a year or two, making it more interesting for readers who enjoy YA with college characters.

The story and characters were intriguing, and like all Dessen books, the plot keeps you interested, especially the romance. 

“Twenty Boy Summer” by Sarah Ockler

Info

Contemporary YA fiction (ages 12-19)
Little Brown, 2009 

Summary

I enjoyed this new author and couldn’t put this one down. The story follows a girl who has lost the guy she loves, and how she works through that—especially considering the guy she loved was her best friend’s brother. Wonderful characters and a page-turning plot.

I normally try to only say positive things about the books I read, but one thing bothered me about this book… the title. Because the title is “Twenty Boy Summer,” and the blurb on the back makes it sound like the main character seeks out twenty boys in order to get over her loss, that was what I expected. But instead she meets only a few guys and ends up seriously dating one of them. So as I read the book I kept waiting for her to date twenty guys, but it never happened. Still an awesome book, but totally threw me.

“If I Stay” by Gayle Forman

Info

Contemporary YA fiction (ages 12-19)
Penguin, 2009 

Summary

In this book a girl is in a car accident with her family and gets to decide whether she stays on earth without her family or if she dies along with her family. As she’s in the hospital, she’s in a state where she can see everything going on around her. She wrestles with staying and pursuing her dreams, or leaving earth to go be with her family. I really enjoyed the author’s voice on this one.

I hope you have a wonderful New Year!

Info

YA Contemporary
Publisher: Viking
Age group: Mature YA

Summary

After being abandoned by her alcoholic mother, Ruby goes to live with her sister Cora whom she hasn’t seen in years. Through this new life and the new relationships that come her way, Ruby discovers she can give love and be loved.

Characters

I love rough-around-the-edges characters, so I enjoyed Ruby and trying to figure out who she is and if she can change. The boy she likes, Nate, is mysterious and complicated, though not at first glance. And more so than other Dessen books, I enjoyed the complexity of the sub-characters, including Ruby’s sister, brother-in-law, and boss at work.

Plot

The plot was intriguing and kept me turning the pages. I wanted Ruby to be happy and not return to her old life, and as the plot moves, my wishes happen, though not in the way I expected.

Thoughts

As noted in a previous blog this week, I was troubled by all the typos in this book. Dessen, however, is my favorite YA author so she can have all the typos she wants and I’ll still read every book she ever writes

“The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie

Info

YA (contemporary or perhaps literary…I saw one person label it as such
Publisher: Little, Brown
Age group: Mature YA

Summary

Arnold is a nerdy Spokane reservation kid who transfers to a white school to get a better education.

Characters

The characters are what make this book stand out. Arnold is funny, nerdy, witty, and sad all in one. You connect with him and feel for him the whole way through.

Plot

The story reads similar to a diary – following Arnold’s thoughts as he leaves his reservation to travel each day to an all-white school and the troubles he meets along the way.

Thoughts

This book has won numerous awards and I can see why. It is intriguing and has an amazing voice. Usually second-person doesn’t work for me, but it works here. The book has been somewhat controversial at schools because it has some vulgar content/language. For this reason, I labeled it mature YA even though the main character is fourteen. I know parents have a hard time finding YA for boys, and I think this is one that would be enjoyed by both girls and boys. It has a deep yet common coming-of-age theme, and makes you laugh all the way through.

I just finished “Lock and Key,” which, as usual, I enjoyed and couldn’t put down. However, one thing that bothered me was that there were numerous typos. I’m not just talking one or two commas that no one would notice—I’m talking glaring errors that made me stop and re-read the sentence numerous times so I could figure out what it was supposed to say.

I recently read an Editor’s Unleashed blog called “Is Editing Worth It?” in which the blogger discussed how many errors there were in the “Twilight” books, especially the later ones.

It got me thinking…what is going on with editing in publishing? Are the authors writing so quickly (because the publishers want to make money) that they aren’t editing their own work? Are publishers trying to spin out books so quickly that they aren’t having them edited as well? What role does editing play as an author before you are published and then later on when you are popping out numerous books?

For me, I would rather do my best to find every error I can find before it gets to any agent or editor’s desk. But still…I wonder if you get to that point where you don’t care as much, and does it even matter? Does the author lose credibility with these errors?

Just some thoughts today on editing

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“Thirteen Reasons Why” by Jay Asher

Info

YA Cotemporary
Publisher: Razorbill

Summary

Clay Jensen receives a set of tapes from a girl who committed suicide. The tapes take him through her journey of what she went through before she died.

Characters

Excellent characterization. Clay is easily likable—even once you find out why he is part of the tapes. Even though Hannah is dead, her voice is so real you feel she is alive.

Plot

This is one of the quickest books I have ever read through—I could not put it down. The plot hooks you right away and you can’t stop reading.

Thoughts

This is by far one of the best books I have ever read. It sticks with you and it really makes you think about life and how you treat others. It is a must-read for every teen out there.

“Just Listen” by Sarah Dessen

Info

Contemporary YA
Publisher: Viking

Summary

Annabel Greene doesn’t like confrontation—you can see this in the way she interacts with her family, and when she can’t stand up to her ex-best friend who treats her like crap. But then she meets Owen and learns to confront her feelings, revealing a startling secret about her past which she must stand up to.

Characters

Annabel is great—many teens can probably relate to her because it’s easy to understand wanting to voice your opinion but not being able to. Owen is a little on the trouble side, but we love him because he’s trying to make it work—and he falls hard for Annabel.

Plot

I couldn’t put this book down. There are scenes that will forever be ingrained in my mind. The story not only shows us why it’s important to find our voice, but it also shows us the importance of speaking up when something bad happens to us.

Thoughts

If you can’t tell from my reading list, I am a huge Sarah Dessen fan. She is my favorite YA author. This book is thus far my favorite of all of her books. It’s powerful, engaging, and it changes the way you view the world.
“Cindy Ella” by Robin Palmer

Info

YA Romantic Comedy (contemporary)
Publisher: Speak

Summary

Cindy refuses to give into the prom fever infecting her L.A. school, so she writes an anti-prom letter to the editor. This makes everyone see her as evil, except her two friends and her new “online” friend. With almost everyone against her, will she get her own night to remember?

Characters

Cindy is adorable. I like her because she takes a stand for something she disagrees with. The rest of the characters are cliché and annoying. Her two wicked step-sisters are obsessed with L.A. culture and fashion. Even Cindy’s friends got on my nerves. But the two guys she crushes on are cute and stand-up dudes.

Plot

I really liked the plot—I especially enjoyed the mystery behind the online friend and who she discovers it really is in the end.

Thoughts

Every other line in this book is a cultural reference. It’s funny at first, but gets old very quickly. I liked the plot, but had a hard time concentrating because I was annoyed at all the references that were supposed to be funny. Still, I can imagine that teens will keep turning the pages to find out what happens with Cindy’s romantic life.