The "T" Reviews--See the content keys for an explanation of the numbers.
Tangerine, by Edward Bloor
*American Library Association Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults, 1998; Edgar Allan Poe Award, nomination for Best Young Adult Novel, 1998; American Booksellers Association Pick of the List, 1997; New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing, 1997*
Core themes: finding one's place in a new home, the importance of facing difficult truths about life and family; finding opportunities and friendships outside one's comfort zone; the freedom of living in the light of truth and openness; standing up for what's right
Drugs/alcohol: none
Religion/occult: protagonist's family attends a Catholic wake for boy killed by lightning; brief mention of rosary being said.
Romance/sexuality: none (unless you count a girl asking the protagonist to be her date in a casual group outing)
Violence/abuse: Violence and abuse provides core plot points in this novel, although the details are not gratuitous or gory. The story revolves around two brothers, the older being a high-school boy with a frighteningly violent nature. The violent scenes include a couple of fist-fights; a near-miss when the older brother tries to hit the younger brother with a baseball bat; a murder committed by the older brother and his sidekick; and a flashback by the younger brother in which he recalls the older brother spraying white paint into his eyes. The novel also includes a scene in which a boy is killed by lightning and a scene that details a brutal, somewhat violent soccer game.
Vulgarities: 1, 3 (very infrequent)
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: Although this novel seems mostly appropriate for younger teens, the themes of embracing truth and confronting evil can make the story accessible and meaningful to teens of all ages. I felt writer did an excellent job telling the story through an 8th-grade boy's point of view, and he also did a great job creating tension. There were a couple of slow places in the story, especially if the reader is not interested in soccer or football, but this is much more than a sports novel and is thus accessible to non-athletic readers, too.
I would suggest this book to younger teens / older teens/ all teens/ no teens.
Author website: http://www.edwardbloor.net/
Reviewer: Cheri Blomquist
*American Library Association Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults, 1998; Edgar Allan Poe Award, nomination for Best Young Adult Novel, 1998; American Booksellers Association Pick of the List, 1997; New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing, 1997*
Core themes: finding one's place in a new home, the importance of facing difficult truths about life and family; finding opportunities and friendships outside one's comfort zone; the freedom of living in the light of truth and openness; standing up for what's right
Drugs/alcohol: none
Religion/occult: protagonist's family attends a Catholic wake for boy killed by lightning; brief mention of rosary being said.
Romance/sexuality: none (unless you count a girl asking the protagonist to be her date in a casual group outing)
Violence/abuse: Violence and abuse provides core plot points in this novel, although the details are not gratuitous or gory. The story revolves around two brothers, the older being a high-school boy with a frighteningly violent nature. The violent scenes include a couple of fist-fights; a near-miss when the older brother tries to hit the younger brother with a baseball bat; a murder committed by the older brother and his sidekick; and a flashback by the younger brother in which he recalls the older brother spraying white paint into his eyes. The novel also includes a scene in which a boy is killed by lightning and a scene that details a brutal, somewhat violent soccer game.
Vulgarities: 1, 3 (very infrequent)
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: Although this novel seems mostly appropriate for younger teens, the themes of embracing truth and confronting evil can make the story accessible and meaningful to teens of all ages. I felt writer did an excellent job telling the story through an 8th-grade boy's point of view, and he also did a great job creating tension. There were a couple of slow places in the story, especially if the reader is not interested in soccer or football, but this is much more than a sports novel and is thus accessible to non-athletic readers, too.
I would suggest this book to younger teens / older teens/ all teens/ no teens.
Author website: http://www.edwardbloor.net/
Reviewer: Cheri Blomquist
See the content keys for an explanation of the numbers.
Tankborn, by Karen Sandler (Tankborn Trilogy, book 1)
Core themes: discrimination; racism (all of the characters are shades of brown); friendship; breaking stereotypes; romance across class lines; caste systems; immoral uses of scientific discoveries; crises of faith; what does it mean to be human? (can someone with animal DNA be human?); meaningless laws for humane treatment of the least powerful; use of sterilization (before birth) as means of control; slavery (GENs can be “owned” by trueborns not of the lowborn caste
Drugs/alcohol: drug-addicted mother; occasional use of stimulant drugs by others (not the teens);
Religion/occult: The GENs have a religion of the Infinite who whispered their souls to the creators, the scientists who grow them in the tanks. It is revealed that the men who industrialized the GEN technology created this religion in order to control the GENs. They are taught the only way back to the Infinite’s hands is through their servitude. The two GEN girls (Kayla and Mishalla) grapple with this information in different ways, which is hopefully further explored in future books. The trueborn also have a faith in the Lord Creator.
Romance/sexuality: 1, 2
Violence/abuse: GENs are routinely abused and mistreated by trueborns of all castes, as well as by the Enforcers. GENs also always face the threat of “realignment” in which their memories and personalities are erased and replaced with new ones. A rebellious group, the Kinship, is fighting those in power, which means there are scenes of some violence –- murders, chasing, kidnapping.
Vulgarities: 1
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: Loka is populated by people who escaped Earth (all brown-skinned, though separated by amounts of wealth) after it was doomed by climate change, but climate change itself is not a large part of the story. It is important to note the unusual non-white main characters in this science fiction/dystopian series, as minorities may feel a closer bond with the characters. Not all of the people are the same, of course, and that presents continued opportunities to discuss racism and discrimination.
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: http://karensandler.net/
Reviewer: Jill Papsdorf
Core themes: discrimination; racism (all of the characters are shades of brown); friendship; breaking stereotypes; romance across class lines; caste systems; immoral uses of scientific discoveries; crises of faith; what does it mean to be human? (can someone with animal DNA be human?); meaningless laws for humane treatment of the least powerful; use of sterilization (before birth) as means of control; slavery (GENs can be “owned” by trueborns not of the lowborn caste
Drugs/alcohol: drug-addicted mother; occasional use of stimulant drugs by others (not the teens);
Religion/occult: The GENs have a religion of the Infinite who whispered their souls to the creators, the scientists who grow them in the tanks. It is revealed that the men who industrialized the GEN technology created this religion in order to control the GENs. They are taught the only way back to the Infinite’s hands is through their servitude. The two GEN girls (Kayla and Mishalla) grapple with this information in different ways, which is hopefully further explored in future books. The trueborn also have a faith in the Lord Creator.
Romance/sexuality: 1, 2
Violence/abuse: GENs are routinely abused and mistreated by trueborns of all castes, as well as by the Enforcers. GENs also always face the threat of “realignment” in which their memories and personalities are erased and replaced with new ones. A rebellious group, the Kinship, is fighting those in power, which means there are scenes of some violence –- murders, chasing, kidnapping.
Vulgarities: 1
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: Loka is populated by people who escaped Earth (all brown-skinned, though separated by amounts of wealth) after it was doomed by climate change, but climate change itself is not a large part of the story. It is important to note the unusual non-white main characters in this science fiction/dystopian series, as minorities may feel a closer bond with the characters. Not all of the people are the same, of course, and that presents continued opportunities to discuss racism and discrimination.
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: http://karensandler.net/
Reviewer: Jill Papsdorf
Tankborn Trilogy, by Karen Sandler
Please see the individual reviews for the books in this series:
Tankborn, book 1
Awakening, book 2
Rebellion, book 3
Please see the individual reviews for the books in this series:
Tankborn, book 1
Awakening, book 2
Rebellion, book 3
See the content keys for an explanation of the numbers.
The Teashop Girls, by Laura Schaefer (The Teashop Girls series, book 1)
Core themes: first crushes, helping a family business, dealing with friendship troubles
Drugs/alcohol: none
Religion/occult: brief use of meditation to calm down
Romance/sexuality: none
Violence/abuse: none
Vulgarities: none
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: The Teashop Girls is a delightful and frothy read that follows Annie Green as she works at her grandmother’s teashop and falls for the new barista. Unfortunately, the teashop isn’t making enough money to pay for the rent, so Annie takes matters into her own hands. Her and her friends’ ideas are fun and clever. It is a highly enjoyable book that I like reading over and over again.
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: http://teashopgirls.webnode.com/
Reviewer: Emily Holland
Core themes: first crushes, helping a family business, dealing with friendship troubles
Drugs/alcohol: none
Religion/occult: brief use of meditation to calm down
Romance/sexuality: none
Violence/abuse: none
Vulgarities: none
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: The Teashop Girls is a delightful and frothy read that follows Annie Green as she works at her grandmother’s teashop and falls for the new barista. Unfortunately, the teashop isn’t making enough money to pay for the rent, so Annie takes matters into her own hands. Her and her friends’ ideas are fun and clever. It is a highly enjoyable book that I like reading over and over again.
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: http://teashopgirls.webnode.com/
Reviewer: Emily Holland
The Tea Shop Girls series, by Laura Schaefer
Please see the individual reviews for the books in this series:
The Tea Shop Girls
The Secret Ingredient
Please see the individual reviews for the books in this series:
The Tea Shop Girls
The Secret Ingredient
See the content keys for an explanation of the numbers.
Ten, by Gretchen McNeil
*2012 RT Book Reviews Top Pick; 2015 Evergreen Young Adult Book Award YA nominee; 2015 Green Mountain Book Award Gr. 9-12 nominee*
Core Themes: revenge, taking care of others/selflessness, social cliques and how they affect those on the
outside
Drugs/alcohol: beer drinking by teens at a house party and references to being drunk in the past
Religion/occult: none
Romance/sexuality: 1
Violence/abuse: This is a murder mystery and there are somewhat gory descriptions of various deaths, as
well as a fight scene.
Vulgarities: 1, 3, 4
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: Ten is a modern, YA, murder mystery loosely based on Agatha Christie's novel, And Then There
Were None. Christie is one of my all-time favorite novelists, so I was interested to read this version. While
some of the depth of character and plotting of the original are missing, Ten still adheres fairly well to the
overall framework of the novel and carries off the complexity of the story in a believable manner. My one
criticism would be that the use of vulgar language is a tad excessive and could have been reeled in a little.
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: http://www.gretchenmcneil.com/
Reviewer: Annika Holland
*2012 RT Book Reviews Top Pick; 2015 Evergreen Young Adult Book Award YA nominee; 2015 Green Mountain Book Award Gr. 9-12 nominee*
Core Themes: revenge, taking care of others/selflessness, social cliques and how they affect those on the
outside
Drugs/alcohol: beer drinking by teens at a house party and references to being drunk in the past
Religion/occult: none
Romance/sexuality: 1
Violence/abuse: This is a murder mystery and there are somewhat gory descriptions of various deaths, as
well as a fight scene.
Vulgarities: 1, 3, 4
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: Ten is a modern, YA, murder mystery loosely based on Agatha Christie's novel, And Then There
Were None. Christie is one of my all-time favorite novelists, so I was interested to read this version. While
some of the depth of character and plotting of the original are missing, Ten still adheres fairly well to the
overall framework of the novel and carries off the complexity of the story in a believable manner. My one
criticism would be that the use of vulgar language is a tad excessive and could have been reeled in a little.
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: http://www.gretchenmcneil.com/
Reviewer: Annika Holland
See the content keys for an explanation of the numbers.
The Thief, by Megan Whalen Turner (The Queen's Thief series, book 1)
*Newbery Honor Book Award, 1997; American Library Association List of Notable Books, 1997; Young Adult Library Services Assocatiion Best Books for Young Adults, 1997*
Core themes: pagan mythology; faith and the effect of evidence on it; how we can so easily make snap judgments of people and how these can change; taking destiny into one's hand; how gods help shape our destiny, not fate or our own efforts
Drugs/alcohol: none
Religion/occult: many references to pagan mythology (created by the author, as this is a fantasy novel); the pagan gods turn out to be real later in the book, not mythical at all
Romance/sexuality: none
Violence/abuse: character is beaten with a riding crop as punishment; semi-graphic battle scene
Vulgarities: 5 (occasional and referring to the pagan gods of this fantasy world, not this world's Judeo-Christian God)
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: Although I can't say that this was the most engaging YA book I've read, it is one of the more original and well-written ones, and I do think it would appeal to many teen readers (especially those who love danger). The novel is a fantasy, but the alternative world doesn't seem much different from our own world; hence, the protagonist's discovery that the pagan gods are real, not mythical, might strike readers a little harder than it might if the differences between our world and this one were more obvious. The only reason I bring this up is that a cautionary note seems to be in order for very conservative parents. This twist in the story is so effectively presented that it could possibly prompt teen readers to think more carefully about the reality of the spiritual realm in our own world, which could have either positive or negative effects, depending on the individual.
I would suggest this book to younger teens /older teens/ all teens /no teens. Note: Only the first book in the series has been reviewed, although it is an ongoing story. I do not know what objectionable content may be in the following books.
Author website: http://meganwhalenturner.org/
Reviewer: Cheri Blomquist
*Newbery Honor Book Award, 1997; American Library Association List of Notable Books, 1997; Young Adult Library Services Assocatiion Best Books for Young Adults, 1997*
Core themes: pagan mythology; faith and the effect of evidence on it; how we can so easily make snap judgments of people and how these can change; taking destiny into one's hand; how gods help shape our destiny, not fate or our own efforts
Drugs/alcohol: none
Religion/occult: many references to pagan mythology (created by the author, as this is a fantasy novel); the pagan gods turn out to be real later in the book, not mythical at all
Romance/sexuality: none
Violence/abuse: character is beaten with a riding crop as punishment; semi-graphic battle scene
Vulgarities: 5 (occasional and referring to the pagan gods of this fantasy world, not this world's Judeo-Christian God)
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: Although I can't say that this was the most engaging YA book I've read, it is one of the more original and well-written ones, and I do think it would appeal to many teen readers (especially those who love danger). The novel is a fantasy, but the alternative world doesn't seem much different from our own world; hence, the protagonist's discovery that the pagan gods are real, not mythical, might strike readers a little harder than it might if the differences between our world and this one were more obvious. The only reason I bring this up is that a cautionary note seems to be in order for very conservative parents. This twist in the story is so effectively presented that it could possibly prompt teen readers to think more carefully about the reality of the spiritual realm in our own world, which could have either positive or negative effects, depending on the individual.
I would suggest this book to younger teens /older teens/ all teens /no teens. Note: Only the first book in the series has been reviewed, although it is an ongoing story. I do not know what objectionable content may be in the following books.
Author website: http://meganwhalenturner.org/
Reviewer: Cheri Blomquist

The Thing About Jellyfish, by Ali Benjamin
*National Book Award finalist 2015, E.B. White Readaloud Award winner, the Green Earth Book Award, Massachusetts Book Award, Booklist best book of the year, NPR best book of the year, TIME Magazine best book of the year, School Library Journal best book of the year, Publisher’s Weekly best book of the year, Amazon best book of the year, and the New York Public Library best book of the year*
Why this book is worth considering:
Although it is a middle-grade novel, I am reviewing it because it is appropriate for young teens as well. As a story of grief and loss, it is a serious, often sad story, but it could be a catalyst for healing for some readers who have struggled with loss themselves--especially those who are too young for the novel's older, almost classic counterpart, Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson. The craftsmanship of the novel is lovely, and the author's insight into the mind of her 12-year-old character is deep, profound, and moving. The end is especially well-done. At first I didn't think I'd like the story, because I don't seek out stories about death and grieving; however, I am glad I read it.
Why this book may not be right for your teen:
For religious readers this novel may be sad in a more profound way than the author intended because throughout the grieving process, the protagonist is never comforted with insights about God and his healing power. This meant that her grieving was profoundly solitary, which broke my heart. She may be fictional, but many children grieve alone or without spiritual comfort as she does.
Parents should also be aware that the protagonist's brother is a both a homosexual and a supporting character. He is in a committed, monogamous relationship that does have some tangential influence on the story, especially near the end. The relationship is normalized but does not otherwise promote an ideological agenda in the story. As a middle-grade novel, the writing is free from swearing, drinking, drugs, and the like; however, the protagonist's parents are divorced, both are loving and attentive, and custody is split. This allows the reader a clear view of what daily life is like for a child who lives this reality, which may be useful for discussion.
Literary artistry: * * * * *
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: https://www.alibenjamin.com/
Reviewer: Cheri Blomquist
*National Book Award finalist 2015, E.B. White Readaloud Award winner, the Green Earth Book Award, Massachusetts Book Award, Booklist best book of the year, NPR best book of the year, TIME Magazine best book of the year, School Library Journal best book of the year, Publisher’s Weekly best book of the year, Amazon best book of the year, and the New York Public Library best book of the year*
Why this book is worth considering:
Although it is a middle-grade novel, I am reviewing it because it is appropriate for young teens as well. As a story of grief and loss, it is a serious, often sad story, but it could be a catalyst for healing for some readers who have struggled with loss themselves--especially those who are too young for the novel's older, almost classic counterpart, Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson. The craftsmanship of the novel is lovely, and the author's insight into the mind of her 12-year-old character is deep, profound, and moving. The end is especially well-done. At first I didn't think I'd like the story, because I don't seek out stories about death and grieving; however, I am glad I read it.
Why this book may not be right for your teen:
For religious readers this novel may be sad in a more profound way than the author intended because throughout the grieving process, the protagonist is never comforted with insights about God and his healing power. This meant that her grieving was profoundly solitary, which broke my heart. She may be fictional, but many children grieve alone or without spiritual comfort as she does.
Parents should also be aware that the protagonist's brother is a both a homosexual and a supporting character. He is in a committed, monogamous relationship that does have some tangential influence on the story, especially near the end. The relationship is normalized but does not otherwise promote an ideological agenda in the story. As a middle-grade novel, the writing is free from swearing, drinking, drugs, and the like; however, the protagonist's parents are divorced, both are loving and attentive, and custody is split. This allows the reader a clear view of what daily life is like for a child who lives this reality, which may be useful for discussion.
Literary artistry: * * * * *
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: https://www.alibenjamin.com/
Reviewer: Cheri Blomquist
See the content keys for an explanation of the numbers.

Things I Can’t Forget, by Miranda Kenneally (Hundred Oaks series, book 3)
Core themes: abortion, friendship, God, right from wrong, learning about oneself, relationships
Drugs/alcohol: alcohol is mentioned, none of the named characters drink
Religion/occult: All of the characters are Christians, and most of the story takes place at a Christian camp. Faith is a huge aspect of the plot.
Romance/sexuality: 1, 2, 4
Violence/abuse: A character briefly and without going into detail tells about his dad hitting him; the best friend of the main character gets an abortion and the main character helps her (afterwards, the main character is torn up because she knows it was wrong, and the best friend tries to move on but still hurts).
Vulgarities: 1
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: This book deals with some tough stuff, and it gets a little intense when abortion is being discussed. I'm not exactly sure if the book is neutral or pro-life, but if you can handle intense and difficult subjects, this is a great book. It’s thought provoking, and it can change your perspective of people and how you see them. It’s not the most amazing book I’ve ever read, but it’s entertaining and interesting. It makes you think.
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: http://mirandakenneally.com/
Reviewer: Annika Blomquist
Core themes: abortion, friendship, God, right from wrong, learning about oneself, relationships
Drugs/alcohol: alcohol is mentioned, none of the named characters drink
Religion/occult: All of the characters are Christians, and most of the story takes place at a Christian camp. Faith is a huge aspect of the plot.
Romance/sexuality: 1, 2, 4
Violence/abuse: A character briefly and without going into detail tells about his dad hitting him; the best friend of the main character gets an abortion and the main character helps her (afterwards, the main character is torn up because she knows it was wrong, and the best friend tries to move on but still hurts).
Vulgarities: 1
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: This book deals with some tough stuff, and it gets a little intense when abortion is being discussed. I'm not exactly sure if the book is neutral or pro-life, but if you can handle intense and difficult subjects, this is a great book. It’s thought provoking, and it can change your perspective of people and how you see them. It’s not the most amazing book I’ve ever read, but it’s entertaining and interesting. It makes you think.
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: http://mirandakenneally.com/
Reviewer: Annika Blomquist
See the content keys for an explanation of the numbers.
Thirteen Days to Midnight, by Patrick Carman
*A YELSA Reluctant Reader Pick; 2010 Children’s Book Council nominee; YALSA 2011 Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers list*
Core Themes: death and the downside to immortality, the danger of having power and playing God (even with good intentions), dark magic/curses and their dangers, "hell is what we make it here on earth" (as opposed to it being a possible destination after death)
Drugs/alcohol: none
Religion/occult: The story's primary setting is a struggling (financially) Catholic school, so religion becomes a context and setting for much of the plot and some non-controversial conversations. Priests feature as important secondary characters, though little religion is discussed. There is one conversation in religion class in which the priest-teacher discusses the reality of hell. Instead of holding up the orthodox Catholic teaching about hell (its reality, who goes there, etc.), however, this priest expresses a heretical belief about hell and encourages the students to decide what they think about it (The author does acknowledge that this priest is straying from orthodox teaching, it should be noted). The most notable aspect of the religious setting of this book is that religion is tacitly presented as completely irrelevant to the curse the characters are dealing with in the story. The teens recognize eventually that they have accidentally wandered into an evil situation, but they do not consider prayer or the help of a priest as a way to combat the situation. Religion simply appears to be a contextual foil for the curse that is the center of the story, not as an antidote or solution.
Romance/sexuality: 1
Violence/abuse: There are a couple of fist-fights and a fire in which no one is seriously injured. There are also several references and descriptions of fatal accidents. None of these are particularly disturbing, but it should be noted that the main thrust of the story is violent, because the story centers on a power transmitted to the protagonist that gives him immortality (a power that they eventually realize is evil). He can go through almost anything without hurting himself, and he can temporarily transmit this power to other people to help them and even save their lives. Much of the book, then, is about how he and his friends learn about the power's limitations by doing all sorts of violent things to themselves. Even though no one is hurt, the things they do to themselves to test the power are pretty gruesome. This is especially true near the end of the book as they try to get the evil out of one of the supporting characters and have to "kill" her repeatedly until she is back to her normal self.
Vulgarities: 1, 3, 6, 7 Note: The slur indicated in #6 was a rude reference to homosexuals.
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: I chose this book thinking it was a suspense novel, only to discover that it actually fits more in the horror genre. Parents should be aware that although most teens will be able to handle the disturbing images and events in this book, some teens will have trouble. Not being one who can handle horror well, myself, I did not have much trouble with the violence until the end, when there is a kind of "grand finale." I would have given the book a "no teens" suggestion below, because of the strong occult subject and heretical content about the nature of hell, but I chose to give it an "older teens" rating because of its valuable caution against dabbling in the occult and trying to play God.
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: http://www.patrickcarman.com/
Reviewer: Cheri Blomquist
*A YELSA Reluctant Reader Pick; 2010 Children’s Book Council nominee; YALSA 2011 Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers list*
Core Themes: death and the downside to immortality, the danger of having power and playing God (even with good intentions), dark magic/curses and their dangers, "hell is what we make it here on earth" (as opposed to it being a possible destination after death)
Drugs/alcohol: none
Religion/occult: The story's primary setting is a struggling (financially) Catholic school, so religion becomes a context and setting for much of the plot and some non-controversial conversations. Priests feature as important secondary characters, though little religion is discussed. There is one conversation in religion class in which the priest-teacher discusses the reality of hell. Instead of holding up the orthodox Catholic teaching about hell (its reality, who goes there, etc.), however, this priest expresses a heretical belief about hell and encourages the students to decide what they think about it (The author does acknowledge that this priest is straying from orthodox teaching, it should be noted). The most notable aspect of the religious setting of this book is that religion is tacitly presented as completely irrelevant to the curse the characters are dealing with in the story. The teens recognize eventually that they have accidentally wandered into an evil situation, but they do not consider prayer or the help of a priest as a way to combat the situation. Religion simply appears to be a contextual foil for the curse that is the center of the story, not as an antidote or solution.
Romance/sexuality: 1
Violence/abuse: There are a couple of fist-fights and a fire in which no one is seriously injured. There are also several references and descriptions of fatal accidents. None of these are particularly disturbing, but it should be noted that the main thrust of the story is violent, because the story centers on a power transmitted to the protagonist that gives him immortality (a power that they eventually realize is evil). He can go through almost anything without hurting himself, and he can temporarily transmit this power to other people to help them and even save their lives. Much of the book, then, is about how he and his friends learn about the power's limitations by doing all sorts of violent things to themselves. Even though no one is hurt, the things they do to themselves to test the power are pretty gruesome. This is especially true near the end of the book as they try to get the evil out of one of the supporting characters and have to "kill" her repeatedly until she is back to her normal self.
Vulgarities: 1, 3, 6, 7 Note: The slur indicated in #6 was a rude reference to homosexuals.
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: I chose this book thinking it was a suspense novel, only to discover that it actually fits more in the horror genre. Parents should be aware that although most teens will be able to handle the disturbing images and events in this book, some teens will have trouble. Not being one who can handle horror well, myself, I did not have much trouble with the violence until the end, when there is a kind of "grand finale." I would have given the book a "no teens" suggestion below, because of the strong occult subject and heretical content about the nature of hell, but I chose to give it an "older teens" rating because of its valuable caution against dabbling in the occult and trying to play God.
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: http://www.patrickcarman.com/
Reviewer: Cheri Blomquist
See the content keys for an explanation of the numbers.
13 Little Blue Envelopes, by Maureen Johnson
*ALA Teens’ Top Ten 2006; ALA Best Books for Young Adults 2005; New York Public Library “Books for the Teen Age 2006; ”Chicago Public Library Best of the Best 2005; Fall 2005 Book Sense Pick; Tayshas 2006-2007 Book List; Finalist: 2008 Abraham Lincoln Illinois High School Book Award; Florida 2007-2008 Teens Read List; International Reading Association Young Adults’ Choices 2007*
Core themes: coming-of-age, coping with loss, adapting to change and new situations, overcoming shyness
Drugs/alcohol: Several instances of teen drinking in Europe and adults offering the protagonist wine and beer. Generally, the drinking is not portrayed as attempts at getting drunk by teens, as it often is in an American setting. The drinking is done socially over a meal, as is common in Europe.
Religion/occult: none
Romance/sexuality: 1, 2, 5 (mild and vague)
Violence/abuse: none
Vulgarities: 1
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: Overall this is a mild adventure novel. I wouldn’t call it cute because some of the situations she gets into are little scary in terms of being a vulnerable, young, American girl in Europe. There are several times when she needs to rely on the help of strangers in the form of foreign men. All of my red-flag signals would be going off as I read, but it always turned out okay for her. Maybe I have just seen the movie “Taken” one too many times. The descriptions of the cities she travels to are well-written, but I thought there was a little too much coincidence in the plot at times. There is a sequel to this called The Last Little Blue Envelope.
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author's Official Website: http://www.maureenjohnsonbooks.com/
Reviewer: Annika Holland
*ALA Teens’ Top Ten 2006; ALA Best Books for Young Adults 2005; New York Public Library “Books for the Teen Age 2006; ”Chicago Public Library Best of the Best 2005; Fall 2005 Book Sense Pick; Tayshas 2006-2007 Book List; Finalist: 2008 Abraham Lincoln Illinois High School Book Award; Florida 2007-2008 Teens Read List; International Reading Association Young Adults’ Choices 2007*
Core themes: coming-of-age, coping with loss, adapting to change and new situations, overcoming shyness
Drugs/alcohol: Several instances of teen drinking in Europe and adults offering the protagonist wine and beer. Generally, the drinking is not portrayed as attempts at getting drunk by teens, as it often is in an American setting. The drinking is done socially over a meal, as is common in Europe.
Religion/occult: none
Romance/sexuality: 1, 2, 5 (mild and vague)
Violence/abuse: none
Vulgarities: 1
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: Overall this is a mild adventure novel. I wouldn’t call it cute because some of the situations she gets into are little scary in terms of being a vulnerable, young, American girl in Europe. There are several times when she needs to rely on the help of strangers in the form of foreign men. All of my red-flag signals would be going off as I read, but it always turned out okay for her. Maybe I have just seen the movie “Taken” one too many times. The descriptions of the cities she travels to are well-written, but I thought there was a little too much coincidence in the plot at times. There is a sequel to this called The Last Little Blue Envelope.
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author's Official Website: http://www.maureenjohnsonbooks.com/
Reviewer: Annika Holland
See the content keys for an explanation of the numbers.
Thirteen Reasons Why, by Jay Asher
*2011 - Paperback edition became a #1 New York Times bestseller in the US; 2010 - Georgia Peach Book Awards for Teen Readers; 2009 - International Reading Association Young Adults' Choice list; 2009 - Writing Conference's Literature Festival; 2008 - Best Books for Young Adults YALSA; 2008 - Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers YALSA; 2008 - Selected Audiobooks for Young Adults YALSA; 2008 - California Book Award winner - YA*
Core themes: suicide, the damaging effects of rumors, how one small, careless action can snowball into a huge consequence, the fragility of reputations, how just a little more caring about others can have profound effects; the importance of speaking out when something is wrong
Drugs/alcohol: underage drinking and drunkenness at parties; suicide committed by drug overdose
Religion/occult: Hannah bitterly states at the beginning that the 13th person to receive the tapes can take them to hell, where--"depending on your religion"--she would see the person there.
Romance/sexuality: 1, 2
Violence/abuse: detailed description of girl's suicide plans; teen boy takes advantage of and rapes a drunk, passed-out girl; non-graphic description of fatal car accident
Vulgarities: 1 (pervasive), 3 (occasional), 4 (occasional)
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: A few years ago, I had the privilege of hearing Jay Asher speak at a local writer's conference. He was hilarious and fun, so I was pleasantly amazed to discover his deeply insightful, sensitive side in this novel. Thirteen Reasons Why is beautifully-written and original, though painful to read. Because it contains a great deal of heavy content on several mature subjects, particularly suicide, it is important for me to state that it is not appropriate for every teen. Some will just not be ready for it. Nor is it flawless writing. At times, it seemed Asher didn't think through the logistics of his novel enough. Despite these things, however, I feel the novel should have a prominent place in young adult literature, not only because it's well-done and engaging, but because the themes it explores are so important for teens to contemplate--the nature and signs of a suicidal mind, insight about how even our smallest actions can affect others, and gentle reminders that blame for our actions (even suicide) must often ultimately return to ourselves. Finally, if you or your teen has any connection to a suicidal person or is contemplating suicide, I urge you to read Thirteen Reasons Why. No matter what your connection is to this difficult subject, however, it is a novel you won't soon forget. My only regret is that there is no spiritual dimension to the novel at all, which leaves a gaping hole in what I see as a profoundly spiritual subject.
I would suggest this book to younger teens /older teens/ all teens /no teens. (I suggest "all teens," because some younger teens may be dealing with the themes raised in Thirteen Reasons Why and may find it helpful. Generally speaking, however, it more appropriate for older teens.)
Author website: http://www.thirteenreasonswhy.com / http://jayasher.blogspot.com/
Reviewer: Cheri Blomquist
*2011 - Paperback edition became a #1 New York Times bestseller in the US; 2010 - Georgia Peach Book Awards for Teen Readers; 2009 - International Reading Association Young Adults' Choice list; 2009 - Writing Conference's Literature Festival; 2008 - Best Books for Young Adults YALSA; 2008 - Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers YALSA; 2008 - Selected Audiobooks for Young Adults YALSA; 2008 - California Book Award winner - YA*
Core themes: suicide, the damaging effects of rumors, how one small, careless action can snowball into a huge consequence, the fragility of reputations, how just a little more caring about others can have profound effects; the importance of speaking out when something is wrong
Drugs/alcohol: underage drinking and drunkenness at parties; suicide committed by drug overdose
Religion/occult: Hannah bitterly states at the beginning that the 13th person to receive the tapes can take them to hell, where--"depending on your religion"--she would see the person there.
Romance/sexuality: 1, 2
Violence/abuse: detailed description of girl's suicide plans; teen boy takes advantage of and rapes a drunk, passed-out girl; non-graphic description of fatal car accident
Vulgarities: 1 (pervasive), 3 (occasional), 4 (occasional)
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: A few years ago, I had the privilege of hearing Jay Asher speak at a local writer's conference. He was hilarious and fun, so I was pleasantly amazed to discover his deeply insightful, sensitive side in this novel. Thirteen Reasons Why is beautifully-written and original, though painful to read. Because it contains a great deal of heavy content on several mature subjects, particularly suicide, it is important for me to state that it is not appropriate for every teen. Some will just not be ready for it. Nor is it flawless writing. At times, it seemed Asher didn't think through the logistics of his novel enough. Despite these things, however, I feel the novel should have a prominent place in young adult literature, not only because it's well-done and engaging, but because the themes it explores are so important for teens to contemplate--the nature and signs of a suicidal mind, insight about how even our smallest actions can affect others, and gentle reminders that blame for our actions (even suicide) must often ultimately return to ourselves. Finally, if you or your teen has any connection to a suicidal person or is contemplating suicide, I urge you to read Thirteen Reasons Why. No matter what your connection is to this difficult subject, however, it is a novel you won't soon forget. My only regret is that there is no spiritual dimension to the novel at all, which leaves a gaping hole in what I see as a profoundly spiritual subject.
I would suggest this book to younger teens /older teens/ all teens /no teens. (I suggest "all teens," because some younger teens may be dealing with the themes raised in Thirteen Reasons Why and may find it helpful. Generally speaking, however, it more appropriate for older teens.)
Author website: http://www.thirteenreasonswhy.com / http://jayasher.blogspot.com/
Reviewer: Cheri Blomquist
See the content keys for an explanation of the numbers.
Timebound, by Rysa Walker (Chronos Trilogy, book 1)
*2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award (Grand Prize and YA Fiction Winner)*
Core Themes: sacrifice, family relationships, pursuit of truth
Drugs/alcohol: none
Religion/occult: Plot centers around a fictional religious group called the Cyrists who preach a gospel of
wealth to achieve world domination
Romance/sexuality: 1
Violence/abuse: Sub-plot involving a serial killer from the past that the protagonist comes across on a trip
back in time. One scene involving a shooting and some descriptions of tactics used by the serial killer.
Vulgarities: none
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: Rysa Walker's smart, fast-paced novel through time is a wonderful execution of the historical,
sci-fi, and teen romance genres for YA literature. Timebound will hook you immediately and keep you
flipping the pages while your mind dances between modern-day Washington D.C., the 1893 Chicago World's
Fair, and the 2200's. At times I struggled with all the possible parallel timeline scenarios being
played out, but Walker is such a convincing writer and pays so much attention to historical detail that I
stopped thinking too hard about it and just enjoyed the plot. Walker's ending to the first book is both a
cliff-hanger and satisfying all at the same time. A fabulous read!
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens. Note: I think 14+ is appropriate.
Author website: http://rysa.com/
Reviewer: Annika Holland
*2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award (Grand Prize and YA Fiction Winner)*
Core Themes: sacrifice, family relationships, pursuit of truth
Drugs/alcohol: none
Religion/occult: Plot centers around a fictional religious group called the Cyrists who preach a gospel of
wealth to achieve world domination
Romance/sexuality: 1
Violence/abuse: Sub-plot involving a serial killer from the past that the protagonist comes across on a trip
back in time. One scene involving a shooting and some descriptions of tactics used by the serial killer.
Vulgarities: none
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: Rysa Walker's smart, fast-paced novel through time is a wonderful execution of the historical,
sci-fi, and teen romance genres for YA literature. Timebound will hook you immediately and keep you
flipping the pages while your mind dances between modern-day Washington D.C., the 1893 Chicago World's
Fair, and the 2200's. At times I struggled with all the possible parallel timeline scenarios being
played out, but Walker is such a convincing writer and pays so much attention to historical detail that I
stopped thinking too hard about it and just enjoyed the plot. Walker's ending to the first book is both a
cliff-hanger and satisfying all at the same time. A fabulous read!
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens. Note: I think 14+ is appropriate.
Author website: http://rysa.com/
Reviewer: Annika Holland
The Tomorrow Series, by John Marsden
Please see the reviews for individual titles in this series. They include the following:
Tomorrow, When the War Began
The Dead of Night
The Killing Frost
Darkness, Be My Friend
Burning for Revenge
The Night is for Hunting
Please see the reviews for individual titles in this series. They include the following:
Tomorrow, When the War Began
The Dead of Night
The Killing Frost
Darkness, Be My Friend
Burning for Revenge
The Night is for Hunting
See the content keys for an explanation of the numbers.

Tomorrow, When the War Began, by John Marsden (The Tomorrow Series, book 1)
*translated into many languages; 1994 Australian Multicultural Children's Book Award winner; 1996 American Library Association List of Best Books for Young Adults; 1998 ALA list of 100 Best Books for Teens 1966–2000; 1998 ALA list of Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults; 2011 ALA list of Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults nominee; 1996 Fanfare Horn Book Best Book winner; 2000/01/02 Children's Yearly Best-Ever Reads (CYBER) Best Book for Older Readers; 2008 Whitcoulls top 100 books winner (#63); 1995 COOL Awards (Canberra's Own Outstanding List); 1995 KOALA winner; 1995 YABBA winner; 1995 WAYRBA winner; 1998 BILBY Awards winner; 1998 South Carolina Book Award nominee; New South Wales Talking Book Award winner*
Core themes: romantic relationships, war, teenagers surviving alone
Drugs/alcohol: discussion of alcohol and “smokes” being banned on the camping trip by the parents; one of the boys who joins them later is described as using illegal substances; one boy drinks and smokes cigarettes
Religion/occult: multiple references to God in general. One of the teens is religious (Catholic, I think, as a Mary statue is involved.) The narrator is not religious but seems open about the idea. In one episode teens randomly open a Bible and point to a passage, pretending to be psychic; Satanic powers mentioned but not part of the story; narrator says she is praying for her family and that she respects another teen strong in her faith
Romance/sexuality: 1, 2 -- frequent
Violence/abuse: invading army is destructive and shoots at the teens; townspeople are described as killed; teens use homemade shrapnel explosions (lawnmower and tanker); running over people with vehicles; guns used; multiple teens are shot
Vulgarities: 1, 3, 4, 5
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: I was surprised at how well rated this book still is. I found the writing weak and was often either bored by the long discussions of preparations or by the philosophizing of the narrator. Besides the complete implausibility of any army invading Australia, the teenagers themselves don’t seem nearly as capable as I would expect of rural teens working on ranches. There are many exciting action scenes, but they are sometimes separated by long stretches.
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: http://www.johnmarsden.com.au/
Reviewer: Jill Papsdorf
*translated into many languages; 1994 Australian Multicultural Children's Book Award winner; 1996 American Library Association List of Best Books for Young Adults; 1998 ALA list of 100 Best Books for Teens 1966–2000; 1998 ALA list of Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults; 2011 ALA list of Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults nominee; 1996 Fanfare Horn Book Best Book winner; 2000/01/02 Children's Yearly Best-Ever Reads (CYBER) Best Book for Older Readers; 2008 Whitcoulls top 100 books winner (#63); 1995 COOL Awards (Canberra's Own Outstanding List); 1995 KOALA winner; 1995 YABBA winner; 1995 WAYRBA winner; 1998 BILBY Awards winner; 1998 South Carolina Book Award nominee; New South Wales Talking Book Award winner*
Core themes: romantic relationships, war, teenagers surviving alone
Drugs/alcohol: discussion of alcohol and “smokes” being banned on the camping trip by the parents; one of the boys who joins them later is described as using illegal substances; one boy drinks and smokes cigarettes
Religion/occult: multiple references to God in general. One of the teens is religious (Catholic, I think, as a Mary statue is involved.) The narrator is not religious but seems open about the idea. In one episode teens randomly open a Bible and point to a passage, pretending to be psychic; Satanic powers mentioned but not part of the story; narrator says she is praying for her family and that she respects another teen strong in her faith
Romance/sexuality: 1, 2 -- frequent
Violence/abuse: invading army is destructive and shoots at the teens; townspeople are described as killed; teens use homemade shrapnel explosions (lawnmower and tanker); running over people with vehicles; guns used; multiple teens are shot
Vulgarities: 1, 3, 4, 5
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: I was surprised at how well rated this book still is. I found the writing weak and was often either bored by the long discussions of preparations or by the philosophizing of the narrator. Besides the complete implausibility of any army invading Australia, the teenagers themselves don’t seem nearly as capable as I would expect of rural teens working on ranches. There are many exciting action scenes, but they are sometimes separated by long stretches.
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: http://www.johnmarsden.com.au/
Reviewer: Jill Papsdorf
See the content keys for an explanation of the numbers.
The Tragedy Paper, by Elizabeth Laban
*Winter 2012-2013 Kids’ Indie Next List; Amazon Best Books of the Month – January 2013; Spotlight Pick – best Young Adult – January 2013*
Core themes: how seemingly minor choices can have a huge effect on your future, first love, self-esteem, guilt, self-evaluation and effacement
Drugs/alcohol: a few instances of students drinking shots; self-medication with OTC drugs
Religion/occult: none
Romance/sexuality: 1
Violence/abuse: some bullying and one accident
Vulgarities: none
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: Well-written problem novel that uses a dual narrative to interweave two individual stories into one. Tim, a teenager born an albino, attends a new, preparatory boarding school the second semester of his senior year. Events unfold that are at times beyond his control and that other times occur because of the choices he makes. Duncan, a senior the following year, is placed in Tim’s old room and relives some of Tim’s experiences. Duncan evaluates his own choices and feelings of guilt after listening to Tim’s story. As I read this novel, I had flashbacks of reading A Separate Peace and Ethan Frome, of all things. This is a touching, heartbreaking book that is hard to put down.
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: http://elizabethlaban.com/
Reviewer: Sabrina Holland
*Winter 2012-2013 Kids’ Indie Next List; Amazon Best Books of the Month – January 2013; Spotlight Pick – best Young Adult – January 2013*
Core themes: how seemingly minor choices can have a huge effect on your future, first love, self-esteem, guilt, self-evaluation and effacement
Drugs/alcohol: a few instances of students drinking shots; self-medication with OTC drugs
Religion/occult: none
Romance/sexuality: 1
Violence/abuse: some bullying and one accident
Vulgarities: none
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: Well-written problem novel that uses a dual narrative to interweave two individual stories into one. Tim, a teenager born an albino, attends a new, preparatory boarding school the second semester of his senior year. Events unfold that are at times beyond his control and that other times occur because of the choices he makes. Duncan, a senior the following year, is placed in Tim’s old room and relives some of Tim’s experiences. Duncan evaluates his own choices and feelings of guilt after listening to Tim’s story. As I read this novel, I had flashbacks of reading A Separate Peace and Ethan Frome, of all things. This is a touching, heartbreaking book that is hard to put down.
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: http://elizabethlaban.com/
Reviewer: Sabrina Holland

Trust Me, I'm Lying, by Mary Elizabeth Summer (Trust Me series, bk 1)
*2014 Kids' Indie Next Pick List*
Why this book is worth considering:
Teens who enjoy a fast-paced suspense story will probably enjoy this one about a teenage con artist a lot. The characters are likable and complex, and the plotting is well-crafted with an appealing blend of humor and seriousness. And as much as I hate to admit it, I kind of enjoyed getting into the head of a crafty, rule-breaking character who is unlike myself in so many ways. It's fun to watch Julep pull her cons and evade trouble, while simultaneously searching for the truth about her father's disappearance. If you are looking for great, multi-layered literature worth mining for deep discussions, I wouldn't suggest this one--but for fun and leisure, it may be just the thing.
Why this book may not be right for your teen:
I began questioning the value of this novel for teens from the first page, when Julep admits she hasn't much of a conscience. Teens are impressionable, I thought, so would I really want them to sympathize with a protagonist with such a poor moral compass? It's true that by the end of the novel, Julep shows some development of conscience, but she isn't what you'd call a role model even then. For that reason, I would discourage younger teens from reading this novel. Older teens with more fully-formed characters are less likely to consider Julep someone worth emulating.
Some younger teens may be able to handle it, though, and the good thing about this novel is that it's light on mature content. There are a few non-graphic references to sexuality, but there is no sex and only a little kissing. The swearing is generally mild but does include some blasphemy, and there are very few references to religion. The primary content of concern (besides the fact that we're supposed to sympathize with a character with no conscience), is violence. Julep is a small-time, non-violent con artist who helps her con artist father and spends her days pulling cons on her classmates when she isn't trying to keep her grades up; however, she soon finds herself embroiled in a much more serious, dangerous situation when her father disappears. By the end, it does turn both violent and tragic. This is graphic enough that it may bother very sensitive teens, but for most teens, it will be like watching a PG movie.
Finally, for parents whom this may concern, I thought this novel was a stand-alone story--and it can be. However, I just found out that this is the first book of a series, and it becomes LGBTQ in the sequel. In addition, romance apparently becomes more of a focus in the sequel.
Literary artistry: * * * * *
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: http://www.mesummer.com/
Reviewer: Cheri Blomquist
*2014 Kids' Indie Next Pick List*
Why this book is worth considering:
Teens who enjoy a fast-paced suspense story will probably enjoy this one about a teenage con artist a lot. The characters are likable and complex, and the plotting is well-crafted with an appealing blend of humor and seriousness. And as much as I hate to admit it, I kind of enjoyed getting into the head of a crafty, rule-breaking character who is unlike myself in so many ways. It's fun to watch Julep pull her cons and evade trouble, while simultaneously searching for the truth about her father's disappearance. If you are looking for great, multi-layered literature worth mining for deep discussions, I wouldn't suggest this one--but for fun and leisure, it may be just the thing.
Why this book may not be right for your teen:
I began questioning the value of this novel for teens from the first page, when Julep admits she hasn't much of a conscience. Teens are impressionable, I thought, so would I really want them to sympathize with a protagonist with such a poor moral compass? It's true that by the end of the novel, Julep shows some development of conscience, but she isn't what you'd call a role model even then. For that reason, I would discourage younger teens from reading this novel. Older teens with more fully-formed characters are less likely to consider Julep someone worth emulating.
Some younger teens may be able to handle it, though, and the good thing about this novel is that it's light on mature content. There are a few non-graphic references to sexuality, but there is no sex and only a little kissing. The swearing is generally mild but does include some blasphemy, and there are very few references to religion. The primary content of concern (besides the fact that we're supposed to sympathize with a character with no conscience), is violence. Julep is a small-time, non-violent con artist who helps her con artist father and spends her days pulling cons on her classmates when she isn't trying to keep her grades up; however, she soon finds herself embroiled in a much more serious, dangerous situation when her father disappears. By the end, it does turn both violent and tragic. This is graphic enough that it may bother very sensitive teens, but for most teens, it will be like watching a PG movie.
Finally, for parents whom this may concern, I thought this novel was a stand-alone story--and it can be. However, I just found out that this is the first book of a series, and it becomes LGBTQ in the sequel. In addition, romance apparently becomes more of a focus in the sequel.
Literary artistry: * * * * *
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: http://www.mesummer.com/
Reviewer: Cheri Blomquist
See the content keys for an explanation of the numbers.

TTYL, by Lauren Myracle (Internet Girls series, book 1)
Core themes: what it means to be a faithful friend; deciding when and how to lose one’s virginity; consequences of gossip; danger signals that point to inappropriate adult-minor relationships; Christian males have only one intention towards females;
Drugs/alcohol: underage drinking, reference to adult buying beer
Religion/occult: character suggests that a male teacher is sexually repressed because he is a Christian; lead character goes to Friday Night Fellowship youth group and Sunday church, and her friends tease her (multiple times); lead characters tease the church-going character about Jesus, playing on the name because of a semi-pornographic dating service run by a man by that name; a lead character thinks of Christianity as "religious crap”; comment about how Christian boys "cop a feel” at church lock-ins
Romance/sexuality: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 Note: #4 refers to a teacher-student relationship that heads towards physical intimacy; however, the student’s friends make her see the problem with the relationship, so she withdraws before it’s too late.
Violence/abuse: male teacher (a Christian) clearly has intentions to have sexual relations with a lead character (who’s a minor), after taking her to his church’s youth group and services for awhile
Vulgarities: 1, 3, 4, 5
Comments: This book is heavy on vulgarities, especially crude sex talk. Realistic, perhaps, but it’s not for the cautious.
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: All of the things I refer to above are part of texted conversations, because the entire content of the book is made up of texted conversations between three friends (therefore, no narration). This means that all events and dialogue are presented as secondhand information by the characters. The format alone is ingenious and done extremely well. On the other hand, except for the themes of friendships and the call to girls to be smart in their relationships with trusted adults, the novel is trashy and derogatory of Christianity, particularly male Christians. I gave the book a middle score because the the concept was ingenious with brilliant execution, but the content was continually disturbing.
I would suggest this book to younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens. Note: This recommendation is given with reservations. It will likely be offensive and/or disturbing to religious and sexually innocent teens.
Author website: http://www.laurenmyracle.com/
Reviewer: Cheri Blomquist
Core themes: what it means to be a faithful friend; deciding when and how to lose one’s virginity; consequences of gossip; danger signals that point to inappropriate adult-minor relationships; Christian males have only one intention towards females;
Drugs/alcohol: underage drinking, reference to adult buying beer
Religion/occult: character suggests that a male teacher is sexually repressed because he is a Christian; lead character goes to Friday Night Fellowship youth group and Sunday church, and her friends tease her (multiple times); lead characters tease the church-going character about Jesus, playing on the name because of a semi-pornographic dating service run by a man by that name; a lead character thinks of Christianity as "religious crap”; comment about how Christian boys "cop a feel” at church lock-ins
Romance/sexuality: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 Note: #4 refers to a teacher-student relationship that heads towards physical intimacy; however, the student’s friends make her see the problem with the relationship, so she withdraws before it’s too late.
Violence/abuse: male teacher (a Christian) clearly has intentions to have sexual relations with a lead character (who’s a minor), after taking her to his church’s youth group and services for awhile
Vulgarities: 1, 3, 4, 5
Comments: This book is heavy on vulgarities, especially crude sex talk. Realistic, perhaps, but it’s not for the cautious.
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: All of the things I refer to above are part of texted conversations, because the entire content of the book is made up of texted conversations between three friends (therefore, no narration). This means that all events and dialogue are presented as secondhand information by the characters. The format alone is ingenious and done extremely well. On the other hand, except for the themes of friendships and the call to girls to be smart in their relationships with trusted adults, the novel is trashy and derogatory of Christianity, particularly male Christians. I gave the book a middle score because the the concept was ingenious with brilliant execution, but the content was continually disturbing.
I would suggest this book to younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens. Note: This recommendation is given with reservations. It will likely be offensive and/or disturbing to religious and sexually innocent teens.
Author website: http://www.laurenmyracle.com/
Reviewer: Cheri Blomquist

Tweet Cute, by Emma Lord
Why this book is worth considering:
Well, this is a hard one, to be honest. (See next point.) I can't think of many reasons, but I do want to be fair here. If I were a teenager again, I would probably get through the whole thing. It's fun, lighthearted, contemporary, and hip. I've certainly read books that I couldn't wait to finish simply because they were dark and heavy, and I appreciate the youthful energy in this book after reading the other kind so much. In fact, I sense that Lord wrote it purely for fun and that she isn't looking for literary immortality. This is a summer, lazy-day, throwaway read. That's all it's intended to be, and that's okay.
Why this book may not be right for your teen:
Here's the truth. I couldn't finish it. In fact, I only got about a quarter of the way through it before I finally gave up. Rarely do I encounter a YA book that I can't finish. There are many books I haven't enjoyed much, but my purpose is to review them, not to enjoy myself. I can't adequately review a book if I don't give the author a chance to tell the whole story. But with this one, as with a few others, I decided it simply wasn't worth my time and energy, even for a review. I know without reading the rest of it that I would never recommend the book to anybody, simply because I found it mindless and meaningless and a bit boring. Now, I admit that as a usually-mature adult, this may be more due to my age and lack of interest in the book's premise than anything else.
Still, I love juvenile literature. That is my specialty and a large part of my professional work. I think this one just isn't worth reading when there are so many other better books. The objectionable content-- for example, occasional blasphemous swearing, a passing reference to a sex toy shop (really, Ms. Lord??), and passionate, frequent, very public kissing by two male homosexual characters--feels so gratuitous that I occasionally felt as if the author was intentionally seeking to draw readers' attention to it for the purpose of normalizing it in their minds. Finally, I decided I'd had enough, so this is as much of a review as I can offer. To me, it's quite enough.
Literary artistry: * * * * *
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: https://www.emmalordwriting.com/
Reviewer: Cheri Blomquist
Why this book is worth considering:
Well, this is a hard one, to be honest. (See next point.) I can't think of many reasons, but I do want to be fair here. If I were a teenager again, I would probably get through the whole thing. It's fun, lighthearted, contemporary, and hip. I've certainly read books that I couldn't wait to finish simply because they were dark and heavy, and I appreciate the youthful energy in this book after reading the other kind so much. In fact, I sense that Lord wrote it purely for fun and that she isn't looking for literary immortality. This is a summer, lazy-day, throwaway read. That's all it's intended to be, and that's okay.
Why this book may not be right for your teen:
Here's the truth. I couldn't finish it. In fact, I only got about a quarter of the way through it before I finally gave up. Rarely do I encounter a YA book that I can't finish. There are many books I haven't enjoyed much, but my purpose is to review them, not to enjoy myself. I can't adequately review a book if I don't give the author a chance to tell the whole story. But with this one, as with a few others, I decided it simply wasn't worth my time and energy, even for a review. I know without reading the rest of it that I would never recommend the book to anybody, simply because I found it mindless and meaningless and a bit boring. Now, I admit that as a usually-mature adult, this may be more due to my age and lack of interest in the book's premise than anything else.
Still, I love juvenile literature. That is my specialty and a large part of my professional work. I think this one just isn't worth reading when there are so many other better books. The objectionable content-- for example, occasional blasphemous swearing, a passing reference to a sex toy shop (really, Ms. Lord??), and passionate, frequent, very public kissing by two male homosexual characters--feels so gratuitous that I occasionally felt as if the author was intentionally seeking to draw readers' attention to it for the purpose of normalizing it in their minds. Finally, I decided I'd had enough, so this is as much of a review as I can offer. To me, it's quite enough.
Literary artistry: * * * * *
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: https://www.emmalordwriting.com/
Reviewer: Cheri Blomquist
See the content keys for an explanation of the numbers.
Twelve Minutes to Midnight, by Christopher Edge
*Winner of the Stockport Schools' Book Award; shortlisted for the Northern Ireland Book Award, the Warwickshire Secondary Book Award, the Hillingdon Secondary Book of the Year Award, the Dudley Teen Book Award, the Oldham Schools' Book Award, the Redbridge Children's Book Award, the Phoenix Book Award and Southampton's Favourite Book Award; selected by the International Youth Library for The White Ravens 2013*
Core themes: Knowing the future isn't a good thing; we are the writers of our own destinies
Drugs/alcohol: adult character drinks brandy and an "amber liquid" that is probably also brandy
Religion/occult: The novel is based on an odd mix of science--the poisonous effects of spiders--and magical fantasy. The fantasy part involves the villain attempting to control turn-of-the-century London by causing mass visions of the future through the use of the dreamweaver spider. Through these visions she seeks to learn about the 20th century and use her knowledge for profit. The author doesn't discuss how the visions of the future happen, so this is the "magical" part of the story. A parent who is particularly sensitive to anything occult may find these mass hallucinations/visions disturbing and problematic, but there is no mention of magic in the novel. It is presented as a scientific phenomenon, but the reader (at least, me) is left feeling like the only explanation is magic.
Romance/sexuality: none
Violence/abuse: Being a kids' suspense novel, there are some mildly scary moments where people are attacked by poisonous spiders or where they are in danger of being harmed by the villain. Several other characters are attacked by spiders, too, and there is a newspaper story of a fatal house fire. Also several allusions to gruesome scenarios in scary stories. All of it is tame enough and appropriate for pre-teens, I thought.
Vulgarities: 1 (very infrequent)
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: I really wanted to like this book and began it with some eagerness. The setting is turn-of-the-century London in its most mysterious garb. You can almost see the fog descending in the darkness of the cobblestone streets with unsavory characters turning up their mackintosh collars and slinking into back alleyways. Edge does a great job setting his macabre scenes, so that they are delightfully creepy. And yet, despite the great setting, the characters, plot, and the writing itself fell flat for me as the story continued. What is at heart a clever plot became so unbelievable that it became a little silly to me, and what began as interesting characters (some of them real people) became cliched and predictable--almost formulaic in a Scooby-Doo sort of way with old, tired lines, like "I've got it!" and "I don't have time to explain" and plot points like the villain being done in by her own evil scheme I also saw flaws in the writing itself, and these distracted me enough so that by the end I put it aside feeling annoyed and disappointed. On the other hand, it's fascinating to learn that this novel has received all sorts of honors in its home country of England, so maybe I'm looking too deeply into the novel. It's supposed to be fun in a mysterious, creepy sort of way, and it is. It doesn't pretend to be great literature, and it's not. It has a message, but it doesn't seek to dissect and analyze it. It's simply a fun story that I would probably love if I read it 30 years ago. It's nothing great, but I think its harmless--perfect for a relaxing leisure read.
I would suggest this book to younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: http://www.christopheredge.co.uk/index.php
Reviewer: Cheri Blomquist
*Winner of the Stockport Schools' Book Award; shortlisted for the Northern Ireland Book Award, the Warwickshire Secondary Book Award, the Hillingdon Secondary Book of the Year Award, the Dudley Teen Book Award, the Oldham Schools' Book Award, the Redbridge Children's Book Award, the Phoenix Book Award and Southampton's Favourite Book Award; selected by the International Youth Library for The White Ravens 2013*
Core themes: Knowing the future isn't a good thing; we are the writers of our own destinies
Drugs/alcohol: adult character drinks brandy and an "amber liquid" that is probably also brandy
Religion/occult: The novel is based on an odd mix of science--the poisonous effects of spiders--and magical fantasy. The fantasy part involves the villain attempting to control turn-of-the-century London by causing mass visions of the future through the use of the dreamweaver spider. Through these visions she seeks to learn about the 20th century and use her knowledge for profit. The author doesn't discuss how the visions of the future happen, so this is the "magical" part of the story. A parent who is particularly sensitive to anything occult may find these mass hallucinations/visions disturbing and problematic, but there is no mention of magic in the novel. It is presented as a scientific phenomenon, but the reader (at least, me) is left feeling like the only explanation is magic.
Romance/sexuality: none
Violence/abuse: Being a kids' suspense novel, there are some mildly scary moments where people are attacked by poisonous spiders or where they are in danger of being harmed by the villain. Several other characters are attacked by spiders, too, and there is a newspaper story of a fatal house fire. Also several allusions to gruesome scenarios in scary stories. All of it is tame enough and appropriate for pre-teens, I thought.
Vulgarities: 1 (very infrequent)
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: I really wanted to like this book and began it with some eagerness. The setting is turn-of-the-century London in its most mysterious garb. You can almost see the fog descending in the darkness of the cobblestone streets with unsavory characters turning up their mackintosh collars and slinking into back alleyways. Edge does a great job setting his macabre scenes, so that they are delightfully creepy. And yet, despite the great setting, the characters, plot, and the writing itself fell flat for me as the story continued. What is at heart a clever plot became so unbelievable that it became a little silly to me, and what began as interesting characters (some of them real people) became cliched and predictable--almost formulaic in a Scooby-Doo sort of way with old, tired lines, like "I've got it!" and "I don't have time to explain" and plot points like the villain being done in by her own evil scheme I also saw flaws in the writing itself, and these distracted me enough so that by the end I put it aside feeling annoyed and disappointed. On the other hand, it's fascinating to learn that this novel has received all sorts of honors in its home country of England, so maybe I'm looking too deeply into the novel. It's supposed to be fun in a mysterious, creepy sort of way, and it is. It doesn't pretend to be great literature, and it's not. It has a message, but it doesn't seek to dissect and analyze it. It's simply a fun story that I would probably love if I read it 30 years ago. It's nothing great, but I think its harmless--perfect for a relaxing leisure read.
I would suggest this book to younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: http://www.christopheredge.co.uk/index.php
Reviewer: Cheri Blomquist
See the content keys for an explanation of the numbers.

Twilight, by Stefenie Meyer (Twilight series, book 1)
*Made into movie 2008; NYT Bestseller; Publisher's Weekly Best Book of the Year; NYT Editor's Choice*
Core themes: struggle between carnal and spiritual desires; the search for redemption; true love means putting the needs of your loved ones first; determining who you are going to be and then following through; foolhardy bravado vs. true courage; familial loyalty
Drugs/alcohol: none
Religion/occult: occult subjects, primarily vampires, are the driving force of the book. The plot revolves around the romance between a teenage girl and a teen-like (but actually 90-year-old) vampire, whose vampire guardian has taught him to live peacefully among humans and feed only on animals, despite any desires for human blood that may tempt him. The book is rich in description about life as a vampire and how humans become vampires.
Romance/sexuality: 1 Note: There is one moment when Edward and Bella delicately discuss the possibility of ever consummating their love, but if you blink, you’ll miss it.
Violence/abuse: There is some semi-graphic, mildly frightening discussion between the lead characters about the violent capabilities of vampires. The only truly violent event, however, is contained in one scene near the end of the book, when Bella is hunted and attacked by a vicious vampire (this is a graphic scene, but no one dies). Also, earlier in the book Bella is also nearly attacked by some human men in a dark alley before Edward (her vampire love) rescues her.
Vulgarities: 1
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: Although Twilight has earned sharp disapproval from the Christian community, as most horror entertainment understandably does, it is difficult for me to lump it in with the rest of its kind. Because its two primary themes are true love and moral struggle, Twilight transcends what I understand to be the typical horror story. It is worth noting that the moral struggles are fought mostly within Edward, the lead vampire. It is Bella, the lead human, who rushes headlong into a relationship with Edward without any thought for either her spiritual or physical safety. These topics are worth a good discussion with teens, if you are okay with the subject matter. It is important to note, too, that most of the vampires in the book struggle with their identity. None of them are vampires by choice; in fact, most had a difficult time accepting their irrevocable fate, and some refuse to feed on humans. These comments are not to be construed as a recommendation for the book, necessarily, but hopefully will put the public hype into perspective.
I would suggest this book to younger teens / older teens / all teens (with reservations) / no teens. Note: The rest of this series will not be reviewed in the future, so please be aware that I have heard of some sexual content later in the series.
Author website: http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/
Reviewer: Cheri Blomquist
*Made into movie 2008; NYT Bestseller; Publisher's Weekly Best Book of the Year; NYT Editor's Choice*
Core themes: struggle between carnal and spiritual desires; the search for redemption; true love means putting the needs of your loved ones first; determining who you are going to be and then following through; foolhardy bravado vs. true courage; familial loyalty
Drugs/alcohol: none
Religion/occult: occult subjects, primarily vampires, are the driving force of the book. The plot revolves around the romance between a teenage girl and a teen-like (but actually 90-year-old) vampire, whose vampire guardian has taught him to live peacefully among humans and feed only on animals, despite any desires for human blood that may tempt him. The book is rich in description about life as a vampire and how humans become vampires.
Romance/sexuality: 1 Note: There is one moment when Edward and Bella delicately discuss the possibility of ever consummating their love, but if you blink, you’ll miss it.
Violence/abuse: There is some semi-graphic, mildly frightening discussion between the lead characters about the violent capabilities of vampires. The only truly violent event, however, is contained in one scene near the end of the book, when Bella is hunted and attacked by a vicious vampire (this is a graphic scene, but no one dies). Also, earlier in the book Bella is also nearly attacked by some human men in a dark alley before Edward (her vampire love) rescues her.
Vulgarities: 1
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: Although Twilight has earned sharp disapproval from the Christian community, as most horror entertainment understandably does, it is difficult for me to lump it in with the rest of its kind. Because its two primary themes are true love and moral struggle, Twilight transcends what I understand to be the typical horror story. It is worth noting that the moral struggles are fought mostly within Edward, the lead vampire. It is Bella, the lead human, who rushes headlong into a relationship with Edward without any thought for either her spiritual or physical safety. These topics are worth a good discussion with teens, if you are okay with the subject matter. It is important to note, too, that most of the vampires in the book struggle with their identity. None of them are vampires by choice; in fact, most had a difficult time accepting their irrevocable fate, and some refuse to feed on humans. These comments are not to be construed as a recommendation for the book, necessarily, but hopefully will put the public hype into perspective.
I would suggest this book to younger teens / older teens / all teens (with reservations) / no teens. Note: The rest of this series will not be reviewed in the future, so please be aware that I have heard of some sexual content later in the series.
Author website: http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/
Reviewer: Cheri Blomquist
See the content keys for an explanation of the numbers.

Twisted, by Laurie Halse Anderson
*ALA Best Book for Young Adults, ALA Quick Pick for Young Adults, International Reading Association Top Ten of 2007, International Reading Association's Young Adults Choices List, NYTimes Bestseller, YALSA Teen Top Ten of 2008, nominated to 12 state reading award lists*
Core themes: finding one's footing in a new, unwanted identity; friendship loyalty; "See the good things in your life and the people who love you"; "We put ourselves into our own misery"; "Fair or not, one crime makes you automatically guilty of others in the eyes of those around you, until you are proven innocent"; "Be a man--cope with your problems, don't run"; "We don't have to become our parents; we can be whomever we want to be."
Drugs/alcohol: Tyler's mother smells of gin in one scene; his dad drinks scotch in another; Tyler goes to party where there is a lot of drinking and smoking (pot)
Religion/occult: Tyler decides that jumping off a building and landing where little kids could find him would be "bad karma" or a cosmic crime that would force him into reincarnating into the same life.
Romance/sexuality: 1, 2 (frequent #2--a lot of lustful thoughts and actions expressed crudely, though no actual sex)
Violence/abuse: Tyler has visions and thoughts of both beating up and killing his dad, because his dad is so verbally abusive and mean; his parents scream and fight a lot; he contemplates suicide, most vividly when he finds his dad's gun and goes through the motions of preparing to shoot himself in the mouth; Bethany, the main female character, was violated by an identified person removing her clothes as she slept off her alcohol and then photographing her sleeping maked.
Vulgarities: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (frequent)
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: This is one of those novels that is both well-done and almost too vulgar and dark to enjoy, but maybe enjoyment was not Anderson's intention. It is a story on the surface about the consequences inherent in even a minor crime, but at its core its storyline is much more universal in its significance. It is mainly about facing who you are (and who others think you are, not always the same thing), learning through struggles how to cope, rather than run, from that identity; and figuring out how to grow from all of it. The sluttiness and lustfulness of the main teen characters revolted me, but I'm sure Anderson was basing them on her own observations of contemporary teens. I just wish she'd toned it down some, because I feel her storyline is important but will be bypassed by some because of the smutty characters.
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: http://madwomanintheforest.com/
Reviewer: Cheri Blomquist
*ALA Best Book for Young Adults, ALA Quick Pick for Young Adults, International Reading Association Top Ten of 2007, International Reading Association's Young Adults Choices List, NYTimes Bestseller, YALSA Teen Top Ten of 2008, nominated to 12 state reading award lists*
Core themes: finding one's footing in a new, unwanted identity; friendship loyalty; "See the good things in your life and the people who love you"; "We put ourselves into our own misery"; "Fair or not, one crime makes you automatically guilty of others in the eyes of those around you, until you are proven innocent"; "Be a man--cope with your problems, don't run"; "We don't have to become our parents; we can be whomever we want to be."
Drugs/alcohol: Tyler's mother smells of gin in one scene; his dad drinks scotch in another; Tyler goes to party where there is a lot of drinking and smoking (pot)
Religion/occult: Tyler decides that jumping off a building and landing where little kids could find him would be "bad karma" or a cosmic crime that would force him into reincarnating into the same life.
Romance/sexuality: 1, 2 (frequent #2--a lot of lustful thoughts and actions expressed crudely, though no actual sex)
Violence/abuse: Tyler has visions and thoughts of both beating up and killing his dad, because his dad is so verbally abusive and mean; his parents scream and fight a lot; he contemplates suicide, most vividly when he finds his dad's gun and goes through the motions of preparing to shoot himself in the mouth; Bethany, the main female character, was violated by an identified person removing her clothes as she slept off her alcohol and then photographing her sleeping maked.
Vulgarities: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (frequent)
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: This is one of those novels that is both well-done and almost too vulgar and dark to enjoy, but maybe enjoyment was not Anderson's intention. It is a story on the surface about the consequences inherent in even a minor crime, but at its core its storyline is much more universal in its significance. It is mainly about facing who you are (and who others think you are, not always the same thing), learning through struggles how to cope, rather than run, from that identity; and figuring out how to grow from all of it. The sluttiness and lustfulness of the main teen characters revolted me, but I'm sure Anderson was basing them on her own observations of contemporary teens. I just wish she'd toned it down some, because I feel her storyline is important but will be bypassed by some because of the smutty characters.
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: http://madwomanintheforest.com/
Reviewer: Cheri Blomquist
Twisted Fate, by Norah Olson
Why this book is worth considering:
One of my favorite movie genres is suspense. Although I usually prefer other genres when I read, Twisted Fate was a fun change of pace for me and left me wondering why I don't read more suspense. Told from multiple points of view, which can be a little confusing if you don't keep track of who's who in the story, it teases the reader along to its shocking conclusion. It isn't great literature or writing and will probably not find a permanent place on anyone's shelf; however, it is good for a few thrills. The novel's most redeeming feature is its interesting themes, which I haven't seen much in other YA novels: the failures of the justice system, the line between legitimate drug consumption and drug abuse, the deception of beauty and charm, and the sometimes blurry junction of foolishness, insanity, and blatant evil.
Why this book may not be right for your teen:
Aside from its low literary quality, cautious parents will want to be aware of several issues of possible concern. First, the novel contains a strong drug motif. Several characters take recreational drugs, and one takes both recreational and prescribed drugs. At times I wasn't sure, but I don't think this choice of the author was gratuitous, which is why I am referring to it as a motif, because the drug consumption does help carry the themes of the novel. Sex is also present; however, it is not detailed and happens only once. It also comes with negative consequences and plays a role in the resolution of the story. Finally, swearing is fairly frequent and ranges from mild to strong, including blasphemy.
Olson's pacing frustrated me occasionally, because she chose to reveal only tiny bits of the mystery at a time. This is a normal technique for suspense writing, but sometimes the reveals were so small that they resulted only in confusing rather than exciting me. I also felt that the plot was deeply flawed. Although I was supposed to understand the situations the way the characters did, sometimes I was left thinking that things didn't seem as strange or creepy to me as it did to them. The author tried hard to convey shivery sense of impending doom and evil, but it never really reached that pitch for me. The ending was particularly disappointing, because it was shocking and yet so unclear that it left me more confused than satisfied. The plotting was so flawed, in fact, that I had to read reviews to understand the ending. Unfortunately, this didn't result in a deepened admiration for the author's plotting or characterization--quite the opposite, actually. This isn't the worst YA novel I've read, but for shocking endings with major twists readers can do much better than Twisted Fate.
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: none
Reviewer: Cheri Blomquist
Why this book is worth considering:
One of my favorite movie genres is suspense. Although I usually prefer other genres when I read, Twisted Fate was a fun change of pace for me and left me wondering why I don't read more suspense. Told from multiple points of view, which can be a little confusing if you don't keep track of who's who in the story, it teases the reader along to its shocking conclusion. It isn't great literature or writing and will probably not find a permanent place on anyone's shelf; however, it is good for a few thrills. The novel's most redeeming feature is its interesting themes, which I haven't seen much in other YA novels: the failures of the justice system, the line between legitimate drug consumption and drug abuse, the deception of beauty and charm, and the sometimes blurry junction of foolishness, insanity, and blatant evil.
Why this book may not be right for your teen:
Aside from its low literary quality, cautious parents will want to be aware of several issues of possible concern. First, the novel contains a strong drug motif. Several characters take recreational drugs, and one takes both recreational and prescribed drugs. At times I wasn't sure, but I don't think this choice of the author was gratuitous, which is why I am referring to it as a motif, because the drug consumption does help carry the themes of the novel. Sex is also present; however, it is not detailed and happens only once. It also comes with negative consequences and plays a role in the resolution of the story. Finally, swearing is fairly frequent and ranges from mild to strong, including blasphemy.
Olson's pacing frustrated me occasionally, because she chose to reveal only tiny bits of the mystery at a time. This is a normal technique for suspense writing, but sometimes the reveals were so small that they resulted only in confusing rather than exciting me. I also felt that the plot was deeply flawed. Although I was supposed to understand the situations the way the characters did, sometimes I was left thinking that things didn't seem as strange or creepy to me as it did to them. The author tried hard to convey shivery sense of impending doom and evil, but it never really reached that pitch for me. The ending was particularly disappointing, because it was shocking and yet so unclear that it left me more confused than satisfied. The plotting was so flawed, in fact, that I had to read reviews to understand the ending. Unfortunately, this didn't result in a deepened admiration for the author's plotting or characterization--quite the opposite, actually. This isn't the worst YA novel I've read, but for shocking endings with major twists readers can do much better than Twisted Fate.
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: none
Reviewer: Cheri Blomquist