When

TITLE: When
AUTHOR: Victoria Laurie
RELEASE DATE: January 2015
PUBLISHER: Hyperion
PAGES: 327 pages
GENRE: Sci-Fi, Adventure, Mystery
OVERALL RATING: 4/5
APPROPRIATE AGE: grades 8-12

SUMMARY: Maddie Flynn has always seen numbers when she looks at people, whether it be in person, in a picture, or on the television. It wasn't until her father was killed in the line of duty that they figured out the numbers that Maddie sees are the person's death date. When Maddie predicts a boy's death date and then he turns up missing, Madelyn is at the top of list of suspects. The FBI believe Maddie and her best friend, Stubs, are part of a string of murders. But how can Madelyn prove that her ability is real and get her best friend out of jail without putting herself in danger?

WHAT I LIKED: This book is great for both boys and girls. It has a gruesome murder and police investigation, but also includes the drama-filled life of a teenage girl. As part of the 2016 Lone Star List, I've booked talked this with my junior high students and they eat it up. The students race to the computer to be the first to put it on hold. I currently have a list of over a dozen students waiting to read this book, and we own three copies in our library. 

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: This ending was just a little cliche. It seemed like the entire story, one bad thing after another is happening to Maddie, then for some reason the author felt they needed to tie it all up in a pretty little bow with a Happily Ever After...

READALIKES: Numbers by Rachel Ward

BOOK TRAILER: not the official book trailer, but a good one created by Kimberly Zavala

Sweet

TITLE: Sweet
AUTHOR: Emmy Laybourne
RELEASE DATE: June 2015
PUBLISHER: Feiwel and Friends
PAGES: 272 pages
GENRE: Sci-Fi, Adventure, Paranormal
OVERALL RATING: 4/5
APPROPRIATE AGE: grades 8-12

SUMMARY: On a cruise ship filled with celebrities, the rich and famous, Laurel feels out of place. But when best friend, Viv, convinces her parents that she wants two tickets for herself and her best friend as part of the collateral damage of their divorce, of course they agree. This cruise ship promises major weight loss for all the passengers through a tiny packet of SoLu. After a seven day cruise, the ship will come back thousands of pounds lighter due to the weight everyone has lost. But are a couple of pounds the only thing people lose? When the passengers become addicted to SoLu, they begin to lose their minds, attacking each other to get more of the weight-loss sweetener. Can Laurel and her friend Viv survive seven days?

WHAT I LIKED: I liked the total twist in the story. You think you're reading this sweet story of two best friends off on their own on this fabulous cruise. Then Laurel meets her crush, famous child star Tom Forelli, and immediately they click; two of the only people on the ship not taking the weight loss sweetener, SoLu. Then the plot twists, and all the passengers turn into these dangerous zombie-like vampires. While the beginning is great for my girl readers, all about best friends, love interests, clothes and weight-loss; my boy readers will love the second half with people attacking each other and drinking their blood. 

READALIKES: In the After by Demitria Lunetta, Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Mayberry

BOOK TRAILER: Not the official book trailer, but one created by the amazing Tobie Cattarin for the 2016-2017 TLA Lone Star Book Award

Truth About Twinkie Pie

TITLE: The Truth About Twinkie Pie
AUTHOR: Kat Yeh
RELEASE DATE: January 2015
PUBLISHER: Little, Brown and Company
PAGES: 342 pages
GENRE: ChickLit
OVERALL RATING: 4/5
APPROPRIATE AGE: grades 6+

SUMMARY: GiGi (born Galileo Galilei) moves from a South Carolina trailer park to Long Island when her sister DiDi wins a big baking contest and can finally afford to send her little sister to a prep school that is worthy of GiGi's intellect. While DiDi works in the saloon, GiGi goes to school determined for a fresh start. She changes her name to Leia and even becomes friends with the most popular boy in school, Trip. But this new friendship also comes with a new enemy: Mace who is intent on ruining Leia's dreams of a better life. 

WHAT I LIKED: Throughout the book Gigi uses her mom's recipes to compare to her own situations in life. I really loved this because by the time I finished reading, I wanted to make some of the recipes myself!

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: This book has a slow start. Too often I have students return it after only reading the first couple of chapters. The story seems a little immature for my junior high students, but after giving a short book talk on what else the book has to offer, students are intrigued and usually give it a second chance. All I have to say is, stick with it, the story gets really good about half way through. 

READALIKES: Genuine Sweet by Faith Harkey, The Battle of Darcy Lane by Tara Altebrando

BOOK TRAILER: not the official book trailer, but a good one created by Tobie Cattarin