Dooley Takes The Fall, Norah McClintock; Red Deer Press

“Seventeen-year-old Dooley is witness to a suicide, but with his troubled past and new details to the case he is suspected of murder.”
Robin’s Note: This is a relatively new title but it’s been buzzed about as a strong tale that manages to be readable, suspenseful, and emotionally honest.  Dooley is a bit of a black sheep, but he’s caught in a situation that’s pushes what he can handle on his own.  This is a strong pick for readers looking for a realistic tale that’s realtively short but packs a punch.

Being, Kevin Brooks; The Chicken House

“After having a routine exam that turns out to be anything but routine, Robert learns about the mechanical parts and plastic casings that make up his being, forcing him to flee the only world he has ever known and go on a dangerous search to find out who (and what) he is.”
Robin’s Note: Kevin Brooks has a lot of fun skating along the edge of what’s possible in this book.  What would happen if you woke up and weren’t quite human anymore?  He doesn’t concentrate on the science but instead on the confusion – how can you find out what you are now, and why would anyone do this?  The chase starts almost immediately, and doesn’t let up.

Son Of The Mob, Gordon Korman; Hyperion Books For Children

“Seventeen-year-old Vince’s life is constantly complicated by the fact that he is the son of a powerful Mafia boss, a relationship that threatens to destroy his romance with the daughter of an FBI agent.”
Robin’s Note: Korman’s entertaining Son of the Mob is a wild ride through how difficult it would be to date the daughter of the man determined to bring down your own father for his many crimes.  Korman is always funny, and this book is no exception, and you end up rooting for both sides because they genuinely appealing.

Little Brother, Cory Doctorow; Tor Teen

“After being interrogated for days by the Department of Homeland Security in the aftermath of a major terrorist attack on San Francisco, California, seventeen-year-old Marcus, released into what is now a police state, decides to use his expertise in computer hacking to set things right.”
Robin’s Note: This title, set in a very near possible future, is one of the best recent thrill rides.  Little Brother combines a lot of ideas: security, terrorism, patriotism, and loyalty mix with gaming, hacking, and clever non-violent public protests.  The insight of Marcus’s computer invasions are exciting and impressive, like any good movie where one side outsmarts the other.  Once the story begins, it never lets up, and pulls you right through to the end.  Doctorow poses a lot of questions along the way in this book, and does have clear concerns about civil rights and government restrictions, but the most engaging part of this book is the tense adventure.

Body Of Christopher Creed, Carol Plum-Ucci; Volo/Hyperion

“When Christopher Creed, the class freak and whipping boy, suddenly disappears without a trace, everyone speculates on what could have happened to him. Soon fingers begin pointing, and several lives are changed forever.”
Robin’s Note: Carol Plum-Ucci has made a name for herself in writing incredibly tense tales, and she tends to let you decide the answer to a lot of her plots.  This is her first book, and as you try to puzzle through what happened to Creed, the building questions and threats increase the thrill.  If you like her style, I’d also recommend What Happened to Lani Garver? and The She.

Crackback, John Coy; Scholastic Press

“Miles barely recalls when football was fun after being sidelined by a new coach, constantly criticized by his father, and pressured by his best friend to take performance-enhancing drugs.”
Robin’s Note: This title takes on a harsher aspect of sports by addressing steroids – their appeal and the dangers of using them.  John Coy has written a number of books featuring sports for teens, so if you like this one, there’s more to read.

Knights Of The Hill Country, Tim Tharp; Alfred A. Knopf

“In his senior year, high school star linebacker Hampton Greene finally begins to think for himself and discovers that he might be interested in more than just football.”
Robin’s Note: This is a strong sports title, this time focusing on football.  Tim Tharp is a writer who has a strong sense of language, banter, and what it is to be a part of a team even in how much it can trap you despite love of the sport. 

Audrey, Wait!, Robin Benway; Razorbill

“While trying to score a date with her cute co-worker at the Scooper Dooper, sixteen-year-old Audrey gains unwanted fame and celebrity status when her ex-boyfriend, a rock musician, records a breakup song about her that soars to the top of the Billboard charts.”
Robin’s Note: This title has a tiny bit of the fantastic thrown in, as Audrey suddenly becomes famous due to her ex suddenly gaining fame and fortune from writing a song about their break up, but once you get into the actual story, it’s a witty, sharp examination of love, music, commitment, and being true to yourself.  Audrey is far from a doormat, and though her sudden notoriety throws her for a loop, with the help of her best friends and possible new boyfriend, she will take control of her life and story.

King Of The Mild Frontier: An Ill-advised Autobiography, Chris Crutcher; Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins Publishers

“Chris Crutcher, author of young adult novels such as “Ironman” and “Whale Talk,” as well as short stories, tells of growing up in Cascade, Idaho, and becoming a writer.”
Robin’s Note: Jack Gantos’ Hole in My Life is an intriguing memoir of a life that could have gone horribly awry, and this memoir is very engaging but in a different way.  Chris Crutcher is know for many teen novels, but his memoir is charming and often laugh out loud funny.  If the crime element is what appealed to you in Hole in My Life, this title doesn’t have that same allure, but as a memoir of a regular guy who went on to become a top-notch writer, it’s a solid choice.

The Foreshadowing, Marcus Sedgwick; Wendy Lamb Books

“Having always been able to know when someone is going to die, Alexandra poses as a nurse to go to France during World War I to locate her brother and to try to save him from the fate she has foreseen for him.”
Robin’s Note: This is a relatively short but evocative title and gives a strong sense of what it was like both on the homefront and in the trenches during World War I.  There’s a touch of the supernatural in Alexandra’s ability to sense who will die, and the suspense comes from whether she can change what she has seen, but the real story is in the conflict, especially between what the people at home believe is necessary in war and what the soldiers (and Alexandra, as a nurse) witness as the reality of modern battle.

Year Of Wonders: A Novel Of The Plague, Brooks, Geraldine.; Viking

“This gripping historical novel is based on the true story of Eyam, the “Plague Village”, in the rugged mountain spine of England. In 1666, a tainted bolt of cloth from London carries bubonic infection to this isolated settlement of shepherds and lead miners. A visionary young preacher convinces the villagers to seal themselves off in a deadly quarantine to prevent the spread of disease. The story is told through the eyes of eighteen-year-old Anna Frith, the vicar’s maid, as she confronts the loss of her family, the disintegration of her community, and the lure of a dangerous and illicit love.”
Robin’s Note: If you like atmospheric historical novels, Year of Wonders is an evocative look at a terrible time (when the Black Plague was rampant throughout Europe) through the eyes of an 18-year-old.  Based on a true story, it delves into why a village would choose to quarantine itself and the difficulties the villagers face as they try to maintain order in the face of both death and society coming apart at the seams.  It’s beautifully written, and paints a rich and ultimately hopeful picture of a challenging time.

Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins; Scholastic Press

“In a future North America, where the rulers of Panem maintain control through an annual televised survival competition pitting young people from each of the twelve districts against one another, sixteen-year-old Katniss’s skills are put to the test when she voluntarily takes her younger sister’s place.”
Robin’s Note: The Hunger Games has gathered quite a following, and with good reason: this thrill-ride of a book sets its story in a grim post-apocalyptic setting where teens combine in a combination of a glamorous reality TV show and deadly gladitorial combat.  Katniss is a great heroine, but the real story is the inventive threat of the arena, where all the district’s select fighters compete to the death.  Be warned: this title ends on a cliffhanger, and its sequel, Catching Fire, is just as gripping.  This will be a trilogy.

Leviathan, Scott Westerfeld; Simon Pulse

“In an alternate 1914 Europe, fifteen-year-old Austrian Prince Alek, on the run from the Clanker Powers who are attempting to take over the globe using mechanical machinery, forms an uneasy alliance with Deryn who, disguised as a boy to join the British Air Service, is learning to fly genetically-engineered beasts.”
Robin’s Note: You may have already read or seen Scott Westerfeld’s more noted books (Uglies, Pretties, Specials, Extras), and this is his new series, already extremely popular (so you’ll likely have to request it rather than find it on the shelf.)  This one has a definite steampunk flair, if that’s a style that appeals, and the combination of a familiar situation (World War I) tweaked to involve air battles and genetic engineering makes for an innovative setting.  Westerfeld is known for packing in the action and never letting it stop, and this series continues that tradition.  This title also has the added charm of gorgeous illustrations throughout the text, a tradition not seen very often in novels any more, but in this case beautifully rendered.

Inda, Sherwood Smith; DAW Hardcover

“Indevan-Dal is the second son of the Prince and Princess of Choraed Elgaer, destined to become his elder brother Tanrid’s Shield Arm-his military champion. Like all second sons, he is to be privately trained at home by Tanrid, the brother whose lands he will one day protect. When the King’s Voice comes to summon Inda to the Military Academy, he might well feel foreboding, or even fear-war is imminent-yet youthful Inda feels only excitement. But there are things that Tanrid hadn’t prepared him for, and Inda will soon learn that the greatest threats to his safety will not come from foreign enemies, but from supposed allies within his own country.”
Robin’s Note: If you want a fantasy world that’s very complex and vividly built, Sherwood Smith’s series (officially for adults, but has lots of teen appeal) is a great one to get lost in.  Smith has a strong sense of how complex a world can be (her books are all set in the same world, in fact, but at different times and in different nations, much like Tolkien’s meticulous world and language building.)  This series is four books total, and is now complete: Inda, The Fox, King’s Shield, and Treason’s Shore.  The primary tale concerns Inda and his king, Evred, following their coming of age and featuring intelligent strategy, epic battles, piracy, and each character’s friendships and loves.  The military tale (in this first book) is the one that hooked me—smart, tense, and full of loyalty and betrayal.  One note: these books are long, and she takes her time building up the world—mainly that’s to envelop the reader in a new place and make it familiar—but they do take some time to get going, so have patience.

Into The Wild, Sarah Beth Durst; Razorbill

“Having escaped from the Wild and the preordained fairy tale plots it imposes, Rapunzel, along with her daughter Julie Marchen, tries to live a fairly normal life, but when the Wild breaks free and takes over their town, it is Julie who has to prevent everyone from being trapped in the events of a story.”

Robin’s Note: This fast-paced, wild ride spins off of traditional fairy tales by giving them a whole new spin.  Julie, Rapunzel’s courageous daughter, is a great new heroine, unwilling to give up and determined to use her knowledge of the Wild to win back her world.  She’s a reluctant heroine, to begin with, but as she moves forward, she becomes a force to reckon with.  Humor and snappy dialog make the whole adventure fun, and Julie’s “brother”, once Puss-in-Boots, brings in hilarious comic relief.  The sequel, Out of the Wild, is a worthy sequel.  This title is both funny and fast-paced, and the fun of reworking fairy tale characters.

Crown Duel (Originally Published As The Two Books Crown Duel And Court Duel) (Firebird), Sherwood Smith; Puffin

“To fulfill their father’s dying wish, teenage Countess Meliara and her brother Branaric organize a revolution against a greedy king.”

Robin’s Note: This fantasy tale, originally published as two separate novels Court Duel and Crown Duel, is a wit-driven romance combined with a struggle for control of a kingdom.  Our heroine, opinionated and clever (and a bit naive), is a country royal driven to try to save her own kingdom by confronting the court and ruler in the distant capital city.  The combination of funny dialog, building romance, and an action-packed plot make for a speedy read with great charm and spirit.  This is another teen title, essentially, but one that shares a lot with Austen in terms of the set up of the romance and the highlight of intelligence and clever conversation. 

Sorcery And Cecelia, Or, The Enchanted Chocolate Pot: Being The Correspondence Of Two Young Ladies Of Quality Regarding Various Magical Scandals In London And The Country, Patricia C. Wrede; Harcourt

“In 1817 in England, two young cousins, Cecilia living in the country and Kate in London, write letters to keep each other informed of their exploits, which take a sinister turn when they find themselves confronted by evil wizards.”

Robin’s Note: This Regency fantasy combines the best of Jane Austen with the charm of magical talents.  As with all of Austen’s novels, the romances are witty and compelling, and the added dash of magical adventure makes the tale all the more engaging for both fantasy and Austen fans.  This volume is followed by two sequels The Grand Tour and The Mislaid Magician.

A Curse Dark As Gold, Elizabeth C. Bunce; Arthur A. Levine Books

“Upon the death of her father, seventeen-year-old Charlotte struggles to keep the family’s woolen mill running in the face of an overwhelming mortgage and what the local villagers believe is a curse, but when a man capable of spinning straw into gold appears on the scene she must decide if his help is worth the price.”

Robin’s Note: Appealing for a strong sense of a historical setting and a clever reworking of the Rumplestiltskin tale, this book includes a steadily building romance, a strong heroine, and a well-built world.  Great for fans of fairy tale retellings as well as historical fantasy.

The Red Necklace, Sally Gardner; Dial

In the late eighteenth-century, Sido, the twelve-year-old daughter of a self-indulgent marquis, and Yann, a fourteen-year-old Gypsy orphan raised to perform in a magic show, face a common enemy at the start of the French Revolution.

This title grabs you right from the beginning with its spooky atmosphere, intriguing characters, and strong sense of time and place (without overwhelming the reader with historical details.)