Best of TAB 2011 - Linger

By Maggie Stiefvater
(YA F Stie)
362 pages 2010 Fantasy Fiction

For Grace, Sam and Cole, it’s a constant struggle between staying human and being a wolf. It doesn’t just take your pride to become a werewolf, it takes your life and who you love. This book is full of love, grief, and hope. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Michelle J.

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Best of TAB 2011 - The Lost Hero

By Rick Riordan
(YA F Rior)
557 pages 2010 Fantasy Fiction

Join Jason in this breathtaking book to save Hera and get his memory back. Will he be able to conquer all of the monsters in time to save his memory? With a little Greek mythology and a lot of fun, this book is certainly a winner. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Michelle J.

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Best of TAB 2011 - I Am Number Four

By Pittacus Lore
(YA F Lore)
440 pages 2010 Science Fiction

John Smith and his guardian Henri came to Earth from the planet Lorien. He and the other eight special kids are being chased by the Mogadorians. The Mogadorians have killed three. John Smith is next. Filled with action-packed scenes and romance, here comes the first novel in the thrilling series. (Grades 7 & up)
Reviewed by TAB member Ben B.
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Best of TAB 2011 - Plague

By Michael Grant
(YA F Gran)
512 pages 2011 Science Fiction

If you have read the Gone series you will enjoy this book as long as you understand the confusing inferences. Most of the characters in this book are nearly identical. They are all power-hungry and overwhelmed by the multiple plagues. The plot carries the series on well, yet it does feature a lot of main characters’ deaths. Upon finishing this book, you realize that you can’t wait for the sequel, Fear. The kids of Perdido Beach have fought disappearance, starvation, deception, illness, and now, desperation. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Andrew C.

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Best of TAB 2011 - The Andromeda Strain

By Michael Crichton
(F Cric)
364 pages 1969 Science Fiction

The Andromeda Strain is an amazing medical thriller about what happens when an alien virus spreads on Earth. This is one of my favorite books, but it is not appropriate for everyone. I would recommend this book for readers twelve years of age or older. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Alex A.

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Hot Pick from TAB - The Never War

By D.J. MacHale
(YA F Mach)
336 pages 2003 Fantasy Fiction

This third installment of the Pendragon series takes place in the early twentieth century of Earth. A fast-paced riveting Bobby faces a plethora of foes while dealing with his own personal loss. D.J. MacHale does not fail to surprise readers and leaves the biggest surprise for the end! (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Michael B.

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Back When You Were Easier to Love

By Emily Wing Smith
(YA F Smit)
296 pages 2011 Realistic Fiction

In alternating chapters, Joy reveals what life was like with Zan and what her life is like without him. They were the nonconforming couple in a Mormon-based school until he took early graduation and headed to a California college without her. Distraught over his abrupt departure, Joy coerces Zan’s best friend Noah to drive her to Zan’s campus and when she encounters him, she’s unprepared for the results. Her attention turns to Noah, who not only is a genuine person, but also reveals his feelings for her on the road trip. (Grades 8 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Elaine D.

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The Vespertine

By Saundra Mitchell
YA F Mitc
296 pages 2011 Paranormal Fiction

“I whispered, ‘I have seen the future.’ He didn’t laugh…He stopped nose to nose with me…and his question told me everything, ‘Am I there with you?’” Amelia is sent to stay with her cousin, Zora, in order to find a husband. Once there, she begins seeing strange visions of peoples’ futures, and catches the eye of the poor and handsome Nathaniel. Word of Amelia’s gift spreads and she and Zora have the time of their lives making house calls to society’s wealthiest so that Amelia might predict their futures. As Amelia’s prophecies start taking a dark turn, she faces suspicion, violence, and separation from her forbidden love. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Sara H.

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Cleopatra Confesses

By Carolyn Meyer
(YA F Meye) CV Only
289 pages 2011 Historical Fiction

“Someday I could become a great ruler of Egypt, better than my sisters can dream of being, but I must be careful not to let them know how I feel…” thinks a young Cleopatra. Her father, Ptolemy, has chosen her as the next queen. When he is forced into exile, her two older sisters seize the throne and Cleopatra is left to fend for herself. There are spies and intrigue everywhere, and Cleopatra’s very existence is viewed as a threat to her sisters’ power. She must hide what she’s really thinking and bide her time. Will her father return from exile, and when will Cleopatra become the rightful queen of Egypt? (Grades 7 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Kay G.

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Glow

By Amy Kathleen Ryan
(YA F Ryan)
307 pages 2011 Science Fiction

Waverly and Kieran, passengers on the spaceship Empyrean, know that someday soon they will likely marry each other and start a family. After all, their role is to populate New Earth when they reach it. However, this destiny is shattered when their sister ship ambushes them, kills or captures many of the adults, and kidnaps all the girls in an attempt to populate New Earth first. Now separated, Waverly and Kieran each find themselves unlikely leaders of dangerous missions. Will they feel the same way about each other if they meet again? (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Shelly P.

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Hot Pick from TAB - I am Number Four

By Pittacus Lore
(YA F Lore)
440 pages 2010 Fantasy Fiction

John Smith and his guardian Henri came to Earth from the planet Lorien. He and the other eight special kids are being chased by the Mogadorians. The Mogadorians have killed three. John Smith is next. Filled with action-packed scenes and romance, here comes the first novel in the thrilling series. (Grades 7 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Ben B.

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Born at Midnight

By CC Hunter
(YA F Hunt)
406 pages 2011 Supernatural Fiction

Kylie’s life is in shambles. Her parents are divorcing, her grandmother died, her boyfriend ditched her, and she thought attending a wild end-of-school unchaperoned party with Sara would cure her funk. After she’s sprung from jail, sixteen-year-old Kylie finds herself headed to Shadow Falls on a bus full of freaks. She spends the first week pleading with the counselors that she’s not like them, she just sees ghosts. The other campers keep their distance except for two hot guys, one of which reminds her of her old boyfriend. Did her parents make a terrible mistake sending her to a training camp for werewolves and vampires? Book one in the Shadow Falls series. (Grades 8 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Elaine D.

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Supernaturally

By Kiersten White
(YA F Whit)
342 pages 2011 Paranormal Fiction

Evie finally gets a normal life after escaping from the International Paranormal Containment Agency (IPCA). She attends high school and has a part-time job—except it’s boring. She jumps at the chance to work for IPCA again. Things prove a little too exciting, what with Uber Vampire, a hot new guy named Jack, and don’t forget Reth, her faerie ex-boyfriend. As Evie goes from one disastrous mission to another she wonders if there isn’t something deeper at work than just the usual paranormal chaos. Sequel to Paranormalcy. (Grades 7 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Kay G.

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Sweetly

By Jackson Pearce
(YA F Pear)
310 pages 2011 Fantasy Fiction

A modern retelling of the Hansel and Gretel story for teens. Ansel and Gretchen were children when their sister was taken by a witch in the forest. Now grown, they’ve left home to distance themselves from the memory. Their car breaks down outside a small town and Ansel starts doing odd jobs at Sophia’s candy shop. Sophia’s not universally liked, however, as each year more girls disappear after her chocolate festival. Gretchen soon discovers that what’s happening to the girls may be the same thing that happened to her sister. Companion book to Sisters Red. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Shelly P.

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Ten Things We Did (and probably shouldn't have)

By Sarah Mlynowski
(YA F Mlyn)
357 pages 2011 Realistic Fiction

“#1. Lied to our parents.” High-school junior April refuses to move to Cleveland with her dad in the middle of the year. She and friend Vi concoct a plan: Vi’s mom is traveling for work and is leaving her alone for months. April simply has to convince her dad that Vi’s mom will be home and has agreed to let her move in. Vi and April soon have the house to themselves and more freedom than they imagined. Nine more bad ideas follow, including buying a hot tub, throwing a crazy party, and skipping school. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Sara H.

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Hot Pick from TAB - Never Sit Down in a Hoop Skirt and Other Things I Learned in Southern Belle Hell

By Crickett Rumley
(YA F Ruml)
296 pages 2011 Realistic Fiction

Told from the point of view of a spunky narrator, this book details the experiences of well-traveled, kicked-out-of-multiple-boarding-schools Jane when she returns to her home in the deep, deep south, only to be forced into a beauty pageant by her grandmother’s expectations. Far from the classic Southern belle, Jane has a lot to learn. Full of laughs and unexpected twists, this quirky novel is a must-read.  (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Colleen K.

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The Girl is Murder

By Kathryn Miller Haines
(YA F Hain)
342 pages 2011 Mystery Fiction

New York City, 1942. Fifteen-year-old Iris has just moved from a swanky uptown neighborhood to the Lower East Side after her mother’s death and her wounded father’s return from the war. Now she has to attend public school, make all new friends, and deal with her detective father, who forbids her to assist with his cases even though he can’t get around very well with a missing leg. But Iris can’t resist doing her own detective work when a boy from her school ends up missing. Soon she’s lying to her father and her new friends, staying out late at dance clubs, and doing what she can to solve the case. Will her snooping get her into more trouble than it’s worth? (Grades 7 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Shelly P.

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Anna and the French Kiss

By Stephanie Perkins
(YA F Perk)
372 pages 2010 Chick Lit

Anna is devastated when her father sends her to a boarding school in Paris for senior year, forcing her to leave her friends, home, and would-be boyfriend. However, it isn’t long before the magic of the city and new friends, including the alluring St. Clair, have her opening her eyes to new ways of life. But Paris comes with complications - as Anna’s friendship with St. Clair grows, so does her desire for more. St. Clair is beautiful and completely unavailable, but he seems to be interested in more than friendship too. Why then, won’t he make a move? Romance and hilarity ensue. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Sara H.

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Storm Runners

By Roland Smith
(YA F Smit)
143 pages 2011 Adventure

Chase, 13, is on his fourth school this year and his temporary home is a farm for circus animals. His first day turns into possibly his last as a category 4 hurricane bears down on St. Pete. Had the principal heeded his warning, then he and two companions would not be fighting for their lives after their bus is hit by raging waters. Their only hope is to trek to the farm through gator country. When they approach the farm they find animal barns destroyed, rising water and a dangerous leopard on the loose. Being the son of a storm chaser has its own hazards. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Elaine D.

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Uncommon Criminals

By Ally Carter
(YA F Cart)
298 pages 2011 Mystery

Fifteen-year-old Kat and her talented crew must work together to find and steal the "Cleopatra Emerald" from an unscrupulous dealer and return it to its rightful owner, while a former love of her Uncle Eddie tries to get the gem for herself. Did we mention that the emerald hasn’t been seen in 30 years or that it’s cursed? Definitely not your typical five-finger discount. As Kat travels the world chasing the Cleopatra, she begins to wonder if she’s in over her head. A smart, fun read. Sequel to Heist Society. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Kay G.

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Hot Pick from TAB - Plague

By Michael Grant
(YA F Gran)
512 pages 2011 Science Fiction

If you have read the books in the Gone series I believe that you will enjoy this book as long as you understand the confusing inferences. Most of the characters in this book are nearly identical. They are all power-hungry and overwhelmed by the multiple plagues. The plot carries the series on well, yet it does feature a lot of main characters’ deaths. Upon finishing this book, you realize that you can’t wait for the sequel, Fear, to be released. The kids of Perdido Beach have fought disappearance, starvation, deception, illness, and now, desperation. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Andrew C.

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Thunder Over Kandahar

By Sharon E. McKay
(YA F Mcka)
260 pages 2010 Realistic Fiction (CV only)

When the Taliban targets Yasmine’s Western-educated family, they decide to return to England but not before her parents are gravely injured and airlifted to a UN base in Kandahar. Scared and alone, Yasmine turns to her fourteen-year-old friend Tamanna who faces an arranged marriage. The two unaccompanied teens flee into the mountains towards the safety of Kandahar avoiding land mines and a suicide bomber. Yasmine’s decision to help the battered Tamanna by secretly switching places with her puts her back in harm’s way, alone and trying to stay alive. (Grades 7 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Elaine D.

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Steel

By Carrie Vaughn
(YA F Vaug)
294 pages 2011 Historical/Fantasy Fiction

Sixteen-year-old Jill is an accomplished fencer. When she loses her last match, the disappointment stays with her-even on a family trip to the Bahamas. While walking on the beach she finds a corroded sword tip which she keeps as her own. But the sword is powerful and Jill is transported back several centuries to the deck of a pirate ship. She is forced to become a pirate and learn the ways of the ship. She also learns a pirate’s life is bloody and brief. In a desperate attempt to get back home, she will have to risk her life in a duel to the death. (Grades 7 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Kay G.

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Tighter

By Adele Griffin
(YA F Grif)
216 pages 2011 Mystery

Recovering from a bad relationship, Jamie takes a summer job as an au pair for eleven-year-old Isa. The discovery that she closely resembles Isa’s last au pair, Jessie, who died in a plane crash the year before with her boyfriend Pete, may explain why Jamie’s suddenly seeing their ghosts. Her attempts to lay them to rest are complicated by the return of Isa’s older brother Milo, as he seems to hinder her pursuit of the truth. This is a tense, modern retelling of Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Shelly P.

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Wither

By Lauren DeStefano
(YA F Dest)
358 pages 2011 Science Fiction

Nearly a century ago, science created a perfect generation free from disease and premature death. Every generation following has been cursed with a virus that kills females at 20 and males at 25. When sixteen-year-old Rhine is kidnapped and sold into a polygamous marriage, she dreams only of escape. Her new husband is wealthy and gentle, but her new father-in-law, a member of that one perfect generation, is a terrifying and sinister geneticist. Rhine soon realizes in order to gain her freedom she must use her cunning to become the favorite wife and daughter-in-law. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Sara H.

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Hot Pick from TAB - Linger

By Maggie Stiefvater
(YA F Stie)
362 pages 2010 Fantasy Fiction

For Grace, Sam and Cole, it’s a constant struggle between staying human and being a wolf. It doesn’t just take your pride to become a werewolf, it takes your life and who you love. This book is full of love, grief, and hope. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Michelle J.

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Between Shades of Gray

By Ruta Sepetys
(YA F Sepe)
344 pages 2011 Historical Fiction

Lina lives happily with her family in 1941 Lithuania. Tensions are rising in her country now that the Soviets occupy it. Then the worst happens – her father doesn’t come home one day. Soviet soldiers come for her and her little brother and mother in the night. They are forced onto a cattle train with other Lithuanians, who the Soviets call thieves and prostitutes, and taken deep into Siberia and forced to work at labor camps for little to no food or shelter. Can Lina find it in herself to carry on when the rest of the world seems to have forgotten her people? An eye-opening story of a dark and little-known history that remained secret far too long. (Grades 8 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Sara H.

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The Education of Hailey Kendrick

By Eileen Cook
(YA F Cook)
256 pages 2011 Realistic Fiction

Hailey looks forward to her last perfect year at an elite boarding school. Now her life is spiraling out of control. Her dad is mad, her best friend is mad, her boyfriend of four years is uncertain he wants to be with her, her best guy friend kissed her, and she’s falling in love with the janitor. Just when she thinks things can’t get worse, the school body is restricted to the campus because of her silly little stunt. She breaks her leg falling out of a tree—but that’s another story. This is not how Hailey envisioned senior year. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Elaine D.

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Desires of the Dead

By Kimberly Derting
(YA F Dert)
358 pages 2011 Mystery/Paranormal Fiction

In this follow-up to The Body Finder, sixteen-year-old Violet, who can sense murder victims, stumbles across a body in a shipping container. When she anonymously reports this, she draws the attention of an FBI consultant, but she would rather her special ability remain secret. Meanwhile, Violet is being targeted by someone who is jealous of her relationship with boyfriend Jay. She thinks she can keep that private too, but finds that keeping too many secrets takes a toll on her relationships and puts her in real danger. A fast-paced and suspenseful read. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Kay G.

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Trapped

By Michael Northrup
(YA F Nort)
232 pages 2011 Adventure Fiction

When the snow starts falling, Scotty and his friends Pete and Jason hope for an early dismissal so they can work on Jason’s go-kart in the shop classroom. No one predicted that the snow would keep falling for days and they, along with four other students, would be trapped in the high school. With no heat, cell phone reception, and dwindling electricity, the seven students must figure out how to survive. And with no way to contact the outside world, chances are they won’t be rescued unless one of them is able to leave and find help. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Shelly P.

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Hot Pick from TAB - Dream Factory

By Brad Barkley
(YA F Bark)
250 pages 2007 Realistic Fiction

The normal Disney character workers have gone on strike, and anyone who showed up got an audition right away. This novel tells the story of two friends, brought together by the random new jobs of replacing the princess Cinderella and the chipmunk Dale. Told from the viewpoints of both characters, this book has hilarious characters and dialogue, a unique plot and setting, and a story that tries to figure out if dreams really do come true.  (Grades 8 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Colleen K.

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Virals

By Kathy Reichs
(YA F Reic)
454 pages 2010 Mystery/Science Fiction

Fourteen-year-old Tory feels like an outcast for being geeky-smart at her new ritzy prep school. Befriended by three guys with similar science interests, they set off exploring the outer islands in search of wildlife. What they thought was a deserted lab complex turns out to be a secret program. When a wild wolfpup goes missing, the group breaks into the lab and takes the pup to their island hideout. The mystery deepens when they are shot at, followed, and stumble onto island secrets that place them in danger. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Elaine D.

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City of Fallen Angels

By Cassandra Clare
(YA F Clar)
424 pages 2011 Fantasy

The gang is back in this unexpected sequel to the Mortal Instruments Trilogy. Simon, Clary, and Jace all thought they had finally found peace once Valentine was destroyed. However, Simon is finding himself stuck in the middle of a vampire feud, and as a Daylighter vampire cursed with the Mark of Cain, everyone wants him on their side. Jace and Clary are finally free to embrace their feelings for each other, but Jace is plagued by nightmares he fears will come true. Now with Shadowhunters turning up dead, the group realizes their difficult days may not be behind them after all. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Sara H.

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Stay

By Deb Caletti
(YA F Cale)
313 pages 2011 Realistic Fiction

Clara and her boyfriend Christian are inseparable, until his devotion becomes obsession and things turn abusive. This isn’t the first time a relationship has ended badly; ex-boyfriend Dylan was much the same. So spending the summer with her dad in a small town by the beach seems like a good way for Clara to clear her head, but as soon as she begins to accept that his behavior was not her fault, Christian tracks her down. Will she be strong enough to confront him and move on? (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Shelly P.

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Cloaked

By Alex Flinn
(YA F Flin)
341 pages 2011 Fantasy Fiction

A princess, a cobbler, a witch, two giants and some talking animals—in South Beach? That’s exactly what you will find in Flinn’s latest retelling of several fairy tales. Seventeen-year-old Johnny, who dreams of being a high end shoe designer, works hard in his family’s shoe repair shop located in a posh hotel. When a beautiful princess arrives for a visit, she promises to marry Johnny if he will help her find her brother who has been turned into a frog by an evil witch. (Grades 7 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Kay G.

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Hot Pick from TAB - Fablehaven

By Brandon Mull
(YA F Mull)
351 pages 2006 Fantasy Fiction

From evil fairies disguised as tarantulas to good fairies disguised as butterflies; from milking a giant cow to rescuing a very important chicken; and from a suspiciously absent grandmother to hidden keys, this book is packed with adventure, mystery, and hilarious characters. Kendra and Seth are very realistic characters set in a world that is something beyond what it seems. This book will hook you on the whole series, but it is a great stand-alone story, too! (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Colleen K.

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Delirium

By Lauren Oliver
(YA F Oliv)
441 pages 2011 Dystopia

Lena can’t wait to be 18. That’s when she’ll get the cure – the surgery that everyone gets to prevent them from feeling love. In her futuristic society, Amor Deliria Nervosa is the ultimate disease, and anyone infected with it is an outlaw and could be killed. But weeks before Lena turns 18, she meets Alex and inevitably falls in love. Soon Lena starts to recognize society’s lies; she knows love is not a disease, and as the days tick down to her birthday, she realizes she’d rather risk dying than live without it. (Grades 8 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Sara H.

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The Second Base Club

By Greg Trine
(YA F Trin)
213 pages 2010 Realistic Fiction

Sixteen-year-old Elroy overhears the jocks discussing a sensitive topic he’s heard about, but doesn’t understand what it all means. He wants a girlfriend—he just doesn’t know how to attract one. Failed social attempts provide embarrassing results, the wrestling team scheme results in bruises, and his friends turn him down in his efforts to form a band.  Rachel’s left hook to his cheek doesn’t stop him from attending the party, only to realize he doesn’t want anything to do with the party action or second base. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Elaine D.

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Strings Attached

By Judy Blundell
(YA F Blun)
310 pages 2011 Historical Fiction

When seventeen-year-old Kit leaves her family and boyfriend behind to try to make it big as a dancer in 1950s New York City, she never imagines how hard it will be. Her luck changes when her boyfriend’s father, a big time mob lawyer, gets her an apartment and a job in exchange for doing him an occasional favor. When those favors include tracking the movements of a mobster who later turns up dead, Kit begins to wonder what she’s gotten herself into. But the more she tries to distance herself from the situation, the more entangled she becomes. (Grades 7 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Shelly P.

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Prom and Prejudice

By Elizabeth Eulberg
(YA F Eulb)
231 pages 2011 Realistic Fiction

Lizzie, a scholarship student from Hoboken, attends Longbourn Academy, a posh Connecticut boarding school where her classmates are rich, rude and hostile. She meets the smug Will and takes an instant dislike to him, but puts up with him to appease her roommate Jane who likes Darcy’s best friend. Prejudiced against the upper crust, Lizzie realizes almost too late that Will’s intentions are honorable, and Wick, the handsome townie she thought she liked, is really a scoundrel. This retelling of Jane Austen’s classic tale of love and class is like a good cup of hot chocolate—sweet with the right amount of fluff. (Grades 8 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Kay G.

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Hot Pick from TAB - The Lost Hero

By Rick Riordan

(YA F Rior)
557 pages 2010 Fantasy

Join Jason in this breathtaking book to save Hera and get his memory back. Will he be able to conquer all of the monsters in time to save his memory? With a little Greek mythology and a lot of fun, this book is certainly a winner. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by TAB member Michelle J.

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Soccerland

By Beth Choat
(YA F Choa)
231 pages 2010 Sports Fiction

Star soccer forward Flora lives for soccer and nothing else. When this fourteen-year-old, 5’9” small-town Maine standout receives a coveted invite to the U-14 Girls’ National Team ID Camp in Colorado, her dream comes true. Facing stiff competition from 99 other elite players, Flora’s attempt to impress coaches backfires and results in a humiliating “oh-gee,” a flub almost certain to keep her from making the final cut. Harassed by the “Queen B’s,” embarrassed over her final performance, she awaits her fate and the final announcement. (Grades 6 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Elaine D.

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Rosebush

By Michele Jaffe
(YA F Jaff)
2010 326 pages Mystery Fiction

Popular Jane's got it all - great friends, an attentive boyfriend, and a gift for photography. Yet someone tried to kill her the night of the Memorial Day party. Waking up in the hospital is no fun, especially when bits and pieces of the night start coming back to her. When the killer starts to send her ominous messages, Jane questions the loyalty of everyone around her. Will she be able to piece together what happened before the killer finishes the job? (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Shelly P.

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Stolen

By Lucy Christopher
(YA F Chri)
299 pages 2010 Psychological Thriller

Gemma, 16, meets mysterious, attractive Ty in the airport. He seems familiar even if he is a little too old. She never imagines he’ll drug and kidnap her. When she awakes in a makeshift house in the Australian Outback surrounded by desert, Ty says he took her to save her, insisting that he’s loved her for years. He thwarts all attempts at escape. As she dreams of rescue Gemma can’t help listening to Ty’s stories, sympathizing with his troubled past, and starts wondering if the budding feelings she has for him are real or a survival mechanism. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Sara H.

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Five Flavors of Dumb

By Antony John
(YA F John)
337 pages 2010 Realistic Fiction

Eighteen-year-old Piper, in an uncharacteristic move, offers to manage Dumb, her school’s most popular rock band. She knows nothing about managing a rock band, the band members don’t really get along, and since Piper is profoundly deaf, she can’t even hear the band play. But she’s determined to get the band more exposure and earn a paycheck for herself. Sounds like a recipe for disaster, but Piper is smart and tough, and the way she handles the ups and downs of the band, her family, and school makes for a satisfying read. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Kay G.

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Hot Pick from TAB - The Merchant of Death

By D.J. MacHale
(YA F Mach)
375 pages 2002 Fantasy

This book is a fabulous cross between fantasy, science fiction and realistic fiction, with fantastic characters and a realistic parallel world, along with the one we might be more used to (known as Second Earth). This is the first book to a rockin’ series called Pendragon and it totally got me hooked. You should try it! (Grades 6 & up)


Reviewed by TAB member Colleen K.

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Ship Breaker

By Paolo Bacigalupi
(YA F Baci)
326 pages 2010 Science Fiction

Along the ruins of the Gulf Coast, teenaged Nailer survives by scavenging wrecked oil tankers for copper wiring. Every day is a struggle for food, watching out for betrayals, and avoiding his abusive father. When Nailer stumbles upon a beached clipper ship, he is convinced his luck has finally changed and envisions leaving his life of ship breaking for the riches from scavenging the destroyed ship. When he finds a beautiful girl on board who is still breathing, everything in his world changes. (Grades 8 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Sara H.

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The Things a Brother Knows

By Dana Reinhardt
(YA F Rein)
345 pages 2010 Realistic Fiction

Levi is seventeen when his older brother Boaz returns from duty in Iraq broken. This prior high school star student is sullen, won’t speak, won’t ride in a car, and prohibits anyone from entering his bedroom. Boaz abruptly leaves saying he’s walking the Appalachian Trail solo. Levi doesn’t buy it after finding Boaz’s bedroom wall covered in maps marked with destinations and names. Worried his brother will self-destruct, Levi strikes out to locate him, uncover what secrets lie buried inside him, and is surprised to learn of his final destination. (Grades 8 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Elaine D.

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The Sky is Every Where

By Jandy Nelson
(YA F Nels)
375 pages 2010 Realistic Fiction

Lennie, 17, is absolutely devastated after her older sister Bailey dies. She deals with her grief by playing her clarinet, writing poetry on scraps of paper that she leaves around town, and falling into the arms of Bailey’s boyfriend, the only other person who understands how she feels. When Joe, the new boy in town, catches her eye, she finds herself caught in a love triangle. One boy represents a bittersweet past; the other an uncertain future. As Lennie comes to terms with the choices she has to make, she slowly learns to move on from her sister’s death. (Grades 9 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Shelly P.

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The Mockingbirds

By Daisy Whitney
(YA F Whit)
339 pages 2010 Realist Fiction

“Silence does not equal consent…the only thing that means yes, is yes,” so learns Alex, a junior at a prestigious boarding school. When she wakes up in bed with a strange boy, after a drunken night she can barely remember, she has a hard time putting the pieces together. As disjointed memories of the night before begin to surface she realizes she’s a victim of date rape. Instead of going to the police or the school administration, Alex seeks justice through the Mockingbirds, an underground justice system inspired by Harper Lee’s novel. But will it be enough to help her feel normal again? (Grades 8 & up)

Reviewed by Teen Librarian Kay G.

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