Review: Dash and Lily's Book of Dares

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

4.5 stars

Reasons for reading: 2011 YA Reading Challenge, I loved the authors' other 2 collaborations

Description: "Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?"

First lines: "Imagine this: You're in your favorite bookstore, scanning the shelves. You get to the section where a favorite author's books reside, and there, nestled in comfortably between the incredibly familiar spines, sits a red notebook.

What do you do?

The choice, I think, is obvious:

You take down the red notebook and open it.

And then you do whatever it tells you to do."

My thoughts: I'm so behind with reviews! I love all of the Levithan/Cohn books and was excited to see another one. I loved the Christmassy-ness of it and the device of the scavenger hunt. I probably wouldn't be brave enough to follow the notebook's instructions, but I'm glad Dash was! Lily was so excellently Lily-ish - I'd like to know her - and yet she also grows up a lot in the book and develops into a more mature but still Lily-ish Lily. Dash was great in his own way, even if he was, as Lily's relatives described him, brooding. There are so many weird little touches, from a missing majorette boot to a Dash-Muppet. The book is also a love letter to New York during the holiday season, which I'd love to experience someday. That's about all for this one - read it! (Or save it until Christmas, that would be even better.)

Review: Zombies vs Unicorns

Zombies vs Unicorns edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier
3.25 stars

Description: "It's a question as old as time itself: which is better, the zombie or the unicorn? In this anthology, edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier (unicorn and zombie, respectively), strong arguments are made for both sides in the form of short stories. Half of the stories portray the strengths--for good and evil--of unicorns and half show the good (and really, really bad-ass) side of zombies. Contributors include many bestselling teen authors, including Cassandra Clare, Libba Bray, Maureen Johnson, Meg Cabot, Scott Westerfeld, and Margo Lanagan. This anthology will have everyone asking: Team Zombie or Team Unicorn?"

My thoughts: I'm definitely on Team Unicorn!! I'm not a big short story fan, but I enjoyed these overall and  enjoyed the ones by my favourite authors - Cabot and Johnson - the most. Maureen Johnson was on Team Zombie, but her story was so bizarrely funny, with such a thinly-veiled version of Angelina Jolie, that I won't hold it against her. And Meg Cabot's story features a unicorn called Princess Prettypants - what more do you need?

Review: Real Live Boyfriends

 
Real Live Boyfriends by E. Lockhart
4 stars

First line: "A definition: A real live boyfriend does not contribute to your angst."

Description: Ruby Oliver is in love. Or it would be love, if Noel, her real live boyfriend, would call her back. But Noel seems to have turned into a pod-robot lobotomy patient, and Ruby can’t figure out why.Not only is her romantic life a shambles:
Her dad is eating nothing but Cheetos,
Her mother’s got a piglet head in the refrigerator,
Hutch has gone to Paris to play baguette air guitar,
Gideon shows up shirtless,
And the pygmy goat Robespierre is no help whatsoever.

Will Ruby ever control her panic attacks?
Will she ever understand boys?
Will she ever stop making lists? (No to that last one.)

Roo has lost most of her friends. She’s lost her true love, more than once. She’s lost her grandmother, her job, her reputation, and possibly her mind. But she’s never lost her sense of humor. The Ruby Oliver books are the record of her survival."

My thoughts: Just a quickie - another fun book in this series. I think it's the last one, which is good, as I wouldn't want to succumb to series fatigue since I so enjoy Ruby. I do think her mother should have some actual psychotherapy ordered by family services, as she is more of a child than Ruby is, and her dad isn't much help. The crazy mom provides some definite interest in the series, but I find her pretty horrid - it's amazing Roo isn't even more screwed up than she is with that freakshow raising her.

I hope that Ruby goes on to find actual, non-angst-inducing love, does well in college, and lives a fabulous life. And that E. Lockhart gives us another wonderful, funny series to enjoy soon!

Review: Revolution

Apologies, I have literally formatted this 5 times and it still won't work, I give up! Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly 3.25 stars Reasons for reading: I enjoy Donnelly's books; YA Reading Challenge Description: "BROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break. PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn’t escape. Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present." My thoughts: Donnelly really has a gift for historical fiction and this is another well-researched, well-written book. I did find it a bit too long - maybe some of Andi's angst could have been cut out while still giving us what we need to understand her. And that pain and depression is very poignant, I really felt for Andi. I could just maybe have heard a bit less about it. The device of going back and forth between Andi and Alex was well-done - I was right there with Andi wanting to know what had happened to Alex and the little prince. But, as with Andi, I also could have done with a bit less of Alex's struggle out of poverty and burning desire to become an actress and then her quest to be there for Louis-Charles during his imprisonment. The idea was great, but I found it was repeated a few too many times for me. There was a little bit too much...almost magic realism for me. The guy responsible for Truman's death is basically named Robespierre and I fell out of the story somewhat when "the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present." Was it a dream sequence? Did she hit her head? Was it magic? It was a bit too much of a gimmick for me. But while those scenes weren't my favourites, Donnelly's descriptions of the filthy, smelly, violent Paris of Robespierre's day overlaid with Andi's knowledge of present-day Paris really work well and have clearly been thoroughly researched, as has everything from the music to the history for this novel. While I'm not all that well-versed in music, I did think the musical history sections, with connections between composers like Handel and Radiohead, were interesting. I've just checked and discovered that the subject of Andi's thesis, Amadé Malherbeau, does not exist, which makes sense given that he had to fit into the story, but seems a bit of a shame when the book contains so many facts about the Revolution and Prince Louis-Charles. Donnelly also has a sense of humour, which is great. Andi's friend Vijay is constantly being interrupted by his hen-pecking mother who feels he should spend every waking moment on his political science thesis, rather than wasting it talking to Andi. And I wonder if Donnelly went to the archives in Paris, as Andi does - as there are some very funny, spot-on-seeming descriptions of the hoops one must jump through to gain access to the materials. Overall, I found Andi's journey from suicidal depression to a functioning life in Paris and Alex's story of the horrors of the Revolution to be worth reading, despite my reservations.

Review: Somebody Everybody Listens To

Somebody Everybody Listens To by Suzanne Supplee
4 stars

Reasons for reading: I loved her first book; Southern Literature Challenge

Description: "Retta Lee Jones is blessed with a beautiful voice and has big dreams of leaving her tiny Tennessee hometown. With a beaten down car, a pocketful of hard-earned waitressing money, and stars in her eyes, Retta sets out to make it big in Nashville. But the road to success isn’t a smooth one in a town filled with dreamers, and Retta begins to have doubts: can she make her mark while staying true to herslf?"

First line: "Even on graduation day, the Starling High School gymnasium smelled just like it always did – a combination of old sweat and dust masked somewhat by cherry-scented disinfectant and floor polish."

My thoughts: I'm so behind in writing this, I read it at the beginning of the year! But I really enjoyed this book - it was really refreshing to read a YA novel about a real-seeming person, not one that was all about rich kids or yet another paranormal romance. And I liked the small-town Tennessee and Nashville settings (most Southern YA I've read lately has been in the lush, gothic vein - not that there's anything wrong with that - but again, not very realistic). Supplee must have spent time in Nashville, because she provides great descriptions of the city, particularly Music Row. Each chapter is named for a country song and a brief bio of the singer, including their struggles to get to Nashville, is included, which was a fun touch, and it includes both classic country stars and newcomers like Carrie Underwood, which is good for a YA novel.

Retta is a likeable character and I admired her determination to get to Nashville, even when just about every kind of bad luck befalls her and she even has to turn back at one point. She makes mistakes along the way, but she's talented and good-hearted. I liked that it wasn't a rags-to-riches tale, she doesn't suddenly skyrocket to number one on the charts or anything. Much better than that, it's a story about being brave enough to follow your dreams and to work hard to achieve them.

Review: The Perfect Love Song

The Perfect Love Song by Patti Callahan Henry
2 stars


Reason for reading: Okra Picks Challenge

Description: "Jimmy Sullivan has been living on the road with his brother, Jack, and his band The Unknown Souls. Without a place to call home, Jimmy and Jack lead a nomadic life filled with music and anonymous cities. When they return to a place Jimmy never wants to see again—their old hometown of Seaboro, South Carolina—he falls in love with Charlotte Carrington.

With his soul now filled with hope, Jimmy writes his first love song. When he performs it at a holiday concert to a standing ovation, the lyrics are dubbed the “Perfect Love Song,” so much so that Jimmy finds himself going on tour with famous country music stars, catapulted into a world where the trappings of fame and fortune reign supreme.

All too soon, the hope that had once inspired Jimmy to write such beautiful, genuine lyrics is overshadowed by what the song can do for him and his career. In his thirst for recognition, he agrees to miss Jack’s wedding in Ireland to sing at a Christmas Eve concert. And his ties to Charlotte seem to be ever so quickly slipping away.

Alone in New York City on Christmas Eve, Jimmy finally sees—with the help of a Christmas miracle or two—that his material gains are nothing compared to love, that he is losing all that really matters in his life. Is it too late to find his way to Ireland, to his brother, and to love?"

My thoughts: I agree with this review from Publisher's Weekly "This wallows in the pitfalls of intrusive narration, simplistic storytelling, and overly moralistic asides, and is stocked with characters with all the staying power of a snowflake in July."

This just didn't work for me at all. I felt like I'd missed getting to know the characters and their background somehow and I wasn't surprised to find out in the notes at the end that they were featured in one of the author's other books. Maybe if you'd gotten to know and love them there this book would be fun, but for me it wasn't. Why Kara was so devoted to Maeve Mahoney that she basically dedicates her wedding to the old woman wasn't very clear (presumably it was featured largely in the other book, but it's only mentioned in passing here), the narrator (who I guess is the ghost of Maeve?) is definitely intrusive and there are all kinds of sappy aphorisms throughout. Jimmy is a jerk. It has all of the bad stuff about Christmas movies - sappiness, "Christmas miracles" and someone's bad attitude being transformed on Christmas Eve. Definitely a Christmas turkey.

Review: Love, Charleston

Love, Charleston by Beth Webb Hart
3 stars

Reason for reading: Okra Picks Challenge

Description:
"Charleston's Anne Brumley has long dreamed of love while ringing the bells at St. Michael's, but those dreams are beginning to fade. Her sister Alisha and cousin Della encourage the thirty-six year old to move somewhere new for a fresh start.

Widower Roy Summerall has happily ministered to the country folks of Church of the Good Shepherd for years. So why would the Lord call him and his daughter away to Charleston--the city that Roy remembers from his childhood as pretentious and superficial? Surely the refined congregation of St. Michael's won't accept a reverend with a red neck and a simple faith.

Meanwhile, Anne's sister, Alisha, struggles with her husband's ambition, which seems to be taking him further from their dreams of a happy family. And Cousin Della's former fiance has returned to Charleston, making her wonder if she chose the wrong path when she married her gifted but unemployed-artist husband.

Family, friendship, and faith converge in a beautiful story about how God's transforming love works in the Holy City of Charleston."

My thoughts: I hadn't realized this was Christian fiction when I added it to my to-read list. Not that I have anything against the genre, I just don't have any real interest in it at all. Most of the book was pretty darn depressing - Roy's wife died of cancer, Alisha and her baby almost die and then she suffers from terrible post-partum depression and her husband is a jerk, and Della almost has an affair. While it's tagged as being a love story between Anne and Roy, Anne is away in England for a large part of the book and it honestly seemed a bit of a pairing of convenience - she's an old maid bell-ringer, he's a widowed minsiter, they should get together. I always love books set in Charleston, so that helped. But I particularly thought the last pages where Della, an author, ponders over whether it's a happy ending was a bit too meta for me. I'd probably recommend this author to someone looking for Christian women's fiction or a non-sexy romance, but it wasn't my cup of sweet tea.

Review: Evermore

Evermore by Alyson Noel
2.5 stars

Reasons for reading: YA Reading Challenge, it's really popular at my library, I've enjoyed some of the author's other books

Description: "Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever can see auras, hear people’s thoughts, and know a person’s life story by touch. Going out of her way to shield herself from human contact to suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste . . .

Ever sees Damen and feels an instant recognition. He is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy, and he holds many secrets. Damen is able to make things appear and disappear, he always seems to know what she’s thinking—and he’s the only one who can silence the noise and the random energy in her head. She doesn’t know who he really is—or what he is. Damen equal parts light and darkness, and he belongs to an enchanted new world where no one ever dies."

My thoughts: This really didn't do it for me at all, though I seem to be in the minority. Teens love it and it got really good reviews. It just seemed so much like all the other vampire-type (now I see that Fallen Angels are taking over) books - sad teen girl and impossibly handsome and perfect immortal guy. I didn't find the explanation of how Damen came to be immortal very satisfying and I didn't understand how Ever was an immortal, too, when she's apparently died dozens of times throughout history. How does Damen keep finding her? The writing isn't bad and Ever is a well-drawn character - her crushing guilt over her family's death and the suffering caused by being able to hear people's thoughts really come through. There are a couple of near-death, heavy-duty-action scenes. And of course smoldering romance with Damen as well as the I hate you-I love you whirlwind every teen girl in love with a supernatural being needs. The addition of the ghost of Ever's little sister, Riley, is a good touch and gives Ever a thread to hang on to in her otherwise sad life. And I liked that Ever could see how people were feeling through their auras. So, I can absolutely see why teens love the series, but it really didn't do it for me.

Review: Virals

Virals by Kathy Reichs
3.5 stars

Reason for reading: Okra Picks Challenge

Description: "Tory Brennan, niece of acclaimed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan (of the Bones novels and hit TV show), is the leader of a ragtag band of teenage "sci-philes" who live on a secluded island off the coast of South Carolina. When the group rescues a dog caged for medical testing on a nearby island, they are exposed to an experimental strain of canine parvovirus that changes their lives forever. As the friends discover their heightened senses and animal-quick reflexes, they must combine their scientific curiosity with their newfound physical gifts to solve a cold-case murder that has suddenly become very hot--if they can stay alive long enough to catch the killer's scent. Fortunately, they are now more than friends--they're a pack. They are Virals."

First line: "A gunshot is the loudest sound in the universe."

My thoughts: I'm so behind, I actually read this last month! I've never read Kathy Reichs before, but have seen Bones, so I was glad to get the chance to read one of her books, even if it wasn't about Temperance. How Temperance and Tory were related was a bit confusing, Tory is something like her great-niece and Tory had only met her once or twice, though several characters point out how alike they are. Perhaps Tempe will show up in later books.

The story reminded me a fair bit of James Patterson's Maximum Ride books, with kids being turned into animal mutations by evil people. I liked the South Carolina setting - it was cool that it was set not only in Charleston but also on the outer-lying islands. The descriptions of the city and its landmarks as well as the islands and their beaches, make it obvious why it was chosen as an Okra Pick. The book didn't totally blow me away, but I'd recommend it to younger teen readers looking for adventure. It was an action-packed story and Tory is a feisty, super-intelligent (maybe a bit too crazy-smart, really, although I suppose that's another way she's like her great-aunt), dog-loving heroine.

Review: Mini Shopaholic

Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
4 stars

Reasons for reading: I like the series!

Description: "Becky Brandon thought motherhood would be a breeze and that having a daughter was a dream come true: a shopping friend for life! But it’s trickier than she thought. Two-year-old Minnie has a quite different approach to shopping.Minnie creates havoc everywhere she goes, from Harrods to her own christening. Her favorite word is “Mine!” and she’s even trying to get into eBay! On top of everything else, Becky and Luke are still living with her parents (the deal on house #4 has fallen through), when suddenly there’s a huge financial crisis. With people having to “cut back,” Becky decides to throw a surprise party for Luke to cheer everyone up. But when costs start to spiral out of control, she must decide whether to accept help from an unexpected source—and therefore run the risk of hurting the person she loves. Will Becky be able to pull off the celebration of the year? Will she and Luke ever find a home of their own? Will Minnie ever learn to behave? And . . . most important . . . will Becky’s secret wishes ever come true?"

My thoughts: What is there to say? Fans know what to expect, and we get it. Even though I do often find Becky really annoying and the rest of the characters are getting pretty stock, it's still a fun series. And I suppose part of the reason they feel like stock characters is that we've gotten to know them -Becky's caring but often shrill drama queen mum, her dour eco-freak sister Jess, etc. And Becky has a good heart, that's why I stick with her. She's really shallow in a lot of ways, but she's really caring and when she really puts her mind to things, even if she makes a terrible mess, she follows through. Minnie is cute, if sometimes exasperating like all toddlers, is a chip off the old credit card, in addition to "Miiiiiiiiine!" she also frequently says "Starbucks, muffin" and "Visa?" Becky gets into some rather hilarious scrapes once again and trying to keep the party a secret nearly kills her. But in the end, she might just suprise us all...

Books read in 2010

So, I read 107 books last year, 3 more than 2009. I didn't do very well with reviewing this year, I'll have to step it up in 2011.

Adult Books

1. Full of Grace

2. Black Powder War

3. Little White Lies

4. Empire of Ivory

5. The Other Queen

6. Heart and Soul

7. Summer Blowout

8. Passion

9. Big Cherry Holler

10. Olive Kitteridge

11. A Reliable Wife

12. Dear Fatty

13. Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

14. Under Orders

15. Roses

16. Black Hills

17. Victory of Eagles

18. The Year of the Flood

19. Jane Bites back

20. Pretty in Ink

21. Death Masks

22. Shoot to Thrill

23. The Red Leather Diary

24. Take a Chance on Me

25. 16 Lighthouse Road

26. I Take This Man

27. Bitter is the New Black

28. gods in Alabama

29. Fly me to the Moon

30. Shem Creek

31. Island of the Sequined Love Nun

32. Juliet, Naked

33. Men and Dogs

34. Blood Rites

35. The Man of my Dreams

36. Dead Beat

37. Proven Guilty

38. White Night

39. Stalking Susan

40. Dating Game

41. Small Favor

42. Wild Ride

43. Turn Coat

44. All is Vanity

45. Changes

46. Summer at Tiffany

47. Everybody Kills Somebody Sometime

48. Three Girls and Their Brother

49. You Say Tomato, I Say Shut Up

50. Still Life

51. Star Island

52. Red's Hot Honky-Tonk Bar

53. Big Red Tequila

54. Some Like it Hot-Buttered

55. All You Need is Love

56. Her Royal Spyness

57. The Outcast

58. South of Broad

59. Keep Your Mouth Shut & Wear Beige

60. Room

61. The Art of Racing in the Rain

62. The Bikini Car Wash

63. This Time Together

64. Manhunting

65. Tongues of Serpents

66. A Vintage Affair

Children's and YA Books

1. Zombie Blondes

2. Splendor: a Luxe novel

3. Rampant

4. The Key to the Golden Firebird

5. The Hunger Games

6. Revelations: a Blue Bloods novel

7. Dragonbreath

8. The Cupcake Queen

9. Catching Fire

10. Getting the Girl

11. Son of the Mob

12. Don't Judge a Girl by her Cover

13. Amazing Maurice...Educated Rodents

14. A Northern Light

15. Scarlett Fever

16. School's Out - Forever

17. How Not To Be Popular

18. Specials

19. The Espressologist

20. Will Grayson, Will Grayson

21. Hearts at Stake

22. The Treasure Map of Boys

23. What I Saw and How I Lied

24. Very LeFreak

25. Secret Society

26. Amy & Roger's Epic Detour

27. Ruined

28. The Dark Divine

29. Mockingjay

30. When You Reach Me

31. Front and Center

32. Airborn

33. Confessions of the Sullivan Sisters

34. Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning

35. Pretty Dead

36. Bright Young Things

37. Virals

38. Hush, Hush

39. My Life, the Musical

40. The Fortunes of Indigo Skye

41. The Kid Table

2011 YA Reading Challenge

Even though I didn't quite complete it in 2010, I'm going to try again. This challenge is being newly-hosted by Jamie, so thanks to her for taking it on!

Here's what I have so far for my "Fun Size" level of 20 books.

1. Evermore by Alyson Noel
2. Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce
3. Loser/Queen by Jodi Lynn Anderson
4. Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
5. Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
6. Siren by Tricia Rayburn
7. Ascendant by Diana Peterfreund
8. Zombies vs Unicorns by Holly Black
9 Enchanted Ivy by Sarah Beth Durst
10. The Twin's Daughter by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
11. Matched by Ally Condie
12. Cloaked in Red by Vivian Vande Velde
13. Real Live Boyfriends by E. Lockhart
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.

Southern Literature Challenge

Hooray, I love Southern lit!

I'm going to participate in Level 4: Y'all come back now, y'hear! Read 4 books

Here they are!

1. Somebody Everybody Listens to by Suzanne Supplee
2. Backseat Saints by Joshilyn Jackson
3. The House on Tradd Street by Karen White
4. Delta Wedding by Eudora Welty

2011 Debut Author Challenge

Details are here.

The goal is to read at least 12 books by authors making their YA debut in 2011. Here's the start of my list (subject to change!):

1. Across the Universe by Beth Revis
2. Timeless by Alexandra Monir
3. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
4. Wither by Lauren De Stefano
5. Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton

Colourful Reading Challenge Wrap-Up

Colourful Reading Challenge

Thanks to Rebecca for hosting it! It was a fun way to get some books off the TBR list.

Here's my list:
1. Empire of Ivory by Naomi Novik
2. The Key to the Golden Firebird by Maureen Johnson

3. Black Hills by Nora Roberts
4. The Fortunes of Indigo Skye by Deb Caletti
5. Keep Your Mouth Shut and Wear Beige by Cathleen Gilles Seidel
6. Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning by Danette Haworth
7. The Red Leather Diary by Lily Koppel
8. Little White Lies by Gemma Townley
9. Revelations: a Blue Bloods novel by Melissa de la Cruz

My favourite was Empire of Ivory, because I love the series. I also really liked Black Hills and The Fortunes of Indigo Skye. While not my favourite by Maureen Johnson, The Key to the Golden Firebird was also good. The rest were pretty much average. I'd say my least favourite was Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning - it wasn't bad, it just felt like I'd read it all before.

2010 Young Adult Reading Challenge Wrap-Up

Well, I didn't get this one quite finished. I aimed for 25 books and got to 23, with a couple of last-minute challenge overlaps and one that I finished a day late. Didn't get them all reviewed, either, though I may catch those up. Unfortunately, like a lot of other challenges I was involved in this year, this one seemed to peter out on the challenge blog and it seemed like no-one was really coordinating it any more, which was a bummer. Still, it was fun and a good way to squeeze in my required YA reading!

My favourite books were The Hunger Games and Amy and Roger's Epic Detour. I think my least favourite was the Dark Divine or maybe My Life: The Musical.

1. Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
2. Ruined by Paula Morris
3. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
4. Splendor: a Luxe novel by Anna Godbersen
5. The Splendor Falls by Rosemary Clement-Moore (finished a day late!)
6. Very LeFreak by Rachel Cohn
7. Son of the Mob by Gordon Korman
8. School's Out Forever by James Patterson
9. Specials by Scott Westerfeld
10. My Life: The Musical by Maryrose Wood
11. Fire by Kristin Cashore
12. Pretty Dead by Francesa Lia Block
13. Getting the Girl by Susan Juby
14. Secret Society by Tom Dolby
15. Rampant by Diana Peterfreund
16. The Fortunes of Indigo Skye by Deb Caletti
17. Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen
18. Confessions of the Sullivan Sisters by Natalie Standiford
19. Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan
20. Dark Divine by Bree Despain
21. Front and Center by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
22. Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
23. The Kid Table by Andrea Seigel