Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Recommended: This book is another Sarah Dessen cup of tea. Again, she takes a character and weaves this amazing story and life lesson into it. And again, I can relate to something in this book, like all of the other ones I have read (The Truth about Forever, Just Listen, This Lullaby). This particular book introduces Auden, a young girl stuck in the summer between the end of high school and the beginning of college. She is an academic (book-nerd) who has not had many social experiences in her life because she has been so focused on her studies (sounds like me!). and then she has this amazing summer and makes friends and meets this great guy (who has a great story and is so cool). Sarah Dessen always emphasizes the importance of family and communication in relationships in her books. She captivates me every time.

Fallen by Lauren Kate

Recommended: I enjoyed this book and the new and different concept of fallen angels. Not many books have taken this approach in teen fantasy. It had a Twilight twist to it with the main girl character and the love triangle with her, Daniel, and Cam. The main difference is that Stephanie Meyer executed this in a better way. I also think I liked Twilight’s version of the love triangle better because the whole story is written in first person, while Fallen is written in second person. Also, the concept of the story seems like it goes very deep, but the teasing was a little too much. She left you hanging too early. I felt like she was teasing, which is appropriate if releasing a sequel, but when you tease too early and don’t reveal enough about what the reader is trying to understand, there are details that are lost. I am still going to read the sequel because now that at least the main character is in the know of some of the main concepts of the book (angels), then hopefully she will be able to write a little more clear without trying to hide too much so that people will read her second book. I feel like if she revealed a little more, I still would have read her second book because the concept of the fallen angels is so creative and draws me in, wanting more.

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

Not recommended: This book is an attempt to show teens how to deal with the death of a close family member and also how to live your dream. I say attempt because it is not very well executed. The main character is an innocent and naïve girl who has not had many experiences in her life. All of her relationships that are portrayed between her and any other character in the book are awkward and not easily understood.

The Mortal Intruments Series (City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass) by Cassandra Clare

Highly Recommended: This is the best series since Harry Potter and Eragon. The visuals in this book draws you in and send you into this world that Clare has created. She has created a new world and new language that allows for anything to happen, yet her writing allows the reader to truly believe this new world exists. In the first book, you are introduced to this new world from the perspective of the main character Clary. She does not know anything about this new world, so many things are still unknown to the Clary as well as the reader. Clare slowly unfolds detail after detail, and every detail is imaginative and new. This book is something different, yet still in the teenage genre of fantasy. Clare is also very good at explaining the relationships between the characters. There is a strong sense of family in her writing. The end of the first book gives a slight hesitation to the relationship between and the two main characters Clary and Jace, but it is redeemed in the second book and finally revealed in the third book.

The world that Clare has created is a world of Shadowhunters who protect humans (mudanes or mundies - so funny) from evil (vampires, fairfolk, warlocks, werewolves). Of course, not all "Underworlders" are evil, so there are some grey areas. This book definitely takes a Harry Potter twist because there is the ultimate evil of those who side with "pure-blood" Shadowhunters and those who believe that there can be peace between Shadowhunters and Underworlders.

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkes

Recommended: This book has a Romeo and Juliet twist to it without the depressing ending. The book didn't really get interesting until the banter between the two main characters began when they started getting to know each other. The "gang language" is often not believable, but the ending of the book shows hope for those who may be stuck in a gang situation. I like the portrayal of how different the two sides of the families are, and how screwed up families can be, and how a teenager views the adults in their lives. At the same time, the adults are honestly trying to do what is best for their children and students. The relationship between teenager and adult is just like any relationship. There are miscommunications and different perspectives. The reasoning for the decisions and actions makes a difference in how the other person reacts to the situation. If the adult and teen is honest and open, then there might be more understanding in the relationship. Many times, one or both individuals believe that they are being misunderstood.

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Recommended: This book is beautifully written. It weaves other pieces of literary references, and I love that because I learn about other books and authors as I read this book. I'm also learning about famous last words because the main character quotes famous last words. There are also a lot of psychological concepts in this book. For example, when Miles (Pudge) hears Alasks tell the story of when her mother died, he realizes that this is the reason for her crazy behavior and for many of the things that she says.

The way that death is portrayed in this book is beautiful. Just thinking about it now, I want to cry. Each person deals with death differently, and you can't stop someone from dealing with death in their own way, whether it is through screaming, or crying forever, or lying down on the ground in the middle of anywhere for no apparent reason.