Review: Don't Get Caught

Don't Get Caught 
By Kurt Dinan

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: April 1, 2016

DON'T GET CAUGHT is a (semi) realistic fiction story about a group of high schoolers set up by the notorious pranking group, The Chaos Club.  When the book’s protagonists are "caught" vandalizing a water tower thanks to the Club, the five seek revenge and together grow to be not only a legendary prank team themselves, but close friends. I completely fell in love with each character; all unique, funny, and relatable in their own ways. The dialogue is quick and witty and the plot is full of twists and revelations. DON'T GET CAUGHT is such a fun and thought provoking read! 

Review: Wink, Poppy, Midnight

Wink, Poppy, Midnight
By April Genevieve Tucholke

Publication Date: March 22, 2016
Publisher: Dial Books

WINK, POPPY, MIDNIGHT is an eerie and whimsical book about a boy named Midnight, sweet and shy, stuck between a manipulative bully, Poppy, and his odd and mysterious new neighbor, Wink. The story itself is strange. There's mystery, romance, and plenty of suspense. The fact that there's the possibility of an unreliable narrator (well actually, three unreliable narrators, since each character has their own intertwining and overlapping chapters), adds that much more intrigue. This book is definitely for the quirky and the imaginative.

Review: Inherit Midnight

Inherit Midnight by Kate Kae Myers
Publication date: February 10, 2015
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA

INHERIT MIDNIGHT is about a girl named Avery who races around the world doing challenges based on her ancestor’s past, and competing to win the family inheritance. There is a lot of action in this book, but it is mixed in with a lot of details about her stuck-up family and her love interest, who by the way, seemed very realistic, which I normally find never happens. The bits to do with her family were very relatable to me, even though I don’t think anyone’s family is as full of secrets as Avery’s. Another reason I particularly liked this book is because the main character is such a strong and independent female, who doesn't let her love interest get in the way of her main goal; winning the family inheritance. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who likes action fiction, but who doesn't necessarily want that to be the only thing they get from a novel. Ages 12 and up.

Review: Famous Last Words

Famous Last Words by Katie Alender
Publication date: September 30, 2014
Publisher: Point

FAMOUS LAST WORDS will keep you on your toes the whole way through! It’s about a girl named Willa who has just moved to Los Angeles (bonus creepiness points when murders in the book take place in your actual city!). Her stepfather is a famous Hollywood film director, and he owns the most beautiful and grand house in the Hollywood Hills. The house once belonged to a famous movie star who apparently killed herself many years ago. Willa has to balance fitting in at her private school, with visions of drowning girls and unexplained noises in the night. Someone- or something- is trying desperately to get her attention. Willa begins to connect her, shall we say, “visitor,” with a serial killer stalking young actresses in LA, and must piece together everything that’s happening before it’s too late.

I found this to be a mysterious read in a fun setting that was totally believable and interesting. The characters are super fun too, mostly because they’re all so unique to one another. I also really appreciated that the author didn't save everything important until the last chapter! When everything started to get really crazy and intense, there was still about 50 pages left. I also liked the combination of a murder mystery with ghosts and the unknown. Keep in mind, this book is not for the squeamish! It’s a little creepy…not going to lie I had to read it in the day time. For 12 and up, or frankly anyone who thinks they can handle it!

Review: Conversion

Conversion by Katherine Howe
Publisher: Putnam
Publishing date: July 1, 2014

Aspiring valedictorian Colleen Rowley is dealing with the stress of senior year at the exclusive St. Joan’s Academy when several of her classmates develop a mysterious illness. What is causing the tics, headaches, alopecia, and a host of other bizarre symptoms? A range of theories involving vaccines, strep, and environmental pollution are proposed. While reading The Crucible for extra credit Colleen discovers this isn’t the first time this has happened in her town. In fact, 200 years before, there was another group of girls who came down with a similar mysterious illness in what was then known as the town on Salem, famous for the 18th century witch trials.

Although this book is packed with a lot of information to process, I would definitely recommend it, especially for those who enjoy historical fiction. CONVERSION is suspenseful, a bit eerie, and quite an interesting read. I especially enjoyed the alternating chapters of 18th century and modern times (although I first liked only the modern chapters, I grew to appreciate and enjoy having them both). I would recommend this book for ages 12 and up.

Review: When I Was the Greatest

When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds
Publisher: Atheneum Books
Publishing date: January 7, 2014

This novel is about 15 year old Ali, his family, his best friend Noodles and his brother Needles, who has Tourette’s Syndrome. I really enjoyed this book- it’s character driven and mostly dialogue which I really like. The characters themselves are all incredibly developed, and I felt as though for most of them I either loved them, or loved to hate them, which is a good thing. I read the book really fast, because the relationships the characters have with each other are so realistic and enticing that I wanted to read it whenever I had any time at all. There is no romance in this book- and to be honest I didn’t miss it. I would recommend this book, highly, to anyone over 12 years old.

Review: The Secrets of Tree Taylor

The Secrets of Tree Taylor by Dandi Daley Mackall
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication date: May 13, 2014

One early morning, Teresa “Tree” Taylor hears a gun shot fired from across the street. With the dreams of becoming a famous writer, Tree knows this is the big story she’s been waiting for. But the more she goes digging, the more secrets she uncovers. And soon she begins to wonder: When is the truth yours to tell? And when is it right to keep it a secret? Set during the 60s in a small town in Missouri, THE SECRETS OF TREE TAYLOR is the story of family, unexpected friendships, and the power and weight of keeping someone else’s secrets.

Dandi Daley Mackall’s novel is heartwarming, fun, and one I would recommend if you were looking for something easy to read with a good message. I advise that you stick with the book once you start, because the beginning is a little slow compared to the second half. Also, please note that although the description on the back of the book describes the novel as a love story, love is not nearly as big a theme as Tree’s friendships and her investigative writing. I would recommend this book for anyone ages 11 and older.