Book Review: This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers

“This must be what Dorothy felt like, I think. Maybe. If Dorothy was six scared teenagers and Oz was hell.” (This is Not a Test, Courtney Summer."

It is always assumed that when the zombie apocalypse happens we will do everything in our power to survive, but what if the morning all hell breaks loose, you were already planning to end it all?  That is the superbly unique premise that Courtney Summers brings to us in This is Not a Test, hands down one of the most stunning looks at the ZA I have ever read.

TPIB: Don't Judge a Book By Its Cover

I am a huge fan of cover art.  Like...HUGE.  It's no mistake that teen books have some of the best cover art out there and generally because most of our teens are looking for things that are visually appealing.  But some of the books that I read and fell in love with didn't have the best covers.  When I would try to booktalk these books or hand sell them to my teens in the stacks, they looked at me like I was insane.  The conversation would go a little something like this:

Me: OMG I just read Bloody Jack and it's about this girl who cuts off her hair and joins the Navy as a boy in disguise but then...she falls for one of the guys on the ship.  Except he doesn't know.  Because he thinks she is a dude.  It's awesome.

Teen: This book looks like it needs to go in the Children's section.  That cover is stupid looking.

Me: But trust me...it's really good.  And here's a good book called Mare's War about a girl who has to travel cross country in the car with her grandmother and learns that her grandmother was one of the first African-American women to participate in WWII.

Teen: Is it a picture book?

Me: ::jumps out of library window::

Making the Match: Why finding the right book is important by Teri Lesesne (guest post)

One of my teens making a match!

A few weeks ago, I read about the YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) summer course entitled Making the Match.  I decided to email the instructor for this course, Teri Lesesne, to see if she would be interested in writing a guest post for us.  Teri is @professornana via Twitter and is a professor of library science at Sam Houston State University in Texas.  See what she has to say about why finding the right book is important and if you are able, I encourage you to take her course offered through YALSA!

Book Review: Timepiece by Myra McEntire

They have altered history, and now it's time to learn what the consequences are . . .

Be warned: spoilers for Hourglass (previously reviewed), the first part of Myra McEntire's series, abound in this review. Read at your own risk.

Timepiece takes off where Hourglass left us, although it is told from another character's point of view.  If you read Hourglass, you know that Emerson and Michael stepped back in time to save one man from death, and that man was Kaleb's father.  Now we get to see what it like to have mourned your father and see him live again.  Kaleb wasn't dealing so well with his father's death in Hourglass, but how will he deal with his resurrection?

They say that every action causes a ripple of reactions throughout the universe, and the people from Hourglass have made earthquakes.  Now, time rips are becoming more frequent, new people can see them, and sometimes you can interact with them.  The rules are changing and no one is quite sure what it means.

Trend Watch: Contagion

What's next on the Trendwatch? Contagions!  Suddenly in the ya books I'm reading communities - and countries - are being taken down by the age old arch nemesis of mankind: the virus.

Caution: While reading these titles please report any sudden coughing, sneezing or itching to the local authorities.  In order to prevent the spread of contagion, please wear appropriate protective gear and remember to wash your hands.  Any person showing any signs of contagion must report those signs immediately. Happy reading.

Can you forgive the bully? A guest post by author Patty Blount

There’s a t-shirt popular among writers that says, “Writers block: when your imaginary friends won’t talk to you.” (Note to self: buy t-shirt.) It’s a well-accepted fact that writers are probably the only group of people who DON’T panic when they hear voices in their minds.

At any given time, there are about half a dozen characters who are jabbering away in my head and will not shut up until I write them out.  To date, Dan, the main character from SEND (coming August, 2012 from Sourcebooks Fire), was the hardest character for me to exorcise for a couple of reasons. First, he was male and I’d never written a male lead before, especially not from the first person POV. Second, he was obviously NOT a hero – he’d done a terrible thing and even though he was paying for it, his crime hit a bit too close to home for me.

Book Review: Lexapros and Cons by Aaron Karo

Chuck Taylor’s OCD has rendered him a high school outcast. His endless routines and habitual hand washing threaten to scare away both his closest friend and the amazing new girl in town. Sure he happens to share the name of the icon behind the coolest sneakers in the world, but even Chuck knows his bizarre system of wearing different color “Cons” depending on his mood is completely crazy.

In this hilariously candid debut novel from comedian Aaron Karo—who grew up with a few obsessions and compulsions of his own—very bad things are going to happen to Chuck. But maybe that’s a good thing. Because with graduation looming, Chuck finds himself with one last chance to face his inner demons, defend his best friend, and win over the girl of his dreams. No matter what happens, though, he’ll have to get his hands dirty.

Sequel Preparedness: Human.4 by Mike Lancaster

Later this year, in November to be exact, the world as we know it will change - again.

It began with a quiet little book titled Human.4 by Mike Lancaster.  Human.4 is a classicly creepy science fiction tale that immediately brought to mind some of the best episodes of The Twilight Zone.  The best part: it is incredibly creepy but appropriate for readers of all ages.

We begin by zooming in to a small town.  Not a lot happens here, as it the case with most small towns.  But every year there is an annual talent show.  It is here that the world as we know it changes for everyone.  Well, everyone except for 4 individuals who happened to be hypnotized at the moment the change occurred.

The girl in the fiberglass corset: a story about scoliosis and eating disorders

The first time I had to wear it in public, I threw up.  It was at my brother's baseball game and there I was running to the bathroom to hurl.  You see, unlike the corsets of old, it didn't make me look thinner.  No, it made me look . . . well, large.  It being a fiberglass cast that went around my torso to help correct my spine.  I had scoliosis.

I remember it was the same year I read Deenie by Judy Blume and thought, wow that would suck.  Later that year they called us all in to the nurses office and had us bend over and touch our toes.  It turns out that I, too, had scoliosis.  My spine was curved.  For 2 years I had to wear a fiberglass corset 24/7 and then for another 2 years I had to wear it at night.  Nothing says have a good night's sleep like a fiberglass corset digging in your hips.

Top 10 Tuesday: Body Image and Eating Disorders

Yesterday we talked about The List by Siobhan Vivian.  One detail that didn't come fully to light in our coverage is the story of Bridget, who develops an eating disorder.  Her description on the "list" says this: what a difference a summer makes.  What they don't know is how she lost that weight over the summer, and how that statement affects her downward spiral.  I felt that Bridget's story, her story of how she counted calories and avoided food, was a thoughtful depiction of anorexia that rang true.  So today, in honor of The List by Siobhan Vivian, and in honor of teens everywhere trying to learn to love their bodies, we have put together this Top 10 List of books on Body Image and Eating Disorders.  Click the book cover and it will take you to the books Goodreads summary or TLT review.