The Deep Sea Never Looked so Good!

With science fiction exploring so many different realms, it is no wonder it has take YA so long to get into the ocean! Who doesn't want to live in an incredible underwater civilization with kelp gardens, fish farms, and other "deeply" exciting adventures!

Dark Life by Kat Falls starts off with a premise that the world has been largely flooded due to global warming, and most of the submerged East Coast has broken off the continent and slipped into a deep underwater ravine. In a world where space is now limited and families are lucky to have one tiny room in a concrete jungle, civilization has found a way to live on the ocean floor. In the Dark, as the underwater civilizations are called, a person can earn huge homesteads in exchange for a few years working the land for food for the Topsiders.

Ty's parents were two of the scientists and engineers who put together the Dark, and Ty was the first child born undersea. It is rumored that children born undersea were developing special gifts- Dark Gifts- but if they do, none will admit to it. When Gemma, a Topsider, comes barreling down undersea looking for her brother, Ty gets swept into helping her. But the Dark is being terrorized by a group of outlaws who raid shipments, but have recently started attacking homesteads as well. Now the Topside government has told the Dark that they either catch the outlaws themselves, or the undersea homesteaders will be forced to leave their land and move Topside. Ty and Gemma get caught up in the search for the outlaws, the truth of what happened to her brother, and the fight to keep the undersea settlements safe.

This is an immediately interesting book. From the very first page, Falls' world is gripping, exciting, and a very interesting possibility! The technology behind the underwater architecture, travel, and ways of life are really intriguing! The story is also full of adventure and excitement, with multiple conflicts taking place. It has also been described as post-apocalyptic or dystopian, but I think it is more on the adventure/science fiction realm.

The writing is fairly simple, and while the story is full, it isn't overly complex. Therefore, this would be an excellent book for middle readers and early high school students. My first thought as I read the book, was "Yeah! A book for boys!" It is so hard to find books that aren't inherently bent towards teen girls, so it is so exciting when you find one that works for both boys and girls! This book would keep any boy reading. The story is also mature enough for an older teen with a lower reading level. And the exciting part? While it ends with a good conclusion and doesn't leave you hanging, it is slated to be a series! I look forward to reading the next book, and I can't wait to pull my students into this fantastic Underwater Adventure!

Stole My Attention!

What do you get when you cross the Da Vinci Code, National Treasure, and Ocean's Eleven in a Young Adult Stew? Heist Society, by Ally Carter! I won't lie, I was turned off by the title- a bit to corny- but the picture made me think of Audrey Hepburn, so I gave it a shot. This was one instance where judging a book by its cover worked out for me!

Kat has left the life. Her father, her great uncle, her cousins, even her family friends are all thieves: con artists, pickpockets, art thieves, jewel thieves- you name it, they can steal it. But Kat wants to live a straight life, so she enrolls (aka cons) her way into boarding school until her long-time billionaire, friend (also a thief), Hale sets her up for an incident involving the headmaster's car and the school fountain which gets her kicked out. hale didn't do this just for fun, though; Kat's father was in trouble. A very evil man had his five prized paintings stolen, and he is sure Kat's father is responsible. Now Kat, Hale, and a merry band of misfit teenaged crooks must find the paintings to save Kat from a very bad man and his gang of thugs.

This story is very interesting, peppered with hilarious antics of supporting characters. Two of the crew, brothers Hamish and Angus, have me laughing from the moment they hit the stage until the very last page. Kat herself is a strong young woman who will go to great lengths to protect her family- even breaking into the most secure museum ever with only 6 other teens as her crew, despite the explicit instructions not to get involved from her father and her uncle. She isn't sure what she wants anymore in regards to "the life", but she knows how much her family means to her!

This is a great book for middle school and early high school students, but the characters and action-packed fun are perfect for low-skilled older students. They won't be burdened by a high reading level, but won't be insulted by a watered-down, hokey story. This was a fun story that ends well, but has a sequel on the way. If you have a student who needs some action to keep them going and would benefit from a fun story to hook them, this is a great choice! And don't let the cover fool you- this would be a good story for boys or girls!

Everyone needs a Witch Once in a While!

Now, there are so many supernatural books out there these days, it almost gets hard to tell one from the other. We've got vampires all over the place, some twinkle, some burn, some are downright creepy. We have werewolves, were-lions, even were-eagles! Not to mention witches, warlocks, wiccans, and any number of other kinds of spellcasters. Then add in the fallen angels, ghouls, zombies, etc. and we are so full of the supernatural, we can't tell where one story ends and the next begins. So when you find one that stands out from the pack, like Once a Witch, by Carolyn McCullough, you get excited!

The story begins in a unique way for a family of witches, because the main character, Tamsin, is the only non-magical member of the family. To rub salt in the wound, when she was born, Tamsin's grandmother foretold that Tamsin would be the most powerful witch of them all. So Tamsin tries to live as normal of a life as possible away from her family, and when she is with her family, she must deal with the fact that she is literally powerless in a family full of the most powerful witches of that time.

When Tamsin is watching her grandmother's magic shop, a young man mistakes her for her very powerful sister and asks her help. Enjoying the feeling of someone thinking she was powerful, she doesn't correct him. In fact, she agrees to help him find a clock that was lost from his family long ago. So Tamsin enlists the help of her very talented and newly returned family friend, Gabriel, to find the clock. When they travel back in time, however, they find there is more to this clock than they originally thought. Now her sister is under a powerful love spell, her grandmother is in a coma, and Tamsin the Powerless must fix what she has done.

This is a really fun story with some new twists and powers that we haven't seen lately. Tamsin is a girl who feels like an outsider everywhere she goes- she is powerless in a family of very powerful people and out in the real world, she has to hide the truth of who her family really is. This "outsider" feeling is one that would really hit home with many teenagers. It is a time when so many feel like they don't belong anywhere, and it is nice to read that they are not alone with those feelings- with a supernatural twist of course! I also think Tamsin is a wonderful character full of spunk, frustration, and conflict between wanting her own life and wanting to fit in.

The book is a middle-of-the-road reading level that would be appropriate for high-skilled middle school students to low-skilled high school students. The story might be a bit too juvenile for a mature high school student, and might be best for 10th grade and under. The coolest thing was the author's website. It has a bunch of information about myths and history about witches, especially about witch trials. It also has a little quiz to test how well you know your witches, including questions about witches from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", Harry Potter, Salem, and even "Sabrina the Teenage Witch". So check out the book, and don't forget to look at the website! You won't be sorry!

http://www.onceawitch.com/

A Journey Down the Manless Road

After reading Nomansland, a dystopian tale about a civilization without men that was written by a woman, I was interested in the comparison of a similar tale written by a man. Epitaph Road, by David Patneaude (pronounced "pat-node"), is a dystopia about life after a plague kills most of the male population on earth and how the world copes with such a rocking change.

Kellen is a young man in a woman's world. A generation ago, a savage virus swept through the world and wiped out 97% of the male population. Whole governments were decimated, leaving the women to pick up all the pieces. Surprisingly, the result was a peaceful existence worldwide, but very limited rights for men. Some men live within the civilizations and are even allowed professions if they score high enough on the gender biased trials. Some men, however, live on the outskirts of society as loners who want nothing to do with the woman-run world.

Kellen's father in a loner who works on his fishing boat, but his mother works for the government. When Kellen overhears a virus is going to be released in the area where his father lives, he and two young female friends take off to save him from the government outbreak that will be made to look like a natural occurrence of the virus, but will actually be the government's way of ridding themselves of conspirators. In their travels to find Kellen's father, the trio find a whole lot more about the original pandemic's origins, what rebels are doing to stop the virus, and a "companion" virus that would wipe out the female population the same way the men were decimated a generation ago.

This is a very interesting story full of feminism and sexism. It was an interesting spin on "women Take Over" compared to Nomansland, but I think this novel was more interesting and more readable. The women in this book were more calculated and ruthless; they even regulated how many men could "contribute" sperm and how many boys would be born through fertility controls. I really liked the idea that while women considered themselves more humane and level-headed compared to the previous generation's male-led governments, and were in many international diplomatic scenarios, they were just as sexist and oppressive to men as men were to women in generations in the past. It was an interesting examination of sociology, gender relations, and humanity.

This was a very readable book with background knowledge of the plague presented in a gripping manner. The action of the plot begins quickly and is gripping enough to hold the reader in. The reading level would be best for high skilled middle-schoolers to high school students. It is a great book to use as an examination of gender and sexism. This story paired with a historical novel about women's suffrage would create some interesting discussions.

Six Rules of Maybe... or Definitely

There are some books that just simply surprise you, usually by being more than they seem. The Six Rules of Maybe, by Deb Caletti, had just that effect. There were times when it was a typical girl meets boy (who she isn't supposed to like) YA, but then there were times where this book was putting my innermost thoughts out there on paper!

Scarlet grew up in her older sister Juliet's shadow. Juliet was beautiful, always had boyfriends (bad boys, of course), and never worried about how her actions affected other people. Their mom worked hard to raise them, and their father left them long ago, leaving plenty of abandonment issues behind him. When Juliet comes home married and pregnant, Scarlet and her mother aren't surprised by the whirlwind situation, but are surprised Juliet chose to stick with the commitment of a baby and a husband.

Hayden and his dog Zeus may be unexpected additions to the house, but to Scarlet, they are incredible and surprising. Scarlet begins to have feelings for Hayden she knows are wrong, but she can't help. When she realizes Juliet is sneaking around with her ex-boyfriend, she is conflicted- she is furious that her sister would hurt Hayden, but elated because she is falling in love with him herself. But nothing is more forbidden than your sister's husband, no matter how perfect he is.

There are parts of this story that are like windows into a high schooler's soul. In particular, it is a glimpse into the soul of a pleaser. If you aren't a pleaser yourself, you definitely know one. She is that girl who can't reject even the most annoying guy for fear of hurting him. She is a weirdo magnet because she will never do anything that might make someone feel bad. She also never thinks about how this all affects her, because she is too worried about everyone else. She seems so strong, so impervious, but really? She is a mess. She questions everything she does, feels trapped, and can't stand up for herself. Scarlet is a piece of all of us we wish we could squash but know will always be there.

This book is interesting, but is more in Scarlet's head than anywhere else. There is little dialogue or action, but when there is some, it is well done. The insights are incredible, but I am afraid it might be lost on a punchy teenaged reader who just wants gratuitous entertainment. This is a brilliant story with beautiful writing, but might not capture the attention of many of my students. I wish it would teach them a little about themselves or the people they know, but the lessons might be too subtle. I think this book is more valuable for the teacher or mother who deals with adolescent girls than for the girls themselves. While Ophelia Speaks gave us a glimpse into the minds of real girls, The Six Rules of Maybe can do so with a fictional girl who seems so real, you will swear you know her.

Would it Be the Same without Men?

In my quest for more and more dystopias, I found two books about a future where there are few men, if any. One was written by a man, one by a woman. I couldn't wait to see the difference between the two! Nomansland by Lesley Hauge is the woman's perspective of what life would be like without men.

Keller is a Tracker "in training". Trackers protect the Foundland from interlopers... men in particular. Foundland has survived for generations as a woman-only civilization and would like to keep it that way. After sickness and mutations decimated the population, a group of women moved north to a college campus where they have learned to survive. Everyone has a job, but everyone may be subject to impregnation if the Committee suspects a wave of fertility is spreading. Impregnation is not optional, and is done from sperm saved from a sperm bank, but Trackers are rarely impregnated.

When the rebellious Laing finds a house from before, the girls sneak off every chance they get to revel in the found objects. They still don't know why the Committee members are at the campus, but they can't resist the house and its forbidden objects like high heels, makeup, magazines, and most forbidden in Foundland, mirrors. But there is more to Foundland than they are told. While found objects and fashion are forbidden, the Committee uses them regularly. They have to come from somewhere. Keller begins to suspect there is more to Foundland and the world than they have been led to believe. But can she stand up against what she has always known?

This book had a really great premise, but I am afraid it fell a little short for me. It was really good, but I wouldn't say it was excellent or my favorite dystopian world. The characters were interesting, but you don't learn about anyone other than Keller in much depth until the very end. Amos, the experienced Tracker, is a wonderful mix of obedience and rebel that will keep you wanted more. But the book starts a little slow. Just when things really picked up and got interesting, it ended! And search as I might for the possibility of a sequel, I think I might not got any closure. If Hauge knew what was good for her book, she would continue the story.

The writing is fairly simple, but the terms used and descriptions are sometimes difficult to understand. You know the objects they are describing are things we are familiar with, but sometimes it takes a bit to figure out what they are talking about. I think my students would have a difficult time understanding the blind obedience, but maybe it would be a great lesson for them! In Nomansland, rebellion for rebellion's sake is pointless, but rebellion for freedom is impossible to ignore...

Where do You Draw the Line?

With a huge amount of dystopian and post-apocalyptic YA fiction out there, it is no wonder I found this little gem! After reading Birthmarked, I wasn't sure how another dystopia would sit, but The Line, by Teri Hall, was such a page-turner I finished it in one sitting!

Rachel and her mother live on The Property and work for Ms. Moore. The Property boarders The Line- the protected and sealed boundary line of the Unified States (US). When the US sealed the boarder without any warning to protect their country from war, they left a fair amount of citizens outside the border who could never return and were doomed to live in Away if they could survive the bombings and radiation. Rumors are rampant about what has happened to the Others in Away, but Rachel isn't prepared when an other makes contact and begs for help for his father.

When Rachel's mom and Ms. Moore learn of the cry for help, a story unravels that reveals more about Rachel's parents and Ms. Moore than Rachel could ever have imagined. Now they must somehow find a way to take down The Line in order to get the medicine and supplies across to Pathik in Away so he can save his father. Can they do so before the Enforcement Officers arrive at the Property?

The Line is a fast-paced read and is relatively short compared to most YA these days (just over 200 pages). The characters are interesting and multidimensional, which draws the reader in quickly: you know everyone in this book is hiding something! The history of the Unified States is delivered in a very interesting way- Rachel is quizzed on the history of her country by her mother who home schools her. This saves from endless back story that could get boring, yet still gives enough history to understand how things have gotten this oppressive.

The writing is fairly simple and I would suggest this book for any middle school to high school student. It would be particularly good for a low-skilled 9-12 grader because the story is very interesting while the reading level is rather accessible. As a dystopia, it isn't overwhelming with background, but is still easily understood with the information given. While any dystopia is kind of grim, it still has the hope of the Others in Away. My only complaint about this book is it just ended. With a sequel coming out next year, I understand keeping the reader wanting more, but this was so abrupt! Just as one action sequence ended, 50 more questions were developed and then.... The End. Now we have to wait for the next book! I don't know if I can do it!