The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

 From Goodreads.com
   According to Ponyboy, there are two kinds of people in the world: greasers and socs. A soc (short for "social") has money, can get away with just about anything, and has an attitude longer than a limousine. A greaser, on the other hand, always lives on the outside and has to watch his back. Ponyboy is a greaser, and he's always been proud of it, even willing to rumble against a gang socs for the sake of his fellow greasers--until one night when his friend Johnny kills a soc. The murder gets under Ponyboy's skin, causing his bifurcated world to crumble and teaching him that pain feels the same whether a soc or a greaser.

   I was required to read The Outsiders in seventh grade. For me, already a bookworm, it was no problem. At the time I mostly read R.L. Stine books and this was something completely different. My only problem was trying not to read ahead (which I failed at.) Since seventh grade I have read this countless times. I haven't tired of it and I don't think that I ever will. I have so many post-it notes in my copy it borders on ridiculous. Why?
   I don't know what made me fall so hard when I was 12 years old. Maybe it was Ponyboy's daydreamer thoughts, getting lost in books and sunsets, when the life he had wasn't quite everything he wished it would be. He's different from everyone around him, not quite fitting in.
   As I've gotten older The Outsiders has only sunk deeper into my soul. If you're looking for a love story, there isn't one here, at least not your typical romantic love story. This is a book about the love of family, about friendship.
   I recommend this book to everyone. Seriously, everyone. It may have been required reading for you in school as well, and if it was I urge you to read this again as an adult. If you've never read it, I don't think it's ever too late to fall in love with The Outsiders.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

From Goodreads.com:
   Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one girl.
   Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future.

   This cover art caught my eye a while ago, but the book just wasn't high on my list, until I was at work without my best friend to talk with. I was browsing my Overdrive app looking for audio books I could check out from the library and this is what I came across. I listened to this book in two days. I just didn't want to stop, every car ride became another chapter to hear.
   Cinder is a young adult book, and I think it's a relatively clean one. I've recently read some YA books that have some pretty questionable morals and language in them, this isn't one of them. Other than mild language I think this one was good for the younger YA audience. I did get slightly annoyed with some of the younger dramatics, but I'm sure if I were a teen this would just be perfect.
   I've also listened to book two, Scarlet and it's just as good, but there's more violence. I haven't read/listened to book three yet but The Lunar Chronicles seems to be a very promising series. If you're a fan of the retelling of fairy tales you should like this book. If you like Gregory Maguire or Once Upon a Time these are the next books you should check out.

I Heart Ed Small by Shirley Johnson

From Goodreads.com:
   In the summer of 1968 Baby Hunnicutt's mama dies and her daddy gives her to her aunt to raise. The only trouble is Aunt Clem works all day and leaves Baby in the hands of her teenage twins. Stoic protector Allen and kind and gentle Jeffrey, along with the help of their best friend, the unwashed and untamed Ed, raise up Baby the best they know how.
   I Heart Ed Small takes the reader back in time to the late sixties, when adventure and friendship were to be found outside in the hot sun of public pools and the smoky haze of pool halls. It's the story of how one little girl gets three lazy hippie boys to get of the couch, clean up their language, and grow up. I Heart Ed Small is the coming of age story of how Baby Hunnicutt captures the wildest heart from the very beginning and never relinquishes it from her sweet little hand.
   As the twins and Ed raise Baby they teach her about everything they deem important from playing pool and cussing to smoking and belching and yet she still remains pure and innocent and follows her own path as she grows up. These three smart-mouthed ruffians are the ones who are left with the responsibility to guide Baby as she begins her journey through puberty. They are the ones left  to help her deal with something Ed knows a lot about; the tricky persistence that is boys. But just as Baby needs the three of them most, they leave her life. The Vietnam War, marriage, and the call of adventure pull the boys away until the tragic threads of life reunite them all once again.

   I found I Heart Ed Small through one of my many daily emails for free! It took me a couple weeks to get around to reading it, but once I did, I just kept right on reading. The writing was nice and flowing, there isn't anything to get caught up on.
   I felt the gamut of emotions while growing up with Baby Hunnicutt. Grief at the loss of her mother, confusion, happiness, contentment, more confusion, love, hope, and grief of a different kind. The boys really stepped up for Baby helping her through times a teenage boy shouldn't have to help a young girl through. They took care of Baby as much and as best as they could. Even though the title is very leading, I still enjoyed the journey getting there.
   If you're looking for a simple book to just get lost in, this would be a great choice (not that the story is "simple" but the book is just easy to read and follow.) Also, I just read that there will (hopefully) be a sequel to this book, which I am very much looking forward to, so read this before it comes out.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

From the hardcover:
   Dante can swim. Ari can't. Dante is articulate and self-assured. Ari has a hard time with words and suffers from self-doubt. Dante gets lost in poetry and art. Ari gets lost in thoughts of his older brother who is in prison. Dante is fair skinned. Ari's features are much darker. It seems that a boy like Dante, with his open and unique perspective on life, would be the last person to break down the walls and that Ari has built around himself.
   But when Ari and Dante meet, they bond. They share books, thoughts, dreams, laughter. They teach each other new vocabularies and begin to redefine each other's worlds. And they discover that the universe is a large and difficult place.
   This is the story about two boys, Ari and Dante, who must learn to believe in each other and the power of their friendship if they ever are to become men.
   In breathtaking prose, American Book Award winner Benjamin Alire Sáenz captures those moments that make a boy a man as he explores loyalty and trust, friendship and love.

 
   Two boys who are not "normal" meet by chance one summer day. One is sad and withdrawn, the other is sociable but weird in the eyes of his peers They become best friends and help bring out the best in each other in this fantastic book. Ari never felt like he fit in (the above quote is an Ari thought) he just din't know how to act around people. Dante was strange in his own way but never pressures Ari to be something particular. He didn't expect him to be a certain way so Ari is able to be less guarded, more himself. And a beautiful friendship begins.
   For me, this is just one of those books that hit so hard. I think the first time I read this (almost two years ago) I did so in one sitting. After I finished, I read it again starting the next day. I devoured it slower the second time, really letting everything sink in, discovering new bits of information. I told my best friend about it and said I had to buy a hardcover copy for myself. (I borrowed it from the library to assess it before purchasing.) Next thing I know she bought me a copy (such was my gushing about it.) When she gave it to me, I told her she had to borrow it first, because I knew she'd love it too. I also sent a copy, all my favorite parts marked with post-it notes, to a friend for Christmas.
   It's a little difficult for me to put my finger on exactly what about this book spoke to me. It is beautifully written, but I think more than anything it was Ari. Dante had his moments too, and their parents, oh how I loved their parents. I'm hard pressed to find anything bad about this book, I may have rose colored lenses on though, but that's what happens when you fall as hard as I did. If you are not one of the people I have basically forced to read this book, you should read it, chances are, you won't regret it.

The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend by Kody Keplinger

From Goodreads.com
   Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper may not be the prettiest girl in her high school, but she has a loyal group of friends, a biting wit, and a spot-on BS detector. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. But things aren't so great at home and Bianca, desperate for a distraction, ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him. Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

    This is a cheesy YA book. Predictable? Sure. Did I care? Heck no. It was a great just-forget-the-world-for-a-few-hours book. I admit, I was hoping the ending would surprise me, but I wasn't disappointed. As the book was drawing to a close and I was reading what I now know to be the last paragraph, I was so wanting just one more chapter. I would definitely call this book a "guilty pleasure."
   The DUFF has some of your standard coming of age themes. I don't want to completely spoil the ending (as predictable as it was) but I like what the author did with the word Duff in the last few chapters. Words really only have the power you give them, they're just words after all.
      I recommend it to older young adults, maybe 14-15 years and older. The "enemies with benefits" thing...I'm just not sure how I feel about teens reading that, it really sends a poor message. Adults (probably women) who enjoy a light read would also have fun reading this I think.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan

From the Goodreads.com:
   Will Grayson meets Will Grayson. One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two strangers are about to cross paths. From that moment on, their world will collide and lives intertwine.
   It's not that far from Evanston to Naperville, but Chicago suburbanites Will Grayson and Will Grayson might as well live on different planets. When fate delivers them both to the same surprising crossroads, the Will Graysons find their lives overlapping and hurtling in new and unexpected directions. With a push from friends new and old - including the massive, and massively fabulous, Tiny Cooper, offensive lineman and musical theater auteur extraordinaire - Will and Will begin building toward respective romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history's most awesome high school musical.

   I love this book. I wish I had read it sooner and will soon be pushing it on a few of my coworkers. It doesn't matter if you don't like musicals, you don't have to to appreciate Will Grayson, Will Grayson. John Green and David Levithan each wrote their own Will Grayson. I love the two alternating and  distinct writing styles, each matching each Will Grayson perfectly.
   Aside from the writing, I really enjoyed the story. I became quite attached to the characters, all of them. It isn't often you find a book in which you like each character you're introduced to. There are some pretty valuable life lessons contained in these 310 pages as you learn and grow with Will Grayson and Will Grayson. I sincerely hope someone makes this into a movie, a musical movie. I am worried they would not do it credit, but I'd love to see someone try.
   If you're a sucker for a coming-of-age novel (like me) you'll like this book. I also recommend this book to those who love John Green (of course) but also if you've enjoyed Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sanez.

A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall

From the paperback:
   Lea and Gabe are in the same creative writing class. They get the same pop culture references, order the same Chinese food, and hang out in the  same places. Unfortunately, Lea is a little aloof, Gabe is shy, and it looks like they are never going to work things out.
   But something is happening between them, and everyone can see it. Their creative writing teacher pushes them together. The baristas at the local Starbucks watch their relationship like a TV series. The bus driver tells his wife about them. The waitress at the diner automatically seats them together. Even the squirrel who lives on the college green believes Lea and Gabe were meant to be together.
   Fall in love with falling in love in this irresistibly romantic, completely original novel!

   The synopsis, once again, says everything needed to be said about A Little Something Different. It's a love story told from the outside, by people observing the interactions of two college students. I was pleasantly surprised to find a Buffy the Vampire Slayer reference on page seven. I felt like I'd won the geek lottery.
   This book is undeniably cute. Told from 14 different viewpoints, this book truly is "something different." I wondered how I would like so many different narrators and was worried it wouldn't work well, but I loved it. I liked getting to know the main characters through the eyes of different personalities and relationships. I laughed out loud every time the squirrel was narrating and even the cynical Victor was fun to read.
   I simply enjoyed reading this sweet book. I'd recommend it to anyone just looking for a light read.

Flat-Out Celeste by Jessica Park

From Amazon.com:
   For high-school senior Celeste Watkins, every day is a brutal test of bravery. And Celeste is scared. Alienated because she's too smart, her speech affected, her social skills too far outside the norm, she seems to have no choice but to retreat into isolation.
   But college could set her free, right? If she can make it through this grueling senior year, then maybe. If she can just find that one person to throw her a lifeline, then maybe, just maybe.
   Justin Milano, a college sophomore with his own set of quirks, could be that person to pull her from a world of solitude. To rescue her - that is, if she'll let him.
   Together, they may work. Together, they may save each other. And together they may also save another couple - two people Celeste knows are absolutely, positively flat-out in love.
 
   Whether you were charmed by Celeste in Flat-Out Love or are meeting her for the first time, this book is a joyous celebration of differences, about battling private wars that rage in our heads and in our hearts, and - very much so - this is a story about first love.

   I read Flat-Out Love a couple months ago and liked it. It was a little different than I was expecting and I love surprises. I read Flat-Out Matt almost immediately after and was somewhat disappointed (it was a good book, I'm just not a huge fan of "the other side of the story" books,) this is why I put off Flat-Out Celeste. Don't make the same mistake I did. I freaking loved this book and marathon read it, staying up too late trying to finish it, without moving from my spot. It was so hard to pick a quote to use for this recommendation, one that didn't give away too much. There are so many better than the one I chose, if you could only see all my highlights.
   I like the way that Celeste's speech is "affected," the most obvious thing being, she does not use many contractions. I can't explain why I am so attracted to this, but I am. I adored the honest conversations between Celeste and Justin about every concern Celeste had. I need books that make me snicker out loud while reading, mission accomplished Jessica Park.
   But mostly I was crazy for their acceptance. Everybody feels (to some extent) the insecurities faced in this story. I think it's important for authors to write about topics similar to this, many kids feel alone in these feelings and they are not. And they should be told as often and in as many ways as possible. I wish that teens will find this book, and others like it, while still growing into who they are.
   Flat-Out Celeste along with Flat-Out Love are books that I would recommend to the multitude of young adults looking for the next book to read, and for the adult who enjoys the YA romance genre. Fans of The Perks of Being a Wallflower might also enjoy this astounding book.

Anatomy of a Misfit by Andrea Portes

From Amazon.com:
   In this Mean Girls meets The Perks of Being a Wallflower tale, narrator Anika Dragomir is the third most popular girl at Pound High School. But inside, she knows she's a freak; she can't stop thinking of former loner Logan McDonough, who showed up on the first day of tenth grade hotter, bolder, and more mysterious than ever. Logan is fascinating, troubled, and off-limits. The Pound High queen bee will make Anika's life hell if she's seen with him. So Anika must choose - ignore her feelings and keep her social status? Or follow her heart and risk becoming a pariah. Which will she pick? And what will she think of her choice when an unimaginable tragedy strikes, changing her forever? An absolutely original new voice in YA in a story that will start important conversations - and tear at your heart.

"...most of those people were just idiots. Sheep, following along. Remember that. Whenever you see everybody clamoring in one direction, do yourself a favor, go the other."

   I immediately thought of Mean Girls when I started this book. I enjoyed Anatomy of a Misfit. It is a quick read that still has important subject matter. I did have trouble getting used to the dialogue and was worried that it would bug me the entire book. I did get used to it after a few chapters. I love the dedication of this book, I believe it's one of the best dedications I've read.
   I like Anika, and kept hoping that she would realize it doesn't matter what other people think. Anika fights who she is inside and who she thinks she has to be. She feels like she's spider soup on the inside, when what she really is, is a caring individual who's afraid to show it. She is always worried that her choices will make her an outcast at school. And I really like Logan, who I felt bad for. He kept their relationship a secret with Anika, for Anika. I even like THE Jared Kline, the most popular bad boy that every girl wants. This book was full of likable characters (even if they all weren't well developed.)
   I recommend this book to people who like Mean Girls and The Perks of Being a Wallflower like the synopsis suggests, but also to other YA readers. If you don't normally read YA but you're looking for an easy to read, take me back to high school book, this is for you.

Flat-Out Love by Jessica Park

From Goodreads.com:
   He was tall, at least six feet, with dirty blond hair that hung over his eyes. His T-shirt read Nietzsche Is My Homeboy.
   So, that was Matt. Who Julie Seagle likes. A lot. But there is also Finn. Who she flat out loves.
   Complicated? Awkward? Completely.
   But really, how was this freshly-minted Boston transplant and newbie college freshman supposed to know that she would end up living with the family of an old friend of her mother's? This was all supposed to be temporary. Julie wasn't supposed to be important to the Watkins family, or to fall in love with one of the brothers. Especially the one she's never quite met. But what does that really matter? Finn gets her, like no one ever has before.
They have connection.
   But here's the thing about love, in all its twisty, bumpy permutations - it always throws you a few curves. And no one ever escapes unscathed.

Please notice, while I found this quote in Flat-out Love it is credited to Victor Hugo in the next paragraph.

     When I first started this book I wasn't very impressed, kind of your typical young adult book. I've been on a YA binge lately, but this book stood out from the rest.
   The book description barely mentions the beefiest part of the book. There's something seriously wrong in the Watkins' house. Thirteen-year-old Celeste carries around a life-size cardboard cut out of her brother Finn, who is travelling the world, and has no friends. Julie thinks something is up, but Matt won't tell her about it and advises against asking his parents. Both parents work a lot, leaving Matt to take care of Celeste. After they see how she cares about Celeste they ask Julie to stay for the school year. In exchange, she's to pick up Celeste from school and hang out with her, allowing Matt to concentrate more on his year at MIT. When no one will tell her what is going on she seeks Finn on Facebook hoping he will shed some light on the strange happenings. So starts their relationship.
   Was the book magnificently written with beautiful language? No. Could I put it down? No way. The love story got a little sappy I will admit (I rolled my eyes a couple times) but the mystery of what the heck was going on kept me hooked. I looked forward to the progress Julie was making with Celeste, and I liked the dialogue between Julie and Matt. I plan to read the next book, Flat-Out Matt, just as soon as I can.
 

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

From the hardcover:
Cath is a Simon Snow fan.
Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan.... But for Cath, being a fan is her life - and she's really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it's what got them through their mother leaving.
   Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fanfiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.
   Cath's sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can't let go. She doesn't want to.
   Now that they're going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn't want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She's got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend; a fiction-writing professor who thinks fanfiction is the end of the civilized world; a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words...and she can't stop worrying about her dad, who's loving and fragile and has never really been alone.
   For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

Fangirl is one of the cutest books I've read in a while. Even though I'm not really into fanfiction I still loved this book. It's hard when you're an introvert and entirely out of your comfort zone. We've all been there, absolutely no fun. Almost this whole book is a testament to that. I felt for Cath like I have for so many other introverted characters. The paragraph I chose for a quote sums it up pretty well I think. 

   Fanfiction was a huge part of this book with excerpts from Cath's writings. There were also small snaps from the Simon Snow books. I was slightly annoyed by these. The shorter entries weren't a problem, but at times Cath was reading large portions, and I almost skipped them. I was so anxious to find out more of the book's story, but I just couldn't skip them. I was too worried there would be relevant information in the fanfic. Annoying they may have been, but it in no way effected my overall adoration of this book. 

   This book made me laugh out loud multiple times. Busting out a laugh while reading earned me quite a few confusing looks from my lovely dog. Having a goofy grin on my face like a smitten kid was less noticeable, but I am glad I was not reading this in public. That's the kind of book this is. Whether you're an introvert or not this book will make you laugh and "awe!" And if you're not an introvert it may just offer a little look into the anxieties your introverted friend probably has.

Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern

From the Hardcover:
Amy and Matthew didn't know each other, really. They weren't friends. Matthew remembered her, sure, but he remembered a lot of people from elementary school that he wasn't friends with now.
   Matthew never planned to tell Amy what he thought of her cheerful facade, but after he does, Amy realizes she needs someone like him in her life.
   As they begin to spend more time with each other, Amy learns that Matthew has his own secrets and she decides to try to help him in the same way he's helped her. And when what started out as a friendship turns into something neither of them expected, they realize that they tell each other everything-except the one thing that matters most.

"Let's don't wait forever for our lives to start. Let's begin them ourselves. Let's be fearless for once and say, we can do this."

I was browsing at the library when the font on this book spine caught my eye, then the title, not that I was looking for another book to add to my already borrowed collection. What the synopsis on the book doesn't tell you is that Amy has cerebral palsy and Matthew suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder. Cue one great love story.
   In their junior year of high school Matthew tells Amy something he doesn't mean to, that she doesn't have any friends because she's constantly in the company of aides. Amy then has this idea to hire students to be her aides during her senior year. She specifically emails Matthew that summer to ask him to apply for one of the positions.
   I was perplexed that Amy only had four aides. She was supposed have one for each day, but there are only four. I kept wondering what happened to the fifth day of the week. Sarah is Monday, Sanjay is Tuesday, Chloe is either Wednesday or Thursday, and Matthew is Friday, after a while I gave up trying to find the lost day. I decided maybe there was something I missed about Amy only going to school four days a week (I really don't think I would have missed that though.)
   Aside from that slightly distracting issue, the book was good, an unconventional love story.  Goodreads.com described it as "The Fault in Our Stars meets...Eleanor & Park." I can see Eleanor & Park with a hint of Wonder by R.J. Palacio and The Fault in Our Stars. That being said, the story is it's own. Say What You Will is definitely worth the read, I worried the whole time that it would break my heart and kept going at a quick pace to find out how it ended.

The Last Summer of the Death Warriors by Francisco X. Stork

From the Hardcover:
DEATH
It surrounds Pancho. His father, in an accident. His sister, murdered. His own plans to trace her killer. And D.Q. - a guy Pancho's age who's dying of cancer.
  That is, if he'll ever shut up.
LOVE
D.Q. is writing the Death Warrior Manifesto, a guide to living out his last days fully. He needs just one more thing: the love of the beautiful Marisol. But as Pancho tracks down his sister's murderer, he finds himself falling for Marisol as well...
FAITH
And choices that seemed right and straightforward become tender, tentative, real. While D.Q. faces his own crisis of doubt, Pancho is inexorably drawn to a decision: to revenge his sister and her death, or to embrace the way of the Death Warrior and choose life.

"What if everyone is given a task we're to work on and if possible complete while we're living on this earth? What if before we are born and assigned bodies, all our souls stand in a line in heaven, and as we get ready to come down, an angel gives us a little slip of paper that says what we have to do? Only the message is written in a language that we forget how to speak as soon as we get down here. But the message on that little piece of paper is still deep inside us, and our job is to remember, to recollect it, and then go about doing what it says."

This was a little slow to start, but once you get going it's magnificent. I didn't feel the characters in my soul, but I did feel the entire story. Who hasn't wondered at their purpose in life?
   Pancho is determined not to let D.Q. get to him, he doesn't want to care and he doesn't want anyone to think that he might. As he tracks his sister's killer he knows that he will end up in prison for it. He feels like he just needs to do this one thing before his life is forfeit.
   D.Q. is determined to live the rest of his life on his terms in spite of his mother's forceful will to cure his cancer. D.Q. has chosen Pancho to be with him while he goes through the treatments his mother has insisted he try. All the time D.Q. tries to show Pancho the ways of a Death Warrior, to make Pancho appreciate the life he has left.
   This book should be read by everyone. It's a story about learning how to really live and enjoy life regardless of your circumstances. I would particularly recommend it if you loved The Fault In Our Stars by John Green. I know that book is widely loved, but this book has some similar themes and it doesn't crush your soul. This is not a love story, it is a tale of a friendship.

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton

From the Hardcover:
Love makes us such fools.
   Generations of the Roux family have learned this lesson the hard way. Foolish love appears to be the family birthright, in fact, which casts an ominous fate for its most recent progeny: twins Ava and Henry Lavender. Henry is mute for much of his young life, and Ava-in all other ways a normal girl-is born with the wings of a bird.
   In a quest to understand her peculiar disposition and a growing desire to fit in with her peers, sixteen-year-old Ava delves into her family's past and ventures into the wider world, ill prepared for what she might discover and naive to the twisted motives of others. Others like the pious Nathaniel Sorrows, who mistakes Ava for and angel and whose obsession with her grows until the night of the summer solstice celebration. That night, the skies open up, rain and feathers fill the air, and both Ava's quest and her family's saga build to a dark and heartbreaking crescendo.
   First-time author Leslye Walton has constructed a layered and haunting mythology of what it means to be born with a heart that is tragically, exquisitely human.

"To many, I was myth incarnate, the embodiment of a most superb legend, a fairy tale. Some considered me a monster, a mutation. To my great misfortune, I was once mistaken for an angel. To my mother, I was everything. To my father, nothing at all. To my grandmother, I was a daily reminder of loves long lost. But I knew the truth-deep down, I always did.

I was just a girl." 

 Sometimes when you read a book, you just know, from the first sentence, "this is going to be fantastic." That was how I felt about The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender. There was an element of the magical from the very beginning, not Harry Potter magic, but something much more subtle. I love stories with just a hint of the extraordinary.

   The first half of the book goes into the history of the Roux family (just two generations back,) so you get a good sense of their peculiar traits. A mother who actually fades away, a girl who turns herself into a bird, and the grandmother of Ava, who has a very strong intuition. Love has always plagued the Roux family, often ending in disaster. While there is a love story involved, I wouldn't consider this book as a whole a "love story." It's more about what it means to be human, to be a family, to be loved for who you are.
   I can't say enough about this lovely work.There are so many different layers in this book it's impossible to sum up the depth involved. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys YA. It was a quicker read, it took me a day, but I really didn't want to put it down, it captivated me from the start.

What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang

From Goodreads.com:
"Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else-two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren't they settling? Why isn't one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn't...
   For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she's still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable-hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet...for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything."

"If attention lingered on something with imperfection long enough, the imperfections were sure to show, however small they were."

 I don't remember how I stumbled onto this book, but I sure am glad I did. I started it as an audio-book (my first ever) at work instead of the usual music and was so absorbed I finished it reading at home the same day! It's the first in a series,The Hybrid Chronicles, that currently consists of two books. The third is due out this year. With characters you fall for, a little bit of a love story, friendships, not to mention the ever fascinating-to-me concept of two parts to a whole, I feel like this has a little bit of something for everyone. I can't wait to read the next one.
    It reminded me of The Host by Stephanie Meyer (two souls, one body how could it not?) and The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman, two of my favorite books. I'd recommend it to a fan of YA dystopian.

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

From the dust jacket:
"Eleanor...Red hair, wrong clothes. Standing behind him until he turns his head. Lying beside him until he wakes up. Making everyone else seem drabber and flatter and never good enough...Eleanor.
Park...He knows she'll love a song before he plays it for her. He laughs at her jokes before she ever gets to the punch line. There's a place on his chest, just below his throat, that makes her want to keep promises...Park.
   Set over the course of one school year, this is the story of two star-crossed sixteen-year-olds - smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try."

"She never looked nice. She looked like art, and art wasn't supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something."

I know you're not supposed to judge a book by it's cover, but let's face it, certain cover art draws you in and entices you to read the teaser. A girl with frizzy, curly hair connected to a boy by music? Count me in. While reading Eleanor & Park I didn't think of much else. I felt so much sympathy for Eleanor, the oldest of 5 siblings, in a two bedroom house, with a controlling step-dad. And Park, with more privileges than he realizes. Park lets Eleanor sit by him on the bus by default her first day, no one else would scoot over, so begins their year of bus rides.
   This book brought back the feelings of first love. I adore how Park loves Eleanor, for herself, even though she doesn't seem to love herself. He tries to make her see her beauty especially when she can't. It was beautiful. This would be a fantastic book to take to the beach or on vacation. It's a simple story but it kept me enthralled until the end.