Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

Title: Salt to the Sea
Author: Ruta Sepetys
Pages: 400
Publisher: Philomel Books
ISBN: 9780399160301
Publication Date: February 2, 2016*
AR Levels: TBD
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25614492-salt-to-the-sea

In a nutshell: Sepetys returns to the setting of World War II in her new book that's told from the perspective of four young adults from various countries, including Lithuanian nurse Joana, runaway Prussian soldier Florian, Polish refugee Emilia, and Nazi sailor Alfred, each of whom has a secret to hide. It highlights yet another historical event I was unaware of - the tragic maritime disaster of the Wilhelm Gustloff, a German ship carrying wounded soldiers and civilian refugees that was attacked and sunk by a Russian submarine in the Baltic Sea, claiming what was probably over 10,000 lives.

I'd recommend it to grades: 9 and up

I'd recommend it to: historical fiction readers, fans of The Book Thief or Titanic, and anyone who likes a good survival story

What I liked most about this book: After reading this third book by Ruta Sepetys, I'm officially adding her to my list of favorite historical fiction authors. I could wax poetic for days about her gorgeous writing and genius way of revealing the plot without telling it outright, but I'll keep this short and sweet. I adored Between Shades of Gray, and I didn't immediately realize that this was a companion novel of sorts. Yet again Sepetys manages to tell a horrific tale in a way that is hauntingly beautiful and hopeful. It's full of bravery, romance, pain, love, and sacrifice, and I loved every page of it.

Single favorite moment (without getting spoiler-y): I promised not to go on and on about the beautiful language, but I'll just leave this sentence here: "War had bled color from everything, leaving nothing but a storm of gray."

Star rating (where 5 stars is awesome and 0 stars is atrocious): 5 stars

*I read an ARC from the publisher thanks to an awesome co-worker who got it at ALA this year. Thanks, Janis!!! :)

The Unbound by Victoria Schwab

Title: The Unbound
Author: Victoria Schwab
Pages: 368
Publisher: Hyperion
ISBN: 9781423178200
Publication Date: January 28, 2014
AR Levels: Book Level - 5.2, Interest Level - 9th-12, Points: 15.0
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13638131-the-unbound

In a nutshell: In this sequel to The Archived, Mackenzie Bishop is still coping with the aftereffects of what happened on the roof of the Coronado and struggling to find normalcy as she begins her junior year at Hyde School, a fancy private school where she just wants to keep a low profile and move on with her life and her job as a Keeper. But when people around her start disappearing and she continues to have all-too-realistic nightmares about Owen, the History who almost ended her life and Wesley's, Mackenzie must solve the mystery before everything around her begins to go to pieces, and she'll have to question everything she trusts about the Archive in order to do so.

I'd recommend it to grades: 9 and up (for violence and mild language)

I'd recommend it to: fans of the Beautiful Creatures series and anyone who loves a good mystery

What I like most about this book: I fell in love with the world of this book series when I read The Archived, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one. It DID NOT disappoint. Wow. I'm still amazed by the sheer creativity and uniqueness of the concept of this series, and this second book delves deeper into the characters' emotions and motivations while still maintaining page-turning suspense in every chapter. Plus, there's a healthy dose of will-they-won't-they between Wesley and Mackenzie. Their chemistry is undeniable and age-appropriate. The author has said she plans to write a third novel, but there's no official publication date or any other information, and with the bomb she dropped at the end of this one, I sure hope we'll hear something more definite soon because I am so not ready to leave this series behind.

Single favorite moment (without getting spoiler-y): All the parts with Wesley Ayers. All. Of. Them. ;) Add him to my very long list of book boyfriends.

Star rating (where 5 stars is awesome and 0 stars is atrocious): 5 stars 

The Archived by Victoria Schwab

Title: The Archived
Author: Victoria Schwab
Pages: 328
Publisher: Hyperion
ISBN: 9781423157311
Publication Date: January 22, 2013
AR Levels: Book Level - 4.7, Interest Level - 9th-12th, Points - 13.0
Goodreads Link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10929432-the-archived

In a nutshell: Mackenzie Bishop, the youngest girl to ever be named a Keeper, began her job when she was just 12 years old, and that important job is to keep the dead where they belong. Mackenzie serves The Archive, an otherworldly place where Histories, or records of the dead, are kept sleeping on shelves and guarded by Librarians. Once in a while, a History awakens, and then it's Mackenzie's job to return it so it doesn't reach the outside world. Mackenzie inherited this calling from her grandfather, Da, who himself has passed on recently along with her little brother, Ben, who died in an accident. In an effort to start afresh after those tragedies struck their family, Mackenzie and her parents move to an old hotel that's been converted to an apartment building, The Coronado. Mackenzie knows that old buildings hold more memories, more secrets, and more roaming Histories, but she has no idea just how dark its secrets are and how much she'll be tested in her duties as Keeper.

I'd recommend it for grades: 9 and up (for mild language and heavy subject matter...but even adults will enjoy this one!)

I'd recommend it to: Neil Gaiman fans, Whovians, fans of The Giver

What I liked most about this book: It's the perfect blend of terror, romance, mystery, and suspense. Schwab completely sucked me into this world (It helps that there's a giant library.), and I am dying to read the sequel now. The writing style is gorgeous, and there's a small cliffhanger at the end of nearly every chapter, so you don't want to put it down, and I mean that in a good way! Also, Mackenzie rocks. She's such a strong yet vulnerable heroine. If I had to sum it all up in two words, I'd say haunting and beautiful.

Single favorite moment (without getting spoiler-y): Mackenzie meets a boy named Wes who has an aunt and cousin who live in The Coronado, and at one point they start discussing her required summer reading list, which includes Dante's Inferno, one of Wes' favorite books. He says, "It's a shame they do that....requirement ruins even the best of books." So true and timely considering our summer reading program starts this week at the library! Word of advice - read what you want AND what you have to this summer. :)

Star rating (where 5 stars is awesome and 0 stars is atrocious): 5 stars 

He Says/She Says: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

From time to time, we'll do he says/she says reviews in which the two of us review a book we've both read. Here's the first of those reviews.

Title: The Fault in Our Stars

Author: John Green

Pages: 318

Publisher: Dutton Books

ISBN: 9780525478812

Publication Date: January 10, 2012

AR Levels: Interest Level: 9th-12th, Book Level: 5.5, Points: 10.0

Goodreads Link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11870085-the-fault-in-our-stars

In a Nutshell:  Sixteen-year old Hazel was diagnosed with Stage IV Thyroid Cancer as an early teen, but due to medical marvels, she has been living fairly uninhibited--except for the oxygen tank and frequent chemical exposure.  She makes a few friends at a support group, including Augustus, whose cancer is in remission.  Their friendship--which starts out rocky because of Hazel's less-than-cheerful disposition and bleak outlook on life--sends them on a journey of self discovery, on which they will learn about coping with what life gives you, handling fear of the unknown, and truly living when you might be dying.

He Says:  

I'll be honest--John Green could probably annotate a tax law manual and make it a worthwhile read.  So, needless to say, I was very excited to hear about The Fault in Our Stars, and I even pre-ordered it like 7 months in advance to get an signed copy.  I immediately tore into it and couldn't put it down.  For those who haven't read it yet, it's the perfect combination of hopeful exuberance, youthful hilarity, and gut-wrenching poignancy (translation: It was really good!).

I'd Recommend It for Grades:  8th-12th+; This book gets pretty intense at times and does feature some strong language.

I'd Recommend It To: ANYONE and EVERYONE!

What I Liked Most about this Book:  These characters had very realistic personalities and emotional responses to their life situations.  To share something personal about me, my biggest defense mechanism is humor--I tend to make jokes at inappropriate times to keep from dealing with intense emotions (I'm the guy that tries to make people laugh at funerals.).  Hazel and Augustus both do this, so I felt especially connected to them.

Single Favorite Moment (Without Getting Spoiler-y):  At one point in the book, Augustus jokes about taking Hazel's breath away.  If you didn't catch the punchline, reread the "In a nutshell" section and the "What I liked most about this book" section.

Star Rating: 5 stars, hands down.  I would love to go beyond that if I could.

She Says: 

I also pre-ordered this book and got a signed copy (with a Hanklerfish...might I add! Nerdfighter inside joke), and I took my time reading it because I didn't want it to end! I think it's got Printz Award written all over it. It's rare that a book can make you laugh and cry in the same sentence, and this one does that time and time again.

I'd Recommend It For Grades: 9-12+ (and all adults too!) for some strong language and some mildly sensual scenes

I'd Recommend It To: anyone with a heart :)

What I Liked Most about this Book: The authenticity of the characters. Green doesn't sugarcoat what it must feel like to be a teenager with cancer, yet these teens aren't over-dramatic archetypes either; they talk and act like real teens - making jokes, flirting, philosophizing on life - and they're super witty. You care about these characters the second you meet them, and after you finish reading, you want to start all over and meet them again. Also, this book is laugh out loud funny at times, and that's something I never thought I'd say about a cancer book.

Single Favorite Moment (Without Getting Spoiler-y): I don't want to give away too much, so you'll have to read the book to really see what I mean, but John Green has a gift for Venn Diagrams, and this book contains a fabulous one. Also, I now want to go to Amsterdam because of this book.

Star Rating: 5 of course!

Deadline by Chris Crutcher

Since we’re just getting started, I thought it might be a good idea to review several books fairly quickly so the other reviews don’t get sad and lonely.  As I was going through the shelf of books that I’ve read recently, I came across Chris Crutcher’s Deadline and knew instantly that I had to write about it.  I’ve read other books by Chris Crutcher and really enjoyed them, but this one went well beyond that.  This book made me want to know more about the author, and I was surprised to learn that he is also a counselor, which made perfect sense due to the content of the book.  The main character in Deadline is Ben Wolf, a sarcastic high school senior who learns that he has one year to live because of a rare blood disease.  While his doctor tries to save his life and his counselor tries to help him get in touch with his feelings, Ben tries to make the best of his senior year by checking a few things off his to-do list.  The book is a high-school version of the movie 50/50, and it packs quite the emotional punch.

Title:  Deadline

Author:  Chris Crutcher

Pages:  320

Publisher:  Greenwillow Books

ISBN:  9780060850890

Publication Date:  September 18, 2007
AR Levels:  Interest Level--9th to 12th; Book Level--5.1; Points--10.0

Goodreads Link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/275844.Deadline 

In a nutshell:  Ben Wolf, a high school senior, has only been 18 for two weeks when he learns that a rare blood disease will probably end his life in about a year.  Against the advice of his doctor, Ben decides to keep his diagnosis a secret from everyone, including his family, and have the best possible senior year.  But now, instead of just having a bucket list of things he wants to accomplish before graduation, he has to add a few things he wants to accomplish before he dies—making the football team, getting the girl, leaving a legacy in his small town, etc.  The only people who know his secret are his doctor and his counselor, and one is trying to save him from his diagnosis while the other tries to save him from himself.  From beginning to end, Crutcher takes you on a poignant, funny, gripping, sarcastic, and gritty journey to the intersection of living and dying.

I’d Recommend It for Grades:  9^th-12^th+ (If this was a movie, it could possibly get an R rating because of pretty strong language and some sexual content.  Parents and teachers may want to preview the book first before recommending it.)

I’d Recommend It To:  Anyone who likes reading about people with real problems, anyone who’s ever been affected by loss or illness, and anyone who just wants to read a great book!

What I Liked Most About This Book:  Deadline gives a realistic view of what it’s like for a teenager to deal with a terminal illness without sugar coating the details.  Crutcher really takes you into the mind of Ben Wolf.

Single Favorite Moment:  In an attempt to make waves and buck the system, Ben tells his very conservative American History teacher that for his class project he wants to convince his small town city council to name a street after Malcolm X.  Chaos ensues.

Star Rating:  Definitely 5 stars!  I thought this one was incredible.