Book Roundup

I have not had time for much book blogging recently, so I am going to give a roundup of several titles in one post. These are all books recently read by our three teen discussion groups. (Click on the book covers to see which libraries have them.)

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Read by Primos Young Adult Book Group and Sellers Read & Rant Book Group

In a future society based on appearance, everyone undergoes massive plastic surgery when they turn 16 to become a "pretty." Tally has been eagerly looking forward to her 16th birthday, but a budding friendship with Shay has introduced her to a whole new idea: staying ugly and joining an outpost of others who have refused the surgery. In this dystopian novel of escapades and escapes, friendship and betrayal, it becomes increasingly clear that looks aren't everything. And once you've read this one, you'll want to find out what happens to Tally and Shay in Pretties, Specials, and Extras. This is a series that I have read, enjoyed, and recommended to a lot of people over the years. Also, take time to visit Scott Westerfeld's blog...he always has interesting things to say, plus he has a new book coming out!!

Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta
Read by Sellers Book Grub Book Group

Josephine has always been surrounded by strong women and has grown into her own feisty personality. Now in her senior year of high school, Josephine's worldview is severely challenged when her biological father returns to town. Throw in two very different guys vying for her attention, long-held family secrets, and a dash of racism and politics, and it's obvious why Josephine is determined to express her indepence. Some of the cultural references in this book are funny since it was orginially published in the early 1990s in Australia, but the characters and their complicated relationships are more than enough to keep you interested in the story. You could also track down the movie, released in 2000. Melina Marchetta also wrote Saving Francesca, a previous Book Grub favorite, and Jellicoe Road, which won the 2009 Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature.

Leepike Ridge by N. D. Wilson
Read by Primos Young Adult Book Group

Eleven-year-old Tom has explored all around the mountain where he lives in a strange house chained to the top of a rock. But, riding a piece of styrofoam down the river, he is sucked down an underground waterfall deep into the heart of the mountain. Injured and fighting for his very survival, Tom grows less and less hopeful of finding a way out. A dead body, a dog, some crawfish, and mysterious stranger prove key in keeping him alive, and
what they discover in the mountain could change American history forever. In the tradition of many other survival adventure stories from the classic Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe to the more recent Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, this book is full of edge-of-your-seat moments as you root for Tom to make it out alive.

Alice, I Think by Susan Juby
Read by Sellers Read & Rant Book Group

Homeschooled by her hippie mother and preoccupied father, 15-year-old Alice realizes that her family has in no way prepared her for real life. She has no friends, no boyfriend, no job, and no social skills. Alice doesn't even know how to use the internet! What's a girl to do? Create a list of life goals and try to accomplish them, of course. Told from Alice's point of view, this book hilariously chronicles her attempts to overcome 15 years of social poverty and take the world by storm with her sense of fashion and ironic cultural criticism. If you liked this book, look for the sequels: Alice MacLeod, Realist at Last and Miss Smithers. And, look for the TV series based on the books, which aired in Canada for one seasion of 13 shows in 2006.