Boys Don't Cry by Malorie Blackman

From Amazon: You’re waiting for the postman--he’s bringing your A level results. University, a career as a journalist--a glittering future lies ahead. But when the doorbell rings it’s your old girlfriend; and she’s carrying a baby. You’re fine to look after it, for an hour or two, while she does some shopping. Then she doesn’t come back and your future suddenly looks very different.

From Me: I think this is the first title I’ve read that tackles the issue of teenage pregnancy from the father’s POV and it does it very well. I know it’s the first Blackman I’ve read (whenever I’ve thought about Noughts & Crosses it just hasn’t been on the shelf) but it won’t be my last.

Told alternately from the POV of Dante, 17 and with his life planned out and younger brother Adam, casual and seemingly carefree, it’s clever, insightful and oh so real – teenage pregnancy, abortion, homosexuality, death of a parent, suicide – there are a lot of topics in this book but they are covered very well, and very competently. There is also a lot of joy – I am assuming Blackman is a mother herself as the way she describes the overwhelming feelings of happiness and completeness that you can feel from just a simple thing – your child’s smile – is spot on, as are the descriptions of the despair that being so bloody tired from caring for a baby can bring on.

Five stars easily. Read it.

Rosebush by Michele Jaffe

"Jaffe manages the suspense marvelously while also unfolding Jane's emotional life...a winner." --Kirkus

From Amazon: Instead of celebrating Memorial Day weekend on the Jersey Shore, Jane is in the hospital surrounded by teddy bears, trying to piece together what happened last night. One minute she was at a party, wearing fairy wings and cuddling with her boyfriend. The next, she was lying near-dead in a rosebush after a hit-and-run. Everyone believes it was an accident, despite the phone threats Jane swears were real. But the truth is a thorny thing. As Jane’s boyfriend, friends, and admirers come to visit, more memories surface, not just from the party, but from deeper in her past . . . including the night her best friend Bonnie died. With nearly everyone in her life a suspect now, Jane must unravel the mystery before her killer attacks again. Along the way, she’s forced to examine the consequences of her life choices in this compulsively readable thriller.

From Me: I devoured this title – had to keep looking up from it tho to make sure I’d get off the train at the right stop! It’s cunning and thrilling, clever and devious and a very good teen read. It’s described by the publisher as Mean Girls meets Rear Window and that’s very apt. The suspense was very well played out and enjoyable even if it had me on edge for most of the night (I nearly hit the roof during one scene of S2 Mentalist finale - not cool. Laughable, but not cool).

There were a couple of moments when I went What??!! And another few I scoffed, but according to the resident teen it’s very realistic with regards to the almost compulsive need Jane has to fit in and be popular, and how she’s blinded to a lot of other things.

If you’re not or never have been one who feels a need to fit in this may not be the read for you, however Jaffe is now on our library list.

Matched by Ally Condie

From the publisher: ON HER SEVENTEENTH BIRTHDAY, CASSIA MEETS HER MATCH.  SOCIETY DICTATES HE IS HER PERFECT PARTNER FOR LIFE. EXCEPT HE'S NOT.
In Cassia's society, Officials decide who people love. How many children they have. Where they work. When they die. But, as Cassia finds herself falling in love with another boy, she is determined to make some choices of her own. And that's when her whole world begins to unravel . . .

This book is really clever. Really, really clever. With simple, not flowery prose, and inclusion of some classic poems it’ll drag you in. I absolutely devoured this book (despite it being a teen read) and I’m looking forward to where it might head in the next book of the series. By turns chilling and uplifting, with (again) clever use of classic poetry, it’s an easy recommend for any teen girl (especially as it doesn't contain any sex) and best of all, it’s a series!!!

Ally , you probably won't get to read this but it would be really interesting written from Xander’s POV too. No pressure!

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on that sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Dylan Thomas

TK Roxborogh - Bloodlines

Amazon Description: 'Do not feel guilty that you do not love me like her.  Our union will be another story, Fleance.  I will be a good wife and an excellent queen.' Fleance is the new king of Scotland, but he is the ruler of a divided nation. According to his advisors he must marry a woman from a royal bloodline to strengthen his position.  It seems that Rachel, sister of Fleance's dead friend King Duncan will be the next Queen of Scotland, although Fleance cannot forget Rosie, his first love. But when Rachel is abducted, Fleance's position becomes even more dangerous and a bloody civil war seems inevitable. Love and duty collide in this gripping tale of valour and betrayal. The epic story that began with Banquo's Son continues.

Tania Roxborogh’s an Otago-based English teacher and her premise for this series was – What happened when Shakespeare’s Macbeth finished? The first title of the trilogy was Banquo’s Son, has Fleance growing up far too fast – fleeing to England after the murder of his father, and learning both love and the necessary skills that will enable him to enact revenge. I absolutely loved it and was waiting with a lot of anticipation for this one. Bloodlines is still a teen read (late teens, if you please) and IMO, suffers a little from the trilogy bug, in that the second title is never quite as good as the first or the last.

But having said that, it’s still a good read. Plenty of action and romance, which any teen wants, along with attention to the historical details (crafty teacher – get them learning while they’re being entertained although I was looking for any reference to flagstones) – I liked the sneak peek of William of Normandy and wonder how much of a part he will play in Birthright and thought Aha! at the wedding in the last chapter. I can’t say too much as really anything would be a spoiler but things are set up very nicely for Birthright and I’m looking forward to that one too.

Suzanne Collins - Hunger Games #3 - Mockingjay

I’ve been waiting what seems like ages to read this one, the conclusion to the pretty awesome Hunger Games trilogy (Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay). While it’s ostensibly a teen read, I’ve converted a few “adults” to reading them.

Way back when I read the first title, I was so excited. I’d compare reading it to the same level of excitement I got when reading CS Lewis’ Narnia books – adventure, good vs evil, a whole new world and every other good thing. If you haven’t read any of the series, it’s a must to read in order – and avert your eyes from the next bit.

The Hunger Games are set in a post-apocalyptic world of what was the US. There are 13 districts that support the Capitol by paying tributes – and once every few years, those tributes are two children from each district who compete against each other in the Hunger Games arena until death claims all but one. When Katniss Everdeen competes, taking the place of her younger sister Prim, she causes the game to change. President Snow and the Games are under pressure and the Rebels choose Katniss, the human Mockingjay, as their emblem of the Rising. But Snow has a weapon to use against Katniss – her district and her family, and most of all, Peeta.

Book three wraps away nearly everything in a good, clean package. Action and suspense vie with a little romance (only right as Katniss is getting older, but nothing graphic or un-needed) in a fast paced, smooth conclusion. I put down Girl with the Dragon Tattoo for this – and I definitely don’t regret it!

PS - the NZ cover isn't as pictured; I am still waiting on the supplier to send it :)

you against me - jenny downham

A while ago I read an absolute tear-jerker of a book. Tears, because it was so well written and both simple and complex; with a lot of smiles, because it was so realistic. That book was Downham's Before I Die. A really good review of it can be found here, on the Guardian's site.

On Chris' slush pile was Downham's latest, You Against Me. It's about teens again - Mikey, whose sister has been allegedly attacked and raped, and Ellie, sister to the supposed rapist. Again, its realistic and confronting and so far (up to chapter 13) it's living up to my expectations.

If you have a teen girl, go out and buy these novels. Read them first & you'll be amazed at the conversations you'll be having with your girl. I was.

EDITED TO UPDATE: This is a good read. Not a great read, but certainly good. While Downham's first didn't pull punches, I got the feeling that towards the end, in this book she did. Rape, denial, false allegations have such a taboo to them, even more so that a child dying, that there were avenues that I thought she could have gone down. All in all tho, still one to get the mind thinking.

L.A. Weatherly - Angels

The tag on the back of this book (a publisher's promo) states "Eoin Colfer reinvented the fairy. Stephenie Meyer reinvented the vampire. L.A. Weatherly reinvents the angel".

Nope, what she does is use some demons. Been there, read it before. This was drivel aimed at the Meyer market with very little originality. If you want something with a decent plot and a better depiction of angels, read anything by Frank Perretti. If you're a teen and you want something original, with a plot (woo hoo) read Cassandra Clare. If you want something where the gorgeous but brooding hero falls in love with his beautiful, irresistable target, for goodness sake just read a Harlequin Mills & Boon. It's bound to be cheaper at least. And waste less of your life as a bonus.