Divergent (Identity, dystopian society)

Book Title: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Thoughts: If you liked the Hunger Games, you should like Divergent.  At the age of sixteen, teenagers have to decide which faction (society) they want to live with for the rest of their lives, kind of like in Harry Potter in which the hat chooses what house a person will live in.  But if a teenager chooses a different faction from their family, they will only be able to see their family one more time: "faction before family."

Trish has a conflict trying to decide which faction to belong to

• Abnegation--selfless people who put others' wants and needs before their own.
• Amity--people who will lie and manipulate others to keep peace.
• Candor--honest people who only tell the truth.
• Erudite--the intelligent people who are scientist and computer geeks.
• Dauntless--people who like taking risk.

Even though I don't agree with all the manifestos of each faction, I can pick out bits and pieces that I do agree with.  Maybe that's why we live in an imperfect society.

Trish has grown up as an Abnegation but wants to be selfish.  She has been upset with her parents and brother, so she knows she won't fit in with the Amity.  She has lied to her parents (what teen hasn't lied to their parents), so she doesn't feel like she fits with the Candor group.   She doesn't consider herself smart, so she won't fit in with the Erudite.  The only group she feels she will belong to is the Dauntless because she wants to live a free life on her on, so she chooses the Dauntless.

The novel focuses on Trish's trials to become a Dauntless--nineteen people chose that faction, but only ten will make the final cut.  The first trial she has is to fight another person and be the last person standing.  I know I'm not tough enough to withstand these challenges. 

This book has several conflicts, action, and a little romance--not too much that male readers would diverge from the story though. 

City of Lost Souls (angels, demons, adventure)

Book Title: City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

Thoughts:  When I talked to one of my former students the other day and let her know where I was in the novel, she told me she had finished it, but had put off reading the last chapter for awhile because she didn't want it to end.  I was dreading finishing because I thought this would be the last book; needless to say when I finished the last chapter I thought "Yeah, this series is not over yet!"

Clare begins this where City of Fallen Angels ends.  Because I had read the Infernal Devices series, I have to make sure that I do not mix up the characters.  I need to go back and refresh my memory about the connection that Simon and Maureen and Jordan and Maia have with each other.

In this part of the story, Lilith is dead, Jace and Sebastian are missing, and Clary and her friends are going crazy that the Clave has stopped searching for Jace.  We all know Jace would not die, Clary and him have to end up together......  When Jace and Sebastian come for Clary, she realizes whatever happens to Sebastian will also happen to Jace; they are connected now.  Clary, Simon, Izzy, Alec and Magnus have to come up with a plan to separate Jace from Sebastian but not kill Jace in the process. 

Clare does not just focus on Clary and Jace's relationship in this segment.  We are drawn into other relationships too: Alec and Magnus; Izzy and Simon; Jordan and Maia.  I am looking forward to the next adventure in the Shadowhunters defeating Sebastian, and I'm sure Maureen will become a major problem too.  Clare's writing effectively makes readers lose their souls while reading this series.

Exposed (photography, friendship)

Book Title: Exposed by Kimberly Marcus

Topic: photography, friendship

Thoughts: Marcus writes this in free verse like Ellen Hopkins novels.  I love her use of figurative language the expresses the pain and confusion Liz experiences during this trying time.

I had just read a little blurb about the book that Liz's life is turned upside down when her "forever-best friend" Kate begins to avoid her after a fight.  I don't want to give away the plot, but Liz does express her frustration of not knowing what is going on and how she cannot make amends with Kate.  I can see this situation happening in any high school, and I know how teenagers can be cruel to others without knowing the whole story or classifying someone because of what their family members do.

None of us want to be exposed or in the spotlight when a tragedy occurs, but can we show empathy to others in trying times? 

The Limit (conspiracy, science fiction)

Book Title: The Limit by Kristen Landon

Topic: conspiracy, family, science fiction

Thoughts: My husband thinks our children should read this so they will have more of a clue about spending money.  I wonder if Landon came up with this idea because of the financial crisis in our country.

In the future, families have a spending limit that they cannot go over.  When Matt's mother is in a Walmart type of store, she picks up items she thinks they cannot live without.  At the checkout line, she finds out that they have spent over their limit, but instead of being able to return items like we can today, the government freezes the account. Matt ends up being taken away to work at a workhouse to help pay off the family debt.

Besides not being able to see his family, Matt's living conditions are better than most people today.  He has a gym, an indoor pool, big screen TV with satellite access, video games, maid service, and challenging classes, which he enjoys. Some of the children there want to stay forever; others want to go home as soon as possible.

Even though Matt is taken away to help pay off the family debt, the parents are just as bad about spending money on credit instead of saving up for it.  After reading this, will you think twice about the amount of money you and your family spend?  Do you have a "limit"?

Bruiser (friendship, supernatural)

Book Title: Bruiser by Neal Shusterman

Topic: friendship, supernatural

Thoughts: Mrs. Berger recommended this book to several teachers during her in-service this summer.  Shusterman is one of my favorite authors, and I knew I would not be disappointed in this book.

Twins Tennyson and Bronte (parents are college literature professors) befriend a troubled and misunderstood outcast, Brewster, and try to help him come out of his shell to live a normal life.  Everyone thinks Brewster is a "Bruiser", but Tennyson the literary athlete is the real bully.  He even uses his bullying to save Bruiser from his classmates who enjoy torturing him.  

Brewster is kind of a Christ figure: when he likes a person, he ends up taking on their pain, both physical and emotional.  But Tennyson and Bronte do not realize that the more they try to help Brewster, the more they are hurting him. 

While I wasn't sitting on the edge of my seat worrying if the characters would live or die, I did feel for each of them and was able to put myself in their shoes. 

Held (kidnapping)

Book Title: Held by Edeet Ravel

Topic: Kidnapping

Thoughts: When my husband began reading this before me, he thought he had seen a movie like this but the narrator followed the girl who wasn't kidnapped instead of the one who is.  Neither he nor I can remember the movie, so if you do, let us know.

Angie and Chloe have finished their volunteering in Greece and have a couple of days before the plane leaves for the United States, so they decide to do some sightseeing.  Angie likes winging it (like my husband); Chloe likes having a plan (like me).  Chloe and Angie end up having a fight about it, so Chloe decides to go by herself to see a Greek temple.  Chloe's guilt gets to her and while texting Angie to apologize and met up later, Chloe is kidnapped and held hostage.

Her kidnapper tells her they will trade her for prisoners.  Chloe writes a journal of her "real" experiences that she does not plan on sharing with the authorities, through newspaper clippings, Angie's Facebook account and a web page, we read what is happening states side.

I thought this was interesting to read what goes on in Chloe's mind as she is held hostage, and why she does what she does.  I don't know if I was in the same situation if I would do what she did, but this does make me appreciate having windows that I can see the time of day and change in weather and doors that I can freely enter or leave through.  I was held by this book wishing for a happy ending.

A Dog's Journey (dogs, mother-daughter relationship)

Book Title: A Dog's Journey by W. Bruce Cameron

Topic: Dogs, human relationships

Thoughts:  I was crying before the third chapter ended.  Just like A Dog's Purpose, this book made me feel empathy for my own dog.  I was looking forward to reading the sequel to A Dog's Purpose, and I was not disappointed.  Great writing again!

At the end of Buddy's life, he thinks he has accomplished his goal and is ready to die in peace, but God has other plans for him. He ends up being reincarnated again to help "save" Ethan's grand daughter Clarity (CJ).   While A Dog's Purpose focuses on Buddy's purpose in life, A Dog's Journey focuses more on CJ's life and how her "dog" helps her survive.  Cameron effectively shows how pathetic CJ's mother is in the first chapter.  If I could have reached through the novel and slapped her I would have.  I keep reading hoping that CJ would end up at the farm Ethan loved so much, but Cameron makes this realistic that everything is not happily ever after, but I was satisfied with the ending.  

This is a journey you will want to take.