Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Pages: 525
Intended Audience: Teens
Genre: Dystopian thriller
Notes for Parents: Scenes of fighting, gun violence, death, as well as some mature themes.

The Inside Cover

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.
Tris’s initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the second book of the best-selling Divergent trilogy. The first book has already been made into a major motion picture, and Insurgent is scheduled to be released as a movie in 2015.

What’s good?

While it lacked the action of the first book, the pace was still swift with the constant danger of discovery, betrayal, and death. The tension was thick as mysteries abounded, including about Four’s family, the divergents’ future, and where individual loyalties lay. The female lead remained strong despite angst and PTSD, while the supporting characters were dynamic, constantly evolving. The setting was a good foundation while the easy language and loads of dialogue made it a quick and easy read.
Best Part: The tension.

What isn’t good?

Just like with the first book, I found it a little hard to believe that so many people would be so easily brainwashed into believing such flawed logic. Suspension of disbelief was the key to enjoying this story. While there was certainly lots of tension, there wasn’t as much action as the first book and I found many outcomes were predictable. And, to avoid revealing any spoilers let me just say: Peter was pointless; Tris and Marcus made no sense; Eric deserved a bigger part; and the big reveal was…anti-climactic.
Worst part: Too much emotion and not enough action.
 

Recommendation þþþoo

The first book, Divergent, had excellent entertainment value despite having a weak plot and world-building flaws. Insurgent has the same weaknesses but, unfortunately, doesn’t quite have that same engaging, action-filled pace of its predecessor. Things did pick up at the end enough that I’m sure I’ll read the final book in the trilogy. However, the first book was way better.

Roth, Veronica. Insurgent. New York: Katherine Tegen Books, 2012. (Hardcover)

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

Pages: 370
Intended Audience: Written for adults but suitable for mature tweens and up.
Genre: Mystery / Historical
Notes for Parents: It’s a murder mystery so it contains…murder! However, there is no inappropriate language, sexuality, or graphic violence.

The Back Cover

Meet eleven-year-old Flavia de Luce, an aspiring chemist with a passion for poison.
It is the summer of 1950—and a series of inexplicable events has struck Buckshaw, the decaying English mansion that Flavia’s family calls home. A dead bird is found on the doorstep, a postage stamp bizarrely pinned in its beak. Hours later, Flavia finds a man lying in the cucumber patch and watches him as he takes his dying breath. For Flavia, who is both appalled and delighted, life begins in earnest when murder comes to Buckshaw. “I wish I could say I was afraid, but I wasn’t. Quite the contrary. This was by far the most interesting thing that had ever happened to me in my entire life.”

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the first in a series of 10 books intended by the Canadian author.

What’s good?

Excellent characters and rich, sophisticated writing, make this a clever murder mystery starring an unexpected 11-year-old sleuth in 1950s England. Flavia’s tenacity is highly entertaining as she makes it her mission to solve the mystery of the dead man in the cucumber patch (yet she still finds time to run experiments on her annoying sisters.) Flavia is both incorrigible and adorable, a mad scientist in the body of a bold, but also lonely, little girl. The plot moves smartly once her investigation begins.
Best Part: Dogger.

What isn’t good?

At times, the language is heavy and the narration rambles on well beyond what’s necessary. Flavia’s pretentiousness is off-putting at times and her level of genius requires a bit of suspension of disbelief.  Many of the pop culture references will be lost on anyone younger than 50!
Worst part: The way she experiments on her sisters is a bit disturbing.

Recommendation þþþoo

A slow start made me put this book down for a while, but I’m glad I picked it back up. Flavia is wonderfully smart and tenacious without apology. She manages to get herself into pickles (trouble) on a regular basis but uses her well-honed sense of logic to get out. Although the language will be a bit daunting for some younger readers, I definitely recommend giving this book a try.

Bradley, Alan. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. [Toronto]: Anchor Canada, 2009.

If Only by Carole Geithner

Pages: 327
Intended Audience: Tweens and up
Genre: Real life / Grief
Notes for Parents: Some mature themes

The Back Cover

If Corinna Burdette could have one wish, she knows exactly what it would be. When most girls her age are hoping for new cell phones or prettier hair, Corinna wishes that her mother, Sophie, was alive again. Having her mother taken away from her the summer before eighth grade was not part of the plan.
Now Corinna has to do the unthinkable: concentrate in school, play soccer, and hang out with friends, all as if nothing has happened. Corinna’s dad tries to help, but he’s dealing with his own grief. Her friends try, but they don’t know what to say. While everyone else’s life is moving along, Corinna feels hers has stopped—it’s especially hard when, at any given moment, she feels like she might completely lose it. But as Corinna’s year progresses, surprising things begin to happen, including a discovery that leads to information she never knew about her mother.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

The author is a licensed clinical social worker and an assistant clinical professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C. This is her debut novel.

What’s good?

Likeable, sincere characters highlight this story about a girl named Corinna who must go on with her life after the death of her mother. The language is simple, but emotional, and the plot moves slowly, but deliberately, taking us from the depths of her heartache to a place of hope. Her interactions with friends and family, as well as her dad’s behavior, show us how difficult simple daily tasks can be for someone suffering with grief. A sweet romance and a wonderful trip are lights in Corinna’s dark year.
Best Part: Japan

What isn’t good?

This book is sad. It’s about a girl who is sad and who gets less sad as time goes on. But even in the end, it was sad because she was still a little girl who missed her mother.
Worst part: Nothing was terrible. It was all just sad.

Recommendation þþþoo

Since the book is intended for readers in grades 5-9 and it deals with some very heavy emotional stuff, it makes sense that the plot was kept very simple. But where it lacks in sophistication it makes up for in honesty. The story feels very real. Overall, I recommend this book.

Geithner, Carole. If Only. New York: Scholastic, 2012.

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Pages: 313
Intended Audience: Teens and mature tweens
Genre: Real life / Social issues
Notes for Parents: Contains scenes with bullying, and some themes that may be difficult for sensitive readers.

The Inside Cover

August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He’s about to enter fifth grade at Beecher Prep, and if you’ve ever been the new kid, then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie’s just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he’s just like them, despite appearances?

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This book is a #1 New York Times Bestseller

What’s good?

Auggie is such an amazing main character! I fell for him the moment we were introduced. Characterization throughout the novel is excellent, especially when the point of view changes to that of the supporting characters and we see Auggie’s story from their perspective. The simple, but poignant plot moves deftly, and short chapters makes this an effortless read. The story never gets preachy—well, perhaps just a touch right at the end—but it skillfully addresses the themes of kindness, compassion, friendship, family, and the power of empathy. Most importantly, the story teaches us that things and people aren’t always what they seem.
Best Part: When Auggie says, “I think there should be a rule that everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their lives.”

What isn’t good?

I didn’t like the bullying, the meanness, and the sadness, but it was all essential to the story. Even Julian, as cold and cruel as he was, was necessary. The lack of capitalization in Justin’s chapters was a bit annoying, but didn’t affect the story.
Worst part: None. Absolutely none.

Recommendation þþþþþ

I laughed, I cried, I cringed, and I cheered for this little 10-year-old boy. I feel like a different person now. Incredible insight, beautiful storytelling, and amazing characterization make this one of the best books I’ve read in years. Absolutely recommended!

Palacio, R.J. Wonder. New York: Alfred A. Knofp, 2012. (Hardcover)

Camp Utopia and the Forgiveness Diet by Jenny Ruden

Pages: 300
Intended Audience: Mature Teens
Genre: Real life
Notes for Parents: Some coarse language, drug use, underage drinking, and other mature subject matter.
 
The Back Cover
Sixteen-year-old Baltimore teen Bethany Stern knows the only way out of spending her summer at Camp Utopia, a fat camp in Northern California, is weight-loss. Desperate, she tries The Forgiveness Diet, the latest fad whose infomercial promises that all she has to do is forgive her deadbeat dad, her scandalous sister, and the teenage magician next door and (unrequited) love of her life. But when the diet fails and her camp nemesis delivers the ultimate blow, Bee bids sayonara to Camp-not-Utopian-at-all to begin what she believes will be her “real” summer adventure, only to learn that running away isn’t as easy—or as healing—as it seems.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the author’s first novel.

What’s good?

Short chapters and great characters made this a fast and funny read. Bethany’s self-deprecating humor, her dad’s insightful emails, and Gabe’s beautiful optimism are few of my favorite things about this story of a girl who “finds herself” at fat camp. The author addresses emotional eating with honesty and wit, and gets to the heart of the matter without skipping the hard parts.
Best Part: Bethany’s dad.

What isn’t good?

I didn’t like the amount of cruelty Bethany is faced with at the beginning of the story, especially since the wrongness of it is never really addressed. The initial premise of Camp Utopia is pretty ridiculous, especially the public weigh-ins and calling campers by their city name. There’s some awkward dialogue and a few unlikely scenarios, but nothing that seriously ruins the story.
Worst part: The beach party was weird.

Recommendation þþþoo

I struggled deciding whether I should give this three or four checkmarks. I really enjoyed most of the characters, and I loved the end, but the middle part of the books dragged enough that I could only muster three checks. However, this was a fun book to read, insightful and charming. Definitely recommended.

Ruden, Jenny. Camp Utopia and the Forgiveness Diet. Virginia Beach, VA: Koehler Books, 2014.