A Wonderland for boys and girls alike!!

Circus Mirandus

By: Cassie Beasley

Genre: Juvenile fantasy

Pages: 304

Published: 2015

Read: August

4 out of 5

This reminded of a circus version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - what a WONDERLAND for boys and girls alike. As an adult reading the book, it reinforced how important it is to stay in touch with your own imagination and encourage others to do the same. It can be a POWERFUL thing.  Beasley not only draws out your imagination, but creates friends for you in the characters. Enter the circus and meet an elephant who does math or what about an invisible tiger - just let your imagination guide you. Micah along with his dying grandpa believe even if others in their lives feel differently. Do you?

I'm hoping Beasley will take us on another journey to Circus Mirandus again soon.

I hope this makes the Teens' Top Ten

Let’s Get Lost

By: Adi Alsaid

Genre: YA Realistic fiction

Pages: 338

Published: 2014

Read: August

5 out of 5

I hope this book is chosen by the teens as one of the TOP TEN of 2014. I loved it and was able to reminisce about my long ago teen years. At first, I was skeptical because to me it read as short stories; just with one consistent character. However, I was quickly absorbed into the lives of the characters and the story. Leila is driving cross country to see the Northern Lights and tells about the four teens she meets along the way. Each teen has their own unique drama and through their time spent with Leila they are able to learn a little about themselves. I liked that each teen’s issue was not magical solved and wrapped up in a bow, rather Leila and their adventures together helped them start walking down the correct road. I believe teens and adults will enjoy this book because it shows that if you talk to peers it helps; but even more so because the teens’ crazy and wild adventures are carefree and sometimes reckless  the reader can live the adventure with Leila, Hudson, Bree, Elliot, and Sonia even if they would never attempt them themselves.

Alice in Wonderland??

Splintered

By: A. G. Howard

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 371

Published: 2013

Read: August

3 out of 5

This was a Teens’ Top Ten winner in 2014 and the sequel, Unhinged, is a nominee this year. Conclusion: Teens love it and it MUST be great. I felt this book was OK, but nothing outstanding.  It does have an interesting premise, even if not that unique: Alyssa’s, Great Great Great Grandma is Alice from Alice in Wonderland. In order to reverse the family curse placed on the females (all with names starting with ‘A’), Alyssa must go to Wonderland and fixes Alice’s messes. My favorite part of reading this book was the hilarious comparisons to the original story. Some of the characters are Rabid Rabbit, Twid sisters and Humphrey. Can you name the characters?

wanted this one to be better :(

The Inventor’s Secret

By: Andrea Cremer

Genre: YA Steampunk

Pages: 368

Published: 2014

Read: August

1.5 out of 5

I am surprised this is a nominee for teens’ top ten. Not only did I find missing words in several sentences (maybe teens don’t care or notice that), but also found 3/4^th of the book very boring. The main mystery of the book was intriguing and held my interest, but all the side plots were so blah it was hard to continue through the book. There is a love triangle that isn’t resolved by end and will probably continue into book #2, The Conjurer’s  Riddle.  However, that is the only real cliff hanger in the book. I am interested in hearing my teens’ opinions, but I definitely won’t be reading sequel.

Yet, another Teens' Top Ten nominee!!

Love Letters to the Dead

By: Ava Dellaira

Genre: YA Realistic fiction

Pages: 336

Published: 2014

Read: August

4.5 out of 5

Another Teens’ Top Ten nominee! This is a great book about a teen dealing with the death of her older sister. Throughout 2014, death has been a common theme in YA novels; however I found this book very unique. Laurel is assigned to write letters to a deceased person; through her letters she comes to terms with her own family’s death.  Another fascinating aspect is the famous individuals Laurel chooses to write – Kurt Cobain, River Phoenix, and Janis Joplin, among others – brought back childhood memories for me. In addition because she included information about their particular deaths I was able to learn as I read.

I feel this book is well deserving of the nomination.

I could think of A LOT better nominees for Teens' Top Ten....

The Kiss of Deception

By: Mary E. Pearson

Genre: YA fantasy

Pages: 489

Published: 2014

Read: August

2.5 out of 5

One of the nominees for Teens’ Top Ten for 2015.  

I do not normally enjoy fantasy novels, so I am probably not the best person to review this novel. However, I read a variety of genres, especially in YA, to remain current. While it is well written and I appreciate that teens may love it; I did not care for it. I felt it was very predictable and figured out the “mystery” early on. Therefore, the middle dragged and I struggled to get through it. If you want to try a fantasy novel, I recommend Grave Mercy by Robin LeFevers (2012) instead. I enjoyed it much better and plan on reading the entire His Fair Assassin trilogy (one day).