THE NIGHT SHE DISAPPEARED by April Henry

ARC ebook courtesy of NetGalley.com
Release date: March 13, 2012

Working at Pete's Pizza has been a life-saver for Drew.  His mother's meth habit means he has to take care of himself so the money he makes at Pete's helps pay the bills and keep food in the frig.

The night Drew took the order for three all meat pizzas seemed like any other night.  Kayla left as usual to make the delivery, but she never returned. 

The police found Kayla's car with the door open and the pizzas scattered on the ground.  Further investigation nearby revealed a blood streaked rock.  Witnesses reported seeing a white pickup in the area, but no other evidence could be found.

Gabie also works at Pete's.  On the night Kayla disappeared, Gabie was scheduled to work the deliveries, but she and Kayla had traded nights.  Gabie is convinced that Kayla is still alive.  She and Drew, motivated by their combined feelings of guilt about Kayla's fate, join forces to solve the mystery.

THE NIGHT SHE DISAPPEARED is told in multiple voices including Drew, Gabie, Kayla, and her assailant.  Other additions to the story include the transcripts of 911 calls, news accounts of Kayla's disappearance, police interviews, and more.  Author April Henry creates complex twists and turns that make this book difficult to put down.  This one won't be gathering dust on the shelves when my students get their hands on it.

THE CATCH by Rick Jasper

ARC ebook courtesy of NetGalley.com
Release date: March 1, 2012

THE CATCH by Rick Jasper is a fast, action-packed baseball adventure.  It is just the right length for reluctant readers, but packs enough punch to satisfy and challenge a more seasoned reader.

When talented young player Danny makes "the catch," his life changes.  Not only does his team win the game, but he is also attracting the attention of some interesting people. 

The representative of a European sports equipment company wants to make a deal.  If Danny will wear their sports clothing line and make sure all the fans see the company's logo, they are willing to pay him well.  As an amateur, the money will have to be placed in a trust fund, but he is assured it will be there waiting for him when he is able to use it.

Not everyone is happy about Danny's little sideline arrangement.  The team already has uniforms and a sponsor, and his teammates aren't too pleased when Danny seems to think more about his endorsement deal than about the games he has to play.  Can Danny stay focused enough to keep making miracle plays and keep his sponsors happy at the same time?  Or will a lack of focus cost his team a chance to make it big?

Author Rick Jasper illustrates the importance of dedication and teamwork in this story involving the often fleeting aspects of fame.

SHOOTING STARS by Allison Rushby

ARC ebook courtesy of NetGalley.com
Release date: February 28, 2012

Josephine "Jo" Foster may be small in stature and younger than most, but she is respected in her field.  She is following in her father's footsteps.  She is one of a notorious and often hated group.  She is a paparazzo.

Jo is a talented photographer and also talented at getting into private nightclubs, parties, and just about anywhere the stars gather.  Her pictures are in demand enough that the most popular celebrity magazines are willing to pay her, and pay her very well. 

Jo has a goal set for all that money, too.  She wants to go to school to study photography with a focus on portrait work.  Her dad, also a paparazzo, believes she should focus on the career she already has started.  She has the potential to be big, and he's always reminding her how good the money is.

Things change when Jo gets a special assignment.  She is going undercover to capture some shots of a famous young singer spending some time at a fancy rehab spa.  All she knows is he is not dealing with alcohol or drug issues, but her employer expects some juicy photos of the young star while he "rests" at the spa.

Having met the attractive young singer once before, Jo is a bit star-struck, but she's sure she can still complete her assignment.  It takes all her talent to blend in among the other young people trying to straighten out the problems in their lives.  She must act like she has her own issues and at the same time use her fake ipod/camera to snap as many pictures as she can.

It takes awhile for Jo to realize there is something not quite right about the subject of her assignment.  Is he really who he says he is?  She begins to think there is something strange going on, and she plans to get to the bottom of it.

Author Allison Rushby takes readers into the unsavory world of the paparazzo.  Our fascination with the rich and famous makes us forget that they are people too with problems of their own.  Rushby's main character has always seen these stars and their fancy lives as a way to make some easy money, but when she comes face to face with the reality of how one of them is actually suffering, she begins to take a long, hard look at her own life.  Readers will find SHOOTING STARS a real page-turner as they peel away the layers of intrigue surrounding a young photographer and her subject.

NERD CAMP by Elissa Brent Weissman

NERD CAMP by Elissa Brent Weissman is the winner of the Cybils Award for middle grade fiction.  After reading it this weekend, I'd agree it deserves this top spot.

Gabe is about to get a new brother.  He has begged for one for as long as he can remember and is surprised that his dad is the parent who has come through for him.  Gabe's parents have been divorced since he was just a baby, and now his dad is getting remarried.  His new wife has a son the same age as Gabe.  Zack will be the brother he has always wanted.

Gabe is also excited about going to sleep away camp for six weeks this summer.  The camp is called SCGE - Summer Center for Gifted Enrichment.  Unfortunately, his excitement is dampened when he meets his new brother Zack.  Zack is pretty cool, and Gabe is concerned that he might not be too interested in having a geek for a step-brother.  The idea of sleep away camp impresses Zack, but Gabe knows he will need to keep the nerd part a secret.

Author Elissa Brent Weissman captures Gabe's struggle as he experiences a fantastic time at summer camp but battles his natural instincts to hide his nerdiness because he has been conditioned to think it isn't cool.  NERD CAMP is for all those having difficulty embracing their true interests at the risk of being teased for being different.  Her descriptions of great camp activities and adventures should convince readers that everyone should do whatever comes naturally and not worry about the opinions of others.

STARTERS by Lissa Price

ARC ebook courtesy of NetGalley.com
Release date: March 13, 2012

After the Spore Wars the only people left were the children and the elderly.  The children and teens are known as Starters.  Some of them still have family if they are lucky enough to have grandparents or elderly aunts or uncles will claim them, but most young people are classified as unclaimed minors.

The elderly range in age from 80 to 200 years old.  They have returned to the work force to keep the world running.  In fact, the young people are not allowed to work in order to assure there is enough work for the elderly known as Enders.

A new organization called Prime Destinations is marketing a new form of entertainment for the Enders.  Prime has developed a procedure that allows Enders to "rent" the body of a Starter and enjoy the young life once again.

The Starters undergo a brain operation to implant a special chip and agree to be used for three rentals.  The reward is the payment of a health sum of money or the promise of a house.  Having a house for her little brother is what convinces Callie to become part of the Prime program.  She thinks her three short rentals will allow her to give her sick brother a safe place to live.

What Callie didn't expect was for her Ender renter to begin "talking" to her during the rental.  The voice she hears belongs to Helena, and the elderly woman claims to know about some very frightening aspects of Prime Destinations' plans for the future.  She wants to use Callie to murder a Senator she insists is responsible for the disappearance of her granddaughter.  Callie knows the Enders aren't to be trusted, but Helena seems so sure about the danger facing the Starters.

Author Lissa Price has created an amazing future world.  In her future only the young and the elderly were given the vaccine to prevent infection from the deadly spores.  Imagining a world without parents might appeal to some readers, but when they experience this world through Price's characters, they will no doubt change their minds.  Price will also surprise her readers with her depiction of the mild-mannered elderly becoming wild and risk-taking when they take over the bodies of the young.  STARTERS is definitely a must-read!

WINNER OF VEGAN, VIRGIN, VALENTINE

 The winner of VEGAN, VIRGIN, VALENTINE by Carolyn Mackler is
     
                        *** RON ***

I'll be emailing Ron to let him know he's the lucky winner.

Watch for another contest coming soon!!!



ON THE DAY I DIED: STORIES FROM THE GRAVE by Candace Fleming

Review ARC courtesy of NetGalley.com.
Release date: July 10, 2012

ON THE DAY I DIED by Candace Fleming is the best bunch of ghost stories I've ever had the pleasure to read.  I wanted to savory each story, but at the same time, I couldn't wait to start reading the next one.

It all begins with Mike.  He picks up a young girl alongside the highway.  She appears to be drenched and tells a tale of a lake and a boat and a near drowning.  Mike proceeds to offer her a ride home and later drops her off at an isolated lane. 

Shortly after dropping her off, Mike glances at the floor on the passenger side of the car and sees a pair of saddle shoes.  Still the kind, Good Samaritan, Mike turns around and heads down the country lane.  When he arrives at the lone house at the end of the lane, he is greeted at the door by a woman who informs him that Carol Anne has been dead for fifty years.  If Mike truly wants to return her shoes, he'll have to take them to the cemetery.

Mike decides to do just that only to discover a decomposing pile of saddle shoes covering Carol Anne's grave.  He also discovers that the cemetery if filled with the graves of only young people.  And so begins his night of adventure as one by one the ghosts of those young people appear to share the tales of their final days.

Mike learns of fires, revenge, haunted wallpaper and a father's teeth, Al Capone, a possessed hood ornament, and even a monkey's paw.  Each story is more fascinating than the next.  The storytellers reveal the tragic circumstances of their deaths in often disturbing detail that is sure to captivate readers just as they captivated Mike.

Author Candace Fleming connects the dots from one story to the next in her comments at the end of the book.  All the stories have a Chicago backdrop even though they stretch from mid-1800 to the present.  ON THE DAY I  DIED would make a fine addition to any bookshelf.