IN THE ROLE OF BRIE HUTCHENS by Nicole Melleby

 

Many of Brie Hutchens's fondest memories are of sitting on the couch with her mother after school and watching the soap opera General Hospital. Brie is a bit of an expert on soap operas and her dream is to someday be an actor.

As an eighth grader, Brie will be deciding what school to attend for high school. To further her acting dream, she hopes to audition and be accepted to the local performing arts school. Unfortunately, the school is expensive and Brie's father recently lost his job. He is currently working as a custodian at Brie's Catholic school which earns her a discount on tuition, but that won't help if she earns a spot at the arts high school.

Two other issues occupy Brie's mind. She would love to be chosen to crown Mary during the spring crowning ceremony, but that will require writing the winning essay which means Brie will need to really step up her current school performance. In a conversation with her mother, she led her mom to believe she had already been chosen, but it's far from a done deal. Brie is also struggling with her attraction to Kennedy another girl in her class. Unsure about her feelings, Brie is caught exploring the internet in search of answers. Did her mother really see the pictures of a soap stars boobs Brie had up on her computer? What will her family's reaction be if she tells them she likes girls?

Nicole Melleby is also the author of HURRICANE SEASON. Her main character Brie's familiar struggles will definitely speak to middle grade readers searching for their places in the world. Fast-paced with continuous references to popular soap operas, IN THE ROLE OF BRIE HUTCHENS is great addition to classroom and library collections.

500 WORDS OR LESS by Juleah Del Rosario

 

Nic is in love with Ben, but that ends when she makes the unwise decision at a party to sleep with Jordan. Combine that with her mother's past numerous affairs and Nic finds the word WHORE scrawled on her locker. 

Determined to ace her AP classes and use senior year to earn her way into Princeton, Nic basically puts on blinders and focuses on school. Known as a smart kid and also an excellent writer, she is approached by several students who ask her to write their college application essays. She agrees for a $300 fee even though she doesn't need the money. She finds she has a talent for uncovering the deepest secrets of her classmates and is able to make them extremely personal.

Focusing on the personal issues of others allows Nic to avoid thinking about Ben and also the mother who abandoned her without a goodbye or even a phone number. However, Nic discovers that you can't run away from your problems forever. Facing them could be an even greater challenge than getting accepted to an Ivy League school.

Written in verse with the odd college essay slipped in, 500 WORDS OR LESS takes a peek at the stress and pressure of high school seniors as they make life-altering decisions before they are fully able to comprehend their places in the world. Author Juleah Del Rosario's novel is quite relatable for current teens or anyone remembering that time of pressure and indecision.

WHEN WE WERE MAGIC by Sarah Gailey

What would happen if you tried to fix a terrible mistake, but you failed, and then you failed again? Well, Alexis and her friends may have the power of magic, but something isn't working.

On prom night Alexis has the wild idea to have sex with Josh Harper. She really cares about someone else, but isn't prom night about crazy things like losing your virginity? When slipping on the condom proves a bit more complicated than expected, Alexis's magic kicks in and suddenly Josh is dead.

Five of Alexis's friends come to the rescue. Iris is sure her magic can bring Josh back, but it only makes matters worse. Now they are scrambling to figure out how to undo Alexis's mistake.

This tight group of six girls discovered the magical talents they have in common and have been best friends ever since. They have their ups and downs, and each of them has quirky traits that give them each their own individual personalities. No matter what they are there for each other.

Author Sarah Gailey takes readers on a magical adventure filled at times with shock and awe. I hope she reunites these girls for more adventures in the future.

MALORIE by Josh Malerman

If you have read BIRD BOX or watched the movie, you will want to read MALORIE. Author Josh Malerman once again grabs readers and doesn't let go until he's dragged them through the world of the creatures and the people madly trying to survive.

It's been seventeen years since Malorie entered the house and lived with strangers in an effort to survive what everyone refers to as the new world. She gave birth to a baby boy and at the same time found herself mother to another woman's baby girl. They escaped on the river and lived for a time at the school for the blind. Now Malorie, Tom, and Olympia are living at an abandoned summer camp in Michigan and have been for ten years. 

Raising teens in a world requiring blindfolds and constant caution has challenged both Malorie and her children. They have listened and learned well, but there's always the chance that they will be typical teens and rebel. Malorie fears losing them in this terrifying world.

When a man calling himself a census taker stops at the camp, Malorie sends him off immediately, but not before he leaves pages of notes behind. Not usually a reader, Tom is fascinated by the papers and reads them until Malorie confiscates them. The children had already discovered that Malorie's own parents are listed as survivors. This is news that moves Malorie to question her past reluctance to venture farther than the safety of their camp. The promise of the blind train that runs from East Lansing to the Upper Peninsula where Malorie grew up is just the motivation she needs to pack up the teens and head off to hopefully find their grandparents.

Malerman's prose begs readers to turn the pages as quickly as possible, but there's the tremble of trepidation as each page leads to the next. MALORIE is one of the best sequels I have ever read.

THE GIRL IN THE WHITE VAN by April Henry

I didn't mind the rain today because I had this book to read! THE GIRL IN THE WHITE VAN by April Henry is definitely a page-turner, and I believe one of her best. Told in alternating voices, readers get into the minds of multiple characters as the thriller unfolds.

Savannah has moved every year for as long as she can remember. Her mother follows men from city to city, and Savannah seems to just tag along. Now they are in Portland, Oregon, and she's hoping to stay put for awhile, but things aren't all hugs and kisses with her mom's boyfriend so who knows.

The martial arts class Savannah is taking is the only thing keeping her together. After watching through the window for a week, Savannah was invited in and now she's using her weekend babysitting money to pay for classes at the dojo. 

After mopping up with a nice guy named Daniel, she heads home, but a strange man in a white van has other ideas. He grabs her in the deserted parking lot, tasers her, and drags her into the van. Channeling her hero Bruce Lee, Savannah slides to the back doors of the van and manages to leap out. Despite a broken wrist and abrasions from her frantic leap, she runs, but she winds up unconscious and back in the van.

When she wakes up, she is in an old RV and she's not alone. Another girl named Jenny has been a captive of Sir for ten months. Together they plan their escape. Can they avoid the vicious dog guarding the exterior of the RV? Can they outwit or attack their captor before he can kill them? Get a copy of THE GIRL IN THE WHITE VAN and find out for yourself!

TURTLE UNDER ICE by Juleah del Rosario

It's been six years since Row and Ariana lost their mother. Since then their father remarried and there is promised new hope and excitement with the arrival of a baby. When their stepmother loses the baby, grief comes flooding back into their lives.

Row has been dealing with her sadness by playing soccer. When she's on the field, it's like her mother is running beside her. Ariana hasn't been coping as well. Now a senior about to graduate, if she can raise her failing art grade, she doesn't have any idea about what comes next for her. She certainly doesn't feel like an older sister able to advise her younger sibling.

One snowy evening Ariana leaves home and hops on a bus for the city. Row is left behind fretting about Ariana's disappearance. Has she run away? Has she been kidnapped? Why would her one remaining person of importance just take off without a word?

Written in verse and told in the alternating voices of Row and Ariana, TURTLE UNDER ICE tells of the grief felt by two sisters struggling to hold on to the fragile remains of their lives. Author Juleah del Rosario takes readers into the hearts and feelings of Row and Ariana as they deal with love and loss.

HOW TO HANG A WITCH by Adriana Mathers

Full disclosure - I had a copy of this book in my classroom and decided to leave it with the collection I left for my replacement. When I recently read THE BRAVE by James Bird, it was mentioned frequently by the characters, and I also learned it was written by Bird's wife. Well, it sounded like a book I should have read so I bought another copy, and now I've read it. Next I'll be getting a copy of the sequel HAUNTING THE DEEP because of the promised teaser that "the ghosts are back!"

Samantha "Sam" Mather and her stepmother are moving into her grandmother's house in Salem, Massachusetts. It is a move of convenience since her father, currently in a coma, has been moved to a hospital nearby. Moving to a town famous for its witch trials and having the same last name (Mather) as the infamous Cotton Mather, means Sam is going to get some attention. 

Sure enough a group calling themselves "the Descendants" immediately focus on Sam. The attention is anything but positive. She is blamed for recent, mysterious deaths, a rash that plagues those who attend a party where she is present, and a rock inscribed with "DIE" is thrown through her window. Stepmother Vivian tells Sam is just part of being new, but neighbor and new friend Jaxon tries to be supportive and defends Sam.

While exploring the old house, Sam discovers clues to a possible curse that could be connected to the deaths and other strange happenings. She also meets Elijah, a spirit living in the house. His help may prove invaluable as she tries to break the curse and save the lives of those around her.

Author Adriana Mather is a distant relative of Cotton Mather. She deftly weaves this modern day story with historical tidbits from the early days of Salem and those accused of witchcraft. Filled with plenty of twists and turns and downright scary moments, HOW TO HANG A WITCH is definitely a winner.