Beautiful Music For Ugly Children by Kirstin Cronn-Mills

Read by: Anna/Copley Teen Room

This is the story of Gabe, who was born Elizabeth, and who just wants to become a radio DJ as he was meant to be. When he was ten, Gabe’s DJ mentor, John, moved in next door. Supposedly, John was the first radio DJ to play Elvis on the airwaves back in the day. To Gabe, that’s pretty cool. Pretty awesome, in fact. John helps Gabe get a radio show on the local community station at midnight on Fridays where Gabe becomes something of a local celebrity. There’s just one problem. Gabe recently graduated highschool as Elizabeth and most of the school doesn’t realize that Elizabeth has always felt like she was a boy inside. Coming out to his family didn’t exactly go as planned and his parents, struggling with the sudden change, still call him Elizabeth. No one seems to understand who he is. When Gabe wins the heart of a popular girl, things start to get dangerous with threats on his life, and that of his family. Even so, Gabe finds himself falling for his BFF since forever: pretty Paige. But does Paige return Gabe’s feelings, or will another girl take his heart? Gabe has his doubts about love and who he is throughout the story, but ultimately, he remains strong and true to himself.

This was a fast read  I couldn’t put down, and one I highly recommend. As the author states at the very end, not every person has the same experiences, yet I found Gabe’s story to be very realistic and inspiring. I won’t give away the ending, but I will say that it wasn’t perfect, as life is almost never perfect. The characters were great, and I loved the fact that Gabe wanted to be a radio DJ. Little known fact: that was my dream job when I was in middle school and early high school, so to see her living that dream was pretty awesome, especially when it seems like there are fewer and fewer DJs today than there were years ago. A note about musical taste, Gabe likes a wide variety of things, half of which I haven’t heard of and half of which was popular a bazillion years ago. That’s cool. I like the fact that she doesn’t stick to one genre of music, and I especially like the fact that she doesn’t stick to what’s popular right now. She really knows her music. Overall, this book was fabulous, and I would read it again in a heartbeat.

For those who are interested, at the end, the author included a section about what it means to be transgender and transsexual. She explains the various words that fall underneath the umbrella of transgender, including genderqueer, and what it means to not fall into the “gender binary”. This section is short and easy to understand for anyone who has yet to learn about gender differences. For this section, the author is awesome. She really did a great job.

Croak by Gina Demico

Read by: Anna/Copley Teen Room

This is the story of a 16-year-old teen who gets shipped off to spend the summer with her Uncle Mort because of sudden behavioral issues. Lex, named after the battle of Lexington, has no idea why she turned violent. She just knows that she likes to punch people and it doesn’t matter whether they’ve done something to personally offend her or not. But when she gets to the town of Croak, NY (Population 82), she’s startled to discover that her uncle isn’t the farmer she expected. He’s a Grim Reaper. And so is everyone else in the small town. She was born to be a Grim. At first she isn’t sure about this, but the more she hangs out with the other Junior Grims, and the more time she spends at work, Killing dead bodies so her partner can Cull the souls to send the people to the afterlife, the more she comes to realize that Croak is where she belongs.

But then, mysterious deaths start to occur. Not only do the medical examiners not know what’s killing these people, seemingly at random, but neither do the Grims. When it become apparent that the killer could very well be a Grim, it’s up to Lex and the other Junior Grims to figure it out.

Honestly, I think I died laughing. No joke. This book is at the same time dark, very serious and yet light with humor. I loved getting to hang out in the afterlife with the dead famous people like Edgar Allen Poe who seems to be the only one who doesn’t like John Wilkes Booth because John stole Edgar’s favorite quill. When we get the absolutely lovely description of the alcohol-like drink that actually has no alcohol in it, I about died, wishing I could have a cup. Keep in mind, the drink has no alcohol, but if a Grim has more than three drinks in a row, that could spell a very different kind of trouble: Death. The murder mystery that takes place is definitely a mystery that will defy you until near the end of the book. At least, it did for me. The book is at times creepy, but there is also a healthy dose of awkward romance to go along with the creep. While most books these days throw in the perfect romance between the two perfect main characters, this romance is not perfect. Nothing goes as planned and neither are the two main characters perfect. It’s wonderfully realistic.

Over all, this book was a nice breath of fresh air from all the books that only seem to mimic each other these days. Yep, there’s a girl on the cover, but she’s wearing a black hoodie (proper Grim attire) and carrying a large scythe. Not a fancy dress that never gets worn in the book. But be aware of one thing. As you near the end of the first book, make sure you have Scorch, the second book, handy because you’ll want to dive right in without waiting. Trust me, this book is awesome. And the story’s not done yet…

I can’t recommend this book enough.

Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake

Read by: Anna/Copley Teen Room

This is the story about a young man going by the nickname Cass who kills ghosts for a living. Yep. You heard right. Cass kills ghosts for a living. The job has been in his family for generations and he’s the latest to pick up the athame, or knife, his father used to demolish the dead who demolish the living. Only this time, as he moves to Canada with his mother, he finally meets his match. Anna Dressed In Blood is a ghost he can’t kill until he can figure out how and why she died. The truth is shocking and as horrible as having Satan himself sit down to Thanksgiving dinner with you and your family. But even then, Cass still can’t kill Anna, even knowing the high number of people she’s killed since her death. The feelings he’s kept locked inside to protect the rest of the world from his job are threatening to come out, he’s actually made friends for the first time, and yet another ghost seems to be after him.  Why did Anna protect Cass from other teens trying to play a mean prank on him? And what’s he going to do to get out of this sticky situation?

I read this not knowing what to expect. And I LOVED it. The book keeps you guessing right up until the very end. The characters were realistic, and even the ghosts were relatable and likeable. My only complaint with this book was how the police handled each death and missing persons case. The cops didn’t look hard for missing teenagers, or murderers. In talking with real life police, I know they wouldn’t pass off a missing teenager as someone who’d simply runaway and leave it at that. However, as this wasn’t all about police procedure, I was able to put that at the back of my mind and enjoy the rest of the story.  All in all, I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a good mystery or horror novel. It’s that awesome.

Have you read any of these books? What are you favorites? Do you think they should have been banned or challenged?

For information about Banned Books Week and Celebrating our Freedom to Read, check out http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/bannedbooksweek or http://bannedbooksweek.org/.

The American Library Association has also created an interactive timeline to highlight some of the books that have been challenged or banned in the past 3o years. http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/timeline30-years-liberating-literature

If you are interested in reading any of the books, visit your local branch library or request them with your Boston Public Library card (or OneCards or any Massachusetts library cards registered at the Boston Public Library) on the online BPL Catalog.

Celebrate your freedom to read what you want to read!! Yay!!

Somebody Please Tell Me Who I Am by Harry Mazer

Read by: Anna/Copley Teen Room

This is the story of one boy who decides upon graduating high school that he’s not going to go into college. He’s not going to Broadway to become an awesome stage performer with his girlfriend. He’s going to join the Army Reserves, much to his family and friends’ surprise. No one understands why he feels the need to join up. But what’s worse, they keep insisting that he’s going off to war even though he keeps trying to explain that the Reserves don’t go to war. Then, his unit gets the order… they’re going to Iraq. One moment in the sand will change his life forever. Will he return home in one piece? Or will the brain damage ruin everything he’s ever had and loved?

This is a heartbreaking story that’s filled with courage, hope, faith, and plenty of love. A short, quick read that’s sure to grab you and not let you go until you’ve gotten to the final page. And even then, it has a tight hold on you that doesn’t let go very easily. I highly recommend this story for anyone who’s thinking of going into the military or anyone simply interested in it. A fabulous love story that will break your heart and then warm it up again.

Childhood’s End by Arthur C. Clark

Read by: Anna/Copley Teen Room

You may recall that I chose to read this book for my summer reading list. This is the story of what would happen if an alien race took over Earth and it’s humans, if that race gave us peace and prosperity, but took away our children without asking. In this novel, the idea is the protagonist and antagonist, not any one character, not even something like disease is the antagonist.

I have to say I was expecting a little more action. But instead, the people accepted their fate. At first, nothing happens, people have parties, they chat about boring things, and get too used to lots of technology. One man dares to be different,  he dares to escape into the stars to find the home of the alien race that controls them. But when he returns to Earth 80 years later, he finds that he’s the last man on Earth. The ending is hard to take. I kept wondering what I would do if I were in his situation, and all I could come up with is that I would go crazy insane without other people.

This was not a book I enjoyed at all. It was a hard read and I had to force myself to get through it, even as skinny as it was. Even so, this book is a classic of science fiction literature, and many people the world over love it. I guess it really depends on what you prefer to read. Just don’t expect action heros to save the day in the end.

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Read by: Anna/Copley Teen Room

This book was awesome. It’s the story of one girl’s fight to survive her fall into the Underworld, Hell, or Everneath as it’s commonly referred to in this novel. When she thinks her boyfriend has cheated on her during football camp the same day her mother’s killer goes free, she finds herself in the arms of Cole, an immortal from Everneath who is willing to take her back to his home, strip her of her horrible feelings and make her his Everliving queen. One hundred years in the Everneath having her feelings sucked out of her, is the equivalent of six months on the Surface. But when those hundred years are over and she has the choice to become a battery to keep the Everneath alive or to become an Everliving and get a chance at being the queen, she chooses instead to Return to the Surface to see her family and her boyfriend again, hoping to change the past.

I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to get when I picked this book up. Somewhere I read a description that made it sound more like a science fiction novel than fantasy, but it’s actually based on the myth of Persephone. This is a great story of true love and figuring out just how far one is willing to go for another, or for themselves. I highly recommend it!

Don’t Let Me Go by J.H. Trumble   

Read by: Anna/Copley Teen Room

 This is the story of a gay teen, Nate, who forces himself to say goodbye to the love of his life when his boyfriend, Adam, takes on a position at an off-Broadway theater far away from the town they grew up in. Adam moves in with roommates, and suddenly doesn’t have the time to talk to Nate as much as he used to. Nate gets jealous when Adam’s naked roommate keeps walking into their Skype conversation and touching Adam, making references to things that might or might not have happened.

 Lots of emotion is flung around in this novel. Nate makes new friends, and attempts to gain a new boyfriend, even though he can’t get Adam out of his head. I truly enjoyed this story for the real raw emotions it portrayed. There were a lot of tears, a lot of anger, but it was all worth it for the happy ending. If you like reading gay romance novels, I would highly recommend this well written novel! Plus, there’s a playlist at the very end if you’re interested in that kind of thing.

Living Dead Girl By Elizabeth Scott

Read by: Kate Procyshyn / Floater Librarian

 When “Alice” was 10, Ray kidnapped her from the aquarium, where she was visiting with her class.Alicehad been separated from her friends because of a fight she had about sharing her lip gloss. Ray pretends to be a concerned Aquarium worker, but stealthily takes her back to his car.

What follows areAlice’s recollections of the past 5 years living as Alice, Ray’s child slave. AsAlicenears 15 she begins to feel that Ray will want to replace her with another child.Alicebegins to hope that she will be able to return to her life, her family onDaisy Lane, but knows that Ray will go one with his horrible ways with another child after her; just as she knows that she was not the first child to suffer Ray’s ways.

The subject matter is profoundly disturbing, butAlice’s character unfolds with such haunting imagery that the reader is held captive wondering if she will return to life beforeAlice, or suffer the consequences of fate held at Ray’s hands. A most disturbing young adult book that deals with suffering, loss of self, and pedophilia.

You Against Me by Jenny Downham

 Read by: Kate Procyshyn/Floater Librarian

Mikey’s sister, Karyn, claims to have been sexually assaulted by Tom Parker. Mikey gets it into his head to get his friends together and beat Tom Parker up. Through rumor Mikey learns that the Parker’s are having an “out on bail” party for Tom. Mikey and his friends quietly crash the party to learn as much information about Tom as possible, to later hunt him down and also to help prove Karyn’s innocence. While at the party Mikey meets Ellie, Tom’s sister.

Ellie feels trapped between coming forward with the truth about the night Karyn was assaulted and standing by her brother. When Mikey and Ellie meet two worlds collide and the true story slowly begins to unfold. Both Ellie and Mikey initially have ulterior motives for hanging out with each other that slowly turn to something more. Ellie must decide whether to come forward with her first-hand account of the night Karyn was assaulted and therefore ruining her family or staying silent.

This is a fantastic book that covers some hard topics in YA literature. Downham is able to talk about rape, loss, isolation, and family loyalty effortlessly. This book will keep any reader on their toes, always questioning who is lying or telling the truth, to the very end. Obviously there is sexual content so I would recommend this book to those able to deal with such emotion.