Jenni's Reading

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, David Levithan and Rachel Cohn (Publication Date: May 23, 2006)

Both recovering from horribly broken hearts, Nick and Norah meet at a club one night when his band, The F#$% Offs are playing. When Nick sees his ex-girlfriend Tris in the crowd, he grabs Norah and asks "Would be you be my girlfriend for the next five minutes?" From there the night is a blur of punk bands, defunct Yugos, drunken friends, good music, bad exes, Ukrainian food and new relationships.

As Nick and Norah get to know each other, they learn they really like each other - now can they just get over their broken hearts and cynicism long enough to trust each other and have a relationship?

This book is just too darn good. Nick is the smart, sensitive punk band boy that every girl wants, and cynical, sharp-tongued Norah is the girl that every girl wants to be. A very real and touching love story, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist is definitely a book you should keep on your radar as the release date draws near.

Fullmetal Alchemist, v.2, Hiromu Arakawa

"Chimera: An artificial fusion created by alchemically marrying two genetically dissimilar life forms."

In this second volume, Ed and Al, seeking to learn more about bio-alchemy, stumble upon the home of Shou Tucker, his precocious daughter Nina, and their affectionate mutt, Alexander. Tucker is an expert on chimeras, and had even created one that spoke--until it died. As Ed and Al get to know Tucker and his family something isn't right. When they learnt the truth to what horrifying deeds Tucker is behind, the boys flee Tucker's home, and Tucker is murdered shortly after.

The man who murdered Tucker, named Scar because of the big X-shaped scar on his face, is killing state alchemists - but why? If you are a Fullmetal Alchemist fan, you NEED to read this volume full of shocking plot twists, action packed fight scenes and more adventures of Ed and Al.

The Tenth Circle, Jodi Picoult
	What do you get when you mix comics, Dante's Inferno, high school bullying and a dysfunctional family? A really eclectic mix of subplots and interests, The Tenth Circle , is the story of the Stone family. The father, Daniel is an alcoholic with a shady past, who has cleaned up his act. He is now a comic book writer and a loving father to Trixie. His wife, Laura, is a Dante scholar and a professor at the local university, but like Daniel, she also harbors a destructive secret. Their daughter, Trixie, is a high school student whose life takes a shocking turn when she is date raped by her ex-boyfriend at a party. Daniel, Laura and Trixie all have secrets, and as we learn about their pasts and what their futures hold in store. Picoult's books always surprise me. I have a tendency to blow her off sometimes as "chick-lit," but then I remember how GOOD her books are. She is the master of good twists, well resolved endings and multi-layered stories. If you haven't read any of her books, this is definitely a good choice to start with.
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A Bad Boy Can Be Good for a Girl, by Tanya Lee Stone

Ugh. Who doesn't know this guy:

Popular in middle school, Josie is totally nervous for high school. So, in the beginning of her freshman year, when a popular senior (who they call T.L.) asks her out, she is way excited. But, as they spend more time together, she figures out that he's only interested in her for one reason, and it's not for her sparkling company.

Nicolette is a playa. She is always in control, and never falls for guys, just lets them fall for her. But, when she meets up with T.L., she becomes smitten and lets it go too far.

Senior Aviva is a self-described "criss-crosser," not fitting into any group, just doing her own thing. When she falls for T.L., she's convinced it's different. It's not. This guy is just a jerk.

Josie gets sick of how he treats girls and starts a record that girls can add their comments to to warn each other about this shady guy and his total lack of morals and respect for women.

Each of these girls are totally different from each other, but each gets played the same way. How can they all fall for the same jerk? Read Stone's mesmerizing story and see how these three girls finally stand up for themselves.

It's Kind of a Funny Story: a Novel, by Ned Vizzini
	Craig Gilner really, really wants to get into Manhattan's Executive Pre-Professional High School; he thinks that this will be the springboard to success in his future. So Craig spends an entire year studying---everyone thinks he is one of the smartest kids in his grade. Craig does indeed get in, but this new school is not what he thought. At Pre-Professional High School, he isn't the smart kid anymore - in fact he isn't anything. Craig begins to really get stressed out. His best friend Aaron isn't any help---his grades are better than Craig's and he's dating Nia, Craig's longtime crush. Craig's anxiety grows and he starts not being able to eat. He's stressed out and depressed and when he reaches bottom, he checks himself into a psychiatric ward. Craig's story is honest and funny, and makes you think about all of the pressure out there---and how much of it is in your head and how much isn't---and what happens when you decide to just be yourself.
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Grand and Humble, by Brent Hartinger

At the intersection of two streets---Grand and Humble---lies the secret that will unlock the past.

For Manny, the class geek, life is tough. His father doesn't always get him; he won't answer his questions, and Manny feels like he always seems to be hiding something. Instead of being on the stage, Manny sits in the shadows and works the lighting for the Drama Club. His best friend, Elsa, is deaf, and Manny has learned to sign to communicate with her. His life is quiet.

Harlan, on the other hand, is the senator's son ,and was born into privilege. He is popular and athletic, and has a hot girlfriend. Though Harlan's life seems like it should be perfect, it isn't. He is controlled and manipulated by his domineering mother and forced to be "the good senator's son," smiling and forgoing his own life. His life is spent in the spotlight---and under the microscope.

What do Manny and Harlan have to do with each other? They are both plagued by horrifying anxiety attacks; Manny's in the form of nightmares, and Harlan's while waking. The two boys desperately try to find the root of their panic attacks, and they find that it lies at the intersection of Grand and Humble.

If you like psychological thrillers (like Pete Hautman's Invisible), you will love Grand and Humble, which will keep you guessing, and definitely make you think. This is a book that begs to be read again!

Day of Vengeance, Bill Willingham, et al
	Wow. Where to begin... An evil supervillian named Eclipso needs a human vessel to carry out his evil deeds. First, he takes over the body of Superman, but after being foiled by Captain Marvel, makes the journey from Metropolis to Gotham's Arkham Asylum to inhabit everybody's favorite new inmate and murderer Jean Loring. Still with me here? Ok, we forge on... Next, a malicious ghost named the Spectre wants to destroy all of the magic in the world. Not an especially popular idea, particularly with some of the super-powered crowd, whose abilities rely on magic. A group of allies (consisting of a monkey detective, two witches, a bartender, a bouncer and a man dressed in rags), name themselves The Shadowpact and set out to help destroy both Eclipso and the Spectre. Are you totally confused? Day of Vengeance is really complex. But, even with the high levels of fanservice and shout-outs to many characters in the DC Universe, it is a good story. Readers won't be lost if they aren't familiar with all of the backstor---Vengeance is a true-blue superhero story with lots of action that is a quick read. If you read Identity Crisis, you're well set to venture into Day of Vengeance. If you're looking for an action-packed story that's on the cutting edge of the DC Universe, look no further.
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I am the Messenger, Markus Zusak

Ed Kennedy is a loser. He's nineteen, an illegal cabdriver in Australia (where you have to be 20 to drive a cab - who knew?), he has no girlfriend, lives in a shack and has a smelly dog.

One day, while out at a bank with his friends, he accidentally foils a robbery. Ed gets his fifteen minutes of fame for this, and soon after strange events start to occur. Ed starts receiving playing cards in the mail, each with cryptic messages written on them. Each of the messages is a mission Ed must carry out. Some are lovely and heartwarming. Others are dark and violent. But, each mission is tied to a person, and Ed is going to help these people and ultimately discover who the messenger is.

Here is my message to you: read this book; it is one of the best I have read this year. I Am the Messenger is a fast-paced mystery that will keep you guessing until the last page and is sure not to disappoint even the toughest of critics.

Dead Connection, Charlie Parker
	Murray Kiefer does not fit in well at school, though he does have a number of friends. The difference between Murray and his classmates is that Murray's friends are all dead. With the ability to communicate with the dearly departed, Murray spends most of his time hanging around the local cemetery talking to the deceased, until one day he hears a new voice among his friends; a terrified voice pleading for help. Murray believes this voice to belong to Nikki, a popular cheerleader who has been missing, and piece-by-piece he starts to put together whom the voice belongs to and the truth about Nikki. Told in alternating voices, Dead Connection is a thrilling mystery that will keep you riveted to its conclusion. If you liked Zusak's I Am the Messenger, you'll like this book with its older characters and intricate mystery. Though not out until May, Dead Connection is well worth the wait.
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John Lennon: All I want is the Truth: a Photographic Biography, Elizabeth Partridge

You may have heard of John Lennon, or that little band he was in called The Beatles?

John Lennon was a gifted musician, avant garde thinker, and pacifist. Though in Partridge's biography, she portrays him from all aspects and spares no contradiction in his life. She shows him as a rambunctious teen, getting in to bar brawls, through his evolution into adulthood where he holds bed-ins for peace. This Printz Honor book spares nothing and holds little back. Partridge gives her reader a look at the blunt truth behind this rock icon, and a sharp depiction of adverse effects that fame and money can have.

Criss Cross, Lynne Rae Perkins

Debbie is an ordinary girl, who wishes something would happen. She hangs out with her best friend Patty and helps elderly Mrs. Bruning with her errands. Hector is an ordinary boy, who learns to play the guitar and thinks that the girl Meadow in his guitar class is very cute. He hangs out with his friends Lenny and Phil. This is the story of how their lives intersect and how the decisions they make influence the path of their lives.

This 2005 Newbery Award winner is filled with exquisitely intricate detail and looks at ordinary life in an unordinary way. The chapters play with form and style: some typical, some more experimental. While the writing is masterfully constructed, the plot is slow and linear. Readers who enjoy the wonders of language and/or are poetry aficionados will embrace this book with its flowing, lyrical style.

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