The Rest of the Story by Sarah Dessen, 440 Pages

When I was younger, Sarah Dessen was always one of my favorite authors. I've strayed away from the romance genre as a whole but I decided to give Dessen's newest novel, The Rest of the Story, a shot and I'm so glad I did. This was such a sweet story of young love, heartbreak and how magical summer is when you're young. I really enjoyed this book and was so sad when it was over. I'll apparently always have a soft spot for anything written by Dessen and I look forward to reading more from her in the future. 

Listen to your heart by Kasie West, 329 pages

I have adored this author ever since I received one of her books in a book box last year. Lucky for me she tends to publish 2 books a year. This particular book is a cute, quick, summer read. I may have snorted at one point in this book. It has some hilarious scenes. I applaud the author for not going with the stereotypical story line that she could have with this book but instead does an interesting spin on it. It's hard to describe without giving spoilers. This is definitely the teen equivalent of a beach read. With a lake setting it made me wish I lived on the lake. 

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han, 355 pages

When Lara Jean is over a crush, she writes the boy a love letter and stores it in her hatbox.  She never intends to send the letters.  One day without her knowing, the letters are sent and suddenly her former crushes are back in her life and she doesn't know what to do!

I book talked this to a group of middle schoolers last week and I hadn't really finished the book yet.  It was checked out immediately.  I hope whoever checked it out enjoyed it as much as I have.  It was a a very sweet read and I think many young girls would easily relate to it. 

Divergent by Veronica Roth, 496 pages

I waited to start the Divergent series until I could actually listen to all three books in the series right in a row.  I am definitely glad to have waited because I finished Divergent today which ended with a big cliff hanger.  I started Insurgent today, book 2, and it started up immediately where Divergent left off.

The trilogy is set in a future dystopian Chicago.  For those adults who haven't plunged into dystopian teen books, Merriam Webster defines dystopia as "an imaginary place where people are unhappy and usually afraid because they are not treated fairly."

The main character is Beatrice, who has grown up in the Abnegation faction.  There are 5 factions in society and everyone must choose a faction or become factionless - think dregs of society here.  Beatrice chooses to leave Abnegation for Dauntless, but finds what she really is is Divergent, which means she has the characteristics of more than one faction and that is very dangerous.

This is a typical wild ride, fast paced, adrenaline driven teen tale.  Great fun even though bad things happen to good people.

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer, 512 pages

Scarlet is book 2 in the Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer.  Cinder, the beautiful cyborg, who just found out she's also Lunar, escapes from prison in the Eastern Commonwealth early in the story, along with fellow prisoner Carswell Thorne.   A parallel story is happening in France with Scarlet, whose grandmother has disappeared, and Wolf, the mysterious stranger who says he wants to help Scarlet find her.  This book seemed to mostly be a set up for book 3 of the series.  I kept waiting for Cinder and Carswell to hook up with Scarlet and Wolf, and it did eventually happen, but right at the end so now on to book 3 to see what fairy tale character will get a sci-fi twist next.  Let the fun continue!

The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch 278 pages

This was the last book on the Truman award list that I had to read this year, and I'm a little disappointed that I saved it for last.  I don't know if I'm really giving it a fair shake, as I am just done to death with the dystopic future books that spawned by the hundreds after the success of The Hunger Games.  This is a story about a teenage boy who has lost everyone except his father to Plague Number Eleven and the world that is its aftermath.  After an attempt to do the right thing, he and his father have to flee from some dangerous men, his father becomes critically injured in the process and Steven (the main character) is left in a pretty awful predicament.  Enter some unknown men who take Steven and his father back to their town where Steven a) doesn't feel is right, since he has only lived on the "path", scavenging for whatever might be worth trade and b) he is suspected of being a spy for another community nearby.  Cue up the love interest and show me the way to the nearest exit, please.  Again, I fear that my attitude toward this is just because of the over-saturation of the genre, but it is what it is.