YA Review: Noggin by John Corey Whaley

Travis Coates died of cancer five years ago.
Or at least, his body did. His head was cryogenically preserved until which time that a donor body could be collected for him to be reanimated with. 
Sounds crazy, right?

Well it sounded that way to his girlfriend, best friend, and parents also, when he told them five years ago that he'd be ending his fight with cancer and flying to Denver for the operation that would hopefully give him a second chance at life. 
For five years, they mourned him, and continued with life, until a crazy thing happened.

It worked.

YA Review: Ghostopolis by Doug TenNapel

Ghostopolis by Doug TenNapel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Imagine God.
Now Imagine God as a 12 foot tall Tuskeegee Airman named Joe.
Now Imagine God, the Tuskeegee Airman named Joe, creating a place for all ghosts to dwell in six days.
Because of course on the seventh day, he rests.

The place he's built is called Ghostopolis, and all the types of the dead (live) there: Specters, Wisps, Bony Skeletons, Mummies and more. They reside in somewhat perfect harmony until a stranger named Vaughn appears and stirs up rumors and trouble between all the groups only to then present himself as the only one to bring peace. He uses giant bugs, summoned from the Underworld, to help him police Ghostopolis, and he secretly works to ensure that he will soon be as powerful and in control as Joe, who no one has seen for years.

And he would be successful too, if not for two problems: Traitors and Living People.

YA Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Often in my career, I've come across photographs.
Some are left between the pages of donated or returned items. Others still are found on library floors and tables; accidental droppings from the purses and pockets of patrons. I stare at these photographs and am unable to thrown them away because I feel as though I'm discarding the lives found within them. I find myself imagining who the people are, and how they felt during the scenes I'm eavesdropping on, but never have I constructed such an enchanting and haunting tale as this one.

From found and collected photos , Ransom Riggs has pulled together an adventure that appeals to a range of my interests. Multiple times within this story, I found myself feeling as though I'd discovered a land that was the perfect mix of Percy Jackson, Pan's Labyrinth, Through the Looking Glass and others. From the very first chapter, I realized that I wouldn't be able to rest until I'd devoured this tale of loss, love, family, adventure and history.

YA Graphic Review: Level Up by Gene Yang

Level Up by Gene Luen Yang
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Almost every gamer has had this boss battle.
Almost every young adult has had this hurdle.
The one where what you LOVE to do, is questioned by parents who want you to do things that will get you a job.


Dennis Ouyang was bitten by the video game bug when he was six years old but try as he might, his parents refused to even let him have money for the arcade, let alone purchase a home system.  Playing games is no way to learn how to "eat much bitterness", his father decides, and instead steers young Dennis into a life of science and schoolwork.

YA Review: The Accidental Genius of Weasel High

The Accidental Genius of Weasel High by Rick Detorie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"A Book for the Wimpy Kid who has grown into a Wimpy Teen" is the phrase written on the back of this book and it is seriously appropriate.

Fourteen year-old freshman, Larkin Pace, is writing a blog for his English class assignment. Making up this book are the entries themselves which helped him win the class coveted prize; an 100% grade.

YA Review: The World is Mine (The Come Up Series)

The World Is Mine by Lyah B. LeFlore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a great picture of what hip hop youth culture is really like.

If you're tired of reading the stories that glorify only the violence or profane worlds of hip-hop and the urban music scene, then this series may be perfect for you.

Blue Reynolds is a young, hip 17 year-old who doesn't necessarily want to make his mark on the world by attending Howard University and becoming a lawyer the way his father has. He's more interested in the P.Diddy/Berry Gordy school of fine hustling. His best friend Collin, also the son of a lawyer, is feeling that he doesn't want to attend Georgetown and practice law just to please his dad. Together with their friend Whiteboy, a graphic and tattoo artist, the three friends embark on pulling together their own entertainment company, Blue Up.

On the path to stardom in the music scene there are a lot of ups and downs as romance, parental clashes and the struggle to get away from the streets, tries to catch up to them. For Blue, the appeal of being the hottest promoter in DC could lead to making some pretty shady choices in the eyes of his father and his girlfriend Jade. Collin, desperate to please his dad, may be biting off more than he can chew when he decides to helm the business end of Blue Up instead of pursuing Georgetown fame. And Whiteboy can't seem to get far enough of way from the violence and gang life that lurks around his growing tattoo business.

To Read: Christian YA Fiction

Prime Choice by Stephanie Perry Moore - With college football recruiters checking him out, grades to be proud of, and a gorgeous girlfriend, Perry Sky has every reason to believe that his Senior year is going to be awesome. His relationship with his girlfriend, Tori would be awesome as well, if he could convince her to take their relationship to the next level. The one snag in Perry's plan? He and Tori's commitment to God. Will Perry's desire to do what feels good tamper his judgment in doing what feels right?



Preacher's Kids by Keleigh Crigler Hadley - The stereotype says that PK's or Preacher's Kids are usually the exact opposite of what their parents preach, but is that really true? Mia Griffin believes that she would be considered a normal teen if it weren't for the constant scrutiny attached to her being a PK. Follow her as she encounters everyday challenges under the microscopic lens of her parent's lives.

YA Review: The Vast Fields of Ordinary

I appreciated that it was not the usual "this is what "gay teens" do", book. It was just a love story. Had it's moments of WTF?, but overall a great story to show that where love is concerned, teens are teens. Gay or straight, love will knock you on your ass if you let it.

YA Review: Feed by M.T. Anderson

Anderson, M. T. 2002. Feed.Candlewick, 234p. c2002. $16.99.  978-0-763-61726-4

In the futuristic world where Titus lives, normal adolescents willingly succumb to purchasing suggestions from their Feeds, ignore the lesions appearing on people everywhere, and are oblivious to the reputation their country has developed with the rest of the world for its hedonistic ways. While lunar-vacationing, Titus, his friends, and fellow club-goer Violet are traumatized when the feeds implanted into their brains are a hacked into. Titus and his friends seek to block the unpleasantness from memory, but Titus soon learns that for Violet, who has been home-schooled and sheltered from the life his friends all share, the act of forgetting is not easily accomplished.  As her life slowly unravels from the effects of her feed malfunctioning, Titus begins reexamining his feelings about his world, his friends, and his actions, while experiencing the trials of teenage love and loss.

In this gripping tongue-in-cheek depiction of where society could be headed, Anderson exposes consumerism and superficiality with humor and chilling realism. Anderson does an excellent job of creating believable teens and situations without the characters feeling forced or fake.  Interested teens will love the audiobook because of the dynamic feature of being able to hear the feeds performed by full cast.  The story is crafted perfectly to reach the intended audience, who will surely enjoy the glimpse into future fads and slang.  This book will appeal to teens who do not fit on either side of the fence, but are willing to explore both. A cautionary tale with a fresh voice.

Mrs.Tiye's Thoughts: Well-Written, Thoughtful, Engaging characters, AMAzING AUDIOBOOK, Great plot.

And check out this awesome FEED Display !

YA Review: the first part last

Never do we get a story about young, single teen fathers. Quite often the males are portrayed as deadbeats who are so childish and immature they don't even stay with the girl, and especially not the child itself. This book was a refreshing and emotionally sensitive contrast.

I appreciated the care with which the author made the decisions of Bobby, our 16 year-old protagonist stand out on the page. He was a well-rounded character with thoughts and feelings that appealed to both his maturity and also his youth.
The story here was not without depth and the pain felt by this boy and the two families he stood between in the choice to raise his daughter alone, was clearly felt. Excellent, excellent story and beautifully told.