Faking Normal by Courtney Stevens

 

Realistic Fiction is one of my favorite genres, and Faking Normal  by Courtney Stevens does not disappoint in any way. Something terrible happened to Alexi over the summer, but she can't tell anyone. Instead she hides her emotional pain and the physical pain she is inflicting on herself from everyone. Something terrible also happened to Bodee, the quiet boy who lives next door. His dad killed his mom. Everyone knows. When Alexi's parents allow Bodee come live with them, Alexi finds out that Bodee might be the person to help her finally face what happened and start to heal. 

The Whole Thing Together by Ann Brashares

This book has taken me months to finish. I'm not sure why. It just did. I read The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series by Ann Brashares years ago, so when I saw this on our shelves, I decided to read it. I love the concept behind the story. Two families are split by a bitter divorce. There are children from the first marriage and one child on each side that is not related. One of the agreements after the divorce included sharing the vacation house. This means that during the summer and on weekends, the families rotate out of the house, but the shared children stay. That just leaves Sasha (girl) and Ray (boy) to share a room even though they have never met in over 16 years. If it sounds complicated, it is. The names are confusing, but there is a chart in the front of the book to help. As the story unfolds, Sasha and Ray's connection becomes very clear. Their lives are completely intertwined even though they have never met. There is no doubt they will meet; it's just a matter of when and what will happen when they finally do.

Sway by Kat Spears

Meet Jesse Alderman also known as Sway. Jesse rules the school. When someone wants something, Jesse is the person to ask because nothing is out of reach for Sway. That is until he is asked to help the football captain get a date with Bridget. As Jesse sets his plan in motion, he begins to realize he is developing feelings for Bridget, her brother, and the man he gets to pretend is his grandfather to impress Bridget. Be prepared for a hilarious read in which you will question how Sway gets away with what he does and if he is capable of true feelings or if it is all part of his game.

Impulse by Ellen Hopkins

Impulse by Ellen Hopkins is currently one of my favorite free verse books that I have read. Narrated from a drug rehabilitation center, Vanessa, Connor, and Tony share their stories of drug use, child molestation, promiscuity, cutting, and attempted suicide. The love triangle among the three narrating characters is sweet, but Connor struggles with love because he dealt with intense and mature love affairs. Tony struggles with love because he is unsure of his sexuality. Vanessa struggles with love because she had been verbally abused by a former boyfriend. Though the topics are very powerful and some of the descriptions of cutting and abuse are intense, this is a book that keeps the reader interested. Overall, I would highly recommend this book to teenagers and older. The ending caught me by surprise and left me extremely emotional for all the characters having to witness one of the final scenes. 

#3 Mrs. Staples

Chopsticks: A Novel

Chopsticks is told through photographs, illustrations, and text. It begins with a news report that Glory Fleming, child prodigy, has gone missing. The story then goes back 18 months earlier and you learn about Glory's relationship with her father and her boyfriend, Victor, a gifted artist, who gets in trouble at school. As the story unfolds, you wonder what happened to Glory. Did her father's desire for her to become a famous pianist cause him to do something to Glory, or did something happen between Glory and her boyfriend, Victor? The format alone makes the story worth reading, and I definitely recommend this quick read.

#3 Mrs. Spreder

Reality Boy by A.S. King

I picked up Reality Boy initially to read for our monthly book club,  but we opted not to read it as a group; however, I continued to read it anyhow. I actually listened to the book instead of reading it, and I enjoyed it for the most part aside from the ending. Gerald Faust had the unfortunate childhood of growing up in front of a camera because his family was selected for a reality TV show when he was five-years old. A.S. King takes the reader through Gerald's life by using flashbacks to his childhood years on camera and then coming back to present day as Gerald is a junior in high school. His turbulent times with his promiscuous twenty-one year old sister and timid mom pushes him over the edge. Overall, it's a three star book, but it definitely has a lull in the middle and the ending did not wow me.

#1  Mrs. Staples 

Chiggers

I do not usually read graphic novels, but the cover of Chiggers appealed to me so I thought I would give it a try. The main character, Abby is at summer camp. She misses the way things were with her friends during her previous years at camp. When she gets a new bunk mate named Shasta, Abby is conflicted because although they have a lot in common, her friends don't like the new girl. The plot turns a little bit strange and there is some sort of supernatural element that I found somewhat confusing. I'm not giving up on graphic novels, but this was not my exactly what I was looking for.

#2  Mrs. Spreder

Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Meet Kristina, a gifted, straight A student who follows the rules until she goes to visit her father for a few brief weeks in the summer. He's been out of her life since she was a little girl. During the visit, he and Adam introduce her to crystal meth and her life quickly spirals out of control. Kristina's alter ego Bree appears whenever Kristina gets high. Bree is full of confidence and takes risks to feed her addiction. Based on events of the author's experience with her own daughter, Crank is a book that made me uncomfortable. How could Bree's mother not know what was going on? How could her father allow her to even try something that was sure to ruin her life? Written in free verse, this is a quick read that is hard to put down.

#1  Mrs. Spreder