Virulent: The Release by Shelbi Wescott

Virulent: The Release
Shelbi Wescott
2013, kindle ebook, Amazon
352p.

Lucy and her family are due to go on holidays when a terrifying virus tears through her community. She becomes separated from them and must find her way back home while the world falls down around her.

This was an ok epidemic novel for teenagers.  I personally found the writing to be a little immature for me.  I prefer epidemic stories to be more about the virus, but this one was based around human survival. And it's part one of a trilogy.

Battle Royale by Koushun Takami

Battle Royale
Koushun Takami
1999, 2003, 2009, Haikasoru, San Francisco
9781421527727
576p.

A group of junior high students from an alternate reality of Japan are taken to an island where they are fitted with exploding collars and told they must kill each other until there is one survivor remaining.

I saw the movie and wanted to read the book.  This is like Hunger Games only better.  Bloody and violent and a hell of a lot of fun.  It may have been improved by a more in depth look at the dystopian aspects of this alternate reality, but then again, that may have distracted from the premise of the book.  As a stand alone, straight-out blood bath novel, it works.

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay
Suzanne Collins
2010, Scholastic, London
9781407132105
455p.

The final in The Hunger Games trilogy.  Katniss continues the rebellion, working for District 13 in their quest to overthrow the Capitol.

This was an awesome final book.  I love the moral questions Katniss has, it's genuinely thought-provoking - this is a mature book for teenagers.  The ending was sad though. :(

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire
Suzanne Collins
2009, Scholastic, London
9781407132099
472p.

The second of The Hunger Games trilogy sees Katniss Everdeen entering a second Hunger Games as the Capitol forces previous winners back into the game.

This book is just as heart-breaking as the first.  I enjoy the increasing tension of Panem and the start of the rebellion.  And that clock-work arena is terrifying!

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games
Suzanne Collins
2008, Scholastic, London
9781407132082
454p.

Set in the near future, The Hunger Games is a sort of reality TV show devised as a punishment for the rebellion of 13 districts in the nation of Panem. One boy and one girl from each district are put into an arena from which there will be only one survivor.

I had seen the movie recently, so decided to pick up the book. I found the movie had a good premise but was mediocre - the book however, was excellent. It is written in first person, present tense, which normally I don't like, but the author has pulled it off really well.

The Carbon Diaries 2015 by Saci Lloyd

The Carbon Diaries 2015
Saci Lloyd
2008, Hodder, London
9780340970157
379p.

Global warming due to human behaviour has caused catastrophic changes to the Earth. In order to rectify the situation, the UK government introduces 'carbon points' which limit citizens' use of transport, electricity and general consumption.

If you can get past the whining self-indulgent teenage protagonist, this turns into a good story. It is a little preachy and a bit simple at times, but it is written for children. I enjoyed the book.

Link to journal entry at bookcrossing

Ironside by Holly Black

Ironside
Holly Black
2007, Simon and Schuster, London
9781847380630
323p.

Third in the Modern Faerie Tale series. This brings characters from the first two together into one story. Kaye is sent on a quest in order to become Roiben's consort, an impossible quest to find a faerie who can tell a lie.

I enjoyed this more than the last book - the characters are a lot more mature. And the story is interesting. I like these faeries, the darkness of the story is offset by the humanness and emotionality of the characters.

Rozen Maiden Volume 1 by Peach Pit

Rozen Maiden Volume 1
Peach Pit
2003, 2006, Tokyopop, Los Angeles
1598163124
unnumbered

Jun is a recluse who likes to order junk from the internet and return it before the grace period expires. When he orders a strange doll, he discovers that he cannot return her and is taken on a strange journey.

This is pretty cool manga. I was expecting it to be a bit childish as it's rated T13+, but I thought the style was quite mature and it touches on some not-so-angsty teen issues. Except now I'm going to have to find Volume 2.

The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer

The Dead and the Gone
Susan Beth Pfeffer
2008, Marion Lloyd, London
9780152063115
308p.

Alex is a Puerto Rican teen living in New York City when as asteroid hits the moon pushing it out of its orbit and closer to the earth which has devastating consequences. After Alex's parents go missing in the initial disaster, he must care for himself and his two sisters to ensure their survival.

I didn't think this was as good as the first book. It seemed a bit contrived - like the first book was such as success so the author tried to duplicate it. It was still a good read, but it lacked the magic (and utter heartbreak) of the first book.

Link to journal at bookcrossing

Life as we Knew it by Susan Pfeffer

Life as we Knew it
Susan Pfeffer
2006, 2007, Marion Lloyd, London
0439944333
337p.

An asteroid hits the moon, pushing it out of orbit and closer to Earth. The following devastation is chronicled by a teenager in her diary.

Totally absorbing read - I often woke up, and in that still half-asleep phase, thought that the events in this book were real and wondering what I should be doing that day from a survival aspect. I was sad that the book ended, but I have the sequel to read now. It did take a while to get into the book - to get used to the voice of the teen (which is extremely well done) - but once it got going, I was hooked.

Link to journal at bookcrossing

Surviving Antarctica: Reality TV 2083 by Andrea White

Surviving Antarctica: Reality TV 2083
Andrea White
2005, HarperCollins, New York
0060554568
428p.

A group of five teenagers are chosen to compete in a television show which retraces the failed Antarctic journey of Scott and his men in 1912.

This was a good teen book - a compelling read. There were a few loose ends and things that didn't quite make sense, but overall I thought it sound. The premise was interesting and I liked how it tied in with Scott's 1912 voyage.

Link to journal at bookcrossing

Chrysalis by Libby Hathorn

Chrysalis
Libby Hathorn
1997, 2001, Hodder Headline, Sydney
0733611508
204p.

Set in small town rural Australia, Lara is in her final year of high school, and trying to befriend a new girl who is shy. She also has to deal with family issues and boyfriend issues.

Not too bad for an angsty teen book. I wish it wasn't assumed that because a person is shy that means there is something wrong with them, and that they need to be 'brought out'. But other than that, it had some interesting issues (for teenagers) and deals with them in a realistic way.

Link to journal at bookcrossing

Valiant by Holly Black

Valiant
Holly Black
2005, Simon & Schuster, New York
0689868227
313p.

Val runs away to New York City where she encounters a group of homeless youths who are in contact with faeries. She gets dragged into a world of drugs and monsters as she fights to free herself from the binds that have tangled her.

This certainly is an angsty book, but it's a good yarn. I liked it better than Tithe. I loved the setting of New York City - it's great to have faeries in the middle of a modern city.

Link to journal at bookcrossing

Fortress by Gabrielle Lord

Fortress
Gabrielle Lord
1982, 1988, Corgi, London
0947189157
170p.

Sally is the new teacher at a one-teacher school in a small New South Wales town. One day, three men in frightening masks kidnap all 12 students and their teacher and hide them in the bush.

Wow what a thrilling little page turner! I loved that this was set in the Australian outback because I could identify with the characters and the setting. It's a bit of an unlikely story, but the reader is along for the ride all the way. It never lets up. There are similarities to Lord of the Flies which is another book I loved.

Link to journal at bookcrossing

Fifteen Plus and Sunburnt by Vince Jones

Fifteen Plus and Sunburnt
Vince Jones
1993, Longman Cheshire, Melbourne
058291065X
130p.

David is fifteen when he gets the news he has melanoma, the same disease which has affected his best friend Gary. While in hospital, he finds a statue of a horse and makes a pact to get through this part of his life and to change things in the future.

This is a coming of age novel told from the perspective of a boy who has a rough time getting there. While I wasn't entirely convinced with the 'voice' of the novel, I felt that the experiences and feelings of the characters rang true.

Link to journal at bookcrossing

Priceless Volume 1 by Lee Young-You

Priceless: Volume 1
Lee Young-You
2002, 2006, Tokyopop, Los Angeles
15698163094
184p.

Lang-bee has to work three jobs in order to pay off the debt her con-artist mother left her with. She gets her eyes on Dan-Won, the richest boy in school, with hopes that he will lift her from her poverty.

This is a cute little manga in an American style (ie - reads from front-to-back). I like the panels where everyone is a soft toy (one of Lang-Bee's jobs is making soft toys). It's very much for the teen market - it's so angsty!

Link to journal at bookcrossing

The Head Book by John Marsden

The Head Book
John Marsden
2001, Pan Macmillan, Sydney
0330363212
172p.

John Marsden, Australia's foremost author for teenagers, writes about history, culture, and life in this short book with the aim to arm young people with necessary information.

This is history on steroids. Marsden gives his audience bite sized chunks of information on beliefs, historical events, politics, literature, and the world's greatest thinkers. It is written with the right amount of humour for the teenage audience - just a touch - it's informative without talking down. A criticism is that it gives the facts, but doesn't make the reader think or allow discussion, though it does give additional reading for most topics.

Link to journal at bookcrossing

Tithe by Holly Black

Tithe
Holly Black
2002, Simon & Schuster, London
0689860420
310p.

Kaye is a sixteen year old travelling around with her singer mother until they go to live with her grandmother. There she rediscovers her childhood faerie friends and gets drawn into their world.

I am not too familiar with the faerie tale genre, but enjoy teen fiction, and I felt that the two genres clash, they don't mesh in this story. Perhaps people who are into lore would enjoy it more. However, it was a well constructed story and the characters were well presented.

Link to journal at bookcrossing

Two Moons by Martha Brooks

Two Moons
Martha Brooks
1991, Bloomsbury, London
0747548412
157p.

Story of a teenage girl living in Canada with her doctor father and sister in a TB sanatorium town, after her mother died of the disease.

This is an interesting teen book in that it was set in the late 50s, written in the early 90s. I liked the setting - time and geographical.

The main character was unsurprisingly self-absorbed, and the actual story a little formulaic, but it was a solid entry in the genre nevertheless.

Link to journal at bookcrossing

Never Give Up Vol. 1 by Hiromu Mutou

Never Give Up Vol. 1
Hiromu Mutou
1999, Tokyopop Inc., Los Angeles
1598161652
unnumbered

Teenage manga about a boyish girl (Kiri) in love with a girlish boy (Tohya). Tohya becomes a male model and, in order to be close to him, Kiri becomes Tatsuki, a male model, herself. And it gets more confusing from there.

I thought it was pretty good ... and have a new favourite line "No, that type of thing only happens in Manga"!

It took a while to get the characters straight, but I think that was intentional. And it is a teenage story, so it's very melodramatic and a bit unbelievable, but it's manga, so that's a given.

Now I want to see what happens next!!!

Link to journal at bookcrossing