Simone Elkeles: Perfect Chemistry

Suzanne Collins: Catching Fire

Suzanne Collins: The Hunger Games

Joyce Carol Oates: We Were the Mulvaneys

Kristen Cashore: Fire

Mette Ivie Harrison: The Monster in Me

Douglas Preston & Mario Spezi: The Monster of Florence

Amy Goldman Koss: Poison Ivy

Jay Rayner: The Man Who Ate the World In Search of the Perfect Dinner

Carrie Ryan: The Forest of Hands and Teeth

Zombie book.
The first one I've read...are they all so depressing?
The main character whines an enormous amount, which is the only thing that may connect this text to teenagers, but since it is the majority of the text, it should be quite popular. The body count is hefty, and it is action-packed, but somewhere around page 187 (of 300+) I wondered if the bad things would EVER end.

Julie Berry: The Amaranth Enchantment

I am on a streak of bad luck with reading crappy books. Normally a text like this is super fun for me to read, but this heroine irritated me to no end. Because I could not get past her grating personality, I couldn't enjoy this take on Cinderella and her fairy godmother. The ending especially was trite and disappointing.

Linda Oatman High: Planet Pregnancy

:(
I am angry I spent the time to read this, and I normally love novels written in verse. I am sick of the contrived teen pregnancy where the girl debates what to do (abortion is not an option), and then keeps the child and there is no aftermath--no reality check whatsoever. This book was atrocious. And I'm super liberal!!!!!

Maria V. Snyder: Fire Study

Meh. Totally not as good as the second. Definitely not my favorite.

Iain Levison: A Working Stiff's Manifesto

Depressing, ruthless, and unenviable. Especially for an English major. What hell might be like for those who believe...and endless line of terrible jobs.

Maria V. Snyder: Magic Study

It took about four hours today to knock out this 392 page sequel to Poison Study. The writing is much more concise, and I think I only skimmed a handful of times (very different than with book one's wordiness). I am anxious to start the finale of the books, but have read reviews that it is unsatisfying and trite. That, and I need to do something other than read today. We'll see. This book definitely kept me on edge the entire time, and the different storyline that is threaded within this text is really enjoyable--it isn't your run-of-the-mill (pun intended) cliche fantasy.

Maria V. Snyder: Poison Study

Strong heroine. Interesting plot and world. At times the writing is droll and worth skimming, but the text overall provides a good starting point for the trilogy. Glad I read it.

Robin Brande: Evolution, Me, & Other Freaks of Nature

Interesting. Different. I wish the author would have explained the specifics sooner of the protagonist's ostracization...but, quite entertaining and satisfying nonetheless...except the protagonist's parents SUCK in this book.

Sarah N. Harvey: The Lit Report

Not too disappointing, but not that thrilling. Girl gets pregnant, girl's plan-it-all friend tries to plan out her friend's pregnancy--nothing goes as planned...learning ensues.

Elizabeth Scott: Living Dead Girl

This is marketed as a "YA" book, but I am not sure in any capacity what teen I could recommend this to. I am SUPER liberal, but this text's entire plot is sickening. "Alice" is basically a sex slave who realizes she is just a shell after the abuse she endures from Ray, her captor. While the text is a new topic as a focus, thinking about the five years Alice suffered with no one to help her, no means of escape, and the horrific damage it did to her soul and body (now that Ray is starving her to keep her 15 year old body child-like) makes me ill. While the reader is left with a miniscule amount of hope, and "Alice" is a survivor, overall I am still questioning who I could envision enjoying this text. And I work with some super-rough students. I applaud Scott for not being too graphic with the details to warrant immunity from the horrors, but enough is left to the imagination to sicken most readers.

Ann Dee Ellis: This is What I Did

Logan experiences and endures constant torment. The reader's heart aches as the torment increases and the trauma Logan witnessed is slowly revealed. It is written in an interesting format with little wingdings that divide the very short sections. This is a very quick read, but also a very sad read.

Julius Lester: Guardian

Lynching from the perspective of a white boy who sees the truth but is powerless to stand up for it. VERY sad, but really well-written. Informational material and the author's note are really awesome too.

Shelia Solomon Klass

Not bad, but not super. Too many superfluous additions to the text when Sampson's story in itself is amazingly captivating. Whatever.

F. Scott Fitzgerald: The Great Gatsby

Meh.
Why does Fitzgerald write women so unflatteringly? While some of the language was amazing to read, the story could have been so easily told in about 150 less pages...Still, interesting and frustrating all at once--a good thing.

Tennessee Williams: A Streetcar Named Desire

I hate Stanley, but I think I hate Stella more. Her weakness is sickening...