#48-49

#48 Human.4 by Mike A. Lancaster

I have been searching and searching for a pair of dystopian books to share with my kids next year in literature circles. With the surge of dystopian tales flooding the YA bookshelves, I've had my hands full picking titles and reading up. This one grabbed my eye, literally, by the cover and I'd seen it advertised on my fave sight goodreads.com. Doesn't it look creepy!?

Picture a normal town, normal citizens, normal annual festival. In this town, the annual talent show is the draw of the year. Kyle Straker and three other people volunteer to be hypnotized at the event. When they awaken from their hypnosis, everyone in the town seems to be in a hypnotic sleep themselves. No one is moving, no one is blinking, but everyone is exactly where they were before the hypnosis started. Kyle and his mobile friends walk through town and see the same thing everywhere: people they've always known stuck as if on pause in a movie. When everyone "awakens," they are zombies. They walk around and move, but they do not seem to notice Kyle and the three others. It's as if they have been reprogrammed. But what really happened? And what will happen to Kyle and his friends?

And yes, the cover of the book is explained. I sure don't want to spoil that for you friends!

Did I mention the story-telling method? Very cool. The story is told in first person from Kyle's point of view; however, his story is recorded on cassette tapes and the book is the transcript. This is all explained on the first page of the book. I thought it a very unique and fitting way to tell the story.

Will I use it in literature circles? No, probably not. Is this a great work of literature? No, it's really not. Was it cool story to read? Yeah. I did find the ending of the book a bit too fast. All the big events that occur in the book wrap up so quickly, I almost felt letdown in the end. Fear not friends, I have not lost hope. Though I will continue to enjoy my search. I'm still on the lookout for a dystopian book that also holds some literary worth, not simply a good story. Something that I can also use to show kids good writing techniques, plot depth, that sort of nerdy LA stuff. Do you know of one?? Please let me know!

#49 The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher

Cool book cover huh? Strange...I have mentioned the book cover on both of these books. I try not to "judge a book by it's cover," but it is hard with cool covers like this.

In my quest to find good literature circle titles, I have been looking for dystopian books, but I've also tried to find books with a strong environmental theme. After reading Ship Breaker, I was determined to find it a suitable companion. The Water Wars stood out to me when I found it. The story is set in the future, but it does not overwhelm with strange technologies or crazy inventions like food pellets or hyperdrive cars. Even though it is a futuristic story, it deals with a primitive need: water. Water has become scarce. If you are not wildly wealthy, you have to rely on the government for water, and it's hardly real water. Vera and Will are siblings. They have to rely on the government-controlled water for survival. Vera meets a boy named Kai who comes from a very wealthy family. Kai has clean water to share and Vera is completely enamored, as anyone would be. Kai and Vera become friends and he shares a special gift with Vera. TEENY TINY SPOILER ALERT!! He can "smell" water. He has found a clean, undiscovered water source the government does not know about.

As you can imagine, the government and big corporations don't let this go on for long and when Kai and his father are kidnapped, Vera and Will take off to look for their friend. Along the way, pirates, harpoon guns, cross-country travel, dog fighting in a jet, attempts at big corporation take-down, torture, typical fast-paced YA lit adventure I like.

Will I use this for my lit circle? I'm not sure yet, maybe. Again, I'm trying to find just the right one. This was a fun read, one I'll highly recommend to my kids, but I'll keep looking.

#46-47

#46 Trapped by Michael Northrop

Where is the absolute worst place you can imagine to be stuck during the worst snowstorm on record? Yep...you got it. A high school. Scotty and a couple of his friends arrive at school just like every other day, but soon the snow begins and doesn't stop. They don't have a way home like nearly every other student in the school, so they stay along with a teacher and a few other students. The snow continues for days, trapping them inside. The pipes begin to freeze, the heat goes out, the roof begins to creak and moan with the weight of the snow, and the kids have to do anything they can to survive.

I mostly enjoyed this one. The idea of being stuck in a school with no way out is pretty horrible and the events between the kids struggling to survive are really pretty interesting. The ending bothered me. It was so abrupt and a bit of a letdown after so much buildup and drama. I wouldn't say, "Don't read this one," but if there are other books on your nightstand, read those first.

#47 Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult

The name "Jodi Picoult" in my book is synonymous with "Must Read." Her latest title is no exception. Critics would argue that her books are not works of art and will not turn into classical literature, but if you want a compelling and gut-wrentching read, there is no one better. I do have to put forth a warning. If you have had experience with losing a child, especially due to miscarriage or stillbirth, this book may be too much to handle. (No, I'm not giving anything away, believe me). Having no children of my own, I think I can handle her books a little easier. I think it's why I always cry when reading a dog book, but can hold myself together with a Picoult book.

Zoe and Max have been desperately trying for nearly a decade to have a baby. After learning of their own fertility issues, they try alternative methods of conceiving, spending thousands and thousands of dollars on IVF and all different types of medical treatments. When Zoe delivers a stillborn baby at 28 weeks, their marriage crumbles and they divorce. Zoe meets a guidance counselor named Vanessa and they become instant best friends. Vanessa helps Zoe cope with the loss of yet another child and a marriage. Zoe and Vanessa fall in love and decide to marry, having to leave their home state to do so legally. The two decide they want to have a child together, but quickly face opposition from Max due to religious and financial reasons.

I love love love that Picoult doesn't shy away from hot button issues. I love that she tells stories from different perspectives, as she does again in this book, and I love that when I read one of her books, I want to talk about it with someone. This would make a fabulous book club read. This book had a unique feature, a CD. Picoult co-wrote the lyrics with the singer and the music adds another layer to the already complex story.

Highly recommended reading from me to you. But as stated, her books require a total investment from the reader. You have to begin knowing you'll be giving your time and emotion to the plot. If you're up for it, have at it! And please let me know what you think.