Bookanistas: THE MOCKINGBIRDS by Daisy Whitney

Plot without spoilers:  Daisy Whitney's THE MOCKINGBIRDS tells the story of Alex, a musical prodigy in her junior year at prestigious Themis Academy where the administration can't imagine any student doing harm to another.  So, where can Alex turn when she is date raped?  To the unique form of justice administered by The Mockingbirds.

Literary highlights: In writer circles, there's a great deal of discussion about WHEN a novel should begin (e.g., a little bit before the inciting event to establish a sense of normalcy).  THE MOCKINGBIRDS breaks the mold by opening with an incredible, dramatic, right-into-it-we-go scene that totally works.  And, of course, the artful tie-in of themes and language from the Harper Lee classic To Kill a Mockingbird give this novel a cool literary twist.

Finally, just gotta say: Alex's evolving recollections of that lost night, her moments of uncertainty when she must grapple with her own actions, and her honest struggle with the consequences of pursuing justice are all authentically depicted.  This book feels very realistic and brave--something teen girls should definitely read.

LOOKING FOR MORE BOOKANISTA BOOK FUN?

Elana Johnson shares her love for Like Mandarin
Christine Fonseca purrs over Save the Cat
LiLa Roecker is sweet on Like Mandarin
Shelli Johannes-Wells explores Dark and Hollow Places
Carolina Valdez Miller gushes over Will Grayson, Will Grayson
Bethany Wiggins is enchanted by My Fair Godmother
Shanna Silver praises Possum Summer
Carrie Harris falls for Head Games
Rosemary Clement Moore travels Across the Universe
Katie Anderson goes Retro
Corrine Jackson celebrates Where She Went

Bookanistas: THE LIAR SOCIETY by Lisa & Laura Roecker

Plot without spoilers: Kate Lowry is a junior at the exclusive Pemberly Brown Academy, an only child, a tennis player...and possibly losing her mind. It was bad enough losing her best friend, Grace, in a tragic accident. Now, Grace is sending mysterious emails from beyond, encouraging Kate to dig deeper into what happened that fateful night last fall.

Literary highlights: In THE LIAR SOCIETY, the authors depict the prep school world of Pemberly Brown in rich detail. You really feel like you're there. In Kate, they've created an ultra-modern Nancy Drew who embarks on a dangerous mission. And, within this page-turning mystery is a lot of sharp writing and sassy humor. Here's a taste:

"One of the unexpected side effects of your best friend dying and your other best friend publicly disowning you was that people stopped looking directly at you. They stared at my hair or feet or sometimes (and you know who you are) even at my chest, but no one ever looked me in the eye. It was like the grief in my eyes burned with such intensity that no one could look directly into them." (Chapter 11)

Finally, just gotta say: I love the Latin mottoes sprinkled throughout the novel and the way the authors tie them into Kate's moods as well as the plot. Faber est suae quisque fortunae, everybody, and nobody more than the amazing blogger-writer-sister team of Lisa & Laura Roecker. (If you want to know what that means, go read the book!)

Check out what the other Bookanistas are reading this week...


LiLa Roecker hosts a sunny tour stop for POSSUM SUMMER

Christine Fonseca shares her Guestanista Post: The Lost Hero

Shannon Messenger spotlights the cover of SO SILVER BRIGHT

Scott Tracey is inspired by ANGELFIRE

Michelle Hodkin toasts DEMONGLASS

Beth Revis finds MAGIC UNDER GLASS

Carolina Valdez Miller uncovers WORDS IN THE DUST

Megan Miranda joins up with THE LIAR SOCIETY

Bethany Wiggin glows for RUBY RED

Shana Silver gets psyched about WITHER

Jen Hayley raves about RAISED BY WOLVES

Gretchen McNeil gushes over BLOOD AND FLOWERS

Rosemary Clement-Moore revisits HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE

Sarah Frances Hardy is nuts for THE NINTH WARD

Corrine Jackson delights in DIVERGENT

Bookanistas: LEVERAGE by Joshua C. Cohen

Plot without spoilers...Danny is gymnast with dreams of a college sports scholarship.  Kurt is a football player trying to escape the nightmare of his troubled past.  Then, a horrific incident of school violence binds them into an unusual friendship.  Cohen's exploration of a terrifying side of high school athletics is counter-pointed by fascinating depictions of the diverse individuals who make up sport teams, each with different reasons for playing and different lengths to which they'll go to protect their teammates.

Literary highlights...Cohen tells his story from the alternating viewpoints of Kurt and Danny, often revisiting the same incident in two consecutive chapters, giving readers an almost cinematic experience of a given scene.  His descriptions of Danny's routines on the high bar make you feel like you're flying through the air with him.  And the way Cohen writes football behemoth Kurt's stutter is heartbreaking--a great metaphor for the involuntary silence that has been invoked upon others in the story.

Finally, just gotta say...LEVERAGE made me think hard about the pain not-belonging can cause--the risks some teens take, and the cruelties they are willing to inflict upon others, to avoid being alone.  This is an important story on the topic of bullying but, more importantly, it is simply a powerful and terrific read.

Looking for more Bookanista book love?  Hop on over...

Elana Johnson raves over BIRTHMARKED

LiLa Roecker is going bonkers for BETRAYAL

Christine Fonseca is dizzy for DELIRIUM

Shannon Messenger features WHERE SHE WENT plus an ARC Giveaway!

Carolina Valdez Miller is loco for LIKE MANDARIN

Beth Revis is remembering MEMENTO NORA

Jessi Kirby is sweet on XVI

Shana Silver is pumped for BUMPED

Carrie Harris gets hexed by HEX HALL

Rosemary Clement-Moore is enraptured by WARPED

Katie Anderson covets the cover of Myra McEntire's HOURGLASS

Corrine Jackson is dazzled by I AM NUMBER FOUR

 

Fiction Friday: XVI by Juila Karr

Plot without spoilers...Nina Oberon lives in an austere future world where citizens are closely monitored and futures determined by the Governing Council.  Perhaps scariest of all is the tattoo she will receive on her next birthday--the number sixteen that tells the world she is ready for sex.  Not long before this fateful event, however, Nina loses her mother and begins to uncover many secrets about her family that make turning sixteen the least of her worries. 

Literary highlights...Karr builds an amazingly complete and accessible vocabulary of futuristic words, including DZ, NonCon, sexteen, that makes the world of XVI feel edgy yet authentic.

Finally, just gotta say...This is one of my favorite covers of the year!

Fiction Friday: MATCHED by Ally Condie

Plot without spoilers: This was a gorgeous, un-put-downable book. Ally Condie's MATCHED tells the story of Cassia Reyes, an upstanding teen citizen in a highly-regimented Society. Her bright future sparkles when, at seventeen, she is matched with the handsome Xander. However, when Cassia opens the microcard containing information about her match, another face flashes briefly on the screen--quiet, mysterious Ky--before Xander's profile appears. Wondering how her perfect Society could have made such a mistake is the first of many questions that will change Cassia's understanding of choice, of love, and of her entire world.

Literary highlights: Condie's wonderful use of color and nature imagery throughout. The wrenching love triangle between Cassie, Ky and Xander. On a more theoretical note, dystopian fantasy is an amazingly rich genre these days and Condie's novel made me think about the power of putting teens searching for love and sense of self into an environment where the government or environment presents huge obstacles to self-discovery.

Finally, just gotta say: Cassie's voice is pitch perfect on every page. I was completely drawn in by this unique young woman growing up in a world where fitting in is the goal of every citizen. Oh, and, LOVE THIS COVER!