The Maze Runner

Title: The Maze Runner
Author: James Dashner
Published: Oct. 2009
ISBN: 0385737947
Page number: 374
Price: $16.99
Other books in the Series: The Scorch Trials, The Death Cure, The Kill Order
Genre: dystopia, fantasy
Reading Level:  6th grade
Interest Level: 6th grade and up
Awards: YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults (2011), Abraham Lincoln Award (2012), Reviewers' Choice Award Nominee for Best Young Adult Paranormal/Fantasy Novel (2009)
Plot Summary: Thomas wakes up to find himself in the Glade with no recollection of life before he awoke. The Glade is home to a bunch of young boys called Gladers who each have a job to do in the Glade. Outside the Glade lies a large maze that closes every night. Every day the boys work to try and get out of the maze but they can't seem to find the exit before the maze closes every night. At night strange and deadly creatures come out of the maze and the boys must retreat to the Glade for safety.  Everyone month a new boy shows up, just like Thomas, and they have no idea of life before the  maze but the day after Thomas shows up a girl appears. That is when everything goes wrong. The maze doesn't close at night and the Gladers are now exposed to the dangers within the maze. Their only choice for survival is to escape but what lies outside the maze? 
Review: The story is fast paced and action packed. The mystery of the maze and why they are all there drives the story. Though it seems that as the story moves along there is more questions than answers. Of course the story is part of a series so many of those question can be answered in later stories. There is quite a bit of violence but the story is one of survival and not every kid in the maze makes it out. The story ends on a cliffhanger with the reader eager to start the next book.
Reader's Annotation: Thomas wakes up to find himself in a maze with no idea of who he is or where he is. Thomas is just another boy who has found himself trapped in the maze but everything changes when a girl shows up.
Book Talk Ideas: The story is built on mystery and suspense so that same feeling should be brought to the book talk. Perhaps using many of the stories unknowns to draw in the audience.
Issues: The story is a dystopian theme with violence, betrayal and government conspiracy.

Main Themes: secrecy, violence, coming of age, survival, betrayal, government conspiracy

Bibliotherapeutic usefulness: The story is one of survival and struggle and teens perhaps gain strength from the characters ability to overcome deadly creatures and other trials in the maze.
Read-alikes: Code by Kathy Reichs and Shade's Children by Garth Nix
Author Website: http://www.jamesdashner.com/
Professional Reviews: Kirkus Reviews

Why chose this book: The series is very popular, especially amont teen boys who love the action and suspense. The story has received some controversy for it's violence.

Grave Mercy

Title: Grave Mercy
Author: Robin LaFevers
Other Books in the Series: Dark Triumph
Published: April 2012
ISBN: 054762834X
Page Number: 549 
Price: $16.99
Reading Level: 8th grade
Interest Level: 9th grade and up
Awards: Amazon Best Books of 2012
Genre: Fantasy(high), Romance, historical fiction
Plot Summary: Ismae, the daughter of a poor farmer, is being forced into a horrible arranged marriage. Unable to go through with the marriage Ismae flees to the convent of St. Mortain, the god of death. It turns out that Ismae is a daughter of Mortain and is taken into the care of the women of the convent of Mortain. At the convent Ismae learns how to become a handmaiden of death by learning to be an assassin. She is then sent out to carry out the will of Mortain. Though, Ismae quickly learns that things are not as simple as the convent had taught her and the perhaps Mortain has a different plan than what she was taught at the convent. Ismae's teachings will be further challenged when her latest assignment requires her to take out some one she loves. What is more important love or duty?
Critical Review: Robin LaFevers has created a great fantasy story that has love, assassins, mystery, treason and a strong and smart female lead in Ismae. The love story between Ismae and Gavriel is well written and keeps the reader on there toes till the end of the story. The love between Ismae and Gavriel is not immediate but instead it slowly grows, matures and changes through out the story. Of course there is many roadblocks on their path to love and it often seems it will never happen. Ismae is challenged by what she believes in her heart to be right and what she has been taught to be right. This struggle I think has great appeal to teens who often going through these same type of personal struggles in their own life. Ismae is a great female lead who shows intelligence, strength and perseverance throughout the story.
Reader's Annotation: Ismae is a handmaiden of the god of death, Mortain. She has been trained by nuns in the art of being an assassin and is to carry out the biddings of Mortain. Though trouble arises when she is asked to choose between her god and love. Can she really kill the man she loves or will she betray her duty to Mortain.
Book Talk Ideas: Nuns, assassins, love, intrigue, the book nearly book talks itself! There is so many different ways to draw readers to the book, it could be through Ismae a strong female lead who isn't afraid to question her beliefs or it could be through the mystery behind who is out to take down the crown of Brittany.
Issues: The book deals with the gods of old, assassins, violence and in the first 20 pages Ismae is nearly raped by her would be husband.
Main Themes: betrayal, assassins, gods, faith, romance
Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: The book focuses on how Ismea must choose between what she has been taught and what she believes is right. It shows that one must follow their heart and not always take things at face value. It can also help teens realize that not everything you are taught is correct, even when the people who taught you these things are people you may respect and admire.
Read alikes: Graceling by Kirstin Cashore, The Poison Throne by Celine Kiernan
Author Website: http://www.robinlafevers.com/
Professional Reviews: Publisher's Weekly
Kirkus Reviews
Why Include this book? Ismae is a strong female lead and the book has received lots of praise from reviewers and the 2nd book in the series is much anticipated. 

Please Ignore Vera Dietz

Title: Please Ignore Vera Dietz 
Author: A.S. King
Published: Oct 2010
ISBN: 0307942104
Pages: 336
Price: $16.99
Reading Level: 8th grade
Interest Level: 9th grade and up
Genre: realistic fiction
Plot Summary: Vera has always been in love her neighbor Charlie but now Charlie is dead and Vera is forced to deal with all her mixed feelings the surround Charlie and his death. Charlie and Vera had a falling out and were no longer on speaking terms before Charlie died. In fact Vera hates Charlie almost as much as she loves him due to something Charlie did to betray and hurt Vera. Vera lives with her father who despite his best efforts still struggles with being left by his wife and being left to raise Vera on his own. He knows part of Charlie's secrets but chooses to ignore it like Vera. But as Charlie's secrets start to eat away at Vera she realizes she can't ignore it any longer.
Critical Review: The story is mainly told from Vera's point of view but a few chapters are told by Vera's dad, the Pagoda that looks over the town and even from dead charlie himself. The changes in view points provides the reader with a better understanding of the characters and the story. In the case of Vera's dad it provides teen readers with a better understanding of how the parent feels. Vera's dad is obviously struggling with raising Vera and his viewpoint better explains why his relationship is the way it is with Vera. Vera herself is a teen who is forced to grow up to fast. The story is heartbreaking and very raw and you find yourself wrapped up in the lives of Vera and Charlie and the secret that Vera is hiding. This unknown keeps the story moving and the reader interested.
Reader's Annotation: Vera is in love with her friend but Charlie died and Vera holds all his secrets. Vera has her own secrets, but will she come to terms with all her secrets and Charlie's secrets? Or will Vera just continue to ignore her problems and Charlie's secrets.
Awards: Printz Honor  (2011), YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults (2011)
Book Talking Ideas: I would perhaps do a book talk from the Pagoda's point of view, with it talking about all the things it sees.
Issues: The book deals with abuse and a older male that is most likely a sex offender. Vera also drinks and engages in reckless behavior that some parents could find inappropriate.
Bibliotherapeutic usefulness: Vera is dealing not only with the death of her best friend Charlie but also with feelings of guilt, rejection, and depression. Teens who have had a friend isolate them or bully them will relate to Vera and her tumultuous relationship with Charlie. The book also shows how people are afraid to be involved in others problems, like in the case of Charlie and his mom being abused by his father. This could maybe help teens who are afraid to speak up and see that ignore problems does not make things better and could, like in the case of Vera, make things worse.
Main Themes: death, depression, friendship, secrecy, abuse
Read alikes: Paper Towns by John Green, Where Things Come Back by John Whaley
Author Website: http://www.as-king.com/
Professional Reviews: Publisher's Weekly
Kirkus Reviews
Why Choose this Book? The book is not only an award winner but it is one that deals with many heavy topics such as betrayal, abuse, death and depression. The story is not sugarcoated and will appeal to teens who want an emotional realistic fiction story.