People Kill People by Ellen Hopkins

People Kill People by Ellen Hopkins, 428 pages

I could tell by the cover this book may be controversial, but I really had no idea what the book was about and how Ellen Hopkins would deal with gun violence in today's society.  The book follows six teens all connected either by family or friends.  Their relationships are complicated.  Each one has been touched by violence and abuse.  But, how will it end?  In a shocking ending, the trigger is pulled.  Who will be the victim and who will pull the trigger.  Guns don't kill people.  Guns just make it easier, even for a child to do it.

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Looking for Alaska by John Green, 223 pages

I really enjoyed this book by John Green.  I had been wanting to read this for a while and had always thought it was about the state of Alaska.  Sometimes it is fun not to know anything about a book.  In this story 16 year Miles, "Pudge," is sent to a boarding school named Culver Creek Prep School in Alabama.  Miles meets up with a group of kids all with nicknames and Alaska is a girl with one of them.  Alaska has a very depressing past that leads to a very sad ending.

Tilt by Ellen Hopkins

Tilt by Ellen Hopkins, 603 pages

I think you could call this a stand alone novel, but it is a follow up to Ellen Hopkin's adult novel, Triangles.  For the first 300 or 400 pages of Tilt, the storyline overlaps with Triangles, but in Tilt, it is told from the teens perspective as opposed to their mother's perspective.  Tilt follows the lives of three teens, Mikayla, Harley and Shane.  Shane and Harley are cousins and Mikayla is a good friend.  Mikayla finds herself alone and pregnant when the father of her child abandons her.  She must decide to keep her baby or chose adoption.  Harley finds herself in dangerous situations, pressured by the boys she thinks care about her.  And, Shane, as a homosexual teen, finds himself in love with a young man with HIV.  Tilt is sad and heartfelt as the reader watches their lives intertwine and tumble out of control.

Impulse by Ellen Hopkins

Impulse by Ellen Hopkins, 666 pages

I had been searching for this book for a while when I found it while searching our catalog in our new Evergreen library system.  I enjoyed reading this book, even though it dealt with many taboo subjects.  But, I really felt like I connected with the three main characters in the book. Vanessa feels flawed as a person and only feels good when she is cutting herself.  Tony is a young, homosexual drug user who is living on the streets, trying to recover from the lose of his partner and from being abandoned by his father.   Conner is a teen who feels he cannot live up to the high standards his parents have set for him and recovering from having a sexual relationship with a teacher.  Each of the three find themselves locked up together in a psychiatric hospital called Aspen Springs.  The three each tried to commit suicide in their own way: Vanessa by cutting, Tony by pills, and Conner by shooting himself in the chest.  They are each sent to Aspen Springs to recover.  The three connect in a very special way.  The ending was shocking.

Rumble by Ellen Hopkins

Rumble by Ellen Hopkins, 546 pages

I think I have read most of Ellen Hopkins books, and I must say this is probably one of my least favorites.  Matthew Turner is a teen in high school dealing not only with everyday issues but also dealing with the suicide of his homosexual brother, Luke. Luke was driven to suicide by the bullying he faced at school after he came out.  All this has made Matthew question his religion, his faith and his relationship with his girlfriend. All of Ellen Hopkins books are a little depressing, but this one was hard to get into.

Smoke by Ellen Hopkins

Smoke by Ellen Hopkins, 543 pages

Smoke is the sequel to the teen book Burned.  It continues right where it left off.  Pattyn is a teen on the run after taking the blame for killing her father. She and her mother and sisters had been abused for years by the man they called Dad.  She killed him to save her sisters from the years of abuse she suffered.  What she takes is the blame for killing her Dad when really it was her sister Jackie who killed him. While on the run, Pattyn finds a friend, a new job and a new love by the name of Angel.  But after losing her true love, Ethan and their unborn baby, Pattyn fears she will never be able to love again.

The You I've Never Known by Ellen Hopkins

The You I've Never Known by Ellen Hopkins, 590 pages

In this latest book written entirely in prose by Ellen Hopkins, there is so much going on with the main character, Ariel Pearson.  Not only is she just trying to be a normal teenager trying to fit in at school and on the basketball team, but Ariel and her Dad, Mark, have been on the move her whole life.  Now they are living in a place Ariel can finally fit in.  She has her best friends Monica and Syrah. Ariel finds herself falling not only for her friend Monica, but also falling for her Dad's girlfriend's nephew Gabe.  But, when an accident happens to a fellow student that throws Gabe and Ariel in the middle of rewards and publicity of being heroes, Ariel's life takes a tumble.  What she thought was her life with her Dad after her mother left her as a small child turns out to be something much more when her mother comes back into her life and tells her the real truth of who she is.  Not only does Ariel finds herself dealing with changing relationships, she finds out her real birthday is September 11th.  This book is very long, but well into the middle the reader is trying to guess the tie in between the back and forth narrations of Ariel and Maya McCabe.  Read and find out!

Traffick by Ellen Hopkins

Traffick by Ellen Hopkins, 523 pages

Traffick is the follow up book to Tricks.  Written in verse, this teen book follows Eden, Cody, Seth, Ginger, and Whitney as they hit rock bottom in Las Vegas.  Each on a different path of drugs, addiction, and prostitution, this book show what happens when teens make poor choices. Ellen Hopkins writes a very intriguing story and manages to tie the lives of these characters together.

Burned by Ellen Hopkins

Burned by Ellen Hopkins, 531 pages

Every now and then I like to read an Ellen Hopkins book. Her books explore teen angst to the fullest and usually have some depressing and shocking twist.  This one was no exception.  Pattyn is a teen Mormon girl forced to spend the summer with her Aunt Jeanette after misbehaving. Being sent away turns out to be a blessing because in Pattyn's home her Dad is a mean, angry alcoholic who beats her mother.  What Pattyn finds that summer is peace and comfort in the arms of Ethan.  Of course they fall in love and tragedy falls upon them.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, 288 pages

Thirteen Reasons Why is a teen book which may be considered controversial, but I found it a great story about teens and is really quite relevant in today's society where kids may be bullied. Clay Jenson finds himself on the receiving end of mysterious tapes that contain the thirteen reasons why Hannah Baker committed suicide.  Listening to this book on a playaway made the story all that more intense as you are listening to Hannah's voice on the tapes.  I recommend this read to both teens and adults.  It was really eye opening.

Identical by Ellen Hopkins

Identical by Ellen Hopkins, 565 pages

In Identical, Ellen Hopkins writes about a very taboo subject: incest. Kaeleigh and Raeanne are identical twins who were in a horrific car accident when they are younger that turned their lives upside down. Kaeleigh and Raeanne are exact opposites in personality.  When their mom decides to run for Congress, their Dad becomes their main caregiver. Shocking and disturbing at times, this book is written in verse which keeps the story moving and enthralls the reader.  I knew nothing about this book when I started and towards the end, a surprise twist is thrown out there that makes this one of the best books for young adults.

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Looking for Alaska by John Green-221 pages; Michael L. Printz Award Winner, 2006

I liked reading both The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns, so when I saw this won the Printz Award I decided to give it a try. I was not disappointed. I liked this novel a lot. One review compared Miles Halter (aka "Pudge") to Holden Caulfield, but I liked Miles way better (I did not enjoy reading Catcher in the Rye at all). Alaska is a fairly realistic story that teens can relate to and I liked how John Green dealt with death and how teens (and adults) cope with losing someone close. Additionally, the characters had depth and were relatable, if not likeable. I would recommend this book to anyone into Teen/Young Adult fiction.

Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Crank by Ellen Hopkins, 537 pages

I had heard many things about this book.  Crank brought me back about 30 years when Go Ask Alice was the controversial book read by teenagers.  I read that book many times.  Crank is a book written in verse.  The pages are short which make it a quick read.  Crank is loosely based on Ellen Hopkins' daughter's own story.  In this book, teen Kristina Georgia Snow is introduced to crank, aka the  "monster," while visiting her Dad one summer. Crank is crystal meth. While doing crank, Kristina becomes her uninhibited altar ego, Bree.  Kristina is introduced to many things while staying with her Dad, including a boy named Adam. Needless to say, once she returns home to her Mom and step dad, Kristina is transformed from a good girl/student to "Bree."  Kristina experiences some very traumatic experiences which eventually leads to her giving birth to her son. This book may not be for everyone, but it does spark the discussion of drug usage among teenagers.

First Love by James Patterson and Emily Raymond

First Love by James Patterson and Emily Raymond, 278 pages

First Love was a touching and sad book about two teenagers, Axi and Robinson, who want to run away from their problems and the world.  They become rebels on the run who find true love. Like all James Patterson's books there is a twist, so don't read any spoilers.  I wish I hadn't.  But, like all Patterson's books, there is a predictably about it.  Still, teenagers as well as adults will enjoy this book.

I Don't Want To Be Crazy by Samantha Schutz

I Don't Want To Be Crazy by Samantha Schutz, 280 pages

Samantha writes in poem form with great detail about her personal experience with panic attacks and anxiety disorders she suffered when she left home for college.  I Don't Want To Be Crazy is a touching book for anyone experiencing panic attacks or for anyone who knows someone experiencing them.  This book is written for both teens and adults struggling to understand panic attacks and anxiety disorders.  Samantha writes with great honesty about  the medication she is prescribed and her journey to mental well being. All this she experiences while getting her college degree and dealing with becoming an adult. This was a great read!

To Be Perfectly Honest: A Novel Based On An Untrue Story by Sonya Sones

To Be Perfectly Honest: A Novel Based On An Untrue Story by Sonya Sones, 480 pages

I love Sonya Sones' books.  Her books are written in prose form.  Sonya captivates your interest with her characters.   Her books read more like nonfiction than fiction. This book is written entirely from the prospective of 15 year old Colette.  Colette is a compulsive liar who meets her match in a motorcycle riding young man named Connor. Colette is stuck spending her summer in a hotel in San Luis Obispo, CA babysitting her younger brother, Will while her famous mother, Marissa Shawn, films a movie. Colette's world is turned upside down when she meets and falls for Connor.  This is a roller coaster of a story.  It was a delightful, quick fun read!

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell, 328 pages

It's the 80s (my favorite decade) and high schooler Eleanor has just returned to her very abusive home. Overweight with frizzy hair, poorly dressed Eleanor tries to keep a low profile and ends up facing the horrors of bullying ... at home and at school. She keeps it together by forming an unusual friendship with Park. Park is oriental boy who is very small in stature. He has his own demons to fight but for some reason comes to Eleanor's defense (passively) by offering her the seat next to him on the bus. Every day they ride together to school without a word to each other. Every day Park notices Eleanor watching him read his comics. He starts to share them with her and slowly music is added to the mix and they become friends. Their friendship is a life line for both. As Eleanor opens her world to Park they realize they are much the same in likes as much as their worlds are very different. Park does what he can to save Eleanor from the horrors of home and school. It's such a beautifully written book alternating from both viewpoints that I found often found myself with tears streaming down my face. This is a book every child (and parent) should read and understand what bullying does to a person. Sometimes all we see in kids is the shell... and not what is inside. Such bittersweetness ends this story and I think that it ended exactly as it should have.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - 336 pages

The latest "hit" for teen readers is this novel by Green about a young couple who each have cancer. The journey to find one another and then deal with their illness leads them across the globe to meet the author of a oddly compelling book.  The author turns out to be a bit of a recluse and not at all the hero they had hoped.

Filled with illness, sadness and death, this book is sure to continue to be popular with teen readers suffering their own angst and anxious to read of other's.

What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones

What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones, 291 pages

I can now say I have read all of Sonya Sones books.  Sonya's books are all very moving novels written in poetic form.  All her books are very emotional, and the way she writes, you feel like she is actually the character she is writing about it. What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know is a sequel to What My Mother Doesn't Know.  The first book is written from the teenage girl's perspective.  This book is written from the boy's perspective.  Robin Murphy is dating Sophie Stein, who is much more popular than him.  Robin is worried about hurting Sophie's reputation, of which she does not care.  The reader can't help cheer for Robin.  He is truly a good guy.

One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies by Sonya Sones

One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies by Sonya Sones, 268 pages

In Sonya Sones books, she writes a novel in poetic prose.  This is another emotional story about a teenage girl, Ruby, whose mother dies. Ruby is then sent to live with her father whom she doesn't even remember.  She moves from Boston to Beverly Hills, California.  Ruby had seen her father growing up on the big screen as he is an Oscar winning actor.  Ruby's Aunt sneaks her to the theater as she is growing up so her father is not a total stranger to her.  Her father, Whip, is unbelievably kind to her as Ruby fights his every attempt to be her Dad.  This a touching story of how Ruby adjusts to life in LA while still maintains a relationship with her boyfriend in Boston and her best friend, until that falls apart. Ruby also continues a heartfelt relationship with her deceased mother through emails (of course they are never answered).  This was a very good teen read!!