The Savage by David Almond, illustrated by Dave McKean

isbn: 9780763639327

This book was beautiful, short and powerful. The story is told by Blue, who, being told to write down his feelings about his father's death, writes the story of the Savage instead, a boy who lives in a cave under an abandoned church and who kills anyone who sees him. The narrative is written a few years later, when his spelling has improved. The mistakes in the original story add to the roughness of the illustrations and of the story. It is absolutely dark but in the end redeeming. It was a bit short, but perhaps packs more of a punch that way.

4/5

The Hollow People, by Brian Keany

isbn: 978-0375843327

I have wanted to read this one for a while, and I was not disapointed. Apart from a very Matrix 2/Pirates 2 ending, this book is very nearly perfect. The world around the two characters is well thought out, the scary big brother-ness is just subtle enough that you could mistake it for misery, and Dante and Bea, the main characters, are lovely and real. I cannot wait till the next one, which aparently comes our in December 08. Arg!

4/5

Wicked Lovely, by Melissa Marr

isbn: 0061214671

I have been looking at this one for a while, and finally took it out at the library. I am really torn. On one side, I really wish it hadn't ended so damn well. Ugh. I think boy A should go with girl B. Oooooh. Of course! On the other hand, I did really really want to finish it. Ate it up in two days (on the bus and at lunch). Honestly the second part looks better, but I can't figure out how it will work at all. Hmmm.

3/5

The Compound, by S.A. Bodeen

isbn: 0312370156

I read this in one afternoon and got annoyed at someone who tried to have a conversation with me while I read it. I had to finish it. The book is paced extremely well and feels like the first big hill on a rollercoaster. The description of the food they can no longer have was ridiculously good, making me hungry for things I didn't even know I craved. The end was a bit weak, though not in a strictly bad sense. I think it was maybe a bit sudden for the speed I was going at.

4/5

Prom Dates From Hell, by Rosemary Clement-Moore

isbn: 978-0385734134

This book was actually very clever, and sped up at just the right moment in the plot to keep me interested. Mixing serious issues with magic, this is a brilliant teen book for people who want softcore fantasy and discussions about bullying and high school royalty. I devoured this in one day, and when I thought I knew what was going on, I got slapped in the face and liked it.

4/5

Generation Dead, by Daniel Waters

isbn: 142310921X

I picked it up because of the cover and read it because of the blurb. Teenagers in America are coming back from the dead. Unfortunately they have limited mobility and speech, and no civil rights. The story is kinda dorky, with dating and proms, but it also has a lot of ethics questions and awkward decisions for the characters to make. By the end I had cried a little bit, even though it was sorta silly. Good message, nice softcore sci-fi/speculative fiction.

4/5

Supernaturalists, by Eoin Colfer

ISBN: 978-0786851492

This was a great teen book, with more serious themes than you sometimes see in adult fiction. Lots of torture and death, and plot twists galore. The characters are really fun too, especially the main kid who is quite brilliant.

3/5

Uglies, Pretties and Specials, all by Scott Westerfield

ISBNs: 978-0689865381, 978-0689865398, 978-0689865404

This series of books is based in a world where when you turn 16, you get plastic surgery to make you into a Pretty, a perfect, cookie-cutter person who does not ask questions and who does not make a fuss. The three books folow Tally Youngblood, who, thank god, makes a huge fuss and gets things moving. Great book for young girls.

5/5 for all three.