Kazumi Reads

Plot Summary:

Critical Evaluation:
I could not believe the twist this story took! I was seriously expecting a dramatic tale of girl wanting nothing more than to live her last moments on Earth by falling in love and being with the people she cares about. I really thought that the countdown was about Scarlet's life expectancy dwindling, but, alas I WAS WRONG! WOW! C.J. Lyon's is one heck of a storyteller because when we thought we get a sad story about teenage love and loss, we get a murder mystery/thriller as well! Along with Scarlet's heart-breaking tale, readers also learn about her friends' life stories which are equally tragic. Lyons does an amazing job exposing readers to a variety of situations that are not only humbling, but very real. For example, Nessa is dealing with her sister's suicide by self-medicating herself; Celine is trying to care for her severely autistic sister while her mother is dying of cancer; Jordan is dealing with a lot of guilt, which forces him become overprotective. Lastly, for Tony, he lost his father long ago and it's always been him and his mom. There is so much readers can learn from these teens because, at the end of the day, they had to force themselves to be brave and deal with the consequences the best they could. Fortunately, for the bully, Mitch, is Scarlet hadn't done what she did, he may not be alive. This story is definitely an eye-opener for those who have no idea what some of their peers are dealing with and I hope they learned a lot of things from this story. Again, I was not anticipating the ending of this story, I am very satisfied that Scarlet was able to take control with her life and have the courage to remain in her home despite everything that has happened. There is a great Q&A section with the author and valuable tips for teens.

Information about the Author:
According to her website:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of twenty-one novels, former pediatric ER doctor CJ Lyons has lived the life she writes about in her cutting edge Thrillers with Heart.

CJ has been called a “master within the genre” (Pittsburgh Magazine) and her work has been praised as “breathtakingly fast-paced” and “riveting” (Publishers Weekly) with “characters with beating hearts and three dimensions” (Newsday).

She has assisted police and prosecutors with cases involving child abuse, rape, homicide and Munchausen by Proxy. She has worked in numerous trauma centers, on the Navajo reservation, as a crisis counselor, victim advocate, as well as a flight physician for Life Flight and Stat Medevac.

A story-teller all her life, CJ has always created stories about people discovering the courage to make a difference. This led her to coin the term: Thrillers with Heart.
CJ has taught numerous live and online workshops as well as given keynote speeches to audiences around the world, including: The London Book Fair, The Frankfurt Book Fair, MWA, RWA, Romantic Times, Oklahoma Writer Federation, Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers and PennWriters among others. She was also the conference chairperson for the highly successful inaugural ITW ThrillerFest.

Her novels have won the International Thriller Writers prestigious Thriller Award, the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award, Golden Gateway, Readers’ Choice Award, the RT Seal of Excellence, and Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense.

Genre:
Teen Issues, Teen Fiction, Teen Mysteries, Teen Thrillers

Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 9 & up

Books Similar to Broken:

• The Naturals by Jennifer Barnes
• The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die by April Henry

Awards & Recognition:From Amazon.com

"[A] suspenseful thriller laced with medical intrigue and coming-of-age triumph. " - Booklist

"A chilling medical suspense story-Lyons' specialty-expertly entwines with teen-oriented family drama and the eye-rolling social hierarchy that is high school...Not just for teens, Broken effectively addresses many modern issues, including bullying and the pediatric healthcare system. " - RT Book Reviews

""Lyons dives deep into the human soul... Her three dimensional characters resonate with readers long after the final page." --RT BookReviews, on Black Sheep " - RT Book Reviews

"CJ Lyons' new YA novel, Broken, heralds a strong new female protagonist whose history counters the challenges and mysteries ahead. Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak meets Kathy Reichs' Virals. " - Jill Moore, Square Books, Jr., Oxford, MS

"Broken is an intense page-turner. Readers will race to the end to see if Scarlet will uncover the truth about herself and those around her before it's too late." - April Henry, New York Times Bestselling Author

""[A] fast-paced thriller" with a "I-totally-didn't-see-it-coming ending."" - Entertainment Weekly's Shelf Life

""The concept of this book is an interesting and fresh one," and promises that readers "will be happy they kept reading." " - VOYA

""Scarlet is a likable character, smart and savvy, sheltered and innocent. Her friends and enemies are well drawn and the tension feels real . . . Readers who enjoy surprise revelations as in Matt de la Peña's I Will Save You will appreciate the twist here." " - School Library Journal

Plot Summary:
Six is different then the rest of the agents in The Deck. Not only is he super strong, he can heal faster than the average human, he has perfect vision, and he is lethal. More importantly, Six is only sixteen years old. What most people don't know about six, is that he was the product of an illegal experiment at the Lab, which burned down sixteen years ago. Furthermore, if anyone at the Deck found out that he isn't a true human being, he could be hunted and destroyed. In the world that Six lives in, two major corporations have overrun the government and everyone is under the every watchful eye of ChaoSonic. In other words, ChaoSonic requires every citizen to have an assigned ChaoSonic ID, which means they can track every more that person makes. There is no such thing as civil liberties and those with the most money have total power over everyone. In this world, any rich man or woman can create and destroy whoever they want because they have the funds that supply ChaoSonic. For those who desire to defy ChaoSonic form their own syndicates like the Deck. The Deck is is literally a rebellion of cards: the hearts are the enforcers, the Diamonds are the negotiators, and the Jokers are the information resources. The goal of the deck is to expose and neutralize any activity that threatens the innocent and absorbs any assets belonging to those who seek to hurt humankind. In this world, humanity has become an endangered species where technology and greed threaten its very existence. For Six, his goal is to do his job, and do it flawlessly, while staying under the radar from the Lab. However, after being summoned by the King of Hearts to investigate a location that could be housing an operation that terrifies Six--the Lab is back.  Furthermore, when he meets Kyntax, Six's nightmares are about to come true.


Critical Evaluation:
In this stunning debut, Jack Heath has given teen readers an adventure of a lifetime. Not only is our hero a superhuman, he is the hunter who is being hunted. In this world is a very scary reality where no one has control over their own lives or futures. Furthermore, the idea that greed is so powerful that those who possess the money have the freedom to do whatever they want is down right scary. As for Six, all I could think of, as I was reading this, is a mixture of The Terminator and Judge Dread. For those who aren't familiar with these movies, they are old school action flicks starring two of my favorite action stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. Since he isn't a machine, or liquid metal, Six has human DNA that has been altered and mixed with specific genes that make him invincible and powerful. Furthermore, the opening Prologue, is not only creepy, but makes the reader think hard about the possibility of human experimentation. Although its never really stated that Six is a clone, but the idea of altering fetuses is not at all impossible. Clearly, Six was created to be the ultimate weapon, but, at the same time, those who "created" him, didn't count on the fact that Six is capable of thinking and feeling. Six may not be the most personable being on the planet, but he feels fear and loneliness, which convey that beneath all of the superpowers is a teen looking for his place in this world. For me, when we meet Syntak, I had this surge of hope that Six would not be alone in this world. However, I am not so sure of Syntak's motives, but I guess I will find out in the sequel, Remote Control.

Information about the Author:
According to his website, Jack Heath was born in Sydney, Australia, but moved to Canberra, Australia, until he was nine years old. He started writing his first novel when he was thirteen and earned a publishing contract when he was eighteen. His first novel, the Lab, has not only been adapted to a screenplay, hi second novel, Remote Control,  was a shortlisted sci-fi book of the year at the 2007 Aurealis Awards and, in 2009, he was named ACT Young Australian of the Year. When he was 23, he was invited to teach creative writing at the Canberra Institute of Technology and was featured at the the Australian Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo. When he is not writing or writing:

Jack is performing street magic, composing film music, teaching or lecturing at schools and festivals, or playing a variety of instruments including the piano and the bass guitar. He stoically ignores his lack of qualifications or training in any of these areas. Also, now 25, he’s working on his seventh action book and compiling a list of every book he’s ever read.

Genre:
Teen Thriller, Teen Sci Fi

Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 9 & up

Books Similar to The Lab:

• The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson
• Double Helix by Nancy Werlin
  

Awards & Recognition:

• Positive review from Booklist
• Positive review from the Bulletin of the Center of Children's Books
• Postive review from School Library Journal
• Positive review from Kirkus Review
  

Plot Summary:
Wally is a rebel. In fact, she is such a rebel that she ran away from her wealthy family and decided to live on the streets of Manhattan in search of a place to sleep and find food to eat. As the new leader of her "pack," this rebel becomes a leader where her friends rely on her for everything, which, for Wally, is a great responsibility and burden. Although her friends know that she was adopted, she is not at all the spoiled little rich girl that she should be.Wally was born in Russia, but was dropped off at an orphanage.Wally enjoyed living with her bother and sisters and her adopted Babushka (grandmother) and caretaker, Mrs.Ivanoa. Babu would tell Wally all sorts about her mother, which told Wally that she had a mother and didn't need anyone else. However, after the sudden death of a former crew member, Wally is being tracked down by NYPD and the Russian syndicate. Although Wally is a runaway and petty thief, she is not at all who she seems to be; now that the notorious Russian mobster is on the lose, his target is Wally. Meanwhile, after attempting to get a new fake ID, Wally makes her way to Brighton Beach, the Little Moscow of New York, is given an envelope that contains a picture of a man, papers, and a rare stone called Alexandrite. In the same envelope is a letter from Wally's birth mother telling her that she loves her, but they may never reunite because of the bad man in the photo. For Wally, this isn't good enough and she and her crew decide to go looking for her. In their search, not only do the uncover the truth about Wally's mother, but how Wally is the key to this mystery, which leads to a series of deadly events.

Critical Evaluation:
In a classic game of cat and mouse, Richter has created a thrilling adventure for teens. For Wally, not only is she searching for herself, she is looking for her mother who has thrust her into some serious trouble. In many ways, readers will feel extremely sympathetic for Wally because not only is she in a mess, she is trying to figure out who her mother is and why she did what she did. In my mind, as I was reading this story, I feel like I have been thrown in to an elaborate Le Femme Nikitia movie where a young girl's life has suddenly taken a dark turn, but instead of working for the government, she is running from the mobsters in search of the truth. Readers are going to get a brief insight to Russian culture, including their mob, which adds the suspense that has building; Wally is in some serious trouble. I really, really enjoyed how Richter incorporated a variety of Russian rhymes and text that not only add to cultural aspect, but serve as clue into Wally's past. As Wally tries to make sense of the clues that have been given to her, we are starting to see the resilience and the power of team work as the whole crew comes together to find the truth about Wally's mom. Lastly, the fact that Wally has extensive knowledge when it comes to guns is just plain awesome. Obviously, readers will know from this fact, just how powerful and strong Wally is, which makes this whole story more exciting.

Information about the Author:
According to the book jacket of Dark Eyes:

William Harlan Richter is a Hollywood screenwriter. He was nominated for an Emmy Award as producer of  "We Stand Alone Together," the documentary episode of the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers. William was born and raised in California. Dark Eyes is his first novel.

Genre:
Teen Thriller, Teen Mysteries

Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 9 & up

Books Similar to Dark Eyes:

• Legend by Marie Lu
• Can't Get There From Here by Todd Strasser
  

Awards & Recognition:

•  Starred Review Booklist (2/15/2012)
  

Plot Summary:
Mara Dyer has no recollection of what happened at the old insane asylum. She remembers being woken in the middle night by Jude, her boyfriend, and has reluctantly agreed to join him and his sister, Claire, and her best friend, Rachel, to investigate the haunted building. What she doesn't remember is how she woke up in the hospital and how her friends died. After being diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Mara convinces her family to leave Rhode Island to the sunny and tropical state of Florida. After enrolling in Croyden School, Mara has to start over, knowing that her best friend is dead. On her first day of school, she meets Jamie, who not only puts her nervousness at ease, but a her first friend who doesn't know about her past. Unfortunately, with every new school, Mara quickly learns that everyone in this school, except for a good few ones, is as dumb as a rock and ten times more vicious than a rabid lion. However, what Mara didn't count on is Noah. Known as the most hottest, and most popular guy, in school, Mara becomes the object of Noah's time and affection. After being warned that he is an all-time heart breaker, Mara does everything she can to avoid him. However, Mara still struggles with her nightmares and hallucinations that she fears she may never heal or be normal again. Although no one know this, but Mara has a very powerful gift that she cannot control, but, unbeknownst to Mara, this gift is her curse where certain people he had encountered end up dead. Mara has no clue what's going on with her head, but the last things she needs is to be humiliated by Anna and Aidan (the school's most notorious bullies and dimwhits). What Mara didn't count is that Noah was there, from the beginning, protecting her. Mara is very leery about Noah, but the more she gets to know him, the more she starts to realize that he is something all together different. Is it possible that this broken girl could finally start over? Could Mara have a happy ending? The cards say something different.   

Critical Evaluation:
Michelle Hodkin has written a thrilling account of a teen who not only has to deal with the loss of her best friend, but the very idea that she is the reason the person she cares the most for is dead. Although what happened that night was rules as a terrible accident, the events of that night slowly come back to Mara as the story progresses. By entwining flashbacks of the past with the presents, readers cannot put this book down because we have to know what Mara saw. Although this story is a very real tragedy, the idea that someone has the power to will the demise of another person without physically doing it is not of this world. Mara is convinced that the flashbacks are just hallucinations, but when it starts to literally affect her, and those around her, Mara believes something awful is happening to her. For Noah, who happens to be just as special as she is and complete opposite, has the power to heal and restore. The idea of a romance between two people who can cause and resolve catastrophe is more than romantic, it is also very dangerous and unpredictable. Although I get the feeling that Mara resembles X-men hero, Rogue, Mara has yet to make a choice: learn to control her power or let her power control her. I seriously could not put this book downs and am looking forward to the sequel!


Information about the Author:
According to the book jacket of her book, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer:

Michelle Hodkin grew up in South Florida, went to college in New York, and attended law school in Michigan. When she isn't writing, she can usually be found prying strange objects from the jaws of one of her three pets. This is her first novel.

Genre:
Teen Thriller, Teen Supernatural Romance


Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 9 & up


Books Similar to The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer:

• Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
• Wake by Lisa McMann
  

Awards & Recognition:

Review Quotes

"Haunting and dreamlike, the intrigue and romance of Mara Dyer will inescapably draw you in." --Cassandra Clare, author of the New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series

"The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer strikes a rare balance of darkly funny, deliciously creepy and genuinely thoughtful. One minute I was laughing out loud, and the next, I was so scared I wanted to turn on all the lights and hide under the covers. Michelle Hodkin’s talent and range are obvious, from her chilling descriptions to romantic scenes that almost crackled on the page. I’ve never read anything quite like it."--Veronica Roth, New York Times bestselling author of Divergent

"A clever, captivating thriller, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is perfect for those (like me) who like their heroes dark, their heroines dangerous, and their romances seriously twisted."

--Kirsten Miller, New York Times bestselling author of The Eternal Ones

"WOW. Michelle Hodkin's debut will keep you guessing until the last page--and long after."

--Beth Revis, New York Times bestselling author of Across the Unviverse

"As spooky and twisty as it is lyrical and beautiful, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer grabbed me and wouldn't let go. Read this one with the lights on." --Rachel Hawkins, New York Times bestselling author of Demonglass

From Amazon.com

Plot Summary:
Taro lives in a small village near Shimahara Bay in the Kanto Province of Japan and he dreams that one day he will become a samurai.When he was younger, he rescued his best friend, Hiro, from a shark attack and his parents took Hiro in. Even at a young age, Taro has all of the qualities of a good warrior, strong and true. Although he spends most of his time hunting in the forest, life for Taro is pretty quiet. However, his father had fallen very ill and he knows the inevitable is bound to happen. One night, Taro and his mother, heard a noise in their home to find that Taro's father has been assassinated by ninja. Not knowing what's going on, or what to do, Taro foolishly tries to take revenge and fight until he is stopped by another ninja named Shusaku. What Taro doesn't realize is that Shusaku is more than a ninja--he is a Kyuuketsuki--a vampire. Furthermore, this ninja vampire's weapon bears the same symbol as Taro's bow (three hollylock leaves in a circle). In order to flee the assassins, Shusaku makes a hasty decision and Taro is changed forever. According to the ninja traitor/assassin, someone paid Shusaku good money to kill Taro, but Taro has no idea why anyone would want to kill him. What he doesn't realize is that this order comes from Lord Oda Nobunaga, the Shogun's most powerful daimiyo besides Lord Ieyasu Tokugawa. When Taro reaches Shusaku's clan, the secrets behind his existence are slowly revealed and his dream of becoming a samurai is shattered.However, Taro embarks on an adventure that will not only make him a ninja, but the most powerful being in the land.

Critical Evaluation:
Blood Ninja is the epitome of an epic tale where readers will not only love the richness of the back story, but he or she invest their time, energy, and hope in all of the characters. Nick Lake has definitely done his research, which not educates the readers, but allows those who are familiar with Japanese history to get excited. I grew up on samurai flicks where all of this is totally familiar, not to mention, my favorite anime series (Ruroni Kenshin) takes place in the same time period. Lake not only weaves true events into this tale, but the idea of ninja as vampires is pretty ingenious. The idea of ninja has always been shrouded by mystery and, for those who have done their research, know that these beings are incredibly powerful, but their secrets very well hiddne. Granted, I don't any Ninja, personally, I could easily see how the traits of a vampire are very similar to these warriors. Along with the historical background, the characters in this story are so beautifully STRONG! I have to give credit where its due because none of the females, in this story, are just as formidable as the male. Hana, Heiko, Yukiko, the Abess, the Ame, and, even Lady Tokugawa (lasting for as long as she did) are given the opportunity to show their strengths, which, for me, is such a huge breath of fresh air. Moreover, since this book is definitely meant for the reluctant male reader, Lake provides them with a story where the stereotypical gender roles have no place in this world, especially when vampires are for hire. Blood Ninja is action packed adventure where one boy's life takes a rather interesting turn that will either make or break him.                   

Information about the Author:
According to Simon and Schuster, Nick Lake was born on August 21 and is the current Children's Book Editor for Harper UK. He attended high school in Luxemburg and went to college in Oxford, England where he earned his degree in Phonetics. Here are a list of unique questions that he has answered in regards to his life, work, and dreams:

Q. How would you describe your life in only 8 words?

A. I would use the word "busy" eight times.

Q. How would you describe perfect happiness?

A. A fire, a good chair and a new Stephen King book. Or the moment the soundchecks finish and the band take to the stage. Or sunset on the mountains, with weary feet, and the lights of a pub ahead. Or the sound of a breakbeat. Or a very sweet tea, anywhere in the middle east, at any time of day.

Q. What’s your greatest fear?

A. Not being good.

Q. If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you choose to be?

A. The main square in Esfehan, Iran, with the aforementioned glass of tea.

Q. With whom in history do you most identify?

A. Er... someone who was a writer and an editor? I don't know. I don't think I identify with anyone.

Q. Which living person do you most admire?

A. Haruki Murakami. Stephen King. Anyone who works for Medecins sans Frontieres or Amnesty International.

Q. What are your most overused words or phrases?

A. "Apparently".

Q. If you could acquire any talent, what would it be?

A. The abillity to play a musical instrument well. Also, the ability to speak all languages fluently.

Q. What is your greatest achievement?

A. Meeting my wife.

Q. If you could be any person or thing, who or what would it be?

A. I wouldn't mind being Simon Cowell. I could make the X-factor go away. Not to mention R&B flavoured pop music.

Q. What trait is most noticeable about you?

A. I have no idea. My hair? It's usually quite big, because I keep forgetting to have it cut. I look like the freakish son of Tom Hanks and David Hasselhoff.

Q. Who is your favorite fictional hero?

A. Sally Lockhart.

Q. Who is your favorite fictional villain?

A. Steerpike. (Also hero.)

Q. If you could meet any historical character, who would it be and what would you say to him or her?

A. I'd like to meet Shakespeare and I'd ask him how to write better.

Genre:
Teen Thrillers, Teen Historical Fiction, Teen Fantasy


Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 9 & up


Books Similar to Blood Ninja:

• Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson
• I am Number 4 by Pitticus Lore

Awards & Recognition: 

Review Quotes:

“The night has a new hero.”—Darren Shan, author of the Cirque Du Freak series

“A fast-paced, gripping book about ninjas. It’s all I ask for, really.”—Conn Iggulden, coauthor of The Dangerous Book for Boys

“An elegantly thrilling and action-packed tale of honor, duty, and desetiny.”—Derek Land, author of Skulduggery Pleasant

“Deftly blends sixteenth-century Japanese samurai history with vampire mythology to concoct a gory and fast-paced adventure that will grab readers...the cliff-hanger ending will leave readers clamoring for a sequel.”—Booklist

“Lake uses the story's familiar elements skillfully, combining them into an imaginative and original whole. And, really, with vampire ninjas, how can you lose?”—Publishers Weekly

“Those who enjoy Far Eastern-tinged quest stories—with a dash of vampires and ninjas for flavor—will find much to enjoy here.”—VOYA
 
From Amazon.com