Chain Reaction, by Simone Elkeles

This is the 3rd book Elkeles has written about the Fuentes brothers. The oldest brother Alex's story is Perfect chemistry, which was followed by Rules of attraction about Carlos, the middle brother. And this is the story of Luis, the youngest brother. All good romances, and if you like one you will probably like them all. But I'm kind of glad there aren't any more Fuentes brothers, because all three books are pretty much alike and I would like to read something different by Elkeles.

Putting makeup on the fat boy, by Bil Wright

Carlos Duarte has a dream of making the big time as a makeup artist, and when he gets hired at one of the Macy's makeup counters, he has a chance to take some real steps toward the dream. But life is never simple, and just as Carlos gets his big break, he has to deal with the jealous diva boss who could undermine his dream plans; his sister's abusive boyfriend; and a fantasy (or is it?) crush on his punk-rocker classmate.

Dash & Lily's book of dares, by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

Christmastime in New York for two teens is livened up when Lily leaves a red notebook full of challenges on a shelf in her favorite bookstore and Dash (short for Dashiel) finds it and takes up the challenge. Both start to think a real life romance may be possible..........

This is good fun - I still like this pair of authors' other romance better tho. Nick and Nora's infinite playlist is worth reading and WAY better than the movie version!

Rot & ruin, by Jonathan Maberry

In a future post-zombie apocalypse United States, Ben Imura has lived his entire 15 years in the isolated community of Mountainside, where at 15 everyone must begin working or face their food ration cut in half. After losing half a dozen jobs, Benny reluctantly agrees to join the "family business" of his older 1/2 brother Tom who is a zombie killer. When the brothers venture out into the Rot & Ruin outside Mountainside, Benny discovers how wrong he has been about many things - from the "coolness" of more flamboyant bounty hunters to the inhuman nature of "zoms", and especially the real nature of the family business. Then Benny's potential girlfriend is kidnapped by Charlie Mathias - a cruel bounty hunter, and the Imura brothers have to work together to try and rescue her before it is too late.

There is lots of adventure, violence, and action balanced with thought provoking questions about bravery and honor and about survivors and victims. And who would have guessed that I would love a zombie book, anyway?

The Marbury lens, by Andrew Smith

Leaving a party at his best friend Connor's, Jack is kidnapped, drugged, tortured and nearly raped. He narrowly escapes his tormentor and returns to Connor's house where he confides all that happened. The boys decide to keep it a secret, but they have fallen into the dark, and will need each other's help to survive.

A mysterious man gives Jack a pair of glasses, through which Jack finds himself in a different, surreal world - one of violence and destruction. Worst of all, a world where Connor is trying to kill him and the 2 younger boys entrusted to Jack's care.

This is a dark and disturbing nightmare of a story that packs an enormous emotional punch. Scary, creepy, and hard to forget.

Nickel Plated, by Aric Davis

From Goodreads:
"Nickel is a twelve year old runaway who's gone to ground. He disappeared from the foster care system two years earlier, after years of abuse, and now he's on his own. Now, if there's a job to be done, whether it's spreading counterfeit money around or tracking down your son, he's your guy. Carefully camouflaged as a typical kid, he's rarely noticed and often underestimated. A survivor, he's observant, paranoid, well-armed, and prone to lucky hunches. He's also a risk-taker, with no compunction about blowing up a telephone pole with a pipe bomb if he thinks it will get him the information he needs. Nickel also blackmails pedophiles to pay the bills. Since he has this money to support himself, he can take on the case when Arrow asks him to search for her missing sister. For Nickel, rescuing other kids from bad situations, and especially sexual predators, is personal."

The author goes into dark territory here. Nickel is a warrior, part of a loosely organized underground network at war against child predators and if the reader needs to suspend disbelief that anyone that young can act like Nickel, the payoff is a story that can't be put down and will haunt you long after it's been read.