Reality check, by Peter Abrahams

Cody, a small town quarterback has big dreams for a football scholarship. When his smart, hot girlfriend is sent away to boarding school by her father and he suffers a torn ACL, Cody’s life begins to spiral out of control. He drops out of high school and gets a job at the local lumber yard. But when his ex-girlfriend Clea disappears in Vermont, Cody travels from Colorado to join the search for her. Out of place in the wealthy privileged private school there, Cody doesn't know who he can trust and nothing is as it first seems.
This is full of fast action and mystery - hard to put down.

Magic and misery, by Peter Marino

TJ has never had a boyfriend and falls hard for the new boy in school, Pan, who is funny, classy, beautiful - and gay, as TJ learns when he outs himself in the course of a class discussion one day. The two become close friends. But when TJ starts dating Caspar, things get complicated. Pan is jealous of her time with Caspar, and Caspar is confused about TJ and Pan's friendship.

While I liked the story, there are things I really didn't like. The concept of a "new" emotion - fago - just seems to me to be something a little silly. Do we really need a new emotion? Then there is the matter of sex. For a book about relationships, it is treated way too casually. Readers would be better off reading Sarah Dessen and Alex Sanchez.

Staying fat for Sarah Byrnes, by Chris Crutcher

Eric Calhoun (Mobe) survived his early teen years as a fat boy with the help of another social outcast, Sarah Byrnes, whose face and hands are terribly scarred from burns suffered as a small child. Sarah is the bravest, toughest person he's ever known. Now in high school, joining the swim team has changed Mobe's body, but not his fierce loyalty to Sarah. But now Sarah sits unresponsive in a mental ward, and Mobe, at a loss as to how to help her, enlists the help of an old school enemy, his best friend, and even his swim coach. And he discovers that Sarah is still that brave, tough friend, caught in the crosshairs of her abusive dad. Love, loyalty, and courage come in the least expected people as Sarah and Mobe figure out how to keep her safe.

Wow - this author isn't afraid to face tough topics - abuse, abortion, religion, disfigurement, bullying - and he does it without losing perspective and a sense of humor.

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.

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.

Carter finally gets it, by Brent Crawford

Will Carter - freshman, ADD, stutterer, and add immature, clueless, too eager, clumsy, and earnest. You have to love a guy like that. Carter bungles his way through his freshman year trying way too hard to be cool and together and even though he misses the mark by a mile, the trip is, well, a trip.

Boot Camp, by Todd Strasser

Garrett is kidnapped in the middle of the night, handcuffed, and driven for 8 hours to a remote camp for troubled teens, Lake Harmony. His parents are paying $4000.00 per month for the chance that boot camp will turn Garrett into the son they want him to be. His crime? Garrett fell in love with the wrong girl. No anger issues, no school issues, no maturity issues. But in boot camp he is subjected to brutal physical and psychological abuse, and with his parents behind it, there is no way out until he is 18. Then he's asked to join an escape with two others. The risk is enormous, but staying is dangerous too.

I'd like to think camps like Lake Harmony are fictional and the product of the author's imagination, but Todd Strasser has added a bibliography of the sources he used to research the subject, and that may be the most unsettling part of the book.

Wolves of Mercy Falls series

The 1st book of this trilogy is on this year's (2012) Abe list, and has been a favorite love story at CHS for a couple of years. Now the

whole trilogy is in print, and it was worth the wait. It's a solid story that keeps up the quality of the 1st book. The werewolves are very different from the Twilight variety, switching from human to wolf with no supernatural abilities. Sam and Grace's love story has the center stage as they struggle to stay together even as their wolf/human identities tear them apart. But new characters are introduced, and angry, disolute rock star/werewolf Cole is a great story line that starts in Linger and continues thru Forever.

Water for elephants, by Sara Gruen

This won an Alex Award in 2006 as a book written for adults with special appeal to teens. I don't know that there needs to be to much of a line drawn between teen and adult books - every reader on either side of that line just needs to find their own loved books.

This tale set aboard a depression era circus train has lots going for it. It is first of all a romance, but the circus is full of memorable characters, not the least of which are Rosie the elephant, Bobo the chimp, horses, big cats. As the circus vet, Jacob Jankowski knows and loves them all. His love for Marlena, the beautiful (and married) equestrian star sets them all - humans and animals alike - on a dangerous path.

Deadline, by Chris Crutcher

This book was one of the 2011 Abe books, but I delayed reading it because it concerns a dying teen - emotional stuff. But in the hands of a writer like Chris Crutcher, there are themes worth the inevitable tears here. The main character, Ben Wolf, learns he has terminal cancer during a routine sports physical at the opening of his senior year. Being 18, he refuses to let his doctor tell anyone else and refuses treatment. Instead, he sets about making his last year count for a whole lifetime. In the hands of a lesser writer this could be unbearable. But there is no sentimentality, no unnecessary pulling of heartstrings as smart-ass Ben meets his mortality on his own terms and touches the lives of everyone around him.

Before I fall, by Lauren Oliver

Samantha Kingston dies in a fiery car crash, but before she knows what is happening she is allowed to re-live her last day on earth several times before she learns how to make every minute count not only for herself but for others her life impacts. She tries desperately to change that fatal course of events, and with each try, the lives of others are changed for better or for worse, until she finally finds the way.

Stay, by Deb Caletti

Clara's relationship with Christian became serious almost as soon as it began, and in spite of her father's and her best friend's reservations, Clara falls in love hard. But what starts out as a fairy tale romance soon shows a dark side as Christian's obsession and jealousy begin to show and Clara knows that Christian will stop at nothing to make her stay with him.

Now Clara and her Dad have rented a cabin on the beach, lied to everyone about their wherabouts, changed Clara's phone number, and are hoping that a summer away will convince Christian that their romance is truely over. But Clara knows Christian, and knows that she has reason to be afraid.

Ending relationships is seldom easy. Ending unhealthy ones can be dangerous. This story is well told, and one to think about.

How to say goodbye in robot, by Natalie Standiford

Bea is tired of moving every year to follow her Dad's career. Isolated from her career obsessed father and her depressed (unhinged?) mother, Bea is reluctant to even try making new friends at her new school. But the daily morning assembly finds her sitting next to Jonah, who is even more isolated than Bea. And the two soon find common interests that include late night talk radio, where Jonah (Ghost boy) and Bea (Robot girl) can communicate. Their relationship grows with shared secrets and stunts, and their friendship runs deep, though never quite into romance.

Senior year becomes an adventure Bea never expected, but life after high school looms as a big unknown.

Amy & Roger's epic detour, by Morgan Matson

This may be the best road trip story ever. Amy has been living alone in California since her Dad's death and her Mom's new job forced Mom to relocate to Connecticut a month before school was out for the summer. One of Mom's friends has a son, Roger, who has agreed to drive Amy to Connecticut, since Amy can't bear to drive since the car accident that took her father's life. Roger has his own motives for agreeing to the trip - like catching up with the girl who just dumped him without any explanation. So the two who barely know each other set out across country on an adventure that quickly hits detours as the planned cross-country itinerary gets tossed out the window and two good people start getting back on their feet with each other's help.

Summer romance, yes, but also friendship and healing, humor, and a good time.

Gemini bites, by Patrick Ryan

Kyle and Judy Renneker are twins with an uneasy relationship. They have been bickering and competing with one another for years, and their 16th year brings new complications as Kyle comes out of the closet and Judy pretends to be a born again Christian to land a new boyfriend who leads his own bible study.

The twins already thorny relationship is further complicated by the arrival of Garret Johnson - a strange loner about whom there are all kinds of hushed rumors - including one that he is a vampire. Garret's family is moving again, and the Rennekers have offered to let Garret stay at their home to finish out the school year. The twins are both attracted and intruiged, and the competition goes into high gear.

This isn't going to satisfy anyone who loves the high drama supernatural stories. But the low key, realistic family drama here is a nice change of pace and the story is well told.

Played, by Dana Davidson

Ian wants to get into an exclusive group at school. The initiation? Hook up with a "dog" and then drop her, with extra points if he gets her to fall in love with him. Kylie Winship is overwhelmed with Ian's attention, and falls hard. But things get complicated when Ian starts to think twice about his values, and Kylie has to think twice too about a guy who acts one way with his friends and another when they are alone.

This is written by a high school teacher from Detroit, and I like the way that neither Ian nor Kylie is all bad, or all blameless either. Both learn some hard lessons about love.

Beastly, by Alex Flinn

This adaptation of the Grimm fairy tale Beauty and the Beast is proof (once again)that fairy tales are not just for children. With due respect to Walt Disney, this story works much better as a young adult tale. The theme of a handsome but heartless male bewitched so that his exterior is as ugly as his personality is timeless. His inner transformation is a journey worth reading, and his final redemption through the love of a girl - satisfying. Alex Flinn throws enough twists into the classic tale to keep readers who know where the story is going entertained along the way. This is plain fun.

The cardturner, by Louis Sachar

How are we supposed to be partners? He can't see the cards and I don't know the rules! But pushed by his money-hungry parents, Alton becomes his blind Uncle Lester's cardturner - helping Uncle Lester play tournament bridge. Alton narrates the evolution of his relationship with Trapp (the Uncle Lester stuff is the 1st thing to go) as he becomes intrigued with Trapp, with the game of bridge, and especially with Toni Castenada - the pretty and shy girl whose link to Trapp is somehow tied to Trapp's fabled romantic history. Alton soon learns that things aren't always what you have been told, and appearances don't tell the whole story either.

Alton's not into drama. His self-depreciating sense of humor and his wry observations carry him through a summer full of life changing events in (almost) perfect control. His mother's money-hungry advice rings in his head - Don't screw it up, Alton. But there is more than money at stake, and Alton has his own priorities straight.

I am number four, by Pittacus Lore

There were nine children sent to Earth to escape the destruction of their planet Lorien by the evil Mogadorians. Now the Mogadorians are hunting the nine to kill them all, and three are already dead. Number Four knows they are coming for him next. But at 15, Number Four is sick of moving constantly, changing schools, changing names, never making friends or having a girlfriend. So when he settles into Paradise, Ohio, taking the name of John Smith, he refuses to stay anonymous as he has always done before. He makes friends, falls in love, and when the Mogadorians come for him, he fights. This is good fun, and if it doesn't always make perfect sense, well, that's easy to forgive in the adventure of it all.