Book Review: Daughter of the Flames by Zoe Marriott

Inside an ancient temple in the mountains, 15-year-old Zira trains in the martial arts to become a warrior princess who can defend the faith of the Ruan people. Bearing a scar on her face from the fire that killed her parents, the orphaned Zira is taught to distrust the occupying Sedornes. Terror strikes when the tyrannical Sedorne king destroys the only home she knows. To survive, Zira must unravel the secrets of her identity, decide her people's fate, and accept her growing feelings for a man who should be her enemy.

What SL teens are saying about the book...

"I read this book in one day! Throughout the book Zira must be mentally and physically strong, but when she needed to be soft, she could take her guard down in a minute." --Hannah D.

"Ruan seems so real I can picture the marketplace and the dirt road. I like the vivid descriptions of the setting, food, and clothes." -- Winifred C.

"It is an adventure from beginning to end. A magical setting that captures the attention of the reader from the very first page." --Ismael M.

Book Review: Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

According to her best friend, Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy every day, there's a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie--she's already had that kind of romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.

What SL teens are saying about the book...

"I would nominate this book for Teens' Top Ten because it teaches people to move on with life even though something terrible happens." --Judy L.

"This book is touching and has a lot to say about what love is." --Sandra L.

"I couldn't put it down." --Winifred C.

Book Review: Because I Am Furniture by Thalia Chaltas

The youngest of three siblings, 14-year-old Anke feels both relieved and neglected that her father abuses her brother and sister and ignores her. But when she catches him with one of her friends, she finally becomes angry enough to take action.

What SL teens are saying about the book...

"This book gives a glimpse of the reality many teenage girls face but are afraid to discuss. By having books available about touchy subjects, girls have a way to reach out without needing to confide in anyone. This is a powerfully written, thought provoking book." --Arielle C.

"Just the fact that I couldn't guess what would be on the next page made me want to continue reading." --Sam B.

Galley Review: Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci

The book contains short stories from some of the best selling, most promising geeks in young adult literature: M.T. Anderson, Lisa Yee, Barry Lyga, Scott Westerfield, Cassandra Clare, and more! Geektastic covers all things geeky, from Klingons and Jedi Knights to fan fiction and theater geeks. Whether you are a current, former or future geek, Geektastic will help you get your geek on.

What SL teens are saying about the book...

"This is a quick and easy read, with stories that are hard core geek."--David D.

"These are amusing little shorts, that made me laugh more often than not."--Hanah K.

"I especially enjoyed the little one page inserts like "What to Remember When Going to a Convention."--Lucy A.

Galley Review: The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams

Thirteen-year-old Kyra has grown up in an isolated community without questioning the fact that her father has three wives and she has twenty brothers and sisters. Or at least without questioning them much--if you don't count her secret visits to the Mobile Library on Wheels to read forbidden books, or her meetings with the boy she hopes to choose for herself. But when the Prophet decrees that Kyra must marry her 60-year-old uncle--who already has six wives--Kyra must make a desperate choice in the face of violence and her own fears of losing her family.

What SL teens are saying about the book...

"A realistic story about a young girl's dream to be independent."--Liane Y.

"After I finished I felt my heart ache from the burden of what Kyra was feeling."--Yena L.

Galley Review: Donut Days by Lara Zielin

Emma has a lot going on. Her best friend's not speaking to her, a boy she's known her whole life is suddenly smokin's hot and in love with her, and her evangelical minister parents may lose their church. But this weekend Emma's only focused on Crispy Dream, a new donut franchise opening in town, where Harlet bikers and Frodo wannabes camp out waiting to be the first ones served. While trying to earn a college scholarship by writing the best feature on the camp, Emma finds the donut camp isn't the perfect escape from all her troubles.

What SL teens are saying about the book...

"This book isn't cliche. It shows both the positive and negative aspects of people, and that some people don't change for the better."--Sable Y.

"I like how the author made the main character wrong too. Usually the main character is the innocent, right one."--Victoria D.

Galley Review: Prada and Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard

To impress the popular girls on a high school trip to London, klutzy Callie buys real Prada heels. But trying them on, she trips...conks her head...and wakes up in the year 1815! There Callie meets Emily, who takes her in, mistaking her for a long-lost friend. As she spend time with Emily's family, Callie warms to them--particularly to Emily's cousin Alex, a hottie and a duke, if a tad arrogant. But can Callie save Emily from a dire engagement, and win Alex's heart, before her time in the past is up? Prada and Prejudice is a romantic comedy about finding friendship and love in the past in order to have happiness in the present.

What SL teens are saying about the book...

"The book transports you to a time that leaves you breathless with wonder. You want to enter the book and become part of the story because it is the ultimate fantasy." -- Julie H.

"There is romance and comedy, with a twist on a classic." --Benfie L.