Variant, by Robison Wells

One of my students told me a few weeks ago, "Variant is the only book I've ever read that I've actually liked." So, I knew I had to read it!!

Benson Fisher hasn't had an easy life. He's been in foster care since he was very little, and he's bounced around from foster home to foster home. This also means he's attended a string of schools, none of which have felt right to him. So, in a last-ditch effort, he applies to Maxfield Academy, a private school. He gets in, but realizes soon after enrolling that this school is not what he was hoping for.

There are no adults at the school, it's surrounded by a secure wall, there are cameras watching the students' every move, and the students have formulated three gangs - Variant, Havoc, and the Society - that rule the school. Benson joins Variant. No one is allowed to leave, but students disappear often; they're sent to "detention", from which they never return. No one knows where detention is or what happens, but they can guess.

From the get-go, Benson realizes that there's something not-quite-right about the school and makes plans to escape. But he'll realize that what's actually going on there is worse than he ever would have imagined.

Variant was really fast-paced and kept me guessing. I had to know what was going on at the school. I felt just as clueless as one of the students at the school, and I think that's what propelled me to keep reading. I also liked that it was kind of sci-fi-y without being overtly sci-fi, if that makes sense. The ending of the book was a definite cliffhanger; the next book is called Feedback and I'll definitely be reading it soon!

Poor Little Dead Girls, by Lizzie Friend

Secret societies, lacrosse, exclusive private boarding schools, and secrets are at the heart of Poor Little Dead Girls, by Lizzie Friend. Sadie Marlowe is essentially a "nobody" from Portland, Oregon, who's been extended a full scholarship to an upper-echelon, all girls boarding school called Keating. Her scholarship is for lacrosse, and Sadie is excited about the idea, but also nervous, knowing she won't fit in with the other girls, who have all led lives of privilege.

However, Sadie's worries are proven wrong, and she fits in all too well: she's pursued and inducted into a historic secret society called the Sullas - only the richest of the rich get into this society. From the get-go, Sadie feels mildly uneasy about participating in this society, but the members don't really give her a choice; not to mention the fact that the extravagances ($2000 ball gowns, anyone?) and lifestyle are hard to pass up. Before long, though, Sadie begins to see that the Sullas are not innocent - they're working on something deep and dark, something that may have caused the death of her mother - who also attended Keating - and another student named Anna. As Sadie uncovers the missing links and information, she's troubled with who she can actually trust and how she can bring the secrets of the Sullas to light without endangering herself or her friends.

I really loved this novel, and was drawn in from the start. The suspense that Friend built in was awesome, and the novel really kept you guessing. I do think, though, that it's a little too mature for my classroom - there's lots of bad language, drug/sex references, and some questionable topics. For instance, part of the Sulla's operation is that they harvest the eggs of their members in order to preserve an impeccable gene pool and create a perfect race. I think that this novel could spark some really interesting ethical discussion at the upper high school level, but it's not appropriate for my middle school students.

Also Try: "Pretty Little Liars" series, by Sara Shepard; The Disreputable History of Frankie of Frankie Landau-Banks, by E. Lockhart

Looking For Alaska, by John Green

Oh. My. God.What a book. Looking for Alaska is perhaps the best book I've read all year - and this isn't the first time I've read it either. I think I could read this book 1,000 times and feel equally floored at the end of each reading...it's THAT good.

At its surface, Looking for Alaska is about friendships, boarding school, teenage love triangles. But deeper down, at its heart, Looking for Alaska is an eerily spiritual novel that tackle's some of life's big questions: why are we here, how do we navigate this life, how do we deal with life after death, and how do you know when to forgive?  Much of the novel centers around the characters' religious studies class and their assignments, and I found myself pondering these timeless questions right along with the characters.

The main character, Miles "Pudge" Halter, begins his junior year at Culver Creek High School - a boarding school - after having lived his whole previous life insignificantly, as an essentially friendless social outcast. Soon after arriving at "The Creek", Pudge realizes friendships and camaraderie like he has never known before. He finds this by way of his roommate, Chip - "The Colonel" - and a girl down the hall, Alaska Young. Alaska is the type of brilliant, complex, thoughtful girl that Miles has always dreamed of, and she loves books as much as Miles is obsessed with memorizing famous people's last words. In fact, in confirmation of her love of books, Miles says this:

"Her library filled her bookshelves then overflowed into waist-high stacks of books everywhere, piled haphazardly against the walls. If just one of them moved, I thought, the domino effect could engulf the three of use in an asphyxiating mass of literature," (15).

I don't know, but I imagine that, if left to my own devices, my house would very much resemble the chaos of Alaska's library. 

Anyway, Alaska's mystery and dynamic being captivate Pudge instantly, leaving him utterly defenseless against her powers. Which leads me to a quote from the novel that I absolutely LOVED: 

"And what is an 'instant' death anyway? How long is an instant? It is one second? Ten?...What is an instant? Nothing is instant. Instant rice takes five minutes, instant pudding an hour. I doubt that an instant of blinding pain feels particularly instantaneous," (143). 

Their friendship soon leads to a horrific tragedy, which plunges Pudge into total consumption with two things: rationalizing her character, and determining what life is all about - something he calls the "Great Perhaps". Ultimately, Miles learns that "some mysteries aren't meant to be solved," (212), which I think is one of the hardest life lessons to learn. 

All in all, I cannot rave about this book enough - it's that amazing!! The only downfall is that there's a lot of teen drinking, profanity, and sexual innuendos, which render it inappropriate for most of my middle school readers :(

The Name of the Star, by Maureen Johnson

You always read reviews that say, "I couldn't put this book down!" and I always question the reviewer's honesty . However, this was truly the way I felt about this book. If you read my recent posts on Beautiful Creatures and Legend, you'd know that I'm growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of originality between novels and all the glaring similarities I see between books. This novel, though, was so wholly original and was based on such a unique premise.

Most people know the story of Jack the Ripper: famous serial killer in London, case went unsolved, first documented murders just for the sake of murdering. Well, The Name of the Star capitalizes on the famous murder mystery by presenting a recurrence of the Ripper murders - in modern day London. Main character Rory, a student from Louisiana attending boarding school in London, has special insights into the case and is the police force's only hope of capturing the villain.

With twists and turns along the way, this novel really kept me interested and made me want to learn more about Jack the Ripper. It was one of those books where, aside from being entertained, I felt like I was really learning something about history. It's a series, and I can't wait to read the next one because I honestly have no idea where the plot could go.

There are some minor scenes that are a little more mature - some kissing and some teen drinking.