The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Hazel is a 16 year old who has been plagued with terminal cancer for most of her life. Despite her mother's hovering care taking Hazel longs to have some sort of stability in life. Hazel's gloomy outlook has earned her forced attendance at a cancer support group. There she meets Augustus Waters and they develop a relationship. Hazel shares her favorite book, Imperial Affairs, with Augustus and they grow closer and closer as they pick it apart and share more time with each other. As Hazel's sickness gets worse, Augustus uses his wish from the Make a Wish Foundation to take the two to Amsterdam to meet the author. Once there the pair make startling discoveries about the author and themselves.
      This book is another amazing novel by John Green (Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherine's, Paper Towns). It is incredibly well written and the characters are both interesting and relatable. This book literally had me bawling my eyes out and laughing simultaneously. This book would be best for high school aged students.This is a link to the book trailer for The Fault in Our Stars

Welcome Caller, This is Chloe by Shelley Coriell

This is a great young adult book about a girl in high school who has recently been abandoned by her popular friend group. In her loneliness, and through the persistence of the schools guidance counselor, Chole is thrown into helping out the school's failing radio station. Although her interactions with the other students who run the station are initially unpleasant, as they work together to make the radio station successful they slowly but surely become friends and in some cases much more.
      I really enjoyed reading this book, Chloe, although a bit oblivious, is an engaging and fun character. The little romance in it is both sweet and exciting. Chloe's changing relationships with her classmates are both interesting and funny. This book would be best for middle school and high school students.
Introduction to Welcome Caller, This is Chloe by the author .

The View From Saturday by E.L. Konigsberg

The View From Saturday is a novel about four sixth graders who were chosen to represent their class in a knowledge bowl. At the beginning of the book the reader finds out that these four students are the first sixth graders to beat an eighth grade team in the history of the school. The novel details their lives leading up to the bowl as well as the strange ways in which the students are connected. It also shifts to their teacher, Mrs. Olinski's point of view. At various points she is asked by people why she chose these for kids and parts of the book are her explanations. The group of students form a club called "The Souls", set in motion by Julian's invitation to all of them for tea at his home. 

     This is a wonderful novel that won the Newberry Award in 1997. What makes it particularly interesting is the shifting points of view from teacher to the various students who are a part of "The Souls". The narrative is both interesting and engaging, the story is set up in a way that is very entertaining. The way this book is written, at some points in the novel you feel like you are solving a mystery. This book is appropriate for middle schoolers or high schoolers. 

Anything But Typical by Nara Raleigh Baskin

Anything but Typical details the life and struggles of Jason Blake. Jason, we find out,  has been diagnosed as autistic. Jason tries desperately to make life easier for his parents and teachers, but things seem to keep going wrong. Jason loves his computer and especially his time on the Storyboard website, a place for writing stories and fan-fiction. When Jason starts exchanging messages with a girl his age, he thinks he has finally found a real friend, but chaos is always right around the corner.

            This is a great novel for people who are trying to better understand what it is like to be autistic. The reader is privy to Jason’s candid thoughts and feelings, making the mystery of autism a little more understandable. This novel is well written and entertaining; you really get a feel for the characters and what they are going through. 

Bruiser by Neal Shusterman

Brewster “Bruiser” Rawlins has been voted the kid most likely to receive the death penalty in his school. When Bronte starts to show interest in Bruiser, it is no wonder that her twin brother Tennyson doesn’t approve. As the twins become closer to Bruiser, they realize how entangled in his life they will really be, whether they want to or not.  Tennyson soon realizes that Bruiser has the uncanny ability to take on the pain of those he cares about. As Bronte and Tennyson begin to understand this power and see how desperate a situation Bruiser is in with his abusive uncle, they feel compelled to help him.

            This is a great combination of science fiction and contemporary literature. Bruiser, Tennyson, and Bronte have a great dynamic that keeps the dialogue and plot interesting. Shusterman is true to his style of well thought out and compelling characters as well as plot. I really liked this book. This book would be best suited for later middle school to high school. 

Payback Time by Carl Deuker

Mitch wants nothing else but to write for the school paper. When the new editor assigns him to be the head of the sports section, Mitch, dubbed the Michelin Man because of his weight by his classmates, is anything but thrilled.  Despite his initial hesitancy, Mitch soon becomes wrapped up in sports, as well as in the sports photographer, Kimi. Although Mitch has been directed to focus his writing on Horst Diamond by the football coach, another player, Angel, catches his eye.  Angel has transferred to Mitch’s school and is quickly becoming the star player, but there is an air of mystery surrounding this golden boy, and Mitch is determined to get the bottom of it.

            This is a great sports novel that is also a bit of a mystery. The character Mitch is a great narrator and his struggles will resonate with high school and junior high school students alike. Deuker’s character development is believable and interesting; this is a great book for hesitant boy readers who need a little action to get them hooked. 

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Miranda, the main character of When You Reach Me, is a sixth grader who lives with her mother in New York City. Miranda starts the book by explaining that the story she is telling is being told for a mysterious stranger who has been leaving her notes; he has requested that she tell the story of her sixth grade year. As the book progresses, Miranda puzzles over the mysterious notes, the abrupt end to her relationship with her best friend Sal, as well as the curious boy Marcus who seems to continually be in the periphery.

            This is a great story. The underlying mystery keeps you wanting more, while Miranda’s relationship with her mother and schoolmates allows the reader to feel connected to her and her struggles. Miranda’s fascination with A Wrinkle In Time and time travel provides the reader with much to contemplate. I loved this book and would recommend it for any middle schooler who likes science fiction or contemporary fiction. 

Winter Girls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Winter Girls is the story of Lia and her struggle with anorexia. Lia’s best friend Cassie has just recently died from the effects of her anorexia; this incident throws Lia into a cycle of avoiding food, exercising compulsively, and lying to her parents. The narrative is through Lia’s journal where the reader is privy to her justifications and thoughts about Cassie’s death, as well as her communication with what she assumes is Cassie’s ghost.  As the novel progresses Lia continues to follow Cassie deeper into her disease, with disastrous results.

            Winter Girls is very well written, and I loved the journal format. The characters are well developed and the reader is able to understand where Lia is coming from. This book is very good, but it is incredibly depressing. If you are looking for something light, I suggest you look elsewhere. As you would assume, this book has some content--there are instances of self –harm, drug abuse, and other destructive behaviors. My thought on this is that it makes the book believable and also helps the reader to understand what someone who suffers with anorexia goes through; it is certainly justified.  There is also a fair amount of language in this book. Winter Girls would be great for high school students. 

Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer

Hope Was Here is a story about a young girl named Hope and her aunt who move from bustling New York City to small town Wisconsin. There they help run the Welcome Stairways Diner. The owner of the diner, G.T., decides shortly after their arrival to run for mayor against the town's current devious and greedy incumbent. With the help of Hope and her new friends from school, and  her new love interest Braverman, G.T’s campaign has a fighting chance against the slimy Eli Millstone.

 I will be honest, Hope Was Here made me cry. Not just the normal shed a tear for the characters in the book, but a full out bawl for Hope and her little family. This is a wonderful book that has great approachable and relatable characters. The plot is engaging and you feel genuinely invested in the characters' lives. This book would be great for middle schoolers.