Leaving Paradise / by Simone Elkeles

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As if living next door to the person who maimed you in a drunk driving accident wasn't awkward enough. Now a year after the said incident which severely injured Maggie Armstrong and sent Caleb Becker to prison, things couldn't be more unsettled here in Paradise (,Illinois) as Caleb is released back into society, back home (still next door to Maggie's house) and back to a life now permanently altered by one ill-fated decision.

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In light of the "incident", other issues add to the drama. There's the fact that the once inseparable Armstrongs and Beckers haven't spoken in a year, that Caleb's twin sister Leah used to be Maggie's best friend, that both are starting their senior year of high school (having been in the same grade since kindergarten), that Maggie's dad has now left she and her mom, that Maggie's now unable to play tennis/get a scholarship/get the-heck-outta-here, that Caleb's girlfriend Kendra cheated on him while he was locked-up and basically all the constant, unwanted attention which comes from being the hottest gossip in a small town. The real issue though is the relationship between Caleb and Maggie; the terms of where their lifelong friendship now stands and how the rest of their lives will play out. If anything can be got right, each must confront the other knowing full well that the present is all there is--the past is permanent and assumptions about the future are dubious at best.

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Elkeles, in her follow-up to debut How to Ruin a Summer Vacation, doles out some serious seriousness in this weighted story of tragedy, scandal, disability, broken trust, relationships, expectations, loyalty and redemption. Though the circumstances seem a little manipulated, the author renders some genuine authenticity through the dual narrative--alternating chapters with Caleb and Maggie in the first-person--and manages to create a sincere atmosphere out of a complex set of characteristics and background details.

Punkzilla by Adam Rapp

Punkzilla is considered an epistolary novel, which is a story told through documents. In this case, Punkzilla’s (Jamie is his real name.) story is told through letters. He is conversing with his brother, Peter (referred to as “P”), who is dying of cancer. Jamie is writing to him on a bus on his way from Portland, Oregon to Memphis, Tennessee to see his brother before he dies. Jamie writes his brother of the adventures and experiences he has while on this cross-country journey. Travelling by bus is pretty sketchy, which is made abundantly clear based on the things Jamie sees while staying at seedy motels, stopped at eerie bus stations, and with the bevy of oddballs who accompany him on his journey. Jamie’s language is blunt, lucid, at times raw, but still poetic as he describes his current adventure and his memories. This is also an emotional journey for Jamie as he tries to reach his brother in time. The reader is fully in-tunes with his roller coaster of emotions as he travels across the country.

This book is dark, edgy, and contains some graphic content, which is typical of Adam Rapp’s work. I would recommend Punkzilla for older teens (Grades 10 & up).

Author Adam Rapp is a novelist, playwright, and screenwriter. Other books written by Rapp available in the Moore Young Adult collection are: Under the wolf, Under the Dog; 33 Snowfish; Little Chicago, The Buffalo Tree; and Missing the Piano.

Gentlemen by Michael Northrop

New to the Moore Memorial Public Library Young Adult collection is Gentlemen by Michael Northrop. The story is centered on four boys, who are known for their bad behavior. Growing up in a small town, Mike (the narrator), Tommy, Bones, and Mixer, are largely ignored and reviled at their high school and among the community. They spend their school days hating their remedial classes and most of their teachers and peers. They are outcast and constantly reminded of this fact.

The story quickly grows suspenseful when one of the boys, Tommy, who was kicked out of class for tossing a desk, goes missing. Around the same time of this event, the remaining three boys also notice their English teacher, Mr. Haberman, begins to act strangely. The combination of these two events allows the boy’s minds to draw wild conclusions as they try to figure out what happened to Tommy. Northrop creates a story that is both suspenseful and deftly communicates the bonds of adolescent friendship in his writing.

Gentleman is an easy read, as it is written like Mike is talking directly to you as he tells the tale. Crime and Punishment, which Haberman is teaching in his class, is referenced throughout the story; however, the reader doesn’t necessarily need to know this classic to be gripped by the plot and taken in by the suspense. Some of the language and content may be a little harsh for younger readers.

Gentlemen is Northrop’s first novel. He has published short fictional works in Weird Tales, McSweeney’s, and the Norte Dame Review. His second Young Adult novel, Trapped, will be out soon.

Breaking Point / by Alex Flinn

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Paul Richmond thinks nobody has it as bad as he does as he begins a new year at the prestigious Gate-Bucknell Christian School, a place he's only attending because his mom works in the counselor's office. It's been over a year since he and mom were "dumped" by Paul's dad, who must be doing so well with his new girlfriend, Melanie, that he hasn't even had time to return Paul's hundred or so phone calls.

Well, David Blanco might have it worse. Everyone knows, especially the torcherous rich-kid clique, that David is only at Gate-Bucknell because his mom works in the cafeteria and his father is a janitor, making him a defacto victim during all waking hours. David's learned not to trust anyone; paranoia fueling his seemingly permanent animosity, exemplified when Paul receives a somber "you'll be next" in response to his awkward attempts at consolation.

Paul is next as almost overnight things change; David is suddenly left alone at school and Charlie Good, elitest of the elite clique, tries to get to know Paul. Charlie's not only rich, well-known and a tennis ace, he's even liked by teachers. Soon Paul starts hanging out with Charlie on a routine basis, even accompanying him on some prankish endeavors. All in good fun though. Or is it? Things become suddenly serious when Charlie and his entourage start planning a most diabolical plot, one that's not only dangerous but deadly.

Tangerine / by Edward Bloor

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The move to Florida for Paul Fisher has come off pretty much as expected. Except for his junior high school's sinking (literally) into the ground, things aren't much different from what they were in Texas. His parents are still as hung up on his brother Eric's football ambitions as they ever were, essentially relegating Paul into the background-- the second son. Always the four-eyes with coke bottle lenses to correct his vision, Paul's not only been overlooked by his parents and abused by his brother, he's dutifully assumed the role of outcast from the start, learning to tread lightly among peers and perceive threatening situations where necessary. But when fortune associates him with the toughest clique in school--the soccer team--Paul not only becomes the star goalie, he's embraced for the first time as himself, not Eric's geeky little brother.

The aforementioned Eric is anything but what he's perceived as. Deemed a "hero" for his athletic prowess, Eric has always held the favor of his parents' eye; but he's no more a hero than he is a law-abiding adolescent. When a string of isolated thefts begin occurring around the neighborhood, Paul is the only one to see the truth and be in a position to bring it to light. Now he must choose between loyalty to his family, loyalty to his team and a terrible secret that must be exposed.