Far From You by Lisa Schroeder

A book review by Madeline Soucie

Alice's mother died and her father has since remarried and has a new baby. Alice doesn't like her stepmother or that her father is creating his perfect family without her. Trapped in her life she can't wait to move out and get away from her family. The only people that keep her sane are her best friend and her boyfriend, and of course her music.

When Alice gets stuck in the car in a snowstorm with no way out and no help, she will not only learn the true meaning of lonely, but will learn that hope isn't that far away; that she has an angel watching out for her.

     

Far From You is a quick, but really good book that may tug on your heart-strings a bit. It's a lot of loss and hope and new beginnings.

Find it in APL TEEN Fiction YA FIC Schroeder, L.

"The President Has Been Shot!": the Assassination of John F. Kennedy by James l. Swanson

A book review by Madeline Soucie

       

Like history or just want a good book? Take a step back a few decades to when Kennedy was president. Read a quick overview of his life and important achievements, learn about his wife and family, and then his presidency. "The President Has Been Shot!" not only gives an overview of Kennedy's life and presidency, but also tells about his assassination and how it was believed to have been carried out. And of course his impact and how the country and his family went on after his untimely death.

    

Using historical information, this book retells the assassination of JFK and how it is believed that his assassin planned out and set in stone his actions. 

Find it in APL TEEN Nonfiction YA E 842.9 .S95 2013

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

A book review by Madeline Soucie                

Based on an idea by Siobhan Dowd, who died before she could write a story, this was finished by Patrick Ness. A Monster Calls is like Miss Peregrines's Home for Peculiar Children if anyone has read it. It's not like most books and has events that could be real or happen to anyone but has a fictional twist to it.

Conor has nightmares about his mother that have been going on ever since she got sick, and he has been waiting for them to come to life. So when a new monster comes to visit one night, it's not what Conor was expecting. This monster is worse; he wants the truth -- something Conor won't admit.

Conor is haunted by a monster who won't stop until he gets the ultimate truth that in the end will put Conor at peace with himself.

Find it in APL TEEN Fiction YA FIC Ness, P.