A sweet and gripping story of an unlikely friendship  then romance  between two boys
594893
The hero of our story is 16-year-old Skylar St. Clair, half white and half Native American who is not your typical teenage boy.  He was almost killed when his throat was cut by his mothers murderer 11 years ago, and the attack left him physically unable to speak.  Thus, we follow the story through Skylars thoughts (which are often clever, witty and laugh-out-loud funny) and his interactions with others. He lives with his mysterious father and during this particular summer, his father fails to return home.

Skylar finds himself placed on the Nettlebush Indian Reservation is the custody of his only living relative  his estranged Grandmother (but never call her Granny!), whom he has never met until now.  On the reservation, he connects with his people and his roots as learns the customs of his tribe (the Shoshone).  Here, Skylar discovers an entirely new side of himself and finally seems to find his place in the world.

But the story is a much more complicated than that.  Shortly after his arrival at the reservation, Skylar meets a brooding, moody young man named Rafael who most of the people on the reservation tend to either dislike or fear.  Skylar feels a flash of recognition when they meet, and he soon realizes why: Rafael is the son of the man who murdered his mother.

But even though they should be enemies, Skylar finds himself gravitating towards the surly young man, and soon they develop an unlikely friendship. Through Rafael, Skylar learns the truth behind his mothers murder and his own attack.

As the story progresses, we learn much more about Rafaels past and understand that he carries his own scars from the horrific events in his life and his fear that he will turn out to be his fathers son.  A mystery also begins to unfold as the author brings to light the reason for the disappearance of Skylars father, why the FBI keeps showing up on Skylars doorstep and the truth about what really happened 11 years ago.

What follows is a tender yet intense coming of age story of first love as Skylar and Rafael slowly discover  then accept  their growing attraction to each other. But the book is much more than a simple love story.  It is a novel about innocence, forgiveness, revenge and the scars we carry both on the inside and on the outside.  Its a story of acceptance and the importance of the connection we make with our community  and how important it is not to judge others based upon outward appearances for there is always so much more beneath the surface.

While heartbreaking in some places, Im pleased to say that the book is not angsty(a genre that Im not particularly fond of) and is instead a sweet and beautifully written story combining romance, excellent character development all wrapped up in a mystery that slowly unravels as the story progresses.  After reading this novel, I learned that it is part of a 4 book series and I cant wait to continue with the next book.

Now if you're looking for a hot, steamy, M/M romance, you won't find it here (remember  YA novel).  Instead, you will find an emotional yet gripping story of the unlikely friendship  then romance  of two boys with scarred and painful pasts.  Again, its not a dark story, but rather a heartfelt, upbeat one with rich, well-developed characters and a compelling plot.  I think that Gives Light is very likely the best novel I have read in a long time and in my humble opinion, is not to be missed.
2212087
Bud, Not Buddy is a touching story about a young orphaned boy who goes searching for his father.  It begins in Flint, Michigan, where he "goes on the lam" after escaping from a foster family.  He looks to the clues his mother left him to help find his father.  The most prominent of these are flyers for Herman E. Calloway's band, and Bud just knows that the man playing the big fiddle has got to be his father.

 Throughout the story, Bud introduces us to Bud's Rules for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself.  Some of these are amusing, almost all of them hold true.  Seeing things from Bud's point of view is saddening, but the tone of the book remains as upbeat as Bud does.  It is a rarity in the lineup of Newbery award-winning books because it did not utterly break my heart.  It had sad points, but overall I felt that the book was very easy to enjoy.

 It was touching that a young boy could be so driven to find his father.  While he never accomplished this, he did discover that he had family.  He also learned more about his mother and became a musician.  I had a big emotional reaction to the entire book, but it was a full range of emotions.  I laughed, cried, felt warm and fuzzy, and I felt oppressed.  But the one theme that remained throughout the entire book was Bud's dogged determination.  He never gave up.  I admire that in people.  He knew when to quit sometimes and just take what was coming, but it was always a calculated, temporary surrender.  More to lull his opponents into a false sense of security, like at the beginning of the book.

 Bud, Not Buddy is a great story that I highly recommend for upper elementary students, grades 4-6.
1926459
This is a charming story of a young boy and his friend who find a "little friend" while out playing and adventuring as young boys tend to do. This is set in a by gone time when doors didn't have to be locked, you knew your neighbors and instead of the children on electronic devices they were playing outside until the porch light comes on, signalling time to come home. Parents and children alike will enjoy reading this book. It's definitely one for the "keeper shelf".
4633906
This is a warm, wonderful coming of age story about a middle aged man, his 10-year-old son and his on-again-off-again wife. Quinn has been a struggling musician all his adult life, able to give his music the kind of attention and commitment he can give no human being. This naturally takes a toll on his wife, Belle, and son.

Quinn's son has been working hard on Saturdays to complete some Boy Scout requirements and winds up volunteering to do odd jobs for 104 year old Ona Vitkus, a Lithuanian immigrant in desperate need of companionship. Her impact on this boy, his on her, and together, the impact their relationship has on Quinn and Belle are at the heart of this story.

It's a lovely story about self-discovery, about a son's hidden gifts, about grief, and the way an absent father can finally come to love his son fully and without reservation. It's also about the legacy we can all leave behind when we die. Be sure you stick with this one. It's gets much more absorbing about half way through.
1763268
A great story about a group of kids that meet when they are young and their journey into adulthood.  It has all the ups and downs of a friendship and also the interpretations that sometimes we make when we don't know the whole story.  I loved the characters in the book!
2502498
Jonny has had an unusual childhood, missing most of the experiences that children usually have. His life so far has been spent hooked up to machines keeping his blood pumping through his body. His only hope is a heart donor, but he needs a perfect match. This is unlikely, and he believes that death may be fast approaching. One day a miracle happens, and a young person dies, giving him his heart!

After he gets his new heart, Jonny struggles. He just has to know who the donor was. In searching for the donor, Jonny finds his true heart, learning to deal with the physical heart as well as how to deal with the new experience of falling in love.

This is a charming young adult tale about a girl grieving the death of someone close to her. It is also about a boy given a second chance. The characters are realistic, well-written, and heart-warming, helping the reader to experience their pain and joy, too. I really liked this simple, yet profound book.

I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
1552610
I loved this story and I highly recommend it. This story is about two young kids, one Pakistani, another Hindu.  They have such a strong friendship, that it cannot be broken even during the tough times of the Indian-Pakistan war.  When Riaz, the Pakistani, helps the other friend, Mukand, the Hindu escape from the country so that he is not captured, he does a number of things that will put his own life at risk.  You will love the ending as it will move the reader.  I recommend this book because it is very touching, and I'm sure you'll like it too.
650987
Madison Parker's "Play Me, I'm Yours" is a thoroughly sweet and romantic young adult tale set in the typically harsh environment of high school.

All the classic elements are here - the fey boy who loves music, and all the other kids who pick on him. But it's not really that simple.  Zach Tate is the archetype sissy boy - delicate, small, painfully shy and artistic. He's almost scared of his own shadow, completely inexperienced sexually, and badly bruised by the taunts of his classmates. I'd think he was unrealistic, if he wasn't so close to the way I was as a teenager.

Like so many teens in his position (straight or gay) Zach's lack of friends is interpreted by his well-meaning but not quite clued-in parents to be the result of his lack of effort.  How do we somehow forget how hard it can be for a shy kid to make friends once we grow up and have kids of our own?

But he's not the only gay boy in this book, and that's where Parker's story veers off the traditional path.  There is a straight jock, Alex, who's a wonderful kid and hates bullying; a brash and fearless girl, Trish, who takes Zach under her wing; and an out and proud gay kid, Donovan, who's both popular and an arrogant jerk. All three of these kids play major roles in Zach's life at seventeen, and give him the sort of grounding he needs to become his own man.

Most importantly, I think, is the presence of Zach's family.  They are supportive, but don't really understand him. They accept that he's gay, but they unwittingly don't offer him any encouragement or sense of self-worth. His younger brother is mortified by his dorky gay brother - embarrassment that hides the loyalty and love that is really there.  The way Parker handles Zach's family is one of the best aspects of this book, because they are human in their flaws and their inability to see how their actions hurt Zach.

This is a very pure example of a Young Adult book in tone and style.  What is a little surprising is that there is fairly explicit sex in the book between teenage boys - although it is just the sort of furtive, amateurish stuff that you'd expect. There is also a very vivid contrast between a sexually experienced gay senior, Donovan, and the inexperienced Lucas - the conflict in this case being Donovan's inability to accept Lucas' innocence as something to be honored rather than ridiculed.  Some of the reviews of this on Amazon disliked this dichotomy, but it is in fact one of the issues in gay culture that being out and proud is aligned with sexual proficiency and experience. The author seems to be making the very good case that - especially with young adults - sexual activity and gay identity should not be seen as the same thing, and that every gay boy needs to come to terms with sex at his own speed. I think this is an important lesson, and one all too often glided over in YA books.
724923
I've got to say this book isn't my usual kind of read. But I'm glad now that I read it. It's a story of two youngsters forming a deep friendship. The girl, Leslie is strong and had a vivid imagination as most young girls generally do. And Jess knew he wasn't nearly as brave as Leslie, more like the odd boy out. It's rough on a young lad to know a girl can outrun him. Imagine being beaten by a girl. But he managed to overcome the fact that she was faster, that she wasn't afraid, and that she'd done so much more in her young years than he. Two small children meet and strike up an unforgettable friendship. The story is tragic, very sad in parts, but after you've finished reading it, there's a smile on your face. I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages.
4577664
This book may be classified as YA, but really can be read and enjoyed by a lot of people. Audrey is a 14 year old girl who is dealing with typical kid issues while also battling anxiety disorder and depression,
After an incident at school involving bullying, she becomes close to her brother's best friend Linus who tries to help Audrey while not always completely understanding her predicament.
There are a lot of storylines in this book which tie into the main themes of AD and depression. As someone who has had minor issues with both, I found myself commiserating more because I have some understanding of how difficult this can be and how it affects everyday life. Audrey's issues were severe and I found myself feeling for her because she was a great character with a lot of heart and feeling.vI thought the book's author handled the subjects with understanding while also not managing to overwhelm the story with too much information for her target audience to process. Her supporting cast of character were interesting and included a gaming addicted brother Frank, a younger brother that was sweet and cute named Felix, and Audrey's funny and somewhat weird parents who were well intentioned but at times begged the question of who were the adults------the parents or the child. Her mother was a little nutty and her father was often oblivious to the things happening around him, but as the story evolved there was a strong sense that this family grew and evolved.
The simple and innocent romance and friendship between Audrey and Linus was sweet and very relatable for anyone who managed to keep it simple during their early teen years. I liked the tender and sweet aspects of it.
While every issue or storyline was not resolved by the end of this novel, this was a satisfying tale that was realistic and did not overwork its main topics, had nicely developed characters, and dealt with real problems with both empathy and humor.
3473881
This debut novel is a sweet and realistic look at young love. It has everything you expect see in real life situations: the anticipation of the first kiss, the spark of passion that draws to people together, the comradery and friendship of a new relationship. There are many ups and downs in this book that are viewed through a lenses of authenticity, giving the reader a story that sounds like one you would hear from a friend while sharing tales of love and loss. Lines We Forget features two very real and flawed characters, two people who have high hopes and expectations for what they want from life. Charlie and Anna meet by chance and fate intervenes. These two are struggling in their separate realities and a spark between them gives hope to situations that are at times frustrating and disheartening. When you read their story, you cannot help but be caught up in their adventures. Friendship and instant attraction deepens into love. These two come from different backgrounds but together they create a reality that is sweet, brimming with hope for the future and a safe place from the harsh moments of life.

One thing that makes this book a great contemporary romance is that it is real. Anna and Charlie fight and they make up. They jump to conclusions, creating drama and angst. They must learn to trust one another and support each other. These two become a couple you root for. You watch their relationship develop over years and it is a slow burn. The story and relationship flows so very well. There is not a HUGE life altering and life shattering moment that destroys everything and an over the top reconciliation. Instead, it is a gritty reality of what life is like.

The writing is good in this book, giving the reader access to both Anna and Charlies thoughts. We are able to understand their reasoning and feel their heartache when things go wrong. They are both experiencing young growing love, a kind of love that takes a piece of your heart and soul. Warren does a great job of fulfilling the expectations of the reader and giving a story that is sweet, real, and hopeful. I am excited to see what else she comes up with.
3174515
Charlotte Zolotow describes the friendship between two boys, John and an unnamed other, by a series of quiet statements which carry an increasing sense of the power of the relationship. The quiet incantation of the text - each page is very nearly a couplet of verse - shows how the two friends make up for each other's failings, stick up for each other when the going gets rough, and also have a sense of the separate individuality of the companion with secret fears and pleasures.
The two boys are working on a project - to construct a den and organize a midnight feast. Because this project is completed in spare moments between school and meals and homework, and is also shown in the pictures rather than the text, it conveys very clearly the privacy of the secret world which children sometimes collaborate to build.
Amanda Harvey's pictures support this by expressing strong affection untainted by sentimentality. My favourite picture is of a boy in the grip of panic and despair, probably brought on by fractions, being helped by John who radiates concern and patience. The pictures seem to be illuminated as if from behind the page - and this seems in keeping with the constancy of their relationship which shines through all the trouble, routine and fun of childhood.
821615
This book tells the story of a young girl entering her freshman year of highschool, as the little sister of a troublemaker who died in a car accident a few months earlier.  The story involves this girl's observations of the changes she sees in the people around her, mainly her parents' inability to cope with the grief losing a son brought upon them, as well as the change in the relationship beween her and her longtime best friend.  She uses drawing as an escape.  During the book, she also develops a friendship with her dead brother's best friend, who is also into art.  Through this forbidden friendship, she finds out things she never knew about her brother and gets in touch with the changes she has gone through as well.

The story is touching, although I found the writing to be a little choppy.  Occasionally it feels like we are reading diary entries, and sometimes it feels as though we are being told the story directly.

As a parent of tweens, I am always concerned about what they may read in young adult fiction.  I feel that this book would be suitable for them to read as there is no foul language, drug or alcohol usage, and no sexual scenes in the book.  There are just a couple references to wondering what it would be like to kiss someone, and the kissing that does take place seems to be relatively low-key lip brushing.

All in all I would feel comfortable letting my kids read this book, and I feel the story is a good one.
4964319
In this delightful tale we meet a young boy named,  David, a very special young boy who comes to a beautiful garden and makes friends with a Dragonfly named, Lea. David and Lea share many happy moments together playing and a bond is made between them However, something else very important is going to be asked of Lea.  She will have  a very special assignment to accomplish that David has given to her.  As you read this book you keep wondering what it is that David wants Lea to do and why? But it is not unveiled early in the book.
 We also meet a young couple who are very sad, and an older couple who also tell the little Dragonfly that she must complete the assignment she has been given.  Still you wonder what it is and why it is so important.  It isn't until you are almost at the end of the book that you realize that David has passed from this world and he is asking the little Dragonfly to bring a message to those he has left behind.
I found this book to be very touching, sensitive, and comforting at the same time.

The illustrations are crisp and let you see the details of the emotions being felt by all the players in the read. It is a story of loss, but also one of hope and love carried on the wings of a very special Dragonfly.  To me, this is an outstanding read.  Well done in every area, story, and illustrations.  Well worth your time, and truly a precious gift to be given to any who are hurting from the loss of a loved one.
386849
Set in the late forties and fifties, Give Me Wings is a fascinating coming of age story about a delightfully precocious girl named Carnikko and her family. The family is dirt poor and a person cant help but hope the father will get a decent job so the children will be assured even the barest of necessities like shoes, coats, and enough to eat. Hes an interesting character with an edge that, in part, rubs off on Carnikko; it gets pretty interesting at times. Carnikko has a unique and loving relationship with her father that is awesome. He calls her Punkin and no matter whats happening, and there are a lot of happenings, the love between the two is obvious.

There are sad moments in the book when Carnikko calls to her imaginary friend to take her away, but its funny too, sweet, and so entertaining.

Without giving anything away, there are a number of big surprises in the book, and what some might not know is that its all true. The authors natural talent for writing is apparent throughout the book; she makes it look easy. Give Me Wings is an exceptional read.
3952081
At a church camp these boys experience the greatness of innocent, young love only to have it ripped away from them in a blink of an eye. Six years later they've got second-chance to explore their feelings for each other but life is still yet complicated for Cax who must hide his true self because of his narrow minded father's ultimatum. Luckily in the end of a rocky road there is a happily ever after.

Despite this story touched on subject of insecurities, self-acceptance and self-worth it was pretty much a light read. The writing was flawless as always however I found the plot rather simple. I honestly think the strong side of the book is its main characters. They were complex like real people  both likeable and charming - also their actions felt natural. It was so easy to fall in love with them and root for their happiness! I adored their development especially Caxs journey to himself. It was so lovely to see how he gained self-confident and took charge his life.

Overall Hello Forever has everything I like in romantic genre. It contains a bit of heartbreak and longing, sweet tenderness and love with a touch of naughtiness to spice it up a little also there is a sprinkle of humor too.
I hope soon we will be able read more about Jason and his lumbersexual neighbor.
2777298
David is a high school junior from Minneapolis, Minnesota. He's a runner for the high school track team. He goes to a private, parochial school on scholarship. David's best friend since elementary school is a boy named Eddie. Eddie is openly gay and trying to start a gay/straight alliance group in the school. This embarrasses David, even though he secretly harbors a crush on his track teammate Sean.

David's guilt over his growing attraction to Sean leads him to take drastic measures. He distances himself from his best friend Eddie, and he crudely attempts to use aversive therapy on himself, snapping himself painfully with a rubber band every time he has an inappropriate homosexual thought. He also attempts to advance physically with his girlfriend Kick (Katherine).

When Sean propositions David and the two become intimate with one another, it sets David's world on end. Not only does he become all the more obsessed with Sean, but he begins to question his own identity. He seeks help from a gay teen telephone hotline.

Ultimately David must choose whether to remain closeted while living a lie or to be honest with himself, his family, and his friends.

David Inside Out is a classic coming-out, coming-of-age story. It is a quick read, but very captivating. Written with emotion and humor, it is both believable and meaningful. It's poignant message drills into the heart of the reader, leaving them yearning for more.

Not only is the book a great addition to any young adult library, but it is an enjoyable and entertaining story for more mature readers as well. It's a heartwarming, unpretentious, and touching story about self discovery and acceptance. I highly recommend it.