PERSEFoNE Series by Michelle Gagnon

SYNOPSIS:  Noa Torson wakes up to find herself in a hospital bed, with a cruel scar across her chest.  She has no recollection of how she got there, and even worse are the side effects of whatever has been done to her:  her eating and sleeping habits have gone completely haywire.  She uses her hacking skills and the community at her disposal to try to find out what is going on, before it is too late.

AUNT SHARON'S TAKE:  This is an exciting and fast-paced trilogy.  However, I sometimes felt that it was dragging along, with pitfalls and speed bumps that seemed somewhat unrealistic and detracted from the flow of the plot.  However, it would be a fun read for teens looking for something exciting and action-packed.

AUDIENCE:  Young Adults and Teens

RATING:  PG13 for sensuality, violence, and language

STARS:  3

BOOKS LIKE THIS:  The Adoration of Jenna Fox, Wither

The Heir Series by Kiera Cass

SYNOPSIS:  In this continuation on The Selection series, America's daughter Eadlyn has grown up in the unrest resulting from the elimination of the castes.  Although she has spent most of her life ignoring the problems of her people, as the future queen, she must now face them.  She has been advised to do a selection of her own, and she grudgingly agrees, fully intending to eliminate the participants quickly.  However, she soon finds out that the selection might have more to offer than simply a distraction for her people.

AUNT SHARON'S TAKE:  Although I did like The Selection series, I was growing irritated with America by the end of the series.  Eadlyn seems to have inherited all of her mother's most irritating qualities, and it was very hard to like her as the protagonist.  However, for fans of the series, these novels stay pretty true to the style and storyline.

RATING:  PG13 for mild sensuality, some violence, and adult topics.

STARS: 2

BOOKS LIKE THIS:  Princess Diaries, The False Princess

SYNOPSIS:  Eadlyn's problems have only gotten more serious since her mother's health problems began.  Now she is convinced she must do more than simply provide a distraction for her people.  She believes she needs to end the unrest once and for all.

AUNT SHARON'S TAKE:  Although Eadlyn has become less of a spoiled brat since the second book, she still doesn't seem to be a robust and complicated character to me.  I think the sequel improved on the first book, but still fell short of the mark.

Chomp by Carl Hiaasen

SYNOPSIS:  Wahoo Cray is the son of an animal wrangler.  He's always been more or less proud of his dad and his unique skill set.  However, since his dad's accident, things have been hard for their family.  When they get offered a substantial sum of money to provide animals special effects for a television program, they're not in a position to refuse.  When the star of the show proves to be more unruly than the animals, however, things start to get even more tricky.

AUNT SHARON'S TAKE:  I think this book would be fun and exciting for pre-teen readers.  There is plenty of action and suspense, but it is all age-appropriate.  There's also a healthy dose of drama, however, so I'd save it for pre-teen readers and above, and choose another book for story time.

AUDIENCE:  Pre-teens and Teens

STARS:  3 1/2

BOOKS LIKE THIS:  Death Cloud, Artemis Fowl

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

SYNOPSIS:  Claudia's father is the warden of Incarceron, a vast prison which is a world unto itself.  Finn knows nothing except the prison, and wants to escape to the stars which seem more like a vision than a memory to him.  When they find they can communicate, they will stop at nothing to get Finn out.

AUNT SHARON'S TAKE:  This was a dark but exciting story, and I found it quite entertaining.  Although their was a bit of violence and dark imagery, I feel it was appropriate for teenagers.  I would recommend it to those who enjoy dark adventure stories.

AUDIENCE:  Teens

RATING:  PG13 for dark imagery and Violence

STARS:  3

BOOKS LIKE THIS:  Leviathan, Cinder Series

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

SYNOPSIS:  Set in an alternate World War I, the Austro-Hungarians and Germans are set for war, and the British are prepared to meet them in battle.  The story follows Aleksander, a royal heir on the run, and Deryn, a girl disguised as a boy in order to be a pilot in the war.  When their paths cross, they are started on a journey full of adventure and danger.

AUNT SHARON'S TAKE:  I had enjoyed other Westerfeld novels, so I gave this one a try and really enjoyed it.  It was my first experience with the Steampunk genre, and I thought it was a fun book.  There is violence, as well as a few very mild sexual references, but otherwise, I would definitely recommend it.

AUDIENCE:  Teens

RATING:  PG with Violence

STARS:  3 1/2

BOOKS LIKE THIS:  Beka Cooper Series, Cinder Series

Frozen: Heart of Dread by Melissa de la Cruz and Michael Johnston

SYNOPSIS:  Natasha Kestral is marked, which means she has special powers.  She has escaped from a government compound, and is hiding in plain sight in New Vegas, working as a blackjack dealer.  She knows her destiny is in The Blue, a paradise within the frozen wasteland, and all she needs to find is someone who can take her there.

AUNT SHARON'S TAKE:  I don't have much good to say about this book.  The story-line had potential, but I felt like the storytelling wasn't enough to fulfill that potential.  The characters were hard to be invested in, and their adventures seemed to be a bit contrived and sometimes too convenient to be believed.  Also, there was some sensuality and violence, as well as homosexual references.  I'd skip this read.

AUDIENCE:  Young Adults

RATING:  PG13 for Violence and Sensuality

STARS:  1/2

BOOKS LIKE THIS:  Mystic City, Fathomless

Catherine by April Lindner

SYNOPSIS:  This Wuthering Heights retelling follows Chelsea, who has believed her mother Catherine to be dead most of her life.  However, when she discovers that she is missing, she goes in search of her.  Her search takes her through her mother's past, and into dangerous territory.

AUNT SHARON'S TAKE:  Although this story is a fun-to-read mystery, it is quite dark (as you might expect, given its inspiration.)  Also, there was some adult language, as well as some sensuality and sexual references.  For that reason, I would only recommend it to older readers.

AUDIENCE:  Young Adults

RATING:  PG13 for Violence, Sensuality, and Language

STARS:  3

BOOKS LIKE THIS:  Life After Theft, The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die