Review: Surrounded by Sharks: A Spine-Tingling Adventure Tale (with No Character Development), by Michael Northrop

Surrounded by Sharks by Michael Northrop (2014; Scholastic Press, 2016, 224pp.)

Thirteen-year-old Davey makes the worst mistake of his life when he decides to ignore the “No Swimming” sign at the beach. Shortly after he wades in, he’s overtaken by a dangerous riptide and swept out to sea. Now he’s floating in the middle of the ocean—and about to come head to head with a hungry tiger shark! While the novel’s lack of character development brings much disappointment, the plot that accompanies the author’s spine-tingling premise does not. It’s action-packed from beginning to end, and will definitely appeal to reluctant readers in Grades 5-7.

Dawn of Spies

Dawn of Spies (Crusoe #1) by Andrew Lane (Adaptive Books, 2017, 320pp.) 

In this reimagining of Daniel Defoe’s 18th century classic of shipwreck and survival, Robinson “Robin” Crusoe, a merchant’s son, and Friday, the daughter of a pirate king, are finally rescued from a desert island after three long years as living as castaways. Shortly after they arrive in London, the writer Daniel Defoe offers to buy the rights to their amazing story. In normal circumstances, this close-knit pair of friends would be reluctant to open up to a stranger--however, circumstances have rendered them penniless, and they see no other choice but to agree to a meeting. Imagine their surprise when Defoe later reveals himself to be a spy for the government. He thinks their unique experiences will make them perfect spies, and wants to recruit them for service under King Charles II. Their first mission is to protect the king’s daughter, the Countess of Lichfield, from kidnapping by enemies of the Crown. Of course, despite the valiant efforts of Robin, Friday, and other members of the king’s spy ring, the Countess is kidnapped by masked men, and carried away in a hot air balloon. Things get even more tense when its discovered that she’s been taken by the Circle of Thirteen, an organization dedicated to taking down the entire empire at any cost.

Having already cut his teeth on the “reinvented classic” genre with his Young Sherlock Holmes series, Andrew Lane--for the most part--executes his premise well. I especially like what he did with the role of Friday. In the classical text, Friday is Crusoe’s male servant who swears subservience to the Englishman after the latter saves him from cannibals. In Lane’s work, Friday is Crusoe’s friend and equal, a strong and capable young black woman who is more than capable of holding her own. Although the fast-paced nature of the tale leaves little room for character development (which would have, in my opinion, made it a much better novel), its interesting premise and swashbuckling action sequences make this a good choice for fans of action/adventure. Recommended for Ages 13-15.

Review: A Charmed Life: A Christian Fiction Trilogy (for All Readers), by Jenny B. Jones

A Charmed Life (The Charmed Life #1-3) by Jenny B. Jones (Thomas Nelson, 2012, 976pp.)

A Charmed Life is an omnibus edition of Jenny B. Jones’s Christian fiction trilogy of the same name. This lovely series documents the hilarious, heartfelt misadventures of privileged New Yorker Bella Kirkwood, a child of divorce who finds herself living on a farm after her mother remarries and moves them to Truman, Oklahoma. To Bella, moving away from New York is a fate worse than death. Where are the fashion boutiques? What about a Starbucks? Not to mention she now has to hitch a ride to school with her obnoxious stepbrother, Budge, who drives an out-dated hearse. But when she ends up on the Truman High School newspaper, she surprises the heck out of everyone with her tenacity, her drive, and above all, her awesome investigative journalism skills. Over the course of the series, she becomes quite the sleuth. Not only does she investigate a malevolent brotherhood of football players and save a prom queen from an exploding tiara, she also joins the circus as a part-time clown so she can solve the murder of a sweet-tempered bearded lady.

I really can’t say enough about this series, for both teens and parents. First off, it’s a clean read, meaning there’s no swearing or other mature content (though Bella does have a boyfriend, so there is a lot of kissing). Second, it boasts a well-developed supporting cast. And third, but importantly, it has a heroine who experiences tremendous personal growth throughout the series. Not only must she face issues left over from her parents’ divorce (in addition to adjusting to a new stepfamily), she must also come to terms with God’s plan for her—a plan that she did not agree to, thank you very much! For those of you who aren’t usually fans of Christian fiction? You should still add this to your reading list. While religion is an important part of the characters’ lives, it’s certainly not the main point of the story. What the story is about, though? It’s about an awesome, spunky teenager fighting her way through life’s sticky situations, and being the best person she can possibly be. This series is recommended for older teens, ages 16-18, though if you’ve got younger teens who don’t mind kissing and romance, it’s a good choice for them as well. Also, check out the excellent audiobook version, read by Brooke Helman.

Meh

What Light by Jay Asher (Razorbill, 2016, 272pp.)

Sierra is always bummed to leave her friends behind when she and her parents leave for a month every year to tend their out-of-state farm in California. On her latest stay, she meets a cute boy named Caleb. Caleb is charming and gentle, a selfless young man who buys up discounted Christmas trees and delivers them to families in need. In any other scenario, Sierra knows the two would be a perfect pair—but alas, the couple already have two strikes against them! First, Sierra doesn’t believe in long-distance relationships. Second, Caleb once attacked his sister with a knife, an attack that locals still gossip about. Although Sierra accepts Caleb’s explanation that he was acting under extreme duress at the time, and that his sister has since forgiven him, all the townspeople, including her parents, still look upon him with suspicion. As Sierra passionately defends their budding relationship, she risks alienating both friends and family. Will their love survive, or will it prove to be simply a fruitless season fling?

I have to admit, I really expected more from the author who wrote Thirteen Reasons Why. That novel, which explores the reasons why a teenage girl killed herself, contains a romantic subplot that’s thwarted before it really can even begin, all because one of the potential lovers has already committed suicide. The insurmountable reasons that keep What Light’s two lovebirds apart? An endless line of naysayers spouting simple-minded prejudice. Also, Sierra’s personal wariness of long-distance relationships—but that’s easily overcome once she realizes her feelings for Caleb. VERDICT: In this season’s banquet of literary morsels, consider this a sweet but sugary snack. Hand to those looking for a simple, seasonal romance, while those looking for a meatier story should look elsewhere. With no drug use, swearing, or sexual content present, I’d recommend this for romance lovers, Ages 13-15.

A Gripping, Suspenseful Crime Novel

Source: Author Website

With Malice by Eileen Cook (HMH Books for Young Readers, 2016, 320pp.)

When Jill, an American teenager, wakes up in a hospital with no memory of the past two months, she learns several disturbing things. One: while she was on a school trip to Italy, she crashed a rental car and was rushed to a hospital back home. Two: Her best friend, Simone, was killed in the crash. Three: the Italian police say that the crash was a deliberate act of murder/suicide. Now they want her back in Italy to stand trial. Fortunately, she’s given permission to stay in America until she completes rehab, but she has to wonder: why was she driving a car on a school trip? What exactly happened?

Twist and turns abound in this suspenseful novel, which proves gripping to the very end. What makes the novel better than average is the author’s inclusion of police interviews and media transcripts, which allow us to see the story in the broader scheme of things, and thus provides for a more compelling reading experience. Recommended for older teens for language, and discussions of intimate situations.

"The Bachelor" Meets the Dystopian Fantasy Genre

Source: Author Website

The Selection (The Selection #1) by Kiera Cass (HarperTeen, 2012, 336pp.)

Decades in the future, the United States is no longer a democracy. The government is ruled by a monarchy, social castes are the norm, and teen girls everywhere are obsessed with a government-sponsored competition known as the Selection. This months-long televised event documents the struggle of 35 young women to win the hand of the next prince.

Against this backdrop, America “Mer” Singer, the daughter of poor musicians, reluctantly submits an application for the competition after Aspen, the love of her teenaged life, breaks up with her. She knows that her chances of getting chosen are infinitesimally small, but the promise of a generous stipend, but the opportunity to vault their family into prestige and power, is too much for her ambitious mother to let her pass up.

Against all odds, America’s application gets pulled for the running. She’s not really interested in Prince Maxon, of course. She’s still in mourning for Aspen. So when she sits in for her requisite interview with the prince, she confesses that she’s really only in the competition “by accident,” and really isn’t ready for romance again so soon. To her surprise, Maxon is impressed by her honesty. Instead of sending her home, he makes her a proposal: he will agree to a platonic relationship if she will act as his eyes and ears among the girls. He is, he admits, a bit bewildered by the female sex (especially when they cry!), so any help navigating the waters of this unusual dating environment would be most welcome. Intrigued by his offer, she agrees, and looks forward to helping select the next princess. This arrangement works splendidly for the next few weeks—until her ex, Aspen, gets a job at the palace, and begs her to take him back. This is a major problem, since the Selection rules dictate that any contestant found guilty of “illicit” romantic interloping will be charged with treason and sentenced to death. And then, of course, there’s the unexpected matter of America’s newly developed feelings for Maxon...

I have to admit, for someone who hates love triangles I was surprised by how much I liked this novel. Cass makes a wise decision by keeping America and Maxon’s relationship (mostly) platonic, at least for this first volume of the series. The fact that they get to know each other as friends first, and love interest second, puts their relationship on an interesting level, and allowed me, as a reader, to take their budding romance seriously. In addition, the author manages to bypass most of the requisite melodrama that accompanies love triangles by keeping Maxon and Aspen separated for most of the story—until nearly the end, that is. On the downside, the supporting cast was pretty undeveloped, but I’m hoping that will be amended in the next book. (A final note to potential readers: a lot is set up during this founding installment, but the ending leaves a lot unresolved. If you pick this up at your local library, make sure you have the sequel, The Elite, close at hand.) Recommended for female teens of any age.

Guest Post: Cassie from Culture Coverage Suggests 5 Free E-Books for Teens

5 Free E-Books to Encourage Your Teenager’s Reading Habits

I would like to thank Liz for publishing this article. She provides detailed and thoughtful reviews that cover the gamut of genres from graphic novels to children’s books. If you want to support independent authors, check out her self-published and small press category.

In today’s digital world, teenagers are more connected than ever before, thanks to the prevalence of smartphones and fast network connections. Besides networking with friends on social media networks, they’re also exploring and discovering new apps and technology that seem interesting or entertaining. With so much content and information available, sitting down and reading a physical book might seem like a hassle. Luckily, e-books provide a digital solution for your busy teenager. Plus, you can find hundreds of books for free!

Of course, before joining free e-book sites or providing your teenager with an Amazon account, you’ll want to set up a Virtual Private Network (VPN). These services not only protect private information by hiding your IP, but they also provide improved security control by preventing certain types of files from being downloaded or uploaded. While not foolproof, it adds another layer of security.

If you’re looking for ways to encourage your teen’s reading habits, suggest these amazing YA books.

The Forgotten: The Lux Guardians, Book 1

Saruuh Kelsey

Source: Goodreads

After the death of their genius father, the Ravel twins find themselves thrust from Victorian London to a London in shambles after a solar disaster. They quickly learn their father’s invention caused the disaster and must find a way to prevent it from happening. The book combines dystopian elements with Steampunk for a unique perspective. The intrigue and action keep the plot advancing at a quick pace. There are multiple points of view, which can be confusing to follow at least in the beginning. Still, once they start reading, it won’t be long until they ask for the sequel.

Glimpse: The Zellie Wells Trilogy, Book 1

Source: Author Website

Stacey Wallace Benefiel

It seems fated that Zellie should fall in love with Avery. He’s the son of her mom’s high school sweetheart. When she learns the feelings are mutual everything seems perfect, until a jarring vision of his death shakes her to her core. She learns these visions are hereditary and will come true if the two stay together. Zellie has to decide whether to stay away from Avery to save his or life or risk everything and find out how to change the future. Although the teen dialogue comes off as a bit stereotypical, the characters themselves are developed, and the emotions ring true. If you're looking for a paranormal book for your teen with a strong heroine and no vampires, try out this book.

The Contamination Series, Books 0-3

Source: Author Website

T.W. Piperbrook

This isn’t the R.L. Stine books you might have enjoyed when you were younger. Piperbrook adds a new layer to the horror/suspense genre. A strange virus has mysteriously infected almost everyone in the tri-state area turning them into mindless killing machines. It’s up to a band of survivors to fight back the horde and find the answer to how this plague started. Piperbrook weaves a plot full of conspiracy and action while also developing rich and likable characters. While it might not be a thought-provoking story of redemption, it is definitely a page turner.

Awaken: The Sorcha Series, Book 1

Source: Author Website

Susan Alford and Lesley Smith 

After the death of their father, twins Lucas and Lily realize that they have a special gift. Years later when they enroll in college, they learn their true identities as Sorchas—warriors of light that fight against evil—and they learn they are not alone. There are ten others, each with their own different spiritual gifts. Alford and Smith breathe life into their characters by introducing unique personality traits and quirks. By the time the action starts, you are already invested in their lives and choices. The character development makes the suspenseful plot and sudden twists more dramatic.

Source: Publisher Website

Nariko’s Map: Legends of the Kunoichi, Book 1

Alex Redwood

After samurais attack and kill her family, Nariko finds herself on a farm full of girls who arrived under similar circumstances. She soon learns the farm is a training ground for an all-female ninja army. As she improves her skills as a kunoichi, Nariko must dive into the war that destroyed her family and search for answers about her past. While Nariko might not be real, the all-female ninja army is based on history. Mochizuki Chiyome, a feudal Japanese noblewoman in the sixteenth century, created a group of all female ninja agents.  The women she recruited were prostitutes, victims of the civil war and young orphaned girls. Not only is this a great read, but it might also pique your teen's interest in Japanese history!

Do you have any other suggestions for great fee eBooks for teens? Tell us in the comments below!

About the Author: Cassie loves anything related to literature and technology. She can’t wait to begin teaching her own children the joys of reading using modern technology!