King of the Screwups by K.L. Going

Liam Geller is Mr. Popular. He has the skills, the charm, and the fashion to be the man everybody loves. But it's never quite good enough for Dad. After one too many screwups, Liam is kicked out of the house. Fortunately for him, his gay glamour-rocker "Aunt" Pete is willing to take him in. Despite its appearances, Liam sees this as more than a step down in the hierarchy of society. He sees this as a chance to remake himself into everything his father wants in a son. But Pete sees him for who he really is, forcing him to choose: be true to his father or himself?

----------------------------------------

REVIEW: A magnificent story about finding yourself. Liam goes through an amazing shift, seeing life in a different way. He realizes the most important thing in life is being yourself, no matter who wants to change you. Lots of comedy and life lessons bundled into one. A great book, highly recommended for young readers. 9/10

Book 1: Ghost Huntress - The Awakening by Marley Gibson

Kendall Moorehead never wanted to move. She missed all her friends from Chicago, the big city. Now she's stuck in a small blip called Radisson. To make matters worse, she can't sleep. In an attempt to help her sleep, Kendall's father buys her a white-noise machine. Instead of soothing sounds, however, Kendall starts hearing voices. The more curious Kendall becomes, the deeper she is thrown into a world she never knew existed.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
REVIEW: An interesting story. The story has a good flow and despite all its focus on "otherworldly things" still manages to address the normal issues of an uprooted teenager. Kendall and her friends have good character style and development. I'm interested to see how this series develops. 8/10

Out of the Pocket by Bill Konigsberg

Bobby Framingham has it all. He's the star quarterback of his highschool football team. He's popular, handsome, and gets good grades. But Bobby isn't happy. The one thing nobody knows about Bobby could rip his world apart: Bobby is gay. When Bobby's secret gets out, he finds himself scrambling to keep ahold of his friends and his life. He's out of the pocket and out in the open with no one to rely on but himself.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
REVIEW: This is a great story about being true to yourself and finding out how you really fit into the world. I really like the perspective on the gay side of the most popular kid in school, instead of the usual shut-in or outcast. Definitely makes people think about how simple things like orientation can affect how people really see somebody. 8/10

The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Tenth Grade Bleeds by Heather Brewer

This is the third installment in the Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series. Fans from the previous two books can expect to be just as satisfied with this one. The plot is more personal and readers see more of the developing Pravus side of Vlad. Aside from battling the ever-vengeful Diablo and his vampiric minions, Vlad must also contend with his best friend rebuking his drudge status and Vlad's feelings for Meredith. The story is gripping and the action stays fairly constant. Unexpected plot twists send the story and its characters down paths readers won't see coming.
--------------------------------------------------
REVIEW: The story is thrilling, the characters continue to grow and develop, and the readers are pulled more deeply into the growing world of Vladimir Tod. Between the external struggles Vlad must face as the Pravus, there is also a key aspect of his internal struggle of self-realization. Readers will be delighted and won't be able to put it down. 10/10

Wisdom or Wisdon't?

Another book recently read and added to my collection was a book on the subject of ethics. Is It Still Cheating If I Don't Get Caught? by Bruce Weinstein, the self-appointed Ethics Guy. It's not bad for an off the shelf guideline but it could use less childhood-related issues. The book revolves around the application of five principles known as the Life Principles: 1) Do No Harm, 2) Make Things Better, 3) Respect Others, 4) Be Fair, and 5) Be Loving. The essential words of wisdom of Mr. Weinstein is "in any situation, apply all five of these principles and everything should work out fine."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REVIEW: The five Life Principles proposed are good ideas and are of sound logic. Slightly better than conventional wisdom, but could use some brushing up on the times. For $5 wisdom, I give it a 5/10