TeensReadToo.com

mood: busy

These books earned the coved Gold Star Award for Excellence in July.  Be sure to check out the reviews by following the link!

THE DECLARATION by Gemma Malley

EVERY MINUTE ON EARTH by Steve & Matthew Murrie

FOREVER... by Judy Blume

GLASS by Ellen Hopkins

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS by J.K. Rowling
**Reviewed by Natalie Tsang

JINX by Meg Cabot

SAVING ZOE by Alyson Noel

THE SILENCED by James DeVita

THE SWEET, TERRIBLE, GLORIOUS YEAR I TRULY, COMPLETELY LOST IT by Lisa Shanahan

THIRTEEN REASONS WHY by Jay Asher

mood: giggly

Wow!  We had over 50 lucky winners who won prizes from July's contests on www.teensreadtoo.com!  Make sure you stop by the site today for contests for August -- just think, YOU could be one of the lucky winners on September 1st!

Super congrats go out to the following prize winners:

Lucile O. of New Smyrna Beach, FL
Cynthia L. of Worcester, MA
**Both won copies of TIPS ON HAVING A GAY (EX) BOYFRIEND & a roll of duct tape from Carrie Jones!

Zara H. of Decatur, AL
**Won a copy of THE BOOK OF LUKE by Jenny O'Connell!

Dee M. of Lake Alfred, FL
Chelsea S. of Avon Lake, OH
**Both won copies of DREAM FACTORY by Brad Barkley & Heather Hepler!

Julie H. of Willow Park, TX
Abbie M. of Columbus, OH
**Both won copies of MY FAMILIAR by Jenine Wilson!

Joan L. of Tucson, AZ
Maddison C. of Sidney, OH
Judy M. of Sharpsburg, GA
**All won copies of DEATH AT DEACON POND by E. M. Alexander!

Jennifer R. of Pleasant Hill, CA
**Won a copy of THE SPECIALISTS: MODEL SPY by Shannon Greenland!

Nina C. of Martinez, GA
**Won an Audiobook CD of A CERTAIN SLANT OF LIGHT by Laura Whitcomb!

Pamela W. of Marysville, WA
David R. of Paramus, NJ
**Both won copies of THE EARRINGS OF IXTUMEA by Kim Baccellia!

Kara P. of Rancho Cucamonga, CA
**Won a one-of-a-kind manuscript page from THE PENGUINS OF DOOM by Gregory R. Fishbone!

Stephanie M. of El Paso, IL
Mary S. of New York, NY
Meredith A. of High Springs, FL
Jason F. of Midlothian, VA
Brinda O. of Indianapolis, IN
**All won copies of DAIRY QUEEN & THE OFF SEASON by Catherine Gilbert Murdock!

Tiffany L. of Jacksonville, FL
Allisyn G. of Laurel, MD
James W. of New Salem, ND
Wanda C. of Walnut Creek, CA
Flo B. of Gainesville, FL
**All won copies of PRIME CHOICE & PRESSING HARD by Stephanie Perry Moore!

Brian B. of Newton, MA
Dan B. of Youngstown, OH
Kaylee C. of Pierce City, MO
Renee B. of Madisonville, TN
Wendy S. of Chicago, IL
**All won copies of THE UPPER CLASS by Hobson Brown, Taylor Materne, & Caroline Says!

Cory W. of Round Rock, TX
Christina R. of Acton, MA
Jasmine K. of Allendale, NJ
Alyssa M. of Miami, FL
Caitlyn W. of Marion, IA
**All won copies of DO WHAT YOU ARE by Paul D. Tieger & Barbara Barron!

Suzanne W. of Houston, TX
Riddhy P. of Passaic, NJ
Kazia B. of Maynard, MA
Alyssa S. of Gilman, VT
**All won a copy of JAILBAIT by Leslea Newman!

Ronni D. of Columbus, OH
Mitzi F. of Lake Charles, LA
Keri C. of Morro Bay, CA
Allison B. of Kingston, PA
Lisa P. of Princeton, MN
Megan D. of Raleigh, NC
Emily L. of Chandler, AZ
Michelle H. of Starke, FL
Erin L. of Sharpsburg, GA
Michelle J. of Casselberry, FL
Jordan M. of Brighton, MI
Timothy S. of Appleton, WI
Stephanie H. of Commerce, GA
Irene C. of Janesville, WI
Ellie C. of River Forest, IL
Anikka W. of Apple Valley, MN
Donna K. of Cheektowaga, NY
Terri G. of Ligonier, IN
Kerri R. of Council Bluffs, IA
Joshua M. of Skowhegan, ME
Cristina C. of Turnersville, NJ
Karly P. of Lorton, VA
Gabe N. of Houston, TX
Erica G. of Pittsboro, IN
Janan C. of Riverwoods, IL
**All won copies of REVENGE OF THE HOMECOMING QUEEN by Stephanie Hale!

mood: chipper

Change of plans!

I've moved my personal 2007 Reading List to Shelfari.  (You can find me under the name GeniusJen).

Instead, on LJ I'll post all the YA/Teen books that we read for the year.

Yay!

mood: working

   Every month, TRT posts a huge amount of new book reviews.  Oftentimes, we review books that we love so much that we give them the Gold Star Award for Excellence.  What does that Gold Star mean, you ask?  Well, this means that not only did we love the story and that we'd recommend it to everyone that we meet, but that we've also made a place for it on our keeper shelf.  These titles are the best of the best, and beginning in August, we'll list the previous month's Hall of Fame titles that have earned a Gold Star Award.

To bring us up-to-date though, the following are Hall of Fame titles from TRT's inception in 3/06 through 6/07.  You can find more information on the book or order a copy by clicking on the title, or you can read the TRT review.  Either way, you're bound to find a ton of great new books to add to your at-home, keeper shelf collection!

21 PROMS edited by David Levithan & Daniel Ehrenhaft
http://www.teensreadtoo.com/21Proms.html

33 SNOWFISH by Adam Rapp

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/33Snowfish.html

AIRS BENEATH THE MOON by Toby Bishop

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/AirsBeneathTheMoon.html

AM I BLUE? edited by Marion Dane Bauer

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/AmIBlue.html

AN ABUNDANCE OF KATHERINES by John Green

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/AnAbundanceOfKatherines.html

ARTEMIS FOWL by Eoin Colfer

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/ArtemisFowl.html

BECOMING NAOMI LEON by Pam Munoz Ryan

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/BecomingNaomiLeon.html

BEHIND THE EYES by Francisco X. Stork

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/BehindTheEyes.html

BEIGE by Cecil Castellucci

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/Beige.html

BETWEEN MOM AND JO by Julie Anne Peters

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/BetweenMomAndJo.html

THE BOOK OF LUKE by Jenny O’Connell

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/BookOfLuke.html

BOOT CAMP by Todd Strasser

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/BootCamp.html

BORN AGAIN by Kelly Kerney

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/BornAgain.html

THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS by John Boyne

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/BoyInTheStripedPajamas.html

A BRIEF CHAPTER IN MY IMPOSSIBLE LIFE by Dana Reinhardt

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/BriefChapterImpossibleLife.html

BUNNICULA IN-A-BOX by Deborah & James Howe

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/Bunnicula.html

THE CALL TO SHAKABAZ by Amy Wachspress

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/CallToShakabaz.html

CHOICES by Deborah Lynn Jacobs

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/Choices.html

CITY OF BONES by Cassandra Clare

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/CityOfBones.html

CRACKER! by Cynthia Kadohata

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/Cracker.html

THE CURSE OF THE ROMANOVS by Staton Rabin

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/CurseOfTheRomanovs.html

DARK CINDY by M. Apostolina

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/DarkCindy.html

THE DEAD GIRLS’ DANCE by Rachel Caine

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/DeadGirlsDance.html

DEAR ZOE by Philip Beard

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/DearZoe.html

DEGRASSI GENERATIONS: THE OFFICIAL 411 by Kathryn Ellis

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/DegrassiGenerations.html

DOES MY HEAD LOOK BIG IN THIS? by Randa Abdel-Fattah

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/HeadLookBig.html

DRUMS, GIRLS, & DANGEROUS PIE by Jordan Sonnenblick

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/DrumsGirlsAndDangerousPie.html

ELSEWHERE by Gabrielle Zevin

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/Elsewhere.html

EVERYONE WORTH KNOWING by Lauren Weisberger

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/EveryoneWorthKnowing.html

FABLEHAVEN by Brandon Mull

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/Fablehaven.html

FIRESTORM by David Klass

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/Firestorm.html

FOREVER IN BLUE by Ann Brashares

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/ForeverInBlue.html

FRAGMENTS by Jeffry W. Johnston

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/Fragments.html

THE FREEDOM WRITERS DIARY by The Freedom Writers & Erin Gruwell

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/FreedomWritersDiary.html

A FRIENDSHIP FOR TODAY by Patricia C. McKissack

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/FriendshipForToday.html

GENESIS ALPHA by Rune Michaels

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/GenesisAlpha.html

GIDEON THE CUTPURSE by Linda Buckley-Archer

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/GideonTheCutpurse.html

THE GIRLS by Lori Lansens

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/TheGirls.html

GOOD OMENS by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/GoodOmens.html

HAZING MERI SUGARMAN by M. Apostolina

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/HazingMeriSugarman.html

THE HIGHEST TIDE by Jim Lynch

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/HighestTide.html

HIP-HOP HIGH SCHOOL by Alan Lawrence Sitomer

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/HipHopHighSchool.html

HOMEBOYZ by Alan Lawrence Sitomer

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/Homeboyz.html

HOPE WAS HERE by Joan Bauer

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/HopeWasHere.html

HOW IT’S DONE by Christine Kole MacLean

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/HowItsDone.html

 IMPULSE by Ellen Hopkins

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/Impulse.html

IN THE BREAK by Jack Lopez

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/InTheBreak.html

IN THEIR SHOES by Deborah Reber

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/InTheirShoes.html

INVISIBLE by Pete Hautman

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/Invisible.html

IRONSIDE by Holly Black

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/Ironside.html

JAMES by L. Diane Wolfe

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/James.html

JEREMY FINK AND THE MEANING OF LIFE by Wendy Mass

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/JeremyFink.html

JUST IN CASE by Meg Rosoff

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/JustInCase.html

JUST LISTEN by Sarah Dessen

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/JustListen.html

JUSTIN THYME by Panama Oxridge

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/JustinThyme.html

LAST SHOT by John Feinstein

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/LastShot.html

LEAVING FISHERS by Margaret Peterson Haddix

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/LeavingFishers.html

LIFE AS WE KNEW IT by Susan Beth Pfeffer

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/LifeAsWeKnewIt.html

LIKE WE CARE by Tom Matthews

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/LikeWeCare.html

LOOKING FOR ALASKA by John Green

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/LookingForAlaska.html

 THE LOOKING GLASS WARS by Frank Beddor

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/LookingGlassWars.html

LOVE, MEG by C. Leigh Purtill

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/LoveMeg.html

MAGIC CITY by Drew Lerman

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/MagicCity.html

MAGYK by Angie Sage

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/Magyk.html

MARGAUX WITH AN X by Ron Koertge

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/MargauxWithAnX.html

MARKED by PC & Kristin Cast

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/Marked.html

THE MELTING OF MAGGIE BEAN by Tricia Rayburn

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/MaggieBean.html

A MILLION LITTLE PIECES by James Frey

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/MillionLittlePieces.html

NAUGHTS & CROSSES by Malorie Blackman

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/NaughtsAndCrosses.html

THE NOTEBOOK by Nicholas Sparks

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/TheNotebook.html

NOTES FROM THE TEENAGE UNDERGROUND by Simmone Howell

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/NotesFromTheTeenageUnderground.html

OPHELIA by Lisa Klein

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/Ophelia.html

THE OPPOSITE OF MUSIC by Janet Ruth Young

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/OppositeOfMusic.html

OVER A THOUSAND HILLS I WALK WITH YOU by Hanna Jansen

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/OverAThousandHills.html

THE POSSIBILITY OF FIREFLIES by Dominique Paul

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/PossibilityOfFireflies.html

PUCKER by Melanie Gideon

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/Pucker.html

QUAD by C. G. Watson

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/Quad.html

THE REAL QUESTION by Adrian Fogelin

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/RealQuestion.html

THE RULES OF SURVIVAL by Nancy Werlin

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/RulesOfSurvival.html

SAINT IGGY by K.L. Going

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/SaintIggy.html

SAVING GRACE by Katherine Spencer

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/SavingGraceSpencer.html

SOMEONE LIKE SUMMER by M. E. Kerr

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/SomeoneLikeSummer.html

STARGIRL by Jerry Spinelli

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/Stargirl.html

THE STRAIGHT ROAD TO KYLIE by Nico Medina

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/StraightRoadToKylie.html

STUCK IN NEUTRAL by Terry Trueman

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/StuckInNeutral.html

SUCH A PRETTY GIRL by Laura Wiess

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/SuchAPrettyGirl.html

SUMMER OF LOVE by Emily Franklin

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/SummerOfLove.html

A SWIFT PURE CRY by Siobhan Dowd

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/SwiftPureCry.html

TEEN IDOL by Meg Cabot

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/TeenIdol.html

THAT GIRL LUCY MOON by Amy Timberlake

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/ThatGirlLucyMoon.html

THIS LULLABY by Sarah Dessen

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/ThisLullaby.html

THE TRAITOR KING by Todd Mitchell

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/TraitorKing.html

TRIGGER by Susan Vaught

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/Trigger.html

THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER by Sarah Dessen

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/TruthAboutForever.html

TWILIGHT by Stephenie Meyer

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/Twilight.html

TWISTED by Laurie Halse Anderson

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/Twisted.html

THE UNWRITTEN GIRL by James Bow

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/UnwrittenGirl.html

THE WEDDING by Nicholas Sparks

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/TheWedding.html

WHY I LET MY HAIR GROW OUT by MaryRose Wood

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/HairGrowOut.html

THE ZAMBINOS OF BLUE HILL: THE PROVING by Will Azeperak

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/TheProving.html

mood: hot

I have to say that SAVING ZOE is much more than that!  Here's the review from TeensReadToo.com:

Fifteen-year-old Echo has had to deal with more tragedy than anyone, regardless of age, should have to bear.  Her parents' relationship is made up of alternating periods of arguments and silence.  Her two best friends, Abby and Jenay, seem to be drifting apart -- from her, and from each other.  She has a boyfriend named Parker, a great guy that she can't seem to work up any emotion towards.  And her older sister, Zoe, is still dead and gone.

Echo and Zoe could not have been more different.  Echo is diligent in her studies, quite happy to take the quiet path of least resistance.  Zoe, on the other hand, had the sunny, naive disposition that led her to live life however the mood struck her.  In fact, it was that same sweet and fun personality that may have led to her death.

Zoe's boyfriend, Marc, is still struggling to deal with the death of the girl he loved.  However, he has something that has helped him a great deal; something that he decides to give to Echo, to help her know the sister who no longer is.  Zoe left her diary with Marc the last time they were together, and he's held onto it ever since.  Now it's Echo's, and, at first, she
resists reading it.  After all, she already knew everything there was to know about Zoe, right?  Turns out, not so much.

As Echo becomes immersed in the last few months of Zoe's life, she learns that she really didn't know her sister at all.  The struggles, the insecurities, the traumas that her sister faced and never spoke about -- these aren't things that Echo would have ever associated with her bright, popular sister.  As she delves deeper, into both the diary and the need to be like Zoe, Echo learns that although her sister will never return, she will always live in Echo's memory -- and in the justice that Echo is determined to get in her sister's name.

Although Alyson Noel is best known for her lighter, contemporary stories, she has taken a serious, heartbreaking plot line and turned it into a winner that you'll never forget.  I found myself as immersed into Zoe's life as Echo did, and found it hard to put the book down the entire time I was reading.  Ms. Noel has done an awesome job with this weightier subject
matter, and I hope to read more stories in this vein from her in the future.

This was definitely a 5-Star, Gold Star Award for Excellence read.  If you haven't pre-ordered your copy yet, you really need to -- now!

A few fun facts about Ms. Noel:

Her favorite comfort food:  Golden Spoon frozen yogurt, half vanilla, half pistachio, with yogurt chips on top! I love it so much I even mentioned it on page 53 in Laguna Cove!

The first three things she does when she gets up in the morning:  Coffee, coffee, and more coffee! (A girl after my own heart!)

Her favorite cartoon character, and the one most like her:  Homer Simpson totally cracks me up. But I’m more like Lisa Simpson, well meaning but also a little geeky!

You can read Alyson's full interview with TRT right here!