Pirate Cinema by Cory Doctorow

First line: "I will never forget the day my family got cut off from the Internet."

Plot: Teenager Trent is obsessed with making films - he cuts footage from published movies and edits them seamlessly together to create his own story. But when Trent is caught illegally downloading, his whole family loses its Internet access and with it their livelihood. Unable to face his family, Trent flees to London. On the streets, he discovers a new family, a new life, and a new cause to fight for.

Comments: Pirate Cinema was an intriguing story of citizens' rights, the bonds of family and friends, and politics from the perspective of a brand-new activist - all told from the point of view of a teenage boy.

Admittedly, I didn't read the parts where the politics became too complicated. There was a lot of detail in this book, but it was often too technical and dry for me to find any interest in it. Not just politics, but also a lot with the technology references. I think partly this technology was a different level than what we have now, so I had trouble getting used to the small changes, but there was also a lot of in-depth descriptions that more computer-knowledgeable people would understand. As a normal person merely competent with a computer, I didn't understand much.

Similarly, the characters in this book would often speak for paragraphs at a time in a way that seemed unrealistic to me. They all had so much to say! But I skimmed over these long chunks of dialogue because I found them to be boring, extensive speeches.

The characters felt much older than they were supposed to be. I couldn't believe Trent was only sixteen or seventeen. The rest of the characters were the same age, and they all seemed like twenty-somethings. This was another part of the book that felt unreal.

In fact, after about halfway through the book, it felt like everything was oriented towards the goal of warning readers of a possible future with an overbearing government. The plot and the characters felt forced to fit the message of protecting your rights as a citizen and standing together as a democracy. It's perhaps a good message, but the impact of the story was lessened dramatically. I finished the book but didn't really enjoy it anymore.

I liked Trent for the most part, and I liked some of the other characters, so it was fun to read about their bonds growing closer as they defeated challenges together. I just wish the story had focused more on them.

Rating: I rate Pirate Cinema a seven out of ten.

Zoe Letting Go by Nora Price

First Line: "My name is Zoe Propp." Not the most exciting lead I've ever read.

Plot: When junior Zoe Propp is dropped off by her mom at an institution for anorexic girls, she doesn't understand. The other girls are delicate twigs, while Zoe considers herself much more normal in body weight and sanity. Zoe spends her time writing letters to her best friend Elise, who doesn't ever write back. What's going on?

Comments: Zoe Letting Go was written in the form of diary entries and letters from Zoe to Elise - this style worked really well for the story, especially because the reader only knew what Zoe told them. I liked Zoe's voice throughout the book.

The stories of all the anorexic girls helped introduce the reader to the complications of the phrase "eating disorder": it showed just how dangerous these obsessions can be through the perspectives of otherwise normal girls. Meaning, an eating disorder isn't something that only happens to a crazy person - it's real and happens to real people. The girls in this book started out just trying to fit in and look skinny, like many girls, but for these teens it became something more. The hardest part to understand is the way in which these girls viewed their new eating habits as normal, or not a big deal. That's why I think this is such an important story to read - teenagers need to know that this happens to normal people, and they need to see both the consequences of eating disorders and the results of trying to recover from one.

As for Zoe specifically, I didn't actually like her very much. She whined a little more than I liked, and though she didn't want to participate, she spilled opinions and secrets constantly (and, I thought, unrealistically) during her sessions with the counselor. I'm not entirely sure why, but I just didn't like Zoe, which made it difficult for me to care about her problems.

The details about how the institution worked were pretty interesting, though, and seemed to be very well researched. I'd never known much before about the recovery of anorexics, so I found the detail helped make the story feel real. I also enjoyed the recipes sporadically placed throughout the book.

The ending was predictable, honestly. I'd guessed what was up with Elise before I was even halfway through the book. It lessened the whole impact of the big reveal at the end and left the story anticlimactic. The story also didn't go into a lot of detail and left plenty of questions unanswered. Zoe never actually seemed to get better, either - none of the girls did, though they all left the institution after the chosen block of time. Their eating disorders or other issues weren't resolved.

Rating: I rate Zoe Letting Go a seven out of ten.

Love and Leftovers by Sarah Tregay

Plot: "Marcie has been dragged away from home for the summer - from Idaho to a family summerhouse in New Hampshire. She's left behind her friends, a group of freaks and geeks called the Leftovers, including her emo-rocker boyfriend, and her father. By the time Labor Day rolls around, Marcie suspects this "summer vacation" has become permanent. She has to start at a new school, and there she leaves behind her Leftover status when a cute boy brings her breakfast and a new romance heats up. But understanding love, especially when you've watched your parents' affections end, is elusive. What does it feel like, really? Can you even know it until you've lost it? Love & Leftovers is a beautifully written story of one girl's journey navigating family, friends, and love, and a compelling and sexy read that teens will gobble up whole." - Inside book jacket.

Comments: I was skeptical about the way in which this book is written - as a series of poems by Marcie - but I did end up enjoying this different way of telling a story. I liked hearing the story from Marcie's point of view and through the creative medium of free verse poetry.

I didn't actually enjoy Marcie very much, though. All she really wanted was to fall in love (she actually says: "My wish is to fall cranium over Converse in dizzy daydream-worthy love."). This might be accurate for some teenage girls, but I didn't think she had much depth to her character. Romance was all she cared about, and that was annoying. There are other priorities in life, too, you know! I don't know if the author, Tregay, did this on purpose to create one specific character or if she just figured this is how teenage girls in general think and act.

Because Marcie was so desperate to be loved (and, for some reason, get somewhere physically), she cheated on her boyfriend. I didn't like that. I couldn't relate to her actions or her justification for what she did. 

The ending felt unrealistic, too. Everything turned out just fine in the end and it didn't feel right. Overall, the story was interesting - actually, I read the whole thing in one uninterrupted go of a few hours - but lacked empathetic characters and a sense of reality. Any characters who weren't the main focus weren't described well and felt like cardboard cutouts just filling in space for the needed role.

Rating: I rate Love and Leftovers a six out of ten.

BZRK by Michael Grant

First Line: "A girl sat just three chairs down from Noah talking to her hand."

Plot: In this gripping tale of nanotechnology, two sides are warring for control over the minds of the most powerful people in the world. Spunky teen billionaire heiress Sadie and solid, righteous average-teenager Noah are dragged into the chaos, recruited by the "good guys", a team of young adults who call themselves BZRK. They fight to prevent the "bad guys" from taking over the world, but in the process have to use tactics with questionable morality while trying to convince themselves there's a difference between what they do and what the "bad guys" do.

Comments: Firstly, BZRK was surprisingly graphic - not a good book for the squeamish reader. It vividly and bluntly describes grisly deaths as well as an unromantic view of the human body as seen from the microscopic level. The descriptions are intriguing and clear, but can also be viewed as gross.

Initially, the nanotechnology aspect of the story (which is a hugely important theme, as the plot only furthers through the use of nanotechnology) is not explained well. Actually, it isn't explained well anywhere in the story, but it's especially confusing in the beginning. The idea of nanotechnology is thrown at the reader without context, background, or really any help whatsoever. You really just have to skip over the mystifying parts because you won't find the answers to your questions. However, the idea of nanotechnology is used very well in this story - it was a new perspective and seemed vaguely realistic. It was interesting, if also a little terrifying.

The main characters, Sadie and Noah, don't seem very well fleshed out. They feel molded to fit the plot and too little like real people. Their immediate serious romance is ridiculous, in my eyes. True, they've been drowning in a totally strange, stressful situation and can find comfort in each other's shared experiences, but it just doesn't make sense to me how they so quickly trust each other completely and seemingly fall head over heels in love after a few days.

The other characters were pretty good, if all a little predictable. I liked the variety of people - like impassive, precise Vincent and competitive, obnoxious Bug Man - and their code names made me pay more attention to them. I wanted to know their real names, so their personalities stood out more vividly to me and made them seem more human.

The ending felt too easy and simplified. BZRK is the first in a series, so it was left sort of open for a sequel, but I think what used to seem like insurmountable odds were suddenly, unrealistically flipped in the "good guys'" favor just to tie up loose ends. For Sadie and Noah, at least. Their potentially deadly adventure ended way too easily, I thought.

I liked that the "good guys" worried about whether or not they actually were good guys, since they had to use tactics similar to those used by the "bad guys". They said it was for the sake of humanity, but they all still realized that they weren't totally innocent. I thought that was very realistic. Though the "good" vs. "bad" was very clearly separated, it wasn't completely black and white - this is good because real life is a mix of gray.

Rating: I rate BZRK a seven out of ten. The story was intriguing but the characters didn't work very well for me. I probably won't continue reading the series.

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Plot: Before Wendy came to Never Never Land and captivated the forever-young Peter Pan, he was in love with the stoic and beautiful Tiger Lily. She grew up as a wallflower in her village, not fitting in to traditional societal expectations. When Tiger Lily meets Peter Pan, he intrigues her, which keeps her coming back to visit. Peter Pan disrupts her world and Tiger Lily struggles with the unfamiliar feelings now surging through her.

Comments: I loved the new take on the Peter Pan and Tiger Lily story. It was very creative and had a different perspective on the classic tale. Tiger Lily was inspiring in how she refused to change herself for society - but she was also hard to relate to and understand because she was so impassive all the time. I never quite understood her feelings.

Peter Pan wasn't a very likable character either because he was honestly kind of a jerk. I didn't understand what Tiger Lily saw in him. I mean, seriously - she had a wonderful boy back at the village who loved her for who she was, and she treated him badly. It didn't make any sense. That part annoyed me.

The ending wasn't satisfying either. It didn't make sense with everything that had been happening. The whole story just didn't seem to really fit in with anything.

Rating: I rate this book a seven out of ten.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

First Line: "One summer night I fell asleep, hoping the world would be different when I woke."

Plot: Aristotle is an angry Hispanic teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all boy who looks at the world in an unusual way. Neither has any friends, so the two boys gravitate towards each other and create a friendship over a single summer that lasts a lifetime. Through their bond, they learn truths about themselves and the rest of the world.

Comments: I skimmed through the entirety of this book. I really did enjoy the story and wanted to know what would happen next, but often there would be long tangents or abstract internal monologues that wouldn't be interesting at all. The dialogue often didn't seem natural - it felt forced and strange.

I also didn't connect very well with the main characters. Aristotle was a very quiet, unreadable person even though the story was from his perspective. Now, that was part of who he was, but that made it difficult to relate to him because I never knew what he felt. He was a blank wall. On the other hand, Dante was sporadic and unpredictable, and so I also didn't relate to him very well because I never knew what he was feeling either.

The whole story unfolded quietly, without much drama, which was both relaxing and slightly boring at the same time. I enjoyed the ending and the resolution, but all the steps to get there didn't always seem to make much sense.

Rating: I rate this book a six out of ten.

EREBOS by Ursula Poznanski

Plot: "The lines between reality and fantasy blur in this stunning thriller ... a prescient page-turner and a provocative, believable portrayal of the seductive world of virtual gaming. ... the scary climax, a romantic subplot and plenty of thoroughly credible gaming add proper spark to a pageturner with amps aplenty. From its opening notes of eerie virtual landscapes, to its mesmerizing conclusions, EREBOS is a nuanced thriller that weaves effortlessly between reality and virtual space, bringing its protagonists closer to the brink of destruction-or salvation-with every turn of the page." - summary from Amazon

Comments: I didn't even read one chapter into this book. From the very first few pages, I discovered an immediate disinterest in EREBOS. I didn't like the main character and the story already seemed very forced and unrealistic. The dialogue didn't sound normal and the other characters felt forced into specific roles in order to further the pre-planned plot. I felt no interest in the story and struggled to accept what the author wrote as normal.

Rating: I really shouldn't rate this book since I didn't read it, but based on my disinterest, I'll rate EREBOS a five out of ten since it wasn't interesting at all.

Try Not to Breathe by Jennifer R. Hubbard

Plot: Teenager Ryan once tried to take his life. A year later, his only friends are from the mental institution where he recovered. Everyone at school avoids him and his mother hovers constantly. Ryan's only escape is to stand underneath the waterfall by his house - the exhilerating pounding of the water reminds him that he's alive. Then Ryan meets Nicki, who starts asking him questions he doesn't want to answer, bringing up haunting memories of the past.

Comments: I have to admit that I really didn't like Nicki. She's boisterous, bossy, and rash. On the other hand, Ryan is quiet, stoic, and blank. They contrast like a watercolor painting to a black and white photograph. Nicki pushes Ryan to talk about his suicide attempt and his depression - though really, this is probably good for Ryan. But I sided with Ryan when it seemed she was using him for her own purposes.

I thought Ryan was a sort of plain character. The whole point of him was that he kept his emotions shut away, but in showing this, Hubbard made it difficult for the readers to understand or sympathize with him. And perhaps that is the point. I still liked him. He was solid and confused in a way that makes sense. He felt real.

I was bugged by the romance between Ryan and Nicki. I don't understand why they couldn't have just been friends. A book about teenagers growing to know each other doesn't have to end with them together, and it felt kind of forced with these two. And why is the cover a picture of teenagers kissing? That's not the focus of the story.

This story is more about accepting the past and learning to live. Appreciating life and what it offers. Letting go and moving on. Friendship. That's why I liked this book.

Rating: I rate Try Not to Breathe a seven out of ten.

The Wicked and the Just by J. Anderson Coats

Plot: When Cecily's father moves them to occupied Wales because the king wants hardy Englishmen to keep down the barbarous Welshmen, she thinks her life is ruined. The only good thing is she'll be able to be the lady of the house. Gwenhwyfar used to dream about being lady of that house, but then the English came and destroyed everything she once held dear. Now she waits hand and foot on the bratty Cecily, struggling to survive, while Cecily struggles to fit in with the snobby English society.

Comments: The Wicked and the Just was a really good book. I read it all in one go because I constantly wanted to know what would happen next. All the historic aspects of the novel were woven into the plot in a way that made it interesting - though I can only assume the history is accurate. Reading about the oppressed Welsh and the dictatorial English had me on the edge of my seat, wondering just how far the English would go to prove their superiority and just how long the Welsh would take it.

Cecily proved a most intriguing character. She had grown up being taught to look down upon servants, and the entire English community in Wales encourages her to treat the Welsh as slaves. So she did. Cecily was imperious, spoiled, outspoken, and prideful, taking enjoyment in punishing and taunting the Welsh around her. However, she was only following along with what she'd been taught. She thought it was how things were supposed to be. I would have hated Cecily but for the moments when she did or thought something different from what society told her. She rebelled in her thoughts and sometimes in her surprising actions of generosity and equality. It made me hope she could grow to become a better person, and that's what made me tolerate everything else about her.

Gwenhwyfar was a spitfire, which I loved, but mostly in her thoughts. Her perspective is written differently from Cecily's. More broken and simple but just as strong. However, I felt that her character was not nearly as developed as Cecily's. Though Gwenhwyfar's story is told and she's an important part of the plot, she's mostly there to help show Cecily the Welsh's point of view. Her background is never fully explained, only hinted at, leaving me to suspect a sequel.

I loved watching Cecily and Gwenhwyfar's relationship shift and change, and watching Cecily herself grow immensely in perspective and worldliness. I could sympathize with Cecily even though she was often a spoiled brat - I was rooting for the part of her that was a righteous, good person. The story was one of oppression and unfairness, but also of progress and justice.

Rating: I rate The Wicked and the Just an eight out of ten.

The Obsidian Blade by Pete Hautman

Plot: Tucker's family began unraveling ever since he first saw the disk. His father, the Reverend Adrian Feye, lost his faith, and his mother lost her mind. When both Tucker's parents disappear one day, Tucker knows it has something to do with the disks. He discovers the secret of the disks and embarks on a whirlwind journey to save his parents.

Comments: I think The Obsidian Blade is meant for younger audiences, maybe pre-teens. If not, then it's a much too easy read. The language is very simple and the writing is not very exciting. Nothing felt believable, especially the characters' reactions to the situations. The main character, Tucker, was not easily likable because he didn't feel like a real person. It was the same for everyone else. The writing constantly told instead of showed, having to explain in small words what was happening. It was frankly not very interesting.

The concept of the story was intriguing. A great idea for a fantasy novel, with so many possibilities. But the story was confusing. Tucker never knew what was going on and neither did I - which is okay in some situations, with suspense, but nothing was ever resolved in this book. The whole thing was setting the stage for a sequel (or several), rather than standing alone as its own exciting story with a follow-up. And because of the simplistic style of writing, there was no suspense or shock - or really any other dramatic emotions - and so I'm not at all interested in reading more of this story. Perhaps a younger reader would enjoy this book more than I did. Or any other reader, I don't know.

Rating: I rate The Obsidian Blade a six out of ten. It was a good idea for a story but not written to be very gripping.

Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick

Plot: Based on interviews with Arn Chorn-Pond. Growing up in Cambodia, Arn remembers the day the soldiers marched everyone out into the countryside. For the next several years, he struggled to survive in the forced labor camp under the harsh government of the soldiers. This is his story of horrors, loss, survival, and courage.

Comments: Never Fall Down, while written in a somewhat subdued tone, is a harrowing, true tale of the Killing Fields and Chorn-Pond's experiences as a child soldier. The things that he saw and went through will stay with you for a long time.

Initially I didn't like the way in which McCormick chose to write the story. It's written from Chorn-Pond's point of view, as if someone with bad English is speaking. I thought this was unnecessary and an unfair way of representing this boy's memories and experiences. However, McCormick says this: "Trying to capture that voice was like trying to bottle a lightning bug. Every time I imposed the rules of grammar or syntax on it, the light went out. And so, in telling Arn's story I chose to use his own distinct and beautiful voice."

Chorn-Pond's courage and determination to survive throughout this story is astounding. There are so many situations that he was lucky to survive. It's hard to read but I think a good way to learn more about this awful truth in history.

Rating: I rate Never Fall Down a seven out of ten. An amazing story, written a little detached from the emotions.

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

Plot: Jasper "Jazz" Dent grew up under the tutelage of his father Billy Dent, an infamous serial killer. Billy taught Jazz how to maintain a normal facade as well as tricks of the killing trade for avoiding capture. When Jazz was thirteen, Billy was finally caught and imprisoned after murdering more than one hundred people, and for four years Jazz struggled to live a normal teenage life. But Billy's voice always echoed in Jazz's head. When a body is discovered in Jazz's hometown, the 17-year-old is convinced it's a new serial killer. Jazz sets out to hunt down the killer, hoping to prove to everyone - and to himself - that he is not like his father.

Comments: First of all, I Hunt Killers was creepy. I must admit that I'm easily frightened, but the graphic descriptions of the victims in this book are freaky. This story delves deep into the minds of serial killers, which I think is enough to make anyone paranoid and a little disturbed. In addition, the constant struggle in Jazz's head between normal teenager and raised-to-be-a-serial-killer is also incredibly perturbing.

Despite that, it was a well-written, suspenseful novel. As before mentioned, the descriptions were startlingly vivid. Jazz's suspicion of pretty much everyone is contagious, so you don't trust anyone. It was definitely a good murder mystery.

I really didn't like Jazz. I think you're supposed to, but I didn't like him. Though he tried to tell himself that he wasn't like his father, he always had urges to kill people, which was creepy. Maybe that's not his fault, but it still was unsettling. Furthermore, Jazz never stopped manipulating the people around him. That's all he ever did - twist their feelings with his smooth talking. Worse, he didn't seem to think that that was wrong or a big deal. I really disliked that part of him, that he would think so little of the people around him that he wouldn't think twice about making them do what he wanted. He took pride in his ability to bend them to his will. It disgusted me.

I think some loose ends tied up too neatly in this story. Everything ended easily. A few openings suggest a sequel, but for the most part the ending was generic and rather predictable. Unrealistic in its simplicity and smoothness. And Jazz continues to display his overconfidence and pride up to the final page.

Rating: I rate this a six out of ten. Jazz wasn't a very enjoyable character and the plot itself was just creepy.

Scarlet by A. C. Gaughen

Plot: A retelling of Robin Hood, Scarlet tells the tale of a fiery young woman stealing from the rich and protecting the poor - but most people know her as Will Scarlet, a boy in the exiled Robin Hood's notorious gang, harboring a mysterious past. When a thief-catcher comes to town, Scarlet's already dangerous life takes a turn for the worse. As she struggles to stay free from the law, Scarlet also fights between her feelings for her leader, Rob, and her teammate, John.

Comments: Scarlet was an intriguing story with a strong female lead. I enjoyed the retelling of Robin Hood with its theme of protecting the impoverished, overtaxed villagers from the cruel, violent local government. The plight of the peasants takes a back seat, however - the story focuses on Robin Hood's band and the complicated relationships between the outlaws. Specifically, the main conflict appears to be the love triangle between three of the members, including the female lead, Scarlet.

For what seemed to be a romance story, the actual elements of romance were slightly unclear. Yes, Scarlet's growing emotions - as well as her denial of those feelings - were evidenced in her confused thoughts and the fluttering of her heart. Gaughen did a good job of showing those feelings expand and morph without actually having to explain or name them. However, I never quite understood Scarlet's motivations or the reasons for those feelings. While I could feel her emotions, it was never clear as to why she was attracted to the two men. Perhaps there isn't ever an explainable reason when it comes to love, but I still felt like I was missing something as her feelings mysteriously grew stronger.

Everyone in the story, including the reader, is left in the dark about her past and the apparently scarring experiences she's had. This is intended, of course, but hints were dropped rather suddenly and out of context. Throughout the book Rob was able to draw out the truth from Scarlet in an effortless manner that I felt unrealistic, given her stubborn, private nature. And when the big reveal of her past was finally spilled completely, it felt forced and not nearly as important and touching as it was probably meant to be.

Despite this, I did love Scarlet's character. She rivaled the other teammates in skill, making up for her lack of physical strength through speed, cunning, and a knack for near-invisibility. And she never let anyone get to her, always talking back and ready for a fight. Scarlet was pretty flighty, though, and while she never ran away when someone needed her, she always escaped when someone was trying to talk to her. This made her a rather feral creature, one who didn't want to be human anymore.

Spoiler alert. Skip to the rating if you haven't read the book yet. I thought the ending was strange and forced. Why would Scarlet agree to marry the psychotic guy who planned to kill her? Originally I figured it was a distraction - but she actually went through with it. For what reason? Just to create extra conflict in the love triangle, I assume. And as for the love triangle: Scarlet's sudden complete love for Rob surprised me. One moment she told John she loved him (she actually did!) and the next she never wants to leave Rob's side. I don't understand this. It felt very unrealistic and inexplicable, like Gaughen wanted Rob and Scarlet to end up together in the end even though it didn't really fit the plot anymore.

Rating: I rate Scarlet an eight out of ten. It was an exciting read and fast-paced, but the characters' actions were sometimes confusing and unrealistic.

Various Positions by Martha Schabas

Plot: Georgia, a 14-year-old girl living in Toronto, Canada uses ballet to escape her dysfunctional family life. But when her classmates at her prestigious ballet academy show their growing interests in boys and sex, Georgia struggles to come to terms with her own sexuality and a growing attraction for her much older ballet teacher.

Comments: This book was disturbing. I can't believe this is a young adults novel and recommended for young teenagers. The more I read, the more I was grossed out. Though initially Georgia is determined to focus on her love of ballet, she gradually becomes obsessed with the idea of a relationship with her decades-older teacher. She perceives every little thing he does to be a come-on, a sign that he wants her. A strange part of this is that in the beginning she was worried that her teacher was a creep who was interested in his students - but as time passes, she suddenly switches to actively pursuing him herself. It doesn't make any sense.

In fact, all throughout the book, I never could understand Georgia's motivations for anything she did. She was a very two-dimensional character. The author Schabas had to say everything Georgia was feeling (as in, "I was angry") because Georgia wasn't enough of a developed character for readers to understand her without constant explanations. Though the story was told from Georgia's point of view, she felt like a blank wall, a robot who just wandered through the plot and did what was needed in order to make the plot reach the intended ending. Because I didn't understand or relate to her, I didn't like or have any sympathy for her. It was the same with the rest of the characters. Georgia's mom mopes around the whole book, her dad is distant and elite, and none of the people in the book feel real.

As the plot progresses it grows more and more creepy and Georgia's actions more and more inexplicable. I forced myself to finish, but by the end I was completely disgusted with the book. While some may say it's healthy for teens to read about this side of sex portrayed so openly and unashamedly, I disagree. The only good thing about this story is that Georgia's friends and family took action, confronted Georgia, and found her help when they discovered the extent of the situation - exactly what they should have done. But besides this, I don't see any good messages from this book. I feel like the way Georgia acts and thinks actually tells teens that it's okay to pursue illegal relationships with teachers and middle aged people. And the way the book ends, I feel like it was about to happen all over again. The message this sends and the pure sexual content and graphic descriptions in this book are not appropriate for most teenagers, and certainly not for the average under-16-year-old.

Rating: I rate Various Positions a four out of ten. I hated this book and do not recommend it for anyone - but especially not for teenagers. Not only did I dislike the main character because she didn't feel human, but the story itself was dark and disturbing. This book did not seem to condemn illegal, highly sexual relationships between young teenage girls and middle aged men - rather, it almost said that these relationships are normal and okay.