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PREP SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL

From the Prep School Confidential series , Vol. 1

A fast-moving murder mystery with preppy overtones and a determined heroine.

When things get a little too hot at her tony New York City prep school and Anne Dowling is expelled for an accidental mishap that turns into arson, her parents ship her off to complete junior year at the Wheatley School. Just outside of Boston, Wheatley appears to be a stereotypical boarding school for the children of elite New Englanders ranging from senators to diplomats. Although determined to keep her head down and get back to New York as soon as possible, Anne is surprised to find that Wheatley really isn’t that bad—until she becomes entangled in a grisly murder mystery that involves her new roommate, Isabella. Never one to shy away from a challenge, Anne digs into the details of the crime, determined to locate the killer. However, when Anne takes up the mantle of sleuth, she quickly learns that the role comes with major risks, as she finds herself embroiled in a plot twisted with elements of international intrigue, political scandal and, of course, romance. Although Anne’s uncanny ability to evade almost every jam stretches credulity, her no-nonsense personality and adventuring spirit carry the text and prime readers for the next Anne Dowling adventure, clearly signaled at the end. Heavy overtones of Nancy Drew combine with a sassy boarding school spin for a fizzy read. (Fiction. 14-18)

 

Pub Date: July 30, 2013

ISBN: 978-1-250-01759-8

Page Count: 304

Publisher: Dunne/St. Martin’s Griffin

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2013

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2013

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THE FAULT IN OUR STARS

Green seamlessly bridges the gap between the present and the existential, and readers will need more than one box of tissues...

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  • New York Times Bestseller

He’s in remission from the osteosarcoma that took one of his legs. She’s fighting the brown fluid in her lungs caused by tumors. Both know that their time is limited.

Sparks fly when Hazel Grace Lancaster spies Augustus “Gus” Waters checking her out across the room in a group-therapy session for teens living with cancer. He’s a gorgeous, confident, intelligent amputee who always loses video games because he tries to save everyone. She’s smart, snarky and 16; she goes to community college and jokingly calls Peter Van Houten, the author of her favorite book, An Imperial Affliction, her only friend besides her parents. He asks her over, and they swap novels. He agrees to read the Van Houten and she agrees to read his—based on his favorite bloodbath-filled video game. The two become connected at the hip, and what follows is a smartly crafted intellectual explosion of a romance. From their trip to Amsterdam to meet the reclusive Van Houten to their hilariously flirty repartee, readers will swoon on nearly every page. Green’s signature style shines: His carefully structured dialogue and razor-sharp characters brim with genuine intellect, humor and desire. He takes on Big Questions that might feel heavy-handed in the words of any other author: What do oblivion and living mean? Then he deftly parries them with humor: “My nostalgia is so extreme that I am capable of missing a swing my butt never actually touched.” Dog-earing of pages will no doubt ensue.

Green seamlessly bridges the gap between the present and the existential, and readers will need more than one box of tissues to make it through Hazel and Gus’ poignant journey. (Fiction. 15 & up)

Pub Date: Jan. 10, 2012

ISBN: 978-0-525-47881-2

Page Count: 272

Publisher: Dutton

Review Posted Online: Jan. 9, 2012

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2012

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ASK THE PASSENGERS

Quite possibly the best teen novel featuring a girl questioning her sexuality written in years.

Big-town girl stuck in a small-town world full of lies falls for another girl.

Astrid's parents moved both her and her sister away from their New York City home years ago to a small town symbolically called Unity Valley. Since then her mom has drunk the society Kool-Aid, and her dad takes mental vacations in the garage to smoke weed. Astrid doesn't feel like she fits in anywhere. Two friends keep her sane: her closeted BFF, Kristina, and Dee, a star hockey player she met while working for a local catering company. Sparks fly between Astrid and Dee, causing Astrid to feel even more distanced and confused. Meanwhile, Kristina and her boyfriend/beard Justin use Astrid as cover for their own same-sex sweethearts, adding more fuel to the fire. King has created an intense, fast-paced, complex and compelling novel about sexuality, politics and societal norms that will force readers outside their comfort zones. The whole town—even the alleged gay characters—buy into the Stepford-like ideal, and King elegantly uses Plato’s "Allegory of the Cave" to help readers understand life inside and outside of the box. Only Astrid knows what she wants. She’s in love with Dee, but she's not sure if she’s a lesbian. She’s ignoring all of the labels and focusing on what she feels.

Quite possibly the best teen novel featuring a girl questioning her sexuality written in years. (Fiction. 14 & up)

Pub Date: Oct. 23, 2012

ISBN: 978-0-316-19468-6

Page Count: 304

Publisher: Little, Brown

Review Posted Online: Aug. 14, 2012

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2012

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