We are using the high school Virginia Reader's Choice books as our list for summer reading. (This is our 4th year using the VRC list!) We held summer reading assemblies recently and I am so excited about the interest in the titles. I REALLY like the list this year!
I am having a hard time selecting one favorite from the list this year. Here are a few thoughts on each title.
Anya's Ghost- a graphic novel, which is honestly not really my thing. I did like the simple drawing style of this novel and the story grabbed me and I was compelled to read the entire book quickly to find out how the mystery was resolved.
Choker- a very fun, quick read with a few surprises! This is one you will enjoy talking about with a friend once you have both read it. A good choice if you like a mystery.
Between Shades of Gray- Incredible historical fiction novel set in WWII. I read this novel awhile ago and have been recommending it ever since. I really enjoyed reading about the WWII time period from a very different perspective, a young Lithuanian girl in the Stalin Era Soviet Union. I highly recommend this one and male and female readers have enjoyed it.
Scorpio Races-- a great surprise. This book did not appeal to me at first but I read it because it was on this list and really, really liked it! Mythology, fantasy and a great plot- a great combination. A good choice for guys and girls.
Daughter of Smoke and Bone- one of my all time favorites. I read this last year and devoured the sequel when it was published. This is a well written fantasy novel. Maybe my favorite on the list....
The Fault in Our Stars- While I just said that Daughter of Smoke and Bone could be my favorite, well this one is also pretty darn awesome! Time Magazine ranked this the #1 Fiction novel for 2012 for all ages and it is popular in the Young Adult as well as Adult market because it is so well written, so thought provoking, and so universal. Warning... have tissues handy when you read this one!
This Dark Endeavor- A great Science Fiction title about Victor Frankenstein as a teenager. A great adventure that is a good choice for male and female readers.
Something Like Hope- I really liked this novel and I would love to have a book club discussion with students who read this book. The author made me really care for the main character and I felt a variety of emotions, including hope, as I followed her journey to her 18th birthday and freedom from incarceration in a juvenile detention faculty. I was so interested in the problems with the juvenile detention system after I read this book that I was interested in learning more about the issue. I LOVE it when a fiction novel makes me think about the problems in society and how they can be addressed. Give this one a try!
Hold Me Closer Necromancer- Funny/Horror- what a combination! This is a great choice for guys and girls alike. Each chapter starts with the title of a song and the chapter relates in someway to the title. I just checked out the sequel to this novel it was so good! A very clever novel that does not take itself too seriously- I predict this will be a popular title with my students.
Oogy: The Dog Only a Family Could Love: A wonderful true story about an abused puppy. This is a sad AND happy/hopeful story. If you love animals, you will love Oogy!
