What's HOT!!! (Popular Teen Picks) - Week 14

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Peeta and Katniss are back in this sequel to The Hunger Games trying to play their familiar roles as District 12’s dream couple while the Capitol tries to manipulate them even more.  Gale finally lets Katniss know how he feels about her just as word and signs of a revolt start to surface.  In honor of the 75^th running of the Games, the Capitol has decided that their Quarter Quell Games (the 25 special anniversary edition game) are to have a special twist.  This time the tributes will be former winners.  Rather than see Katniss and Peeta as the sweet and endearing couple that the districts fell in love with, the two symbolize the very beginnings of a district wide revolt and the hope of freedom.  Katniss and Peeta are not going to go down without a fight.

This book was such an obvious choice for this week.  After becoming engrossed in The Hunger Games and how it ended, I needed to know what became of the characters.  When asked by my daughter which book I liked better, I had a hard time deciding.  While I appreciated The Hunger Games for its unique storyline and characters, I found that there were more twists and turns in Catching Fire.  It is easy to see why both Catching Fire and the third book, Mockingjay, are listed by Barnes and Noble as the Best of 2010 Top Teen Picks.  The books combine action, drama, hidden agendas, friendship, humanity, and romance.  The popularity of the series is obvious with the waiting list at the library.  Had I been able to get my hands on a library copy of Mockingjay, I would have definitely included this book as well.    

Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

John Tyree recognized Savannah Lynn Curtis was the girl for him when he first saw her while on military leave at a beach in North Carolina with her friends.  She was naïve and special to him.  He found himself professing his love before his two week leave had ended.  They both decided to wait for each other and corresponded through letters.  A second visit a year later intensified their physical relationship while revealing changes in their lives.  After 9/11 John decided to reenlist for 2 more years, Savannah understood but missed him.  One dark day, he received a Dear John letter from Savannah.  She had moved on.  Too bad he couldn’t get her out of his mind.  His own personal tragedies brought him home and he decided to seek out Savannah for some unknown reason.  John finds her caring for a husband that is going through cancer treatment.  Savannah is hurting but makes her feelings known to John.  John finds himself in a moral dilemma, caught between following his heart and doing what is right.

I asked my own teen what books she felt were popular and she handed me this book.  I found myself liking this book at times and then, for the same reasons, finding it challenging.  As an adult, I have had to deal with most of the heart-wrenching issues that befell John and Savannah; I do not want to seek this out for my reading enjoyment.  It just hits too close to home.  It certainly is an emotional book that does a nice job of portraying one’s youth as carefree along with the adult choices and challenges that one faces.

hush, hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Sometimes in life it is hard to tell good from evil.  That is what Nora faces when her new high school lab partner, Patch, walks into her life.  With all of his innuendos and bad boy looks, Nora is torn between being drawn to him and running from him while trying to figure out the mystery that surrounds him.  Another new student, Elliot, catches Nora’s eye and vies for her attention.   Nora can’t shake the chilling feeling that someone is watching her.  Her house is broken into, her best friend, Vee, is beaten up badly, a homeless woman wearing her former coat was shot to death and now she must confront this evil since he has threatened to kill Vee.  Nora is caught between a battle that has been brewing for centuries and she must decide who she trusts with her life.  

I chose this book because it was prominently featured at Barnes and Noble as well under the heading Dark Top Teen Picks.  The cover art is beautiful and somewhat painful with an angel falling downward from the light and into the darkness as if hit by some unseen force.  This dark fairy tale complete with fallen angels, guardian angels, half-breed nephilims and sacrifices is similar to Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight but much darker with a great deal more drama.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Making choices in high school is common.  Deciding to live or die as a result of a tragic accident that took the life of the rest of your family is unimaginable.  Mia is a seventeen year old talented cellist, with amazing parents, a younger brother that idolizes her, a best friend that “gets” her, a boyfriend that adores her, and a promising chance of getting accepted to the prestigious Julliard.  One snowy day on a family trip changes all of that when a truck hits her car at 60mph.  Mia somehow separates from her earthly body and is aware of everything that is being done to her.  She watches and listens to the family and friends that visit with her.  Something a nurse tells her grandparents sticks with Mia.  “She needs to decide.”  Mia realizes that she must ultimately make the decision to join her family in death or live.  Her grandfather’s reluctant permission for her to leave comforts Mia until her boyfriend, Adam, begs her to stay.  Weak and tired, Mia knows what her choice must be. 

  

I chose this book because it was listed as one of Barnes and Noble’s Top Teen Picks in the category of Tough Stuff.   This book received starred reviews from School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly and Booklist.  I thought that the depiction of one teen’s love, loss, family and friendships was so beautifully done.  I found it both heartbreaking and hopeful.  I really liked how the author gave us glimpses into Mia as a person through the memories that she shared as each loved one sat with her.  It makes you really appreciate all of the little moments in your life because you never know what fate has planned next.