Maze Runner

Title: Maze Runner
Author: James Dashner
Location: YA Dashner
Age: Young Adult

Thomas, with no memories of anything, is delivered to a controlled guarded place called the Glade. The only residents are teenage boys. Everyday these boys are trying to stay alive, with the supplies given weekly, as they attempt to solve the massive maze. Thomas soon becomes a runner for the maze and things start happening - including a mysterious girl being delivered with a message that she's triggered the "end".

Bottomline: This was an excellent story that kept me on edge! It has a slow start as Thomas tries to get his bearings, and figures out who is friend or foe. But, once the climax started, I couldn't put it down! I'm anxious to read the sequel because the book definitely leaves you hanging!

Here is the book trailer:

Skinned

Title: Skinned
Author: Robin Wasserman
Reading Level: Young Adult
Location: YA Wasserman

Lia Kahn was perfect: rich, beautiful, popular — until the accident that nearly killed her. Now she has been downloaded into a new body that only looks human. Lia will never feel pain again, she will never age, and she can't ever truly die. But she is also rejected by her friends, betrayed by her boyfriend, and alienated from her old life.
Forced to the fringes of society, Lia joins others like her. But they are looked at as freaks. They are hated...and feared. They are everything but human, and according to most people, this is the ultimate crime — for which they must pay the ultimate price.
This is a book about learning what's important on the inside, not on the outside. Lia has a reality-check when she becomes the epitome of what she and her friends despised- a "skinner" - a mechanical copy of her previous life. Her family, friends, and even her boyfriend have a hard time excepting Lia's new form and Lia herself is having a hard time moving on from being rejected from her previous life. She has to decide what she wants and how she feels - and if she even can feel.

Bottomline: I enjoyed this book. If you like the dystopian stories (Hunger Games, City of Ember, Uglies) then this the book for you. This is a start of the Gripping Trilogy and it should be exciting - I'm intrigued!

The Missing - Books 1 & 2

Title: Found (The Missing, Book 1)
Author:Margaret Peterson Haddix
Location: J Haddix
Reading Level: Ages 9 to 12

The first chapter starts in an airport, in an empty terminal. An unscheduled airplane suddenly taxi's in, and the airport workers can't seem to communicate with the pilot. Eventually they enter the airplane and there are no adults to be found - and every seat is occupied with a baby.
Jumping ahead 13 years later, we meet Jonah. He's adopted and he's cool about it. He starts receiving mysterious letters in the mail saying, "You're one of the missing". So he and his sister, Katherine, and best friend, Chip, who also found out that he was adopted, start to investigate where they came from and who is sending the notes.

*Skip to the Bottom Line if you haven't read 1st book*

Title: Sent (The Missing, Book 2)

Author: Margaret Peterson Haddix
Location: J Haddix
Reading Level: Ages 9 to 12

Thrilling sequel to Found and it was exciting. This is a series about time travel and children stolen out of time - and how those responsible are trying to return the children back to their time. Jonah and his sister go along with two brothers back to the 1400's. These brothers are the famous Princes in that went missing in the Tower of London. The author did a good job writing about this story in history and I found myself looking online for more information. This is going to be a 7 books series, so I'm trying to think of other famous missing children in history (Charles Lindbergh's son, Virginia Dare, etc.) who this author could write about. This should be fun!

Bottom Line:
What an interesting story! Margaret Peterson Haddix is good at writing thrilling stories that keep you on the edge of your seat. These books are no exception. I'm interested in the story, and care about the characters so I'll be anxious to see how it will all work out!

The Skin I'm In

Title: The Skin I'm In
Author: Sharon Flake
Location: YA Flake
Reading Level: Young Adult

The Skin I'm In is the story of Maleeka Madison, a thirteen-year-old girl feeling alone in the world. She has a very dark complexion, which makes her the target of much ridicule, even from the other African-American students with lighter skin. Everyday, they make comments about her and after a while it really starts to wear her down. When a teacher with a rare skin condition and a confident attitude joins the school, Maleeka sees her own struggles reflected and tries to learn to accept herself.

Bottom Line: Even if you don't like to read much, this book will appeal to anyone who has ever been subjected to bullying in school for any reason. Almost anybody will be able to identify with Maleeka and her struggles.