- Runner by Carl Deuker (author of On the Devil's Court, High Heat, Night Hoops, Painting the Black, Heart of a Champion)
"One thing I'm sure of--I am going somewhere someday. I'm going for myself, and I'm going for my dad, too."
You will like this novel if you like a quick read with suspense or mystery.
Chance Taylor doesn't feel like his life is going anywhere. He lives with his alcoholic, often unemployed father on a barnacle-ridden, unsailable boat permanently moored at the docks in Seattle, Washington. In his senior year, he faces the challenge of paying all the bills himself, and without the support of his alcoholic father or his absent mother, he can't imagine making plans to attend college. He has one talent that unexpectedly helps him make some quick cash, though: He's a fast runner. A mysterious man hires Chance and pays him well to perform a task that's so simple, he can't pass it up. All he has to do is pick up and deliver a package. Of course, there are a few strings attached, and once Chance is involved, he finds it's impossible to free himself.
Overall grade: B-
Character development: C
Development of setting: B
Pace: B
Writing style: D
- 3 Willows: the Sisterhood Grows by Ann Brashares (author of the Sisterhood of Traveling Pants series)
You will like this novel if you like stories about friendship and high school.
Three close friends, Ama, Jo, and Polly, begin to realize their strong bond of friendship is falling apart after their eighth grade year. The symbol of their friendship, three willlow trees they once planted together in a hidden place, used to be important to them, but now they don't even find time to spend together. Ama has to go to an outdoor camp and face her paralyzing fear of rustic conditions and heights. Polly starves herself in an attempt to land a modeling job. And Jo humiliates herself by falling for a guy who turns out to have several girlfriends at once. As they each face the biggest crisis of their life, they begin to wonder how they are going to survive alone, separated from the only people who truly seem to care.
Overall grade: C
Character development:D
Setting: C
Pace: B
Writing style: D
Puppy Love by Nancy Krulik
You will like this novel if you like fun, fast-paced stories set in New York City.
While walking her clients' dogs in New York City one day, Alana meets Connor, a guy who is so perfect, he's almost too good to be true. The problem is, Alana already has another boyfriend. To make her life even more complicated, her close friend, Leo, is falling in love with her. Then she discovers that Connor has been hiding his true identity, and she has to make a difficult decision.
Overall grade: C
Character development: D
Setting: C
Pace: C
Writing style: D
