13 R3asons Why by Jay Asher

13 R3asons Why by Jay Asher explores one girls suicide as well as the events leading up to it, and the reverberations it had on individuals that had touched her life. Hannah Baker, the girl who fell victim to suicide left in her wake thirteen tapes that were intended to be sent to thirteen people. These thirteen people are strategically picked as the people who played the biggest role in her decision to take her own life. The book is narrated by Clay Jensen, who was completely in love with Hannah before and probably will remain so long after her death. The reader becomes enticed as they are lured into Clay's mind as he listens to the life altering tapes. The reader experiences his pain,his overwhelming adoration for Hannah Baker, and his guilt, as he hears how he played a role in Hannahs' decision. This book was absolutely fantastic, with just the right amount of suspense and anxiety it is highly addicting. I was unable to put it down once I started, and I wound up finishing the whole book in a single day. Each chapter is more gripping than the last, each corresponding to one of the tapes, and one of the people, which just makes it all the more intense. It deals with real life problems, and you can watch how Hannah's at first seemingly normal world, falls apart at the seams with a series of events that fit together perfectly in the end like a jigsaw puzzle. All in all this book was absolutely incredible. I loved it and am already highly anticipating the prospective movie that is currently in the works.

~Nina, Teen Book Reviewer

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

The Summer I Turned Pretty has just about everything-- death, love, hope, beauty and pain. I would recommend it to anyone who loves the hot summer air and salty sea water. At the beginning of the school year, Belly (nickname of Isabelle) begins her countdown till next summer. Its all about the boys to her, Conrad and Jeremiah to be exact. As the summers grow on, so does Belly. First a nerdy girl hiding behind her glasses, Belly makes some minor yet huge changes to her appearance and the next summer she endures, everything changes. When faced with death and hardships, how can one teenage girl last through this especially different summer? Well, you have to read it to find out!

When I first picked up the book, the first thing that struck me was the title. If you like summer like I do, this book will also grab your attention. The book is relaxing, yet has a type of sadness that drips off of each page. The combination of both will keep you eyes, and heart, glued from cover to cover. It make you wonder what you would do if you were faced with three complicated obstacles-- boys, a forgotten cancer, and your teenage years. Every summer Belly has spend up there has been in preperation for this one-- this extraordinary, eminent summer.

~Darci, Teen Book Reviewer