OK - ready? First up: Trapped by Michael Northrop. Three friends decide to stay after school to work on a go-cart project instead of leaving during the early dismissal due to a blizzard like the rest of the students and staff. When they finally get around to checking out who is left in the building they discover there are 7 kids and one teacher left in the building. The blizzard shows no signs of slowing down and in fact just gets worse and worse. The teacher leaves to get help, but he never comes back. Their rides don't show up to save them, cell phones don't work, the heat goes off, power goes out and one by one the students start to panic. It doesn't end happily for everyone, and the final bit is a little ambiguous. I couldn't help but wonder what I would have done in the same situation. Yikes.
More trouble ahead - Empty by Suzanne Weyn is a frighteningly possible story. The earth is out of oil. Countries are fighting over the very little bit that is left. Unfortunately, most folks in the United States have not prepared for this day and are still VERY dependent on fossil fuels. People can't get to work because they can't drive to the office, food is becoming scarce because trucks can't deliver food, companies are cutting costs and laying people off, electricity, food, and other utilities are becoming very expensive. Black market gasoline is up to $90/gallon. People are scared and crime is on the rise. Folks try to go back to "simpler ways" by using bicycles and sail boats to travel and that works well. The Hudson River becomes an important way to get goods and information. Scientists and tinkerers are working on ways to convert standard car engines to using different types of fuel, but the process is slow. In this story though, there's a magic bullet. During a major storm Gwen discovers a hidden cave-house that is totally self-sustainable. This "magic house" is a safe haven for her and her friends, and is a plot device that is a little too convenient. Otherwise, this story seems to be very realistic and quite possible!
Now for a little mystery... The Christopher Killer by Alane Ferguson is more murder mystery than end-of-the-world scenario and I was happy to have a more "uplifting story!" Cammie loves science and wants to follow in her father's footsteps as a coroner. She loves the fact that it is the medical examiner who can listen to what the dead tell us through clues on their body. Cammie convinces her dad to let her be his assistant even though she's only 17 and still in high school. But when a friend turns up as the next body they have to examine, Cammie isn't sure she's made a good decision. Vowing to find her friend’s killer, Cammie investigates a pseudo-psychic and puts the clues together to discover who the real "Christopher Killer" is. This book can get a little graphic at times, so if you've got a weak stomach, this might not be for you. But, anyone who loves shows like “CSI” or investigative shows like “Criminal Minds” will like this one. I'm looking forward to reading more in the series.
The Off Season by Catherine Gilbert Murdock is the sequel to Dairy Queen. In this installment DJ starts the football season on the Red Bend team and quickly makes a name for herself. When she’s hurt on the field though, it looks like her season will have be over in order to heal in time for basketball. Her injury is nothing compared to her brother Winn’s however. The college quarterback has a major spinal-cord injury and will need serious rehabilitation. DJ’s relationship with Brian seems to be going well until an article in People Magazine features DJ playing high school football. Brian gets upset about being in the article too and the two stop talking for a while. I liked this book so much more than the first one. The character of DJ is growing and maturing and is becoming more insightful. She is a great narrator, walking us through the ups and downs of life on the Schwenk farm. Winn's story brings much depth to the book and each character changes and grows. Minor characters like DJ’s gay best-friend Amber hold their own and we get to know the other members of the Schwenk family better too. You don’t have to read the first book to enjoy this book, although I think it helps to have some background. But here's a tip – just breeze through Dairy Queen so you can get to book 2!
Ida B: And Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, And (possibly) Save the World by Katherine Hannigan is a good old story. Ida B has a great voice (reminds me of some of Francis O’Roarke Dowell’s characters) and a lot of spunk. Home schooled, Ida B has to go back to a regular classroom when her mother is diagnosed with cancer. Thinking this is just about the worst thing that can happen, Ida B. isn’t happy. With the help of a kind teacher and loving parents though, Ida B. finds her own place in the world, and (possibly) some new friends.
They Never Came Back by Caroline B. Cooney is, in a word, disappointing. Five years ago Murielle’s parents leave the country in order to escape prosecution for embezzling money. After being in the foster-care system for years Murielle, now Cathy, wants to re-connect with her long-lost aunt and uncle (she’s given up hope that her parents will come to get her). She enrolls at a summer school that she knows her cousin will be at, but when he recognizes her, Cathy denies being Murielle. Eventually though, she decides to admit her true identity and goes home with her aunt and cousin. In one chapter we learn that Cathy loves her foster parents and in what seems like the next chapter, she decides those people aren’t that important and although she’s lived with them for years, they’ll get over not having her around. While the idea for this plot isn’t a bad one, it is so unrealistic it was almost painful to read this one all the way through. And, I love Caroline B. Cooney’s earlier books, but this one was a miss.
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