WHEN, by VIctoria Laurie

The story: Maddie has seen people's death dates for as long as she can remember--tiny numbers written across their foreheads. The first person to die was her father, but he wasn't the last: now, ten years later, when she tries to warn a mother of her son's impending death, she finds herself a suspect in his murder. But Tevon Tibbolt isn't the only one marked for death, and unless Maddie can help find the murderer, she and her best friend may find themselves taking the rap for it.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG-13; Violence PG-13; Sexual content G; Nudity G; substance abuse PG-13; magic and the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (parental alcoholism, murder, torture) PG-13; overall rating PG-13.

Liz's comments: I liked this stand-alone a lot (it almost seems like a miracle, these days, to have a book that isn't billed as "the first in a trilogy"--bleh). Maddie is a spunky, loyal narrator whose life contains just about as much rotten stuff as any teen should have to deal with, but her tenaciousness is put to the test when not just she, but her best friend, find themselves suspected in the gruesome murder of another teen. Laurie ratchets up the suspense just right and keeps it going until the very last page. Plus, an unexpected fun twist at the end gives hope for a brighter outlook for Maddie's life--which she totally deserves after everything that goes on in this story! Two thumbs up.

RAIN REIGN, by Ann M. Martin

The story: Rose is a lover of homophones, prime numbers, and rules. She always keeps the rules. When her dog Rain (Reign/Rein) is lost in a storm, then found again, everything would seem to be perfect. But when she discovers that Rain was microchipped by her former owner, this girl with Asperger's determines that she needs to do the right thing and return the dog to the people who had her first--even if doing so will cause her more heartache and unforeseen trouble than she can imagine.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG-13; violence PG; sexual content G; nudity G; substance abuse PG-13; magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes PG (death of a parent, implied abuse) PG; overall rating PG.

Liz's comments: I liked this one a lot. Told from the perspective of a narrator with Asperger's, it reminded me a bit of "Wonder" by R.J. Palacios, and a bit of "The London Eye Mystery", by Siobhan Dowd, both of which give readers a chance to look at what it's like to be different through the eyes of the one who is. Too bad this one probably won't fly with the MS crowd, as it's about a 5th grader, and MS kids generally won't read down.

ALIENATED, by Melissa Landers

The story: When she's picked to host the first ever alien exchange student, Cara Sweeney just sees it as a ticket to a full-ride scholarship and a way to build a future career as a journalist. She would never dream that she's lose a boyfriend, and then a best friend over it--or that she'd fall for a guy from the stars. Too bad the rest of the world isn't quite so enchanted: there are hate groups and protests, and even hunky Aelyx isn't quite what he seems. Is there any chance for such an out-of-this-world couple? Check it out--you'll want to get Alienated too!

June Cleaver's ratings: Language: PG-13; Sexual content R; Nudity R; Violence PG-13; substance abuse PG; magic and the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (racism, xenophobia) PG; overall rating R (grades 9-up).

Liz's comments: I really liked this one, and interestingly, Booklist rates it for 7th-up. There's a single shirts-off make-out scene that elevates it to the HS level in my opinion, but aside from such teenage shenanigans, there's plenty to like about this story: the realistic look at the downside to being visited by aliens, the all-too-natural human opposition to anyone different (even when he really isn't that different), and the social costs to Cara personally all ratchet up the tension of the will-they-won't-they love story.

HEAP HOUSE, by Edward Carey

The story: The Iremongers run the dust heaps of Filching, keeping to themselves and becoming as cracked as the odd items they scavenge. Each one has a birth object that guides their destiny, but which also hides a grim secret. Now Clod Iremonger must decide whether to live up to his abilities as a Listener, or whether to fall in love with a freckle-faced outsider named Lucy Pennant. Because doing that would change everything. Not that everything is that great anyway.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; violence PG; sexual content PG; Nudity G; substance abuse PG; magic and the occult PG; adult themes PG; overall rating PG.

Liz's comments: This is, without question, the weirdest YA book I've ever read, like a combination of Dickens' "Our Mutual Friend" and "A Series of Unfortunate Events". The friend who recommended it thought its weirdness was charming, but I mostly found if off-putting, and I doubt there's more than one in a thousand middle school readers who would get past the first or second chapter. I'm actually really pleased that I just borrowed it, rather than spending taxpayer money on it!

GILDED, by Christina Farley

The story: Jae Lee thinks it stinks that her dad has dragged her away from her home in L.A. to go live in Seoul, South Korea. Little does she know that--despite making new friends, going to a great school, and even finding her first-ever boyfriend--things are going to get a whole lot worse: she's destined to be dragged into a mythological curse that kills the first-born daughter in each generation. Problem is, this curse looks like it's going to get her family, friends, and even her boyfriend, too. How do you get out of something you never signed up for?

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG-13; Violence PG-13; Sexual content PG; Nudity G; substance abuse PG; magic and the occult PG-13; GLBT content G; adult themes PG; overall rating PG-13.

Liz's comments: This story is like a cross between Percy Jackson and Ellen Oh's "Prophecy" series, which I really liked a lot. Jae Hwa is a spunky heroine who gets better and smarter during the course of the story--and acquires a hottie boyfriend at the same time. What more could a fantasy fangirl want?

JACKABY, by William Ritter

The story: combine Sherlock Holmes with the Ghostbusters, and what do you get? Jackaby! Here's an old-fashioned detective who knows more about a certain subject than anyone else on earth: Jackaby can recognize and identify supernatural beings, even when they're well disguised and completely invisible to everyone else. You'd think that would make him the best friend of every policeman in the county, but no: they all think he's crazy. Even so--if a legendary evildoer is using magic to do his evil, you'd better find the best person to spot him (even if he IS a little crazy). And that would be...Jackaby, accompanied by his intrepid assistant, Abigail Rook.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG-13; Violence PG-13; Sexual content PG; nudity PG; substance abuse PG; magic and the occult PF-13; GLBT content G; adult themes (murder committed by scary supernatural forces) PG-13; overall rating PG-13. (However, because it's historical fiction with a sort of Dickensian style of writing, MS readers will find it kind of slow going--probably better for HS mystery fans.)

Liz's comments: This reminded me of Jonathan Stroud's "Lockwood and Company" series, just with characters who are a little older. I liked it a lot--but trying to sell historical fiction to middle school kids is a hard slog. Hopefully the gruesome murders and ghostly intruders will help in the process!

IN A WORLD JUST RIGHT, by Jen Brooks

The story: Jonathan Aubrey is a loner, a scar-faced Frankenstein who keeps to himself. But in his OTHER life--he's a great student, runs track, and has the girlfriend of his dreams. Only problem is...it's not real. A horrific plane crash ten years turned him into a world builder, able to change his reality by making a new one. But on the day he accidentally tries to kiss his made-up girlfriend in the real world, something disturbing is set into motion and somehow, those two very separate worlds begin to merge. Now he's going to have to make some tough choices to keep any of his dreams alive.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG-13; Violence PG; Sexual content PG-13; Nudity R; Substance abuse PG; magic and the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (being orphaned; neglect; bullying) PG-13; overall rating R.

Liz's comments: This was a really interesting story, with a clever alternative world built right inside our plain-old-vanilla one. Brooks keeps the plot spinning along with well-placed twists at just the right moment, and finishes up with a nice surprise. Too bad a shirts-off scene renders it unlikely that this one will be reviewed for MS audiences: it's a longer read, but cool sci-fi/fantasy.

THE KISS OF DECEPTION, by Mary E. Pearson

The story: Lia, on the brink of being forced to marry someone she's never even seen, takes her best friend Pauline and makes a run for it: fleeing for her life, her sanity, and a chance to live in a way that makes sense to her. She thinks she's gotten away with it, too; never dreaming that of the two handsome young men who show up in her new place over the coming weeks, one is the prince she jilted, and the other an assassin sent to kill her. She must make another choice that will mean either life or death...and she doesn't even know it.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG-13; Violence R; Sexual content PG-13; Nudity PG; substance abuse PG-13; magic and the occult PG; GLBT content G; adult themes (betrayal, murder, war) PG-13; overall rating PG-13.

Liz's comments: This is a fantasy that will appeal mostly to girls (although boy fans of fantasy will like it too, if they can get past the girly cover!). Because of the weightiness of the prose and the depth (and occasional slowness) of the world-building, this one will be better for really good 8th-grade readers on up into high school. Something very different from Pearson's earlier "The Adoration of Jenna Fox"--but equally good.