ROTTEN, by Michael Northrop

The story: this is the story of a boy and his dog. But he's not just any boy, and it's not just any dog. JD has just finished up a stint in Juvie, and his mom hopes a dog will help him move past a really rotten time in his life--because JD's not the only one who's had a rotten time. Johnny Rotten is a shelter dog, abused by his former master, and this seems like a chance for both of them to move on...until the rescued Rottweiler is provoked into biting someone. Now it looks like he's going to be put down, right before JD and his mom lose everything in the accompanying lawsuit. How can a former juvenile delinquent talk the rest of the world into trusting him--and his dog?

June Cleaver's bloom ratings: Violence PG; language PG-13; Sexual Content PG-13 (nothing close to explicit, but lots of jokes with innuendo); nudity G; Magic and the Occult G; LGBT content PG; Substance Abuse PG-13 (underage kids don't actually score any liquor, but they do their best trying); Overall Rating: PG-13.

Liz's comments: don't hand this one to a sixth grader--they'll get all these kinds of ideas on their own in a couple of years, and there's no use getting them started early! In all, I'd review this for 8th and up, mostly because although the boys talk all bad, they don't actually get very far with it. And there's significant hope for JD to turn over a new leaf by the end of the book, under the influence of both Johnny Rotten and the girl who almost gets away.

THE FELLOWSHIP FOR ALIEN DETECTION, by Kevin Emerson

The story: from completely different areas of the country, three 8th-graders stumble onto the biggest story of the century (or maybe ever): aliens getting ready to invade, already running experiments on earthlings to decide whether to wipe them out entirely, or just allow them to survive as a sub-species. Don't let the cartoon-like front cover fool you: life on earth is about to come to an end if Suza, Dodger, and Haley can't solve the puzzle in time.

June Cleaver’s ratings: Language PG-13; Nudity G; Sexual Content G; Violence PG; Magic and the occult G; Substance Abuse G; GLBT contentG ; Adult themes PG (lying to parents, kidnapping); Overall rating PG.

Liz's comments: Judging from the cover, I really thought this was going to be an extra-terrestrial sci-fi parody--but much to my surprise (and despite some funny, accurate MS humor), it turned out to be an action-filled story about aliens, kids who interact with aliens, and the conflict between following your dreams and doing what's right for your family. Boys would actually be the best target audience for this, but sadly, Dodger's story doesn't begin until more than 150 pages into the book…and generally, boy readers won't have stuck around through that much girl stuff to get to the boy part. Sad, because Emerson's teens are very authentic and both boys and girls who like science fiction would find something to identify with if they'd give it a go

WARRIOR, by Ellen Oh

The story: although she's captured the powerful Tidal Stone and found her place as the mythical Dragon Musado, Kira soon realizes that the kingdom will never be safe--either from betrayal by humans or warfare waged by demons--unless she possess the two other artifacts of great power once owned by the Dragon Lord: the dragon dagger, and the jade belt. Her brother Kwan, Prince Taejo, and the handsome and mysterious Jaewon are willing to join her on a second quest, even knowing that it will surely end in some of them being killed. The price is agonizing: how can it be worth it? But Kira knows the alternative is allowing the kingdom to fall apart, her cousin to lose his place on the throne, and the dreadful Demon Lord to become the master of them all. She has no choice but to face the demons--both real, and those fighting the battle in her mind.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; nudity G; sexual content PG; violence, R; magic and the occult R; substance abuse PG; GLBT content G; adult themes (betrayal and scary demonic magic) PG; overall rating PG-13.

Liz's comments: I really like this series! The Korean-based mythos is cool and unusual, and Kira is a strong, occasionally flawed heroine you really want to root for. The demonic element gets quite creepy at times, but is more magic-flavored and less tied in with religion than it would be in Western fantasy.

LEGEND, PRODIGY, and CHAMPION, by Marie Lu

The story: They come from different worlds. June is the Republic's Prodigy: young, smart, a rising star being groomed for greatness. Day lives by his wits, just one fight--or one fall--away from a quick death. If times were normal, they would never meet. But times are not normal. June's brother is murdered, and Day is framed for the crime. She vows to track him down and make him pay. But when she finds him, she finds a whole lot more than she expected: she finds that the Republic has set both of them up, that a shadowy person has ordered her brother's death, and that the plague that's killed so many has been engineered by the government. Even more startling, she finds…love.

June Cleaver’s ratings: Language PG-13; Nudity PG; Sexual Content PG in Book 1; PG-13 in Book 2, R in Book 3; Violence R; Magic and the occult G; Substance Abuse PG; GLBT content PG; Adult themes PG-13 (genocide, civil war, biological warfare) PG-13 ; Overall rating: PG-13 for Book 1-2, R for Book 3.

Liz's comments: This is an action-packed dystopian read, every bit as good as Divergent (and shorter, which is actually a plus for many MS readers!). However, the sexual content ranges from kissing in Legend to a steamy make-out session in Prodigy to on-page sex in Champion…and by the time the kids have gotten through books 1-2, it's tough to tell them "no" to book 3. So go in forewarned! For a short annotation of each book, submit a friend request to me on goodreads.com: look for me at friende@friscoisd.org.

June's going on hiatus...

We may post sporadically during the next couple of months, but we are looking forward to reading some grown-up books for a little while.  Look for June to return in August with more new YA titles.
:)

RUINS, by Dan Wells

The story: Humans vs. Partials, the final round. Was it scientific genius, or was it suicide? Kira realizes that the secret of the cure for RM is hidden in the genetic sequencing of the Partials; when a strange disease breaks out among the Partials, they eventually come to understand that the only cure is found by breathing air shared by humans. By design of the scientists who developed the Partials, both species must learn to interact, or both will die. But it may just turn out that's a price they're willing to pay, rather than having to overcome their mutual mistrust and hatred.

June Cleaver’s ratings: Language PG-13; Nudity G; Sexual Content PG; Violence R; Magic and the occult G; Substance Abuse PG; GLBT content G; Adult themes (genocide, genetic engineering, pandemics, and many difficult topics that require the reader to think)PG-13; Overall rating PG-13.

Liz's comments: More kick-butt sci-fi from Dan Wells! Don't give this to a sixth grader (in fact, although it's reviewed for 8th-up, it requires a lot of thought--so it's probably better for GT-level 8th graders and high school) but it's full of questions that can be asked about segregation, intolerance, and the situations into which we put ourselves when we decide we're better than some other group of people.

CITY OF HEAVENLY FIRE, by Cassandra Clare

The story: Sebastian has gained the ultimate weapon: the ability to turn the Shadowhunters against themselves. Using the Infernal Cup, he forces captured Nephilim to drink and thus become The Endarkened. His goal: to rule in the realm of demons, with Clary by his side. It seems there is nothing that can stand in his way, and that the mortal world is doomed to fail. But he always has underestimated the determination of a group of friends that includes Shadowhunters, Downworlders, and even…parents. Will any of them be willing to pay the terrible price demanded?

June Cleaver’s ratings: Language PG-13; Nudity PG-13; Sexual Content R (on-page sex); Violence R; Magic and the occult R; Substance Abuse PG; GLBT content R; Adult themes PG; Overall rating: R.

Liz's comments: Okay, so I was not a big fan of Books 4-5 in the series, but the author redeemed herself here to a certain extent. In was especially fun to have her weave in Jem Carstairs' character, in the guise of Brother Zachariah, throughout the story, as well as including a guest appearance from Tessa Gray; she also came up with a great way to turn Simon OUT of being a vampire (I hated it when she turned him into one). Additionally, she introduced characters that will clearly figure in "Lady Midnight", the first book in her next series, "The Dark Artifices." If you've read all the books up to this point, you're clearly going to want to finish the series, even if the final installment weighs in at 750 pages. (More than one person has said to me, "Yikes. Is this MIDDLE SCHOOL fiction?" And truthfully? Not really.