The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf by Mohja Kahf

“My creative life is my deepest prayer…”, the initial quote starting The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf clearly depicts the main character, Khadra’s, voyage to finding herself. It wouldn’t hurt anyone to give the book a chance. I probably would not have chosen it voluntarily, but feel it’s taught me a lot. Endless aspects of diversity are explored while giving you a strong look into the Muslim lifestyle.

Told in a Muslim perspective, you are able to see how American prejudice affects them. You also get to see what they think of Americans. Whether it’s an attack from the KKK, controversy over Americans owning a dog, or even Charlie’s Angels, culture conflict and drama is always present. Breaking into a modern world isn’t easy for Muslim children and the struggle sticks out with the rebellion against the strict religion.

It’s a pretty thorough introduction to the Muslim religion and growing up as a minority. Unique points of view and strong, well written characters keep the book interesting and informative. Anyone interested in exploring diversity should pick this one up.

The Brothers Torres by Coert Voorhees

Frankie Towers is always looking up to his brother Steve. They’re complete opposites. Steve is a popular senior who always gets exactly what he wants. Girls, soccer scholarships, etc… While Frankie spends his time making things explode with his best friend, Zach, working at his parents restaurant, and being crazy and obsessed about his crush, Rebecca Sanchez, that he thinks he’ll never have a chance with. After Frankie gets into a fight with Steve’s longtime nemesis, John Dalton, Steve takes Frankie and begins to help him get a higher social status. Things with Dalton continues to simmer and after another incident, Steve is bent on retaliating. Frankie must choose to respect his brother… or respect himself.

‘The Brothers Torres’ was okay. This wasn’t one of my favorite books but it wasn’t horrible either. I found it confusing because it uses a lot of Spanish words randomly in the dialogue, and not knowing a word of Spanish, I had no clue what they were saying. I’d recommend this coming of age novel to anyone who speaks Spanish or is going to read it with a translator near by.

Notes on a Near Life Experience by Olivia Birdsall

Divorce is all over. In movies, TV shows, with her friends, etc. Mia never expected to have it happen to her though. Suddenly, after having an almost perfect family with tons of routine and tradition, she’s 15 and her father decides to move out with no notice. As her family life crumbles, her love life picks up. Her longtime crush, Julian, has finally noticed her. However, Julian happens to be her older brother, Allen’s best friend. Allen… isn’t exactly thrilled to have Julian want to spend more one on one time with Mia. As this is happening, Mia’s mother is disappearing more and more into her work, Allen is starting to skip school and is becoming very mysterious, and her father just brought home a woman from Peru.

“Notes On A Near-Life Experience” was an interesting book. The family drama added to the new dramatic love life was totally addicting. I really enjoyed all the topics that Birdsall included. Although, it might have been a little too much. It easily could have been broken up a little more and been made into a series. Despite that fact, it was an awesome book

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

Remy doesn’t believe in love, at all. Every relationship she has, she knows to end right after that initial romantic rush, before things get too serious. Plus, she has a very useful resource… her own mother. She’s been married 4 times and is in the process of wedding number five. However, when she meets Dexter, things change.

Suddenly Remy finds it hard to follow her own relationship rules. He’s everything she hates; messy, disorganized, impulsive, and worst of all, a musician like her father. Remy never knew her dad. The only connection they have is his one and only famous song, “This Lullaby”, that he wrote the day she was born. Dealing with her relationship with Dexter, she finally starts to realize what all those love songs are about.

“This Lullaby” was incredible. I totally loved it and didn’t want to stop reading. The connection between Remy and her friends alone is over powering. Let alone her and Dexter. Truth Squad was an interesting group as well. I definitely would like to see I sequel to see what happens after Remy goes to college and Dexter goes to pursue his music.

The Smile by Donna Jo Napoli

Elisebetta is supposed to have a party for her thirteenth birthday to hopefully find a suitable husband. A few months before, the death of Lorenzo de’ Medici puts all plans on hold. Her mother decides a while later that people will be in a better mood and will be ready to celebrate. Shortly after though, a horse crash takes her mothers life. In 11 months her father remarries to Caterina, who thinks it is time Elisebetta gets her turn to shine. Through out these events, Elisebetta catches the eye of the great Leonardo Di Vinci. He introduces her to Giuliano de’ Medici who swears his love to her. However, things are changing in Florence and the relationship quickly is distressed.

I absolutely adored this book. To get a point of view of who might have been “Monna Lisa” was very interesting. I didn’t enjoy the end part with Giuliano but it proved her story wasn’t another fairy tale. I highly recommend The Smile and any other of Napoli’s novels.

Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender

Alexis is very antisocial, anti-cheerleader, and absolutely loves photography. Her parent’s marriage isn’t doing the best and her 13 year old sister, Kasey, has gone totally doll crazy. After a family argument, Kasey and Alexis have some one-on-one sisterly bonding. During this time, Alexis realizes that her life is going from dysfunctional to dangerous. Kasey is changing. Her normal green eyes are suddenly bright blue. Her vocabulary takes a weird twist when she begins using more old-fashioned words. And, she loses track of large periods of time, claiming to know nothing about the sudden change in behavior. Alexis’s house is changing too. Doors open and close by themselves, water boils on an unlit stove, and an unplugged air conditioner makes the house cold enough for the girls to see their own breath. Alexis wants to believe that all this is just her mind playing tricks on her but… when things begin to be life threatening to her, her family, and her new relationship with the vice president of her class… she realizes she’s the only person that can stop it.

I loved this book. It was pretty confusing from making you think one thing for so long and then suddenly changing everything you thought you knew. “Bad Girls Don’t Die” not only had a strong mystery/action theme but also a twist of comedy and romance. It was constantly thrilling and I highly recommend it.

Vibes by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Kristi is basically just an average sophomore… except for the fact that she can read minds. Dealing with this power results in her hearing everyone’s thoughts whether they’re positive or negative. Most aren’t exactly pleasant. Two years ago, her dad left and went to Africa to fight disease. Since then, Kristi and her mom have grown farther apart, her best friend Hildie has stopped talking to her, she’s hid a cat in her bedroom, and she’s gotten some very… unique… fashion tastes. When her dad decides to come back… maybe for good or just temporarily, she learns secrets that she had no clue about. It also doesn’t help that she’s been paired with Hildie’s gorgeous older brother (that she’s had a crush on for years) to do a character project, the new guy Mallory is constantly thinking romantic thoughts about her, and Jason… who’s been the closest thing to a friend since Mallory… is picturing her “ginormous gazungas” in ways that totally disturb her.

This book, while it had very cliché characters, was full of twists and turns in an extraordinary story line. If I were given a super power, I normally would have wanted to be psychic. After reading this though, I saw all the downfalls of this ability and would hate to have to deal with it. An extremely big part of this novel is, things aren’t always as they appear... or sound. There were some things that had terrible conclusions to it, but they were probably more realistic. Overall, Vibes was a pretty good read.

Everything is Fine by Ann Dee Ellis

Mazzy is stuck at home all summer taking care of her highly depressed mother. Her father, who works for ESPN, is off at a business trip that was only supposed to last about a week… as of now, he’s basically abandoned them. Mazzy has no one to turn to except her neighbors and her mother’s old art studio.

This book was really different. The way it’s written, made things jump around a lot and majority of it didn’t make sense. It wasn’t till the end of the book that everything started to click together and explain why things were the way they were. Everything Is Fine did have very serious topics like depression, diabetes, and death but it also put humor into Mazzy and the way she thought as she was going through this. The book overall was okay.

Black Box by Julie Schumacher

Elena and Dora are sisters, best friends, and complete opposites. Dora is loud, fun, and unpredictable while Elena is more quiet and calm. After Dora is diagnosed with depression and has to stay in the hospital, Elena isn’t sure who her sister, or herself, is anymore. Elena doesn’t really have any friends since she went to a private school until high school so the only people that really acknowledge her are friends of Dora and Jimmy Zenk. Jimmy supposedly has failed at least one grade and wears black every single day. He has his own secrets and advice for Elena. Dora and Elena’s parents have started to fight in the kitchen every night after the think Elena is in bed. Once Dora is discharged, Elena has even more responsibility and has to figure out what secrets she needs to keep and which she needs to tell.

Black Box was addicting. It was full of surprises I wasn’t expecting and was impossible to put down. Not only did it deal with depression, but it also had a lot of moments about trust. How far should you keep secrets and that not everything is it seems. It also shows that sometimes knowing the truth is better but sometimes it’s worse. Elena’s thoughts about everything added humor and drama to the novel. Overall, it was an amazing book.

Something to Blog About by Shanna Norris

Libby Fawcett. Classic teenager. School, boys, and those mean popular girls that you wish would just go *POOF!*. Now here’s the dramatic twist… she set her hair on fire in front of the whole class, including her crush Seth Jacobs who she’s tutoring in chemistry (the subject she is also failing) and now she finds out her mom is dating the father of her archenemy, Angel Rodriguez. To vent her feelings and anger, Libby starts a secret blog. And let’s just say… it doesn’t stay a secret for long.

I seriously couldn’t put this book down. While things did get predictable at times, it was still very funny. Things kinda were resolved quicker and less complicated than they would have been in real life, making things seem a little too perfect. ‘Something to Blog About’ could have been longer and definitely should have a sequel. This would make a great beach book. Over all, it was fabulous and I can’t wait to see what Shana Norris writes next.

Girl v. Boy by Yvonne Collins and Sandy Rideout

Luisa Perez isn’t really into school spirit. Actually, Luisa and her friends, Rachel and Izzy, take pride in avoiding activities that are labeled “extracurricular”. But, when her school is competing for an extra month of winter vacation and the boys of Dunfield, or as the students call it, ‘Dumpfield’, start competing against the girls, it turns the fundraiser into a ’battle of the sexes’ and Luisa and her friends start to change their minds. When asked to write an anonymous column for her school paper about the girls half, she just has to say yes. One week she’ll write and the next week’s the article will be written by an anonymous reporter for the boys. As time goes on, “Newshound” (Luisa) and “Scoop” (Mystery Man) begin to debate the actions of boys and girls as well as discuss the fundraiser. Who could this new enemy be? Luisa is determined to find out… and the results will shock her.

‘Girl V. Boy’ was an interesting novel. I can say, “Scoop” did start to get on my nerves, while “Newshound” was full of useful advice. I realize I like the girls point of view because well, I’m a girl and that’s sorta was what I was thinking but it was interesting to see a guys take on things. Umm… the only other advice I can give you about this book is don’t read the back because it totally reveals the surprise ending.

The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

The Five People You Meet in Heaven tells the story of Eddie moments before his death. As an 83 year old maintenance man at the amusement park Ruby Piers, he has no clue what is going to happen. After his death, Eddie finds himself in “heaven”. There he meets 5 important people who review his life and show him how his actions affected those around him as well as himself. Through flashbacks and memories from multiple points of views, Eddie is brought to life for readers even in death. As Eddie begins to understand the meaning of his own life, closure is brought to everyone around him including himself in a novel full of anger, grief, love, forgiveness, curiosity, and bravery.

When I saw The Five People You Meet in Heaven on my school’s summer reading list, I can’t say I was very thrilled. Having very different personal opinions on what happens after death, I expected this book to be rather typically religious when things like “heaven” are mentioned. I couldn’t have been more wrong. While the story does explore “heaven”, it didn’t have anything to do with God, a peaceful wonderland, angels, or anything else most people associate. Instead, “heaven” was about finding yourself to the deepest degree possible. It was displayed as a place to learn about your life from an outside perspective, find closure, and understand why everything happened to you the way it did. As the main character, Eddie, met the 5 people who explained huge parts of his life to him, I felt so connected to this old man. From recalling his memories and the scenarios he faced from three different views, it seemed as if I was really there, knew him, and experienced the same things he did. Mitch Albom gives such a extraordinary depiction of Eddie and I was truly moved and shocked when I found out that it was inspired by his actual uncle. When I reached the last page and saw the picture of the real Eddie, I was left in tears as the man I was looking at was very similar to the images I had imagined while reading The Five People You Meet in Heaven. I think everyone, no matter what your beliefs are, should take a point of their lives to read this novel. It has completely changed my view of life and I feel it makes every moment you live much more precious and meaningful. Through this experience the expression “everything happens for a reason” is thoroughly proved.

Academy 7 by Anne Osterlund

When a terrified fugitive with a rough past and the wealthy and wild son of a privilege become freshman at one of the most prestigious schools in the universe, an interesting relationship quickly occurs. Despite many differences on the outside, deep within these two teenagers share an unbreakable bond of emotion and history. Both hold dangerous secrets and find each other irresistible even though their safety depends on them staying apart. As hatred turns to friendship and friendship turns to romance, these two powerful young adults face challenges to reveal a truth that’s bigger than anyone could have ever imagined.

Academy 7 by Anne Osterlund was a unique combination of genres. I don’t know where I could truly place it. There were elements of fantasy, sci-fi, romance, action, and mystery. Aerin and Dane show great growth and strength as people and show that anyone can achieve the impossible. The lack of trust, rebellion, sorrow, and curiosity displayed in the characters make it easy for readers, especially teens, to relate. It was truly hard to let go of Aerin and Dane’s tale as while things were cliché at points, the novel still had the ability to keep you on edge. The only flaw about the novel is how short it was. I would love to see this storyline made into a series or at least have a spinoff book. The futuristic setting was fascinating and I think there is a lot more that could be learned and explored through the different planets, star systems, and the school itself as well as finding out the future of Aerin and Dane. This book can easily appeal to many different kinds of people and is an absolutely captivating read.

I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder

After losing her boyfriend, Jackson, nothing is the same for 15 year old Ava. She can’t seem to move on. They were supposed to be together forever; until he died. Constantly living in grief and recalling memories, Ava begins to get weird chills. Jackson is back. And he plans to continue their relationship; even if he is a ghost.

This book was… extraordinary. Being a hopeless romantic and having lost a loved one to death, I was randomly brought close to tears multiple times while reading this. The connection I felt to Ava and the hope of Jackson’s “undying” affection towards her was remarkable. Nothing shows how boundless love is the way this book does. One of the other aspects I really enjoyed was the format. The novel is written completely in verse which seems to enforce and enhance the intense emotion of the story. I Heart You, You Haunt Me by makes an amazing and quick read and I would love to get a chance to read her other novels “Far From You” and “Chasing Brooklyn” which also deal with the concepts of love and death. Lisa Schroeder is guilty of writing one of the most powerful literary pieces I have encountered and I would definitely rank this book in my top 3.

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

After reading Great Expectations, I definitely have to say it an amazing classic that everyone should read. It was easy to laugh, get irritated, and be depressed and sympathetic along with the characters from the novel. Charles Dickens has written an extraordinary literary piece that forever shall stay prominent in life. He's set many great expectations for future authors to live up to.

Great Expectations is the story of the orphan Pip, recalling events from his life. The memories range from his early days of childhood until adulthood and all his triumphs in between. While I have not met Pip, I feel Charles Dickens has made Pip into a character that I feel I've known forever. Great Expectations takes you closer into his life than most people know about one another in real life.

I loved the excitement and reality of this novel. Even though the novel was based in the 1800's, all the situations and concepts are ones that are still things people have to deal with today. It's always comforting to read how others handle scenarios and be reassured everything is not just happening to you but others as well. All of us are set out with “great expectations” of ourselves. This shows the emotions and lessons learned along the way.

There are lots of characters that clearly represent the relationships one deals with during their life. Pip, the main character, is the tradition kind of person. He has lots of potential but has also been thrown into unfortunate situations. He has his elders who have destined him a future he does not want and is determined to change his plans and control his own choices.

Mrs. Joe is Pip's adult sister. She is very cruel to Pip and abuses him mentally and physically. He's looked at as nothing but a burden to her and this anger is only fueled as she blames Pip for the death of their parents. Everyone has someone in their life trying to bring them down. For Pip, Mrs. Joe takes that role easily. Luckily, karma has a way of working things out and she soon gets what she deserves. Mrs. Joe valued organization and sanitation “but had an exquisite art of making her cleanliness more uncomfortable and unacceptable than dirt itself.” Her strict, cold attitude is well described with Charles Dickens's writing techniques. She's a character you just start to love to hate.

Joe is Pip's father figure and is married to his sister. Pip looks up to him since he is a close figure in his life who is actually kind to him. Joe is a blacksmith and lacks ambition. It's assumed that Pip will follow in his footsteps with no questions asked. Pip isn't thrilled with this but has to go along with it anyway as he really has no say in the matter.

Estella is Pip's love interest. She's the adoptive daughter of Miss Havisham who is thought to be Pip's benefactor. Pip pursues Estella romantically throughout the novel. She is unable to return his feelings and constantly tells him that. However, he refuses to believe her and never gives up hope on finally being with his “true love”.

All the characters in Great Expectations are fabulously depicted and are easy to love or hate. The concept of “what goes around, comes around” is frequently proved. While in real life it might not be as straight out with something being payback for earlier actions, it shows that you can't let people get to you for they'll be punished for their wrongdoings later. You can't stoop to their level and plot against people.

The main lesson is never to give up on your dreams. You need to have great expectations of yourself and strive to achieve them. Trying and failing is better than not trying at all. Pip knew he might not succeed but it was more important to try for a chance then to give up and ask yourself “what if?”. Fight for your beliefs but maintain your morals. Just like Pip, you can't let anyone but yourself control your future and emotions. I think the experiences Pip went through will stay in my mind and I will recall them frequently and how they relate to my own life.

We're all just one person in a big world. We all can make a difference and exceed our great expectations. Charles Dickens's novel is just one depiction of someone's strive for success and happiness. I highly recommend Great Expectations and feel it will always remain a cherished classic that will forever have shaped British literature. Charles Dickens leaves you constantly curious and excited to find out what happens next. He's taken writing to the next level and has set high competition and great expectations for authors of the past, present, and future to compete with.

It's a new dawn. It's a new day. It's a new life. For me.

Hey, I'm Lexie. :)