Green, John. An Abundance of Katherines. New York: Dutton, 2006.

After being dumped by nineteen Katherines, the last at his high school graduation, former child prodigy and protagonist Colin Singleton has had enough. When his best friend Hassan convinces him that a road trip is the best answer to his problems, Colin is up for the adventure. Driving Satan’s Hearse (Colin’s well used beater car) the boys end up Gunshot Tennessee, home to the corpse of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, one of the country’s largest tampon factories, and soon to be friend, Lindsey Wells. Hired for the summer by Lindsey’s mom, Colin and Hassan are in for the summer of a lifetime.

Witty, charming, and thoroughly enjoyable, An Abundance of Katherines is impossible to put down. You can’t help but cheer for Colin as he fumbles his way through life’s joys and hardships. I highly recommend this to all readers, regardless of gender, popularity, or age!

Gould, Steven. Jumper. New York: Tor, 1992.

Have you ever wondered just what the ability to teleport would mean? In Jumper, main character David Rice has the unusual ability of teleportation. Having no idea where the gift came from, David must test his abilities in order to discover its limitations, and more importantly, its uses. Alone, with no one to turn to, David’s experiences make Jumper more than just a science fiction novel, it is a story of survival, hope, and fighting for what you believe in.

Despite some unanswered questions at the end, such as how David got his abilities in the first place, I found Jumper to be entertaining and enjoyable. Add one more to the list of science fiction books that I enjoyed!

Matar, Hisham. In the Country of Men. Toronto: Penguin Canada, 2006.

Powerful and yet gently moving, Matar has created an exceptional novel. Set in Libya, in 1979, In the Country of Men is written from the eyes of a boy forced to grow old before his time. Within a framework of his mother’s frequent “illnesses” and the ever growing question of what type of man his father really is, nine-year old Suleiman witnesses the clash between democracy and the current Libyan government and the conflict that ensues because of it.

From the characters rich in detail and realistically flawed to the beautiful language in which Matar has captured both emotion and history, I enjoyed everything about this novel.

Cussler, Clive. Dragon. Toronto: Pocket Star, 1990.

In Dragon, Pitt must stop crazed Japanese businessman Hideki Suma from executing a plan that could change the world. Intent on setting off a chain of nuclear bombs intended to crush the Western powers, and therefore their economy, Suma’s plans are put in jeopardy when a Japanese cargo ship carrying one of his bombs is discovered. With no time to spare, Pitt and a team of U.S. government employees must uncover the secret location of Suma’s lab, and stop him before it is too late.

Having read many of Cussler’s action novels, I must say that Dragon was not one of my favourites. Although the characters were, for the most part, well done, I found the novel to drag out, with too many plot twists, clichés, and corny sentences. I particularly disliked the following sentence: “Like elegant old hookers blossoming after dark under expensive, sparkling jewellery, the aging hotels along Las Vegas Boulevard hid their dull exteriors and brutally austere architecture behind an electrical aurora borealis of blazing light that advertised more flash for the cash.” Come on – I know that the audience isn’t necessarily intellectual, but please could this sentence be any cornier?

Brown, Dan. Angels & Demons. Toronto: Pocket Books, 2000.

In this first Robert Langdon adventure, Dan Brown creates a novel of intrigue, action, and religious symbolism. When Robert Langdon is called from his home to a nuclear research facility in Switzerland, he is not sure why. Soon the plot takes off, and Robert must find out if the group claiming responsibility for the death of a brilliant physicist is really the famous Illuminati, and whether they are also responsible for putting the entire Catholic Church at risk.

This is actually my favourite Dan Brown novel, and I have read it a few times already. I found the blend of religion, history, and mystery a very satisfying combination. In addition to well developed characterization, the plot had wonderful twists and turns that kept you guessing until the very end.

Evanovich, Janet.  Motor Mouth.  New York:  HarperCollins, 2006.

 There are bad guys, and then there are really bad guys.  Barney and Hooker (aka the good guys) are hot on the trail of their missing friend Gobbles when they accidentally (sort of) steal an eighteen wheeler, find a dead body, and find themselves being chased by the really bad guys.

 Motor Mouth is a fast paced read offering lots of laughs, just the right amount of mystery, and quirky characters that keep the plot rolling.

Rosenbaum, Bev Katz.  I was a Teenage Popsicle.  New York:  Berkley Jam, 2006.

When Floe Ryan wakes up from being vitrified (frozen) for 10 years, life is NOT as she left it.  Left in the care of her younger sister (as her parents remain frozen,) Floe must learn to live with advances in technology, style, and the fact that life as she knew it is over.  In addition to these challenges, Floe finds out that the Venice Beach Cryonics Center is in jeopardy of closing its doors forever – with her parents bodies still inside!

Witty and fast paced I was a Teenage Popsicle offers a fresh twist to the “Chick Lit” genre, blending science fiction into a compelling little read.

Haddon, Mark.  The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time.  np:  Anchor Canada, 2004.

Unlike many fictional novels about people with disabilities which often use a sibling or friend as a narrator or first person, Mark Haddon creates a novel with autistic Christopher John Francis Boone as the main character.  With an unconventional writing style that includes appendices and mathematical equations, Haddon has created a possible window of understanding for readers to both enjoy and learn from.

Paolini, Christopher.  Eldest:  Inheritance Book Two.  New York:  Alfred A. Knopf, 2005.

In this second part to his Inheritance series, Paolini further develops both the adventures of Eragon and his cousin Roran.  As Eragon continues his training with the elves, Roran must lead his entire village south in search of the Varden.  Both plot lines are action packed and well developed, and only one snag decreased my enjoyment of the book; Eragon’s declining relationship with the elven princess Arya.  However, part of me believes that Paolini created this on purpose to show the growth that Eragon must obtain before he is truly a Rider.  I am curious to read the last book(s) to see what develops, and for Paolini to impress me with both his imagination and his attention to detail.

Toten, Teresa. Better than Blonde. Toronto: Puffin, 2007.

It’s the 1970’s and Sophie Kandinsky is a first generation Canadian dealing with problems that none of her friends can imagine. Her father (who she told her friends was dead) has recently been released out of prison and has moved back home with her and her mother. Her aunts (who aren’t really related to her) are always there for her, but have no clue as to what it’s like being a teenager with a pretend dead father, and a workaholic mother. Her friends, the Blondes, are great, but they all have their own issues (especially Madison, who just found out she’s adopted.) This is all on top of the fact that the love of her life is currently dating someone whom Sophie (and all of her friends) can not stand.

Better than Blonde is better than the average YA read. Maybe it’s the intelligent humour, the characters you just can’t help sympathizing with, or the surprise twists and turns, but Better than Blonde is an exceptionally well written novel appealing to female young adults and adults alike.