The Rapid Reader

Between Two Skies is a YA historical fiction novel by Joanne O'Sullivan. Bayou Perdu is home to Evangeline. But when Hurricane Katrina strikes, Evangeline and her family are forced to move to Georgia to live with relatives until things can be put back together. Evangeline is torn between her new life and yearning for the old. When she connects with Tru, a fellow refugee, Evangeline finally begins to feel at peace. But how will life look now that everything is different? Sex: Evangeline's sister comments that her boyfriend wants to be intimate. There are several heavy make out scenes between Evangeline and Tru. A friend of Evangeline's family is gay. Nothing is very detailed. It's all mostly mentioned in passing. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: Danielle's mother gets drunk at a community event. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: Several people are missing for awhile. A main character dies. Final Note: It's hard to consider a book about Hurrica...

The Star Thief is a junior fantasy novel by Lindsey Becker. Honorine is an orphan and a maid for the Vidalia family. One night, she follows a mysterious girl with wings outside and finds herself swept away into the world of constellations. Stuck in the middle of a battle, Honorine struggles to decide who to trust and defend. Along the way, she discovers many new things about herself and her true potential. Sex: None. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There are several suspenseful fight scenes throughout and some frightening creatures near the end. Final Note: This is a great book for kids who enjoy fantasy. Honorine and her friend Francis are both strong and likeable characters. There's just enough action and adventure to keep it interesting.

The Whole Thing Together is a YA fiction novel by New York Times' Bestselling Author Ann Brashares. Sasha and Ray live in the same place, but never together. They share sisters and a room at the beach house, but they've never officially met. Ray's mother and Sasha's dad used to be married. When they divorced, a feud ensued over the beach house and now the two families share it, alternating weeks in the summer. But when disaster strikes, their families are forced to come together and put their differences aside. Sex: There is a sex scene at the end of the book. Besides that, sex isn't discussed much. Language: Moderate to strong. Drug/Alcohol Use: Some drinking at an engagement party. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There is a pretty devastating death. Final Note: I'm not quite sure what to say about this book. I love Ann Brashares. She's the author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and several other books I've enjoyed. The ide...

Beauty and the Beast: Lost in a Book is a YA fantasy novel by Jennifer Donnelly. A retelling of Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Lost in a Book tells the story of Belle as she adventures through the Beast's library. When she finds a book called Nevermore, Belle discovers that she can enter the book and escape the prison of the Beast's castle. But fantasy is not always better, and sometimes things are not quite what they seem. Sex: None. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: Several suspenseful scenes near the end of the book, but nothing too scary. Final Note: This was a delightful addition to the Beauty and the Beast story! It kept all of the well loved aspects and added a special spin to Belle. It was interesting to read Belle's perspective and feelings about her captivity and how she started to love the Beast.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before, P.S. I Still Love you, and Always and Forever, Lara Jean are the three YA fiction novels in a series by Jenny Han. Lara Jean has had many loves. She wrote them all letters and kept them safely hidden in a hatbox in her room, or so she thought. When her little sister Kitty mails the letters, Lara Jean finds herself having to face everyone. Will it help her find the one she truly loves? **Disclaimer: I've read this entire series but it's been awhile since I read the first book. My content reviews will be over the second and third books in the series. Sex: Lara Jean and her boyfriend aren't sexually active, but sex is talked about a lot. A video of her and her boyfriend in a hot tub circulates around school and it appears to be more than it actually is. While the characters do discuss sex often, and there's a scene that comes close, there are no actual sex scenes in the last two books. Language: Moderate to strong. (I say mod...

The Ethan I Was Before is a middle grade fiction novel by Ali Standish. Ethan and Kacey were the best of friends. But when a terrible accident rips them apart, Ethan and his family pick up and move from Boston to a small town in Georgia. Now Ethan must figure out what life looks like moving forward. He meets Coralee and is enthralled by her marvelous stories. Can the two of them share secrets and give each other the friendship they both long for? Sex: None. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There are several suspenseful scenes. Death is a big part of the story line as well. Final Note: I loved this book! This is Ali Standish's first novel and she hit it out of the park. It was hauntingly beautiful. My heart ached for Ethan. I think readers grades 6-8 would really like this one.

Windfall is a YA fiction novel by Jennifer E. Smith. Alice doesn't believe in luck. If she did, she'd have to accept that she's notoriously unlucky. After losing both of her parents in the span of 13 months, Alice moves to Chicago to live with her aunt, uncle, and cousin. On her best friend Teddy's eighteenth birthday, Alice buys him a lottery ticket. When they discover Teddy has won $140 million, Alice wonders if her luck has changed. But with so much money comes lots of change. Sex: A few kissing scenes. Alice's cousin is gay. Language: Mild. Drug/Alcohol Use: Mild. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: Both of Alice's parents died when she was younger. Final Note: I really enjoyed this book! While it touched on some serious issues, like death and gambling, it was still lighthearted enough to be an easy read. The romance was cute and it was fun to see how much a teenager's life could change with millions of dollars.

Dorothy Must Die is the first book in the YA Dorothy Must Die series by Danielle Page. Amy Gumm wants to escape. Her mother is an alcoholic and everyone at school seems to hate her. But when a tornado strikes and sends her from Kansas to the Land of Oz, Amy discovers she's much stronger than she originally thought. Dorothy has taken over Oz and the love of power has left her evil. Now Amy, the new girl from Kansas, must fight Dorothy, and hopefully bring the magic back to Oz. Sex: None. Amy comments on how seductively Dorothy dresses. Language: Strong. Drug/Alcohol Use: Amy's mother is an alcoholic. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There are several deaths, some gruesome. There's also several battles and fighting. Final Note: While it was an interesting concept and retelling, I didn't particularly care for this book. The language was needlessly strong and the story wasn't as captivating as the original. This is part of a series and I don't in...

The Heir and The Crown are the last two books in the YA Selection series by Kiera Cass. Twenty years after the events of The One, The Heir and The Crown follow the story of King Maxon and Queen America's daughter, Eadlyn. Born seven minutes before her twin brother, Eadlyn is the official heir to the throne. When it seems as though the country is in a state of unrest, Eadlyn's parents encourage her to do the unthinkable: host a Selection to find a husband. Agreeing, just to appease her parents and her country, Eadlyn thinks there's no way she'll find true love. Happily Ever After is a collection of YA companion stories to the first three Selection books. Sex: There are no sex scenes. There are a few kissing scenes, and a character comes out as gay, but there is nothing graphic. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: Mild wine drinking. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: A few references to deaths that occurred in earlier books. Final Note: It was nice t...

Geekerella is a YA fiction novel by Ashley Poston. Elle Wittimer loves Starfield. It was the show she and her dad always watched together, the show that brought her parents together. Before he died, Elle's father started ExcelsiCon, a cosplay convention for Starfield fans. Now Starfield is being remade into a new movie and Elle is desperate to win the ExcelsiCon costume contest so that she can escape her evil stepmother and stepsisters for good. Before the contest, Elle receives an anonymous text from a fellow Starfield fan. As their texting friendship grows, Elle wonders what she'll find at ExcelsiCon. Will her Prince Charming be there? Sex: None. Elle's best friend and coworker tells her she's gay. Language:Mild. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Elle's stepsisters occasionally call her best friend a "druggie," even though she isn't. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: Elle's parents died before the events of this book. Final Note: This wa...

A Study in Charlotte and The Last of August are the first two books in the YA Charlotte Holmes series by Brittany Cavallaro. Jamie Watson and Charlotte Holmes are descendants of the infamous Watson and Holmes. When they meet at boarding school, an unlikely friendship/romance blooms, despite the animosity between their two families. In both books, Jamie and Charlotte take on dangerous mysteries together. Sex: A character is raped, but the scene is not shown. The books are both told mainly from Jamie's perspective and he shares any sensual feelings he has about Charlotte with the reader. Sex is discussed between male characters pretty flippantly. Language: Strong. Drug/Alcohol Use: Charlotte is a drug user, but she does try to hide it and later quits using. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There is an attempted suicide. There are several deaths in both books. Lots of violence between characters and suspenseful scenes. Final Note: As far as the story lines go, I...

Daughter of the Pirate King is a YA fiction/fantasy novel by Tricia Levenseller. Seventeen-year-old Alosa is one of the fiercest pirates around. She purposely gets herself kidnapped to search for the missing piece of a treasure map her father has sent her after. But what she doesn't count on is meeting Riden. Despite their attraction, Alosa has other missions in mind: find the map, keep her true identity a secret, and make her father proud. Sex: The seductiveness of sirens is mentioned. When Alosa is held captive, some of the male pirates make lewd comments. Alosa uses her "womanly charms" to get her way from time to time. Language: Mild. Drug/Alcohol Use: The pirates drink often. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: Alosa is held captive for most of the book. While some of it is of her own choosing, there are some instances where it's not. There are several deaths and fight scenes. Final Note: This was such a fun read! I don't think I've ever ...

Heartless is a YA fantasy novel by New York Times' bestselling author Marissa Meyer. It is an Alice in Wonderland retelling - but it's not what you would think. Catherine has her future all planned out. She's going to open a bakery with her best friend and be the most successful baker in all of Hearts. But when the King of Hearts sets his sights on Cath for marriage, she can see her plans quickly slipping away. Cath's situation is further complicated when she meets the handsome Jest. Will she be able to have the life she so desires? Or will she become the Queen of Hearts? Sex: None. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There is a frightening monster, the Jaberwock, that attacks from time to time. Several characters die. Final Note: I LOVED THIS BOOK. I cannot express how amazing this book is! Marissa Meyer did an amazing job putting her own spin on the world of Wonderland. I'm really hoping she'll write som...

Adorkable is a YA fiction novel by Cookie O'Gorman. Sally is fed up with all of the blind dates her mother and best friend keep forcing on her. When she's had more than enough, Sally comes up with a plan: a fake boyfriend. The only problem? He's her male best friend, Becks: the one guy she's actually in love with. Sex: There are some scenes of "messing around," but they aren't graphic or detailed. For the most part, their relationship is "fake," so nothing too physical happens. Language: Mild. Drug/Alcohol Use: Drinking at parties. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: None. Final Note: Your typical YA romance. I like how Cookie O'Gorman included the "dorky" aspect. This is a pretty lighthearted, happy read.

I Survived the Joplin Tornado, 2011 is a middle grade historical fiction novel by Lauren Tarshis. The twelfth book in the I Survived series, Joplin Tornado tells the story of Dex, an eleven-year-old resident of Joplin, Missouri. Our with a storm chaser, Dex is caught in the middle of the F5 twister when it hits his hometown. Sex: None. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: The tornado scenes are pretty suspenseful. Final Note: The I Survived series is an engaging way to introduce kids to disasters and wars in history. This book in particular tells the story of a disaster that happened fairly recently, so it makes it even more real for the reader. I have nothing but good things to say about these books!

Alex and Eliza is a YA historical fiction novel by Melissa de la Cruz. Written beautifully, this is the love story of Alexander Hamilton and Eliza Schuyler. Eliza is part of one of the most distinguished families in the country. Alex, on the other hand, is an orphan and is only known for his position as General Washington's right-hand man. Although circumstances seem to be working against them, Alex and Eliza continue to find their way back to one another. But is their love enough to last? Sex: There is one scene near the end of the book where a man tries to assault a woman. Soldiers also mention visiting prostitutes in passing. Nothing is graphic or detailed. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: A few drunken scenes by different characters. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: War-related scenes. Final Note: I thought this book was amazing! Melissa de la Cruz has a beautiful writing style and I couldn't help but be drawn in to Eliza and Alex's story. Historica...