Winter Rose by Jennifer Donnelly

I just finished Winter Rose by Jennifer Donnelly, book two in the rose trilogy. Once again, I couldn't put this book down. I read this book as soon as I woke up in the mornings and before I went to bed for the last week. The formula was very similar to that of Tea Rose with several split second misses but I was so engaged with the characters that I did not mind some of the predictability. I fell in love with India and Sid and rooted for them the whole way. Donnelly does a remarkable job of telling a love story as well as writing a wonderful villian. I might take a break from the rose series for a while but I certainly play on finishing the trilogy with the Wild Rose.

I am J by Cris Beam

I am J was an interesting read. The book starts with the main character J feeling as if he was meant to be born a boy. We follow J on a journey through speaking it out loud to himself and finally to his best friend Melissa and Mother. J learns a lot about himself and those he loves throughout the book. I have not read anything before on transgender teens but thought this was a wonderful insight into a world I am unfamiliar with. I think students would enjoy learning about another teens experience with transgender.

Lockdown by Alexander G. Smith

Lockdown is book one of the Furnace series. I am very interested how this series will continue. Alex has started a career as a petty thief. One night a routine break-in goes horribly wrong. Men dressed in all black have killed his best friend Toby and framed Alex for his murder. Alex is on the run for murder. All murderers are sent to "The Furnace" for a life sentence. The Furnace is a brand new prison with no potential for escape. After finishing the book, I still have so many questions. Who were the men in black? Why did the men frame Alex? Will Alex ever get out of Furnace? You will have to read the Furnace series to find out any of the answers.

The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove by Lauren Kate

 I enjoyed Lauren Kate's novel Fallen so I brought this book home a while ago to read. I finished Tea Rose and was looking for something to read over the weekend. I finished this book in one day. The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove was a fast and fun read about the life of the "it" girl in high school vying for the title of Princess for the annual Palmetto court. Natalie will stop at nothing to attain the title. I thought this was a great debut and I think the high school girls will also enjoy this title.

The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly

Every once in a while I read an outstanding book and The Tea Rose is one of those books. My sister recommended this one to me over a year ago. I took her recommendation, and purchased the book for the library. I devoured this book. I couldn't put it down and am anxious to read the next two in the series Winter Rose and Wild Rose. The book has romance, mystery, intrigue.
Summary
In 1888, Fiona Finnegan and Joe Bristow hoard shillings and pennies so that they can marry and open a shop. But Jack the Ripper stalks the streets of London's East End, and poverty threatens from the shadows. Setting the story in motion is the murder of Fiona's father, a dock worker whose union activities angered his tea-company boss. Fiona and her younger brother must flee to New York City to avoid their own murders. Through hard work and luck, Fiona and her beloved Joe prosper on opposite sides of the Atlantic. Misunderstandings and mistakes keep them apart as they build separate lives and incredible fortunes. Children's book writer Donnelly effortlessly takes her narrative through slums and high society while intertwining a number of subplots without tangling them. Both major and minor characters capture and hold interest and sympathy. 

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

I LOVED this book. I read Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver and wasn't expecting much from this series. I loved every minute of this book and can not wait to start the sequel. With so many series in the library I often don't finish a series or rush to get to the next one. I am torn if I should read Pandemonium right now, or wait until the third and final book in the series is released next year. I thought this book was similar to Matched by Ally Condie and Divergent by Veronica Roth. If you are a fan of the dystopian thrillers you will enjoy this one.
Summary
Lena Haloway is content in her safe, government-managed society. She feels (mostly) relaxed about the future in which her husband and career will be decided, and looks forward to turning 18, when she’ll be cured of deliria, a.k.a. love. She tries not to think about her mother’s suicide (her last words to Lena were a forbidden “I love you”) or the supposed “Invalid” community made up of the uncured just beyond her Portland, Maine, border. There’s no real point—she believes her government knows how to best protect its people, and should do so at any cost. But 95 days before her cure, Lena meets Alex, a confident and mysterious young man who makes her heart flutter and her skin turn red-hot. As their romance blossoms, Lena begins to doubt the intentions of those in power, and fears that her world will turn gray should she submit to the procedure. In this powerful and beautifully written novel, Lauren Oliver, the bestselling author of Before I Fall, throws readers into a tightly controlled society where options don’t exist, and shows not only the lengths one will go for a chance at freedom, but also the true meaning of sacrifice