Cinder by Marissa Mayer

Cinder lives in New Beijing, when she meets prince Kai, she must hide her true identity. When tragedy strikes her family and when the prince invites her to the ball, Cinder must choose between saving her country and her love for Kai.

This first book of The Luna Chronicles offers a picture of how the human race changed after a catastrophic war. Lunars have been trying to control the Earth by using "special powers" and the citizens of the commonwealth are struggling with the plague.

I really enjoyed reading this science fiction novel and recommend it to students to junior high and high school grades. You'll relate many of the events to Cinderella but with added twists and turns!

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Cinder returns in the second thrilling installment of the Lunar Chronicles. She’s the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive.

On the other side of the world, Scarlet Benoit’s  begins a dangerous journey when she meets Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband,       her king, her prisoner.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The Fault in Our Stars is both hilarious and heartbreaking. 

This story is about teenagers with cancer, their lifestyle, celebrations and struggles.  The movie is coming in June 2014! Can't wait to see it!! In the mean time, here is a preview to get students' interest in the story. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2582846/

I highly recommend this book to students 7th through 12th grades.

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

This historical fiction story will describe a wonderful friendship between two girls with very different lives. Maddie has lived a simple, quiet life, she loved to learn about engines. Julie lived a privileged life with her mom and siblings, she spoke English, French and German and she was very popular and loved by everyone. Maddie and Julie meet each other before World War II. When they're both working for the British Air Force, their missions take them beyond their own imagination and their loyalty is tested by the capture of one of these girls.

This story is written in two points of view, it has a great plot and a surprising twist. Each narrator will give full details of their experience. The war was devastating for all soldiers, including the young women that volunteered to serve their country.

I would recommend this book to 8th grade students and up. There are a lot of scenes that can be confusing to younger readers. Elizabeth Wein did an outstanding job when describing a time when women would not be considered equal to men in the armed forces, the relationship between the characters shows depth and courage, loyalty and respect even during trying times.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

Two Hispanic teenagers learn about life during a unique experience on a 1987 summer. Ari and Dante have different backgrounds but their one common thing is that they don't have deep relationships with any other teenagers. Dante knows a lot about many subjects and Ari learns from him how to deal with his feelings. When Ari begins to ask himself about his own life, he discovers that he has issues that he had not been aware of before. His parents grow closer to him as he prepares to grow into adulthood.

The False Prince

The False Prince by Jennifer A Nielsen

Sage is an orphan, Conner a nobleman with a plan to take over a kingdom. This story is filled with adventure and a twist that will surprise young readers! I highly recommend this book for students that like historical/adventure stories 6th grade an up!