Paradigm by Ceri A. Lowe

Release Date:  June 2014

Genre: Dystopian

When and Where:  Past - London, England; Future -  The Community, run by The Industry

Protagonists:  Alice (the past) and Carter (the future)

The Story:  87 years ago, the Storms started, destroying the land.  Alice Davenport, stuck in her apartment after her mother left for work, goes to sleep as the rain starts and wakes from a fever to find the world forever changed.  The Storms haven't stopped, London is flooded, and the water continues to rise.  Surviving by using her wits, Alice is rescued by a group of people from Paradigm Industries.  Taken to an underground stronghold to wait out the Storms, Alice grows from a timid child to a determined young woman.  Life as part of The Industry is infinitely appealing - everyone is treated equally, everyone's needs are met, and no one goes hungry.  The Model ensures that everyone and everything in The Industry runs efficiently, and Alice is an eager part of this new world order.

87 years into the future, Carter Warren has woken from stasis as a Candidate for Controller General.  He must prove his abilities outreach those of the other potential Candidates, and many people within the community believe that Carter will be able to bring dissenters back into The Industry fold.  As Carter prepares to prove himself, he investigates a rebellion to which he is unexpectedly tied; the rebellion has a stronger hold than Carter expects, and The Industry has been keeping secrets.

Reaction:  Wow, wow, wow!  I loved Paradigm!  Switching back and forth between the past and the present, this unique novel shares the end of the world and how people adapted to it through Alice's story and the outcome of the development of a new world order, through Carter's story.  This dystopian novel focuses more on the development of a new society and the implications for people as society continues to evolve (or devolve).  The narrative switching in this novel is artfully done, though I must admit that I found Alice's story more interesting than Carter's.  Left with a major cliffhanger, Paradigm is the first in a trilogy, and I will absolutely be reading the second and third stories in the series - Carter's story is just getting started, and I can't wait to find out what happens next.

If You Liked...  Legend or The Knife of Never Letting Go, then Paradigm  will be right up your alley!

Rating: 5

Teacher Notes: This novel touches on sensitive issues including pregnancy and assault. 

Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski

Release Date: March 2014

Genre:  Contemporary fiction with a paranormal twist

When and Where: Modern Day, New York

The Story:  When a group of high school students are unintentionally inoculated with a flu vaccine that has some unexpected results, all bets are off.  The strangest side effect?  Students can not only read people's minds, but have entire mental conversations with people who have the same ability.  Suddenly, no one's secrets are safe.  In some cases, having ESP is an incredible benefit, while in other situations, the results are downright devastating for the "listener."  Told from one point of view, while also following a specific set of students, Don't Even Think About It is full of laugh-out-loud and tear-inducing moments.

Reaction:  Let's face it - we have all wondered what someone else was thinking a time or two, and Don't Even Think About It explores these ideas in depth.  Exploring concepts of friendship, romance, and parent-teen interactions, Don't Even Think About It allows the reader to imagine what it would be like if you could know what other people think and how you would feel once you knew.  Thoroughly entertaining!

Rating:  4

Rival (Unholy Alliance #2) by Lacy Yager

Release Date:  November 2013

Genre:  Paranormal Romance

Protagonists:  Emily Santos and Brett Carson, teens

The Story:  As a fifth generation Chaser, Emily has trained in martial arts in the hopes of some day following the family tradition of tracking and eliminating vampires.  Perceived as poorly trained and weak by her family, Emily's determined to prove her strength and worth.  She doesn't have anything to prove to Brett Carson, her sparring partner.  Brett harbors a health issue he is determined to keep hidden, but when the pair join forces to fend of a vampire attack, both Brett and Emily find they will never be the same again.

Reaction: Slow to get moving, the plot in Rival was much more romance than paranormal.  I really liked how Emily was written as a strong female character with a study in martial arts, and I found it refreshing that the boy was more aware of the romance than Emily.  The perspective switches from back and forth, which gives deeper insight into each character's thoughts and feelings.  This one was a little too romance-heavy for me, but it was an interesting addition to the Unholy Alliance series.

Rating:  3

Faery Swap by Susan Kaye Quinn

Release Date:  December 2013

Genre: Fantasy

When and Where:  Present Day England, alternate worlds

Protagonist:  Finn

The Story:  Determined to keep his sister and himself from drawing the attention of Child Protective Services, Finn does everything he can to get his sister and himself fed and off to school and back each day.  After dropping his sister off at school, Finn is approached by a strange boy who compels him into picking up a coin - little does he know that this simple act of kindness is a trick designed to allow Prince Zaneyr the ability to take over Finn's body and send Finn to the Otherworld.  Zaneyr is determined to stop the Faery King from risking lives, and is willing to sacrifice Finn to ensure that the King's plan doesn't work, but Finn isn't willing to go without a fight.

Reaction: Some fantasy books are easier to jump into than others, and Faery Swap started off a bit slow.  The plot picked up steam after the first few chapters, however, and all magical elements common in fantasy had their own unique slant, which made for an enjoyable read.  I especially liked the supporting characters Pyx and Liranna, who really helped propel the story forward.  This book is going to serve a specific niche in a classroom, and it is a nice companion to books such as Fablehaven.

Rating:  3

Teacher Notes: Check out the book trailer here.