Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork

This summer I read Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork. This book is about a young man named Marcelo who has some form of Asperger's Syndrome. While the book certainly focuses on this aspect of Marcelo, somehow Marcelo himself is the star here, and not the fact that he has Asperger's. The novel takes us through Marcelo's summer working at his father's law firm instead of working at the school where he has spent years alongside other students with similar learning disabilities. At the law firm Marcelo meets a beautiful young girl, a spoiled young man, and gets involved in a contraversial case at the law firm. He works through the summer learning more about himself, his father, and the world outside his shelterd experience. I REALLY enjoyed this book!

Feed by M. T. Anderson

I just finished listening to this book on CD. What an experience! Feed takes place in the future in an America that is amazingly and troublingly like the America we all know. Even though people live in pods hovering just over the surface of the earth and fly around in mini air planes called up-cars they still talk like Americans, dress like Americans, and act like Americans: slang is rampant (think unit instead of dude...you know like "Unit, that girl is hot!"), fads in clothing and hair are strange and based on popularity (remember the 80's? Yeah...I don't want to either.), and no one can miss their favorite programs on the feed (TV anyone?). And what is the feed? It is a chip. A computer installed in the user's brain and hardwired to the body. It interacts with all systems in the body regulating temperature (no fevers!) breathing (no asthma!) and constantly providing the user with images, music, information, news, programs, and advertisements for products tailored to the user's preferences. This is basically like being constantly hooked up to the Internet, television, TiVo, satellite, radio, and your local newspaper all at once. How great would that be? Awesome unless you think of the cost. Our bodies relying on the feed for our health? Americans all hooked up to the feed while poor countries are cut off from the prosperity we enjoy? Sounds like a recipe for disaster. Add a serving of young love and you've got a recipe for an awesome read. Anderson's languange is spot on with teens in the future sounding surprisingly similar to teens today. A GREAT book. Try it out! Till next time! -Suzanne

Gossip Girl Series by Cecily von Ziegesar

Want a little guilty pleasure in your reading life? Look no further. The girls in the Gossip Girl series have it all! Money to burn, hot boyfriends, and time on their hands. Read them for a little spark in your life! Better yet, listen to the CD's...Christina Ricci reads them! Till next time! -Suzanne