Cupid by Julius Lester

Just in time for Valentine's Day, we bring you a new retelling of Cupid and Psyche's classic love story.

The basic story is the same as what you might remember from mythology class. Psyche's beauty steals the limelight from Venus the goddess of Love. In her vanity, Venus sends her son Cupid down to Kingdom-by-the-Great-Blue-Sea to teach Psyche a lesson. What Venus did not count on was Cupid being so taken by Psyche's beauty both inside and out that he too would fall in love with her. Their love seems doomed from the start - Psyche's sisters, Venus' hatred, and Cupid's pride all work against their happiness.

Julius Lester's rambling, friendly style of storytelling will be loved by some and hated by others. He fills in the gaps where he feels the story was missing important details and, in fact, gets into arguments with the story about which details are important and where he should just get on with telling the story.

A highly enjoyable read for both lovers of mythology and those looking for a good romance to snuggle up with.

Find this book shelved under Y LES

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin

After going back to the yearbook room for the camera, Naomi slips on the stairs and hits her head, erasing her memories since sixth grade. She finds herself in a world where her parents are suddenly divorced, she has a half sister she never knew about, she has never met her best friend, and her jock boyfriend wants more from her than she's willing to give.

While Naomi's amnesia makes her situation unique, she is very easy to identify with. The book is divided into three sections: "I was," "I am," and "I will be." Using her amnesia and the eventual return of her memories as a springboard to examine her life, Naomia looks at who she remembers herself being, who she has become, and where she wants to go. On a whim she cuts her hair, tries out for the school play, dumps her boyfriend, and persues James, the mysterious boy who found her unconcious at the bottom of the stairs.

Check this book out if you are looking for a sweet, sad, vulnerable read. There are moments when the book tries a bit too hard, but with this book that works because Naomi is trying so hard herself to find out who she is and where she fits in.

Find this book shelved under Y ZEV.

I'd Tell you I Love You but then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter

What isn't cool about going to spy-school? As a sophomore, Cammie Morgan is fluent in fourteen different languages, she has learned to blend into a crowd well enough to have earned the nickname "the Chameleon," and she's just starting her Covert Operations classes. During the third week of school, her Cov Ops class goes on assignment in town where she meets an ordinary non-spy boy - and one that sees HER!

When faced with romance, Cammie does what she has been taught. She hacks his computer, sorts through his trash, and follows him through town to try and determine his motives. Trying to be a normal girl, though, is not what Cammie has been trained for. Although the plot is sometimes predictable, the quick wit and easy humor make up for it. Although her background is unusual, Cammie is easy to relate to and easier to root for. Check this out for a fun, quick read that will have you giggling all night long.

Find this book shelved under Y CAR

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Teen guest blogger Sarah wrote this review after reading Uglies for our Teen Book Club which meets the first Monday of the month.

In the future, everyone gets plastic surgery when they turn sixteen. The people wiht plastic surgery are called "pretties" and before that, everyone is an "ugly." Tally can't wait to turn pretty and have all the advantages involved, but she meets a girl named Shay who changes all that. Tally gets swept into an adventure in the wild and she finds out what being "pretty" really means. I loved this exciting book. It's full of adventure, secrets, and an awesome story-line that kept me reading for hours at a time. And trist me when I say this, after reading Uglies, you'll want a hover board like you just can't stand it.

Find this book shelved under Y WES