Third Batch of Books Completed!

Here are the books I have recently finished:

All five books had female protagonists.  All were quite good but very different. Here is my ranking from least to most favorite read:

5. Born Blue by Han Nolan.  Abandoned by her drug addict mother, Janie is first exposed to "the ladies" (singers like Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday) in foster care. A gifted singer herself, Janie sets off on a self-destructive journey to become a famous singer. This is a gritty, sad, and disturbing but well-written book.  4 stars.

4. The Great Wall of Lucy Wu by Wendy Wan-Long Shan. Eleven-year-old basketball player Lucy is all set to have the best year ever when her sister goes off to college, leaving Lucy with her own room. She is convinced that her year is ruined, however, when her parents make her share her room with her great-aunt visiting from China and attend Chinese School on Saturdays, which conflicts with basketball. Intended for elementary students, this cute and engaging novel explores Chinese culture, basketball, and the importance of family.  4 stars.

3. Evolution, Me, and Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande.  Members of Mena's über-religious church ostracize her after a letter she writes involves them in a nasty lawsuit. Things get worse when the same church targets her biology teacher after she begins teaching a unit on evolution. This book does get a little preachy and the ending is a bit rushed, but it provides interesting insight into the ongoing debate between evolutionists and creationists. 4 stars.

2.  Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver.  After a bizarre car accident, popular high school girl Sam finds herself reliving the last day of her life over and over. A well written, realistic, and poignant picture of high school.  4 1/2 stars.

1. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler.  Fifteen-year-old Virginia is overweight and miserable, the only member of her family who isn't thin, gorgeous, and popular. While at first she obsesses to lose weight, it no longer seems to be important once a horrible scandal rocks the family to its core.  A marvelous story of self-discovery and empowerment. 4 1/2 stars.

I go back to work in two weeks but I am going to try my best to get through at least one more batch of books before school starts. To the library I go!