Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

This book caught my eye because the author is from Washington State, my home state YEAH!  Warm Bodies takes the zombie craze and turns it on it's head.  It is told from the point of view of "R" a male zombie.  He is living in an airport with a multitude of other Zombies and strange creatures called Boneys.  He still has some mental capacity but feels it slipping away.  On the night of a raid for food R and his group come upon a group of young scavengers.  He kills a boy named Perry, stuffing his brain in his pocket for later consumption, but not before he got a small bite and shares his thoughts.  Perry's thoughts are of Julie, one of the scavengers. This is the turning point for R and he saves her from certain death.  The book follows R and Julie as he begins to change, to heal.  Soon the world is turned topsy turvy again and the zombies begin to regain humanity and society begins to accept that they should be looking to create a new future instead of recreating the past.  This is a true love story, although wierd.  The writing is beautiful and thoughtful, which is also wierd to say when the topic is Zombies, but what a refreshing take on the end of the world.

Where she went by Gayle Forman

I enjoy when I find a book with the lead character who is a boy.  This story tells the tale of a rock star that has had it with being famous.  At first you just think he is having a break down, a lindsey Lohan moment maybe.  However as the story progresses the reader discovers that Mia, Adam's long lost love, isn't just the girl he never got over, but also has a story of her own.  I had points that I just wanted to scream for them to tell eachother how they felt, but as you now they took their time opening up.  The writing was smooth and kept me reading. 

The Declaration by Gemma Malley

This book follows the premise that many books these days do.  The world has found the secret to living forever but have also discovered that having children would cause over population.  By sixteen people are asked to sign the declaration and they begin to take longevity drugs.  At sixteen they are also promising to not have children.  Parents can discontinue taking the drugs in order to have a child but if they choose to continue to take the drugs the children are taken away to a home and called Surplus.  While in the home they are convinced that they are bad and sucking the resources from those that deserve to live.  They are trained as slaves and treated poorly.  Ana, the main character has beleived all she has been taught and is just happy to have the opportunity to pay back the dept of her parents.  Convinced that they were evil and working against nature for having her, Ana hates them.  When Peter appears and tells her he knows her parents and convinces her all she knows are lies, Ana begins to believe that there is a chance for her to have a life.  As the story progresses characters are connected like dots until the past is unraveled and the future layed out in front of the characters.  I look forward to finding the sequel and following these characters.

Easy by Tammara Webber

I simply loved this book.  I wasn't sure what to expect when I read the title and I am still not sure how it exactly fits but I will forgive them for that.  Jackie, who wants to be called Jaqueline, starts the story shortly after being dumped my her long time boyfriend.  After attending a party she is almost raped and luckly she is rescued by a bystandard who we find out much later is not such an innocent bystandard.  Each charcter has a unique story in the overall novel and character development is wonderful.  I personally fell in love with Lucas the male lead.  Who we discover is not only her choice of rebound guys but is secretly her econ tutor.  Don't worry that isn't a spoiler.  Although she isn't aware of it in the beginning, the reader is. If I had any complaint it would be that I think the author could have gone into more detail as to the aftermath someone may feel when they are so close to being physically attacked.  The entire story is like a multitude of threads all floating individually and as the book comes to an end they all weave togther into a beautiful scarf. 

The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirch

I got this book from my bonus points on Scholastic Book orders and was happily surprised.  The book grabs you from the beginning.  You step right into the action of a world after China unleashed a plague on Norht America.  I like the way that the author touches on political views lightly throughout the book but does not point fingers.  Simply refers to the fact that we don't want to continue to make the same mistakes as we begin to rebuild the world.  Stephan is our main character.  He seeks refuge in an old gated community that has developed into a little town that is trying hard to continue life as it use to be.  Stephan is a scavenger and has missed out on the "normal" they have.  Befriended by Jenny, a Chinese refugee, Stephan and her not only travel on a struggle as where they fit in the world as it is now but also how they fit into eachothers lives.  I recommend this book to all ages.  It is middle grade and up.