Wait, Music is Your LIfe? Nuh Uh!

Summer Bird Blue is yet another story about someone who claims that "Music is my life!"
Right away I was turned off by that.  Because doesn't everyone claim that to be true, at one point or another?
But maybe that's the point.
Maybe that is claimed by so many characters in YA and tween fiction, to create any kind of interest at all. 
The main character, Rumi is SO very unlikable, well before her sister dies.  And the sisters are so ridiculous rude and mean to their mother, whom they readily admit is a good mom and nice to them.  It was interesting that Rumi was asexual, even if all it proved was that asexual people can be just as boring and unlikable those with other kinds of sexuality. 

Memory

Memory is a selection of images, some elusive, others imprinted indelibly on the brain. The summer I killed my father I was 10 years old. My brother Poe was 9, and my sister Cisely has just turned 14.

That's Not What Happened addresses that in a powerful way. 

It's the Last Time the First Time

The Last Time I Lied has nothing to do with this song.  But man I loved that song.  This book was wonderfully suspenseful without being stressful to the point where I had to go to the end and work backward just to calm my nerves.  Which I do not enjoy!  Very well done I thought.  Creepy.  I was surprised by the ending, really.  But I think the ending was fair, not a trick. 

Jane Doe

A History of Jane Doe was good.  It was very good.  A very moving and real look at depression.  Very sad.  I do recommend it.  But it is very sad, but yet hopeful.  But yeah...sad.  I really liked Jane's parents.  And Ray and Simon and Ray's mom and Jane herself and also Ray's mom's boyfriend.  Good, good book. 

To Lose a Friend

The Chaos of Standing Still was again one of those books written so well that I just think the author, Jessica Brody, had to have had the soul-crushing experience of losing a best friend.  Having had this soul-crushing experience, I feel that way.  The thing is, the main character here lost her best friend in drunk driving accident (the other guy walked away without a scratch-- and I am STILL the only one who thinks Prohibition is a good idea?!?)
There is survivor guilt at play here.  Ryn dealing with the divorce of her parents, and falling in love.  Great, great book.  Also, it was neat to have this set in the Denver Airport.  Which is quite the place!  And Blucifer IS SCARY!  I agree!!