The Haunting of Sunshine Girl by Paige Mckenzie

Sunshine is very miserable.  Her mother gets a new job which moves them across the country & Sunshine must leave the only home and friends she’s ever known.  To make matters worse, the town where they moved rarely sees the sun & the house they move into is dark, damp and possibly haunted.  As Sunshine discovers more creepy occurrences in the house, she begins to wonder what REALLY happened to the old inhabitants and more importantly who she is.

Content Notes:                       

If made into a book, this book would be rated PG-13.  There are some creepy ghost occurrences and one of the characters in the story is possessed at one point.

Teacher Notes:

I enjoyed this book & feel it would be ok for mature 6^th grade students to read.  It was a really creepy ghost story that had a good fantasy twist to it!

Inked by Eric Smith

As Caenum’s birthday looms closer, he begins to be more concerned about what exactly his “Inking” will bring.  Set in a world where Citadel tattoos determine your fate in live, Caenum is caught between staying to see his fate & fleeing to take his chances in the outside world.  When unexpected events occur the night before his “inking” Caenum is thrust into a world that he is fated to lead.

Content Notes:                       

If made into a book, this book would be rated PG-13.  There are various curse words throughout the story.

 

Teacher Notes:
I enjoyed the story line.  Aside from the infrequent cursing, this would be middle school appropriate.  It did, however, have just enough bad language to keep me from recommending it to my 6^th grade students.

Impossible by Nancy Werlin

Lucy is faced with a crazy mother and an uncertain future until she is adopted by a sweet family that she loves.  As she tries to put her past behind her, tragedy happens and she realizes she has fallen under a family curse.  Can she be saved in time & break the fairy curse that has been upon her family for generations?

Content Notes:                       

This book discusses topics such as rape and teen pregnancy.  I would not recommend this book for Middle School or Jr. High students.

Teacher Notes:

This is a good story, but not appropriate for my middle school students.

Book Trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNjavMx1Jlw

Scorched by Mari Mancusi

Trinity is struggling after her mother’s death.  Stuck with a grandfather who spends money on seemingly frivolous things, Trinity is facing the very real possibility that they are getting ready to lose everything.  All that changes, however when Trinity’s grandfather brings home the “last dragon egg”.  Her speculation turns to incredulity when the egg begins to talk to her….and soon she is caught up in a battle where she must choose which side to really believe.

Content Notes:                       

This book has some bad language.  If made into a movie, it would be rated PG-13.

 Teacher Notes:

I actually picked this up a year ago, read the first chapter & put it back down.  At the urging of one of my students, I decided to give it another shot and this time read through the first few chapters before I quit.  I really enjoyed this book!  Once I gave it a second shot I couldn’t put it down.  I would recommend this book to middle school students & up.

Book Trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B66s6lxoQ_Q

 

Icefall by Matthew J. Kirby

With her king father caught in a deadly war, Solveig along with her siblings are sent to a hidden fortress to wait out the war.  Once the ice freezes, the royal siblings along with the soldiers sent to protect them are separated from the rest of the world by a frozen sea of ice.  Treacherous acts begin to take place with every person suspecting the other.  No one realizes who is responsible or how deep the treachery goes.

Content Notes:                       

None J

Teacher Notes:

Great book!  I highly recommend to any student who loves a good fantasy or a book about kings and queens set in the medieval period.  

The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson

In an effort to prevent war, Arabella is being forced to marry an old man who she has never met before.  Seeing no other way out, Arabella (or Lia as she is known throughout the rest of the book), takes her ladies maid and runs away to start a new life far from wars, kingdoms, and being a princess.  Lia soon discovers, however, that no matter how far she runs, she cannot escape her destiny or her duty to her kingdom.

Content Notes:

The book has bad language & mild sexual content (kissing, discussions about sex, a character is an unwed mother).

Teacher Notes:

This book is not appropriate for middle school students but would be appropriate for mature Jr. High and High School students. While a little slow at the beginning, the storyline did pick up as the book went along.  This book is similar to The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson.

 

The Circle: Book One of the Sidhe by Cindy Cipriano

Calum Ranson’s family is full of secrets.  Magic swirls around them, and as Calum starts to lose his abilities, he begins to worry.   When a new girl comes to town, strange things begin to happen.  Calum must decide who to trust in a battle to regain loved ones who have been lost.   

Content Notes:

No bad language or inappropriate content.

Teacher Notes:

I loved this fantasy book!  If you liked the Fablehaven books by Brandon Mull or the Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black you would like this book!

 Book Trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgZugrFB6OE

 

The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa

Racing against time, Allie, Kanin, and Jackal, set out to defeat the evil vampire Sarren.  Dealing with heartbreak of losing Zeke only makes the journey all the more difficult.  Will Allie come to grips with his death and stop Sarren from destroying the world?  Or will she succumb to her grief and become the monster the humans think she has become?

Content Notes:

The book contains several scenes with bad language.  It also has a lot of violence and gore.

Teacher Notes:

While I really enjoyed this series, like the 2^nd and third books, this book is not appropriate for middle school students.  It would be appropriate for mature Jr. High students or High School students and above.

Inhuman by Kat Falls

Lane McEvoy has always enjoyed the safety and security of living in the sterile environment behind the wall.  In a post viral world, Lane’s curiosity about the Feral Zone is not strong enough to make her leave the safety of home.  Things change however, when her dad is accused of illegally smuggling and Lane is forced to confront her biggest fears in order to save her dad.

Content Notes:

The book briefly mentions kissing in the first chapter. Other content includes violence when the main characters fight some inhuman characters.   

Teacher Notes:

This book is appropriate for all middle school students.  This book is a dystopian book that has a fantasy element to it.  I haven’t read anything like it and thought it was great! J

Conjured by Sarah Beth Durst

Eve is being chased by a serial killer.  To make matters worse, she has no idea why he’s chasing her and can’t even remember her past.  Her dreams at night are filled with circus images and an old woman who tells stories.  Could this be a clue to her past?  Eve must navigate between the real and the imagined to find her way to safety.

 

Content Notes:

This book would be rated PG if made into a movie.

Teacher Notes:

This book is appropriate for all middle school students. 
Book Trailer:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5b4nQKM-YE

 

Silver by Chris Wooding

Stuck at boarding school, Paul is trying desperately to make the best of a bad situation.  Things begin to change when a silver beetle is found in the woods.  What the students and teachers think is a new species, looks remarkably like a tiny robot.  Suddenly a strange new infection spreads across the students and teachers….and the fight to survive becomes surreal.

Content Notes:

This book has a zombie type infection spread through the students and staff.  For this reason, the book would be rated PG-13 if made into a movie.

Teacher Notes:

This book is appropriate for all middle school students. 
Book Trailer:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-mQi9MlKVA

The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa

Alli Sekemoto’s adventures continue as she struggles back across the United States looking for her creator, Kanin.  During her search, she unwittingly crosses path with her “brother” Jackal.  Despite their differences, they join together in their search; a search that leads right back to where Alli started….New Covington and a deadly new plague that hunts both vampires and humans.

 Content Notes:

This book has some boy/girl relationship issues, language, and violence.  If made into a movie it would be rated PG-13.

Teacher Notes:

While the first book in this series didn’t have anything I felt was major, this second book isn’t appropriate for 6^th grade students.  I would recommend this book for 7^th graders and up or mature 6^th grade students whose parents were aware of the content.

Goddess by Josephine Angelini

This final book in the Starcrossed series finds the characters on the brink of war.  While Helen is filled with dreams of defeat, she continues to battle on with both her Greek god family and her mortal friends as they prepare to face an epic battle that could change the face of human history.
 

Content Notes:

This book has language, violence, and some boy/girl relationship issues.  If made into a movie it would be PG-13. 

 

Teacher Notes:

I would not recommend this series to 6^th grade students.  In my opinion it is more appropriate for grades 7^th and up.

 

The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

Ethan Chase has tried to stay away from the Fey for his entire life even though they can’t seem to leave him alone.  When a new school brings a half-blood, Todd who desperately needs help, Ethan is reluctant to become involved.  Todd’s disappearance, however, thrusts Ethan into a battle he never wanted to join; a battle filled with hard decisions and involving a world Ethan never wanted to see again.

Content Notes:

This book has some bad language.  If made into a movie, it would be rated PG-13 due to the language.

Teacher Notes:

Due to the language, this book may not be suitable for all 6^th grade students.

Deadly Offer by Caroline B. Cooney

When Althea opens the shuttered attic, that she was told explicitly not to do, she discovers a vampire who promises to offer her popularity in exchange for victims.  What starts out as a good exchange quickly snowballs into understanding as Althea begins to realize the true consequences of her actions.  Will she choose to do the right thing or continue to appease the vampire in order to keep up the friends she so desperately craves?

 

Content Notes:

This book has one brief mention of sex.  Past that, this book would be rated PG if made into a movie. 

Teacher Notes:

This book did creep me out just a bit! J  As with most Caroline B. Cooney books, this book is suitable for middle school kids and up.  As students read, they should pay attention to the text structure of the book (cause and effect). 

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

In a dystopian society, Allie Sekemoto has been struggling to survive.  When an illness called Red Lung began to kill off the human population, hidden vampires emerged attempting to save their food supply.  Allie has a deep hatred for these vampires and has spent her life trying to avoid them, until she is faced with death and chooses to join them.  What follows is her struggle to keep her humanity and save the remnants of the human population.

Content Notes:

This book has numerous fighting scenes and lots of “bloods and guts” type stuff.   It also contains a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship although it’s mainly kept in the PG realm.  If made into a movie this book would be rated PG-13. 

Teacher Notes:

This book may not be suitable for all middle school students.  A similar book would be the Twilight series.