Lush by Natasha Friend ***178 pagesRealistic Fiction

Lush by Natasha Friend is about a family who struggles with an alcoholic father. The main character, Sam, is very conflicted because her life revolves around making sure her little brother, Luke, stays safe. Her mother is into yoga, so much so that the family is almost driven mad by it. Sam dislikes that her mother does yoga to avoid everything else because she pretends nothing is wrong. That is, until one day, when Sam is left to babysit Luke while her dad has a short temper. When Luke starts to hoot and holler on the couch, Sam joins him feeling the need to relieve some stress. Their father, who was trying do work in his office, came storming out. That night, he had too much to drink, and it was downhill from there. He went over to Luke and smashed a bottle over his head. From that point, Luke was traumatized, and wasn’t himself. He usually was very enthusiastic and now was as quiet as a mouse. Sam’s mother then realizes something needs to be done. While the family seeks help, a neighboring family helps out, even though Charlie Parker, an enemy of Sam, is in it. Does Sam find something out from Charlie she didn’t know before? What happens to her dad after his violent behavior?
I thought Lush was something new to read, and it was definitely interesting. At the same time though, I had trouble relating to it since I have never encountered the same problems as Sam.
Rating: ***
Alana F.Period 3

The Cupcake Queen by Heather Hepler****242 pages Realistic Fiction

The Cupcake Queen is about a fourteen-year-old girl named Penny Lee who has a lot of crazy things going on in her life. Not only are her parents divorcing, but she has to deal with moving all the way from Manhattan to a little town named Hog’s Hollow, where they crown a Hog Queen every fall. She feels that she has no say in what is happening and feels like her parents are completely blocking her out. Her mom owns a new bakery, called The Cupcake Queen, where she helps out and goes to in her spare time. She knows how to decorate the cupcakes and is a very creative girl. One day, when her mom needs help to catering a party, Penny decides to go. Only when they get there does she realize it is for the meanest, most selfish girl in Hog’s Hollow, Charity, who also happens to be in her grade. From there, disaster strikes. Cupcakes fly, ruining the party, but worse, Charity haunts Penny from then on. At school, Penny is bullied by Charity and her friends, leaving Penny to end up being completely aggravated with her life at Hog’s Hollow. Only when she meets some friends, Tally, Blake, and Marcus, do things look up. Penny even enters a contest to create a float for the Hog Queen Parade!
Will Charity ruin her chances at winning? What happens when Penny’s dad offers to let her come back to New York City? Penny is forced to make big decisions, but luckily has her friends by her side. Rating: ****Alana F.

Viola in Reel Life by Adriana Trigiani****282 pages Realistic Fiction

Viola in Reel Life is about a girl named Viola who loves making movies. She is used to her life in Brooklyn, but one day her parents decide she is going to attend a school in Indiana, called The Prefect Academy for Young Women, for a year when they are away. At first she dislikes it, doubting her parents’ choice. She misses her home and friends and is confused because everyone seems find the school interesting but her. Viola tends to hide behind her camera, viewing the world from her own perspectives. She is very artistic and creative, which helps her eventually fit in. She even finds someone who has the same interests in film as she does and enters a film competition. After a while, she begins to realize how beautiful Indiana really is and how great her roommates at the school are. Viola learns to become independent and has experiences that would have never happened in Brooklyn. She becomes more open to others and is surprised by what a good year she has.

I would definitely recommend this book to someone who has attended summer camp or has been away from home before because you will really be able to relate to the challenges Viola faces when she is on her own. Rating: ****Alana F.

The Patron Saint of Butterflies by Cecilia Galante****

The Patron Saint of Butterflies by Cecilia Galante****292 pagesRealistic FictionThe Patron Saint of Butterflies by Cecilia Galante is about two girls, Agnes and Honey, who live at a religious commune called Mount Blessing. Everyone at the commune is called a “Believer,” and they follow a man named Emmanuel. Agnes and Honey have been best friends since birth, but as they get older, their friendship fades, too. Honey has always been a little different than everyone else: knowing what the world is like outside of Mount Blessing, breaking rules, and doubting her beliefs in Emmanuel. She doesn’t have much of a family to look after her, for her mother left her at the commune. Agnes, on the other hand, has a family, and strongly believes in the religion, trying to be perfect and become a saint. One day when Nana Pete, Agnes’s grandmother, visits the commune unexpectedly, she finds out Mount Blessing has a dangerous secret. To keep the girls safe, she brings Agnes, her little brother Benny, and Honey back to her house in Texas. On the way, they are startled by the world they’ve never known. Automatic doors, restaurants, and stores thrill Honey, while Agnes is opposed. Her only goal is to concentrate on what is holy and saint-like, hoping to someday return to Mount Blessing. Unfortunately, there is another big secret that Honey discovers soon after about herself and Agnes. What will happen to these girls, their families, and the rest of the “Believers” at Mount Blessing?
Rating: ****Alana F.Period 3