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When Justina Griffith wakes up in a ditch, her prom dress tattered and covered in mysterious stains, she can't fathom how she got there.  The massive bump on her head explains her memory loss.  Other than that, nothing makes sense.  Crawling out of the ditch, the 16-year-old hobbles to the 7-Eleven down the street in search of food and a phone.  What she finds is Gilda, a kindly cashier who offers not just a Snickers bar, but also a listening ear.  As she waits for someone to come rescue her, Justina spills out the whole story of her crazy prom night.  What she can remember anyway.  Together, she, Gilda and a handful of early-morning convenience store customers figure out exactly what happened on what was supposed to be the most magical night of Justina's life.  And wasn't.  Or was it? 

Using the stains on her gaudy blue dress as her guide, Justina works her way through all the zany adventures that led to her (literal) ditching.  Woven through all the craziness is the truth she's seeking.  And, maybe, the kind of love of which she's always dreamed.

A debut novel by Robin Mellon, Ditched: A Love Story is a madcap mash-up of adventure, mystery and romance.  The stain-by-stain storytelling device gives the novel a clever format, echoing its fun, lighthearted tone.  Unfortunately, that's about it for the positives.  Mellon's characters (the teen ones, anyway) are—almost without exception—totally shallow.  They live to party, drink, do drugs, and make out (or more).  Maybe this is a completely accurate portrayal of today's youth (if so, then heaven, help us!), but I really don't think it is.  Regardless, fictional characters need to have some depth.  Redeeming qualities are also helpful.  And it's kind of a requirement that heroines care about someone besides themselves.  You've probably guessed by now that Justina Griffith doesn't fit any of those descriptions.  She's an irresponsible, easy, self-absorbed airhead.  I couldn't find anything to like about her, let alone to sympathize with or admire.  Since all of the teens in this book (pretty much) are Justina clones and the plot zooms beyond zany to just plain old silly, the entire novel (pretty much) feels as shallow as its heroine.  I give it points for a clever format, a quick story and above average writing, but that's about it.  

(Readalikes:  Reminded me a little of The DUFF by Kody Keplinger)

Grade:  C-

If this were a movie, it would be rated:  PG-13 for language (no F-bombs), sexual innuendo and depictions of underage drinking/partying as well as illegal drug use

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of Ditched: A Love Story from the generous folks at Disney/Hyperion.  Thank you!

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Cancer books aren't supposed to be funny or quirky or romantic.  They're supposed to be sad, sentimental tearjerkers, right?  Not according to John Green.  The enormously popular YA author's newest, The Fault in Our Stars, deals not just with the Big C, but with kids afflicted by the disease.  Nothing says sad and sentimental quite like that combo.  Except, in Green's hands, it's somehow not.  Instead, it's a bright, swoon-y novel filled with love, life and laughter.  Which doesn't mean you shouldn't have a tissue handy.  You should, because The Fault in Our Stars can also be brutal in all its raw tenderness. 

The story goes a little something like this:  Hazel Lancaster, a 17-year-old suffering from Stage IV thyroid cancer, has given up on trying to live any kind of normal life.  She knows how to face the facts.  It's just something you learn as a kid with terminal cancer.  Hazel's not normal, so why pretend?  Lugging her oxygen tank around the mall while being stared at by curious onlookers really isn't worth the trouble.  She'd rather hang out at home and watch t.v. with her mom or re-read her favorite book.  Really, she would.  

Sick of watching her daughter waste away what's left of her life, Hazel's mother pushes Hazel to join a weekly support group for kids with cancer.  The meetings are totally depressing, of course, not exactly the fun-filled social activities Hazel's mom envisioned.  That is, until one of the group members brings a friend to the meeting.  Augustus Waters, a 17-year-old with osteosarcoma, catches Hazel's eye right away.  Not only is he great looking, smart and funny, but he gets Hazel in a way that no one else does.  It doesn't take long for the two to become inseparable.  But, a love story between two cancer kids can never be simple.  Theirs isn't.  What it is is a beautiful adventure, one that can't be fully described, only experienced.

Toward the end of the book, Hazel says, "You have a choice in this world, I believe, about how to tell sad stories, and we made the funny choice" (209).  I couldn't have described The Fault in Our Stars any better than that.  The book is humorous, it's honest, it's heartwarming, it's heartbreaking.  It's gorgeous.  I adored it.  Amen.   

(Readalikes:  Reminded me a little of After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick)

Grade:  A-

If this were a movie, it would be rated:  PG-13 for language (1 F-bomb, plus milder invectives), sexual innuendo and mild sexual content

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find

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Prosecuting criminals is all in a day's work for Assistant District Attorney Andy Barber.  It's what the 51-year-old does.  It's been his job for the last 20 years.  And he's good at it.

Violent crime isn't usually on the menu in Newton—a quiet suburb of Boston—so when a teenage boy is murdered in the park, Andy is as shocked as the rest of the community.  Shock turns to anger when his own son, 14-year-old Jacob, becomes a prime suspect in the case.  Andy refuses to believe his child is capable of committing such a heinous act and vows to defend Jacob with all he's got, for as long as it takes.

As the police investigate the murder and Jacob's lawyer questions his family and friends, Andy does his own digging.  What he turns up shocks him, proving how little he actually knows his unassuming son.  Still, how much of Jacob's disturbing secret life is just normal angsty teenage stuff and how much is indicative of a very troubled kid?  While everyone else seems ready to convict Jacob, Andy stands by him.  Even as the town turns against the Barber Family, even as his marriage crumbles, even as the evidence stacks up against his son—even then, Andy refuses to give up on Jacob.  Yet, he can't help asking:  Is his boy innocent or guilty?  Does it even matter when it's your own child?

Although the plot of Defending Jacob by William Landay sounds simple, it's not.  In fact, the story grows more complex by the page.  Rich in both character and plot, the book is a compelling blend of murder mystery, family saga and legal thriller.  I love this blurb from crime writer Stephen White:  "More than a terrific legal thrill ride, Defending Jacob is an unflinching appraisal of the darkest, most poignant consequences of the love that binds, and blinds, families.  It's one of those rare books that call for contemplation and insight along with every breathtaking surprise."  I couldn't have said it better myself.  While I didn't absolutely love this one, it definitely kept my attention with sympathetic characters, tight plotting and plenty of food for thought (It's been over a week and I'm still trying to digest the surprise ending).  If you love meaty legal thrillers, you won't want to miss Defending Jacob.

(Readalikes:  I've seen it compared to Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow; also reminded me of books by John Grisham and Jodi Picoult)

Grade:  B

If this were a movie, it would be rated:  R for language, violence and sexual content

To the FTC, with love:  I bought a copy of Defending Jacob at Changing Hands Bookstore with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger.  Ha ha.