Snow By Tracy Lynn

   Everyone has heard story of Snow White.  The pretty story with the cute animals and fake violence.  This novel takes the basic outline of the story of Snow White and places it in a realistic setting, adding more plot twists and background.  The seven dwarfs now become a pack of street-dwelling folk who have animal-like characteristics. (Instead of completely leaving out the magic of the original tale, Tracy Lynn warps magic into an almost scientific endeavor in this thrilling conversion.)  The evil step-mother stays the same, but now she is elderly and trying to produce a male heir.
  The main points of the story remain true to the original tale, yet Lynn also creates a new background and progression of events so that this book may stand on its own.  Whole sections are added to create more background and in-depth view of the characters.
   This novel is an interesting read.  Taking key points from the original, it is still a worth-while tale.  I recommend reading this if you enjoyed the traditional version of Snow White but also even if you did not.

Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale By Holly Black

 Do you believe in fairies?  And what if you do, do they look like Tinkerbelle?  What if they weren't the cute, cuddly things you think they are?  What if they are evil, merciless,....invisible?  But there are also good fairies.  The kind that smell like cherry blossoms and weave flowers into your hair.  Kaye has met these fairies, the nice ones.  As a child she would play with her little winged friends and they would tell her stories about their world.  The story begins as Kaye moves back into the house she was a child in.  Now she is sixteen and has seen more of the world than just that small town.  Not only is she older, but now she experiences the other side of the fairy kingdom, the darker side.  After meeting a mysterious knight, she is granted an answer to a question.  Little does she know this begins a journey of many new worlds and a quest to find who she truly is.

This story unique and thrilling.  Tithe is the first book in a series.  It has aspects of a teen romance novel, suspense, and fantasy all in one book.  I'd recommend this book to anyone and everyone who wants to read but doesn't know what genre to read, because this encompasses bits of so many genres.  Holly Black has done a great job at integrating realistic conversation and actions into this story and has created lovable heroes, hateful villains, and comical relief.  She paints a beautiful and at the same time terrifying world that you could believe was real.  This IS a must read for any teenage girl.

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Summary:  The story begins describing Nick and Norah. At the start of the story they are strangers to each other; they are thrown together trying to avoid talking to a girl Tris.  Tris is Nick's ex-girlfriend, and a sometimes friend of Norah's.  The two then set off on a nighttime exploration of New York City.  They use music to learn more about one another and about themselves.  In the span of only a few hours both of their lives are completely changed and to realize there is a whole new way to think and live.  This story is a true coming of age story.

Topics Brought Up:  Many controversial things are brought up in this book.  It approaches the subjects with a light attitude but still in a way that makes the reader think.  The story touches on unhealthy teenage relationships, friendships, underage alcohol and drug use, homosexuality, faith, and music to name only a few.  

Review:  This book has a unique edge over others of its kind.  The chapters go back and forth from the view points of Nick to Norah.  Rachel Cohn wrote the chapters from Norah's point of view as David Levithan wrote the chapters from Nick's.  In my opinion this provides a more life-like representation of the two personalities because, in fact, they were written by two personalities.  The authors also did not map out where they wanted to story to go as they wrote.  They each wrote a chapter at a time until the story ended.  Because of these unusual methods, I feel the book is truly unique.  Explicit language is used through out the book so those easily offended should take note.