Crossed by Ally Condie                                                                                                                       

This is the second book of the Matched Trilogy.  I would strongly recommend that you read Matched prior to reading Crossed.  This is a young adult dystopian series.  This book begins where Matched ended.  Cassia is searching for Ky and soon learns that he has escaped and is somewhere in the wild frontiers beyond the Society.  Meanwhile, a revolution is brewing.

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell                                                                                                                                                                            

This book has been one of the most popular young adult books of 2014.  It is set over the course of one school year and tells the story of two teens finding love for the first time.  

The End Games by T. Michael Martin                                                                                                                                                                         

No Bulldog Reading List would be complete without the obligatory zombie book.  What can I say? Zombies are popular right now.  Meet Michael (17) and Patrick (5).  In the mountains of West Virginia they must battle against flesh seeking creatures called Bellows under instructions from a mysterious Game Master.   But the game is changing--the Bellows are evolving and Michael and Patrick are being led to other survivors.  Their world is about to become drastically different.

Game by Barry Lyga                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Game is the sequel to last year's selection I Hunt Killers.  In I Hunt Killers Jazz helped the police in his hometown of Lobo's Nod catch a copycat killer that was mimicking the murders of Jazz's own serial killer father. This time, detectives from New York City need help catching a killer and seek Jazz's help.  Oh and did I mention in the midst of all this that at the end of I Hunt Killers Jazz's dad escaped from prison?  Find out what happens next to the Dent family in Game.

Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt                                                                                                                                                                                   

Reeling from a break-up, Mallory decides to swear off technology and return to a simpler time inspired by a list of goals her grandmother wrote in 1962.  However, it is not as easy as it seems.  

Hidden Girl by Shyima Hall

Born into poverty in Egypt, this is the true story of Shyima, who was sold into slavery at the age of eight.  For four years, she served a wealthy family for eighteen hours a day, seven days per week.  Eventually she moved with the family to California.  At around twelve years of age, Shyima was finally able to escape this life when a concerned neighbor called authorities and her situation was discovered.  

Jepp, Who Defied the Stars by Katherine Marsh

A work of historical fiction, this novel tells the story of Jepp, a little person sent to the court of the Spanish Infanta to serve as a "court dwarf".  While there, Jepp suffers many injustices and humiliations along with his friend, Lia, and together they plan to escape.  Jepp is caught and imprisoned and sent across Europe to serve a new master, one who is devoted to uncovering the secrets of the stars. Will Jepp finally become the master of his own fate?  

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan 

The Joy Luck Club is one of my most favorite books of all time.  It is a modern classic and Tan is a magnificent story teller.  This book enlightens readers on aspects of the Chinese culture as well as the sometimes tumultuous relationships between mothers and daughters. The stories of four mothers are told that include why/how they left China and came to the U.S., the secrets they left behind, and what they sacrificed in order to give their American born children a better way of life.  

Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel                                                                                                                                                                              

Like Water for Chocolate is another one of my most favorite books of all time.  A modern classic and work of historical fiction mixed with just a little bit of magic, this novel tells the story of Tita who has the misfortune of being born the youngest daughter of the De La Garza family which means she can never marry and must always remain home to take care of her mother.  Tita falls in love with the handsome Pedro and in order to always remain close to her, he decides to marry her sister, Rosaura. For 22 years, they live in the same house and love each other from afar until against all odds they are finally able to reunite.  Mix in a few good recipes and the excitement of the Mexican Revolution and you have a great read! 

Matched by Ally Condie                                                                                                                                                                                  

Matched is book #1 in the Matched Trilogy.  For Cassia's whole life she has lived within the safe confines of the Society.  She is told what to wear, what to eat, what to learn, what job job she will do, and who she will marry.  When she is matched to Xander, her best friend, her future seems perfect. But then another face appears as her match, a childhood friend named Ky. She is told that it is a mistake and even if she was supposed to be matched to Ky she could never be with him because he is an Aberration and is not allowed to marry. Suddenly Cassia gains a new perspective and begins to question the way of life under the Society and her feelings towards both Xander and Ky.  She learns that challenging the Society can be a very dangerous thing. Fans of The Hunger Games, Divergent, and The Uglies will love this trilogy.

Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick                                                                                                                                                                

In 2073 on the remote and secretive island of Blessed, where rumor has it that no one ages and no children are born, a visiting journalist, Eric Seven, and a young local woman known as Merle are ritually slain. Their deaths echo a moment ten centuries before, when, in the dark of the moon, a king was slain, tragically torn from his queen. Their souls search to be reunited, and as mother and son, artist and child, forbidden lovers, victims of a vampire they come close to finding what they've lost. In a novel comprising seven parts, each influenced by a moon - the flower moon, the harvest moon, the hunter's moon, the blood moon - this is the story of Eric and Merle whose souls have been searching for each other since their untimely parting. (Summary from Goodreads.com)

Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong by Prudence Shen & Faith Erin Hicks

Charlie, the captain of the basketball team, and Nate, the president of the robotics club, are unlikely friends.  Desperate for funding, the robotics team, led by Nate, declares war on the cheerleaders.  Which club will get the money they need?  Will friendships survive intact? Surely in this scenario Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong!  This book is the other comic book style graphic novel from this year's list.

Reached by Ally Condie

Reached is the stunning conclusion to the Matched Trilogy.  After leaving Society to desperately seek The Rising, and each other, Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again. Cassia is assigned undercover in Central city, Ky outside the borders, an airship pilot with Indie. Xander is a medic, with a secret. All too soon, everything shifts again. (Summary from Goodreads.com) 

Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein

Rose Under Fire is the highly acclaimed sequel to Code Name Verity.  It is a historical fiction novel set during World War II. While flying an Allied fighter plane from Paris to England, American ATA pilot and amateur poet, Rose Justice, is captured by the Nazis and sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious women's concentration camp. Trapped in horrific circumstances, Rose finds hope in the impossible through the loyalty, bravery and friendship of her fellow prisoners. But will that be enough to endure the fate that's in store for her? (Summary from Goodreads.com)

Thousand Words by Jennifer Brown                                                                                                                                                                                          

Brown's novels have long been popular with young adult readers.  Her novels, Bitter End and Hate List, have been very popular here at KHS.  Thousand Words is about a girl named Ashleigh who makes a terrible decision to send a compromising picture of herself to her boyfriend.  After a bad breakup, chaos ensues and Ashleigh finds herself and her picture the subject of ridicule, gossip, and humiliation.  Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words...but it doesn't always tell the whole story.  

Wonder by R.J. Palacio                                                                                                                      

I read Wonder last year because it was nominated for the Texas Bluebonnet Award. It is a fabulous book.  It tells the story of Auggie, a boy born with a severe facial deformity who has always been home schooled.  Before his fifth grade year, his parents decide that he needs to attend school.  They enroll him at Beecher Prep and Auggie must learn how to be the new kid while being the most "different" kid in school.