Challenged: Julie of the Wolves

  I've gotten a great response from reviewing challenged books and though I'm not participating in any banned/challenged books this year, I do plan on continuing reviewing these books as I think it's important information to know. I am even considering making it my own meme/feature for my blog. What do you think?

Description: While running away from home and an unwanted marriage, a thirteen-year-old Eskimo girl becomes lost on the North Slope of Alaska and is befriended by a wolf pack.

Review: During my younger reluctant reading days, I was handed a copy of Julie of the Wolves to read since I absolutely loved and adored Scott O'Dell's Island of the Blue Dolphins and was hoping to read a similar story. I did not finish Julie of the Wolves because the plot moved too slowly for me and I couldn't connect with Julie at all.
  Now after several years I tried Julie of Wolves again since it is one of the most frequently and prominent children's book that has challenged. Looking at the reasons listed for the challenges, I quickly realized that this book is one that I ought to know about.
  Though I still find the plot pacing to be very slow and found the protagonist to be a bit aloof, I immediately drawn into her desperate situation. In the first half of the book, she is alone and struggles to befriend a pack of wolves in the snowy backdrop of Alaska in the hopes that the wolves would give her food and their protection. She spends a lot of trying to understand the wolves' behavior in efforts to communicate with them. Slowly, the wolves become somewhat comfortable around her. Soon the wolves become an allegory of her troubling family situations.
  Julie of the Wolves is a many layered adventure story that also brushes upon colonialism and self discovery just to name a few. For example Julie's real name is Miyax but she is called Julie when she goes to school where she learns how to read and write English. Miyax is torn between abandoning her "old" Eskimo customs and culture in order to become more "civilized" in the modern world of the white-man “gussak". Though she enjoys and is successful at learning English, she is taken out of school because she has become a marriageable age. Troubling home situation after another, Miyax runs away into the Alaskan wilderness and must decide for herself what life she wants to lead. Although the climax and the ultimate ending of the story seem troubling, bleak, and unsatisfying, it speaks of  Miyax's maturity and her newly gained independence.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Why it was challenged: Julie of the Wolves is listed at #32 on the ALA's most frequently challenged books 1990-1999 and #91 on the 2000-2009  list. The reasons for the book challenged are: references to alcoholism, divorce, abuse  (therefore, anti-family), for sexual content, offensive language, violence and being unsuited to age group. Source: Marshall Library and MVCC library guide.

Words of Caution: There are allusions to adult alcoholism and a glimpse of domestic abuse. Recommended for Grades 7 and up. The most notable scene which the challenges are referring to is that of Miyax's marriage to Daniel, a boy who is described as "mentally slow" and that of her in-laws. Daniel's father is an alcoholic and we learn that Eskimos have a low tolerance to alcohol. Daniel's father becomes an angry drunk and hits his wife. The readers don't see this happening but we hear it from one of Miyax's friends. Meanwhile Daniel storms home and is angry that people from his village are making fun of him that he can't please his wife. In a fit, Daniel pushes Miyax down and rips her shirt. Many readers have construed this small scene as rape, but when I read this scene I didn't find any contextual clues to suggest this. Not to condone his behavior, Daniel jumps up and says "he can" and soon leaves. The author has said that she needed a very urgent and important event happen to Julie in order to motivate her to leave her situation and find her own life as family is extremely important to the Eskimo culture.

If you like this book try: Julie (Julie of the Wolves #2) by Jean Craighead George, Island of Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell, Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

What She Left Behind

    Suspenseful and chilling are the two words that best describes Tracey Bilen's debut novel, What She Left Behind. Readers looking for a character driven thriller may be disappointed, but those seeking for a page-turning plot What She Left Behind will fit your needs.

Description (from Goodreads): “Don’t even think of leaving… I will find you,” he whispered. “Guaranteed.”

Sara and her mom have a plan to finally escape Sara’s abusive father. But when her mom doesn’t show up as expected, Sara’s terrified. Her father says that she’s on a business trip, but Sara knows he’s lying. Her mom is missing—and her dad had something to do with it.
  With each day that passes, Sara’s more on edge. Her friends know that something’s wrong, but she won’t endanger anyone else with her secret. And with her dad growing increasingly violent, Sara must figure out what happened to her mom before it’s too late…for them both

Review: When we begin What She Left Behind, Sara and her mother are plotting to leave their town in a desperate attempt to escape from Sara's abusive father. They both agree to pack their bags with only their necessities and meet at the local Dairy Dream as planned, but her mother never shows up. Although her father claims she's on a business trip, Sara fears that something is terribly wrong. With her own growing anxiety and fears coupled with witnessing her father's increasingly erratic behavior, Sara puts on an exterior that says everything is okay until she can assemble enough clues to find her mother.
 Sara does a decent job in trying to be normal. She allows herself to get a bit sidetracked by getting involved in a budding romance with the high school football star. I was fine with the hint of romance in the book as it wasn't unnecessarily thrown in, but served a purpose. Sara's mother's disappearance follows her like a shadow so the light romance enables her to have just a few moments of lightness in her dark, dreary life. Despite the momentary smiles we witness during these moments of reprieve, we continuously feel Sara's isolation and confinement, which are clearly expressed in her free-writing assignments and internal dialogue.
  I often times wondered why Sara doesn't seek out help from the domestic abuse, but then I chillingly remembered that Sara's abusive father is a well known and liked retired cop in her small rural town, which means there is hardly anyone would either believe her or much worse, report back to her father. With the clock counting down, however, Sara has no choice in letting some people help her.
  Though I thought Sara was pretty likable, her father is repulsive but there is a very small part of me that felt sorry for him. We don't get too much information about her father, but we do know that he was traumatized by an incident on the job. He has also clearly suffers from mental illness which may have been sparked by the sudden death of Matt, Sara's brother. Sara's father has become delusional and acts as if Matt is still alive.  With a suspenseful plot and short chapters, Bilen effectively thrills the reader until the very last page and would be a good choice for high school reluctant readers. The ending reveals a chilling picture of domestic violence.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Words of Caution: The book contains strong violence and some language. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.  

If you like this book try: Blood Wounds by Susan Beth Pfeffer, Freaks Like Us by Susan Vaught

The Reel Shelf Presents Tim Riggins (Friday Night Lights)

Welcome to The Reel Shelf, a new weekly feature here at Books in the Spotlight where I imagine what's on my favorite TV/Movie character's book shelves. If you have missed any of my previous Reel Shelf installments, you can find them all here. Today I'm spotlighting Tim Riggins from the fabulous and highly underrated television series Friday Night Lights. If you haven't watched the show, do it now. The entire series is now available on DVD.

Image and Quote from Tvfantatic.com

All I wanted to do was come home.

 








   It was really hard to choose one character from Friday Night Lights because the entire cast of characters are amazing. For me, Tim Riggins encapsulates everything that I love about the show. At first glance, it's easy to write off Tim as your typical frat boy/philanderer, but as the show evolves so does his depth. Tim comes from a broken home where both of his parents abandon him and his brother Billy in a haze of alcohol and drugs, leaving the boys to fend for themselves. While he may not excel at school, he is incredibly gifted and naturally talented to play fullback on his high school's football team. Though he may act as if he is nonchalant about the team and the sport, Tim needs the sport the most to help ground himself. Tim Riggins is a character that you want to slap upside the head and yell at because of his stupid mistakes. It's his puppy dog eyes and lazy smile that make you want to give him a big hug. Tim is a man of honor and loyalty and he is played by Taylor Kitsch. 

  Even though Tim isn't much of a reader himself, I think he would be interested in the following books. As always, if you see something that I've clearly missed please add them in the comments!

The Reel Shelf Presents Tim Riggin's Book Shelf

Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger- Return once again to the enduring account of life in the Mojo lane, to the Permian Panthers of Odessa -- the winningest high school football team in Texas history. Odessa is not known to be a town big on dreams, but the Panthers help keep the hopes and dreams of this small, dusty town going. Socially and racially divided, its fragile economy follows the treacherous boom-bust path of the oil business.In bad times, the unemployment rate barrels out of control; in good times, its murder rate skyrockets. But every Friday night from September to December, when the Permian High School Panthers play football, this West Texas town becomes a place where dreams can come true. With frankness and compassion, Bissinger chronicles one of the Panthers' dramatic seasons and shows how single-minded devotion to the team shapes the community and inspires-and sometimes shatters-the teenagers who wear the Panthers' uniforms. 

Underdogs by Markus Zusak- Cameron and Ruben Wolfe are champions at getting into fights, coming up with half-baked schemes, and generally disappointing girls, their parents, and their much more motivated older siblings. They're intensely loyal to each other, brothers at their best and at their very worst. But when Cameron falls head over heels for Ruben's girlfriend, the strength of their bond is tested to its breaking point.

 Catch by Will Leitch- Everything comes easy for Tim Temples. He’s got a sweet summer job, lots of love from the ladies, and parties with his high school buddies. Why does he need to go to college? Then Tim falls hard for Helena—a worldly and mysterious twenty-two year-old. Their relationship opens his eyes to life outside the small town of Mattoon, Illinois. Now Tim has to choose: Will he settle for being a small town hero, or will he leave it all behind to follow his dreams?

Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson-  High school senior Tyler Miller used to be the kind of guy who faded into the background—average student, average looks, average dysfunctional family. But since he got busted for doing graffiti on the school, and spent the summer doing outdoor work to pay for it, he stands out like you wouldn’t believe. His new physique attracts the attention of queen bee Bethany Milbury, who just so happens to be his father’s boss’s daughter, the sister of his biggest enemy—and Tyler’s secret crush. And that sets off a string of events and changes that have Tyler questioning his place in the school, in his family, and in the world.

I'll Be There by Heather Goldberg Sloan- Sam Border wishes he could escape. Raised by an unstable father, he’s spent his life moving from place to place. But he could never abandon his little brother, Riddle.
Riddle Border doesn’t talk much. Instead, he draws pictures of the insides of things and waits for the day when the outsides of things will make sense. He worships his older brother. But how can they leave when there’s nowhere to go? Then everything changes. Because Sam meets Emily.
  Emily Bell believes in destiny. She sings for her church choir, though she doesn’t have a particularly good voice. Nothing, she feels, is mere coincidence. And she’s singing at the moment she first sees Sam. Everyone whose path you cross in life has the power to change you—sometimes in small ways, and sometimes in ways greater than you could have ever known.

Bleachers by John Grisham- High school all-American Neely Crenshaw was probably the best quarterback ever to play for the legendary Messina Spartans. Fifteen years have gone by since those glory days, and Neely has come home to Messina to bury Coach Eddie Rake, the man who molded the Spartans into an unbeatable football dynasty.
   Now, as Coach Rake's "boys" sit in the bleachers waiting for the dimming field lights to signal his passing, they replay the old games, relive the old glories, and try to decide once and for all whether they love Eddie Rake--or hate him. For Neely Crenshaw, a man who must finally forgive his coach--and himself--before he can get on with life, the stakes are especially high.

Knights of the Hill Country by Tim Tharp- In a small Oklahoma town, one star linebacker must decide what kind of man he wants to be--both on and off the field.
Welcome to Kennisaw--where Friday night high school football ranks right up there with God and country, and sometimes even comes in first. This year, the Kennisaw Knights are going for their fifth straight undefeated season, and if they succeed, they'll be more than the best high school team in the eastern Oklahoma hill country--they'll be legends.
  But the Knights' legacy is a heavy weight to carry for Hampton, linebacker and star of the team. On the field, he's so in control you'd think he was able to stop time. But his life off the field is a different story. His father walked out on him and his mom years ago, and now his mom has a new boyfriend every week. He's drawn to a smart, quirky girl at school--the type a star athlete just isn't supposed to associate with. And meanwhile, his best friend and teammate Blaine--the true friend who first introduced Hampton to football back when he had nothing else--is becoming uncomfortably competitive, and he's demanding Hampton's loyalty even as Hampton thinks he's going too far.

The Blind Side by Michael Lewis- The bestselling author of "Coach, Moneyball" and "Liar's Poker" delivers a multidimensional story that traces the upbringing of a young boy through to young adulthood, all through the lens of sports and his community of support. 

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally- What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But everything she's ever worked for is threatened when Ty Greeen moves to her school. Not only is he an amazing QB, but he's also amazingly hot. And for the first time, Jordan's feeling vulnerable. Can she keep her head in the game while her heart's on the line?

Pop by Gordon Korman- After moving to a new town, Marcus strikes up a friendship with Charlie Popovich, a former pro football player. As the two grow closer, Marcus learns that Charlie has early onset Alzheimer's disease as a result of suffering head injuries during his career. Marcus is willing to risk everything to help his new friend. 

Split by Swati Avasthi- Sixteen-Year-Old Jace Witherspoon arrives at the doorstep of his estranged brother Christian with a re-landscaped face (courtesy of his father’s fist), $3.84, and a secret. He tries to move on, going for new friends, a new school, and a new job, but all his changes can’t make him forget what he left behind—his mother, who is still trapped with his dad, and his ex-girlfriend, who is keeping his secret. At least so far.
  Worst of all, Jace realizes that if he really wants to move forward, he may first have to do what scares him most: He may have to go back. First-time novelist Swati Avasthi has created a riveting and remarkably nuanced portrait of what happens after. After you’ve said enough, after you’ve run, after you’ve made the split—how do you begin to live again? 

Raider's Night by Robert Lipsyte-The pressure is on. At Nearmont High School, football stars are treated like royalty, and Matt Rydek has just ascended to the throne. As co-captain of the Raiders, he's got it all, or so it seems: hot girls, all the right friends, plenty of juice to make him strong, and a winning team poised to go all the way. If he can keep his eye on the ball now, his future will be set, with a full ride to a Division One school, a shot at the pros, and most important his dad off his back. But when the team turns on one of its own, should Matt play by Raiders rules, or should he go long alone?

Stupid Fast by Geoff Herbach- My name is Felton Reinstein, which is not a fast name. But last November, my voice finally dropped and I grew all this hair and then I got stupid fast. Fast like a donkey. Zing
Now they want me, the guy they used to call Squirrel Nut, to try out for the football team. With the jocks. But will that fix my mom? Make my brother stop dressing like a pirate? Most important, will it get me girls-especially Aleah? So I train. And I run. And I sneak off to Aleah's house in the night. But deep down I know I can't run forever. And I wonder what will happen when I finally have to stop.

The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta- Award-winning author Melina Marchetta reopens the story of the group of friends from her acclaimed novel Saving Francesca - but five years have passed, and now it's Thomas Mackee who needs saving. After his favorite uncle was blown to bits on his way to work in a foreign city, Tom watched his family implode. He quit school and turned his back on his music and everyone that mattered, including the girl he can't forget. Shooting for oblivion, he's hit rock bottom, forced to live with his single, pregnant aunt, work at the Union pub with his former friends, and reckon with his grieving, alcoholic father. Tom's in no shape to mend what's broken. But what if no one else is either? An unflinching look at family, forgiveness, and the fierce inner workings of love and friendship, The Piper's Son redefines what it means to go home again. 

Stick by Andrew Smith-  Fourteen-year-old Stark McClellan (nicknamed Stick because he’s tall and thin) is bullied for being “deformed” – he was born with only one ear. His older brother Bosten is always there to defend Stick. But the boys can’t defend one another from their abusive parents.
   When Stick realizes Bosten is gay, he knows that to survive his father's anger, Bosten must leave home. Stick has to find his brother, or he will never feel whole again. In his search, he will encounter good people, bad people, and people who are simply indifferent to kids from the wrong side of the tracks. But he never loses hope of finding love – and his brother.

Next Man Up by John Feinstein - An up-close look inside an NFL powerhouse, from the only writer in America who players and coaches would trust with their secrets. 

The Things a Brother Knows by Dana Reinhardt - The story of a young marine’s return from war in the Middle East and the psychological effects it has on his family. 

Leverage by Joshua C. Cohen- There's an extraordinary price for victory at Oregrove High. It is paid on - and off - the football field. And it claims its victims without mercy - including the most innocent bystanders.     When a violent, steroid-infused, ever-escalating prank war has devastating consequences, an unlikely friendship between a talented but emotionally damaged fullback and a promising gymnast might hold the key to a school's salvation. Told in alternating voices and with unapologetic truth, Leverage illuminates the fierce loyalty, flawed justice, and hard-won optimism of two young athletes.

Crackback by John Coy- When Miles Manning, a successful high school football player, discovers his teammates are using steroids--and one of them is his best friend--he's faced with a tough decision: Is he willing to do what it takes to win? Football is his life, and his family, especially his dad, is pinning its hopes on him. It's a lot of pressure for a high school junior to bear. This gripping look into the world of high school boys and athletes--and their struggle to be the best--is provocative and searingly honest. 

Guest Post: Jolene Perry

  As part of the promotional blog tour for Jolene Perry's latest novel, Knee Deep, I'm delighted to provide you a guest post from the author herself as she discusses her inspiration for her book.

Sometimes a story is more personal than you expect it to be. I read an article in an online newspaper that talked about the YA books coming out that year which dealt with abusive relationships. I'd part mapped one out a while back, and thought maybe I'd work on it - all evidence that the market had just gotten an influx of them didn't sway me the way it should have… The more I wrote in the story, the more personal it became.

  I was not ever hit by my boyfriend in high school. He never screamed and yelled at me - though I heard him trashing his room a few times when I left after an argument, and he didn't hesitate to show me when he was pissed about something. He'd pick fights with me over the phone and hang up, knowing it meant I'd sneak out to "straighten things out." There was one really horrible night with him that I'd blocked from my mind for a long time, that I remembered when I was writing, so I used it.

   I see these cases my husband talks about with women who are beaten and bruised and making up excuses and going back over and over. One ended in murder a couple of weeks ago. A case my husband will be prosecuting when it goes to trial.

   The abuse story I told is nowhere near that dramatic, but so much of Ronnie's story was mine. WAY more than I realized while I was writing it. When I got to the end, and started writing down the parts of her story that were real (I always do this for my author site), I realized more and more how much of me was in that girl. I stared at my computer screen in shock.

   I had one of my best friends, who was a guy, who I shared more with than I probably did to most of my girlfriends - (like Luke from Knee Deep) and a boyfriend I'd known since I was a kid (like Shawn from Knee Deep) And I felt this draw to my boyfriend, only because I'd known him for so long, not because we really had anything left in common.

   I felt more like I was stuck in this relationship, and didn't even realize I didn't want to be there until I visited a friend in college and saw how much more LIFE was out there. It was just that the idea of this one person had been in my head for way too long. And where did I end up? Married to the best friend.

   People talk about writing what you know, and then talk about keeping yourself out of your books. But you know what? I KNEW that situation - and I know I'll get some bad reviews (like you always do - ESPECIALLY when you tackle a tough topic) that are going to say that Ronnie's actions weren't believable.

   But here's the thing - I told her story, the best way I knew how. Ronnie's reactions with pieces of my truth. And there are some drastic differences, but there are also some startling similarities. So, to me, Ronnie's actions were completely and totally understandable.

  And that's the story of how Knee Deep came to be.

 Shawn is the guy Ronnie Bird promised her life to at the age of fourteen. He's her soul mate. He's more uptight every day, but it's not his fault. His family life is stressful, and she's adding to it. She just needs to be more understanding, and he'll start to be the boy she fell in love with. She won’t give up on someone she’s loved for so long.
   Luke is her best friend, and the guy she hangs with to watch girlie movies in her large blanketopias. He's the guy she can confide in before she even goes to her girlfriends, and the guy who she's playing opposite in Romeo and Juliet. Now her chest flutters every time he gets too close. This is new. Is Ronnie falling for him? Or is Juliet? The lines are getting blurry, but leaving one guy for another is not something that a girl like Ronnie does.
  Shawn’s outbursts are starting to give her bruises, and Luke’s heart breaks as Ronnie remains torn. While her thoughts and feelings swirl around the lines between friendship and forever, she’s about to lose them both.



 For information about Jolene Perry, please check out the following links:


Jolene Perry's Facebook

Jolene Perry's Twitter

Jolene Perry's Website

Jolene Perry's Blog

Jolene Perry's GoodReads





For information about Knee Deep, please check out the following links:


Knee Deep web site
Knee Deep Twitter hashtag

Knee Deep GoodReads page


Kindle buy link

Nook buy link

Google buy link

Smashwords buy link

PDF buy link  

Breathing Underwater

  Alex Flinn's critically acclaim book, Breathing Underwater is one of my go to books for teens looking for a serious, well written, contemporary novel. Many books written about abusive teen relationships are written from the perspective of the victim, who is almost always a female. Breathing Underwater is the first book written not only by a male point of view but also of the abuser. Check back tomorrow with my interview with Ms. Flinn about her book and the recent controversy of it being challenged in Richland School in Washington.   


Description (from Goodreads): Nick is one of the chosen few at his high school: intelligent, popular, and wealthy. People think his life is pretty easy. Except for one thing. Nick has never told anyone about his father's violent temper.
  When Nick meets Caitlin, he thinks she is the answer to all his problems. Caitlin is everything Nick has ever wanted- beautiful, talented, and in love with him. But then everything changes, and Nick must face the fact that he has gotten more from his father than green eyes and money.

Review: Breathing Underwater is an absorbing read, allowing the reader to get a chance to learn about the abuse from the abuser's perspective. Flinn does a remarkable job in bringing the important and hot issue of abusive teen relationships with authenticity and rawness without ever resorting to cliches or the dreaded after-school specials that we were made to see in school.
  When the book opens, we are witnessing Nick's trial. We quickly learn that Nick was arrested because he physically assaulted his girlfriend, Caitlin, who now seeks a restraining order against him. The judge requires him to join an anger management class and to keep a journal recording his thoughts. Through a diary format, we learn how things between Caitlin and Nick transpired and go on a journey of self discovery and a chance at redemption.
  Nick is everything a guy could want. He is rich, handsome, athletic, and smart. While he superficially has everything he could desire, what he longs for and is in desperate need of is love. Much to everyone's ignorance, Nick is subjected to his father's physical and verbal abuse. Believing he can handle himself, Nick doesn't seek help and tries to avoid his father's triggers though he doesn't always succeed. Nick has always felt left out and carries a hole in chest. He craves attention and a driving desire to feel secure and loved by hanging out with his friends and their families. When he comes across the beautiful, sweet Caitlin, he believes that his hole could be filled by just being with her.
  The power of Breathing Underwater isn't in the plot, but the slow horrifying realization that Nick has become like his father without ever thinking about it. His father's physical and verbal abuse has shaped Nick's ideas of how to behave in a relationship: he bullies, tortures, and finally hits Caitlin. At first he truly believes that he has done nothing wrong by putting Caitlin 'in her place'; however, things slowly change as he recognizes his anger and abuse when he writes all of his thoughts down. There are loud pauses throughout his journal entries, which comes across as Nick trying at first to rationalize his actions but then admitting he was wrong to behave like he did. His anger permeates his writing and body language.
  Though we are aware of Nick's background and feel bad for him, his behavior toward Caitlin are never justified or forgiven. Like life, things aren't wrapped up nicely in a bow where everyone suddenly changes and is forgiven for the mistakes they made. The situations and dialogue ring frighteningly true, detailing the familiar cycle of abuse. I was really happy to see Nick's friends pick up on the red flags regarding his treatment of Caitlin and coming to her help. The sessions at the anger management classes that Nick attends are eye opening and with a twist I never saw coming.
 Breathing  Underwater isn't about placing blame, but rather admitting that you have a problem and you are willing to seek help. I would highly recommend reading this book because abusive teen relationship is a real problem and the more we learn about the issue, the better we can find a solution.

Rating: 4 stars

Why is was Challenged: On January 25th, 2012, Richland, Washington school district challenged Breathing Underwater and two other books due to "profanity," "dark themes," and "sexual content."  Source: Alex Flinn's blog. 
 In March 13, 2012, Breathing Underwater was reviewed approved for 12th grade. Source: Richland School Board Minutes.

Words of Caution: I generally have a hard time understanding the issues surrounding challenges of realistic fiction. Yes, there is a dark theme of dating violence in the book, but unfortunately it's a reality. I really don't know how you can address the issue of dating violence without showing any of it, which this book does very tastefully. We get enough to understand what is happening and it is used for a purpose. There is some language, an allusion to sex (to be honest, it's like a fade out scene, you get more on today's TV shows, and violence in the book which would make it PG-13 if it were a movie. Recommended for Grades 8 and up.

If you like this book try: Things Change by Patrick Jones, Bitter End by Jennifer Brown, But I Love Him by Amanda Grace, Albatross by Josie Bloss