This is the question Michael Grant explores in Gone, the first book in his post-apocalyptic, dystopian series for teens. When the story opens, it's a normal day in small town Perdido Beach, California. Fourteen-year-old Sam Temple is sitting in history class dreaming of the beach while his teacher drones on about the Civil War. Then, without any warning, Mr. Trentlake disappears. And he's not the only one. All the teachers in the school, all the administration, all the janitors, all the lunch ladies - all the adults in town are just ... gone. Cars are smashed into each other, stoves are still on, meals are steaming on tables - it's as if everyone evaporated all at the same second. Sam; his best friend, Quinn; and beautiful, smart Astrid head straight to their homes, where the enormity of the catastrophe hits them - not only are their parents gone, but all over the town, there must be helpless babies laying in cribs, confused toddlers without caretakers, and kids like Astrid's brother, Pete, who can barely understand the world on a typical day, let alone one gone mad.

As kids mill around town in shock, new problems are revealed - they have no phone service, no t.v. signals, no Internet. No way to communicate to the outside world. Even if "outside" still exists, the kids can't leave: there are cars all over the place, but no one knows how to drive. And Perdido Beach is getting more dangerous by the second. With no one to stop them, kids are looting the stores, school bullies are taking charge, fires are breaking out, and children are screaming for their mothers. Sam doesn't want to be in charge of this mess, but he knows someone has to do something. Besides, he has a sinking suspicion that he may have caused the disaster in the first place.

Sam's been keeping a secret, something so weird, so crazy that he hasn't dared tell anyone. He doesn't know how it happens, but somehow, Sam can generate balls of light with his hands. Dangerous light. Light that burns people. As he watches a sinister crowd of kids descend on Perdido Beach from the exclusive Coates Academy, Sam discovers he's not the only one with powers. In this strange new world, everything seems to be mutating - people, animals, even the weather and tides. With a menacing new bully in town, it's up to Sam to protect his people. As reluctant as he is to reveal his powers, they may be the only thing that can keep him and his friends alive in the crazy new world they've labeled the FAYZ (Fallout Alley Youth Zone).

It's a whole new world, one in which regular rules no longer apply. Bullies patrol the streets with metal baseball bats, kids who step out of line get beaten, freshmen become surgeons, snakes fly, and ordinary children turn into superheroes, villains, saints and monsters. Civil War is no longer a boring history lesson - it's a way of life. It's just the way it is, now, in a place called the FAYZ.

So, it took all of one sentence for this story to grab me. Actually, enslave me. If I didn't have to eat, sleep, bathe or take care of my family, I probably would have devoured this whole series in one sitting. Gone is such a tense, action-packed, furiously-paced thrill ride that I actually had to force myself to breathe. Talk about an adrenaline rush. Whew! I'm sure there are flaws in the book, but my heart's still racing too fast for me to think of anything major. All I know is that Gone kept me thoroughly entertained and has me completely addicted - I've got the next two books in the series sitting on my shelf. I think I feel a bad cold coming on ... I should probably stay home from church ... you know, lay in bed and read a book to soothe my poor, aching body ... *cough* *sniff* *cough*

You can find out more about Michael Grant and this superb series by visiting http://www.thefayz.com/ .

(Readalikes: Life As We Knew It series by Susan Beth Pfeffer)

Grade: B+

If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG for mild language and sexual innuendo; violence; and scenes of danger/peril

To the FTC, with love: I received this book from the very generous folks at HarperTeen. Thanks!

Today on BBB, we're celebrating young adult author Angela Morrison. I first heard about Angela from her sister, who's a friend of mine. I agreed to review Angela's first novel, Taken By Storm, even though I had some misgivings about doing it. Critiquing books by your friends, or friends of your friends, or family members of your friends is always more difficult than reviewing books by strangers. I mean, what if I hated the book? What would I tell my friend? Would we still be friends afterward? Luckily, I loved Taken By Storm (you can read my review here). Since posting that review, I've had the chance to meet Angela and get to know her a little. Let me tell you, she's sweet, interesting and just cool.

Naturally, I was thrilled when she told me about her newest book, Sing Me to Sleep (to be released on March 4). As you will soon see, I loved it, too. Not as much as Taken By Storm, but still ... it's good.

Read on ...

When Matt Wilson's pregnant wife demands pickles at midnight, he heads to the store. When she insists the baby needs to sleep in the same cradle she used as a baby, he hops in the car. He's learned from experience that there's no use trying to talk her out of things - what Marissa wants, Marissa gets. Never mind that Matt really can't afford to miss a day of work at the factory, never mind that he hasn't a clue where Marissa's mother or the cradle might be, never mind that the last thing on Earth he wants to be doing is chasing down his wife's nutty family - what Marrisa wants, Marissa gets. Thus, the quest begins.

Finding a clue to his mother-in-law's whereabouts turns out to be easy - her sister lives in nearby Minnesota. Finding the woman herself is a whole 'nother story. As Matt zigzags across three states tracking the woman and the detritus she's left in her wake, he realizes just how much damage she's caused to those left behind. Ruminating on his own rocky childhood, Matt examines the meaning of family and parenthood as he edges ever closer to becoming a father himself. His quest turns into a more complicated journey than he ever thought it would be - it becomes the journey to find himself.

Alternating with Matt's story is that of Renee Owen, a children's author who's paralyzed by her son's decision to join the Marines. As he ships off to Iraq, regrets of the past come closing in on Renee. While watching one son go off to war, her thoughts turn to another boy, one whose very existence haunts her. As her story and Matt's collide, both will find answers, more questions, and, for one of them, a surprising shot at redemption.

Mysteries with family secrets at their centers are my favorite kind, but I still had a hard time liking Patrick Somerville's debut novel, The Cradle. I'm having a hard time putting my finger on exactly what bothered me about the book. There are several things, really: (1) I could never quite wrap my head around the fact that Matt would up and leave to do his wife's bidding without any real argument or discussion. It all seemed a little ridiculous; (2) The story gets bleaker by the second. Although the story is hopeful in the end, the rest of it is just kind of depressing; and (3) Most of the characters are greedy, cold-hearted, conniving, pathetic excuses for human beings. Depressing.

On the bright side, this short novel (only 200 pages) remains readable, interesting and unique throughout. It's disturbing, but also compelling. What really stands out in The Cradle is the characters - not Matt, Marissa or Renee so much, but the minor leaguers. Somerville describes these quirky folks so aptly that the reader sees, hears and smells them in vivid detail. It doesn't matter if they're only on stage for a page or two, they come alive. In some cases, frighteningly so.

Still, I can't say I really enjoyed this one. It was just such a downer. Somerville's a talented writer, but unless he chooses some happier subjects, I won't be reading him again. Not without popping some Prozac anyway ...

Grade: C

If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for language, some sexual content, and adult themes/situations

To the FTC, with love: Another one from the library. Sorry, boys.

Living life in an RV 24/7 has its drawbacks, especially for a 9-year-old. June Bug Johnson has never gone to a real school, never made a real friend, never lived in a house without wheels. Still, she has her notebooks, her father, John, and, of course, Wal-Mart. Things could be worse. And soon they are. When June Bug sees her face on a "Missing Child" poster, she discovers that everything she's ever known is a big, fat lie. Her dad's the kindest man alive, so why is he lying to her?

June Bug by Chris Fabry is the story of a little girl looking for the same big answers everyone seeks: Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going? Only in her case, the questions are very literal. The poster says she's Natalie Anne Edwards, her father calls her June Bug - who is she, really? June Bug knows from experience that asking her dad questions about the past is futile. So, she waits. And watches. And hopes. When a kind-hearted Wal-Mart employee offers the duo a place to stay until John can fix the RV, June Bug hopes they can stay forever. When John sets out across the country without her, she hopes he'll come back with answers. Although she enjoys life on the road, June Bug begins to crave the things she's never had - a permanent home, a mother, a friend. She hopes it will all work out.

New discoveries in the case of one Natalie Anne Edwards lead John and June Bug back to where it all began - Dogwood, West Virginia. Here, a big-hearted sheriff won't rest until he finds out what happened to the little girl. A local thug stands accused of orchestrating the child's disappearance. The answers to June Bug's questions lie in Dogwood, but does she really want to know the truth? Can she face the past John's been running from all these years? Does she truly want the things she craves if it means losing the father she loves?

While June Bug sounds like a thriller, it really isn't. It does have mystery, a splash of suspense, and a few curves in the road, but mostly, it's a gentle tale about a girl and her dad. Themes of imperfection, salvation, sacrifice and devotion weave throughout the story. The mystery keeps things moving along, although at a canter more than a gallop. In fact, the story can be compared to an RV trip - meandering; smooth in some places, bumpy in others; more about the ride than the destination. Although it's longer than it needs to be, June Bug is very readable. The characters are not rounded enough - except for June Bug, she's pretty irresistible - but they're recognizable and for the most part, likable.

All in all, June Bug's a nice read. It's clean, uplifting, and touching. Technically, I think it's classified as Christian fiction, and while there is a fair amount of God-talk, it's not over-the-top irritating. This is one of those sweet (but not sickening) books that make you realize how depressing your usual reading choices are. Put simply, it's a novel that makes you believe - in kindness, in forgiveness, in love and in redemption. June Bug's not perfect, but it still packs a wallop. A word of advice: Bring tissues.

Grade: B

If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG for mature themes

To the FTC, with love: I borrowed this one from the library on the recommendation of my friend over at Inside a Book. Thanks, Gaye!

Congratulations, ladies! If you'll email me (blogginboutbooksATgmailDOTcom) your mailing address, I'll get the information to my contact at HarperTeen right away. She'll be sending out the books. Unlike some people, she's great about getting books in the mail fast.

Stay tuned for more contests. On the 28th, I'll be giving away some goodies from my friend, YA author Angela Morrison. I'm also cooking up a little writing contest with A LOT of help from a prolific mystery writer (okay, he's doing all the work). Lots of fun stuff is coming up, so keep checking back!

Today, I'm chatting with Melissa Kantor, author of several teen novels including Invisible i, one of my favorite reads of 2009. Welcome to BBB, Melissa!

Me: Tell me a little bit about your path to becoming a published author. You've said that you knew as far back as 7th Grade that you wanted to write, but how did it all come about?

MK: I have an embarrassingly easy path to getting published. I was teaching English (which I still do) and doing some freelance magazine writing (which I really didn't enjoy). Out for dinner with an old friend who was also an editor at Hyperion books for children, I started complaining about writing articles (I wasn't excited about the editors' ideas, they weren't excited about mine, etc.), at which point my friend demanded, "Write me a YA novel." I did, and Hyperion bought that book ("Confessions of a not It Girl") and two (at the time unwritten) others.

Me: What made you decide to write for young adults? What elements do you think books for teens absolutely must have to be effective? What do teens seem to find most appealing about your books?

MK: I think the lives of teenagers are, in some ways, much more exciting and difficult than the lives of adults. If you're an adult, you probably don't have to sit next to the guy who dumped you every day in biology. And you don't have parents telling you what to do. I'm forty and married with three children, so I understand that adult life is complicated and scary in ways that teens can't anticipate or understand. But the drama of being a teenager--I'm not sure there's anything more difficult than that. Teens have a lot of adult problems but few adult resources. That makes for exciting story lines.

You ask what elements a book must have, and the more I think about it, the less sure I am. Teens like an appealing character and a great plot as much as adults, but they'll definitely forgive a bad plot if they love the character, and they'll read about someone they dislike or can't relate to if the story's exciting enough.

In terms of what teens like about my books, that's a great question. Most of the letters I get from teens tell me they feel I understand what they're going through, be it with a difficult step-parent or a break up or their own general insecurities. That's a huge compliment to me, a teen saying I got it right.

Me: I know you're a teacher. What age/grade level do you teach and what effect does your career have on your writing, if any? What do the kids think about having a *celebrity* for a teacher?

MK: I teach middle and high school English. Many of the girls have read my books, and we're all a little shy about it. Once in a while a student will say, "I read your book over vacation!" or something like that, and we'll both be pleased and a little embarrassed. My students are really generous--if they don't like my books, they're not telling me.

Me: The young adult market is so hot right now. What's your best advice for authors who want to write for teens?

MK: I give all would-be writers and authors the same advice: Write a book you would want to read. So if you enjoy reading teen fiction and/or have an idea you think would appeal to teens, by all means develop it. But I wouldn't pitch or write a YA novel just because it's a hot market. There's truly nothing worse than writing a book you don't want to be writing.

Me: I've read your first book (CONFESSIONS OF A NOT IT GIRL) and your newest (INVISIBLE I), and thought the latter was so much more interesting and clever. How do you think you've evolved as a writer since the publication of your first novel?

MK: I think I've learned a lot about plot over the past few years. I feel deeply loyal to "Confessions of a Not It Girl" (ti's my baby), but since then I've written increasingly complex plots with many more variables. I think the characters in my books have a lot in common and probably haven't changed all that much.

Me: Speaking of INVISIBLE I, how did the whole idea of The Amanda Project come about? What can readers expect in the upcoming books?

MK: The Amanda Project is the brainchild of Lisa Holton (a publisher) and JillEllyn Riley, an editor. Lisa developed the concept and JillEllyn did much of the story, and they hired writers to write the books. I met Lisa for coffee a couple of years ago when the project was just really getting underway, and she told me the idea--a girl, Amanda Valentino, shows up at a high school, turns everything upside down and then...disappears. I immediately knew I wanted to be one of the writers on the project.

In terms of where the books go from here, In "Invisible I," the mystery of Amanda seems more or less focused on Amanda. In the next book, "Signal from Afar," we learn that it's a much bigger conspiracy and that all of the guides (Callie, Hal and Nia) are involved...

Me: What are you working on now?

MK: Right now I'm finishing up the first book of a three-book series. Tentatively called "The Secrets of the Darlings," it's about three best friends in New York City who were in elementary school together and are now going off to different high schools. Their friendship is real and deep and true, but it is put to the test as they navigate the very different worlds they find themselves in.

Me: Not that this has anything to do with anything, but I'm a Capricorn, too. What does that say about us? And Happy Birthday!

MK: I'm a TOTAL Capricorn, are you? I think of Capricorns as the tortoise in the tortoise and the hare. Slow and steady...

Me: I AM a total Capricorn, almost to a fault ... Back to the serious stuff, I ask this question of every author I interview, just because I find the variety of answers so fascinating: What's your writing routine? Or do you have one? Do you write at a certain time every day or just when the mood strikes? Do you outline or let your writing flow more freely? Where do you write? Do you have any writing habits that are uniquely yours? Is there anything you absolutely HAVE to have by your side when you write?

MK: I have three young children and a full-time job, so I don't have the luxury of having things I "must have" when I write (silence, large blocks of time, inspiration from my muse, etc.). I can't really write at home because there is usually a child or two there, so I write at a cafe nearby, but I've written on the steps of my building when forced to. I'm learning to be a better outliner by necessity. For years I let the book take shape as I wrote (though I always knew the ending ahead of time), but I see now that means a lot of wasted time and doesn't necessarily result in a better book. What I learned from working on The Amanda Project is that a good, tight outline frees you up to do a lot of fun stuff like focus on dialogue, character, setting, etc.

Me: Lastly, what has surprised you most about becoming a published author? How does the dream you had as a 7th Grader differ from the reality (if at all)?

MK: A good friend once said to me (about writing), if you're successful, all it means is that you've earned the right to keep writing. I think about that a lot since I'm pretty sure my 7th grade idea of being a writer probably had more to do with being famous and doing interviews like this one than it did revising a manuscript that refuses to come together. I really love writing, but when you're a professional writer, you can't just write when you want to or what you feel like writing. You have contracts to fulfill, readers to satisfy. I think being an amateur writer is like dating and being a professional writer is like marriage. It's not quite what you imagined before you signed the papers, but it's a wonderful and exciting ride.

Me: Thanks so much, Melissa!

(Author photo from Melissa Kantor's official website; Book image from Barnes & Noble)

Life in The Patch is not easy - not for the men and boys who spend their days mining coal, not for the wives and mothers who pray constantly for their safety, and not for the children who swallow toxic coal dust with their every breath. For the McCaffertys and the other immigrant families, ekeing out a living in northeastern Pennsylvania beats starving in their native Ireland. But only just. Not only are the patch families barely scraping by, but the miners' jobs are becoming more and more dangerous as wealthy mine owners scrimp on safety precautions in order to fill coal carts more quickly. The shriek of the breaker whistle comes too often - "accidents" maim, kill, and orphan.

Call Me Kate, Molly Roe's debut novel and the first book in a projected trilogy, starts with the siren's wail. When her best friend charges into the schoolroom one morning, 14-year-old Katie McCafferty knows it can mean only one thing - her father has become the mine's newest victim. Although he survives, his injuries leave him bedridden. Although she loves school, Katie has no choice but to leave the classroom and find work as a servant. When she lands a coveted position in the household of Ario Pardee, a rich mine owner, Katie must prove herself to the demanding houskeeper. Any missteps could mean termination, which will equal no income for her family back in The Patch.

Although Katie works in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, her thoughts are never far from The Patch. With the enactment of the Northern draft (October 1862), tensions are running high between the immigrant miners and the nativists. Rumors of her best friend's involvement in the resistance movement alarms Katie enough to risk her job - not to mention her life - to save him. Can a young lass like her really make a difference in the increasingly dangerous conflict? Can she rescue her friend from his own hard-headedness? Does she have the strength, the courage, to carry out the subterfuge necessary to accomplish the impossible task?

Call Me Kate brings this tumultuous period of history to life, blending period detail with the fictional (but historically accurate) adventures of Katie McCafferty. It's a fascinating glimpse into the stark realities of life as a miner in the late 19th Century. The story's compelling in and of itself, which is a very good thing since Roe's characters leave much to be desired. With little personality; stiff, unnatural conversations; and no real depth, Roe's story people might as well be cardboard cutouts. It doesn't help that the author spends most of the novel telling rather than showing. The tale is rich, exciting, compelling - the characters and storytelling need to be equally so. Flat characters and lackluster prose weigh down what could otherwise be an excellent novel. Molly Roe has a unique story to tell - let's hope the next two novels imbue it with the richness it deserves.

Grade: C

If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG for some violence

To the FTC, with love: Tribute Books send me a complimentary copy of Call Me Kate for my review. The "price" of the book didn't influence my opinion in any way.