The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B

General Young Adult Fiction

G/A  Toten, Teresa.  The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B.  Delacorte Press, 2015.  304p.  978-0553507867.  17.99

From the moment Robyn Plummer walked into his teen OCD support group, Adam was in love. So much so, that he decides to start participating more and help both her and him get better. As Robyn’s health improves, Adam deteriorates, in part because his mother’s own mental illness worsens. While the book deals well with the issue of OCD and the fact that people are not always what they seem, the plot is lacking. It’s still a good read for teens that like realistic fiction or for teens potentially dealing with family or friends that suffer from OCD. Loren Spector, LAPL, Memorial

The Ghosts of Heaven

Young Adult Fiction

G/A  Sedgwick, Marcus.  The Ghosts of Heaven.  Roaring Brook, 2015.  368p.  978-1-6268-2125-8.  17.99

This novel consists of four semi-interconnected short stories (that the author states can be read in any order). Each “quarter” takes place in a different time and place, but they all have one thing in common, a fear or obsession with spirals. From cave drawings to spinning tops to spiral staircases and spiraling through space, all the characters of the four stories are focused on the meaning of spirals and surviving their circumstances (although not all do). Each individual story is compelling, but it may all be a little too mysterious and philosophical for most teens. It may be better suited and appeal to adult readers more. Loren Spector, LAPL, Memorial Branch Library