Reading Roundup: February 2012

By the Numbers
Teen: 15
Tween: 7
Children: 9

Sources
Review Copies: 11
ARCs from colleagues: 3
Borrowed: 1
Purchased: 2
Library: 12

Standouts
Teen: Split by Swati Avasthi
This story of two estranged brothers, who both escaped at different times from their abusive father, is full of complex and flawed characters trying to work out the meaning of family. Kudos to Avasthi for taking on a well-worn subject in a risky way.
Tween: Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis
Take one smart, impulsive heroine, add a not-entirely-functional family, the English Regency time period, a smidge of magic, a dab of romance for secondary characters, a lot of humor, and stir well. You'll get this deliciously entertaining romp of a book.
Children: Mr. and Mrs. Bunny - Detectives Extraordinaire! by Polly Horvath
I did not expect to like this book nearly as much as I did. Talk about your screwball comedies. Replete with bumbling bunny detectives, villainous foxes, adorably inept parents, an exasperated and sensible main character, and jokes galore, this is a book you'll want to share.

Because I Want To Awards
Longest Awaited: The Eternal Smile by Gene Luen Yang
No joke, this has been on my list since 2009
Another One for Your Dystopia List: Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
While I wouldn't call this a 10 out of 10, it's at least an 8. The two main characters are almost literally from different worlds, and I can't wait to see where Rossi will take them next.
Sweet and Sad: Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine
The sudden death of a sibling is tough on anybody. For a girl on the autism spectrum, it's exponentially more difficult to sort out the tangle of emotions as she tries to conceive of a life without the brother she adored.