the impossible knife of memory by Laurie Halse Anderson

High school senior Hayley Kincain lives every day on edge.  She must walk on eggshells around her father, a veteran haunted by his wartime experiences whose escape through drinking and drugs leave him moody and unstable.  Her own past has taught her to fear trusting others and caring about anything or anyone except her dad.  Then into her life comes a charming, funny, persistent and thoughtful boy who wants to be with her and make her laugh.  Can Finn bring love and thoughts of a better future to Hayley, or is he just another distraction from her full time responsibilities trying to save her father from the ravages of his PTSD?  Great story!

Good Kings Bad Kings by Susan Nussbaum

This award winning book serves as an eye-opener on the care--or lack of care in most cases, of a group of teens with disabilities who are confined to a privately-run  but government-sponsored nursing home in Chicago.  The story is told through the voices of  three of the teens, two of the staff, a recruiter for the company that runs the home and wants beds to be filled, and a smart young woman, also disabled, who is hired as a data-entry clerk, a job which provides access to patient records and prompts her to ask questions.

A variety of relationships emerge from the teens' narrations.  Sad, vulnerable Mia is often stranded in her oversized and broken wheelchair.  Sometimes Teddy attaches her chair to his automated one so he can move her around.  Teddy adores Mia and watches over her until she mysteriously starts to shun him.  Yessie is also wheelchair-bound, but that doesn't stop her from taking on girls that steal from her or call her names. Orphaned and grieving but tough, fifteen-year-old Yessie finds a friend in Jimmie, one of the aides, who feels fortunate to escape from a life on the streets herself.   The other aide, Ricky, is a pretty cool Puerto Rican who cares about the kids and has a major crush on Joanne, the data-entry clerk.  Their romance and Joanne's increasing involvement in patient advocacy are high points of the book.

Ricky, Joanne and Jimmie are the "good kings."  There are, unfortunately, a number of "bad kings" who are abusive or criminally negligent as part of a system that values making money over delivering quality care.  The home, also know as the ILLC--Illinois Learning and Life-Skills Center, has a higher than expected number of hospitalizations for its clients.  There are disturbing undercurrents of  danger for the residents, who have few resources other than their own spirit and resilience and the dedication of the "good kings" to deflect the physical and psychological threats that confront them on a daily basis. The language is honest and raw and the situations are very believable. The tension comes from wondering if there will be any justice for the characters. The novel is gripping and at times tough to read, but its well worth the effort.

Bitter End by Jennifer Brown

According to data posted on the website of the Washington State Attorney General, relationship violence is the number one cause of injury to women ages 15-44. Seventy percent of severe or fatal injuries occur when a woman seeks to end an abusive relationship. In a 2005 survey, one in five teenagers (ages 13-18) reported feeling threatened by violence when attempting to break up with an abusive partner. Thirteen percent of teenage girls reported being hit by their partner. (Survey: Love is Not Abuse) Various studies have shown that the frequency of domestic and relationship violence has increased during the recent economic downturn.

In the Bitter End, Alex tells her story of her life before Cole--losing her mother at an early age, being emotionally distant from her father, feeling like a loser at school. When sports star and overall great guy Cole Cozen transfers to Alex's high school, she becomes his English tutor to help him get caught up. Over time, their relationship deepens. Cole is romantic, thoughtful and cool, and he makes her feel special and understands her. Then the abuse starts--just a painful squeeze or a push at first, followed by remorse and loving attention. Then there is the increasing awareness that he is following her and making accusations about her relationship with her friends, Bethany and Zack. Part of Alex knows she's in trouble, but another part doesn't want to lose Cole when he is at his most affectionate.

Brown tells of Alex's struggles in a realistic and sympathetic way. Alex has friends, but cannot bring herself to tell what is happening, especially since she thinks it is her own fault. Fear, isolation, self-doubt are all part of an abuse victim's profile. (Only 33% of abused teens report on their abuse to a friend (ibid).) Alex's two friends try to help, but Alex snubs them. The tension mounts as Alex moves closer to making a choice and dealing with the consequences.

This is a moving and informative account of dealing with dating violence. Recommended.