The Nature of Jade by Deb Caletti

In this book, Jade doesn't know yet that she wants something more out of life - and that she is about to meet someone that will change her life. Jade is an overachiever who has developed panic disorder. Sometimes, the medicine she takes makes her antsy at night, so she's taken to watching the online elephant cam from her local zoo. One night, the camera shows her a teenage boy in a red jacket with a baby, and she is inexplicably drawn to them. Throughout the course of her senior year, Jade finds herself feeling more and more out-of-place with her friends as they discuss their future plans. She's ready for her life to change, but she's not sure how. When she gets a job at the zoo and befriends the elephants and their caretakers, things seem right again. Then she meets the boy in the red jacket face-to-face. As their relationship grows, secrets are revealed on both sides, and it is that relationship which ultimately gives her the strength to make some extremely difficult choices. I have read two of Caletti's other books, Wild Roses and Stay, and loved both of them. To me, this one was not as enjoyable as the other two. I felt some spots were not as strong as her other novels. It was a good, quick read and, overall, it wasn't too bad.

Wild Roses by Deb Caletti

This book is about Cassie, who is going through a hard time after her parent's divorce. She's not having a hard time with the divorce itself but instead her mean and vindictive step-father, Dino Cavelli. He is a "genius" composer who her mother fell deeply in love with and married five days after her divorce was final. Just when she thinks she's got him figured out, he surprises her again by becoming paranoid, convinced that his former manager William is listening to them through the cable and is watching them from the windows. As he slips more and more into his paranoid visions, he becomes even more violent and mean as the days pass. Another thing surprises Cassie: Dino takes on a student. She knows this won't go very well, probably ending in a violent screaming match and something being throw. But when she meets his student, gorgeous Ian Waters, she starts to think that it actually might have its advantages after all. When she and Ian start to get to know each other, Dino only gets worse. And, for the first time since knowing Dino, Cassie is actually scared. I loved this book! I read Caletti's book Stay a while ago and liked it. This one was just as good, showing she has the talent of Sarah Dessen, but also brings a little extra trouble into her books.
Grade: A+
SC: 6
V: 5
C: 5