http://www.blounttoday.com/news/columnists/courtney-bowers/?partner=RSSblounttoday.com Stories: Courtney Bowersen-uscolumnists/courtney-bowershttp://www.blounttoday.com/news/2011/aug/08/bookshelf-teen-review-madapple-christina-meldrum/?partner=RSSAslaug is a teenage girl with no identity other than she is the daughter of her mother, Maren. Aslaug and her mother live hidden away in a small, decrepit house in the wilderness of Maine. They never leave, other than to scour the fields in search of medicinal and edible plants for harvesting. Curtains cover every window of their home, keeping the outside world hidden from view. Maren home schools Aslaug, teaching her only that which she believes she should know. Mon, 08 Aug 2011 15:16:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-18993-734357columnists/courtney-bowersCourtney BowersMaryville, TNThe Bookshelf, A Teen Review: Madapple by Christina Meldrumblounttoday.combookshelf-teen-review-madapple-christina-meldrumurn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-18993-734357Change0Usablehttp://www.blounttoday.com/news/2011/jul/11/bookshelf-teen-review-exposed-kimberly-marcus/?partner=RSSLiz is a photographer, a young girl who sees her world through snapshots. And those pictures are clear, in focus, and happy most of the time. Her family is supportive, her art teacher praises her camera skills, and her best friend Kate will always be there. Until one day Kate slips out of her viewfinder after a heated argument at a slumber party. Liz tries to apologize for her harsh words, yet Kate is unresponsive. She avoids Liz at all costs, although she claims she isn’t mad. Could one hurtful comment truly erase a lifelong friendship? Mon, 11 Jul 2011 04:00:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-18886-734329columnists/courtney-bowersCourtney BowersMaryville, TNThe Bookshelf, A Teen Review: Exposed by Kimberly Marcusblounttoday.combookshelf-teen-review-exposed-kimberly-marcusurn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-18886-734329Change0Usablehttp://www.blounttoday.com/news/2011/jun/13/bookshelf-teen-review-dash-and-lilys-book-dares-ra/?partner=RSSIf you’ve read my book review column before, you know I’m a fan of juxtaposed story telling. And if you’ve read my column closely, you also know that when Rachel Cohn and David Levithan pair up as coauthors, I will be madly rushing to the library to find myself a copy of their book. Best known for Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, Cohn and Levithan continually write teen love stories from the perspective of both individuals in the relationship, usually revolving the novel around New York City’s hipster culture. For Nick and Norah, the connection was music. For Dash and Lilly, that connection is words. Mon, 13 Jun 2011 13:59:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-18784-734301columnists/courtney-bowersCourtney BowersMaryville, TNThe Bookshelf, A Teen Review: Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan blounttoday.combookshelf-teen-review-dash-and-lilys-book-dares-raurn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-18784-734301Change0Usablehttp://www.blounttoday.com/news/2011/may/09/booshelf-teen-review-matched-ally-condie/?partner=RSS It’s about time someone wrote a dystopian novel for our generation. Ally Condie’s first novel of her planned series, “Matched,” certainly fills that void. For you avid classic literature readers out there, this book is “Twilight” meets Ayn Rand’s “Anthem.” You’ve got the typical “perfect” society created by an oppressive government, except a new ingredient has been added to the established recipe: a teenage love triangle reminiscent of Edward versus Jacob. Mon, 09 May 2011 14:44:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-18643-734266columnists/courtney-bowersCourtney BowersMaryville, TNThe Booshelf, A Teen Review: Matched by Ally Condieblounttoday.combooshelf-teen-review-matched-ally-condieurn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-18643-734266Change0Usablehttp://www.blounttoday.com/news/2011/apr/11/bookshelf-teen-review-diving-bell-and-butterfly-je/?partner=RSSImagine being trapped inside your own body. You’re in complete paralysis; you cannot move nor speak; yet your mind is still fully functioning and desperate to communicate with the world. This may sound like the plotline for a horror movie or a dramatic episode of House, but for Jean-Dominique Bauby, this was reality A rare stroke in his brain stem left him totally paralyzed except for his left eye, a condition known as locked-in syndrome. The once successful editor-in-chief of the French fashion magazine “Elle” was now virtually in a vegetable state. One cannot even begin to comprehend the agony of his situation, so Bauby managed to construct a firsthand account of his locked-away thoughts into a fantastic memoir while still imprisoned by the paralysis. Mon, 11 Apr 2011 04:00:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-18537-734238columnists/courtney-bowersCourtney BowersMaryville, TNThe Bookshelf, A Teen Review: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Baubyblounttoday.combookshelf-teen-review-diving-bell-and-butterfly-jeurn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-18537-734238Change0Usablehttp://www.blounttoday.com/news/2011/mar/14/bookshelf-teen-review-half-life-planets-emily-fran/?partner=RSSLiana is a teenage science geek who has dedicated her summer vacation to studying space and the stars rather than kissing boys, her previous addictive hobby. After receiving a rather negative label from her peers for her incessant flings, Liana is determined to prove them wrong and remove the stigma. Mon, 14 Mar 2011 14:01:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-18430-734210columnists/courtney-bowersCourtney BowersMaryville, TNThe Bookshelf, A Teen Review: The Half-Life of Planets by Emily Franklin and Brendan Halpinblounttoday.combookshelf-teen-review-half-life-planets-emily-franurn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-18430-734210Change0Usablehttp://www.blounttoday.com/news/2011/feb/14/bookshelf-teen-review-sybil-flora-rheta-schreiber/?partner=RSSMost people have probably watched, or at the very least heard of, the 1976 movie “Sybil.” In fact, if you have a few mood swings, someone may actually refer to you as Sybil, the woman with sixteen personalities. This extreme example of multiple personality disorder has turned the real-life Shirley Mason into a caricature. However, the story is based entirely on a factual psychoanalysis of a patient, and, as a lover of both books and psychology, I was easily enticed to read about a truth stranger than fiction. Mon, 14 Feb 2011 16:31:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-18317-734182columnists/courtney-bowersCourtney BowersMaryville, TNThe Bookshelf, A Teen Review: Sybil by Flora Rheta Schreiberblounttoday.combookshelf-teen-review-sybil-flora-rheta-schreiberurn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-18317-734182Change0Usablehttp://www.blounttoday.com/news/2011/jan/10/bookshelf-teen-review-explosionist-jenny-davidson/?partner=RSSLet me begin by saying that before you read “The Explosionist,” you must understand the context and the setting of the story. I spent a hundred-odd pages attempting to decipher exactly what era my imagination was venturing off to until I finally discovered an explanation located in the author’s note at the very end of the book. “The Explosionis”t is set in a parallel universe very similar to our own. Sophie, our 15-year-old orphaned heroine, attends a boarding school in Scotland in the late 1930s. Mon, 10 Jan 2011 05:00:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-18178-734147columnists/courtney-bowersCourtney BowersMaryville, TNThe Bookshelf, A Teen Review: The Explosionist by Jenny Davidsonblounttoday.combookshelf-teen-review-explosionist-jenny-davidsonurn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-18178-734147Change0Usablehttp://www.blounttoday.com/news/2010/dec/13/bookshelf-teen-review-bluest-eye-toni-morrison/?partner=RSS“The Bluest Eye” is a book that has been banned from many schools and libraries due to its controversial nature. Yes, this book is graphic, and it contains a story that most authors would be too afraid to tell, but nevertheless, it’s a story that needs to be told. Mon, 13 Dec 2010 16:23:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-18092-734119columnists/courtney-bowersCourtney BowersMaryville, TNThe Bookshelf, A Teen Review: The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrisonblounttoday.combookshelf-teen-review-bluest-eye-toni-morrisonurn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-18092-734119Change0Usablehttp://www.blounttoday.com/news/2010/nov/29/bookshelf-teen-review-great-gatsby-f-scott-fitzger/?partner=RSS“The Great Gatsby” is one of those books that teachers start mentioning at the beginning of high school, one of those that you know you should probably read at some point in your life. So when I discovered that this novel was only a mere 135 pages, I decided it was time to read a classic that wasn’t a monstrous, intimidating epic. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece is set in New York during the Roaring Twenties, when Long Island was beginning to divide into “East Egg,” the home of the aristocratic millionaires, and “West Egg,” the home of the newly-rich desperate to show off their success. Mon, 29 Nov 2010 05:00:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-18034-734105columnists/courtney-bowersCourtney BowersMaryville, TNThe Bookshelf, A Teen Review: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgeraldblounttoday.combookshelf-teen-review-great-gatsby-f-scott-fitzgerurn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-18034-734105Change0Usablehttp://www.blounttoday.com/news/2010/oct/18/bookshelf-teen-review-awakening-kate-chopin/?partner=RSSAs I continue to explore literature’s classics, I am constantly surprised by how relevant the stories are, even centuries later. This is certainly the case with Kate Chopin’s masterpiece, “The Awakening.” Written in 1899, Chopin creates a poignant tale of a woman embarking on a journey of self-discovery years before feminism became a prominent movement. Although the times have certainly changed, the novel never feels outdated. The struggles that face the protagonists are inner conflicts that still plague many to this day. Mon, 18 Oct 2010 20:15:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-17832-734063columnists/courtney-bowersCourtney BowersMaryville, TNThe Bookshelf, A Teen Review: The Awakening by Kate Chopinblounttoday.combookshelf-teen-review-awakening-kate-chopinurn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-17832-734063Change0Usablehttp://www.blounttoday.com/news/2010/oct/11/bookshelf-teen-review-i-lay-dying-william-faulkner/?partner=RSSWhen I was assigned to read a timeless novel by a classic writer for my English class, I chose William Faulkner. Why? He’s supposed to be one of the most influential Southern writers of the twentieth century; he even won a Nobel Prize. Though I had never read much Faulkner, I had enjoyed one of his short stories, and I knew that if an author could hook me in a mere ten pages, he could certainly capture my attention in over 200. Mon, 11 Oct 2010 04:00:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-17805-734056columnists/courtney-bowersCourtney BowersMaryville, TNThe Bookshelf, A Teen Review: As I Lay Dying by William Faulknerblounttoday.combookshelf-teen-review-i-lay-dying-william-faulknerurn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-17805-734056Change0Usablehttp://www.blounttoday.com/news/2010/sep/13/bookshelf-teen-review-taken-storm-angela-morrison/?partner=RSSLeesie is a good girl: intelligent, studious, and devoted to her Mormon religion. She plays by the rules, forbidding herself to fall in love with a non-Mormon or have sex until marriage. She dreams of leaving her small town, where hormonal teenage boys harass her for being so virtuous, so she can attend Birmingham Young University, a place where her morals will be valued by the other students. Mon, 13 Sep 2010 04:00:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-17659-734028columnists/courtney-bowersCourtney BowersMaryville, TNThe Bookshelf, A Teen Review: Taken By Storm by Angela Morrisonblounttoday.combookshelf-teen-review-taken-storm-angela-morrisonurn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-17659-734028Change0Usablehttp://www.blounttoday.com/news/2010/aug/09/bookself-teen-review-jane-eyre-charlotte-bront/?partner=RSSIf you’ve taken a high school English course, I’m sure you’ve all groaned after one glance at the summer reading list. The dread of actually cracking open the covers has been hanging over your head since June. But June passed, and so did July, and you’ve probably procrastinated the assignments until the last week of vacation, resulting in a hasty skimming of the novels. Mon, 09 Aug 2010 15:18:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-17504-733993columnists/courtney-bowersCourtney BowersMaryville, TNThe Bookself, A Teen Review: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontëblounttoday.combookself-teen-review-jane-eyre-charlotte-bronturn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-17504-733993Change0Usablehttp://www.blounttoday.com/news/2010/jul/12/bookshelf-teen-review-hanging-woods-scott-loring-s/?partner=RSSGrowing up in a southern town in the mid-seventies, 14-year-old Walter and his two mischievous best friends, Jimmy and Mothball, spend most of their time sneaking out at night and playing down by the river. They are particularly interested in the Troll, a homeless man who lives under the railroad tracks. Their parents worry about the boys’ adventures, but in the times when the world seemed a much safer place, the kids pay no attention to their warnings. Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:24:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-17370-733965columnists/courtney-bowersCourtney BowersMaryville, TNThe Bookshelf, A Teen Review: The Hanging Woods by Scott Loring Sandersblounttoday.combookshelf-teen-review-hanging-woods-scott-loring-surn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-17370-733965Change0Usablehttp://www.blounttoday.com/news/2010/jun/21/bookshelf-teen-review-write-naked-peter-gould/?partner=RSSSixteen-year-old Victor is not a typical teenage boy. Instead of spending his time playing video games or causing trouble with friends, he prefers to live life “under the radar,” hoping to remain unnoticed by the rest of the world. While browsing through a yard sale, he finds an old Royal typewriter, and he can immediately feel a connection telling him that the machine holds something magical inside for him. Mon, 21 Jun 2010 16:12:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-17290-733944columnists/courtney-bowersCourtney BowersMaryville, TNThe Bookshelf, A Teen Review: Write naked by Peter Gouldblounttoday.combookshelf-teen-review-write-naked-peter-gouldurn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-17290-733944Change0Usablehttp://www.blounttoday.com/news/2010/jun/14/bookshelf-teen-review-virgin-suicides-jeffrey-euge/?partner=RSSIt all began with one sister. Cecilia Lisbon, the youngest and certainly oddest of the five Lisbon girls, attempted suicide in her family’s bathroom. Until that one act, the Lisbons had been viewed as the most beautiful girls in the whole town -- mysteriously flawless and completely unattainable. Mon, 14 Jun 2010 10:00:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-17256-733937columnists/courtney-bowersCourtney BowersMaryville, TNThe Bookshelf, A Teen Review: The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenidesblounttoday.combookshelf-teen-review-virgin-suicides-jeffrey-eugeurn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-17256-733937Change0Usablehttp://www.blounttoday.com/news/2010/may/10/bookshelf-teen-review-under-same-sky-brett-smuckle/?partner=RSS“Under the Same Sky” is the story of two friends whose love is overpowered by their opposite goals in life. Olivia meets Emmett when she is in kindergarten, and they spend all of their childhood years together, playing in the backyard and going on family vacations to the beach. Mon, 10 May 2010 18:13:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-17122-733902columnists/courtney-bowersCourtney BowersMaryville, TNThe Bookshelf, A Teen Review: Under the Same Sky by Brett Smucklerblounttoday.combookshelf-teen-review-under-same-sky-brett-smuckleurn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-17122-733902Change0Usablehttp://www.blounttoday.com/news/2010/apr/12/bookshelf-teen-review-perks-being-wallflower-steph/?partner=RSSIt is Charlie’s freshman year of high school, and he doesn’t quite know where he belongs. He has never fit in with any of the kids his own age because he is so shy and timid. However, Charlie has a great deal of potential hiding behind his quiet ways. He is extremely intelligent, an exceptional student who receives extra reading assignments from his English teacher. He spends his days devouring the books, trying to understand the characters in them. Mon, 12 Apr 2010 14:15:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-16975-733874columnists/courtney-bowersCourtney BowersMaryville, TNThe Bookshelf, A Teen Review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chboskyblounttoday.combookshelf-teen-review-perks-being-wallflower-stephurn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-16975-733874Change0Usablehttp://www.blounttoday.com/news/2010/mar/08/bookshelf-teen-review-losers-guide-life-and-love-e/?partner=RSSEd McIff is your typical teenage dork, a guy who never knows what to say to girls and wears a tuxedo and bow tie to his job at Reel Life Movies. According to Ed, no one of the opposite sex could ever be remotely interested in a loser like him. What Ed doesn’t know is that his best friend and coworker, Scout, has had a crush on him for ages. Ed has never even considered the idea of Scout being interested in him; she is just one of the boys in his mind. Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:43:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-16811-733839columnists/courtney-bowersCourtney BowersMaryville, TNThe Bookshelf, A Teen Review: The Loser’s Guide to Life and Love by A.E. Cannonblounttoday.combookshelf-teen-review-losers-guide-life-and-love-eurn:publicid:www.blounttoday.com:news-Story-16811-733839Change0Usable