Cycler by Lauren McLaughlin

While extremely far-fetched in its premise, this is an interesting look at gender and gender identity, and one of the rare books for teens dealing with bisexual characters.

Every month, for four days, Jill's alter-ego Jack comes to the fore, complete with teenage male body and desires. Jill has learned to block out all memories of these takeover of her body, and until this year Jack has agreed to stay hidden at home. But now he has a crush on her best friend, and even window bars and a keypad lock system on the door can't keep him inside. Meanwhile Jill has a crush of her own, on bisexual Tommy. What happens when both Jack and Jill are on the loose on the same night makes for an interesting conclusion.

The subplot of her parents marital problems is not explored and should have been left out, but otherwise this is an interesting and, at times, funny book.

*** Of interest

Random House, 2008     ISBN  0375851917

Absolute Brightness by James Lecesne

Teens Phoebe and Deirdre are not thrilled to have a cousin they've never heard of come to live with them. They refuse to share a room, and their mother prepares a corner in the musty basement blocked off with cardboard boxes. When Leonard arrives, they are even more dismayed. He swishes, he wears outrageous outfits, he's as queer-seeming as can be. Phoebe tries to warn him to change his ways, but he doesn't get it, replying that he's just being himself.

Where he does make a big diffe...more Teens Phoebe and Deirdre are not thrilled to have a cousin they've never heard of come to live with them. They refuse to share a room, and their mother prepares a corner in the musty basement blocked off with cardboard boxes. When Leonard arrives, they are even more dismayed. He swishes, he wears outrageous outfits, he's as queer-seeming as can be. Phoebe tries to warn him to change his ways, but he doesn't get it, replying that he's just being himself.

Where he does make a big difference is in their mother's hair salon: he convinces his aunt it's time for a new hairstyle, make-up, and clothing, and then he moves on to the other, mostly older clients, offering new, more modern hairstyles, and even convincing some of them to update their wardrobes.

Unfortunately, as Phoebe has predicted, he runs into trouble with other kids, particularly a couple of older bullies, Travis and Curtis.

When he disappears, suspicion falls in a wide arc, including Phoebe's father, and the high school drama coach. The discovery of the real culprit is revealed in a very suspenseful scene, but the book doesn't end there as so many mysteries do.

Instead, many moral and ethical questions are explored by Phoebe in the aftermath, and she finds she has grown up to find her world full of contradictions and ambiguities.

***** Highly Recommended


HarperTeen, 2008    ISBN  0061256277