Jellicoe Road by Malina Marchetta

Title: Jellicoe Road
Author: Malina Marchetta
ISBN: 9780061431838
Publisher: HarperTeen

Summary:
"Abandoned by her mother on Jellicoe Road when she was eleven, Taylor Markham, now seventeen, is finally being confronted with her past. But as the reluctant leader of her boarding school dorm, there isn't a lot of time for introspection. And while Hannah, the closest adult Taylor has to family, has disappeared, Jonah Griggs is back in town, moody stares and all.

In this absorbing story by Melina Marchetta, nothing is as it seems and every clue leads to more questions as Taylor tries to work out the connection between her mother dumping her, Hannah finding her then and her sudden departure now, a mysterious stranger who once whispered something in her ear, a boy in her dreams, five kids who lived on Jellicoe Road eighteen years ago, and the maddening and magnetic Jonah Griggs, who knows her better than she thinks he does.

If Taylor can put together the pieces of her past, she might just be able to change her future."
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Review:

This book reminded me of other award winning books - very well written, but not necessarily something I can see a teen picking up and being in to. But the story was good. It was a bit confusing in the beginning, but eventually it makes sense and is very interesting the route it takes. There might be a bit much going on in the story for it to be much of a quick pick, but it's solid and gives you a clean ending.

One thing that does help the story along is the sense of mystery and discovery. There are twists and turns that I certainly wasn't expecting (at least until halfway through the book). Because of it's difficulty in the beginning, I'll probably recommend it only for our upper-level readers.

There are other blog reviews online - which is only to be expected of a Printz Award Winner. Here, here, here, and here.