* I received Fury by Elizabeth Miles free from Simon & Schuster Canada

For teens:

Fury is a story about high school students on winter break in the wake of one of their classmates attempting to commit suicide. There are some interesting supernatural elements, but the author uses this to tell her realistic story rather than shaping a story around supernatural creatures. You'll love it if you've ever:

-had your heart broken by a player
- struggled to fit in because you couldn't afford cool clothes
-been bullied
-fallen in love with your best friend's boyfriend
- felt pressured to be mean to maintain your social status
-believed in karma
-or had a love of Greek myth

Em is a very believable character. She makes mistakes and isn't always a great friend but I liked her because I understood where she was coming from. Miles does a fabulous job of making everyone's motives very clear, the characters make realistic choices in fantastical situations.

For librarians, teachers & parents:

Fury is a fantastic book to have in your collection because it deals with

-bullying (both in person and cyberbullying)
-the dangers of sexting and sharing sexy photos
-peer pressure
-poverty and class divide in terms of how it effects a teen's ability to fit in
-suicide

The novel explores the consequences of these issues from people on both sides. How does a bully feel when the kid they pick on jumps off a bridge? Without being overly preachy this book emphasizes the concept of what goes around comes around, and encourages teens to think about the huge ramifications a few words they say or a picture they post can have on someone's life.

The cover is breathtaking (gorgeous woman with fire for hair), and the mysterious supernatural story will go off your shelf like hot cakes, but because of the issues it deals with it's also an ideal book for a book club. Lots of discussion to be had!