In Vancouver's rough Downtown Eastside, a group of underprivileged teenage girls seek security and protection. Little (The New Normal) alternates among their voices-as well as that of the city itself-in potent, vignette-like chapters, some of which are as short as a single sentence. Having quit the Vipers after realizing the gang "didn't give a solid fuck about us," intense 17-year-old Mac starts the Black Roses, an all-female gang of "bad bitches." She recruits Mercy, an orphan and dropout; Kayos, a sexual abuse victim whose anger smolders just below the surface; Sly Girl, an ex-addict from "the rez" with scars from being shot in the face; and Z, a Chinese graffiti artist. They sign on to share a home, steal, deal drugs, and abide by a shared code of conduct in hopes of keeping their pasts at bay and building a future. A romance between Mac and Z, a shooting, a fatal accident, and a robbery fuel jealousy and complicate their plans. While the demise of their operation is perhaps inevitable, the girls' journey is deeply felt and often shocking in its brutality. Ages 14-up. (May)

Gr 10 Up-After being forced to prostitute themselves for the benefit of their gang, Mercy and Mac free themselves to create The Black Roses, the most terrifying all-female gang Vancouver has ever seen. Told in the alternating perspectives of the five members, each teen describes the horrors in her life and explains her willingness to embrace this type of life. The characters unabashedly share their stories. When Mercy accidentally runs over a homeless man, her remorse for having killed him is overshadowed by the need to fence the stolen car and erase any evidence of her involvement. Yet within the crew, each girl experiences friendship, support, and even lovethey are a family. When Sly Girl is beaten and raped during a crack deal, the gang closes ranks to protect her and exacts brutal revenge on the perpetrators. The novel ends, as many gang members do, in preventable pointless violence. The protagonists are authentically portrayed and the author uses gritty prose to depict their bleak and painful existence. The brutality is unsettling and realistic, and more suitable for mature teens. Overall the book is a compelling, seemingly accurate, and somewhat disturbing read. Patricia Feriano, Our Lady of Mercy School, Potomac, MD