And More YA New Books

Graphic Novels:

My Milk Toof by Inhae Lee -- follow the antics of two adorable baby teeth.
Nasume’s Book of Friends by Midorikawa Vols. 4, 6 -- Takashi deals with forest spirits who won't tell him the full truth; volume 5 is already at the Library.
Sukura Hime by Tanemura Vol. 9 -- Sakura is the granddaughter of a mysterious moon princess who slew demons with her Blood Cherry Blossom sword. All her life Sakura has been forbidden to look at the full moon without knowing why. Then one night, unhappy over her impending marriage, Sakura gazes up at the moon, only to see a demon attacking her... Princess Sakura has been staying at the estate of Fujimurasaki, the future emperor. Fujimurasaki tells Sakura he loves her and keeps her hidden from Aoba. Sakura yearns to be reunited with Aoba, but he's to marry Princess Yuri...
Blood for Stone by Kenton Daniels -- Lost in the Alps, five Roman soldiers find themselves at the mercy of the mountains. Wandering into a remote village, they agree to help find a missing girl in exchange for safe passage. With a mysterious gypsy serving as guide, the Romans journey to a place called Devil's Finger. There, they descend into a subterranean chaos of blood and horror. Far from home, they're forced to make a stand.
Superman. Grounded. Vol. 2 -- Superman meets the new Wonder Woman for the first time! But, why can't he shake the feeling that he already knows her? Then, Superman visits Boulder, Colorado, where The Flash made a strange discovery that relates to Superman. And in Salt Lake City, Batman arrives to revisit one of his earliest adventures with The Man of Steel!
X-Men. Phoenix Endsong/Warsong -- The epic two-part tale of life, death and rebirth collected in one volume! The Phoenix has come back to life. Seeking to reunite with Jean Grey, it has returned to Earth -- only to find its former host dead and buried. Without Jean Grey to control the Phoenix's limitless power, will the X-Men succeed in stopping this cosmic force of death and destruction once more? Plus: Something's not quite right with the Stepford Cuckoos, and the X-Men better figure out what it is -- and fast! And what does Weapon Plus have to do with all this?
Avengers Vs. X-Men. It’s Coming -- Seven action-packed tales to get you up to speed for the biggest comic event of 2012! Four teams -- Avengers, X-Men, Young Avengers, and X-Factor -- all battle to determine who will hold the Scarlet Witch responsible for her crimes. Cyclops and Wolverine square off in the climax of the SCHISM event. Magneto gets caught on video murdering an anti-mutant group. Cable returns from the future with Hope and later tries to eliminate the Avengers from history!
Maximum Ride (the manga), Vol 6 by James Patterson -- There's a rift in the flock, and everyone is choosing sides! While Max and her team are Europe-bound, fang and his crew head west. No matter which direction the flock heads in, though, there's trouble around every corner.

Fiction:

Torrent by Lisa Bergren -- Gabriella and Evangelia Betarrini are just two normal American teenagers. Normal except for the fact that they time travel to fourteenth-century Italy, where they've lived in castles they've seen as crumbling ruins, become swept up in historic battles, and fallen in love with handsome knights willing to do anything to keep them alive. They've returned to the present to save their father, just short of his tragic death, and now all four return to the place that holds the girls' hearts, medieval Italy. But remaining there means facing great risk as the battle for territory wages on and the coming Black Plague looms. Can they convince their parents to stay and leave behind everything they've worked so hard to accomplish? And will the girls sacrifice their futures in an uncertain past? Or in facing death head-on, will they discover life as it was always meant to be lived?
Lullaby by Amanda Hocking -- Vowing to get her sister Gemma back from the siren sisters no matter what the cost, Harper must face dangers unlike any she's ever experienced. Fortunately, she has Daniel by her side, a gorgeous guy who's devoted to helping her find her sister--and who's immune to the girls' dark powers.
The Chaos; Num8ers #2 by Rachel Ward -- Like his mother, Jem, when fifteen-year-old Adam looks in people's eyes he can see the dates of their deaths and now he sees the same date, six months in the future, in nearly everyone around him in the London of 2026.
The Infinity: Num8ers #3 -- Adam, Sarah, and Mia are living together, struggling with the fame brought about by their knowing the dates when people will die, but ever since Mia swapped her number for another, her new power makes her a target that puts them all in jeopardy.
Souls Screamers, Vol 2 by Rachel Vincent -- Kaylee Cavanaugh's life has gotten better. She's getting to know her dad, doing okay in school and has a hot new boyfriend who understands her in every way. Until the hellion Avari starts tempting everyone with an exotic new drug -- demon's breath. Then, on shaky ground with Nash Hudson, Kaylee is taking their relationship easy. But then Sabine, Nash's ex, storms into their lives. She's determined to get Nash back and there's nothing she won't do to remind him of what they had. And since Sabine has special abilities of her own, Kaylee is headed into a battle she's not sure she can win. Finally, Though Tod Hudson died two years ago, thanks to his job as a Reaper, he's never had to move on or let go of his family -- no matter how much Nash would like him to! But, few people know about how he came to accept the job of claiming souls.
Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes -- In a land where magic has been forgotten but peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest is simmering. Three kingdoms grapple for power--brutally transforming their subjects' lives in the process. Amidst betrayals, bargains, and battles, four young people find their fates forever intertwined. The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?
Boyfriends with Girlfriends by Alex Sanchez -- When Lance begins to date Sergio, who's bisexual, he's not sure that it'll work out, and when his best friend Allie, who has a boyfriend, meets Sergio's lesbian friend, she has unexpected feelings which she struggles to understand.
Shadow and Bone: Grisha #1 by Leigh Bardugo -- Orphaned by the Border Wars, Alina Starkov is taken from obscurity and her only friend, Mal, to become the protegé of the mysterious Darkling, who trains her to join the magical elite in the belief that she is the Sun Summoner, who can destroy the monsters of the Fold.
Flesh & Bone: Benny Imura #3 by Jonathan Maberry -- Benny, Nix, Lou, and Lilah journey through a fierce wilderness that was once America searching for the jet they saw months ago, while evading fierce animals and a new kind of zombie.
Voyage of the Sea Wolf by Eve Bunting -- After having been marooned on an island for ten days, Catherine and William are finally rescued and brought aboard a pirate ship that is captained by a woman who takes a liking to William and forbids Catherine, his true love, from seeing him.
My Name is Parvana by Deborah Ellis -- Found wandering alone in a bombed-out Afghan school, 15-year-old Parvana mystifies American military forces by remaining silent, while spending her time remembering the past four years of her life, having been reunited with her mother and sisters and living in a village where her mother's finally managed to open a school for girls. As her family settles into the routine of running the school, Parvana, a bit to her surprise, finds herself restless and bored. She even thinks of running away. But when local men threaten the school and her family, she must draw on every ounce of bravery and resilience she possesses to survive the disaster that kills her mother, destroys the school, and puts her own life in jeopardy.
Under My Hat by Jonathan Strahan, ed. -- 18 short stories by well-known fantasy authors that deal with witches and witchcraft.
Fire Season: Star Kingdom #2 by David Weber -- Fourteen-year-old Stephanie Harrington and her fellow Provisional Forest Rangers on the planet Sphinx must prevent disaster from befalling a treecat clan caught in a blaze while preserving the secret that the treecats of Sphinx are highly intelligent and deserving of rights that some would deny them.

New YA Books

Graphic Novels:

Batman. Eye of the Beholder -- A powerful relic, hidden and protected by an ancient order, falls into the hands of one of Batman's deadliest foes! The Dark Knight and his allies are outnumbered and outmatched as they struggle to free themselves from their merciless adversary. With death and destruction imminent, Batman must make a crucial sacrifice.
Marathon by Yakin -- In graphic novel form, tells the story of Eucles, the Athenian messenger who, in 490 B.C., ran twenty-seven miles from Sparta to Athens, preventing the fall of Greece to the Persian Empire.
Gunnerkrigg Court. Vol. 3, Reason by Siddell -- Annie and Kat continue to uncover terrible secrets about their school, Gunnerkrigg Court, while relationships grow and the boundaries of reality are blurred. In the meantime, Coyote begins to show that things in the forest are not quite what they seem! Plus, Annie's second year at the Court comes to a dramatic end!
Naruto Vol. 59 by Kishimoto -- As powerful as they are, Naruto and his friends, including all five village Kage, can't seem to gain ground over Kabuto's army of undead ninja. And now, the biggest surprise resurrection of all raises a question they all thought had already been answered: just who is Madara and what does he really want?!
Saturn Apartments Vol. 6 by Iwaoka -- Living isn't easy in the lower levels of the Ring System, a floating civilization constructed when Earth was abandoned as a nature preserve. Sixteen-year-old Mitsu got a job washing windows for the wealthy residents of the upper levels after his father, also a window washer, fell from his tether. Now, Mitsu's been asked to man an illegal craft that's descending to the surface of the earth. But, it seems everyone in this divided society has a secret agenda. Mitsu alone must decide if he's ready to take the journey of a lifetime...
Fairy Tail Vol. 22 by Mashiba -- A royal double cross! King Faust finally reveals his plan -- and it's even crueler than anyone imagined! Happy, Carla, and Lucy have to hurry if they're going to rescue Natsu and Wendy from the king's torturous magic extraction machine and stop a genocidal scheme that would kill the remaining Fairy Tail members. But first, they'll have to make it through ... an amusement park?!

Fiction:

Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde -- Fifteen-year-old Jennifer Strange runs an agency for underemployed magicians in a world where magic is fading away, but when visions of the death of the world's last dragon begin, all signs point to Jennifer -- and Big Magic.
Endangered by Eliot Schrefer -- Sophie is not happy to be back in the Congo for the summer, but when she rescues an abused baby bonobo, she becomes more involved in her mother's sanctuary -- and when fighting breaks out and the sanctuary is attacked, it is up to Sophie to rescue the apes and somehow survive in the jungle.
Endlessly by Kiersten White -- Paranormalcy book #3 - Sixteen-year-old Evie is forced to face the truth about her supernatural past when a deadly faerie battle threatens the future of the entire paranormal world.
Elemental by Antony John -- In a dystopian colony of the United States where everyone is born with powers of the elements, water, wind, earth, and fire, sixteen-year-old Thomas, the first and only child born without an element, seems powerless, but is he?
If We Survive by Andrew Klavan -- When revolutionaries seize control of a country in Central America where sixteen-year-old Will is serving at a mission, he and the other volunteers find themselves in a desperate race to escape the violence and return home.
Passenger by Andrew Smith -- Marbury Lens #2 - Jack and Conner are drawn back to Marbury to rescue other friends and attempt to destroy the lens that transports them to the alternate world.
Time to Shine by Nikki Carter -- Sunday Tolliver is now the hottest singer-songwriter in the business-but too much personal drama is spinning her crazy-busy life totally out of control. Her boyfriend, Sam, won't discuss the online buzz pulling them apart, and Sunday is past done putting up with him. Her two best friends are way far gone over one irresistible boy and it's messing with their tight-knit group.
Quince Clash by Malin Alegria -- Border Town #2 - Hoping to celebrate her quinceañera abroad instead of having a traditional party, Fabi clashes with a mean-spirited rival and resolves to put the girl and her squad of friends to shame with the biggest quince the town has ever seen.
Falling Too Fast by Malin Alegria -- Border Town #3 - When Alexis, who dreams of becoming a famous singer, develops a crush on the lead singer of a band from another high school, she is willing to do anything to capture his attention.
No Second Chances by Malin Alegria -- Border Town #4 - Santiago might be in over his head this time. Santiago's grades are slipping again, but he's determined to prove to his family that he can be successful at something, even if it's not school. When a fancy new taco chain moves in across the street from the Garza family restaurant, Santiago is inspired -- he'll open a food business of his own!
Scrivener’s Moon by Philip Reeve -- Fever Crumb #3 - When she returns home after two years, Fever finds that her Scriven mother's creation, New London, the city on wheels, is nearly complete and ready to fight the nomad tribes of Britain -- and Fever must journey to the north to find the ancient birthplace of the Scriven mutants and solve the mystery of her own past.
Sapphire Blue by Kiersten Gier -- Gem Trilogy #2 - Sixteen-year-old Gwen, the newest and final member of the secret time-traveling Circle of Twelve, searches through history for the other time-travelers, aided by friend Lesley, James the ghost, Xemerius the gargoyle demon, and Gideon, the Diamond, whose fate seems bound with hers.
My Book of Life by Angel by Martine Leavitt -- 16-year-old Angel struggles to free herself from the trap of prostitution in which she is caught. When her pimp, Call, brings home 11 year old Melli to take Angel's place, she tries her best to protect the girl, even as other prostitutes continue to vanish.
Burned by Sara Shepard -- Pretty Little Liars #12 - It's spring break, and the pretty little liars are trading in Rosewood for a cruise vacation. They want nothing more than to sail into the tropical sunset and leave their troubles behind for one blissful week. But where Emily, Aria, Spencer, and Hanna go, A goes, too. From scuba diving to tanning on the upper deck, A is there, soaking up all their new secrets. Emily is smooching a stowaway. Aria's treasure-hunting partner is a little too interested in her booty. Spencer's going overboard trying to land a new boy. And a blast -- or rather, a crash -- from Hanna's past could mean rough waters ahead for everyone. The liars better tighten their life jackets. A perfect storm is brewing, and if they aren't careful, A will bury them at sea...
Fateful by Claudia Gray -- When seventeen-year-old Tess Davies, a ladies' maid, meets handsome Alec Marlow aboard the RMS Titanic, she quickly becomes entangled in the dark secrets of his past, but her growing love puts her in mortal peril even before fate steps in.
Temptation by Travis Thrasher -- Solitary Tales #3 - As a reluctant student at Harrington High's summer school, Chris meets a fun-loving senior girl who offers a welcome diversion from Chris' past. Soon, Chris no longer searches for the truth about the town of Solitary. He no longer tries to pierce its shadows. He no longer questions his role in its mysteries. He makes a new choice: he runs. What he doesn't realize is that he's running the wrong way -- and is very close to being beyond any choices at all.
Eighth Grade is Making Me Sick by Jennifer Holm -- Eighth grade turns out to be an eventful year for Ginny and her family, as notes, lists, report cards, doctor bills, and other "stuff" reveal that the family moves to a big new house, Brian starts to be more than just a friend, Ginny's mother has a baby, and her stepfather loses his job.

Anime Club

Pikapals of Waco had their Christmas party last night, and wow, did we have fun! We decorated the Christmas trees in Youth Services for Miss Stacy, and made her a Thank You card/sign for letting us use her space for the past year or so.

Remember, we'll have next month's meeting on Jan 8th, since the first Tuesday is New Year's Day and we'll be closed! I have a screener disc coming in of a new Anime show, and I'll be bringing either that, or maybe a movie, if I think it is better!

I'm always willing to take suggestions for what you want to watch, and if I can get permission from the copyright holder, we will watch anything age appropriate!

See you next month!

Maverick list for 2013

You can find this great list right here, with a PDF you can download also. There are also links to the Tayshas and Lonestar lists. These are great recreational reading lists; the best of the best fiction and nonfiction for your pleasure reading!

More new fiction

Graphic Novels:

Red Hulk. [Vol. 4], Mayan Rule -- It's the end of the world as we know it when the gods walk the Earth, and the hands of the doomsday clock race towards Mayan rule! Former Avengers arrive to help the Red Hulk try to stop the end of all things, but the heroes suffer a devastating blow when Rick "A-Bomb" Jones falls in battle! Can even our favorite scarlet powerhouse hope to stand against the entire Mayan pantheon as they continue to remake the world in their own image? Is this the end of Red Hulk? And if so, what horrible fate awaits the human race? Guest starring Alpha Flight, Machine Man, She-Hulks, and more!
Wolverine and the X-Men Vol. 1 -- Spinning directly out of X-Men: Schism, the X-Men are split in two. In the oversized debut issue of the new ongoing flagship X-series, Wolverine takes one half of the X-Men back to Westchester to start over again with a new school, a new student body, and a lot of surprises up his sleeve. But when the new Hellfire Club decides they don't like what the ol' Canucklehead has started, they decide to burn the place to the ground. Will the school even outlast its first day?
Astonishing X-Men. [Vol. 9], Exalted -- After presiding over a mutant schism as leader of the X-Men, it looks like a visit from Storm may make Cyclops himself again -- but it quickly becomes apparent that Storm is not herself, either. She's from another reality -- one in which Cyclops soon finds himself a prisoner. And the key to his survival rests in his fellow captives, although they aren't the X-Men he knows.
X-Men. The Hidden Years Vol. 2 -- The original X-Men take on the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, mutant-controlled Sentinels, Angel's evil uncle Burt, the long-lost Yeti, Kraven the Hunter, and the mysterious mutant group the Promise -- and it all concludes in a seamless "crossover" with a classic Lee/Kirby/Romita Fantastic Four tale! Plus, the original version of that FF saga, featuring the menace of Magneto and the Sub-Mariner! And the classic Atlas Era and Silver Age appearances of the Promise!
Spider-Man. Flying Blind -- In the wake of Spider-Island, a lot of people are not happy with Spider-Man, including his ex-girlfriend and the cops, but at least he has his spider-sense back. He is going to need it to face a villain from his past and Dr. Octopus and the Sinister Six, and to help Daredevil protect Black Cat from the organized crime thugs she's been stealing technology from.
Spider-Man. The Complete Ben Reilly Epic. Book 6 -- Peter and Ben grow ever closer to unraveling the twisted conspiracy that has manipulated them both for years, but the identity of the shadowy madman pulling their strings will shock both Spider-Men to the core - and one will not survive!
Spider-Man. Fear Itself -- As Fear Itself unravels the population of New York City, Spider-Man is spread thin, trying to help all who need him while trying to ignore his own fear about his loved ones. But when one of the Serpent's hammers falls into the hands of the Thing, Spider-Man and the remaining members of the Future Foundation find themselves defending the city from their friend, now possessed by Angrir, breaker of souls.
Green Lantern Corps. Vol. 8, The Weaponeer -- When the Weaponeer kidnaps Sinestro's daughter, Soranik Natu, Honor Lantern Kyle Rayner and his fellow Honor Guard Lanterns will risk everything to get her back.
Showcase Presents. The Flash Vol. 4 -- A collection of some of the early adventures of Barry Allen as The Flash. The Flash faces Heatwave, Gorilla Grodd and Captain Cold, and meets Green Lantern, Superman and the Golden Age Flash! Originally published 1966-1968.
Strobe Edge Vol. 1  by Sakisaka -- What is love, anyway? Ninako Kinoshita's friends tell her it's one thing, but Ninako wonders what this mysterious feeling really is. When she meets Ren Ichinose, the handsome, enigmatic guy that all the girls worship, her life takes an unexpected turn. With just a few words and a smile, he changes her world... Once Ninako realizes that she's fallen for Ren, she confesses her feelings to him even though she knows he has a girlfriend!
Natsume's Book of Friends Vol. 5 by Midorikawa -- Takashi thinks he's found a balance between yokai and friends when he goes with a group of classmates to a country inn for a marathon cram session before school starts again. But, even the prosaic threat of homework can't keep the 'other world' at bay, especially when the innkeeper has been dabbling in mermaid blood! (Volumes 4 and 6 are still on order)
Blue Exorcist Vol. 8 by Kato -- Awakened by the traitor Saburota Todo, the Impure King's massive form threatens to engulf the city of Kyoto. As the Exorcists of the Tokyo Branch and the monks of the Myodha temple do all they can to contain the demon, Rin and his friends find themselves separated and facing their own battles. While Rin and Ryuji race to confront the full might of the Impure King, Yukio takes on Todo singlehanded and discovers that he may be his own worst enemy!
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Vols. 6 and 8 by Takeuchi -- Chibi Usa's sickly friend Hotaru isn't just Sailor Saturn, Deity of Destruction. She's also possessed by Master Pharaoh 90. Facing this cataclysmic power will be impossible-- unless Sailor Moon can unite the powers of every Guardian of the Solar System. Then, when the moon eclipses the sun, a mystical unicorn begs for help. An elaborate ship floats through the sky, and Usagi and Chibi-Usa have trouble seeing eye to eye (Vol 7 is already here).

Fiction:

Free-Fire Zone by Chris Lynch -- Rudi is a newly drafted United States Marine in Vietnam, and he likes being part of a squad, but the way some of his fellow soldiers behave toward their officers, the Vietnamese, and the war itself, is starting to trouble him.
Rebel Fire by Andy Lane -- In 1868, teenaged Sherlock Holmes discovers that his American tutor is hunting a notorious killer who was supposedly killed by the United States government, but who is apparently alive and well in Surrey, England.
Eternally Yours by Cate Tiernan -- Ex-party-girl immortal Nastasya ends a 450-year-old feud and learns what "eternally yours" really means.
Curse of the Thirteenth Fey by Jane Yolen -- Accident-prone, thirteen-year-old Gorse, the youngest fairy in her family, falls into a trap while on her way to the palace to bless the newborn princess, Talia, but arrives in time to give a gift which, although seemingly horrific, may prove to be a real blessing in this take-off on the classic tale of Sleeping Beauty.
Amber House by Kelly Moore -- After her grandmother's death Sarah Parsons, nearly sixteen, delights in exploring her family's centuries-old Maryland estate with new friend Jackson, but soon she is having vivid visions of her ancestors, one of whom may be a threat to Sarah's autistic brother, Sam.
Secret Prophecy by Herbie Brennan -- Faced with the death of his father and a growing international scandal, Em Governton must uncover the secrets behind the Knights of Themis before it's too late.
Ruins by Orson Scott Card -- To prevent the destruction of his planet, teenaged Rigg Sessamekesh, who can manipulate time, must assume more responsibility when he and others travel back 11,000 years to the arrival of human starships.
Midnight City by J. Barton Mitchell -- In a post-apocalyptic world controlled by alien invaders, two teens and a young girl with mysterious powers embark on a dangerous journey. What they find will change everything.
Dark Star by Bethany Frenette -- Audrey, the sixteen-year-old daughter of a superhero, must access powers she never knew she had to defend Minneapolis from terrifying demons that have emerged from Beneath.
Lucid by Adrienne Stoltz -- What if you could dream your way into a different life? Sloane and Maggie have never met. Sloane is a straight-A student with a big and loving family. Maggie lives a glamorously independent life as an up-and-coming actress in New York. The two girls couldn't be more different -- except for one thing. They share a secret that they can't tell a soul. At night, they dream that they're each other. The deeper they're pulled into the promise of their own lives, the more their worlds begin to blur dangerously together. Before long, Sloane and Maggie can no longer tell which life is real and which is just a dream. They realize that eventually they will have to choose one life to wake up to, or risk spiraling into insanity. But that means giving up one world, one love, and one self, forever.
Bitter Blood: Morganville Vampires by Rachel Caine -- For years, the human and vampire residents of Morganville, Texas, have managed to co-exist in peace. But now that the threat to the vampires has been defeated, the human residents are learning that the gravest danger they face is the enemy withinÖ Thanks to the eradication of the parasitic creatures known as the draug, the vampires of Morganville have been freed of their usual constraints. With the vampires indulging their every whim, the town's human population is determined to hold on to their lives by taking up arms. But college student Claire Danvers isn't about to take sides, considering she has ties to both the humans and the vampires. To make matters worse, a television show comes to Morganville looking for ghosts, just as vampire and human politics collide. Now, Claire and her friends have to figure out how to keep the peace without ending up on the nightly newsÖor worse.
Ashen Winter by Mike Mullin -- More than six months after the eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano, Alex and Darla retrace their steps to Iowa hoping to find Alex's parents and bring them to the tenuous safety of Illinois, but the journey is ever more perilous as the remaining communities fight to the death for food and power.
Echo by Alyson Noel -- Soul Seekers, book 2 - Daire Santos and her boyfriend, Dace, team up again to find the Richters, a dark family of sorcerers, before they upset the balance between good and evil, and Dace's brother Cade, who forces Daire to confront the horrifying prophecy that brought them all together and claim her true destiny as a Seeker.
Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor -- Daughter of Smoke and Bone, book 2 -  Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is--and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it. Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people.

New Books

Graphic Novels

Bleach Vols. 49-51 by Kubo -- After a long battle, Ichigo lost his Soul Reaper powers and now leads a quiet and peaceful life until he is approached by a mysterious man. What does the man want and how does it relate to Ichigo's lost powers?!
One Piece Vols. 6,9 by Oda -- Luffy has been made a busboy on Baratie, the oceangoing restaurant. His oath to feed any and all pirates gets in the way when the pirates he just fed now want to serve him up for dinner.
Bunny Drop Vols. 1-2 by Unita -- Returning to his family's estate for his grandfather's funeral, thirty-something bachelor Daikichi is floored to discover that the old man had an illegitimate child with a much younger lover! Needless to say, the rest of the family is shocked and embarrassed by this turn of events, and not one of them wants anything to do with the little girl, who refuses to say a word. In a fit of angry spontaneity, Daikichi decides to adopt her! But is living with an overgrown teenager who can barely take care of himself the key to making Rin come out of her shell?
Fairy Tail Vols. 20-21 by Mashima -- One shall stand! One shall fall! The Alliance and Oracion face off in this climatic battle! Oh-- And did we mention that there is a dragon in this book? There totally is -- and he's about to destory EVERYTHING! When the dust settles, what will be left of Fairy Tail?
Brody’s Ghost vols. 1, 3 by Crilley -- Brody hoped it was just a hallucination. But no, the teenaged ghostly girl who'd come face to face with him in the middle of a busy city street was all too real. And now she was back, telling him she needed his help in hunting down a dangerous killer, and that he must undergo training from the spirit of a centuries-old samurai to unlock his hidden supernatural powers.
Fatale. Vol. 1, Death Chases by Ed Brubaker -- In the present day, a man meets a woman who he becomes instantly obsessed with, and in the 1950s, this same woman destroys the lives of all those who cross her path, on a quest for ... what?
Marvel’s the Avengers Prelude: Fury’s Big Week  -- Just how will S.H.I.E.L.D. maintain the status quo in a world full of gamma-powered rage monsters, hammer wielding gods, and men in iron suits? What exactly is the Avengers Initiative? If you thought you knew everything there was to know about Director Nick Fury and the elusive Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., think again!
Justice League of America Vol. 10, the Rise of Eclipso -- Bolstered by the chaotic magic of the Starheart, the immortal villain Eclipso plans to destroy the Earth, unless Batman, Supergirl, and the rest of the Justice League can stop him.
Superman. The Black Ring Vol. 2 -- Luthor's quest for the Black Lantern energy takes him to Arkham Asylum for a close encounter with The Joker, and then into direct conflict with Larfleeze, the ultra-greedy Orange Lantern.
The Flash. Volume 2, The Road to Flashpoint -- Recounts the origins of Barry Allen's greatest foe, Eobard Thawne, or Professor Zoom, as the Flash deals with a new hero, Hot Pursuit, whose special motorcycle makes him as fast as the Flash and who blames one of Allen's family for a crime.
Uncanny X-Men. Fear Itself -- The world is in the grip of an ancient evil. The fallen Asgardian god known only as the Serpent holds Earth in a stranglehold of fear. Among his hammer-powered servants and the Worthy is the X-Men's longtime foe the Juggernaut -- always near unstoppable, now infused with dark, godlike powers. What is one X-Man willing to sacrifice to keep the people of San Francisco safe? Plus, the end of the Uncanny X-Men and the return of Mr. Sinister!
X-Men. War Machines -- When a small Eastern European country threatens to unleash black-market Sentinels against their neighboring nations, the X-Men race to stop them and restore order without creating an international incident.
Resistance. Book 3, Victory by Jablonski -- In 1944, as Allied forces move to retake France from its Nazi invaders, the Tessier siblings risk their lives once more and journey to Paris, where they are to deliver top-secret intelligence to Resistance workers.
Infernal Devices. Vol.1, Clockwork Angel -- When sixteen-year-old orphan Tessa Fell's older brother suddenly vanishes, her search for him leads her into Victorian-era London's dangerous supernatural underworld, and when she discovers that she herself is a Downworlder, she must learn to trust the demon-killing Shadowhunters if she ever wants to learn to control her powers and find her brother.
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Vol. 7 by Takeuchi -- Old friends and new enemies lurk in the mysteries surrounding Mugen Academe. The Death Busters crave the Hoste, the human energies, of Sailor Moon and her friends -- and they'll prey on the girls' dreams and weaknesses to get it! Furthermore, prophetic dreams hint of 'talismans' that could awaken a 'Deity of Destruction.' Could these things be connected to the guardians' power? And are the Sailor Senshi capable of murdering the innocent to save the entire world?
One Piece Vols. 1,8,10 by Oda -- Monkey D. Luffy, who can stretch his body like rubber, is searching for a treasure called One Piece that was hidden by the pirate Gold Roger. Legend says it will make whoever finds it the king of pirates. He runs into a bounty hunter named Roronoa Zoro and a pirate thief named Nami, rescues a town from a corrupt Marine Captain, and prepares for a fight with a clown pirate.
Bleach Vols. 43-48 by Kubo -- The battle against Aizen's Espadas continues as the Soul Reapers search for a way to defeat Barragan's terrifying abilities. Meanwhile, Shunsui will need every trick in his bag to compete against Stark.
Vampire Academy. Vol. 2, Frostbite -- Retold in graphic novel format, guardian-in-training Rose faces everything from misunderstandings between friends to fights among factions of Moroi during a school skiing trip as reports of horrific Strigoi attacks raise tensions, ultimately leading Rose and some of those closest to her into a battle that teaches her much about life, death, and love.

Nonfiction:

Growing up Muslim by Ali-Karamali -- all about being Muslim in California; what they eat, when and how they pray, holidays, history of the religion, and much more.

Fiction:

Reached by Ally Condie -- In search of a better life, Cassia joins a widespread rebellion against Society, where she is tasked with finding a cure to the threat of survival and must choose between Xander and Ky.
My Life in Black and White by Natasha Friend -- When beautiful high school student Lexi is involved in an automobile accident that leaves her disfigured, she must learn who she really is beyond a pretty face, and she must also learn to forgive.
Venom by Fiona Paul -- In Renaissance Venice, orphaned Cassandra Caravello is one of the elite but feels trapped in the city of water until she stumbles upon a murdered woman and is drawn into a dangerous world of courtesans, grave robbers, and secret societies, guided by Falco, a mysterious and alluring artist.
Crimson Crown by Cinda Williams Chima -- In the fourth and final novel, Queen Raisa 'ana Marianna and Han Alister join forces to right a thousand-year-old wrong.
Burning Blue by Paul Griffin -- When beautiful, smart Nicole, disfigured by acid thrown in her face, and computer hacker Jay meet in the school psychologist's office, they become friends and Jay resolves to find her attacker.
Jepp, Who Defied the Stars by Katherine Marsh -- Jepp, a teenage dwarf living in 16th century Europe, leaves home to seek his destiny.
Hunters by John Flanagan -- Determined to recover the Adomal and to prevent the pirate Zavac from doing more damage, Hal and his brotherband crew persue Zavac to the lawless fortress of Ragusa where, if Hal is to succeed, he will have to go beyond his brotherband training and face the pirate one-on-one in a fight to the finish.
Waterfall by Lisa Tawn Bergren -- Maybe most American teens would love a Mediterranean vacation, but the Bentarrini sisters are stuck in Italy every summer with their archaeologist parents! Young Gabi is bored out of her mind ... until she's swept into the 14th century and a whole new world filled with knights, horses, armor, swords, and great-looking Italian guys! Includes discussion questions.
Cascade by Lisa Tawn Bergren -- When Gabi and Lia return to medieval Italy with their mother, they find a heroes' welcome from the people of Siena and enemies that wish them dead.
Crewel by Ginnifer Albin -- Gifted with the unusual ability to embroider the very fabric of life, sixteen-year-old Adelice is summoned by Manipulation Services to become a Spinster, a move that will separate her from her beloved family and home forever.
Templar’s Destiny by Kat Black -- The Chosen, Tormod, aided by Aine and Bertrand, returns to France seeking other Gifted members of the Templar Order and striving to recover the relics he is bound to protect, while also hoping to find and rescue his brother, Torquil.
Shadow Society by Marie Rutkoski -- Sixteen-year-old Darcy Jones knows little about her past except that she was abandoned outside a Chicago firehouse at age five, but when the mysterious Conn arrives at her high school, she begins to discover things about her past that she is not sure she likes.
Speechless by Hannah Harrinton -- After her behavior causes her to lose her popular friends and results in one person being hospitalized, Chelsea takes a vow of silence. Includes reader's guide.
Paladin Prophecy by Mark Frost -- A fifteen-year-old boy who has spent his entire life trying to avoid attention finds himself in the middle of a millenia-old struggle between titanic forces when he is simultaneously recruited by an exclusive prep school and followed by sinister agents.
Out of Reach by Carrie Arcos -- Accompanied by her brother's friend, Tyler, sixteen-year-old Rachel ventures through San Diego and nearby areas seeking her brother, eighteen-year-old Micah, a methamphetamine addict who ran away from home.
Good Braider by Terry Farish -- Follows Viola as she survives brutality in war-torn Sudan, makes a perilous journey, lives as a refugee in Egypt, and finally reaches Portland, Maine, where her quest for freedom and security is hampered by memories of past horrors and the traditions her mother and other Sudanese adults hold dear. Includes historical facts and a map of Sudan.
Game Changer by Margaret Peterson Haddix -- While playing in the championship softball game, star pitcher KT Sutton blacks out and awakes to a changed world where the roles of academics and sports at her middle school have flipped, making talented athletes, such as KT, outcasts and brainy nerds popular.
Frenzy by Robert Liparulo -- When Xander travels through the portals in the King's strange house to visit Uncle Jesse as a boy, he learns that David has died and determines to do whatever it takes, and visit as many worlds as necessary, to change the future.
Eve & Adam by Michael Grant -- While recuperating after a car accident in Spiker Biotech's lush San Francisco facilities, sixteen-year-old Evening Spiker meets Solo Plissken, a very attractive, if off-putting boy her age who spent his life at Spiker Biotech. Like Evening, he's never questioned anything ... until now. Solo drops hints to Evening that something isn't right, and Evening's mother may be behind it. Evening puts this out of her mind and begins her summer internship project: to simulate the creation of the perfect boy. With the help of Solo, Evening uncovers secrets so big they could change the world completely.
Dark Passage by M.J. Putney -- A Dark Mirror Novel - Tory and her friends receive an urgent summons, leading the young mages known as Merlin's Irregulars to ask Rebecca Weiss, an untrained telepath from 1940, to join them in 1804 and stop Napoleon from invading England.

A few new books

Fiction:

Iron Legends by Julie Kagawa -- novelettes Winter's Passage, Summer's Crossing and Iron's prophecy tell more of the life of Iron Queen Megan and her beloved Prince Ash.
So Close to You by Rachel Carter -- When a portal sends seventeen-year-old Lydia Bentley to 1945 at a secret military base near her Long Island home, she learns that her grandfather's stories of dangerous government experiments are true, that the Montauk Project was real, and that she needs the help of a darkly mysterious time traveler to return home.
Breathe by Sarah Crossan -- In a barren land, a shimmering glass dome houses the survivors of the Switch, the period when oxygen levels plunged and the green world withered. A state lottery meant a lucky few won safety, while the rest suffocated in the thin air. And now Alina, Quinn, and Bea -- an unlikely trio, each with their own agendas, their own longings and fears -- walk straight into the heart of danger. With two days' worth of oxygen in their tanks, they leave the dome. What will happen on the third day?
Rise of the Elgen by Richard Evans -- Fifteen-year-old Michael Vey, born with Tourette's syndrome and special electromagnetic powers, joins his techno-genius best friend and an alliance of other "electric" teenagers to battle powerful foes in the jungles of Peru, where Michael learns the Order of Elgen's plan to "restructure" the world.

New YA

Graphic Novels:

Naruto Vol. 58 by Kishimoto -- Kabuto's hold over his army of undead minions tightens as he senses that he's losing power over the stronger members of his Immortal Corps, including Nagato Pain. Sasuke's brother, Itachi, may have the best chance of of breaking Kabuto's hold. But he's still not completely in control of his actions, which means Naruto may have to take him down once and for all.
Cirque du Freak Vol. 12 by Shan -- in this final volume, Darren falls into a vampaneze trap and is shot with a bowgun by Steve's son, Darius. Saved by the vampirites, Darren is reunited with his friends, but another enemy attack leads to Evra's son, Shancus', abduction. With Darius held hostage in order to strike a deal, Darren witnesses the horrible sight of Steve murdering Shancus.
Spider-Man. Spider-Island -- Between keeping New York City safe as Spider-Man, being a member of two Avengers teams and the FF, and his day job at Horizon Labs, Peter Parker's life is as crazy as it's ever been. And it's about to get even crazier. Welcome to Spider-Island, where a million New Yorkers suddenly possess Spider-Man's powers -- but none of the responsibility!
Uncanny X-Men Vol. 1 -- Earth's mightiest mutants! In the wake of Schism, Cyclops leads a team of X-Men whose express purpose is to deal with extinction-level events. Meet the X-Men's "Extinction Team": Storm, Emma Frost, Magneto, Namor, Colossus, Danger, Magik and Hope. And the team's formation hasn't come a moment too soon, for longtime X-Men nemesis Mr. Sinister has brazenly taken possession of the massive alien Dreaming Celestial -- an act of open hostility designed to put the X-Men in their place, but also an offensive that will draw the attention of the godlike Celestials themselves.
Batman. Arkham City -- The mayor of Gotham gives an entire section of the city to criminals and the insane and Batman investigates the situation.

Fiction:

Cup and the Crown by Diane Stanley -- Sequel to the Silver Bowl - At King Alaric's urging, Molly sets off on a quest for a magical loving cup (a goblet that binds people together), and her journey leads her to the hidden city of her ancestors, which proves to be as dangerous as it is mysterious.
Feedback by Robinson Wells -- Variant, book 2 - After escaping the walls of Maxfield Academy, Benson Fisher finds himself trapped in a town that is also under the school's control -- where he discovers that Maxfield's plans are deadlier than anything he imagined.
Cabinet of Earths by Anne Nesbet -- Thirteen-year-old Maya, in Paris with her family for a year, lands in the middle of the mysterious La Societé's quest for immortality when the magical Cabinet of Earths chooses her as its next Keeper, promising to restore her mother's health. Includes historical notes.
Kindling by Braden Bell -- All thirteen-year-old Conner Dell wants to do is pass pre-algebra, play lacrosse, and possibly kiss Melanie Stephens. He didn't mean to set anyone's gym shorts on fire or make school lunches explode. But now that the strange powers inside him have been ignited, Conner's normal teenage life is about to go up in flames!
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi -- Ostracized or incarcerated her whole life, seventeen-year-old Juliette is freed on the condition that she use her horrific abilities in support of The Reestablishment, a postapocalyptic dictatorship, but Adam, the only person ever to show her affection, offers hope of a better future.
Son by Lois Lowry -- in this final book of the Giver series, young Birthmother Chloe longs to know the fate of the baby she was forcibly separated from at birth. Now she has escaped. Can she return and find her son?
Through to You by Emily Hainsworth -- When a teen boy loses the love of his life in a car accident, he'll do anything to get her back -- even travel to another universe.

Pikapals of Waco

We had the October meeting last night - it went very well; we have several new decorated bookends for the Teen Room, and any number of adorable hedgehogs went home, some half-folded and some almost finished.

Next month's meeting, we will watch a new Anime - I can't tell you the name yet, because I haven't received actual screening permission... but it is a cool sci-fi comedy!

Oh - and the meeting will be Tuesday, Nov 6th (Election Day, for those paying any attention) at 7:00. Popcorn will be served!

New YA books

Graphic Novels:

Rascal Raccoon’s Raging Revenge -- Welcome to Toonie Terrace, home of the fun-loving Toonies and their jealous, bitter rivals, the Meanies. For all their shenanigans, no Meanie has ever murdered a Toonie -- until now. After thousands of painful failed attempts, Rascal Raccoon has finally killed his arch-nemesis, the charming and adorable Jumpin' Jackalope. Rascal is overjoyed, but there's one problem: what does he do now? With nothing left to obsess over, Rascal's life falls apart. Fortunately, he soon finds a new target for his anger: the animator who created him!
Arisia Vol. 9 by Ando -- She's Awake! Having wandered the realm between life and death, Arisa finally awakens. But, she doesn't remember anything...?! Then when Midori suddenly appears at the hospital and hands her something, she disappears! What is the relationship between Midori "The King" and Arisa?!
Cirque du Freak Vol. 9 -- Dead if he loses - damned if he wins. The time has finally come for Darren to face his archenemy, Steve Leopard. One of them will die. The other will become the Lord of the Shadows - and destroy the world.
Vampire Cheerleaders/Paranormal Mystery Squad Vols. 1-2 by Arnold -- Two graphic novels set at Bakerville High School; one involves the vampiric cheerleading squad, and the other a Paranormal investigation club.
My Boyfriend is a Vampire Vols 5-6 by Han -- Ever since getting turned into a vampire against his will, Gene Young has been tossed from one new nightmare to the next. First, it was discovering he was mysteriously transformed into a beautiful teenage girl. Then, it was forfeiting his old life because no one even remembered he existed. And now, Gene's stuck in multiple love triangles where everyone around him is either madly in love with him or out to kill him ... or both!
E’s Vols 1-4 by Yuiga -- Raised in the research facility of mega-corporation Ashurum, stronghold of an elite psychic organization, psychic Kai Kudou follows the leadership of Eiji Sagimiya. When Eiji assigns Kai and his group to ferret out a guerilla sect using illegal psychics for personal gain, Kai finds himself in the hands of odd-job-man Yuuki Tokugawa and his sister Asuka. Together, they cause him to question the real mission of Ashurum. Is Eiji really brainwashing psychics? And exactly why are they gathering E'S under their control?
Angel Diary Vols 1-5 by Lee -- The only Angel Princess of Heaven is betrothed to the Emperor of the Underworld. Unable to accept her future with the Demon King, she realizes that her only choice is to run away. Her plan is to join the human world disguised as a schoolboy! Now, all of the Gods from Heaven and Hell are searching high and low on the earth trying to make sure that a wedding happens.
Elemental Gelade Vols. 1-3 by Azuma --     During a routine raid, sky pirate Coud van Giruet discovers a most unusual bounty: Ren, an "Edel Raid", is a living weapon who interacts with a human to become the ultimate fighting machine.
Beyond the Beyond Vols. 1-4 by Watanabe -- Futaba, a boy that has grown up in an overprotected family, suddenly finds himself on the other side of the world, where he meets Kiara, the Amaranthine. They journey to find Kiara's true master, and along the way they meet a curious cast of characters, including the wizard Belbel and the prince Virid.
Black Cat Vols. 1-9 by Yabuki -- Two years ago, Train, a high-level assassin known as Number XIII in Chronos, left the secret society to live by his own rules. Since then, Train has been a sweeper, a bounty hunter, catching criminals and bringing them in alive. But his main mission is to find a former Chronos member who killed his best friend.

Fiction:

Palace of the Damned by Darren Shan -- Having received a sign that he is not meant to die, young vampire Larten tries to live in the human world, raising the infant who survived his vengeful killing of a ship's crew and falling in love with a human girl, but the darkness inside him forces him back to Vampire Mountain.
Don’t Turn Around by Michelle Gagnon -- After waking up on an operating table with no memory of how she got there, Noa must team up with computer hacker Peter to stop a corrupt corporation with a deadly secret.
Skinny by Donna Cooner -- After undergoing gastric-bypass surgery, a self-loathing, obese teenaged girl loses weight and makes the brave decision to start participating in high school life, including pursuing her dream of becoming a singer and finding love.
Shadowfell by Juliet Marillier -- Fifteen-year-old Neryn is alone in the land of Alban, where the oppressive king has ordered anyone with magical strengths captured, but when she sets out for Shadowfell, a training ground for a rebel group, she meets a mysterious soldier and the Good Folk, who tell her that she, alone, can save Alban.
Sieze the Storm by Michael Cadnum -- On a pleasure cruise in the Pacific, seventeen-year-old Susannah, her parents, seventeen-year-old cousin Martin, and eighteen-year-old crew member Axel face off against seventeen-year-old Jeremy, a drug lord's son, and hired killers Elwood and fifteen-year-old Shako.
Turning by Francine Prose -- A teen boy becomes the babysitter for two very peculiar children on a haunted island in this modern retelling of The Turn of the Screw.
Dodger by Terry Pratchett -- In an alternative version of Victorian London, a seventeen-year-old Dodger, a cunning and cheeky street urchin, unexpectedly rises in life when he saves a mysterious girl, meets Charles Dickens, and unintentionally puts a stop to the murders of Sweeny Todd.
Diviners by Libba Bray -- An award-winning and bestselling author brings the Roaring Twenties to life in this thrilling new series.
Infects by Sean Beaudoin -- Seventeen-year-old Nero is stuck in the wilderness with a bunch of other juvenile delinquents on an "Inward Trek." As if that weren't bad enough, his counselors have turned into flesh-eating maniacs overnight and are now chowing down on his fellow miscreants. These kids have seen zombie movies. They know the rules. Unfortunately, knowing the rules isn't going to be enough.
Under Wildwood by Colin Meloy -- Prue and Curtis are thrown together again to save themselves and the lives of their friends, and to bring unity to the divided country of Wildwood.
Because It Is My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin -- In 2083, seventeen-year-old Anya Balanchine seeks a way to make Balanchine Chocolate legitimate, and although a trip to Mexico gives her new insights and ideas, escaping her mobster family's legacy of violence may prove impossible.
Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr -- A centuries-long war between daimons and witches sets the stage for three teens caught up in a deadly struggle for power and autonomy in the exotic and otherworldly Carnival of Souls, the mercantile center of the daimon dimension.
If I Lie by Corinne Jackson -- Seventeen-year-old Sophie Quinn becomes an outcast in her small military town when she chooses to keep a secret for her Marine boyfriend, who is missing in action in Afghanistan.

Graphic Novels:

Superman Chronicles Vol. 10 -- In this new volume of stories from the height of World War II, Superman battles The Night Owl, a mad architect, Nazi sympathizers, the mysterious "Man with the Cane," and a mad scientist who creates henchman by bringing characters from newspaper comic strips to life. Plus, when Clark and Lois go to the movies, he is embarrassed to see his own adventures onscreen in an animated cartoon!
Voltron Force. Vol. 2, Tournament of Lions -- When a cargo ship in deep space sends out a distress signal, it's the Voltron Force to the rescue! But without warning, Daniel, Larmina and Vince find themselves fighting the greatest warriors in the galaxy for the right to pilot the Voltron lions!

Nonfiction:

Beyond Courage by Doreen Rappaport -- Through twenty-one meticulously researched accounts-- some chronicled in book form for the first time-- Doreen Rappaport illuminates the defiance of tens of thousands of Jews across eleven Nazi-occupied countries during World War II.
Cyberbullying (ed. By Roleff) -- Explores issues related to cyberbullying through articles from a variety of sources, addressing whether or not cyberbullying is a serious problem, the impact of cyberbullying, the effectiveness of criminalizing cyberbullying, and the role of schools and parents in addressing cyberbullying incidents.
History of Country Music by Stuart Kallen A compact history of American country music, from the Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers to Brad Paisley and Neko Case.
History of American Pop by Stuart Kallen -- Examines the rich history of the American pop genre of music. Discusses innovators who shaped the style, form, and content of the music.
History of Rock and Roll by Stuart Kallen -- Traces the history of rock and roll from its early 1950s beginnings through its most significant developments to date.
History of Alternative Rock by Stuart Kallen -- Discusses the history of alternative rock and the ethos of alt-rockers as rebels who value independence, experimentation, and truth-telling.

Fiction:

Fang Girl by Helen Keeble -- Although fifteen-year-old Jane has always loved vampire lore, she is surprised to awaken in her coffin with fangs, and she goes to her parents and younger brother for help in figuring out why undead factions are vying for her eternal allegiance.
Dark Destiny by Mary Jo Putney -- Tory and her friends receive an urgent summons, leading the young mages known as Merlin's Irregulars to ask Rebecca Weiss, an untrained telepath from 1940, to join them in 1804 and stop Napoleon from invading England.
Tiger’s Destiny by Colleen Houck -- Kelsey, Ren, and Kishan race against time and the evil sorcerer Lokesh on the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal as they seek Durga's final gift, the Rope of Fire, that will finally break the tiger's curse.
Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater -- Though she is from a family of clairvoyants, Blue Sargent's only gift seems to be that she makes other people's talents stronger, and when she meets Gansey, one of the Raven Boys from the expensive Aglionby Academy, she discovers that he has talents of his own -- and that together their talents are a dangerous mix.
Unstoppable by Tim Green -- If anyone understands the phrase 'tough luck,' it's Harrison. As a foster kid in a cruel home, he knows his dream of one day playing for the NFL is a long shot. Then, Harrison's luck seems to change. He is brought into a new home with kind, loving parents -- his new dad is even a football coach. Harrison's big build and his incredible determination quickly make him a star running back on the junior high school team. In no time, he's practically unstoppable. But, Harrison's good luck can't last forever.
Immortal Heart by Ellen Schrieber -- The relationship of Raven and her vampire boyfriend Alexander is tested when his younger sister Stormy comes to town.

New Books

Graphic Novels:

Ant-Man. Season One; A husband to a murdered wife. A son to a disapproving father. A scientist disgraced and undercut by his rivals. Before he began his life of super heroics as the original Avenger called Ant-Man, Hank Pym was a man lost in other indentities. Now, legendary writer Tom DeFalco (Amazing Spider-Man) and acclaimed artist Horacia Domingues (Fantastic Four: True Story) bring you the untold story of how the man the Marvel Universe has known as Ant-Man, Giant-Man, Goliath, and Yellowjacket grew from a tortured lost soul into one of Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
Girl Who Owned a City by O.T. Nelson -- When a plague sweeps over the earth killing everyone except children under twelve, ten-year-old Lisa organizes a group to rebuild a new way of life.
Drama by Raina Telgemeier -- Callie rides an emotional roller coaster while serving on the stage crew for a middle school production of Moon over Mississippi as various relationships start and end, and others never quite get going.

Fiction:
Huntress by Malinda Lo -- Seventeen-year-olds Kaede and Taisin are called to go on a dangerous and unprecedented journey to Tanlili, the city of the Fairy Queen, in an effort to restore the balance of nature in the human world.
Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter -- About to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, the immortal Kate Winters must save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future: Henry's first wife, Persephone.
Goddess Legacy by Aimee Carter -- five tales telling the legend of Persephone and other gods and goddesses of Olympus.
Edge of Nowhere by Elizabeth George -- When her mother abandons her on Whidbey Island, Washington, a fourteen-year-old girl with psychic abilities meets a Ugandan orphan with a secret.
Circle of Silence by Carol Tanzman --     Valerie Gaines has a turn running the Campus News crew. A secret society has formed at her school and has been doing pranks. No one knows the society's members, agenda, or initiation secets. But when a student lands in the hospital under strange circumstances, Valerie wants to break the story. Will she and her crew be successful or will she be a victim of the next crime?
Caught by Margaret Haddix -- When Jonah and Katherine travel to early 1900s Switzerland and Serbia to return Albert Einstein's daughter, Lieserl, to history, her mother Mileva grasps entirely too much about time travel and has no intention of letting her daughter go.
Beautiful Lies by Jessica Warman -- Eighteen-year-old identical twins Alice and Rachel have always shared a very special bond, so when one is abducted, the other uses their connection to try to locate her.
Blood Keeper by Tessa Gratton -- Teenager Mab Prowd is perfectly content to practice blood magic on the secluded Kansas farm where she's lived all her life until one of her spells taps into a powerful, long-dormant curse and she finds her magic spinning out of control.
Starling by Lesley Livingston -- Mason Starling, a champion fencer at Gosforth Academy, finds her school overrun with terrifying creatures after a mysterious, ferocious storm falls on Manhattan and the mysterious stranger who saves her life becomes her only ally as they work together to discover his past and learn of Mason's family's dark allegiance to ancient Norse gods.
Hidden by Sophie Jordan -- Firelight #3 - Jacinda, a sixteen-year old who can shift into dragon form, surrenders herself to her greatest enemies in the hopes of destroying them and finally being free to choose a life with the human boy she loves.
Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst -- When the goddess Bayla fails to take over Liyana's body, Liyana's people abandon her in the desert to find a more worthy vessel, but she soon meets Korbyn, who says the souls of seven deities have been stolen and he needs Liyana's help to find them.
One for the Murphys by Carley Hunt -- After heartbreaking betrayal, Carley is sent to live with a foster family and struggles with opening herself up to their love.
This is Not  a Test by Courtney Summers -- Barricaded in Cortege High with five other teens while zombies try to get in, Sloane Price observes her fellow captives become more unpredictable and violent as time passes although they each have much more reason to live than she has.
Treachery of Beautiful Things by Ruth Frances Long -- Seven years after the forest seemingly swallowed her brother whole, seventeen-year-old Jenny, whose story about Tom's disappearance has never been believed, sets out to finally say goodbye, but instead she is pulled into a mysterious world of faeries and other creatures where nothing is what it seems.
Survive by Alex Morel -- A troubled girl is stranded in an arctic winter terrain after a plane crash and must fight for survival with the only other boy left alive.
The Rising by Will Hill -- Department 19 #2 - Now that Jamie's an official member of Department 19 -- a classified government agency of vampire hunters -- he and his squad of elite operators are discovering that work is a non-stop emergency. And that's before the red alert: Dracula's remains have been stolen from the hiding place where they've been in lockdown for more than a century. The clock has been set. Jamie and the Department must stop the world's oldest evil from becoming the world's newest overlord.
Outlaw by Stephen Davies -- The children of Britain's ambassador to Burkina Faso, fifteen-year-old Jake, who loves technology and adventure, and thirteen-year-old Kas, a budding social activist, are abducted and spend time in the Sahara desert with Yakuuba Sor, who some call a terrorist but others consider a modern-day Robin Hood.
Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry -- Rendered a subject of gossip after a traumatic night that left her with terrible scars on her arms, Echo is dumped by her boyfriend and bonds with bad-boy Noah, whose tough attitude hides an understanding nature and difficult secrets.

book review - Sweetest Spell

The Sweetest Spell, by Suzanne Selfors is a very fun fantasy novel. It's sweet (it's about magical chocolate, of course!) and original, and I enjoyed it quite a lot. The heroine is a downtrodden girl, damned to be picked as the scapegoat of her village because she was born with a crippled foot. She has a sort of magical connection with the cows of the village because they saved her from death as an infant, and this connection becomes even more important later, when fate sweeps away most of the rest of Emmeline's village. After being rescued by a charming young cowherd, Emmeline discovers her magical power of creating chocolate; but not all is well, because many people desire to control her ability and profit from it.

I did have a few reservations about this story; I thought that Emmeline was too naive at some points in the story; her ability to trust complete strangers even after she'd been kidnapped and held captive seemed unrealistic. And the descriptions of the kingdom's geography baffled me. I was unable to understand how Emmeline could be washed DOWNriver from an area of river-bottom to a hillier and less flood-prone region, which was, nonetheless, not far from the sea-coast.

These minor points aside, The Sweetest Spell will appeal to anyone looking for a light, frothy fantasy novel with just a few magical elements, a likeable and believable hero, and a fun story.

New Books

Graphic Novels:

Flash Chronicles vol. 3 -- As if Central City didn't have enough super-villainy to contend with, the Flash's famous rogues gallery is about to welcome a new comrade-in-crime who's primed to get the Scarlet Speedster both coming and going! And the debut of Captain Boomerang is only one of the highlights to be found in this volume. With nefarious schemes being hatched by such antisocial agents as the Weather Wizard, Captain Cold, and the Trickster, even the Fastest Man Alive has his work cut out for him.
Torador Vol. 5 by Yuyuko Takemiya -- Summer vacation is here, and the whole gang heads out to Ami's summer home for a beach vacation! Taiga and Ryuuji hatch a plan to scare Minori out of her wits so Ryuuji can swoop in and come to her rescue. However, when Kitamura overhears the cunning scheme, he demands to be let in on the action and drags Ami along for the ride. What soon follows is a trip into madness as the kids venture into a small cave by the beach where untold horrors await...

Fiction:

A Certain October by Angela Johnson -- Scotty compares herself to tofu: no flavor unless you add something. And it's true that Scotty's friends, Misha and Faclone, and her brother, Keone, make life delicious. But when a terrible accident occurs, Scotty feels responsible for the loss of someone she hardly knew, and the world goes wrong. She cannot tell what is a dream and what is real. Her friends are having a hard time getting through to her and her family is preoccupied with their own trauma. But, the prospect of a boy, a dance, and the possibility that everything can fall back into place soon help Scotty realize that she is capable of adding her own flavor to life
Seconds Away by Harlan Coben -- When tragedy strikes close to home, Mickey Bolitar and his new friends find themselves at the center of a murder mystery.
Adaptation by Malinda Lo -- In the aftermath of a series of plane crashes caused by birds, seventeen-year-old Reese and her debate-team partner, David, receive medical treatment at a secret government facility and become tangled in a conspiracy that is, according to Reese's friend, Julian, connected with aliens and UFOs.
Crater by Homer Hickam -- In the twenty-second century, sixteen-year-old Crater Trueblood, who mines the moon for Helium-3 to produce energy for a desperate, war-torn Earth, undertakes a deadly mission that could mean the difference between life and death for every inhabitant of the moon.
Seeing Cinderella by Jenny Lindquist -- Sixth grade is not going well for Calliope Meadow Anderson. Callie's hair is frizzy, her best friend, Ellen, is acting weird, and to top things off, she has to get glasses. And her new specs aren't even cute, trendy glasses -- more like hideously large and geeky. But, Callie soon discovers that her glasses have a special, magical perk...
Settle Down ; Be Real by Stephanie Moore -- Eva Blount is a salty girl with a bad rep and attitude to spare. Everyone knows not to mess with her. She speaks her mind. She does her thing. She holds her own. Guys, in her opinion, are good for just a few things: a free meal, some quick cash, and a good feeling. But one guy takes it too far. Be Real. Landon King was born with a silver spoon: he has talent, smarts, and looks to spare, so why does the star wide receiver feel the desperate need to fit in with thugs and lowlifes?

New Books!

Graphic Novels:

Avengers. The Children’s Crusade -- Wiccan, who believes that he and Speed must be the long missing sons of the Scarlet Witch, decides to search for her, and nothing the Young Avengers, the Avengers, the X-Men, or anyone else can do will stop him.

Nonfiction:

Seventeen  Ultimate Guide to Beauty -- When it comes to teen beauty advice, no brand is more trusted than Seventeen , the #1 best-selling monthly teen magazine. Seventeen Ultimate Guide to Beauty is a girl's handbook to celebrating her natural beauty. It's packed with clear, customized service that helps make the most of her skin tone, her face shape, her hair texture, and her style! Each chapter is filled with detailed how-tos, amazing inspiration, and awesome advice from Seventeen's editors and the Beauty Smarties, our real-girl beauty experts, to help the reader have fun with her look!. Seventeen Ultimate Guide to Beauty is broken down into three main sections: makeup, hair, and a resource guide.

Fiction:

Unwholly by Neal Shusterman -- Unwind trilogy #2 - Thanks to Connor, Lev, and Risa, and their high-profile revolt at Happy Jack Harvest Camp, people can no longer turn a blind eye to unwinding. Ridding society of troublesome teens and, in the same stroke, providing much-needed tissues for transplant might be convenient, but its morality has finally been brought into question. However, unwinding has become big business, and there are powerful political and corporate interests that want to see it not only continue, but expand, allowing the unwinding of prisoners and the impoverished.
All Good Children by Catherine Austen -- In the not-too-distant future, Max tries to maintain his identity in a world where the only way to survive is to conform and obey.
Such Wicked Intent by Kenneth Oppel --  When his grieving father orders the destruction of the Dark Library, Victor retrieves a book in which he finds the promise of not just communicating with the dead, but entering their realm, and soon he, Elizabeth, and Henry are in the spirit world of Chateau Frankenstein, creating and growing a body.
The Unnaturalists by Tiffany Trent -- Vespa Nyx wants nothing more than to spend the rest of her life cataloging Unnatural creatures in her father's museum, but as she gets older, the requirement to become a lady and find a husband is looming large over her. Syrus Reed's Tinker family has always served and revered the Unnaturals from afar, but when his family is captured for refinery slaves, he finds that his fate may be bound up with Vespa's-- and with the Unnaturals. As the danger grows, Vespa and Syrus find themselves in a tightening web of deception and intrigue. At stake may be the fate of New London -- and the world.
The Broken Lands by Kate Milford -- Set in the seedy underworld of nineteenth-century Coney Island during the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, two orphans are determined to stop evil forces from claiming the city of New York.
Sweetest Spell by Suzanne Selfors -- Scorned in her Flatlands village because of a deformed foot, Emmeline Thistle's life changes when she is taken in by Wanderlands dairy farmers and discovers her magical ability to make chocolate, which is more precious and rare than gold or jewels in the kingdom of Anglund.
Dragons of Winter by James Owen -- With the Archipelago of Dreams in the hands of the Echthroi and the link to the Summer Country lost, the Grail child, Rose Dyson, the new Cartographer, Edmund McGee, and the Caretakers Emeritus seek to rebuild the Keep of Time but face a terrible new enemy who was once an ally.
Pizza, Love, and Other Stuff That Made Me Famous by Kathryn Williams -- Although sixteen-year-old Sophie has grown up working in her family's Mediterranean restaurant in Washington, D.C., she is not prepared to compete on the new reality show, Teen Test Kitchen, when her best friend Alex convinces her to audition. Includes recipes.
Embrace by Jessica Shirvington -- Seventeen-year-old Violet Eden's world is turned upside down when she falls for the sexy and aloof Lincoln and discovers he is part angel and part human. As Violet gets caught up in an ancient battle between dark and light, she must choose her path because the wrong decision could cost not only her life but her eternity.

Pikapals of Waco

We had a great meeting last night!

I hope to see all of you next month; we'll be decoupaging Bookends for the new Teen Room at Central Library - so come prepared with any art, stickers, fancy paper or whatever that you would like to add.

We will also be learning to fold and costume "book hedgehogs". Isn't this one just cute? But he needs a costume...

More new books!

Graphic Novels:

A Certain Scientific Railgun Vols 3-4 by Kmachi -- When mysterious envelopes containing free cash cards begin turning up all over the Seventh School District and the people are whipped into a frenzy fighting over them, Shira and Uiharu of Judgment are forced to step in and try to resolve things. Meanwhile, Misaka takes advantage of the chaos to take to the streets herself and becomes mired in a scientific controversy.
Best of Archie Comics -- Presents selections of Archie comics from the first comic ever published to more recent adventures of Archie Andrews and his friends in Riverdale taking place over the past 70 years.
Batman. Streets of Gotham. Vol. 3, The House of Hush -- Cracking under the strain of living as Bruce Wayne, Elliot plans his final, murderous revenge on Dick Grayson, Selina Kyle, and other members of Bruce Wayne's extended network of friends and allies. Will Dick and Damian be enough to thwart Tommy's plans -- or will the end of Hush require the return of Bruce Wayne?

Fiction:

Mutiny in Time by James Dashner -- History is broken, and three kids must travel back in time to set it right! When best friends Dak Smyth and Sera Froste stumble uon a secret of time travel - a hand-held device known as the Infinity Ring - they're swept up in a centuries-long secret war for the fate of mankind. Recruited by the Hystorians, a secret society that dates back to Aristotle, the kids learn that history has gne disastrously off course. Now it's up to Dak, Sera and teenage Hystorian-in-training Riq to travel back in time to fix the Great Breaks ... and to save Dak's missing parents while they're at it. First stop: Spain, 1492, where a sailor named Christopher Columbus is about to be thrown overboard in a deadly mutiny.
Stunning by Sara Shepard --Struggling to return to normalcy after surviving Alison's attempt to kill them, Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna endure a series of disasters before realizing that they are being stalked by a new "A" who knows all of their secrets.

New Books

Graphic Novels:

Spider-Man. The Next Chapter. Vol. 3 -- If popularity is based on how many bad guys you've got gunning for you, then Spidey wins hands down over any other hero -- bar none! This volume of Spidey's late-'90s relaunch is proof of that, as evidenced by the blazing battles against Electro, Mysterio, Kraven, Venom, the Green Goblin, Carnage, the Ghost, the Hulk, the Thing, and more!
Astonishing X-Men. Vol. 8, Children of the Brood -- If popularity is based on how many bad guys you've got gunning for you, then Spidey wins hands down over any other hero -- bar none! This volume of Spidey's late-'90s relaunch is proof of that, as evidenced by the blazing battles against Electro, Mysterio, Kraven, Venom, the Green Goblin, Carnage, the Ghost, the Hulk, the Thing, and more!
Arisa Vols. 6-8 -- Having collected all of the King's cell phones, Kudo now rules over his classmates with terror! In a terrible act of vengeance, he enacts his final dastardly plot by setting a house on fire. As the blaze threatens to destroy everything, Kudo's classmates are all hunting for the identity of the King! Meanwhile, Arisa sleeps on in a coma. Includes special extras after the story!
Three Thieves. Books 2, Sign of the Black Rock -- While Dessa and her two companions find refuge in a stable, the owner of the inn is making a deal with the smugglers and then Captain Drake and the royal guard ride in to the yard, causing chases, captures, mishaps, and narrow escapes.

Nonfiction:

Dare to Dream : Life as One Direction -- It's hard to believe how much has changed for us in just a few months. From five guys who didn't even know each other to making it to The X Factor final, heading off on our first tour, recording our first album, and releasing our own music, we've written this book so you can get to know who we really are, where we came from, and where we're going next. This is our story of life as One Direction so far, and we're really proud to share it all with you!

Fiction:

Johnny Delgado: Private Detective by Kevin Brooks -- Two gorgeous girls in your room, asking for help. What can you say? Except "yes". Private Detective Johnny Delgado has his first case -- but it could be his last...
Skylark by Megan Spooner -- Lark Ainsley has yearned to become an adult by having her magical energy harvested, but when she is finally chosen, a special talent is revealed and, rather than become a human battery powering the dome that protects humanity, she escapes hoping to find the Iron Wood, a wilderness rumored to be inhabited by others like herself.
Yell Out; Do You (double novel) by Stephanie and Derrick Moore -- Sweetheart cheerleader Ella Blount will do anything to keep her girls together...anything. Leo Steele is the toughest thug in school-and football is his life. But when life gets tough, will football win?

New Books

Graphic Novels:

Voltron Force. Vol. 3, Twin Trouble -- Now that Daniel's a Voltron Force cadet, he can't wait to show off in front of his former classmates at the Galaxy Alliance Flight Academy. He owns the skies in Black Lion! Suddenly, two mysterious ships appear out of nowhere and put Daniel's flying to shame. Who are these mysterious new pilots? And is their presence at the Academy an act of peace or aggression?
X-Men/Steve Rogers. Escape from the Negative Zone -- When Hope, Cyclops, Dr. Nemesis, and Namor are accidentally transported to the Negative Zone, Cyclops and Hope are held prisoner as Namor is driven insane from lack of water, and Steve Rogers must travel to the dimension to rescue them.
X-Men. FF -- When the Future Foundation discovers a distress beacon from another dimension, they join forces with the X-Men hopping dimensions in order to rescue sea captain Lee Forrester, encounter dinosaurs, aliens, and an old friend.
Red Hulk. Vol. 11, Haunted -- It's the Hulk smackdown you've been waiting for when Red She-Hulk shows up to confront big daddy! But when the Eternals attack, has Red Hulk set in motion the end of the world? As betrayal strikes Red's new cadre of villains, Red finds himself being haunted by ghosts of his past.
Wonder Woman. Odyssey -- Diana sets out to track down the answer to the question of who has messed with her timeline and why they destroyed Paradise Island. A great intro for new readers to the series.
Fictionauts by Mauro Mantella -- They've battled, Moby Dick, matched wits with Dickens, and befriended a kingdom of evolved sea monkeys! They're the genre hopping heroes of Hypercity -- the Fictionauts! Fantasy is a serious business for this team, as they scour fictional worlds to right dangerous anomalies and preserve the balance between reality and imagination.
Kevin Keller -- Read all about Kevin's introduction to the world of Riverdale! See how Kevin first met Archie, Jughead, Betty, and Veronica; how he came to love journalism, and what drives him to want to follow in the footsteps of his father, a retired Army Colonel, and serve in the military! Experience what it was like for Kevin growing up and how he learned to deal with all kinds of issues ranging from schoolyard bullying to discovering who he is and who he wants to be.
Archie Meets Kiss -- When one of Sabrina the Teenage Witch's spells goes awry and summons forth a gang of dangerous monsters bent on turning the people of Riverdale into mindless zombies, what can Archie, Jughead, Reggie, Kevin Keller, Betty, and Veronica do to save their town? Enter KISS: The Demon, Starchild, Catman, and Spaceman, four supernatural heroes with their sights set on the frightening invaders and their mysterious weapon, the Dynasty Amulet.
Wandering Son Vol. 3 by Takako Shimura -- Shuichi is a boy who wants to be a girl, and Yoshino is a girl who wants to be a boy. But one day, abruptly, their secret is exposed, and the two find themselves the target of sixth-grade cruelty. Their friendship is strained, as Yoshino makes a half-hearted effort at being a 'normal girl' -- and their mentor, Yuki, reveals the harder reality of being transgendered. Meanwhile, Shuichi's sister, Maho, realizes her dream of becoming a model and drags Shuichi along for the ride.

Fiction:

Demigod Diaries by Rick Riordan -- four short stories, interviews and fun activities reveal the world of Percy Jackson and the other heroes of Olympus.
The Girl is Trouble by Kathryn Haines -- late in 1942, Iris helps her father run his detective business, but her investigation into her mother's supposed suicide lands her in deep trouble.
Cali Boys by Kelli London -- Kassidy Maddox enjoys being the center of attention, juggling three men until she meets a new one who wants her for himself, and Jacobi turns to Kassidy for advice when she meets a boy who seems too good to be true.
Secret Diary of Sarah Chamberlain by Sarah Norkus -- In the year 2008, fifteen year-old Emily Grace discovers a secret hiding place under a wooden plank in the attic of an old house in Petersburg. It conceals a 150 year-old-diary belonging to Sarah Chamberlain, the previous owner of the house. Carefully turning to the last entry, Em's interest is piqued by the mention of missing confederate gold and a murder mystery. Emotionally, Em's life is spinning out of control and the diary is a welcome distraction. Each day her faith slips further and further away as she blames God for the many trials and tribulations she has had to endure. After airing her grievances to God, she suddenly finds herself in a 19th century parlor, and soon begins to forget she ever lived another life.
Girl in the Mirror by Meg Kearney -- In a series of poems and journal entries, seventeen-year-old Lizzie grieves over the death of her adoptive father, as her plans for college and search for her birth mother are put on hold.
Far West by Patricia Wrede -- When the unlucky magical twin Eff joins an expedition to map the Far West, she endures a long prairie winter and encounters with previously unknown creatures before realizing the importance of ending a magical flood.
Carter’s Unfocused One-track Mind by Brent Crawford -- Fifteen-year-old WIll Carter's sophomore year at Merrian High presents new problems, from the return of Scary Terry to friends-with-benefits negotiations with Abby, but when Abby considers transferring to a New York arts school, Carter's world is turned upside-down.
Lost Code by Kevin Emerson -- In a world ravaged by global warming, teenage Owen Parker discovers that he may be the descendant of a highly advanced, ancient race, with whose knowledge he may be able to save the earth from self-destruction.
Girl Out Loud by Emily Gale -- Fifteen-year-old Kass is trying to resist her manic-depressive father's attempts to make her try out for "The X Factor" while she also deals with her crush on the same older boy her best friend likes, her distant mother's mysterious comings and goings, and her younger brother's criminal activities.
Lost Girls by Ann Kelley -- In 1974, fourteen-year-old Bonnie, eight other Amelia Earhart Cadets aged nine to seventeen, and their irresponsible young leader are stranded on a forbidden island off the coast of Thailand on the brink of a deadly storm and must fight to survive.
Rift: A Nightshade Novel by Andrea Cremer -- Ember Morrow fulfills a family obligation by joining the Conatus Guard and begins training to help seek out and stop evildoers and their unnatural creations.

Last Week's Pizza Winner Is...

Ana A.!!

Thanks for your review, Ana! We drew it out of the review box, and you've won a free large pizza from Papa John's. Even though Summer Reading Club is over, keep an eye out for one more winner. A lucky teen will also win an MP3 player! We appreciate all the reviews that poured in over the summer. Read what all the Waco teens read here.

Teen Top 10 Books

Ever wonder about the library books that have the Teens' Top 10 sticker on the spine? They're reviewed, chosen and voted on by teens all over. Voting on the nominees is going on right now!

Here's one on the list to read if you haven't already. Watch the book trailer for Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children below:



Like it? See if it's checked in at the library, and head over to your nearest branch to get it!

Last Week's Weekly Drawing Winner Is...

Olivia M.!!

We drew for the large pizza from Papa John's, and Olivia's review was the winner! See her review here, and don't forget to submit your own Summer Reading Club reviews to your nearest branch so you can have a shot too.

Also, don't forget to turn in your reading log at the branch you signed up, and you'll get a free book and entered to win the MP3 player! August 13th is the last day.

New Books

Graphic Novels:

X-Men. Schism -- When a mutant attack on the United Nations prompts a worldwide reboot of the deadly Sentinel program, a terrible decision must be made -- one that will pit leaders Cyclops and Wolverine against each other in battle.
X-Club -- In the wake of Schism, the X-Men's science team takes it upon themselves to make a gesture of goodwill on behalf of Mutantkind and better the world -- using sciene. But just as construction of the X-Club's state-of-the-art space elevator nears completion, chaos erupts -- and it appears to the world mutants are to blame!
Marvel Masterworks Presents the Uncanny X-Men vol. 5 -- The X-Men had fought many battles, been on adventures that spanned galaxies, grappled with enemies of limitless might, but none of this could prepare them for the most shocking struggle they would ever face. Jean Grey has gained power beyond all comprehension, corrupting her and transforming her into the Dark Phoenix! Now, they must decide is the life of the woman they cherish worth the existence of the entire universe! It's the definitive X-Men tale, painstakingly restored for the Marvel Masterworks.
Hulk. Heart of the Atom -- After being shrunk and sent to K'ai, the Hulk falls in love with the empress Jarella, but when she is pulled along with him to the other dimension, the world in which the Hulk is hunted and hated, Jarella is killed during a battle with Crypto-Man, which leaves a grieving Hulk to face humanity.
Batman Illustrated by Neal Adams Vol. 1 -- For the first time all of Neal Adams's Batman work covers and stories, is being chronologically collected in three volumes. This Volume features Adams' contributions from 1967 through 1969, and shows the process of introduction, adaptation, and innovation that the young artist brought to this legendary crime-fighter.

Fiction:

Deadly Pink by Vivian Vande Velde -- when Grace's elder sister becomes trapped in an online virtual reality scenario, it is up to the 14 year old to rescue her; but does she want to be rescued?
My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick -- Sam falls in love with Jase Reed, the boy next door, which seems perfect, except that she's forbidden to have anything to do with his "imperfect" family.  
Unchained by L.B. Tillit -- after two years in a loving foster home, TJ returns to his now drug-free mother, but finds that he cannot escape the past.
Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson -- Tiger-lily has always been protected from the spiritual energies of Neverland, but when she meets her people's worst enemy, Peter Pan, and falls in love, everything changes.
Insignia by S.J. Kincaid -- Tom, a 14 year old virtual reality game genius, gets recruited to fight in World War III in space above planet Earth.
Forsaken by Lisa Stasse -- in a future where the US has merged with Canada and Mexico, Alenna is discovered to have "violent tendencies" and is sent to a prison colony. Once there, she discovers life is so brutal that escape becomes her only option for survival.
Secret Letters by Leah Scheier -- Dora travels to London to meet Sherlock Holmes, whom she believes might be her biological father, and to beg him to help her cousin, who is being blackmailed. But Holmes has died before she can meet him, and a young, enigmatic detective offers to assist her.

Teen Anime Club

Summer is winding down, the Teen Reading Club only has a few more days to run (get your logs in by August 13 to be eligible for the big prizes). Which means, of course, that the TEEN ANIME CLUB, Pikapals of Waco, will be starting up again.

Our first meeting is scheduled to happen on TUESDAY, SEPT 4, from 7 - 8:30 at West Waco Library, in the Storytime Room. We'll be watching an anime movie - I have something quite fun picked out! It's a little older, a bit romantic, and a lot silly! And it involves a CAT!!

Be sure to join us, munch some popcorn, and hang out!

Last Week's Pizza Winner Is...

Abigail G.!!!

Abigail won a free large pizza from Papa John's just by reviewing her Summer Reading Club books and turning in the reviews to her nearest branch! To read the reviews so far, click here. Don't forget to turn in your reviews before the summer is over!

Altered Books, Scrapbooks and Art Journals

This Saturday is our last Summer Reading Club event, held at the West Waco branch. We're bringing some old books and art supplies so you can paint, draw, glue, cut, doodle, and whatever else you can think of! If you're signed up, check out some of these sites to get ideas for Saturday. If you're not, call us to let us know you're coming! 750-5944

Paint, draw, journal!

Anna Denise's art journal blog

Cut, glue, stamp!

Maggie Holmes scrapbooking blog

Chop, fold, display!

Nature-infused altered books blog

Last week's Pizza winner in the Weekly Review Drawing!

Lauren O. !!

Everyone has been doing lots of reading this summer! Great reviews are coming in! To read those reviews:  check the tab above.

We will have four more drawings for a large pizza. So keep reading and reviewing!

We Had Fun Last Saturday!

The Ranger's Apprentice party was a lot of fun! About 20 teens came for food, Wii games, a life-size board game, arts & crafts, and more. Check out the pictures!