Books I'm reading

I just finished reading two great novels:

Divergent by Veronica Roth is a dystopian science fiction thriller about a young woman who lives in a society stratified into five factions. Each faction reflects an aspect of life in the society, and once a person chooses their faction they must do their utmost to support its goals. But Beatrice is a "divergent", whose personality does not fit into one mold. And when she makes discoveries that lead her to realize something is deadly wrong, her secret divergence may be the only thing that can save her.

This was a great story, with a strong heroine and good secondary characters. The world-building was thorough, and creative, and I believed in the world as I read it. It isn't quite as intensely violent or emotional as "Hunger Games", but it is equally well written. If you like science fiction, action-adventure, and a bit of romance, you'll love this one! The sequel, Insurgent, is due out soon.

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers is a fantasy with a strongly realistic medieval setting. This book for older teens (and adults) is a fantastically well-told tale of a teen girl with a powerful ability; she can see the marque of death on people. She was raised in a very abusive household, and at the beginning of the book she is helped to escape from an unwanted marriage, and her life is dedicated to St. Mortain, the "god" of death. She is trained, over the next three years, as an assassin. When she is sent out on her first assignment, though, she finds that the world, and the act of killing, are both far more complex than she had ever realized. Ismae has to come to some very powerful realizations about herself, her god, and her place in the world. Again, there's a beautifully written story, a strong heroine who is both flawed and powerful, a wonderful hero with his own personal agenda and desires, and a terrific set of secondary characters. A sequel, featuring one of Ismae's fellow assassins of the god of death, is to follow.

I read Grave Mercy in an advance reader copy, and it is now on order for the library. Our copy should be available within a few weeks!

New Books

Graphic Novels:

Jim Henson's Tale of Sand -- from an unpublished screenplay, scruffy Max awakens somewhere in an unfamiliar town in the Southwest, and is pursued by all manner of man and beast.
Rust. Vol. 1, Visitor in the Field by Royden Lepp -- life was hard enough on the farm before pilot Jet Jones crashes into the Taylor family's barn, pursued by a giant decommissioned war robot!
Justice League. Rise and Fall -- Prometheus killed Arsenal's daughter, who was Green Arrow's sidekick. In revenge, Green Arrow hunted and killed Prometheus. Now an outlaw, he is being hunted by his own former team members.
Green Lantern Chronicles. Vol. 4 -- Star Sapphire has appeared over Coast City and Hal Jordan may have met his match!
Spider-Man & the New Warriors. Hero Killer -- Spider man and the new Warriors delve into the mysterious disappearance of several superheroes. Also stories of Black Cat, Cloak & Dagger, and Venom.
Fantastic Spider-Man -- Reed Richards has detected a trio of dimensional anomalies that could rip the universe apart. But the Fantastic Four is now the Future Foundation, and Spider-man, among others, has to fight off a horde of zombie pirates and the Sinister Six!
X-Men. Prelude to Schism -- what does it mean to be a leader? find out in this story about the team -- before everything changes!
Essential X-Men. Vol. 10 -- X-Men adventures from 80's and 90's continue! features allies and antagonists like Gambit, New Mutants, Shadow King, Orphan Maker, and Cameron Hodges.
Bamboo Blade Vols 1-3 by Masahiro Totsuka -- poor, living on instant noodles, a high school Kendo instructor makes a bet that he can turn his all-girl team into a winner; but with only a single girl on his team, he's got a lot of work to do!
Toradora vol. 1 by Yuyuko Takemiya -- Ryuji learns that appearances are deceiving; despite his sweet nature, his unintentionally sharp gaze and frowning expression make people think he's a thug. When he makes an enemy out of the best friend of the girl he's crushing on, life goes from bad to worse!
Cardcaptor Sakura ombinus Vol. 3 by CLAMP -- fourth-grader Sakura finds a book in her father's library - and in it she finds a magical guardian creature who tells her that it is now her duty to help him track down and reconfine the demons that escaped while he was napping!
Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne, adapted by Loic Dauvillier - the classic adventure tale of a balloonist racing around the world to complete a bet, finely illustrated.
Voltron Force. Vol.1, Shelter From the Storm -- Years ago, Voltron vanished and the lions were scattered. Now reunited and with new recruits to aid them, the team and Voltron are ready to protect the Universe!
Rumble Pak Winter and Spring 2012 issues -- Rumble Pak is an Original English-language manga anthology series published by eigoMANGA. Rumble Pak showcases original comics created by artists from around the world including a line-up of original stories written and produced by predominantly independent American comics artists.

Fiction:

Sleeping Beauty: the One Who Took a Really Long Nap by Wendy Mass -- the Girl's been sleeping a hundred years. The Boy's got issues of his own! The classic story told from two points of view.
Starters by Lissa Price - to support herself and her brother in a grim future world, sixteen year old Callie rents her body to Seniors who want to experience youth again, but when she discovers that her body is to be used to commit a murder, she must fight to protect herself.
Black Heart by Holly Black - Curse Workers #3 - Cassel is torn between his decision to work for the Federal government, and his love for Lila, who has joined her father's criminal organization.
Difference Between You and Me by Madeleine George -- school outsider Jessie is having secret trysts with Emily, who is a popular member of the student government, but when they find themselves on opposite sides of a social issue, they must decide what to do with their relationship, and their beliefs.
Fear by Michael Grant - Gone #4 -- as the young residents of Perdido Beach come to understand their relationships, the Darkness finds a way to be reborn, and the youths come to know fear at new levels of intensity.
Vixen by Jillian Larkin - Flappers #1 -- in 1923 Gloria rebels against her regular life and visits a speakeasy, while her cousin hides her own rebellion, and her best friend Lorraine makes plans of her own...
Torn by Amanda Hocking - Trylle #2 -- Wendy, a changeling troll princess, returns to her rightful home, where she discovers her own new powers, fights enemies, and tries to make important romantic decisions.
Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse by Lucas Klauss -- a fifteen year old becomes involved with a conservative Christian girl despite his father's adamant atheism and his own questions about life.
I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga -- seventeen year old Jazz learned all about being a serial killer from his father, but his own moral sense drives him to contact the police to help them track down the town's newest killer "The Impressionist".
Boy21 by Matthew Quick -- Finley is the only white player on his troubled school's basketball team, and when he is asked to mentor a new player who transferred there midyear from an elite school on the west coast, he finds they have a lot in common despite their racial differences.
False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen - Ascendance trilogy #1 -- four cast-off teens are chosen to compete in a brutal contest - the one who survives will impersonate the lost prince of Carthya, and the others will die. But orphan Sage has his own agenda, and his own secrets.
Spellcaster by Cara Lynn Shultz - sequel to Spellbound -- seventeen year old newbie witch Emma is happy to be back dealing with the ordinary problems of prep-school, when something dark and powerful begins to prey on her and her eternal beloved, Brendan. Can her new understanding manage to save them?