Recent Returns

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate - Cally Vee is eleven, and this is her story, being the only girl in a family of six brothers, in Texas in 1899. She spends one glorious summer of freedom swimming in the river, learning to study nature with her grandfather, and to understand what growing up is all about. This is a wonderful historical novel, rich with details of life on the late Victorian Texas frontier. 2010 Teen Top Ten selection. 21 circs, 5 copies of the book, 8 circs, 1 copy of the audiobook.

The Secret Life of Prince Charming by Deb Caletti - Quinn lives with her mother, grandmother and aunt - all women who have had problems with men. She tries to be an optimist, but when she gets dumped unexpectedly, she begins to wonder if there's not some truth to the idea that there are "no good men". Quinn's hunt for the truth behind love is a touching one, and very true. You'll enjoy the answers she finds. 2 copies, 36 circs for the book, 1 copy, 10 circs for the playaway.

Melting Stones by Tamora Pierce - Evvy is four years from living on the streets, four years into her magical training, but she still feels like she's feeling for her way, uncertain of her abilities, and uncertain in her relationship with prickly Rosethorn, her mentor. Can she learn to listen, and understand, and act, in time to prevent disaster? 1 audiobook, 13 circs - 4 books, 49 circs.

Bad Apple by Laura Ruby - a rumor at school has it that Tola Riley, junior at Willow Park High School, is having an affair with Mr. Mymer, the art teacher. When the school board gets involved, and the rumor turns to vicious attacks on not only one teacher, but on books in the library, classes being taught, and even other students, Tola tries to take control. Can she, the bad apple, tell the truth and make people listen? 1 copy, 11 circs.

Forbidden Game by L. J. Smith. 3 novels in one (The Hunter, The Chase, The Kill) follow Jenny, Tom and her five other friends as they're plunged into the nightmare of "The Game". Tormented by Julian, the Prince of the Shadows, each must risk confronting his or her most terrible phobia and either conquerit, or lose their lives. And that is only the beginning... 1 copy, 9 circs.

new Books

All new Graphic Novels - soon to be available in your library!

New Avengers vols. 1-5, 7-9 - With the Avengers disassembeled, there's nobody on hand to stop the chaos that ensues when Electro frees forty-two supervillains from the Raft, New York City's maximum security prison. The remaining local superheroes band together as the New Avengers to protect New York City from this dire threat.
Dark Reign: Young Avengers - The Melter, The Executioner, The Enchantress, Egghead, Big Zero, and Coat of Arms: they call themselves the Young Avengers, teenage rebels, on the run from the authorities, hated and feared by a world they've sworn to protect. Their interests include interspecies romance, modern art, and bloody murder. Everything is permitted, and so are they. Until they meet the original Young Avengers. And then their gray areas will come home to roost.
Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers - The Skrulls are invading, and the Runaways and Young Avengers both have a Skrull on their team. Coincidence? We think not. With Xavin having turned on his teammates and Hulkling out of commission, can the rest of the Runaways and Young Avengers keep it together? Heck, can they survive?
Young Avengers Presents - They're back at last! Patriot, Hulkling, Wiccan, Vision, Stature, and Hawkeye! Where have they been and what is their place in this new post-Civil War Marvel Universe? Today's top creators tell the tale in six chapters!
Avengers/X-Men Maximum Security - Welcome to Earth: penal colony for the universe's deadliest villains! When the civilized alien races -- influenced by the Supreme Intelligence and his newly-evolved Kree -- tire of Earth's involvement in their affairs, they decide to make it their new prison planet!
X-Men Forever vol. 5: Once More, Into the Breach! - Assault on the Consortium!!! Sometimes, the best way to take down a secret organization is with a team of the best, strongest, fiercest mutants on the planet! But, have the X-Men -- along with Nick Fury -- bitten off more than they can chew?
Marvel Masterworks Presents the Amazing Spider-Man vol. 5 - After months of hints and failed setups, Mary Jane Watson jumps into Peter Parker's life with a bang -- leaving him unsure who he likes more, MJ or Gwen Stacy! And while Peter gets a motorcycle and his first apartment with friend Harry Osborn, Spider-Man faces villains deadlier than ever!
Spider-Man. Fever - Spider-Man is abducted by a depraved tribe of spider-demons to a bizarre dimension where he is to be eaten alive. Dr. Strange goes on a perilous occult quest to rescue his friend -- and tangles with some very peculiar characters along the way.
Amazing Spider-Man. The complete clone saga epic. Book 3 - Clones, and jackals and symbiotes -- oh my! Spider-Man's clone is back, costumed as the Scarlet Spider, and neither is sure which is the genuine article! Will the real Peter Parker please stand up?
Amazing Spider-Man. The Gauntlet. Vol. 2, Rhino & Mysterio - The Gauntlet continues to close around Spider-Man in this heartbreaking story of love, loss, and lust for power as the Rhino charges into Spider-Man's life, out to make a name for himself ... by killing the Rhino? And Mysterio is back from the dead, and he's not alone!
Amazin Spider-Man. The Gauntlet. Vol. 3, Vulture & Morbius - The gauntlet rages on as Peter Parker meets the new Vulture! Who is he? Why does he prey on the city's criminals? And what extreme circumstance could possibly make Spider-Man even consider allying with a creature this deadly?
Incredible Hulk. Vol. 2, Fall of the Hulks - Skaar is loose on Earth, hunting down his father with blood on his mind! Bruce Banner is a man free of the Hulk's gamma-irradiated grip but maniacally in pursuit of a long-dead lover. And Red Hulk wants to put a big red hurt on the Intelligencia, and he'll need Banner to do it.
Fall of the Hulks. The Savage She-Hulks - She's left her apocalyptic world for this one. Her mother was a heroine, her father a rampaging Hulk! What path is the Savage She-Hulk called Lyra on, and why has it led her to add her might to the Wizard's Frightful Four?
Hulk. Fall of the Hulks. Red Hulk - This is it! The opening round: the Red Hulk vs the Thing with Reed Richards' life at stake! When the Baxter Building is attacked by the all-new, all-deadly Frightful Four, who will save the Fantastic Four? How about the Red Hulk? Not a chance!
Hulk. Fall of the Hulks Prelude - Watch Red Hulk do battle with Iron Man! Revisit the violent origin of Skaar, the savage son of Hulk, and see what happens when he finally visits Earth!
Hulk. Volume 5, Fall of the Hulks -- This is it! The opening round: the Red Hulk vs the Thing with Reed Richards' life at stake!
Batman & Robin Vol. 2, Batman vs. Robin - The new Dynamic Duo uncovers clues involving the mysterious death of Bruce Wayne before facing off against each other in a heated battle that both heroes will regret -- if they live through it!
Batman. Cacophony - Batman is forced to choose between capturing Onomatopoeia and saving The Joker's life!
Batman. Unseen - Horrible murders have Gotham City held captive, but all anyone knows is that a weird, skinless man has been seen fading away at the scenes of the crimes.
Batman. Arkham Reborn - Following Black Mask's destruction of Arkham Asylum, Dr. Jeremiah Arkham has rebuilt the Asylum following the design of his mad Uncle Amadeus. But, will the new Arkham be a haven for the criminally insane -- or a house of torture?
Booster Gold. Vol. 4, Day of Death - Booster Gold investigates the death of Batman -- only to run afoul of another Batman who doesn't want Booster near this case.
Green Lantern Chronicles volume 3 - A new helping of chronologically collected GL tales including the emerald gladiator's first confrontation with the Guardians, an early team-up with the Flash, the origin of the GL oath, and more.
Justice League of America Vol. 6, When Worlds Collide - The hero called Doctor Light is missing, and her former Justice League teammates intend to find the man responsible and make him pay. But before they do that, they'll have to get past his Shadow Cabinet of powerful superbeings who have sworn to save humanity from itself.
Superman New Krypton vol. 2 - Led by Supergirl's own parents, incredible powerful refugees from a vanished world are prepared to do whatever it takes to preserve their newfound freedom and crush those who would take it from them.
Wonder Woman vol. 7 Contagion - Five mysterious young men with a dark and terrible secret have arrived on Paradise Island with one mission: to kill Wonder Woman! Plus, Wonder Woman battles Power Girl!
Shonen Jump Jan. 2011 - Ultimo continues, and new Manga Yu-gi-oh 5D's and Psyren begin.
Cloud Searchers -- Amulet vol. 3 - Emily, Navin and their crew of resistance fighters charter an airship and set off in search of the lost city of Cielis. there they hope to find help from the Guardian Council's powerful Stonekeepers. It's a mission that Alledia's survival depends on, and time is running out -- Emily's got to find Cielis before the Elf King finds her.
Bartimaeus trilogy. [Volume 1], The Amulet of Samarkand : a Bartimaeus graphic novel - Nathaniel, a magician's apprentice, summons up the djinni Bartimaeus and instructs him to steal the Amulet of Samarkand from the powerful magician Simon Lovelace.
Wallflower Vols 22, 23, 24 - It's summertime, and all Sunako wants to do is stay in the darkest depths of her room. But, the guys are desperate to complete Sunako's transformation into a lady, which means a weekend at a beachside resort. Now, Sunako is trapped in a fancy five-star hotel and surrounded by creatures of the light.
Slam Dunk vol. 12 - The final four teams that will play in the round-robin tournament have been decided, and Shohoku's one of them. However, Shohoku's next opponent is Kainan, and they're known as the 'Kings' for good reason -- they've made it to Nationals 16 years in a row. Can his team defeat them?
Fairy Tail vol. 12 - Erza and Natsu are trying to stop Jellal from reviving the most feared black lizard the world has every known!
Naruto vol. 49 - As the five leaders of the strongest villages in the ninja world meet to discuss the fate of their universe--and how to deal with the ever-looming threat of the rogue organization, the Akatsuki--plans are made that will affect Naruto deeply.
InuYasha vols. 52 and 53 - Kagome learns a piece of critical lore about the Shikon Jewel as well as the secret behind the incredible powers she cannot access. Our friends' archenemy Naraku takes on a particularly malevolent new form. And Sesshomaru regains something very precious to him!
Chibi Vampire. Airmail - In these sweet tales and scary legends, finally discover what happened to Karin and her friends all while getting a glimpse of some mysterious vampires from the Maaka family that were never before seen in the main series.
Chi's Sweet Home vol. 3 - Kitten-rearing is something, but raising a street-smart feline in a building with a strict no-pets policy is another story altogether.
Fruits Basket Ultimate Edition vols. 4 and 5 - Tohru and company have been having a lot more fun ever since Kisa came to visit. Now, it's time for Tohru to meet another member of the Zodiac -- the skillfully sarcastic grade-school student, Hiro! And more!
Usagi Yojimbo vols. 1-5 - In feudal Japan, Ronin rabbit Miyamoto Usagi wanders the land as a shugyosha (student warrior on a pilgramage) occasionally selling his services as a yojimbo (bodyguard).
Nightschool vols. 1-4 - Schools may lock up for the night, but class is in session for an entirely different set of students. In the Nightschool, vampires, werewolves, and weirns (a particular breed of witches) learn the fundamentals of everything from calculus to spell casting.
Black Gate: the Black Gate Does Not Wait for the Soul to Die - when a person dies, if the black gate appears, their soul is forcibly withdrawn, but there are guardians sent to protect them. They are the Mitedemashi. This is their story.
Odyssey: a graphic novel - Retells, in graphic novel format, Homer's epic tale of Odysseus, the ancient Greek hero who encounters witches and other obstacles on his journey home after fighting in the Trojan War.
King of Hell vols 4, 17-22 - As Mejeh and company journey to the Gobi desert in search of the Insane Hounds, we learn more about Mejeh's past... Why is his master at the Dawn of Taoism hunting him down? And why are his friends trying to kill him?!
Werewolves of Montpellier - Southern France, early 21st century. A shadowy figure sneaks across the rooftops. The fangs, the pointy ears, the fierce demeanor, the hair -- is this the latest addition to the ranks of the urban werevolves so famed in movies and comic books?
Kind -- bk. 3 of Good Neighbors - Rue, a faerie heir, faces a difficult dilemma when the faerie world launches an attack on the city she has always known.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians vol. 1 The Lightning Thief - After learning that he is the son of a mortal woman and Poseidon, god of the sea, twelve-year-old Percy is sent to a summer camp for demigods like himself, and joins his new friends on a quest to prevent a war between the gods.
Pandora Hearts vols 2-3 - Oz Vessalius may have survived his stint in the Abyss, but he is no closer to discovering the truth behind the "sin" for which he was condemned. Oz, Alice and Pandora's Raven, embark on a mission to investigate the site of his disastrous coming-of-age ceremony in search of answers.
Dengeki Daisy vol. 1 - After orphan Teru Kurebayashi loses her beloved older brother, she finds solace in the messages she exchanges with Daisy, an enigmatic figure who can only be reached through the cell phone her brother left her.
Buddha vols 6-8 - the devil Mara possesses the bandit Ananda, in an effort to eliminate the Buddha. When Ananda and his bandit buddy attack the Fire Shrine of the Brahmin brothers Kassapa, it is none other than the Awakened One who happens by. Buddha must confront his eternal enemy, Mara, before he can open the eyes of arrogant priests and hardened criminals.
Nola's Worlds vols. 1-3 - Good at making up stories that she is not allowed to finish, Nola's teacher and friends little realize that Nola's stories, often an extension of her dreams, may hint at something strange going on underneath their perfect and boring town of Alta Donna, especially after two unusual new students enroll in school.

Recent Returns

General Winston's Daughter by Sharon Shinn- Averie is the daughter of a soldier, engaged to a soldier, but she is also a naive and spoiled young lady. When she travels to faraway Chiarrin, a recently-captured enemy city, she begins to see her own way of life differently. Are the Chiarran rebels justified in trying to kill the conquering soldiers? Is her father always right? And what about Lieutenant Ket Du'kai, who is also from a conquered nation? What is he really like? But the biggest question is, will Averie survive her visit to Chiarrin at all? 8 circs, 1 copy.

Ash by Malinda Lo - In this variant of the Cinderella story, Ash must choose between the fairy prince who is fated to love her, and the King's Huntress, whom she loves. 4 circs, 1 copy.

Light on Snow by Anita Shreve - while out in the cold snowy winter, Nicky Dillon finds a baby - abandoned and crying, its survival guaranteed only by her random choice of paths through the woods. 12 year old Nicky is already confused and lost by her father's sudden relocation to this small New England town; what secrets does this baby hide, and what choices led to its abandonment? 5 copies, 75 circs

Something Like Fate by Susane Colosanti - what happens when you fall for your best girlfriend's boyfriend? Lani knows she can't betray Erin that way, but it seems that Jason is equally attracted to her. How long can she keep running from the boy who may be the love of her life? 1 copy, 3 circs (new book)

Amazing Spider Man: The Complete Clone Saga Epic, Book 1 - the Jackal is back, and Spider Man is beside himself, again. Where did the spider-duplicate come from, and where has he been? Is he Peter Parker's dark side, or his better half? Everyone wants answers, and the cloaked killer Kaine is ready to rip them forcibly out of whoever has them!

Do you like the Hunger Games?

If you're like me, you've devoured all three novels, heard that they are making a movie, and are eagerly awaiting the news of who gets cast as Katniss.

Until then (sometime in January, I think), we'll have to make do by reading other novels that are similar in tone or flavor. Here are some things (in no particular order) I would suggest you try:

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher
Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder
Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi
Graceling by Kristen Cashore
Maze Runner by James Dashner
The Silenced by James Davita
The Declaration by Gemma Malley
Dark Life by Kat Falls
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Truesight by David Stahler

I won't tell you more about all these books, because I want you to explore them and find out which ones YOU think are most like the Hunger Games. Or propose your own favorite read-alike, and I'll supplement the list with any suggestions I get.

Recent returns

Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind by Suzanne Fisher Staples - the story of Shabanu, a young girl in modern-day Pakistan, living with her camel-raising desert-dwelling family. She is the younger girl in a family without a son, and has always been allowed many freedoms. But after disaster strikes, she is promised to an older man in marriage. Will she choose to submit herself to a hated marriage to support her family, or will she follow her heart and try to find a different way to live? A poignant look at a culture that is very different from ours here in the U.S. There is a sequel, called Haveli. 29 circs...

The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Nightfall by L.J. Smith -- Elena is alive again, after her sacrifice to save the brothers, Stefan and Damon, who loved her. And now, her blood pulsing with power, she has returned to find them. But then she finds the diary entry Stefan left for her, which shatters her world. Can she resist Damon's urging to become his Princess, rule at his side, and become a vampire again? And what of the new darkness that is creeping over Fell's Church? Who is this new, malevolent being, and why does he want to destroy Elena? 14 circs.

Wake by Lisa McMann -- all her life, Janie has felt like a freak. At any time, she can find herself caught up in another person's dreams or nightmares; but this time, when she falls into someone's dream, a horrific nightmare, she's not just a watcher - she's a participant... 3 copies, 56 circs.

Girl, Stolen by April Henry -- Cheyenne is blind, and today she is sick, as well. Lying on the car's back seat, she suddenly hears a stranger get in the car and drive off with it - and her... Can she rescue herself? What does he want? Will he kill her when he finds her? A great adventure story. A New book - 2 circs.

Dragonlight by Donita K. Paul -- fifth and final book in the Dragonkeeper Chronicles -- The fantastic land of Amara is recovering from years of war; Kale, her father and her husband, Sir Bardon are busy hatching dragons and helping rebuild the kingdom. But all is not well in Amara... a secret enemy is attacking from hiding. Can they overcome an ominous peril that they cannot even see? 5 circs.

Book Review

A Sweet Disorder by Jacqueline Kolosov - Miranda is a sixteen year old in 15th century England, in the midst of Queen Elizabeth's reign. When Miranda's father dies unexpectedly, plunging the family into debt, she is sent to live with her father's cousins, the Earl and Countess of Turbury. Life is strange with the Countess, and Miranda longs for home. But when she discovers, after they go to Elizabeth's Court, that her cousins intend to marry her off for their own profit, she rebels. Miranda daringly takes her future into her own hands, and tries to win a place at Court on her own merits. Will she be able to win the Queen's favor? Will her own "trusted friend" betray her? Will she be able to escape marriage with Lord Seagrave? Filled with (mostly accurate) period detail, and written in the (modernized) voice of a believable, likeable young woman with pride and an independent spirit, this is a really lovely story. I give it 4 stars (only 4 because the ending could have been a bit less rushed, I think).

Nonfiction Award Winners

Do you prefer to read Nonfiction?

Or at least, do you occasionally like an excellent biography or fascinating dip into a science or historical topic?

Then try some of the YALSA NonFiction for Teens award books this year.

You won't regret it!

SLJ Teen Book Reviews

SLJ has posted another column of Book Reviews by Teen Reviewers, here.

Judging books by their covers

I love book covers. Sometimes I just have to read a book because of the cover art. Other times I am really saddened when a book doesn't live up to the lovely cover. And yet other times, I've put off reading a book for weeks or months just because the cover doesn't draw me in.

If you feel the same way, you can read all about the cover art of new YA books, and the reactions of their authors, at Melissa Walker's blog.

Would you like me to discuss book cover art here? Is it something that interests you? Let me know!

Recent returns

Glass by Ellen Hopkins - sequel to the novel Crank, this hard-hitting story follows Kristina as she struggles to overcome her addiction and raise her newborn baby. But managing both proves impossible, and things are soon worse than ever. Told in verse, this is a very powerful, sad, but possibly hopeful story of abuse, loss, and love. Book; 3 copies have circed 78 times.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman - The novel that the movie was based on, this tells the adventures of young Coraline after her family moves to a new flat in an old house out in the country. She finds a mysterious locked door, meets peculiar neighbors, and befriends a very unusual cat. And then things get very very odd indeed, and Coraline must defeat a nightmarish evil to save her family. Book; 2 copies, 11 circs. Graphic Novel; 34 circs; Sound Recording; 7 circs; Movie; 274 (the book is much better!)...

The Hunchback Assignments by Arthur Slade - Book one of the series by the same name - audiobook read by Jayne Entwistle - Modo's life begins in freak show, until he is rescued by the mysterious Mr. Socrates and raised to be a secret agent for the Permanent Association. His first investigation is into the disappearance of street children in London, where he soon discovers a villainous plot against the government. This high action steampunk thriller involves shape-changers, mad scientists, revolution, and other exciting mysteries. Sound Recording; 4 circs. Book, 1 circ.

Breathless by Jessica Warman - Katie's whole life is uprooted when she is sent to boarding school to get her away from the trouble caused by her brother's growing mental illness. But she tells all the other teens that her brother has died, instead. And when her lies catch up with her, Katie will find out who her true friends are. A school story with real meat - you'll love Katie, her room-mate Mazzie, her maybe boyfriend Drew, and her worst enemy, beautiful Estelle. They're all very believable, and so is what happens. Book; 11 circs.

Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei: the Power of Negative Thinking, vols 1 and 2 by Koji Kumeta - this OLDER TEEN manga is about a melancholy high school teacher in Japan. In volume 1 we meet Nozomu and his students, each odder than the last, and learn how they deal with life. In volume 2 Nozomu's family have decided it is time he marry; will he manage not to commit suicide and avoid marriage at the same time? This series is very funny in a satirical, twisted kind of way. Vol 1; 16 circs. Vol 2; 2 circs.

Best of List ... with sample chapters!

Wow, I love Best of Lists... and here's a great one, with links to sample chapters of each and every YA novel included. (Note: this is not a blog I read regularly, so I'm not sure it is always teen friendly, so be sure to use your discretion!).

And here's something else I just discovered: a website called Figment. It's a literary site for teens; you can share your writing, what you're reading, or anything else bookish you want to discuss...

Book Reviews

I just read two YA novels that I'd like to discuss. The first was The Princess and the Snowbird by Mette Harrison. Technically this is a sequel to her earlier novels The Princess and the Bear & The Princess and the Hound, but you don't have to have read them to understand and enjoy this fairy-tale-like novel. Liva and Jens, two very different young people, find each other in the deep forest, and share an instant bond. Liva has met very few people before now, as she was raised in a cave by her magical parents, who have taken the forms of a bear and a hound. Jens has no magic, and is almost an outcast in his own village. Together, they set out to restore magic to their world, and avenge a terrible wrong. The story is short and swift, but packs some real emotional punch. If you enjoy fairy tales, magic and a touch of sweet romance with a lot of action and adventure, you'll love this story.

Girl, Stolen by April Henry, is a very different story. Cheyenne is sleeping in her stepmother's car outside a pharmacy, when Griffin, a teen from a bad background, steals the car. Cheyenne's problem is that she's blind; Griffin's is that he dares not let her go for fear that he'll be caught in her stolen vehicle. So he kidnaps her, almost by accident. This leads to a very dangerous, almost explosive series of events involving them both. Griffin discovers things about his father and mother, while Cheyenne discovers how far she can push herself, even without vision. Will they each survive? Read this adventure story to find out...

It is interesting to see what these stories have in common, though they seem quite different. Both involve young women in unusual situations, with loving parents who have done their best to protect them, and young men with troubled family relationships, who are not sure what to do with themselves or how to avoid trouble. In both situations, the young people find themselves in challenging, dangerous situations, and come to rely on each other in some fashion. In each, they must learn to take risks, compromise and put their faith in fragile relationships. And in both cases, the teens grow and accomplish more than they believed they could dare. Have you read either of these stories? Do they remind you of other books you've read?

New Books

Nonfiction:

Unbound and Unbroken: the story of Frederick Douglass by Amos Esty --
Traces the life and historical impact of the noted abolitionist, detailing his birth into slavery and harsh upbringing, his subsequent escape, and his emergence as a leader.

Fiction:

Maxine Banks is Getting Married by Laurie Aurelia Williams -- When seventeen-year-old Maxine's best friend gets married, Maxine suddenly decides that she and her boyfriend Brian should, too, but things do not turn out the way she expected, and both she and Brian realize that they are not as grown up as they thought.
Sellout by Ebony Wilkins -- NaTasha loves her life of affluence in Park Adams, but her grandmother fears she has lost touch with her roots and whisks her off to Harlem, where NaTasha meets rough, street-wise girls at a crisis center and finds the courage to hold her own against them.
Half Upon a Time by James Riley -- In the village of Giant's Hand, Jack's grandfather has been pushing him to find a princess and get married, so when a young lady falls out of the sky wearing a shirt that says "Punk Princess," and she tells Jack that her grandmother, who looks suspiciously like the long-missing Snow White, has been kidnapped, Jack decides to help her.
Cloaked in Red by Vivian Vande Velde -- Presents eight twists on the traditional tale of Little Red Riding Hood, exploring such issues as why most characters seem dim-witted and what, exactly, is the theme.
The Frenzy by Francesca Lia Block -- When she was thirteen, something terrifying and mysterious happened to Liv that she still does not understand, and now, four years later, her dark secret threatens to tear her apart from her family and her true love.
Crusade by Nancy Holder -- An international team of six teenaged vampire hunters, trained in Salamanca, Spain, goes to New Orleans seeking to rescue team-member Jenn's younger sister as the vampires escalate their efforts to take over the Earth.
Wicked: a Pretty Little Liars Novel by Sara Shepard -- The stalker's identity has finally been revealed but high school juniors Spencer, Emily, Hanna, and Aria seem condemned to repeat the past as they resume their unrepentant ways.
Killer: a Pretty Little Liars Novel by Sara Shepard -- Former best friends Emily, Aria, Hanna, and Spencer continue to live in fear as they struggle to keep hidden even more secrets and someone new begins stalking them via their cell phones.
Heartless by Sara Shepard -- After high school juniors Spencer, Emily, Hanna, and Aria think they have seen Ali, their missing and presumed dead friend, they pursue clues from a mysterious stalker, trying to find out if she is still alive.
Wanted by Sara Shepard -- In this final volume, former best friends Hanna, Aria, Spencer, and Emily, who lost their best friend and leader, Alison, years ago when she disappeared, find themselves in grave danger when they pursue the truth about Alison.
Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness -- As a world-ending war surges to life around them, Todd and Viola face monstrous decisions, questioning all they have ever known as they try to step back from the darkness and find the best way to achieve peace.
Fear: 13 stories of Suspense and Horror by R.L. Stine -- In 13 blood-chilling stories from such masters of suspense as R.L. Stine, Meg Cabot, Heather Graham, and Suzanne Weyn, nothing is what it seems, and no one is safe.
Zen and Xander Undone by Amy Kathleen Ryan -- Two teenaged sisters try to come to terms with the death of their mother in very different ways.
Crossing the Tracks by Barbara Stuber -- In Missouri in 1926, fifteen-year-old Iris Baldwin discovers what family truly means when her father hires her out for the summer as a companion to a country doctor's invalid mother.
My Fake Boyfriend is Better Than Yours by Kristina Springer -- When her best friend Sea returns from her summer vacation claiming to have a boyfriend, twelve-year-old Tori is sure she is lying and makes up her own boyfriend, who just so happens to do everything better than Sea's boyfriend.
Ninth Ward by Jewel Parker Rhodes -- In New Orleans' Ninth Ward, twelve-year-old Lanesha, who can see spirits, and her adopted grandmother have no choice but to stay and weather the storm as Hurricane Katrina bears down upon them.
Lighter Side of Life and Death by C. K. Kelly Martin -- After the last, triumphant night of the school play, fifteen-year-old Mason loses his virginity to his good friend and secret crush, Kat Medina, which leads to enormous complications at school just as his home life is thrown into turmoil by his father's marriage to a woman with two children.
The Secret to Lying by Todd Mitchell -- Fifteen-year-old James lies about himself to be considered "cool" when he gets into an exclusive boarding school, but soon unnaturally vivid dreams of being a demon-hunting warrior lead to self-destructive acts while he is awake.
The Wake of the Lorelei Lee by L. A. Meyer -- bk. 8 of Bloody Jack -- Now rich, Jacky Faber has purchased the Lorelei Lee to carry passengers across the Atlantic, and believing she has been absolved of past sins against the Crown, she docks in London, where she is arrested and sentenced to life in the newly formed penal colony in Australia.
The Private Thoughts of Amelia E. Rye by Bonnie Shimko -- Growing up in a small town in upstate New York during the 1960s, a young girl, unwanted by her mother, searches for love and acceptance.
You by Charles Benoit -- Fifteen-year-old Kyle discovers the shattering ramifications of the decisions he makes, and does not make, about school, the girl he likes, and his future.
Bullet Point by Peter Abrahams -- The only thing seventeen-year-old Wyatt knew about his biological father was that he was serving a life sentence, but circumstances and a new girlfriend bring them together, and soon Wyatt is working to prove his father's innocence.
Time Riders, Book 1 by Alex Scarrow -- Rescued from imminent death, teens Maddy, Liam, and Sal join forces in 2001 Manhattan to correct changes in history made by other time travelers, using a "time bubble" surrounding the attack on the Twin Towers to hide their journeys.
Where the Truth Lies by Jessica Warman -- Emily, whose father is headmaster of a Connecticut boarding school, suffers from nightmares, and when she meets and falls in love with the handsome Del Sugar, pieces of her traumatic past start falling into place.
Livvie Owen Lived Here by Sarah Dooley -- Fourteen-year-old Livvie Owen, who has autism, and her family have been forced to move frequently because of her outbursts, but when they face eviction again, Livvie is convinced she has a way to get back to a house where they were all happy, once.
Home is Beyond the Mountains by Celia Barker Lottridge -- Samira is only nine years old when the Turkish army invades northwestern Persia in 1918, driving her family from its tiny village. They flee into the mountains, but the journey is so difficult that only Samira and her older brother survive. Will she and the other children ever see their villages again?
Winds of Heaven by Judith Clarke -- Clementine thinks her cousin Fan is everything that she could never be: beautiful, imaginative, wild. The girls promise to be best friends and sisters after the summer is over, but Clementine's life in the city is different from Fan's life in dusty Lake Conapaira. And Fan is looking for something, though neither she nor Clementine understands what it is.
The Familiars by Adam Jay Epstein -- A scrappy alley cat named Aldwyn passes himself off as a magical animal companion to Jack, a young wizard in training, but must convince his fellow "familiars" that he is authentic.
Hush by Eishes Chayil -- After remembering the cause of her best friend Devory's suicide at age nine, Gittel is determined to raise awareness of sexual abuse in her Borough Park, New York, community, despite the rules of Chassidim that require her to be silent.
Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin -- Seventeen-year-old Avery can remember nothing to explain her parents' violent death in the woods where they live, but after meeting Ben, a mysterious new neighbor, she begins to believe some of the stories she has heard about creatures of the forest.
Payback Time by Carl Deuker -- Overweight, somewhat timid Mitch reluctantly agrees to be the sports reporter for the Lincoln High newspaper because he's determined to be a writer, but he senses a real story in Angel, a talented football player who refuses to stand out on the field -- or to discuss his past.
Scarlett Fever by Maureen Johnson -- Fifteen-year-old Scarlett, who is beginning to get over her break-up with Eric, stays busy as assistant to her theatrical-agent friend, who is not only promoting Scarlett's brother Spencer but also a new client whose bad-boy brother has transferred to Scarlett's school.
I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend by Cora Harrison -- In a series of journal entries, Jenny Cooper describes her stay with cousin Jane Austen in the 1790s, and her entrance into Jane's world of beautiful dresses, dances, secrets, gossip, and romance.
The Half-life of Planets by Emily Franklin -- An unlikely romance develops between a science-minded girl who is determined to reclaim her reputation and a boy with Asperger's Syndrome.
Worldshaker by Richard Harland -- Sixteen-year-old Col Porpentine is being groomed as the next Commander of Worldshaker, a juggernaut where elite families live on the upper decks while the Filthies toil below, but when he meets Riff, a Filthy girl on the run, he discovers how ignorant he is of his home and its residents.
Scrawl by Mark Shulman -- When eighth-grade school bully Tod and his friends get caught committing a crime on school property, his penalty -- staying after school and writing in a journal under the eye of the school guidance counsellor -- reveals aspects of himself that he prefers to keep hidden.

Teen book, music and game reviews - by TEENS

School Library Journal is a great magazine for school and public librarians, but most teens would never know it existed - except for the very special few who write for it!

Read these teen music and game reviews - and here are the book reviews, as well.

Let me know if you like seeing these, and I'll post a link to the column every time it comes out (once a month, I think).

Free books to Low-Income Teen Readers

Readergirlz alerted me to a fantastic program being sponsored by First Book. They're giving away over 125,000 brand new books to Teen readers who can't afford their own.

Read All About it!

And if you belong to any organization that works with low-income Teens, please let them know about the program. They can follow the link to register to help distribute books.

Spread the word!

Maverick Reading List!

Of course, you've all heard of the Maverick Graphic Novels list, right? You know, the one where Texas Librarians find, read, vote on, and finally publish a list of the VERY BEST new Graphic Novels for teens each year? (At least for the last TWO years). Of COURSE you have....

(No, I don't really expect you have. But you can see the lists here.)

Well, my news is that as of NOW, I have been chosen to BE ON the selection committee for the next three years. This means that I will be reading over 200 graphic novels each year for the next 3 years, evaluating them, voting for or against them, and then donating most of them to the Library for you to read! Sweet!

And did you know that YOU can nominate your favorite GN's for the list to review? You can either suggest them to me (and I'll pass them on to the committee chair) or you can fill out the suggestion form yourself. Remember, though, the criteria -- they have to be GOOD books, suitable for teens, and published within the last year or so (2010, 2009 at the earliest). So read and recommend!

Tons of new books...

Novels:
Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan -- After seeing her best friend, a Dark Immortal called Incy, torture a human with magick, Nastasya, a spoiled party girl, enters a home for wayword immortals and finally begins to deal with life, even as she learns that someone wants her dead.
Things a Brother Knows by Dana Reinhardt -- (book and audio) Although they have never gotten along well, seventeen-year-old Levi follows his older brother Boaz, an ex-Marine, on a walking trip from Boston to Washington, D.C. in hopes of learning why Boaz is completely withdrawn.
Paranormalcy by Kiersten White -- When a dark prophecy begins to come true, sixteen-year-old Evie of the International Paranormal Containment Agency must not only try to stop it, she must also uncover its connection to herself and the alluring shapeshifter, Lend.
Girl, Stolen by April Henry -- When an impulsive carjacking turns into a kidnapping, Griffin, a high school dropout, finds himself more in sympathy with his wealthy, blind victim, sixteen-year-old Cheyenne, than with his greedy father.
Twelfth Grade Kills by Heather Brewer -- The Council of Elders, having been informed that Tomas still lives, puts off Vlad's execution, providing Vlad the opportunity to try to set some things right.
Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly -- An angry, grieving seventeen-year-old musician facing expulsion from her prestigious Brooklyn private school travels to Paris to complete a school assignment and uncovers a diary written during the French revolution by a young actress attempting to help a tortured, imprisoned little boy -- Louis Charles, the lost king of France.
Nighshade by Andrea Cremer -- (audio) Calla and Ren have been raised knowing it is their destiny to mate with one another and rule over their shape-shifting wolf pack, but when a human boy arrives and vies for Calla's heart, she is faced with a decision that could change her whole world.
I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett -- Fifteen-year-old Tiffany Aching, the witch of the Chalk, seeks her place amid a troublesome populace and tries to control the ill-behaved, six-inch-high Wee Free Men who follow her as she faces an ancient evil that agitates against witches.
Sugar and Spice by Lauren Conrad -- Book three of the L.A. Candy series - Reality television star Jane Roberts never imagined how celebrity would change her life, and now she must decide if the fame and glamour are worth the drama and deception.
Blood Fued by Alyxandra Harvey -- As the clans gather for the coronation of the next vampire queen, new alliances are beginning to form and the power of the clan leaders is threatened by a would-be usurper.
Legacies by Mercedes Lackey -- After her family is killed, Spirit White is taken to Oakhurst Academy, a combination orphanage and school for those with magical powers, where she and her new friends investigate when students start mysteriously disappearing.
Elixir by Hilary Duff -- Clea Raymond, a talented young photojournalist who has spent her life in the spotlight, and her best friends, Rayna and Ben, travel the globe trying to unravel a centuries-old mystery that could reveal her soulmate's identity and the secret of her father's disappearance.
Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia -- In a small southern town with a secret world hidden in plain sight, sixteen-year-old Lena, who possesses supernatural powers and faces a life-altering decision, draws away from her true love, Ethan, a mortal with frightening visions.
Vanished: a Novel by Kate Brian -- newest Private book -- Before Reed has a chance to revel in her success, Noelle disappears. As the clues build up, the clock ticks down, and Reed fears that unless she finds Noelle soon, she'll lose her friend forever...
Premiere by Melody Carlson -- On the Runway #1 -- When two sisters get their own fashion-focused reality television show, vivacious Paige is excited, but Erin, a Christian who is more interested in being behind the camera than in front of it, has problems with some of the things they are asked to do.
Rendezvous by Melody Carlson -- On the Runway #3 -- Paige and Erin Forrester take their fashion-focused reality television show to Paris, visiting renowned salons, designers, and international models, but when they travel to a friend's family estate in southern France, romance, jealousy, and some surprises threaten the stability of "On the Runway."
Crack in the Sky by Mark Peter Hughes -- In a post-apocalyptic world, thirteen-year-old Eli, part of the most powerful family in the world, keeps noticing problems with the operations of his domed city but his family denies them, while in the surrounding desert, the Outsiders struggle to survive while awaiting a prophesied savior.
Conspiracy 365 October by Gabriel Lord -- Cal hides from two bounty hunters and their dog in the hostile desert and must make his way to Zürich where he must forcefully forge a lethal alliance in order to break into Oriana's safe deposit box, doubling his enemies' power and destroying all hope of survival.
Conspiracy 365 November by Gabriel Lord -- The December 31st deadline is fast approaching, and Cal's enemies are closing in on all sides. Even the notorious "Toe Cutter" Durham has emerged from the underworld to join the hunt. Having answers so close, will Cal be so busy trying to save himself that he'll fail to save a friend?
Dragons of the Valley by Donita K. Paul -- To restore their country, Tipper Schope, artist Bealomondore, and their party must hide three important statues in the Valley of the Dragons and find a way to defeat an invading army.
Julian Game by Adele Griffin -- In an effort to improve her social status, a new scholarship student at an exclusive girls' school uses a fake online profile to help a popular girl get back at her ex-boyfriend, but the consequences are difficult to handle.
Education of Bet by Lauren Baratz-Logsted -- Denied an education because of both her gender and background, sixteen-year-old Elizabeth cuts her hair and alters suits belonging to Will, her wealthy patron's grandnephew, to take his place at school while Will pursues a military career in nineteenth-century England.
Hard Kind of Promise by Gina Willner-Pardo -- California seventh-graders Sarah and Marjorie made a promise in kindergarten to always be friends, but Marjorie is weird and Sarah, wanting to be at least somewhat popular, makes friends with a fellow choir member.
Butterfly by Sonya Hartnett -- In 1980s Australia, nearly fourteen-year-old Ariella "Plum" Coyle fears the disapproval of her friends, feels inferior to her older brothers, and hates her awkward, adolescent body, but when her glamorous neighbor befriends her, Plum starts to become what she wants to be -- until she discovers her neighbor's ulterior motive.
Tell Me a Secret by Holly Cupala -- Seventeen-year-old Rand's unexpected pregnancy leads her on a path to unravel the mystery of her sister's death and face her own more hopeful future.
Dirt Road Home by Watt Key -- At Hellenweiler, a reformatory for second-offenders, fourteen-year-old Hal Mitchell will soon be free if he can avoid the gang violence of his fellow inmates, but the real enemy may lie elsewhere.
What Momma Left Me by Renee Watson -- After the death of their mother, thirteen-year-old Serenity Evans and her younger brother go to live with their grandparents, who try to keep them safe from bad influences and help them come to terms with what has happened to their family. Includes recipe for red velvet cake.
Change of Heart by Shari Maurer -- When sixteen-year-old Emmi Miller learns she will die without a heart transplant, she becomes aware of all she has been taking for granted, from her parents' love to her soccer ability, but gains strength from new friend Abe.
Exiled Queen by Cinda Williams Chima -- Seven Realms Novel -- Two teenagers, one fleeing from a forced marriage and the other from a dangerous family of wizards, cross paths and fall in love.
Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff -- Sixteen-year-old Mackie Doyle knows that he replaced a human child when he was just an infant, and when a friend's sister disappears, he goes against his family's and town's deliberate denial of the problem to confront the beings that dwell under the town, tampering with human lives.
The Candidates by Inara Scott -- Fifteen-year-old Dancia is recruited by a boarding school for teenagers with special abilities, where she makes friends for the first time, is attracted to a popular junior, and becomes involved with a dangerous classmate.


Graphic Novels:
Flash Chronicles vol. 2 -- (Vol 1 is still on order, will be here soon!) Barry Allen's rogues gallery expands with the addition of Gorilla Grodd, the Mirror Master and the Weather Wizard, plus the debuts of Kid Flash and the Elongated Man!
Daniel X: the Manga vol. 1 by James Patterson -- When his parents are murdered by an intergalactic criminal, Daniel X vows to take on his father's role as Earth's sole Alien Hunter. Life isn't easy, though, when you're a young boy on your own, tracking down the galaxy's deadliest outlaws.
Moby Dick by Herman Melville -- a retelling of the classic novel in graphic format.
Witch & Wizard vol. 1 Battle for Shadowland by James Patterson -- actually an original story that takes place between the first and second volumes of the Witch & Wizard print novels.

Conspiracy 365 - Games to Play

Do you like mystery and adventure? Then you might be in the midst of the Conspiracy 365 series. It follows Stephen Callum, who has 365 days to survive and hunt down his father's mysterious killers.

Now there are games you can play that will reveal clues to what is really happening to Stephen. Go here to select a volume in the series, click on it and download a PDF gamesheet, right now!

New Books

Fiction:
Last Wilderness by Erin Hunter -- Seekers, Book 4; The four bears finally arrive at the legendary Last Great Wilderness, thinking it is the end of their long journey, but they discover that their true mission has really just begun.
Lost Hero by Rick Riordan -- Jason, Piper, and Leo, three students from a school for "bad kids," find themselves at Camp Half-Blood, where they learn that they are demigods and begin a quest to free Hera, who has been imprisoned by Mother Earth herself.
Sphinx's Queen by Esther Friesner -- Chased after by the prince and his soldiers for a crime she did not commit, Nefertiti finds temporary refuge in the wild hills along the Nile's west bank before returning to the royal court to plead her case to the Pharaoh.
Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin -- Phoebe, a member of the wealthy Rothschilds family, befriends Mallory, an awkward new girl in school, and the two become as close as sisters, but Phoebe does not know that Mallory is a faerie, sent to the human world to trap the ordinary human girl into fulfilling a promise made by her ancestor Mayer to the queen of the faeries.
Radiance by Alyson Noel -- After crossing the bridge into the afterlife, a place called Here where the time is always Now, Riley's existence continues in much the same way as when she was alive until she is given the job of Soul Catcher and, together with her teacher Bodhi, returns to earth for her first assignment, a ghost called the Radiant Boy who has been haunting an English castle for centuries and resisted all previous attempts to get him across the bridge.
Ghost Dog Secrets by Peg Kehret -- Sixth-grader Rusty, determined to help an injured dog that is chained outdoors in frigid weather, calls animal control then takes matters into his own hands, aided by his best friend and a ghost collie that leads Rusty to an even deeper secret. Includes instructions for knitting cat blankets.

Nonfiction:
They Called Themselves the KKK by Susan Bartoletti -- Documents the history and origin of the Ku Klux Klan from its beginning in Pulaski, Tennessee, and provides personal accounts, congressional documents, diaries, and more. (also sound recording)

Graphic Novels:
Hibiki's Magic vol. 2 by Jun Maeda -- Hibiki, now a professor although she can't use magic, continues to share the bigness of her heart with those who may be less fortunate.
Shonen Jump for December -- Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan anime mega-section! For you fan artists, see the winners of the annual Cover Contest! Final series preview of Genkaku Picasso!

Recent Returns

White Sands, Red Menace by Ellen Klages is the sequel to The Green Glass Sea. It tells the continuing story of Dewey Kerrigan and her best friend Suze Gordon growing up in Alamogordo, New Mexico, just after the end of World War II. Suze's dad is a researcher for the Government's V-2 rocket program and was part of the team who developed the Atomic Bomb. At this time, people were still learning what the Atom bomb was capable of. Dewey's new foster-mother is a peacenik, and she is adamantly against the further development of nuclear weapons. At the same time, Dewey, who loves math and science, is trying to understand where a girl like her fits into society's views on women. This fascinating historical fiction has only two checkouts.

Initiation by Susan Fine is the story of Mauricio Londono, now 18, once a freshman at a prestigious ivy-league private school, struggling to fit in with the monied students, always feeling like he's the odd one out. As he describes his first year at the school, he tells of the pressure to fit in, the struggle to be himself in a place where nobody wants to stand out. But then, just as he's beginning to feel comfortable, trouble breaks out, and he finds himself caught in the middle of a vicious scandal involving FaceSpace and the whole of St. Stephens. This one also has just two circulations...

Ghosts of Ashbury High by Jaclyn Moriarty is another school story - this time set in Australia. Best friends Emily, Cassie, and Lydia are intrigued by the new kids, Amelia and Riley, who have just transferred in as Seniors. But the behaviour of the new kids isn't the only thing going on - Cassie senses a mysterious, cold, ghostly presence in the Art Rooms. Suddenly there's danger all around them...4 circs for this haunting book.

Hunger, a Gone Novel by Michael Grant is the sequel to Gone. 3 months after the FAYZ, food is almost gone, people are divided into "normals" and those with "powers", and trouble is brewing on all sides. Sam longs to give up his authority and let someone else take charge, but with Caine stirring, the Darkness on the fringes, manipulating them, he dares not let go. Can they all find a way to survive? Second in a six book series. 2 copies have 12 checkouts.

Booksale!

National Book Award Finalists Announced

Just today, the five finalists in each category of the National Book Awards have been announced. There are several categories, including Adult Fiction, Nonfiction, and the important one "Fiction for Young People".

• Paolo Bacigalupi, Ship Breaker (Little, Brown & Co.)
• Kathryn Erskine, Mockingbird
  (Philomel Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group)
• Laura McNeal, Dark Water (Alfred A. Knopf)
• Walter Dean Myers, Lockdown
  (Amistad, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers)
• Rita Williams-Garcia, One Crazy Summer
  (Amistad, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers)

Classic Graphic Novels

Did you know that Graphic Novels are not JUST superheroes and manga?

There are all sorts of books being published in the "Graphic Novel" format today. And we have some of them, here at the Library. Today I'm going to share with you some titles that we own that are adaptations of classic works of fiction.

Outlaw: the Legend of Robin Hood by Tony Lee takes the familiar tale of Robin, his merry men, Prince John, and Maid Marion, revealing some of Robin's history and putting the tale in context. Gorgeous full color illustrations show Robin's first encounter with the Sherrif of Nottingham, his trip to the Middle East during the Crusades, his return home, and his evolution into an Outlaw.

Graphic Classics: Robert Louis Stevenson by Stevenson and others. Stevenson's best known story is Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde, but this collection also includes The Suicide Club, The Bottle Imp, and more. There's even a brief biography of Stevenson and his writing career. A perfect way to absorb the basics of some creepy, adventurous classic literature.

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. This is a full-length novel, adapted by David Chauvel. Follow Jim as he meets Long John Silver, seaman and pirate, and goes on the most famed quest for buried pirate treasure ever told!

Nevermore: A Graphic Adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's Short Stories by Poe. The Raven, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Tell-Tale Heart, and many other stories are retold in this black-and-white volume. It includes a brief "facts of Poe's Life" at the end. Poe was a highly skilled horror writer and one of the first writers of short stories. Creepy!

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Everyone has heard of the great detective, Sherlock Holmes, but did you know that Doyle wrote one of the finest ghost stories ever told? Find out why the Baskerville family is cursed, and by whom, in this mystery-adventure. Illustrated in color, narrated by Dr. Watson himself, this is a superior retelling of a very good story.

New Books!

Novels
Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes -- A girl raised by werewolves must face the horrors of her past to uncover the dark secrets that the pack has worked so hard to hide.
Wide-Awake Princess by E. D. Baker -- Annie, younger sister of the princess who would be known as Sleeping Beauty, is immune to magic and stays awake when the rest of the castle falls into an enchanted sleep, then sets out to find a way to break the spell.
Perfectly Dateless by Kristin Billerbeck -- Entering her senior year at St. James Christian Academy, Daisy has less than 200 days to look stylish, develop social skills, find the right boy for the prom, and convince her parents to let her date.
Only the Good Spy Young by Ally Carter-- When a terrifying encounter in London reveals that one of her most-trusted allies is actually a rogue double-agent, Cammie Morgan no longer knows if she can trust her classmates, her teachers--or even her own heart.
Time Quake: being the third part of the Gideon Trilogy by Linda Buckley Archer -- Peter and Kate chase the Tar man through 18th Century London streets while sinister Lord Luxon makes himself at home in the 21st Century.
Falcon Quinn and the Black Mirror by Jennifer Boylan - Thirteen-year-old Quinn believes he is fairly normal until he is spirited away from his grandmother's house to the Academy for Monsters,where he soon finds himself stirring up a rebellion.
Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti - Lani and Erin have always been best friends, and total opposites. Which was fine, until Erin starts dating Jason. The day she meets him, Lani knows he's perfect for her... but does she dare admit it?
Cool Like That by Nikki Carter -- Gia's been accepted to a summer enrichment program, her friend Ricky will be there too; but when she meets Rashad, who starts flirting, she's not sure where things will go.
It's All Good by Nikki Carter -- Gia gets involved in boy trouble, revenge, and scandals when the upcoming débutante ball turns high school crushes into something more.
Flash by Michael Cadnum -- Relates one momentous day in the lives of five young people in the San Francisco Bay Area, including two teenaged bank robbers, a witness, and a wounded military policeman just back from Iraq.
A Little Wanting Song by Cath Crowley -- One Australian summer, two very different sixteen-year-old girls--Charlie, a talented but shy musician, and Rose, a confident student longing to escape her tiny town--are drawn into an unexpected friendship, as told in their alternating voices.
Hunting the Dragon by Peter L. Dixon -- Billy's surfing summer is turned on end when, after losing one job, he takes another on a tuna-fishing boat.
The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez -- Lucia and her little brother live in Cuba, soon after Castro has come to power. Then her fearful parents send them to the United States - will she ever see her parents again? Can she adjust to this strange new life?
Princess and the Snowbird by Mette Harrison -- A girl whose magic allows her to take animal form falls in love with a boy who has no magic at all, and together they join forces, trying to defeat an enemy who is out to eliminate all magic everywhere.
Illyria by Elizabeth Hand -- Teenage cousins Madeleine and Rogan, who share twin souls and a sexual relationship, are cast in a school production of Twelfth Night that forces them to confront their respective strengths and future prospects.
Stranger and Stranger by Rob Reger -- After moving to a new town with her mother, Emily the Strange finds her troubles multiplying when she accidentally duplicates herself.
Warriors. Battles of the Clans by Erin Hunter -- Onestar, leader of WindClan, introduces two young kittypets to the warrior code, the history of each of the Clans, and legendary battles that have been fought. Includes a Warriors adventure roleplaying game after the story.
Toads and Diamonds by Heather Tomlinson -- A retelling of the Perrault fairy tale set in pre-colonial India, in which two stepsisters receive gifts from a goddess and each walks her own path to find her gift's purpose, discovering romance along the way.
Lifted by Wendy Toliver -- Poppy's new friends introduce her to a powerfully thrilling activity - shoplifting - but soon the girls find themselves in trouble, and Poppy must decide between friends, thrills, and honesty.
Invisible Girl by Mary Hanlon Stone -- Stephanie finds herself trying to blend in with her cousin's hot friends after being dumped in Encino, but isn't sure she wouldn't rather remain invisible.
Outside of a Horse by Ginny Rorby -- When her father returns from the Iraq War as an amputee with post-traumatic stress disorder, Hannah escapes by volunteering to work with rescued horses, never thinking that the abused horses could also help her father recover.
Keepers' Tattoo by Arbuthnott -- Nyssa learns that she is a special member of a legendary clan, the Keepers of Knowledge, as she and her uncle try to escape from Alaric, the White Wolf, who wants to use lines tattooed on her to destroy the rest of her people.
Fallout by Ellen Hopkins -- Written in free verse, explores how three teenagers try to cope with the consequences of their mother's addiction to crystal meth and its effects on their lives.
Fat Vampire by Adam Rex -- After being bitten by a vampire, not only is fifteen-year-old Doug doomed eternally to be fat, but now he must also save himself from the desperate host of a public-access-cable vampire-hunting television show that is on the verge of cancellation.
Spells by Aprilynne Pike -- Summoned to study at The Academy of Avalon, sixteen-year-old Laurel learns about the town with friend Tamani, while honing her long-forgotten skills as a Fall faerie in order to protect her human family and Avalon from trolls.
The Knife That Killed Me by Paul McGowan -- Paul Varderman, a secondary student in an English Catholic School, is a loner until, just as he is becoming friends with "the freaks", the school bully encourages Paul to join his gang and gives him a knife to carry as an incentive.
Reinvention of Moxie Roosevelt by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel -- On her first day of boarding school, a thirteen-year-old girl who feels boring and invisible decides to change her personality to match her unusual name.
Secret Speakers by K.C.R. Klingsworth -- After spending nine years of her life in a cellar to avoid being discovered, little does thirteen year-old Fair O'Nelli know she's about to end up in the middle of a dark secret wherein the key to survival is learning to see things as they are.
Love Story: Starring My Dead Best Friend by Emily Horner -- As she tries to sort out her feelings of love, seventeen-year-old Cass, a spunky math genius with an introverted streak, finds a way to memorialize her dead best friend.
Summer of the Moonlight Secrets by Danette Haworth -- During the summer of 1988, Allie Jo, whose family runs an antebellum Florida hotel, meets Chase, who is staying there with his father, and they become friends when they discover a mysterious teenager hiding on the grounds of the hotel.
Torment by Lauren Kate -- In a desperate effort to save Luce from the Outcasts, immortals who want her dead, Luce and Daniel are forced to be apart from each other, and as she discovers more about her past lives, Luce starts to suspect that Daniel may have lied to her about their shared past.
Devious by Cecily von Ziegesar -- Everyone at elite Waverly Academy actually looks forward to the freezing month of January: it's Jan Plan, four blissful weeks when cool independent projects replace hectic schedules and boring classes. What Wild activities will the girls dream up to fill their time?
Classic by Cecily von Ziegesar -- Each year at Valentine's Day, the Waverly Academy Computer Society runs Perfect Match, an online personality survey that pairs up Waverly Owls with their supposed soul mates. But this year something odd is happening...
Immortal Fire by Anne Ursu -- As Philonecron plots to destroy the gods, transform the Underworld, destroy humanity, and remodel Olympus, Mr. Metos takes thirteen-year-old cousins Charlotte and Zee to join the Prometheans, who have an age-old weapon that may help protect them.
Unraveled by Gena Showalter -- Since coming to Crossroads, Oklahoma, outcast Aden Stone has been living the good life. Never mind that one of his best friends is a werewolf, his girlfriend is a vampire princess who hungers for his blood, and he's supposed to be crowned Vampire King -- while still a human! Well, kind of...
The Limit by Kristen Landon -- Matt's family have always been fiscally responsible, but when one shopping trip puts them "over the limit", he finds himself sent into debt slavery - where he discovers a systematic scheme of governmental abuse...

Graphic Novels:
Vampire Kisses. Blood Relatives vol. 2
Last Airbender (Avatar)
Real vols 2-3 by Inoue
Slam Dunks vols 10-11 by Inoue
Chi's Sweet Home vols 1-2 by Konami
King of the RPGs by Thompson
FairyTail vols 7-11 by Mashima
Chimpanzee Complex vols 1-2 by Marazano
Kitchen Princess vols 6-10 by Kobayashi
Fruits Baskets vols 11-14 by Takaya
Library Wars. Love and War. vols 1-3 by Yumi
Cirque du Freak vols 5-6 by Shan
D-N-Angel vols 3-4 by Sugisaki
Maximum Ride the manga vol. 3
St. Dragon Girl vol. 8 by Matsumoto
Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei vols 2-3 by Kumeta
Resistance. Book 1 by Jablonski

Book Review

I just finished reading Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien. This is a wonderful novel about Gaia, the sixteen-year-old, scarred, daughter of a midwife in a dystopian future world, where something like global warming has caused a serious change in the climate. The only civilization she knows is "the enclave", but when her parents are arrested as traitors, she begins to understand that all is not right in her world. As she struggles to define her own concept of right and wrong, she must take actions that will affect many lives; her own, her parents', and even the unborn children of her society.

This book is written in an honest, forthright tone; Gaia is likeable and understandable. Her fears and joys are very real. The decisions she makes are not always the best ones, but they're HER decisions, and the reader will root for her each time. The secondary characters are mostly well-drawn, with rational motivations and distinct personalities. Even the villain has a sort of "right" on his side, and Gaia can see what he believes in, even if she disagrees.

If you enjoyed "The Maze-runner" or "Uglies", you will probably enjoy "Birthmarked" as well.

Printz Awards announced

The Printz Award winner for the year is Going Bovine by Libba Bray!

Runners-up were Punkzilla by Adam Rapp, Charles and Emma: the Darwin's Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman, the Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey, and Tales of the Madman Underground by John Barnes.

All these great books are or soon will be available in your YA collection.

Book Review

I just finished reading the Stones of Abraxas by K. Osborn Sullivan - I have to say, I had very mixed feelings about this novel. I would give it a three-star rating out of five, and here's why:

The plot was interesting, and I wanted to know how the story concluded. Unfortunately, I was right in EVERY single guess I made early in the plot. I recognized the spy the first time he came on scene, I knew that a certain road would play a critical part, and I even guessed immediately when the hero and heroine were being led astray. The author could learn not to foreshadow his plot QUITE so heavily, next time!

I felt that the characters (teens David and Amanda, and their parents) were fun to read about, but not very memorable (I had to refresh my memory of their names on Amazon for this review!). Amanda's only really memorable feature was her affection for her cats, for example. The real reason they felt undeveloped was the whole style of the book's narration. It was written in a choppy, simplified fashion. It almost felt as if the author had gone back over a longer and more complex work, trimming and removing all description and editing the vocabulary. If so, the author did his readers a real dis-service; this book had the potential to be much better than it was.

Anyway, if you love teen escape fantasy (and have always wanted to enter a magical world), this series opener has some real potential; just don't expect too much!

Book Review

I read "Odd and the Frost Giants" by Neil Gaiman over the weekend, and wanted to comment on it. This is a very short book, more of a novelette than a full-length work, so if you like quick reads, it will be just right for you; it is also based on Norse mythology. If you liked the Percy Jackson stories and want to learn about some other culture's myths than just the Greeks, this one is a good place to start. Odd is a fairly ordinary boy living in a small, isolated village. His father dies, and his home situation isn't great. When things get too much to bear, he takes off into the woods. Soon, he stumbles into an adventure. I won't reveal any more than that, but if you want a story about talking animals, the gods, giants, and a very clever ending, this one is for you. And it is told in Gaiman's trademark language - beautifully elegant, concise, and almost poetic. Well worth dipping into!

Oh, and a little tidbit I found on another blog - if you liked Hunger Games, you may appreciate this tidbit of fan art.

Teen Top Ten Winners Announced

The Teens' Top Ten 2010 winners are:

1. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
2. City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
3. Heist Society by Ally Carter
4. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
5. Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
6. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
7. Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen
8. If I Stay by Gayle Forman
9. Fire by Kristin Cashore
10. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Enjoy reading them all! There are some great books here. I've only read about half of them, but I fully intend to get to them all before the end of the year. How about you? Which ones have you read, and which would you like to read?

Virtual Teen Author Visits

Houston Public Library is celebrating Teen Read Month this year by sponsoring 4 LIVE Teen Author Programs. The cool thing is that they're broadcasting them on their own Library Channel on UStream so you can watch them, too, as they happen. If you don't have a UStream account, you won't be able to chat, but you can watch. Set up a free account if you want to participate. (Sorry we missed the first two!)

The four Author Programs will be as follows:
Monday, Oct 18

Cecil Castellucci 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM(central time)

Chat with Cecil Castellucci, author of Boy Proof, Queen of Cool, Beige, The Plain Janes, Janes in Love, Rose Sees Red, and Grandma's Gloves, and editor of Geektastic!

in less than 9 hours

Tuesday, Oct 26

Libba Bray 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM(Central Time)

Chat with Libba Bray, author of A Great and Terrible Beauty, Rebel Angels, The Sweet Far Thing, and Going Bovine!

in less than 8 days

Book Review

Enchanted Glass by Diana Wynne Jones - this is part of her usual "slightly wacky" magical world series, in which odd things happen to the most seemingly ordinary people. Andrew is a university professor who inherits his grandfather's home when the old man dies, and soon makes the discovery that all is not as he remembered there...

His household is soon augmented by young Aidan, who is being stalked by otherworldly enemies, a very odd near-giant boy named Shaun, a secretary who is as lovely as she is batty (or is she?) and a were-dog. But the real danger may lie elsewhere. Who is Mr. Brown, what is he up to, and why is he suddenly willing to accept a role as member of the Fete Committee when for years he has been a total hermit?

In her usual masterfully understated style, Jones tells a tale of ordinary people in extraordinary situations, and makes me wish I could be there myself. If you enjoy Robin McKinley, Hilari Bell, or Nancy Farmer, you should give her wonderful stories a try.

Books I want to read...

I was peeling "new" stickers off a stack of books today (and shelving books, too), when I found a number of things that I'm just dying to read!

Herbie Brennan's newest book is The Shadow Project. I know I'm not supposed to judge by the cover, but this one has an action-blurred silhouette of a teen boy emerging from a mysterious blur of light. It looks science-fictiony, which I love. Herbie Brennan's Faerie Wars Chronicles was a favorite of mine, so I'm eager to find out who Danny Lipman is, and what happens to him as he joins "the Project"...

The second really interesting looking title is Player's Ruse by Hilari Bell. It's in her Knight and Rogue series - Gallant Sir Michael and streetwise Fisk run around in a post-medieval world trying to be a knight errant and his squire; sometimes they do well, and sometimes not so much. The previous books have been funny, silly and poignant. I look forward to watching Michael fall in love, and Fisk rescue him - and vice versa.

And last but not least, The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly - on audio. Calpurnia is a little girl growing up in a sleepy Texas town in 1899. She longs for cool weather, goes out to the river with her grandfather, who is a naturalist, and navigates life with her six older brothers. It sounds like a sweet coming-of-age story, and might even be like another favorite of mine, Anne of Green Gables.

I'll try to remember to post a comment or two about each of these stories, after I've read them...and feel free to share if you've read any; or better yet, what novel are you most interested in reading next?

New Books!

Caught Up in the Drama by ReShonda Tate Billings - When Camille starts to appear in Rap Music videos, her relationships with her friends are endangered by her quest for fame.
Fool's Girl by Celia Rees - Violetta and Feste have come to London to rescue a holy relic taken from Illyria by the evil Malvolio; when there, he tells their tale to Shakespeare, who turns it into a play.
Vampire High: Sophmore Year by Douglas Rees - When Cody's Goth cousin Turk moves into his house, enrolls at Vlad Dracul, and decides to turn an abandoned nineteenth-century mill into an art center, the vampire (Jenti) students are not pleased, and Cody's hopes for a great sophomore year are blighted.
Hothouse by Chris Lynch - Teens D.J. and Russell, life-long friends and neighbors, had drifted apart, but when their firefighter fathers are both killed, they try to help one another come to terms with the tragedy and its aftermath.
Front and Center by Catherine Gilbert Murdock - During her junior year basketball season, D.J. faces the dual challenges of college recruiting and romance.
My Little Phony by Lisi Harrison -- A Clique Novel - As the holidays approach, Massie, Alicia, Dylan, Kristen, and Claire deal with budget woes, boyfriends, and each other in the continuing adventures of the Clique.
Three Black Swans by Caroline Cooney -- When sixteen-year-old Missy Vianello decides to try to convince her classmates that her cousin Claire is really her long-lost identical twin, she has no idea that the results of her prank will be so life-changing.


Graphic Novels:
Batman. Bat and the Beast - A Russian crime kingpin known as the Tsar threatens to take over the Gotham City mob, and Batman must travel to Moscow to face this strange foe on his home turf.
Shonen Jump vol 8, issue 11
Unsinkable Walter Bean - Walter Bean is happiest when he gets to spend time tinkering on his inventions in his grandfather's workshop, but when his grandfather acquires a curse, Walter must embark on dangerous quest to return a pearl skull to the witches who made it.
Usagi Yojimbo. Yokai by Sakai -- Usagi must face many Yokai when an old woman begs him to find and rescue her kidnapped daughter.
InuYasha vol. 51

Book Review

The Hermit Thrush Sings - by Susan Butler -- an unwanted girl with a strangely webbed hand finds that she can succeed beyond her dreams, in this exciting adventure. Perhaps a hundred years ago, a natural disaster destroyed civilization, and now Leora's people survive in isolated, fenced-in villages, struggling to grow enough food, to fight off the Bimba's (horrible ape-bear creatures) and to weed out the mutations that sometimes appear in their own children.

Leora is such a mutant, despised by her stepmother ever since the deaths of her father and elder sister. But when she finds that a tiny baby bimba has been caught by the soldiers, she finds herself rescuing it, setting in motion a chain of events she could never have predicted.

My only complaint about this story is that Leora's gift, which comes to her as she makes her first attempt at independent action, is so powerful that her own choices, decisions and free will seem totally irrelevant. She never has to choose to act, to trust, or to rely on her own courage; instead, her magical power of foretelling, often expressed through drawings, gives her all the answers she ever needs.

Otherwise, this is a tightly plotted, well-written adventure story. Leora's world is lightly-sketched, but believable; secondary characters are not deep, but are nicely portrayed. The plot takes several nice twists, but is ultimately predictable, though satisfying. It does leave itself open for a sequel, which I look forward to reading.

Recent Returns

Dark Lord of Derkholm by Diana Wynn Jones - This is a fun book in a great series by one of my favorite authors. In a fantasy world being devastated by tourists, Querida, the High Chancellor of Wizard's University, has received thousands of complaints about the Pilgrim Parties that Mr. Chesney is sponsoring. Things go from bad to worse when Wizard Derk is informed that, as the "Dark Lord", it is required that he knock down his home and build an evil fortress in its place... 2 copies, 60 checkouts.

Lockdown by Walter Dean Myers - Myers is a fabulous writer - he writes about the streets and life as an urban minority teen, and he KNOWS what that is like. Reese is a hard luck teen at Progress Juvenile Facility. He desperately wants out, but keeps getting in trouble. When he's given a chance to participate in a work program at a Nursing Home he knows it is his last chance - if he can convince Mr. Hooft that he's a good person, maybe he can believe it himself. New book - 4 copies, 10 circs.

This World We Live In by Michelle Pfeffer - Third book in a series, it follows "Life as I Knew It" and "the dead and the gone"; Miranda's father and stepmother return to town with their baby and three strangers in tow. Times are desperate, food is scarce, and nothing will ever be normal again. They struggle to find enough to eat, and make a place for everyone. When another disaster strikes, however, Miranda must make decisions that she never dreamed of making a year, or even a few months, ago. A thrilling conclusion to a deeply emotional series. Book (2 copies) and audiobook - 12 circs.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan - In Mary's world there are simple truths - the sisterhood is always right, and the guardian will always protect you - as long as you do not pass beyond the fence that surrounds the village. But when Mary discovers that her truths may not always be true, she must make decisions about her future, those who love her, and the one she loves. Can there be life outside a world surrounded by so much death? Book (2 copies) and audiobook - 31 circs.

Green Lantern: No Fear - in Space Sector 2814, planet Earth is located. The Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, is back. But his old foes, the deadly Manhunter, and mutated Shark return as well, with shocking violence. 2 copies, 14 checkouts.

Recent Returns

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins - this book is still on the "new" shelf, but it is so rarely here that I haven't had a chance to read it yet... Sophie is banished to Hex Hall, a school for wayward witches, faeries and shapeshifters, after a spell-gone-wrong at her Prom night... by the end of her first day there, she's managed to make enemies, crush on a mystery boy, and meet a ghost. 9 circs for 2 copies.

Light-Bearer's Daughter (Chronicles of Faerie #3) by O.R. Melling - Dana is a tomboy who misses her vanished mother - and when her father threatens to take them away from Ireland, she sets out to find her before she loses the chance. When she finds a faerie in the woods, she promises to carry out a dangerous task in return for her heart's desire. This book can be read without having read either of the earlier books in the series. 1 copy - 4 checkouts...

Eclipse - book 4 of the Warriors: Power of Three series by Erin Hunter. A dark shadow has fallen over the Forest. The three grandchildren of Firestar have learned of a powerful prophecy and they know that it will be up to them to decide the Clan's future. 28 checkouts for this very popular title!

Blue Moon by Alyson Noel (An Immortals novel) - Ever is eager to understand her new powers as an immortal but is alarmed to discover that her beloved Damon's powers are fading even as hers are growing. Can she find a way to save him, or must she make a wrenching decision? 2 copies, 20 checkouts.

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen - Isolated from friends who believe the worst because she has not been truthful with them, sixteen-year-old Annabel finds an ally in classmate Owen, whose honesty and passion for music help her to face and share what really happened at the end-of-the-year party that changed her life. 2 copies, 72 checkouts - this book just keeps on going out the door with readers!

Recent Returns

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - In 1939 Germany, Liesel Meminger is a young girl living through dangerous, turbulent times. When she finds a book in the snow not far from her brother's grave, she becomes a book thief - soon, she's stealing from Nazi book burnings, taking incredible risks in the name of literature. But when her family hides a Jew in their basement, her world is turned completely upside down. 5 copies, 95 checkouts; 2 sound recordings have 21 checkouts.

The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray by Chris Wooding - As Thaniel, a wych hunter, and his mentor Cathaline try to rid the Old Quarter of London of the terrible creatures that infest them, their lives become entwined with an old woman who may be either insane or possessed. 2 copies - 61 checkouts.

Project 17 by Laurie Faria Stolarz - Six teens break into Danvers State Mental Hospital, a long-abandoned and supposedly haunted structure. They intend to make a movie of their adventures, but none of them expect the frightening and life-changing events that occur within the maze-like old buildings... 1 copy - 6 checkouts.

Ranger's Apprentice, Book One: The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan - When Will is taken on by the Rangers as an apprentice, he's initially disappointed - but he'll need all the skills of hiding and shadowing, when he discovers that Morgorath, Lord of the Mountains of Rain and Night, is once again gathering his forces. First volume in a very popular series. 4 copies - 74 checkouts!

The illustrated Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett - Young Witch-to-be Tiffanny teams up with the Wee Free men, six-inch-tall blue men, to rescue her baby brother and stave off an invasion from Fairyland. This edition has full-color illustrations and new materials from the author. 2 copies - 15 checkouts

book review

The Book of the Maidservant by Rebecca Barnhouse - this short and adventurous story follows Johanna, a young maidservant, on the pilgrimage she takes as maidservant to her mistress, Margery Kempe. Margery is a very religious woman, taken to preaching, crying and making a great show of her piety. Johanna is not sure she wants to go all the way to Rome, but she must, or become a runaway.

The story follows the trials and tribulations of a hard-worked, lonely and often frightened girl, who sees strange new sights, meets new people and has many adventures. Her descriptions of her world, her place, and her time are very realistic, but understandable. Johanna is a moving, believable character whom I very much enjoyed sharing a few days with. If you liked the Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman, or Jinx's Pagan series, I think you'll enjoy the Book of the Maidservant. (By the way, Margery Kempe was a real person who wrote a real biography of her religious pilgrimage, and she did have a servant named Johanna whom this tale is loosely based upon).

New Books!

Eternal Ones by Kiersten Miller (WWL) - Seventeen-year-old Haven Moore leaves East Tennessee to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, where she meets playboy Iain Morrow, whose fate may be tied to hers through a series of past lives.
Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins (WWL) - Two Burmese boys, one a Karenni refugee and the other the son of an imprisoned Burmese doctor, meet in the jungle and in order to survive they must learn to trust each other.
I Am Number Four by Lore (WWL) - In rural Ohio, friendships and a beautiful girl prove distracting to a fifteen-year-old who has hidden on Earth for ten years waiting to develop the Legacies, or powers, he will need to rejoin the other six surviving Garde members and fight the Mogadorians who destroyed their planet, Lorien.
Dear George Clooney Please Marry My Mom by Susin Nielson (WWL) - Violet's TV-director dad has traded a job in Vancouver for one in Los Angeles, their run-down house for a sleek ranch-style home complete with a pool, and, worst of all, Violet's mother for a trophy wife, a blonde actress named Jennica. Violet's younger sister reacts by bed-wetting, and her mother ping-pongs from one loser to another, searching for love. As for Violet, she gets angry in ways that are by turns infuriating, shocking, and hilarious.
Conspiracy 365. Book nine, September by Gabrielle Lord - Convinced Oriana was behind kidnapping his little sister, Cal teams up with Boges to plant a bug in Oriana's house. But, will spying on his would-be killer revel the location of the precious Jewel and Riddle, or will it put Cal in the line of fire?
The Interrogation of Gabriel James by Charlie Price (WWL, SWL) - As an eyewitness to two murders, a Montana teenager relates the shocking story behind the crimes in a police interrogation interspersed with flashbacks.

Note: titles that are designated as WWL are owned by the West Waco Library, and may not be available until the new Library opens (scheduled for Saturday, Oct 2nd).

Graphic Novels:

Fullmetal Alchemist vol. 23
Shonen Jump Vol.8, issue 9 2010

Book Review

Ice by Sarah Beth Durst - this is a retelling of the "East of the Sun, West of the Moon" fairy tale. I LOVE this fairytale, and I read every version of a story I can find based on it. I have to say, this is one of my favorites.

Ice is set in the modern day, in the Arctic. Cassie has just turned 18, and is looking forward to joining her father's research team as an official member. But when she follows a magnificent, if odd, polar bear, out onto the ice, her life changes forever. She discovers the truth about her mother's death (or is she dead?), and the bargain that was made when she was just a small child. Will she uphold it? Can she escape it? Does she even want to?

Cassie is a strong, confident heroine, not afraid to make decisions that will affect her whole future, and the lives of others as well. Her choices aren't always the wisest, but they're always made bravely, with a willingness to face the consequences. Read her adventurous, romantic story, and enjoy!