Winter Break? More Time to Read!

Our winter break is quickly approaching and I am looking forward to two weeks of non-stop reading.  I guess I'll have to fit Christmas in there too somewhere. ;)  I have several books on my shelf that I am really looking forward to reading, so I am thankful I'll have the time to start working my way through them starting Friday afternoon!  Here are a few recommendations from books I've recently read.

First up, Fallout, by Todd Strasser.  This is another book being considered for a Truman nomination, and I really hope it makes the list.  I could not put this book down.  Fallout takes place in 1962, around the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis when the threat of nuclear war with the Soviet Union was in full force.  Scott's dad decided to build a bomb shelter under their house in case the worst happens.  We know that in real life, nuclear war was averted, but in Fallout, the author imagines what might have happened if the U.S. had been attacked with nuclear weapons.  Everyone thought Scott's dad was crazy for building the bomb shelter, until the air-raid sirens went off.  Then, it was a fight between neighbors to get themselves into the fallout shelter.  Over-crowded, with not enough food or resources, can Scott and his neighbors survive until it is safe to start over above-ground?  This story was based on the author's real-life memories of this time - and the fact that his dad also built a fallout shelter under their home that thankfully, never had to be put to use.  If you want to read this book, we do have a copy in our Congress library, so put it on hold next time you're there.  You can also find it at MCPL or as an e-book on MCPL's Overdrive system.

The final possible Truman nominee that I read was One Came Home, by Amy Timberlake.  This is another historical fiction novel that takes place in Wisconsin in 1871.  Georgie's sister, Agatha, disappeared a few weeks ago, and when the sheriff brings home a body he claims is Agatha, Georgie doesn't believe it.  She goes on a quest to find her sister, because she believes it's her fault that Agatha left in the first place.  Georgie faces the frontier on her own with her Springfield single-shot rifle, and refuses to come home until she uncovers what really happened to Agatha.  This is both a heart-warming and mysterious story.  I really enjoyed it.  If you're interested, you can borrow my copy.  You can also find this book in our Congress library, and as an e-book on our Park Hill Overdrive system.  It's of course, at MCPL and through MCPL's Overdrive system, as well.

I also recently read Ally Condie's new stand-alone title Atlantia.  I loved Ally Condie's Matched series (it's on my shelf if you're interested!), so I was eagerly anticipating this newest book, and it did not disappoint.  In this story, life aboveground became incredibly bad, so societies decided to split and build cities deep in the ocean to try to sustain life.  Rio and her sister Bay have always lived "below". When young adults who live below reach a certain age, they can choose to stay below or to go above.  All her life, Rio has dreamed of going above, but when her mother dies unexpectedly, Rio's sister, Bay, convinces her to stay below so they can stay together.  But when Bay chooses to go above, Rio is determined that she will do everything she can to get herself above too...no matter the risk, no matter the danger.  Can Rio make it above?  You'll have to read Atlantia to find out.  I have a copy of this book, and you can also find it in the Congress library.  It is also available at MCPL and as an e-book on their Overdrive system.

Finally, my favorite that I've read recently - The Young Elites, by Marie Lu. This was another book I've been highly anticipating, because Lu's Legend series was so incredible (I have 2 copies of Legend if you're interested - I highly recommend!).  The Young Elites did not disappoint.  This is the first in what will be a series, so we'll be waiting a bit for the next installment.  Our main character in this story, Adelina, is a very dark character - she is definitely not sunshine & rainbows, let me tell you!  Adelina survived the blood fever that hit her country as a child.  She is what is known as a "malfetto" - one who survived and is marked in some way.  Her hair turned silver, her lashes pale, and she has a scar where her left eye used to be.  When attempting to escape her abusive father, Adelina unleashes some dark power that was hidden within herself and is recruited by other malfettos, who also have powers.  Their goal:  overthrow the current king.  Adelina wants to be loyal, but when the king's military leader takes Adelina's sister prisoner, he uses this to blackmail Adelina into helping him.  Adelina has to choose - work for good or work for evil?   If you like an action-packed story full of conflict, you'll love The Young Elites.  I have a copy of this title, and you can find it both in the Congress library and on Park Hill's Overdrive.  It is also available at MCPL or through their Overdrive system.

There you have it.  Remember, you can find a links to the Congress Media Center, Park Hill Overdrive, MCPL, and MCPL overdrive on my reading page at our En Fuego wikispaces website.  We're heading to the library on Thursday.  I hope you can find something you'll WANT to read over the break!

Book Trailers, 11-24-14

To access the book trailers we watched in class today, click here!

To read more about the individual books, click on the titles below:

The Kiss of Deception
V is for Villain
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer
Sekret
Going Vintage & Counting by 7's

Get lots of good reading done over Thanksgiving break!  Enjoy your time off!

Thanksgiving Reading Ideas

Thanksgiving break is quickly approaching.  You will have 5 whole days off to do some reading!    That's my plan, anyway.  If you're looking for some good titles to read, look no further.  Let me make some recommendations for you.

I recently read Illusions of Fate, by Kiersten White.  If you haven't read White's Paranormalcy series, it is a winner that I highly recommend.  Her newest book, Illusions of Fate, is a stand-alone title about a young lady named Jesamin, who is attending school away from her island home of Melei.  However, she is an outcast at her school in Albion because of prejudices against people from the island.  When she inadvertently meets Finn, a rich young Lord who is interested in her, she is put in the sights of the evil Lord Downpike, who wants to see her come to harm. I loved the historical feel of this fantasy novel that weaves elements of the past with magic.  If you're looking for a story involving magic, adventure, and romance, you might enjoy Illusions of Fate.  You can find this book at Mid-Continent, or check it out through Mid-Continent's Overdrive.


A student recently recommended The Paladin Prophecy, by Mark Frost, to me.  I was intrigued by his description, so I decided to give it a try.  In book, which is first in a series, our main character Will West has been living under the radar for his entire life.  He and his parents have moved around frequently, and they've always wanted him to just be average and keep to himself.  After taking a state test, on which he received a perfect score, Will is recruited to an exclusive private high school in Wisconsin.  In the middle of this happening, strangers come after Will and his parents and he knows that he needs to get away in order to figure out who is after him.  Little does he know that many of the answers he is seeking might be found at his new school where he is looking for safety.  If you like an action-packed adventure with lots of mystery, you'll probably enjoy The Paladin Prophecy.  You can check out this book through the Congress Media Center, through Mid-Continent, or through Mid-Continent's Overdrive.

My next 4 recommendations are all books being considered for Truman Award nominations for next year. 

First up is Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer, by Katie Alender.  In this story, Colette is really excited about her upcoming trip to Paris with her French class.  She's excited to get away and enjoy the time with her friends.  However, when they arrive, a killer strikes - chopping off the heads of his or her victims.  When Colette discovers that all the people murdered have an old family connection to former French queen Marie Antoinette, she knows that she may also be in danger.  Can Colette solve the mystery before Marie Antoinette gets to her?  If you like a fun, fantastical adventure, you'll enjoy this novel by Katie Alender.  You can find this book at Mid-Continent or ask me - I have a copy of this on my shelf.


SYLO, by D.J. MacHale, is about a boy named Tucker Pierce who moved to an island off the coast of Maine a few years ago.  When the island is suddenly overtaken by a deadly virus, an elite navy group called SYLO moved in to force a quarantine on the island.  Tucker is suspicious that the people of the island are not being told the truth.  He wants to figure out if there actually is a deadly virus loose on the island or if there is something more sinister going on.  Here is another book full of action & adventure if that's what you're looking for.  You can find this book in our Congress Media Center or at Mid-Continent.

In Rapunzel Untangled, by Cindy C. Bennett, the famous fairytale gets a new twist.  In this story, Rapunzel lives in a modern-day world where she is homeschooled on the Internet in her tower.  Her mother visits her daily, but Rapunzel can never leave her tower because of a disease she has.  One day, in Rapunzel's loneliness, she decides to visit Facebook where she friends a boy named Fane.  They begin messaging each other daily and become true friends.  When they meet, Rapunzel begins to question her whole life and whether or not the life her mother has forced her into is a lie.  But to confront her mother means Rapunzel's life will be in danger.  Can she save herself from the tower?  If you like fractured-fairy tales, you will like this story. You can find this book in the Congress Media Center and at Mid-Continent.


In A Matter of Days, by Amber Kizer, disaster has struck.  A new virus called BlueStar has struck and most of the world's population has been killed from it.  Fifteen year old Nadia and her younger brother were immunized by their uncle who works as a doctor in the military and have survived, but now must try to make their way across the United States from their home in Seattle to West Virginia where they hope to find their grandfather, who has prepared for a disaster such as this.  Thought most people have died, not everyone has making this long journey quite dangerous for Nadia and her brother.  If you like stories about natural disasters and survival, you'll like A Matter of Days.  You can find this book at our Congress Media Center.

Have a great Thanksgiving and read some good books while you have the time off!  I know that's what I'll be doing. :)

Book Trailers, 10-29-14

Click here to access the prezi with the book trailers we talked about in class today.  You can also click on the titles below to read a summary of the books that I've already blogged about.


The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die
The Selection
The Raven Boys
The Winner's Curse
Okay for Now
Slated


Now - go do some reading on this long weekend!  See you at conferences!

Six New Recommendations

What has been on your bookshelf recently?  I've been working on reading titles that are being considered for next year's Truman Awards, but I've managed time for a few other books, as well.

My favorite book I've read recently is The Mirk & the Midnight Hour, by Jane Nickerson.  The first thing I loved about this book was the setting - it takes place in the South early in the Civil War.  I love stories from this time period.  What I really loved about this book was the spooky/creepy storyline that was also included.  This story is about Violet Dancey, a 17-year old girl whose twin brother recently died in the war and whose father is getting ready to leave to fight in the war.  Before her father leaves, he remarries, leaving Violet with a new stepmother and stepsister.  On top of that, two cousins also join them on their small farm.  When exploring the woods with her young cousin, Violet discovers a wounded Union soldier in an abandoned cabin.  He's being cared for by some people who Violet believes might be using him for sinister purposes.  Evil lurks in the woods as with the Civil War as a backdrop for this very entertaining new novel by Jane Nickerson.  I highly recommend!

Next up is The Iron Trial, the first in a new 5-book series co-authored by two young adult author favorites, Holly Black and Cassandra Clare.  Clare's Infernal Devices series is a favorite of mine.  In this story we meet Callum, whose dad was once a magician trained at the exclusive Magisterium.  When Call's mom is killed because of magic shortly after his birth, Call's dad has nothing good to say about the use of magic or the Magisterium.  So when Call is recruited to be part of the Iron Trial - the entrance exam for the Magisterium - he plans to fail on purpose.  Despite his best efforts, Call is accepted to the school and has no choice but to attend.  Even though he doesn't want to like it, he does.  For the first time in his life he has friends...and he's developing an ability he never really knew he had.  But the evil that led to his mother's death is hasn't gone away, and now Call might be in danger too.  I went into this story not really expecting to like it as much as I did.  I should have known that these incredible authors wouldn't let me down.  If you want a read that's full of action, you'll like The Iron Trial.

Now let me share with you some of the titles that are being considered for Truman nomination for next school year.

In Tandem, by Anna Jarzab, we meet Sasha Lawson, a normal 16-year old girl going on about her normal 16-year old girl life.  Nothing exciting ever really happens to her and she often dreams about living a different life - one full of adventure and excitement.  When Grant, one of the more popular boys in her school, all of a sudden notices her and asks her to the prom, Sasha thinks that her life is changing for the better.  But on prom night, things don't go quite as Sasha expected.  She wakes up in a strange place and Grant is there, but he says he's not Grant - he's Thomas, Grant's analog, or double, from a parallel universe.  He's brought Sasha across the tandem, or barrier between parallel universes, to take the place of her analog, who just happens to be the princess who has disappeared.  Their country is in a state of unrest and so they need Sasha to play along until they can find the real princess.  I really liked how this story unfolded.  It's the first in a series, so of course, the story doesn't really end at the end of this book.  If you like science fiction, action, and mystery, you'll probably like Tandem.

Sidekicked, by John David Anderson is about a boy named Andrew Bean, who is your typical 13-year old boy, except for the fact that he is a part of HERO - a secret group training him to be a sidekick for a super hero.  The only problem is that Drew's super, the Titan, is a has-been drunk who no longer fights crime.  When one of the Titan's nemesis' returns from the dead and the super heroes in Andrew's town start going down one by one, Drew knows that he and the other sidekicks have to do something.  The only problem is that they're not super heroes themselves.  This was a really humorous action-adventure type story.  If you're into super heroes, or just heroes in general, you'll like Sidekicked.




Science Fiction stories are becoming more and more popular these days.  Mila 2.0, by Debra Driza is a science fiction story that will have you turning the pages to find out what happens next.  Mila and her mother have recently moved to an isolated town in Minnesota after her dad was killed in a fire.  Mila is really struggling, because she has very few memories of her father.  What she doesn't realize for awhile is that she has very few memories of her father because she doesn't have one - she is the latest in the military's experimentation with artificial intelligence.  Mila doesn't understand this, because she feels like a real person.  When she is recaptured by the military, she has to find a way to free herself, before they terminate her.  There's lots of action and excitement in Mila 2.0.

Finally, I recently finished Icons, by Margaret Stohl.  In Icons, we meet Doloria Maria de la Cruz, or Dol.  Her parents, along with many other died on "The Day", when aliens sent the Icons crashing to earth.  Dol was just a baby, but was rescued by the Padre, who took her to a mission to raise and hide her away, along with another child, Dol's eventual best friend, Ro.  Dol and Ro are both special, though, and are wanted by the people in power.  When they are taken in, they discover two others, who are also special, and realize that together, they might be able to bring down the Icons and restore peace and security to their world. This is another science fiction story, though not as action-packed as Mila 2.0.  This one is more emotional and gripping as you read about Dol's experiences in a world gone wrong.

There you have it!  Here's where I got these books:

• The Mirk & the Midnight Hour - MCPL
• The Iron Trial, Tandem, Sidekicked, Mila 2.0, & Icons - I got them all through Overdrive & read them on my Kindle, but they're also available in book-form at MCPL.

Book Trailers from 9-26

If you'd like to see the rest of the book trailers from today's reading class, click here!

For Fans of the Stand Alone Novel

It seems like so many books these days are part of a series, and sometimes it's hard to keep up with them...or wait for the next book to release.  Because of that, I enjoy a good stand-alone title every once in awhile.  It's nice to read a book and just be finished with the story when you're done reading and not be left with a huge cliffhanger for months!  Let me share some good stand alone titles I've read recently.

Thanks to Netgalley, which provided me with a pre-release copy, I recently read The Bridge from Me to You, by Lisa Schroeder.  In this story, Lauren has recently moved in with her aunt and uncle to their small town from Seattle.  She came with a deep secret.  Colby has lived in this small town all his life, and though his life may seem charmed, he has some problems of his own.  When Colby and Lauren meet, they begin a friendship that helps each of them through the hardships they've been carrying on their own.  This is a sweet story of friendship that could be more.  Despite what the characters are going through, this book ends on a promising note.  It's a great feel-good read!

I was also able to read The Fourteenth Goldfish, by Jennifer L. Holm thanks to Netgalley.  This was a short and very entertaining read about a girl named Ellie, who has just begun the sixth grade.  One day, her mom brings home a teenage boy who proclaims to be Ellie's grandfather.  The boy, Melvin, has found the fountain of youth, but now that he's a teenager, he can't get into his lab to save his work.  He enlists Ellie's help  to try to save his work and bring his cure to aging to the world.  Ellie gets to know her grandfather in a way she never did before - and she learns a lot about herself as well in this humorous mis-adventure.  This is another light-hearted and feel good kind of book.

Netgalley also provided a copy of first-time author Esther Erlich's new book, Nest.  In this story that takes place in the early 1970's, Chirp is 11-years old and lives year-round in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.  She is watching her former-dancer mom fall apart before her eyes.  Her mom's physical health is in decline and because of that, her mental health is suffering as well.  When her mom has to go stay in a mental institution for several months, it's all Chirp can do to help hold herself and the rest of her family together.  She's trying to navigate the changes in her own life without the help and support of her mother, and it's not easy.  She finds solace in watching the birds in the forests and near the ponds near her home, as well as in her troubled neighbor and classmate, Joey.  This story is a sometimes humorous, sometimes deeply sad story of triumph and the power of family and friendship.  I absolutely loved Nest and Chirp is a character who I won't soon forget.

Nest reminds me of one of my favorite books that I read a couple years ago that also took place in the 1970's.  I think I read it before I started this book blog, so I've never written about it on here.  It's called Okay for Now, by Gary D. Schmidt.  It's about a 14-year old boy named Doug Swieteck who is basically a loser from a family of losers...at least that's how it appears to everyone around him.  When his dad gets fired from his job and they have to move, Doug is not happy.  When they move into a small town into a small, cruddy house, he knows that people will still look down on him.  His dad is abusive, one brother is fighting in Vietnam, and the other is a huge bully and juvenile delinquent.  Doug has problems of his own without even adding his family into the equation.  However, some key people take an interest in Doug and prove that a person is more than just the family they come from.  Every person has the capacity to excel and soar.  Honestly, writing about this book makes me want to read it again...it's just that good.  Don't take my word for it...read it yourself!  

Dystopia For All...and Two for the Girls

Along with Mrs. Gehrt and a couple of students from our team, I have committed to reading the 20 books being considered for next year's Truman nominations.  I've read about 7 of the 20 so far and several I've already blogged about on this site, but I read 2 new ones from the list over the weekend, so let me recommend them to you today.

First up, The Darkest Path, by Jeff Hirsch.  I've read 2 of Hirsch's other books and he writes great dystopian, stand-alone titles.  If you're not up for a series, Jeff Hirsch might be the author for you.  In The Darkest Path, a religious cult called "The Glorious Path", has taken over most of what was formerly the United States.  They come into an area and allow people to make "The Choice" - to either follow the path or not.  If not, let's just say they don't live too much longer.  Callum Roe and his brother were taken by the Path six years ago.  Cal has been looking for an opportunity for them to escape from the very beginning, so when an opportunity that he thinks will give them a better chance to get out doesn't come through, he finds himself desperate.  When Cal kills the man who is supposed to be in charge of him to protect an innocent, Cal knows he has to go on the run.  Can he escape the Path?  Can the United Commonwealth defeat the Path and regain ground in the country?  You'll have to read this exciting adventure to find out!

Another dystopian novel you might like is The Testing, by Joelle Charbonneau.  This is the first book in a 3-book series.  The good news is that all 3 books have been published, so if you like it, you won't have to wait around for the rest of the series to be published!  In The Testing, our main character, Cia, lives in a future United States that has been destroyed by nuclear and biological warfare.  Slowly, society has been rebuilding itself and trying to restore the Earth to what it was before it was destroyed.  In every community, students in the graduating class typically end up training with people in their community, but a lucky few get chosen for Testing.  If you pass the Testing, you can attend the University and continue your education.  It has been Cia's dream to go to the University for her whole life, so when she is chosen for the Testing, she is thrilled.  Cia comes to find out, though, that if you don't pass the test, you just might pay with your life.  This book is a thrill ride from the start, because you just don't know who Cia can trust.  If you like The Testing, you can check out book 2, Independent Study, and book 3, Graduation Day.

And I've got a couple of recommendations for the ladies.  No offense guys...I'm just not sure these books would be up your alley, but hey, feel free to give them a shot if you like a little romance. :)

You all know I love Kasie West (Pivot Point, Split Second, and The Distance Between Us).  Her newest book, On the Fence, didn't disappoint me.  In this book, Charlie has grown up with her dad and 3 brothers.  Her mom died when she was 6, but she doesn't really have any memories of her.  Her neighbor, Braden, is also around a lot, so much that Charlie almost considers him to be like an extra brother...until she doesn't.  When she has trouble sleeping because of strange nightmares about her mom's death, Charlie goes out to sit at her fence in the backyard and Braden starts joining her there and they have conversations between the fence.  Charlie realizes that maybe she has more than just sisterly feelings toward Braden, but does he feel the same way?  And why is she having these strange dreams about her mom's death?  You'll have to pick up On the Fence to find out.

And finally, if you're missing summer a little bit, you just might enjoy Jen Calonita's Summer State of Mind.  This is actually a companion novel to a previous book called Sleepaway Girls.  You don't have to read them in order - I haven't read Sleepaway Girls, but I want to now!  In Summer State of Mind, Harper's dad decides that she needs a reality check.  His idea of that reality check - send Harper to camp for the summer.  Harper knows right away that she is going to hate her time at Whispering Pines camp.  But a bet with her twin brother, who's also attending the camp, give Harper a reason to dig in and do her best to adapt and survive the summer camp experience.  This was a really fun read, and there is a love interest for Harper, as well.  If you want a light and enjoyable read, you'll enjoy Summer State of Mind.

There you have it.  Only The Darkest Path is available in our Congress Library.  I also have a copy of this one too.  If you're interested in the other titles, they're available at MCPL.  In fact, you can get The Testing, The Darkest Path, and Summer State of Mind as e-books on overdrive.  I have a link to MCPL's overdrive system on my reading page on our team website.  Happy reading!

Truman Nominee Book Trailers

If you want to re-watch the trailers for the Truman nominees that we saw this week, you can see them here!  It contains trailers for this year's 12 nominees, as well as trailers for the past winners of the award.  Enjoy!

An Overdue Update

I'm a little overdue in updating the book blog, but with the craziness of starting a new school year, I just haven't been able to find the time.  This 3-day Labor Day weekend is the perfect time to catch up on the blog and my reading!

I recommended The 57 Lives of Alex Wayfare, by MG Beuhrlen in class, but have yet to write about it here.  This was my favorite book I read this summer, and it was made all the better by the fact that I didn't expect it to be.  I'm honestly not even sure I remember how I came across this title in the first place, but I'm glad I did.  Alex Wayfare is 17 and has had visions of the past for as long as she can remember.  They're more than visions, though.  She has this sense of deja vu - that she's actually lived these visions from real times in the past.  She experienced the "Starving Time" at the Jamestown colony and rode the first Ferris Wheel at the St. Louis World's Fair.  Because of the visions, she's isolated herself and is considered a freak among her peers.  One day, Alex meets a man named Porter, who seems to know what she's experienced and he explains she's not crazy.  She was created to travel time - to visit her past lives, but not for warm and fuzzy reasons.  She's part of an evil plan and now that she knows, she has to find a way to make sure that this life she's currently living is not her last.  I'm not usually a fan of time travel books, but the author did it well and in a way that made sense.  There's lots of action, intrigue, and the beginnings of what might later turn into a romance in the later books in the series.  The next book The Untimely Deaths of Alex Wayfare will come out sometime in 2015.

I also really enjoyed The Prince of Venice Beach, by Blake Nelson.  In this story, Robert "Cali" Callahan is a runaway from Nebraska, who's been living on the streets of Venice Beach, California for the past 3 years.  He's technically homeless, but he knows every inch of Venice Beach and pretty much everybody who calls the area home.  He lives in a treehouse in the backyard of a friendly woman who reaches out to anyone who needs help and is living a pretty good life, despite his circumstances.  When private investigators start coming to him to ask him to help him find other runaways, he thinks he might have a future as an investigator.  When he's hired to help find Reese Abernathy, the troubled daughter of a millionaire, he has to decide if what he's doing is worth it.  This was an intriguing book with a really likeable main character.  It's not filled with a lot of action, but it definitely pulls on your emotions as you read what Cali is going through.

I also promised a summary of The Fifth Wave, by Rick Yancy.  In this story, aliens have set up a devious plan to take over the earth.  They are quickly annihilating the earth's population through different waves of attack.  In the first wave, they set off an electromagnetic pulse that kills anything electric or with a motor.  This kills around half a million of the world's population.  The second wave is a tsunami that takes out all the world's coastal cities.  The third wave uses birds to infect the remaining population with a deadly virus.  The story begins in the midst of the fourth wave, and our main character Cassie is on a quest to be reunited with her younger brother.  When they were separated, she promised she would find him.  She's not sure who else is out there, and she definitely doesn't know who she can trust.  Cassie is a dark and troubled main character, and rightly so, but you can't help rooting for her and all of humanity as they try to find a way to gain the upper hand against the aliens before the fifth wave can begin.  If you want a creepy story with nonstop action, this is definitely a book for you!  As with most books, this is book 1 in a series.  Don't worry, though - book 2, The Infinite Sea, is due out on September 16th!

Another good title I just finished was Jennifer Brown's Torn Away.  Brown is a local author - she lives in Liberty, MO!  In this story, Jersey Cameron lives in fictional Elizabeth, MO, which is somewhere near the KC area.  One May afternoon her life is completely changed when a monster tornado rips through her town destroying her home and her family.  Her mother and half-sister are killed, and her step-father says he can't deal with her, so he ships her off to the father she's never met and his family in southern Missouri. Already reeling from the things that have happened in her life, she finds herself living with her grandparents, her father and his wife and two daughters, and an aunt and her 3 children.  Her room is on the porch - practically outside - and it's clear no one wants her there.  This is ultimately a survival story - Jersey has to find the strength to endure and press on and find a way through what no one should ever have to live through.  This book is definitely an emotional roller coaster!

Finally, I'll leave you with a plug for Leigh Bardugo's Grisha Trilogy.  The first book, Shadow and Bone (click here to read about it) is one of this year's Truman nominees.  It is the story of Alina Starkov - an orphan who is so much more.  Book 2, Siege and Storm continues Alina's story.  I just finished the final book in the series, Ruin and Rising this afternoon.  This is a series that does not disappoint.  I recommend all three!

Book Trailer Presentation from 8-22

Click here to link up to the prezi I shared in class with you today.  The books I recommended were:


The 57 Lives of Alex Wayfare (written recommendation coming soon!)


Inhuman, Pivot Point, & The Eye of Minds


The 5th Wave (written recommendation coming soon!)


Blur


If I've already recommended them on the blog, you can click the titles to read a summary of the books.  Happy reading to you!

The Last of the Trumans and More

I have finally finished reading all the Truman nominated books for this school year and I have really been impressed.  I do have a couple that stand out for me as favorites, but you should read them yourself.  If you want to read up on the other nominees, I've linked most of the blogs I've done on those here.  To vote for the winner, you need to read at least 4 of the 12 nominees.





 I read The Raft, by S.A. Bodeen last summer, but somehow missed blogging about it.  In this story, our main character, Robie, is visiting her aunt in Honolulu, Hawaii.  Robie lives on Midway Island and frequently travels back and forth between there and Honolulu.  When her aunt gets called out of town on business, Robie originally decides to stay on her own.  But when she is nearly attacked when out on her own, she decides she wants to go home.  She decides to catch a flight on a cargo plane heading to Midway, but when the plane crashes, Robie has to figure out how to survive on the open sea with the copilot...and all they have for food is a bag of Skittles.  If you like survival-type stories, you'll enjoy The Raft.

Dead City, by James Ponti is about a girl named Molly.  Her mom died 2 years ago from cancer, but she passed on a lot of her characteristics to Molly, including her love for the morgue and studying the dead.  Molly attends the Manhattan Institute for Science and Technology where she is recruited by a fellow student and friend from the morgue, Natalie, to be a part of a secret group called Omega.  Omega's responsibility is to police the undead (ie - zombie) population of Manhattan.  Molly is skeptical of all this until she learns that her mom was actually the creator of the group and was grooming her to be a part of this group.  Molly decides to get involved...maybe a little too involved in some cases.  This is an action-packed story that was a lot of fun to read.  This is the first in a series.  The second book is out - Blue Moon.  The 3rd book is currently untitled but will be published in 2015.




Let me just start by saying that I love Jordan Sonnenblick.  I think he is one of the best authors out there for middle grade students.  I've read all but one of his books and I've enjoyed each one.  In Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip, we meet Peter Friedman, who is about to begin his freshman year in high school.  He has great plans of being a start athlete, because he's a really talented pitcher.  However, over the summer, he injures his arm so seriously that he'll never be able to play ball again.  Life is not going the way he planned, but when he ends up in an advanced photography class with cute new student, Angelika, he realizes that maybe things can work out regardless of whether they fall into the plans you originally had for yourself.

Unstoppable, by Tim Green has some similarities to Curveball because they are both about athletes that aren't able to play their sports, but the similarity ends there.  In Unstoppable, Harrison is a foster kid who has been through multiple foster homes, each one worse than the last.  At his current home, he works like a slave and gets beaten when he doesn't do something right.  When a freak accident takes him out of this home, Harrison eventually ends up with a new family...a family that seems too good to be true.  His new foster father is the football coach of the local middle school team and encourages him to become a part of the team.  When Harrison joins, they discover that he has an unbelievable talent as a running back...he is unstoppable.  But when his knee is injured, and other problems are discovered, Harrison may not ever be able to play football again.  This story looks at his journey and his fight to get back to the game he loves.

One for the Murphy's, by Lynda Mullaly Hunt, is also about a foster child named Carley Connors. Carley has recently moved to Connecticut from Las Vegas, and when her step-father beats her badly, and her mother as well, Carley is moved into foster care.  She joins the Murphys a family with 3 boys and expects that they want her just as a free babysitter.  However, life at the Murphys' turns out to be very different from what Carley expected.  Mrs. Murphy treats Carley like one of her own kids and Carley realizes what she's been missing out on, a real mother.  But even while she likes this, she also wants to reject it because her mother is still alive and will eventually reclaim Carley.  Carley's just not sure, though.  Does she want to return to her mother or is it going to break her heart to have to leave the Murphys?

Cress, by Marissa Meyer is the 3rd book in the Lunar Chronicles.  Cinder, a Truman nominee, is the first in this series.  Scarlet, is the 2nd book in the series.  These stories combine a retelling of a fairytale with a science fiction twist.  Cress, our newest character is based on Rapunzel.  She's been living on a satellite for the past several years doing tech work for the lunar queen and she dreams of being rescued from her satellite by a handsome "prince".  She makes contact with Cinder and her crew, who attempt a rescue, and things start to get crazy from there.  I don't want to give too much away if you haven't read the first two books, but I highly recommend this whole series.  It will end in November 2015 with the publication of book 4 - Winter, a Snow White retelling.  I can't wait!

My final recommendation is not a Truman nominee or related to one - I just really liked it!  Previously, I recommended Bree Depain's Dark Divine series, which was about werewolves.  In Despain's new series, Into the Dark, book one is The Shadow Prince, and the story is based on Greek mythology.  Haden is the Shadow Prince and he has a job to do - leave the underworld and bring back a human girl, who must agree to return with him.  As the black sheep of his family, no one expected him to be the one chosen to do this job, so when he arrives in the regular world, he really isn't prepared for how to socially interact with girls, but he is determined.  Daphne Raines, his target, is just as determined to be her own person.  She has recently been moved to Olympus, California to live with her rock star dad, whom she has met around 4 times in her life.  She wants to become a singer herself, but doesn't want to rely on her dad to get her there.  And she definitely doesn't want to go to the underworld, but she can't deny that she has a connection to Haden.  Their story isn't finished by the end of book one and you'll be eager to get your hands on the next installment, which is yet untitled, but due out sometime in 2015.

There's lots to read out there!  There are 3 weeks until school starts.  Enjoy it!


Dragons, Magic, & a little Romance...

So I've read 28 books so far this summer...halfway to my goal of 60!  I figured I should probably share some of what I've been reading with you!

One book I read recently is Seraphina, by Rachel Hartman.  This was my first ever book about dragons, which honestly, I avoid, because it seems like it's not really my thing.  However, this book had been on my to-read list for over a year, so I finally got around to giving it a shot, and you know what, I liked it!  In Seraphina, humans have enjoyed a tenuous peace with dragons for the past 40 years.  Dragons take human form and live as part of the human world and everyone mostly gets along, but there are definitely ugly feelings toward one another that have not totally been resolved - think racism, but with dragons vs. humans.  Seraphina has lived a fairly solitary life trying to stay out of the attention of most people, because she has a secret.  She is half-dragon, half-human.  But when Seraphina gets a job as a court musician and her talents put her in the spotlight, she also finds herself in the middle of a plot to overthrow the peace and she has to decide which side she is on and what she is going to do to make a difference.  This book is full of really quirky and likable characters.  Though it was published in 2012, there is going to be a long-awaited sequel, Shadow Scales coming out in March of 2015.  If you read this one and like it, you'll want to be on the lookout for the sequel!

Many of you may remember that last year, I recommended author John Stephens' The Emerald Atlas, which was also one of last year's Truman nominees.  I recently read the second book in the series,  The Fire Chronicle, which continues the journey of siblings Kate, Michael, and Emma in their quest for the three Books of Beginning.  In The Emerald Atlas, they found the first book (the atlas) which was able to transport them to different places and times in the world.  In The Fire Chronicle, the kids go in search of the 2nd book, the Book of Life.  Kate gets separated from Michael and Emma, who have to go on in search of the book without Kate.  As in the first book, there is lots of action and adventure, and ironically enough, also a dragon in this story, though it's not the main focus, as in Seraphina.  If you're looking for a book that is full of action with a little magic and fantasy thrown in, you'll love this series.  The third book, The Black Reckoning, is due out in March of 2015.

Thanks to NetGalley, I was able to preview The Kiss of Deception, the first in Mary E. Pearson's newest series, The Remnant Chronicles.  Pearson is the author of the popular Jenna Fox series, as well.  In this story, Lia is the first daughter of the king and is about to be forced into an arranged marriage with the prince of another country.  Lia is not one to be forced into anything, though, and runs away on the morning of her wedding.  She manages to find her way to a new, simpler life as a maid where she meets two young men, to whom she connects.  Little does she know that one is the prince she was supposed to marry and the other is an assassin, who plans to kill her.  When she realizes that her actions have placed her country in danger, she knows she must return and try to make amends.  Will she make it home, or will more sinister events occur in her life?  The ending is an absolute cliffhanger that will leave you wanting more of Lia's story.  This book hits bookshelves on July 15th and you will not want to miss it!

Six New Reads

I've been reading everything I can get my hands on so far this summer.  You should see the stack of books on my shelf...and the number of books on my Kindle!  It is a little (okay - A LOT) nerdy, but yesterday I had to make a spreadsheet to keep track of due dates of all these books, because you know I don't want to rack up any library fines! ;)

Let me make some recommendations for you if you're looking for a good summer read.  I'll start with Insignia, by S.J. Kincaid.  This is one of the Truman nominees, and I had been meaning to read it for a long time, but just recently got to it.  Once I did, I definitely understood why it had been nominated for the Truman Award.  The main character in Insignia is a 14-year old boy named Tom Raines.  Tom lives in a not-too-distant future where the Earth's resources are mostly used up and World War III is being fought in outer space for the natural resources.  War tactics have changed - no lives are lost, because they are fought in space, but the fighting is controlled by people on Earth who never actually physically fight.  Tom is living a transient life, always drifting with his alcoholic-gambler father.  He spends a lot of time in virtual reality gaming areas where he hustles people for money.  When his gaming skills get him recruited into the Intrasolar Forces, Tom sees a chance to make a better life for himself and takes it.  What he doesn't know is all that this opportunity might cost him.  Insignia is book one in a series.  Book 2 is called Vortex and I'm looking forward to reading it soon.  Book 3 - Catalyst - hits shelves on October 28th.

If you're more in a fractured fairytale type mood, you might enjoy The Girl with the Blood Red Lips, by V.B. Marlowe.  In this story, we meet Neva Albano, who was cursed over 200 years ago to re-live her sophomore, junior, and senior years over and over and over.  It turns on Neva is Snow White and there weren't actually 7 dwarfs...just a very evil step-mother.  Neva is tired of living her life over and over, but isn't sure she has the courage to do what needs to be done to break the curse.  This was an interesting take on the Snow White story and it is pretty fantastical and seemed like you were reading a fairytale within a fairytale.  This is a short and fun read.

If you're a fan of heist movies like Ocean's Eleven, you might like my next recommendation, Coin Heist, by Elisa Ludwig.  This story is told from the perspectives of the 4 main characters who attend an impressive and historical private school:  Alice, the somewhat geeky computer genius; Jason - underachieving musician son of the school's headmaster; Dakota - the pretty and popular girl who seemingly has it all together; and Bennie - the scholarship student who doesn't really fit in.  These four students are in the same art class that takes a trip to the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia.  When they find out that Jason's dad has been arrested for embezzling money and losing it all, they learn their school might close because of lack of funding.  What starts as a crazy idea, becomes a solid plan and the four put into motion a plan to mint and steal coins from the U.S. Mint.  Will they pull it off?  Do they follow through on their plans?  You'll have to read it to find out!

If you're more into a fantasy story, you might like Deep Blue, by Jennifer Donnelly.  In this story, Serafina is part of an underwater world.  She's a mermaid...and an important one too.  Her mother is the queen of their particular colony and we meet Serafina on the day of her betrothal to the prince of another colony.  However, during the betrothal ceremony, their colony is attacked. Her father is killed and her mother is shot with a poisoned arrow.  Serafina escapes with her best friend Neela and they discover together that they've been having the same dream.  They realize their are 4 others like them that they need to find in order to stop the people who are attacking them.  Serafina has to step up and become a leader despite the turmoil her life is in.  This is the first in what will be a 4 book series.  The second book, Rogue Wave comes out early in 2015.

I recently finished an interesting dystopian book called Birthmarked, by Caragh M. O'Brien.  In this story, we meet Gaia (pronounced Guy-uh), who has been training with her mother to be a midwife.  This story takes place about 400 years in the future, but for Gaia's family, time seems to have moved backward.  They live a simple life outside the wall of the Enclave, where the privileged live.  One of the expectations for the people who live outside the wall is to "advance" their children - give up a certain number of new babies born each month to be adopted into families in the Enclave.  We meet Gaia after she successfully delivers her first baby and advances it to the Enclave.  However, when she returns home, she discovers her parents have been arrested and learns information that has her questioning everything about the Enclave and their expectations for advancing babies.  She decides she must do everything she can to save her parents, but it puts her own life in real danger as well.  Again, this is the first in a series of books.  The second is Prized and the third is Promised.  If you like the series, there are also a couple of e-novellas out there, as well.

Finally, I'll recommend another interesting dystopian title I was able to preview recently thanks to NetGalley.  Some Fine Day, by Kat Ross releases on July 1st, so if you're interested, you'll have to wait a couple weeks before it comes out.  This is another futuristic story where super-hurricanes, called "hypercanes" have made living on the surface of the Earth impossible, so society moved underground. Jansin Nordqvist has lived underground all her life and is on her way to following her father's footsteps into an impressive military career.  When her father surprises the family with a trip to a tropical island on the surface, Jansin is excited, until their camp is attacked and she is taken hostage by the savages who attacked them.  However, Jansin starts to learn that maybe these "savages" aren't so savage after all - and maybe the life she's been brought up to live is all a lie.  This book is one of my recent favorites.  It's very different and the characters are extremely likeable and believable.  If you're looking for an action-packed book, this one will not disappoint.

That's it for now.  I'll be back with more recommendations as the summer goes continues!

Summer Reading Recommendations

With summer break just within our reach, I know so many of you are plagued with worries about what books to read this summer, right?  Well, have no fear, you know I've been reading and can make some recommendations that are sure to get you right out to your local Mid-Continent branch!

I'll start with Zen and the Art of Faking It, by Jordan Sonnenblick.  If you've paid attention to me ever, you know I loved Sonnenblick's After Ever After (if you still haven't read it, you must!).  I also really enjoyed Zen, as well.  In Zen and the Art of Faking It, our main character, San Lee, a 14-year old Chinese-American boy who was adopted by white parents, has just moved to a new school in Pennsylvania with his mom.  He is estranged and extremely angry with his dad, who is in prison.  He's also frustrated with the fact that he has moved a lot over his lifetime and he's tired of being the new kid and figuring out his identity in a new place.  When his social studies teacher starts a unit on world religions, including Buddhism, San has already studies this and figures out who he will be - the zen guy.  He starts researching in order to pull it off and has everyone fooled, including the girl he really likes.  However, you can't live a lie forever - someone is going to find out.  If you want to be entertained, Jordan Sonnenblick never fails.  His writing is funny and his characters are lovable.  I'm looking forward to reading his 2014-15 Truman nominated title, Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip in the near future!

If you haven't read The Selection series, by Kiera Cass, you're missing out.  The final installment of this series, The One came out last week and it ends the saga of America Singer, a contestant in her country's Selection pageant - a contest in which the Prince chooses whom he will marry.  Prince Maxon and America formed a friendship from the beginning - will it turn into true love forever?  You'll have to read this series to find out.  If you like The Bachelor and Survivor - you'll love this story!

Thanks to NetGalley, I got an advanced copy of Peter Moore's new book, V is for Villain.  Now this was a fun read. If you are totally into superhero stories, this is one for you. Brad Baron has spent his whole life living in his brother Blake's shadow.  Blake is a real-life superhero, who fights evil and crime with the Justice League.  Brad doesn't have any super-hero-like abilities, which frustrates him to no end.  When he's kicked out of super-hero school into an alternative school, Brad starts to wonder if the "super-heroes" are really heroes after all.  He discovers a hidden ability and with a group of new friends decides that maybe being the villain is the way to go.  I liked that this was a totally different twist on the traditional hero-type story.  Brad makes a great anti-hero and despite the fact that he's being a villain, you end up rooting for him anyway!  This book will arrive on bookshelves this coming Tuesday, May 20th.  I encourage you to check it out!

Finally, I'll recommend another book I was able to preview thanks to NetGalley.  Jex Malone, by C.L. Gaber & V.C. Stanley brought back my favorite memories of previous girl detectives, including two of my favorites from growing up - Trixie Belden & Nancy Drew.  Jex (Jessica) Malone has been sent to Las Vegas for the summer to stay with her dad.  She's hardly spent time with him at all over the past several years.  She still hasn't really forgiven him for the fact that her parents split, but her mom, and a judge, force her to adhere to her visitation time.  Upon arrival in Las Vegas, Jex soon meets three new friends who fill her in on the neighborhood mystery - the disappearance of Patty Matthews, a 13-year old case that has never been solved.  Since Jex's dad just happens to be the officer who was in charge of the case, they snoop into his files and set out to solve the mystery themselves.  What Jex didn't count on was how cute she'd find Patty Matthews much-younger brother...and the danger that solving this mystery places her and her crew in.  This is a fun read and I really enjoyed it.  Jex will arrive in bookstores on June 18th, so you have a bit of a wait if you want to read her story.  I encourage you to check it out!

Of course, I've got more recommendations I'll send your way in the near future.  I hope you've started your summer to-read list!

Just a Few Recommendations

I'll start my recommendations with one of the Truman Nominees for next year, Elemental, by Antony John.  In Elemental, a plague has killed off most of the population of the U.S. and the few survivors have isolated themselves along barrier islands along the East Coast.  Thomas lives with a group of survivors who all have some control over natural elements -water, wind, weather.  Unfortunately for Thomas, he doesn't have this ability and has always felt like an outsider.  However, when a group of pirates attack their island, Thomas may be the only one who can save them.  This was an interesting story - and the first in a series.  There is a lot of action and suspense throughout the whole story with a science fiction/dystopian element.


If you're more into a romantic-type of story, you might like The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, by Jennifer E. Smith (author of my previously recommended This is What Happy Looks Like).  In this story, we meet Hadley, who misses her flight to London by 4 minutes and is forced to wait at the airport for the next flight.  She doesn't want to go to London for her Dad's wedding, but is going anyway, and the fact that she missed her flight just makes a bad situation worse...until she meets Oliver, a fellow passenger who helps her out.  They strike up a friendship and end up sitting next to each other on the flight.  They have a connection, but get separated upon reaching customs at Heathrow.  You'll have to read the story to see if they can find a way back to one another.

For an interesting fantasy/dystopian story with a star-crossed romance, you might want to check out Marie Rutkoski's The Winner's Curse.  In this story, Kestrel is the privileged daughter of an important General who impulsively purchases a slave while out with a friend one day.  As she gets to know her slave, Arin, she starts to question the rightness of the acceptance of slavery in their society.  She develops a friendship with Arin, but knows more would be impossible.  However, when the tables are turned on Kestrel, she has to decide to whom she will be loyal - her father and society or Arin.  I loved this book - but I warn you - the ending is a bit of a shocker.  Have no fear, though, because this will be a series, so there will be much more to Kestrel and Arin's story.

Today I just finished a book that comes out on May 27th, so you can put it on your summer reading list.  I read an early copy thanks to my friends at NetGalley, who are so kind to let me preview upcoming books.  In Blur, by Steven James, we meet Daniel who is heading into a funeral for a younger classmate, Emily Jackson.  He didn't know her well...no one really did, but everyone from their small town has turned out for her funeral.  When Daniel goes through the line to pay respects, Emily sits up in her coffin and speaks to him.  When he realizes no one else saw it, he's a little freaked out, needless to say.  When she appears to him again - in the middle of the homecoming football game - he knows that he has to find out more about her death.  When her twin brother expresses his belief that Emily's death was not accidental, Daniel decides that he is going to do all he can to find out what really happened to her.  This was an excellent story - full of mysterious and supernatural things happening.  It was full of action and suspense...and guess what...it's the first in a series.  I can't wait to see what Daniel will do next.