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.

2014-15 Truman Nominees

Here is a list of the Truman nominees for next year.  I have already blogged about most of the ones that I've read, so if you want more information, click on the title and it will take you there!

Dead City, by James Ponti
Ungifted, by Gordon Korman
See You at Harry's, by Jo Knowles
Elemental, by Antony John
The Raft, by S.A. Bodeen
Cinder, by Marissa Meyer
Unstoppable, by Tim Green
Shadow & Bone, by Leigh Bardugo
Insignia, by S.J. Kincaid
The False Prince, by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip, by Jordan Sonnenblick
One for the Murphy's, by Lynda Hunt

I have yet to read 5 of these titles, but I already have 2 or 3 favorites!  If you're looking for something to read, the Truman list is always a good place to start!