Christmas Break Reads

This is a long overdue post...but thank goodness for a break so we can all read as many books as possible, right?

Let me start with Not if I See You First, by Eric Lindstrom.  Parker Grant has been blind for several years.  She lost her sight after a car accident in which her mom was killed.  Now she is reeling because her father has also recently passed away and her aunt and family have moved in so that Parker doesn't have to adjust to a new home and new school on top of everything else she's dealing with.  When a former friend who betrayed Parker in 8th grade reappears in her life, she's content to continue to block him out and pretend as if he doesn't exist.  But as Parker attempts to move on, she starts to re-evaluate her past and wonders if what she thought was betrayal wasn't a betrayal at all.  Parker is a sassy (and - warning - somewhat foul-mouthed at times) narrator, but she does not fail to make you feel some of what it must be like to navigate life without the gift of sight that we take for granted.  I was able to read an advanced reader copy of this title thanks to NetGalley.  You can find Not if I See You First on the shelves at MCPL.

Another book I was able to read courtesy of NetGalley was This Raging Light, by Estelle Laure.  Seventeen year old Lucille thought the worst that could happen already did when her dad went crazy and ended up in a mental institution a few months ago.  It turns out that things can get worse. Now, her mom has left and doesn't seem to be returning anytime soon.  Lucille decides she has to hold it together for her 9-year-old sister and somehow hide the fact that they have no parents taking care of them.  On top of this, Lucille is dealing with her long-time crush on her best friend's brother.  Can Lucille hold it together and be both parent and sister?  If you like emotional roller coasters, you'll like This Raging Light.  You can find copies of title at MCPL soon...this title was just released today!

If you're a fan of The Selection series, you will want to read The Favorite, another novella by Kiera Cass that tells Marlee's story.  Marlee was America's closest friend in the Selection...this give a behind the scenes look at how Marlee's story unfolded.  You can check it out through MCPL's Overdrive or in our CMS media center with the other 3 novellas (The Prince, The Guard, & The Queen) in the series in a bundle called Happily Ever After.

If you're more into historical fiction, you might want to pick up A Night Divided, by Jennifer A. Nielsen (author of the False Prince series).  In this story, we meet Gerta, who is 12 when the Berlin Wall goes up separating herself, her mother, and brother in the east with her father and other brother who were visiting in the west.  After 4 years of no contact, Gerta sees her brother and her father on the other side of the wall on her walk to school one morning.  Her father seems to be dancing and acting silly, but Gerta knows he's trying to tell her a way she and the rest of her family can escape.  The question is, can they do so without being killed?  This was a fascinating look at what it might have been like to live in Berlin at the heart of the cold war when the Berlin Wall went up.  You can find this on MCPL shelves and Overdrive.  We also have a copy in our CMS media center, and I have a copy you can borrow, as well.

If you're more interested in a mystery-thriller type read, you might want to check out Jennifer Lynn Barnes', The Naturals, the first in series. In this story, we meet Cassie, who is a natural at reading people.  She's been living with her father's family since her mother's death a few years ago, but she's never really felt like she fit in.  When she's recruited by an FBI agent, to become a part of an elite group of teenagers who also have natural abilities, Cassie jumps right in.  She wants to be a part of helping solve murders...especially the murder of her mother.  But when a serial killer sets his eyes on Cassie, she's going to have to work fast in order to protect her own life.  You can find this title at MCPL or through Overdrive.

For those of you who want to read a good fantasy title, you might want to check out The Warrior Heir, by Cinda Williams Chima.  This is the first in a 5-book series about a boy named Jack who was living out a normal life in Ohio, completely unaware of the role he is about to play in a centuries old war.  Jack is a warrior - gifted  with incredible fighting abilities that have been suppressed by "heart medicine" that he's been taking since he was a baby.  When he forgets a dose and inadvertently uses some of his supernatural powers, the race is on from two opposing forces to find Jack and claim him as their warrior in a fight to the death for control.  If you like a lot of action with some magic thrown in, you'll want to check out this book.  You can find it at MCPL, through MCPL's Overdrive, or on the shelves in our CMS Media Center.

Finally, let me tell you about a book that was a potential Truman Nominee for next year.  This title wasn't selected, but I thought it was really good.  Extraction, by Stephanie Diaz is a dystopian fantasy about a future Earth where those who live the planet Kiel's surface live in constant danger from the acid dripping from the moon.  Clementine is about to turn 16 and have the opportunity to be "extracted" from the dangerous surface to live in the interior of the planet in relative safety and luxury.  When she is selected, Clementine is thrilled, except for having to leave behind her best friend and secret crush, Logan.  But when Clementine goes below the surface, she starts to see a society that is built on lies and deceit.  She knows that she has to find a way to save herself, Logan, and all those who are on the surface from a dangerous plan to destroy them all.  This is the first book in a series.  You can find copies of all three books in this series at MCPL.  Our CMS Media Center has copies of Extraction, as well.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and many happy days of reading over the rest of this break!

2016-17 Truman Nominees!

The Truman Nominees for next year were announced today!  If you want to get a head start on reading them, here is the list!

A Western, Chess, Adventure, & Mockingbirds?

As usual, I've been churning through book after book.  In fact, I just finished my 200th book of the year over the past weekend!  That means I'm overdue to make a few recommendations to you.

Let me tell you, I really like a good Western.  Seriously...and Vengeance Road, by Erin Bowman was a good Western.  Kate Thompson comes home from hunting to discover that her father has been murdered by a notorious gang, and she sets out across the Arizona desert intent on getting vengeance for her father.  Kate plans to hunt down every member of the gang and kill them.  Only then will her father be avenged.  Along the way, Kate picks up allies who join her to help her in her cause.  As Kate gets closer to hunting down the guilty gang, she discovers some surprising information about her family that she never knew about her dead mother and a secret, lost gold mine that some people will do anything to find.  Will Kate's thirst for vengeance heal the wound left by her father's murder?  You'll have to read Vengeance Road to find out!  You can check out a copy from MCPL or through MCPL's Overdrive.

Next up is the highly anticipated second book in Marie Lu's Young Elites series - The Rose Society.  I don't want to give away too much, but I will tell you this - Adelina Amouteru decides to embrace her badness and goes completely over to the dark side in this story.  I'm not usually a fan of a bad main character, but there is something about Adelina that keeps you rooting for her, even though you know you wouldn't want to run into her in a dark alley yourself.  If you liked The Young Elites, you'll definitely want to read this book to see how the story continues.

If you're looking for a good historical fiction mystery, you might want to give These Shallow Graves, by Jennifer Donnelly a try.  In this story that takes place in 1890, young socialite Josephine Montfort is close to graduating from her finishing school, and is likely to be engaged to the most eligible bachelor in New York when her father suddenly dies after accidentally shooting himself.  Jo, who is an aspiring writer, knows that in her society she has no chance of getting to be a reporter, but her inquiring mind can't accept that her father would accidentally shoot himself.  When she inadvertently overhears someone say that her father committed suicide, she can hardly believe that either, so she decides to investigate.  With the help of handsome reporter, Eddie Gallagher, Jo pieces together evidence that her father was actually murdered and it was staged to look like a suicide.  Now Jo has to figure out who murdered her father and why...before her own time runs out.  If you like a fun historical read with an interesting mystery, you'll like These Shallow Graves.  I received an advanced copy of this novel thanks to NetGalley.  You can find copies at MCPL or through MCPL's Overdrive.  

I've also been reading lots of prospective Truman nominees for next year.  One of those possible nominees is Grandmaster, by David Klass.  I admit, I know pretty much next-to-nothing about playing chess, but despite that, I really liked Grandmaster. Freshman Daniel Pratzer decides to join the chess club when he starts high school.  He's not much of an athlete, and he really doesn't know a whole lot about chess, but he wants to get involved in something.  When he's invited by two seniors to travel to New York for a parent-child chess tournament, he can't figure out why they'd invite him...until they tell Daniel that his dad was classified as a chess grandmaster as a teenager.  As far as Daniel knows, his dad has never even played chess, because his dad has never mentioned a word about it.  When Daniel's dad admits the truth and reluctantly agrees to play in the tournament, Daniel has to do his best to hold his dad together as he faces a past he'd rather forget.  If you like chess, and even if you don't, but you like a good story about relationships, then you'll like this book.  You can find copies at MCPL.

Another potential Truman nominee is The Girl Who Never Was, by Skylar Dorset.  This is the first in at least a 2-book series.  In this story, Selkie Stewart, who has been raised by her two elderly aunts, because her mother left and her father is in a mental institution, discovers that her whole life is one big lie.  When Selkie decides to try to find her mother, everything in her life falls apart...because it turns out that if her mother finds Selkie...she's going to kill her.  When Selkie discovers that Ben, the boy she's secretly in love with, has been captured by her mother, she knows she has to save him, even if it puts her own life at risk.  If you like fantasy and lots of adventure, you'll like The Girl Who Never Was.  You can follow it up with The Boy with the Hidden Name, where the story continues.  You can find copies of this in our CMS library and at MCPL.

Since we're currently reading To Kill a Mockingbird in reading class, you might enjoy this next potential Truman nominee;  I Kill the Mockingbird, by Paul Acampora.  In this story, Lucy and her two friends, Michael and Elena want to pay tribute to their teacher who died earlier in the school year.  They know that this teacher wanted his students to read To Kill a Mockingbird over the summer and they want to make sure that everyone WANTS to read this book.  So, they devise a campaign called "I Kill the Mockingbird".  They go into book stores and libraries and remove all the copies off the shelves and creatively shelve those copies elsewhere.  They leave flyers with links to a website and social media sites they've set up and start a sensation across the country and suddenly everyone, everywhere wants to get their hands on a copy of To Kill a Mockingbird.  Since you're reading TKAM (you are reading it, right?), you'll appreciate all the references to the original story in I Kill the Mockingbird.  This was a really fun and entertaining read, plus it's pretty short!  You can find a copy of this at our CMS library and at MCPL.

Another potential Truman nominee is Midnight Thief, the first in a series by Lyvia Blackburne.  Kyra has been growing up on the rough streets of the Forge and has learned to survive as an orphan on the streets.  She's become an excellent thief and prides herself on being able to get into any building and steal just about anything.  When she's invited to join a group that is supposedly working for the greater good of the people, she gets to put her skills to further use.  But after awhile, Kyra begins to suspect that this group may not be all she thought they were.  In fact, they may be using Kyra to do things she is absolutely against, but she's not sure how to get out.  When she's arrested, she gets thrown together with knight Tristam of Brancel, who is out to find the Demon Riders, who murdered his friend.  Tristam and Kyra have to work together to stop Kyra's group and the Demon Riders from wreaking havoc on their town.  This is another fantasy, adventure story.  If you like this book, you'll want to read the second book in the series, Daughter of Dusk. You can find a copy at the CMS library or at MCPL.

Finally, let me tell you about a final potential Truman nominee, Codename Zero, by Chris Rylander.  Seventh grader Carson Fender is bored in his North Dakota town.  Nothing ever happens there...ever.  To keep himself entertained, Carson is always planning his next big prank.  In the midst of one of his elaborate pranks, though, a man in a suit who is being chased by strange, pale men hand Carson a wrapped box and asks him to deliver it to a Mr. Jensen and tells him that whatever he does...don't unwrap the box.  So what do you think Carson does...of course, he unwraps the box!  One thing leads to another and Carson ends up the newest agent for a top secret agency that is at work right there in his own town.  His job...befriend and protect the newest student at school.  Can Carson fulfill his mission, project this student, and maybe even save his town?  You'll have to read Codename Zero to find out.  If you like this one, you can check out book #2 Countdown Zero and a third book, Crisis Zero, will release in February of 2016.  You can find copies of Codename Zero at the CMS library and at MCPL.

There are lots of books that you can choose from here!  We're heading to the library later this week, so make a note of any of these you want to read!

Gold, Monsters, Thieves...and more!

I have been busy, busy, busy trying to keep up with all the books that keep ending up on my shelves.  Let me tell you, I've read some pretty good stuff over the last couple of weeks.  Here are seven new recommendations I have for you.

First up, is Walk on Earth a Stranger, by Rae Carson.  I absolutely loved Carson's Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy, so I was really excited to read this first book in a new series, and it did not disappoint.  Lee Westfall is an only child growing up in the mid-1800's with her parents.  But when her parents are murdered, Lee isn't sure what to do.  When she realizes her uncle, who has become her guardian, is behind her parents' deaths because he wants to use Lee, she knows she has to get away.  You see, Lee has the ability to sense gold...and her uncle wants to use her to make him rich, because the California Gold Rush is beginning.  Lee runs away, but can she make it to California on her own and escape her evil uncle?  I love a good Western - and with the paranormal element of Lee's unusual ability added in, it made for a great story. I am already highly anticipating the next book!  You can find this book on MCPL's shelves or through MCPL's Overdrive.

Next up is Library of Souls (Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children #3), by Ransom Riggs.  This book is the highly-anticipated last book in this well-loved series.  I won't say much, because I don't want to give anything away, but Jacob and the peculiar children are still hunting for Miss Peregrine, and they're running out of time.  Jacob discovers that he has another peculiar ability that might be able to help them.  Can they save her and all of Peculiardom?  You'll have to read Library of Souls to find out!  You can find this title on MCPL's shelves or through MCPL's Overdrive.

A potential Truman nominee I recently read was Matthew Jobin's The Nethergrim, the first book in a series.  In this fantasy story, the town of Moorvale celebrates their freedom from the evil nethergrim every year. The story of how the knight, Tristan, and the wizard, Vithric, defeated the nethergrim is known and celebrated by all.  But when darkness returns to the land and animals and then children start to disappear, Edmund believes the nethergrim has returned.  When his brother is taken, Edmund knows that he has to try to get him back.  Edmund is a self-taught student of magic...but does he know enough to save his brother, and himself, from the nethergrim?  You can find copies of this story in our Congress Media Center or at MCPL.

If you prefer a more humorous story, you might enjoy another potential Truman nominee - Also Known as Elvis, by James Howe.  Skeezie Tookis is about to spend a few weeks of his summer alone, because his three best friends are leaving town.  When his mom tells him he has to get a job to help out with the bills, Skeezie, who is also known as Elvis by some because of the leather jacket he wears at all times, isn't too excited.  But when his dad, who left two years ago, shows up and seems to want a second chance, Skeezie is really unhappy.  Having to navigate through all this without the help of his friends may prove to be his undoing.  If you like a good heartwarming story that will make you laugh along the way, AKA Elvis is a good book for you.  You can find a copy of this title at our Congress Media Center and at MCPL.

If you're looking for a post-apocalyptic dystopian story, you would probably really like Amy Engel's The Book of Ivy, first in a new series.  Ivy Westfall (no relation to Lee from Walk on Earth a Stranger) is in a bad situation.  After the nuclear war that led to much of the destruction of the U.S., Ivy's grandfather founded the town of Westfall.  But after the town was established, another family, the Lattimers took control and began their rule over the town. In the town of Westfall every May, girls from the losing side of town are chosen to marry boys from the winning side of town.  And this year, Ivy has been chosen to marry the president's son, Bishop.  But what Bishop and his family don't know is that Ivy is part of a plot to kill him and help her own father take back control of their town.  But once Ivy gets to know Bishop, she's not sure if she can follow through.  This story was a page-turner, and of course, it ends with a huge cliffhanger that will leave you waiting with anticipation for the next book in the series, The Revolution of Ivy, which is due out early next year.  You can find a copy of this book at MCPL or through MCPL's Overdrive.

If you read Leigh Bardugo's Grisha trilogy (Shadow and Bone, Siege and Storm, Ruin and Rising), then you'll love the first book in her new series called Six of Crows.  I just finished this book today and I'm still trying to catch my breath.  Though this book has a new cast of characters, the setting is the same world as in the Grisha trilogy.  Kaz Brekker is a lieutenant of the Dregs, a gang that is part of Ketterdam's streets.  When Kaz is approached to pull off what appears to be a nearly impossible heist, he puts together a team of six who just might be able to pull it off.  Their job: break into one of the best and most well-guarded prisons in the world and kidnap a prisoner.  This book is told from the perspectives of most of the six players in this fantastical Ocean's Eleven - like story.  I absolutely loved it and am a little devastated that I'm going to have to wait about a year for the next book in the series to come out.  Because, yes, giant cliffhanger at the end of this one.  You can find this title at MCPL or through MCPL's Overdrive.

Finally, if you're up for an action-adventure, alternate history thrill ride, then Wolf by Wolf, by Ryan Graudin is a must-read for you.  I got to read this book thanks to NetGalley. It was just published last week.  This story takes place in 1956 in a world where Hitler and the Axis powers won World War II and are in power.  Yael, a Jewish girl who was imprisoned in a death camp and experimented on as a child, escaped and is determined to get her revenge.  Because of the experiments done on her in the prison camp, Yael has the ability to skin-shift - to take on the identity of anyone she sees.  After escaping, Yael falls in with a resistance group and has been given the most important job they have.  She is to join the Axis Tour, an annual motorcycle race to commemorate the Axis' victory.  She must impersonate last year's winner, Adele Wolfe, and win the race.  If she wins, she'll be able to get close enough to Hitler to kill him, get her revenge, and start a revolution.  But she doesn't count on Adele's brother, Felix, and another former race winner, Luka, who make this job harder than she ever expected it to be.  This book was dark, but such an interesting look at how the world could have been had the Allies not won the World War.  It seems that there will be another book following Wolf by Wolf.  I hope so, because I don't think Yael's story is really over yet.  You can find this book on the shelves at MCPL.

That's it for now.  With a long weekend ahead due to parent-teacher conferences coming up, there's no better time to pick up something good to read over that break!

Fall Reads

The air is starting to get chillier and you know what that means...time to snuggle up with a good book!  Let me tell you about a few I've read recently.

First up, is a potential Truman nominee for next year called Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek, by Maya Van Wagenen.  This is a memoir that Maya, who is currently 15, wrote about her eighth grade year when she embarked on a huge social experiment.  When a popularity guide written in 1951 turns up when cleaning out their house, Maya's mom suggests to her that she try following the advice of the author to see how well it would work in today's day and age.  Maya, who proclaimed herself to be at the very bottom of the social ladder in her school, decided to give it a try.  Each chapter is dedicated to a month in which she follows advice in areas such as: hair, makeup, posture, and more.  I think this is a must-read for every teen-aged girl.  It was hilarious, yet brought back so many memories of how awkward and completely unpopular we all feel during middle school (and sometimes even adulthood!).  If you're interested in this title, you can pick it up at MCPL or in our own CMS Media Center.

Another potential Truman nominee I recently read is Minion, by John David Anderson.  The main character Michael Morn was abandoned as a baby in a fast food restaurant and lived his first nine years in an orphanage.  Adopted at age 9 by a mad scientist sort-of-guy, Michael is getting along just fine, even when he realizes that the little black boxes his dad invents are being sold to the mob-like criminals who run his town.  Michael knows that he and his dad aren't the good guys, but they're definitely not evil either - just doing what they have to do to get by.  But when a super hero comes to town...one who is working to clean up the criminals, Michael worries that he and his dad are no longer safe.  They're going to have to decide - stay or go.  This was an entertaining book and is a companion book to Anderson's Sidekicked, another super hero story.  You can find this title at MCPL or in our CMS Media Center.

A final potential Truman nominee I've read is called Falls the Shadow, by Stefanie Gaither.  In this book, Cate's sister, Violet, died a few years ago and was immediately replaced by her sister's clone.  After a devastating plague wiped out a large chunk of the population when her parents were younger, they decided to clone their children in case the worst happened.  But when Violet's clone is accused of murdering a classmate and disappears, Cate knows she has to find her.  The anti-cloning community wants everyone to believe that clones are violent and unpredictable, but Cate feels a responsibility to find and defend her "sister".  She ends up caught in the crossfire of a battle between two sides that both think they're right.  This is a science-fiction action-adventure that will keep you turning the pages as you read it.  You can find a copy at MCPL and in our CMS Media Center.

Let me also tell you about two books that are set to release this coming Tuesday, October 6th.  I was able to preview both books thanks to NetGalley.

First up is A Thousand Nights, by E.K. Johnston.  This is based on the story known as 1001 Nights or Arabian Nights.  This was a fascinating story, but I will warn you that it is a slower-paced story.  It is beautifully written and thought-provoking story, though, if you're willing to give it the time.  In this story the only named character is a ruler named Lo-Melkhiin, who has married and killed 300 girls by the time he arrives at the main characters village looking for his next bride. Our main character knows her sister is likely to be chosen and in order to save her sister, she makes herself stand out and is chosen. She manages to survive one night, then another until she becomes the longest-surviving bride of Lo-Melkhiin because of the stories she weaves for him. And as she survives, strange things start to happen and she starts to develop her own strange magic that just might save her people if she can survive her husband.



For a faster-paced read, you might enjoy Spinning Starlight, by R.C. Lewis. This is a futuristic science-fiction action-adventure in which the major planets in the world are known as the Seven Points and they are connected through portals called conduits. When Liddy Jantzen, the heiress to the most powerful tech company in the galaxy is nearly attacked in her home, she learns that the person running her family's company, Minala Blake, is responsible. The conduits are failing and Minala has trapped Liddy's 8 brothers within the conduits and then implants Liddy with a device that will kill her brothers if she tries to get help for them. Liddy manages to escape to what everyone believed was the lost eighth point where she meets Tiav, who may be the only person who can help her. But she has to find a way to communicate without her voice. This is a page-turner of a book, and it will keep you guessing. My only complaint about this one is that it gets quite technical at times, which can be a little confusing, but the story is a good one.


That's it for now. More to come in the future!

There's Something for Everyone!

Let me start today by telling you a little bit about the book I just finished.  I won't tell you  much, because it's book 2 in Mary E. Pearson's Remnant Chronicles.  If you haven't read book 1, The Kiss of Deception, I don't want to ruin it for you.  If you haven't read it, you need to. It is So. Good.  You can read about it here.  What I will tell you is this - Lia's, Rafe's, & Kaden's story continues in The Heart of Betrayal and this book ends in maybe an even bigger cliff-hanger than book 1 did.  And even though it's killing me to know that book 3 won't be out until next July, I'm telling you, you've got to check out this series.  I have a brand new copy of The Kiss of Deception that I just picked up last week from Scholastic.  You can also find copies of both books at MCPL & through MCPL's Overdrive.

If you're looking for a book that doesn't have a soul-crushing end, you might want to check out Navigating Early, by Clare Vanderpool. In this historical fiction novel that takes place right after WWII ends, Jack Baker finds himself attending school in Maine.  After his mother's unexpected death, his dad moves him from the middle of Kansas, the only place he's ever known, to a boarding school in Maine where he meets the strangest of boys...Early Auden. Early seems to do his own thing and everyone at the school lets him.  When his plans for Thanksgiving fall through, Jack ends up on an incredible adventure with Early where he discovers that they may not be as different as he once thought.  If you like stories with some adventure, some humor, and a lot about friendship, you'll like Navigating Early.  You can find copies at MCPL and through MCPL's Overdrive.

If you've read This is What Happy Looks Like, by Jennifer E. Smith, you'll probably want to check out Happy Again, a novella that tells what happened to the Ellie and Graham one year after they meet and his movie has been filmed.  If you haven't read This is What Happy Looks Like, you can read about it here.  This short novella gives you a chance to fall in love with Ellie & Graham all over again.

Now...let me tell you about a few books that are under consideration for nomination for the Truman Reader's Award for next year.

First up is Katie Alendar's Famous Last Words.  If you recognize this author's name, it might be because her book, Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer, is one of this year's nominees.  Famous Last Words tells the story of Willa, who has just moved to LA after her mom marries a famous movie director.  Right away, strange things start happening to Willa.  Things like seeing a dead body in her swimming pool and strange messages on her walls.  And while all this is going on, there is a serial killer on the loose in Hollywood who is reenacting murder scenes from famous old films with each murder he commits.  Willa starts to believe that there is a ghost in her house that is trying to tell her who the killer is...but can she figure it out before she becomes his next target?  If you like creepy ghost stories and mysteries, you'll probably like Famous Last Words.  I have a copy of this book if you're interested. You can also find copies at MCPL or through MCPL's Overdrive.

If you're more up for an action-adventure story, you might like Carter Roy's, The Blood Guard, which is book one in a series.  In this book, Ronan Truelove's ordinary life gets turned upside down when his mom pulls him out of school, tells him some crazy story that she's a member of some ancient order of knights called The Blood Guard, who protect people who are Pure - 36 normal people who's safety keeps the world as we know it is to survive.  All of a sudden, all of the crazy lessons his mom enrolled him in over the years now make sense.  Those have given him the skills he's going to need to protect himself as he sets off on a crazy adventure with a pickpocket named Jack and a girl he hasn't seen in years, Greta.  A thrilling adventure and a shocking ending make The Blood Guard hard to put down.  If you're interested in this story, you can get a copy at MCPL.

Another story under consideration is Pieces of Me, by Amber Kizer.  You might recognize Kizer's name, as well, because her book A Matter of Days, is one of this year's Truman Nominees.  Pieces of Me is a very different type of story, whose main character, Jessica, is killed in a car crash.  After she is killed, her parents decide to donate her organs and 4 other teens are given a chance at new life with that donation.  Jessica lives through these 4 teens because of cell memory...and watches them either bloom or destroy the gift that was given through her life.  If you like a book that's going to cause you to feel some strong emotions, you'd probably like Pieces of Me.  You can find copies of this book at MCPL and on MCPL's Overdrive.

If you're more in the mood for something that will make you laugh as you read, you might like I Have a Bad Feeling About This, by Jeff Strand.  In this story, we meet Henry, a normal, but quite un-athletic 16 year old boy.  Henry's parents decide he needs to toughen up and send him to Strongwoods Survival Camp, which is out in the middle of nowhere.  Max, the only adult around at survival camp may be mentally insane, but he's the one in charge of teaching Henry and 4 other boys how to survive.  When the camp-ending Survival Games become all too real, Henry has to rely on what he's learned to save his own life and that of his fellow campers.  You can find a copy of this story at MCPL.

Finally, let me tell you about another humorous story - Skink, No Surrender, by Carl Hiassen.  In this story, Richard's cousin has been abducted by an Internet predator.  Everyone else thinks that she left early for her new boarding school up north, but Richard figures out otherwise.  She left willingly to avoid this new boarding school, but now can't get away from the crazy man she thought was helping her.  Richard inadvertently gets the help of a man, whom he first thought might be homeless when he met him on the beach.  It turns out that his man - who goes by Skink - used to be the governor of Florida and has connections that just might help Richard to get his cousin back...if they can survive.  You can find a copy of this in our Congress Media Center or at MCPL or through MCPL's Overdrive.

There's lots to read out there. I hope you can find something that is right for you!

Book Trailers from 8-28

Click here for the link to today's book trailers!

Books for Now & Later

Even though school is back in full-swing, I'm still doing as much reading as I can, so let me update you with a few books that might interest you.

First up is Epic Fail, by Claire LaZebnik.  This is a stand-alone novel about Elise Benton, who has recently moved with her family to LA when her mom took the job as principal of fancy Coral Tree Prep School.  When Elise's older sister Juliana starts dating Chase, Elise gets thrown together with the school's elusive heart-throb, Derek, who happens to be Chase's best friend and the son of ultra-famous movie stars.  Unfortunately for them, they don't always get along, especially when Elise befriends Derek's enemy, Webster Grant.  Constantly pulled back and forth between liking and hating Derek, Elise isn't really sure what to think.  But when forces work against Juliana and Chase, Elise and Derek join together to try to help them...and that may just be the nudge they need to find a relationship for themselves.  This was a really light read - often funny and pretty entertaining.  If you're looking for a fun romance, you'd probably like Epic Fail.  I checked this out through MCPL's Overdrive, and you can find it on their shelves, as well. 

Next up, is book number 2 in Bree Despain's Into the Dark trilogy, The Eternity Key.  Book number one, The Shadow Prince, introduced us to Haden, son of the king of the Underworld, and Daphne, a girl whom Haden was supposed to bring back to the Underworld.  Without giving too much away for those who have not yet read the first book, Haden's and Daphne's story continues as they fight against the powers that want to keep them apart, and against those that want to bring war to the Underworld.  This series is based on Greek mythology and is full of action, adventure, and some romance too.  I'm looking forward to the conclusion of this trilogy, which should be out sometime next summer.  You can find both The Shadow Prince and The Eternity Key on the shelves at MCPL.

Next up is a book that I read thanks to NetGalley.  The Secret Fire, by C.J. Daugherty and Carina Rozenfeld is due to be released on September 3rd.  In this story, we meet Sasha Winters, a French teenager who can't die until his 18th birthday.  Until that time, he can throw himself off buildings, be stabbed, shot, or whatever...and he'll recover and live.  But...his time is growing short, because his 18th birthday is only a few weeks away.  We also meet Taylor Montclair, a normal English girl whose path crosses with Sasha's when one of her teacher's asks her to tutor him in English online.  Sasha and Taylor soon discover that they have connections that go beyond tutoring - Taylor may be the key to saving his life.  If you like action and adventure, you'll like The Secret Fire, but I'll warn you, you'll be left hanging at the end of this first book, because it's the first in a series. 

I was also able to read The One Thing, by Marci Lyn Curtis, thanks to NetGalley.  This stand-alone book is due to release on September 8th.  Maggie Sanders has been blind for the last six months, and she doesn't want anybody's pity.  In fact, she goes to outrageous lengths to prove that she's okay, which lands her in hot water...and causes her to have a probation officer.  While visiting her probation officer, Maggie meets Ben, a 10-year old boy with a big personality - and she can see him.  Hoping this means her sight is going to return, she befriends Ben and hopes for the best.  Ben's older brother, Mason, lead singer of Maggie's favorite new band, suspects that she can see and that she's just using Ben to get to him.  This book is at turns, both hilarious and heartbreaking.  I absolutely loved it.  Look for it after September 8th!

Finally, let me tell you about Edgewater, by Courtney Sheinmel.  This is another title I read courtesy of NetGalley and will be released on September 8th, as well.  In Edgewater, we meet Lorrie Hollander, whose family was once rich, but as things stand, are now most definitely not.  After Lorrie's mother ran off 12 years ago, leaving Lorrie and her sister in their aunt's care, their lives and their home, called Edgewater, are literally falling to ruin.  When Lorrie befriends a famous Senator's son, Charlie, who is living in a neighboring home for the summer, it's all she can do to keep of the pretense that everything is okay in her life.  What Lorrie doesn't know is that there are deep and dark secrets between her family and Charlie's...and as all secrets do, they eventually come to light.  This is a dark and emotional mystery that will keep you guessing.  Keep an eye out for this one after September 8th.

More Summer Reads

Our summer break is quickly approaching its end, but I've been reading like crazy trying to get in as many titles as I can before heading back to school next week.  Let me tell you about a few that might interest you.  

First up is a book called, The Demon King, by Cinda Williams Chima.  This book was actually published several years ago and was recommended to me by Goodreads...one of the many reasons I love that website.  All I can say is thank goodness it was published several years ago, because it is a 4-book series and I quickly devoured the first 3 and can't wait for the 4th one to be available (I'm next in line, so I hope whoever has it checked out hurries up!)  This series is JUST. SO. GOOD.  A thousand years ago a queen married a wizard who broke apart and nearly destroyed the world...he was known as the demon king because of his destruction.  Now, a thousand years later the kingdom of Fellsmarch is still ruled by the line of Hanalea, the queen who defeated her husband, the demon king.  There is conflict between the wizards and the clans who live in the mountains, who control the magic allowed to the wizards.  Han Alister is a former streetlord from the city known as "Cuffs" because of the strange silver cuffs he's worn for as long as he can remember.  He's left the street life and been somewhat adopted into one of the mountain clans, and he's just trying to get by.  When he and his friend Fire Dancer encounter 3 wizards where they don't belong, they confront them and take the amulet of one of the young wizards...and amulet that little known to Han has a dark and dangerous legacy.  Raisa ana'Marianna is the princess-heir...next in line to the throne of Fellsmarch.  Her future is in danger, but she doesn't know it yet.  Han's and Raisa's paths will cross in this first book...only barely, but enough to keep you reading through the series. This story has action, mystery, suspense, magic, and just a little romance.  I couldn't put it down.  You can find copies at MCPL & through Overdrive.  If you can wait until school starts, our CMS media center has all 4 books in the series available and ready to be checked out!

Another adventure series you might be interested in is Brandon Sanderson's Reckoners series.  The first book is called Steelheart, and we meet David, a normal boy growing up in the (literally) dark world of Newcago (New-Chicago) where 10 years ago a burst of power called Calamity turned regular people into what are now known as Epics.  Epics developed super-powers, but unfortunately none of them seem to be using those powers for good.  They've toppled the government and are now in control.  Steelheart controls Newcago & he's unbeatable, but David has seen him bleed...when Steelheart killed his father 8 years ago.  David knows that Steelheart must have a weakness that caused him to bleed and he is determined to discover that weakness and take Steelheart down.  David manages to join a resistance group called the Reckoners...and now he has to convince them to go along with his plan to go after Steelheart.  This book is full of action and suspense.  You can find copies at MCPL and through overdrive.  Book 2 (Firefight) is available, but book 3 won't be out until early next year.

If you're more interested in historical fiction, you might like The Lions of Little Rock, by Kristin Levine.  Marlee is a twelve year old girl in 1958 Little Rock.  Marlee is a good student and very smart, but she struggles to talk and communicate with others.  She finds she never really knows what to say, so she usually just says nothing.  But as she starts 7th grade, there is a new girl, Liz, who seems to bring out the best in Marlee and helps her learn to start saying what she thinks.  But one day Liz doesn't show up and people start to say that Liz is not what she said she was - she's black and she was trying to "pass" as white, and that just wasn't acceptable in that time and place.  Marlee has to figure out how to maintain the new confidence she gained through her friendship with Liz...and how to speak out for what really matters.  This was an excellent book about friendship, and I felt like I learned a lot about the school integration conflict that was taking place in Little Rock at this time.  I highly recommend this one.  You can find copies at MCPL and through Overdrive.  This one is also available in our CMS Media Center.

If you're more in the market for a romance, you might like How to Say I Love You Out Loud, by Karole Cozzo.  Jordyn moved to Valley Forge High School just before her sophomore year and met Alex through her summer job.  They've been best friends ever since, but when Jordyn starts her junior year and finds out Alex has a girlfriend, she realizes that even though she doesn't want to be more than friends, she's jealous.  Jordyn holds herself back from all her friends, because she doesn't want them to know about her brother, Phillip, who is highly autistic.  When Phillip's special school closes and he has to attend her high school, Jordyn is terrified of anyone finding out that he is her brother.  Over the course of time, things start to fall apart for Jordyn...and not because people are judging her because of her brother, but because of her dishonesty about what her life is really like.  This is a heartbreaking, yet heartwarming story of self-discovery and learning that real friends aren't going to judge you by your family or any others.  I was lucky enough to get to read an advanced copy of this story thanks to NetGalley.  You can find a copy of this book when it becomes available next Tuesday, August 4th!

Finally, let me tell you about The Last of the Firedrakes, by Farah Oomerbhoy. This is the first book in a new series.  I was able to read an advanced copy thanks to NetGalley, but if you're interested, keep an eye out - it will be available on August 15th!  This story is very much a fairy-tale-like story about a girl name Aurora.  Aurora was orphaned as a baby and adopted by loving parents, who were unfortunately killed in an accident and taken in by and aunt and uncle who really don't seem to like her.  She's dreaming of the day that she can get away from them and be on her own when she's kidnapped into a magical kingdom and is going to be taken before the evil queen of the kingdom of Avalonia.  When Aurora is rescued by a dashing outlaw known as the Black Wolf, who figures out why she's been kidnapped and takes her to her powerful uncle.  It turns out Aurora is the long-lost, thought-dead daughter of the rightful King and Queen of Avalonia, who were killed by the current queen.  Aurora has magical powers of her own that she had no idea about...now she has to learn to use them and set out to take back the throne that should rightly belong to her.  If you like fairy tale adventure type stories, you will probably enjoy The Last of the Firedrakes.

That's it for now.  I'll keep reading in the days I have left and update again if I have a chance before I return to school next week.

Six New Titles

I've been reading as much as I can, so let me share a few new titles with you that you might want to check out.

First up is Rebel Mechanics, by Shanna Swendson.  This book was just published this past week, but I was able to read an advanced copy thanks to NetGalley.  MCPL doesn't have it yet, but they have other books by this author, so keep your eye out for it.  This story is an alternate history that has a steampunk setting in the 1800's.  Rebel Mechanics looks at what might have happened if the U.S. had never won it's independence from Great Britain because they kept us under their thumb with magic.  Powerful magisters have been in control in the colonies, but the colonists are still working toward gaining their independence.  Verity Newton knows nothing of this, and is just starting out as a young governess in the home of a New York magister.  She is recruited to spy on the magisters by a rebel group who is working to gain independence.  But...this rebel group may be more than it seems, and Verity is faced with some tough choices.  Plus, she's keeping a secret of her own that she can't let anyone find out about.  If you're looking for a story that has a historical feel, but is full of adventure, you'll like this one!

Nothing Left to Burn, by Patty Blount is set to release on August 8th, and I was able to read an advance copy thanks again to Net Galley.  If you like more of a contemporary story, you might keep your eye out for this title when it releases in a few weeks.  The story alternates between the points of view of two characters.  Reece has something to prove to his firefighter dad after the death of his brother a year ago.  Reece's father blames him for what happened to his brother and nothing Reece does has ever lived up to his father's expectations.  Amanda has been a foster kid most of her life and has finally found some stability in her current home and has found a place where she belongs in the local junior firefighter cadet program.  When Reece joins the cadets to try to prove his worth to his father, Amanda unwillingly takes him under her wing.  She begins to see that there is more to Reece than what she originally thought and a real friendship starts to develop.  In addition to all this, a string of arsons have been committed in their town and the cadets really want to help figure out who is behind these fires.  There's a lot going on in this story, so if you like a read that is emotional, but also has an element of mystery, you'll like Nothing Left to Burn.

If you are more interested in a dystopian fantasy, let me tell you about Red Queen, by Victoria Aveyard.  This is the first book in a new series and it was hard to put down!  Our main character is Mare Barrow, a 17-year old girl who is a Red in a world ruled by Silvers, who all have magical powers which allow them to oppress the Reds.  Most Reds are barely getting by and unless they've been apprenticed to learn a trade,  at the age of 18 are sent off to fight in a war that has been raging for 100 years.  Mare is about to turn 18 when she somehow is given a job at the Silver palace to work as a servant for the king.  An accident reveals that Mare has a magical ability of her own even though she is not a Silver.  The King and Queen decide to disguise her as the long-lost daughter of a long-dead silver family and engage her to be married to their younger son, Maven.  Though they form a strong friendship, Mare can't help but keep thinking about the older son, Cal.  But her true loyalties lie with her people, so she works to get involved with an underground rebel group to try to defeat the Silvers.  There is lots of action, some romance, and some pretty harsh betrayals in this story.  I am already really looking forward to the next book in this series!  I checked out a digital copy through MCPL's Overdrive, but you can find it on their shelves, as well.

Whistling Past the Graveyard, by Susan Crandall is actually an adult fiction novel, but the narrator is a 9-year old girl named Starla Claudelle who is growing up in Mississippi, and it reminds me a lot of a book that we'll read in class this year (To Kill a Mockingbird), so I had to recommend this one in case you want to make a comparison yourself later on.  Starla was born to teen parents and when we meet her in 1963, she's been living with her grandmother, whom she calls Mamie.  Mamie is really, really hard on Starla, because she doesn't want her to turn out like her "trashy" mother, who is living in Nashville trying to make it as a singer.  When Starla gets in big trouble yet again, she decides to run away to Nashville to live with her mother.  As she's heading out of town, a black woman named Eula stops and offers Starla a ride.  Eula isn't alone, though.  She has a white baby boy in the truck with her and takes Starla home with her.  When disaster strikes, Eula and Starla and the baby head toward Nashville and Starla gets a real look at how unfairly people of color are treated at this time in the South.  There are a lot of ups and downs and you'll feel a range of emotions as you read this story.  Starla's narration is fantastic...I loved the way she told her story.  I checked out a digital copy of this story from MCPL and they also have it on their shelves.

If you're looking for something humorous to read, look no further than The Swap, by Megan Shull.  My husband thought I was crazy while I was reading this one, because I couldn't stop myself from laughing out loud multiple times.  This story is a fun twist on the Freaky Friday story (if you haven't seen this movie, check it out too).  We have two narrators - Ellie, a new 7th grader, and Jack, an 8th grader.  Ellie is struggling big-time.  Her former best friend has become the ultimate Mean Girl and has set her sites on Ellie as her main target.  Ellie's self-esteem is in the dumps and she has no idea how she's going to survive 7th grade.  Jack, on the other hand, is super-confident, super-popular, knows exactly what he wants and how he's going to get it.  However, his dad is super-strict and when Jack gets in a fight at school, he's dreading having to face his dad.  When both Ellie and Jack end up in the nurse's office wishing they could be someone else, the new nurse casts a little spell while they're sleeping and when they wake up, Ellie is now in Jack's body & he is in hers.  From this point, hilarity ensues, as they try to figure out how to be a person they really don't even know.  But both have a lot to gain from this experience.  This book is so funny, but it has some great heartwarming moments.  My one issue with the book is that I think that the author goes a little (a lot) overboard with teen slang - or how she assumes teens speak.  I don't know - I thought it was a little much, but it was still an awesome story.  I again checked out a digital copy through MCPL, but you can find hard copies on their shelves, as well.

Finally, if you just want a romantic fairy tale of a story, check out Off the Page, by Jodi Picoult and her daughter Samantha Van Leer.  Some of you may have read Between the Lines about Delilah and Oliver, who once again take center stage in Off the Page.  This book continues their story and adds in Edgar's narration.  You don't actually have to read Between the Lines  to read this book, because they're more companion books than a series, but I think Off the Page will make more sense if you've read the other book.  I don't want to give too much away if you haven't read the first book, but this is a great fairy tale love story.  I checked out a digital copy from MCPL, but I hear the hard copy has full-color illustrations that I couldn't get on my original Kindle (my illustrations were just gray).

There you have it.  I'll keep updating you on new books as I read them, but believe it or not, I've been spending some time working on planning for the upcoming school year...it's coming sooner than later!  If you're doing some good summer reading, shoot me an e-mail and tell me about it.  If you're not, you can shoot me an e-mail and tell me what you have been doing.  I'm looking forward to seeing you all in a few weeks!