Series Updates

If you haven't checked out Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer, you need to.  I blogged about the first book here...check it out if you haven't read it.  Once you do, you'll want to read the second installment in the series, The Long Game, that comes out next Tuesday, June 7th.  In book 2, Tess is reeling with the secrets that were revealed at the end of book 1 and trying to get her life back into a normal place when a terrorist group strikes close to home...and Tess is the only one who can solve this problem.  This book is full of suspense, action, and emotion.  I couldn't put it down!  I was able to read an advanced copy thanks to NetGalley...put it on your summer to-read list, because it won't disappoint!

I recently finished the long awaited final book in The Selection series - The Crown.  I'll be honest, I wasn't a huge fan of Maxon & America's (books 1-3) daughter Eadlyn in book 4, but she definitely grew on my in this final installment.  In book 5, Eadlyn's selection continues as she basically runs the country while her father helps her mother recover from her heart attack.  Eadlyn is also dealing with the fact that she is not a very popular member of the royal family, which makes running things even harder.  She has to find a way to make herself look better in the eyes of the public...and maybe finishing the selection is the way to do that...but will she find true love?  You'll have to read The Crown to find out!  You can get a copy at MCPL or through Overdrive.

Stock Up for Summer Reading!

Summer is quickly approaching, and if you're anything like me, you're already looking for recommendations for good books to read once you have all that time on your hands.  I know I can't wait!  I've got several new titles that you might want to add to your list.

First up is Riders, by Veronica Rossi.  This is the first book in a new near-apocalyptic (I may have just coined a new genre...I don't know) series about Gideon Blake, who is training to be an Army Ranger when he nearly dies when his parachute fails to open after a jump. After the accident, Gideon finds that he is not the same as he was.  He is wearing a cuff on his wrist that he can't remove, and he is developing powers that seem beyond human.  When a girl named Daryn finds him and tells him that he has become War, one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse from Revelation in the Bible.  She says they have to find the other three horseman in order to save humanity from a group of really bad guys.  He's skeptical at first, but realizes that he is not the same as he was, so it must be true.  If you like a good action story, you'll love this first book and be anxiously awaiting the next book like I am!  You can find this book at MCPL or on MCPL's Overdrive.

Another book that I read recently that I love was Rebel of the Sands, by Alwyn Hamilton.  This is a fantasy/dystopian novel about a girl named Amani who just wants to get out of the desert town she's lived in her whole life.  Her mother murdered her father and was hanged for it, and living conditions with her aunt and uncle have not been ideal.  In order to get out of Dustwalk, she enters a shooting competition as a boy, and nearly wins, but when chaos breaks out and she and the other front-runner in the competition, a foreigner to her town, barely escape with their lives, she nearly loses hope.  After another run-in with the foreigner, they end up leaving together and Amani gets involved in a rebellion to overthrow the Sultan of their country.  She discovers that there is more to her than she ever believed possible.  This book has it all - magic, action-adventure, romance - and was so much fun to read.  I highly recommend it.  You can find it on MCPL's shelves or through Overdrive.

If you're more into a re-telling of a favorite childhood tale, you might like Unhooked, by Lisa Maxwell.  In this Peter Pan retelling, Gwendolyn and her mother have just moved to London, and her best friend Olivia came along to help them settle in.  Gwen hopes maybe they might stay put for awhile...it feels like her mother has picked up and moved them constantly throughout her whole life.  The first night in her new home, Gwen and Olivia are both kidnapped and both end up in Neverland, though not together.  Gwen ends up on a ship with Captain Hook and can barely believe it when he tells her where she is.  He assures her that it is nothing like the story that she may have heard, though.  When she meets Pan, and he promises to take her to Olivia and get them home, she goes with them, only to find out that Hook was right - and maybe Peter Pan isn't the hero of the story.  Can she and Olivia survive the horrors of Neverland and make it home again?  You'll have to read it to find out.  This was another story I had a hard time putting down.  I always enjoy different takes on familiar stories and this one didn't disappoint.  You can find it at MCPL or on Overdrive.

If you're more into heart-wrenching realistic fiction, you might want to check out The Serpent King, by Jeff Zentner.  In their small-town of Forrestville, Tennessee, Dill, Lydia, and Travis are rejects and misfits who have never fit in.  Dill is the son of an extreme minister who handled snakes and poison, and whose fall from grace and imprisonment has stained Dill's reputation for the last few years.  Lydia, who has an eye for fashion and an incredibly successful fashion blog, is laser-focused on getting into NYU and getting the heck out of Forrestville forever.  Travis, who's obsession with a fantasy book series, is misunderstood by a violent father who wants him to be more like his dead brother.  These three friends begin their senior year of high school and events that none of them could have foreseen might tear their friendship apart forever.  This book was an emotional roller coaster, but oh, so worth the read.  I absolutely loved it.  You can find copies at MCPL or on Overdrive.

For those of you who are fans of Steven James' Blur series, get ready, because the third book in this so-called trilogy (I really think there will have to be more...but we'll see), Curse, is being released on May 24th.  I got to read an advanced copy thanks to NetGalley, and if you have liked this series so far, this book won't disappoint.  Daniel has just started summer vacation when he begins having blurs again right before he is due to head to Atlanta for a basketball camp that he was selected and given a scholarship to attend.  He and 3 friends are taking a road trip to Atlanta and he can't wait, but the blurs keep coming.  When he is kidnapped in Atlanta, his friends go in search of him...not knowing that he has actually been taken in by someone familiar who wants to use his blurs to find someone who has really been kidnapped.  All stories eventually intersect and mystery, action, and excitement ensue!  Keep an eye out for this one at MCPL at the end of the month!

If you're more into historical fiction, you might want to check out The Passion of Dolssa, by Julie Berry.  This book was nothing like what I thought it was going to be...when I checked it out, I had no idea that this fictional story was based on real people and real stories.  The story takes place in 13th century (1200's) France and Spain.  Dolssa is an upper class girl who is labeled a heretic (a person who is accused of being at odds with a religion) by the priests in her town and is sentenced to be burned at the stake along with her mother.  While her mother burns, Dolssa is saved and escapes into the countryside where she is hunted, so her sentence can be carried out.  Near death, she is discovered by Botille, a young matchmaker, who conceals Dolssa and brings her home to nurse her to health.  When Dolssa's presence causes unexpected miracles to occur, Botille knows that she's going to have to use every trick up her sleeve to try to save Dolssa and her family.  This story was beautifully written, and I found the history incredibly fascinating.  You can find copies at MCPL or on Overdrive.

Finally, another historical fiction/spin-off story that you might like is A Little in Love, by Susan Fletcher.  This story is based off of a character from Les Miserables, Eponine.  You don't have to have read Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo, to understand this story, because I haven't read it and really have only a basic knowledge of the storyline.  It might make this story more interesting for you if you know the background, though.  In this story, Eponine is a young French girl who is the daughter of deceitful and thieving parents, who raise her and her sister to be the same.  Eponine is good at stealing, but she doesn't like it.  When her parents take on another little girl, Cosette, and make her their slave while taking the money her mother sends for her care for herself, Eponine finds herself treating Cosette unkindly in order to please her parents.  When Cosette is rescued, though, Eponine finds that she wishes she could have been rescued right along with her.  When years later, circumstances cause Eponine's family to move to Paris, her story and Cosette's stories intersect once again when they both fall in love with the same boy.  Will Eponine and Cosette find happiness?  You can find this book at MCPL and on Overdrive.

That's it for now.  Start that summer reading list!

Books to Look Out For

Let me fill you in on a couple books you should be on the look out for in the next few weeks, as well as two that you can already find on shelves.

First up is April Henry's latest thriller, The Girl I Used to Be.  Henry is the author of favorites Girl Stolen, The Girls Who Was Supposed to Die,  and The Body in the Woods - all Truman nominees (and Girl Stolen won).  I expect we will see The Girl I Used to Be nominated for the 2017-18 awards, but we'll have to wait awhile to find out!  In The Girl I Used to Be, Olivia has to go back and re-live a violent past.  Seventeen and emancipated after several years in the foster system, Olivia thinks she has her life on track when her past returns to haunt her.  When Olivia was 3, her mother was brutally murdered and her father was suspected of committing the crime, but when her father's bones turn up in the vicinity of where her mother was found, it is clear that he has been falsely accused for all these years.  Olivia decides to go back to where she came from, and when she does, memories of the past start to return...but if the murderer finds out, will Olivia become the next victim?  This is a fast-paced mystery, and if you already like April Henry, she won't disappoint you with this one.  The only thing you may find disappointing is that this book is not out on shelves yet.  I got to read an advanced copy thanks to NetGalley.  You'll be able to find it on shelves on May 3rd.

Another title you might be interested in is Cindy Anstey's historical romance, Love, Lies, & Spies.  This book takes place in 1800's England when England is at war with France and Napoleon Bonaparte.  Juliana Telford is not your typical young lady...she's more interested in her scientific research of bugs than gowns and balls and boys.  However, she decides to use the excuse of a "season" in London in order to get her research published.  Spencer Northam is not interested in marriage either, but in his secret spy work for the War Office, he is determined to take down the traitors who are passing on information to France illegally.  When the suspects turn out to be the family Juliana is spending time with, Juliana and Spencer agree to pretend interest in one another...her so she can avoid other suitors and him (unknowing to Juliana) to spy on his suspects. Of course, romance ensues whether they want it to or not.  This was a fun read.  This book is also not published quite yet...it will be out on April 19th...only a little over a week away.  Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy.

This next book is one of the Truman nominees for next year that I didn't get a chance to read during the voting process a few months ago.  Just a Drop of Water, by Kerry O'Malley Cerra is a story about Jake, an 8th grader who is caught in the midst of an unexpected struggle after the events of 9-11 in 2001.  All Jake cared about was getting to be captain of the cross country team for his 8th grade year with his best friend, Sam.  Jake doesn't love cross country, but his coach requires him to participate in it, if he wants to be on the track team in the spring.  When Jake loses the captain's spot to a new student, he's already angry.  But when 9-11 happens and the whole world goes crazy, Jake doesn't know how to deal with it.  His best friend Sam's family has a Muslim heritage, so when Sam's dad is taken in for questioning by the FBI, Sam becomes a target at school.  Jake tries to stick up for Sam and his family, but Sam won't hardly talk to him either.  This story will take you through what it was like to experience 9-11 through the eyes of a boy who is forced to grow up and learn what's really important.  You can find this book at MCPL, on our shelves at CMS, or through Park Hill's Overdrive.

Finally, for all you fans of Kiera Cass and The Selection series, let me share with you about Cass' first novel The Siren that was just re-published for a more widespread audience.  In The Siren, we meet Kahlen, who survived a shipwreck caused by sirens and was made a siren in order to serve the ocean.  Each siren must serve the ocean for 100 years, then can return to a normal life, but for those 100 years, sirens must call people to their deaths on the ocean in order to feed the ocean and save the rest of humanity.  Kahlen has served for 80 years when she meets Akinli.  She knows that she can't fall in love, but after a particularly bad night of death and destruction, Kahlen escapes the ocean to spend just one day with Akinli.  Little does she know that this day could lead to both of their destructions.  If you like Kiera Cass, then you'll likely enjoy her first novel.  You can find copies on MCPL's shelves or through their Overdrive.

Spring Break Reads

Spring break has finally begun!  If you're facing all that time ahead with not much to do, maybe it's time to try to find a good book to read.  Let me recommend a few recent favorites that I've enjoyed.

My very favorite book that I've read recently is Ruta Sepetys' Salt to the Sea. You'll hear this author's name from me again in the near future when we do our upcoming book club.  Sepetys' Between Shades of Gray is another favorite of mine.  Salt to the Sea takes place in 1945 Germany as German citizens are trying to evacuate their country as the Soviets move in from the East and the Americans/British move in from the west.  The story is told from the perspectives of 4 teenagers, each from a different homeland and each have experienced tragedies over the course of the war.  Their stories converge when they all gain passage on the Wilhelm Gustloff, which is about to experience a tragedy all its own.  This fictional story is based on the real-life single greatest maritime disaster in history, and it won't leave you dry-eyed.  I can't even tell you how strongly I recommend this one!  You can find copies at MCPL or through MCPL's Overdrive.

Another great story that you might enjoy is Rebecca Stead's Goodbye Stranger.  The story is told from 3 perspectives.  First, from that of Bridge Barsamian, survivor of a near-death accident who is trying to figure out who she is as she begins 7th grade and her friendships get way more complicated.  The second perspective is Sherm Russo's, another 7th grader who befriends Bridge, but is struggling with his own personal difficulties.  The last perspective is an unknown high school student - who tells her story in 2nd person point of view, and who's story will overlap with Bridge and Sherm's in the end.  This was another really touching story about what it means to grow up and being okay with who you are no matter what.  You can find a copy of this in our CMS library, as well as at MCPL or on MCPL's Overdrive.

Another book that is a bit of an emotional roller coaster that I really liked is Apple and Rain, by Sarah Crossan.  Apple's mom left her with her grandmother 11 years ago, and Apple has never stopped hoping that she might one day come back home.  Apple's nan (what she calls her grandma) is really strict and is making Apple's 8th grade year harder than it has to be.  When Apple's mom actually does show up, it seems like it is more than Apple could have hoped for, and she soon decides to move in with her mother.  What she didn't know was that she had a sister, Rain, who is even more lost and broken than Apple herself.  And when her mom doesn't live up to Apple's expectations and things start to fall apart even more, Apple has to figure out who she can trust and rely on.  It's not a light-hearted read, but it is worth it!  You can find this at MCPL or on Overdrive.

If you're more in the mood for an historical-paranormal-mystery, you might enjoy These Vicious Masks, by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas.  In 1800's England, Evelyn is struggling to fit into society.  Her parents just want her to make the perfect match, but she could care less about that.  When her sister Rose is kidnapped, Evelyn decides to leave home and do everything she can to find her.  With the help of the dashing Mr. Kent and mysterious Sebastian Braddock, Evelyn sets out to find out who took Rose and to get her back.  In searching for Rose, she discovers that she has an unusual ability to heal people and that Rose has this ability as well, which is why she was kidnapped in the first place.  Can Evelyn find Rose before disaster strikes?  You'll have to read These Vicious Masks, the first of a series, to find out!  You can find copies at MCPL or on Overdrive.

Finally, let me recommend two books that are the second books in a couple of different series.  First up, is Glass Sword, by Victoria Aveyard.  This is the second book in the Red Queen series and it will leave you shocked as Mare Barrow and Cal join the rebels and set out to try to get Maven removed from his throne.  I don't want to give too much away if you haven't read Red Queen yet.  If you haven't, you need to check out this riveting dystopian series!  You can find copies at MCPL and on Overdrive.

Last, if you haven't start Ally Carter's Embassy Row series, it's a great one to get into.  The second book, See How They Run continues Grace's story, as she continues to deal with the truth about her mother's death.  Now Grace herself is a target, and she doesn't know who she can trust.  When a family friend ends up dead, Grace knows she has to get to the bottom of what is going on...and hopefully not cause a diplomatic disaster.  This is another page-turner, and Grace continues to be a dark main character...  You can find copies of both Embassy Row books in our CMS Media Center, as well as at MCPL and on Overdrive.

There you have it.  Maybe I'll have a few more recommendations before spring break is over.  I plan to do  A LOT of reading over the next week!  Enjoy your time off!

Books + Valentine's Day = LOVE

I have not had many opportunities to update my book blog lately, so it's high time I recommend a few books for your 2016 reading list!  Hopefully, you'll see something that catches your interest...something you might "fall in love" with perchance as Valentine's Day nears...

Let me start with The Wrong Side of Right, by Jenn Marie Thorne.  This is a stand-alone realistic fiction novel.  Kate Quinn lost her mother in a car accident a year ago, and her dad was never in the picture.  In fact, Kate never even knew who her father was.  She's been living in South Carolina with her aunt and uncle, and has just finished her junior year when she arrives home to a shock.  Her father is waiting for her there...and he's one of the nominees for U.S. President in the upcoming election.  Kate goes from a quiet life where no one knows her to the center stage in the upcoming political race.  She wants to get to know her father and his family and help him win the election, but her friendship...and budding romance with their opposing candidate's son may not help the campaign.  This book was funny, heart-wrenching, and heart-warming all in one.  I highly recommend this one!  I got my copy from MCPL's Overdrive, or you can find it on their shelves.

If you're more into a suspenseful thriller, you might like The Fixer, by Jennifer Lynn Barnes.  This is the first book in the Fixer series.  You might remember that I have a copy of this book and shared it in class...before I actually read it.  Now that I've read it, I can tell you...it's really good!  In this story, Tess Kendrick has been living with her grandfather on his ranch in Montana for the last several years.  For the last few months, her grandfather has been showing signs of developing Alzheimer's Disease, and Tess tries to hide it for as long as possible, but eventually the truth comes out and Tess's older sister shows up.  Tess has no choice but to move to Washington DC with Ivy, who is a powerful "fixer".  If someone in power has a problem, they call Ivy...and she fixes the problem and makes it disappear.  When Tess starts at her new school, her new classmates expect her to follow in her sister's footsteps and fix their problems too.  Eventually the problems Tess is trying to fix collide with problems Ivy is trying to fix, and things turn deadly for both of them.  This was a really fun read.  It kept me guessing and I can't wait to read the second book in the series, The Long Game, due out on June 7th.  You can borrow my copy if you're interested, or get this from MCPL's shelves or Overdrive.

Another recent favorite that I've read is A Step Towards Falling, by Cammie McGovern.  In this story, Emily and Lucas witness a classmate with special needs being assaulted at a football game.  Emily tries to get help, but in the excitement of the game, she gets overlooked.  When she sees that police arrived, she assumes Lucas got someone to help, which wasn't actually the case.  When the incident is investigated, both Emily and Lucas receive consequences for being bystanders who did nothing, and are required to spend several weeks volunteering in a community education class for young adults with special needs.  This story is told alternately in Emily's point of view, and that of Belinda, the girl who was assaulted.  I thought this story was incredibly touching as Emily explores the fact that she didn't act and get help when she knew she should, and as Belinda tries to cope and deal with what happened to her.  This story was really emotionally moving on a lot of levels.  I highly recommend this title!  You can get a copy from MCPL's shelves or Overdrive.

If you're more into a ghost story, you might want to check out Katie Alender's (Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer & Famous Last Words) latest, The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall.  In this stand alone novel, 17-year old Delia inherits her Aunt Cordelia's home.  After Delia makes a really foolish decision, her parents decide that this summer is the perfect time to drive up to Delia's inherited house and get it cleaned up and ready to sell.  As soon as they arrive and Delia learns that the "house" is actually a former mental hospital for troubled girls and all kinds of people have died in the house, she's not so sure staying.  As she explores the house, really strange things happen and Delia thinks they should leave, but her parents aren't for that...I don't want to say much more, or I will give away something that is a huge twist in the storyline.  If you want to find out, you can check this out from MCPL's shelves or Overdrive.

For those of you have enjoyed the Lunar Chronicles series, make sure you check out Winter (#4). This wraps up the story of Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and now Winter.  This story is a fractured fairy tale based off of Snow White.  It was a fantastic ending to an awesome series.  And not only that, you can get Stars Above, a collection of 9 novellas about several of the different characters from the story.  You can borrow Winter from me or find both of these books on MCPL's shelves or Overdrive.

Finally, I'll wrap up with the book I'm currently reading - also #4 and final book in a series.  Manners and Mutiny continues Sophronia Temminick's finishing school education.  She and her classmates are back & ready for even more espionage missions and intrigue as they work through their final year as students at Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.  A mystery and plenty of spying are sure to ensue.  If you haven't read the first 3 books in this series - Etiquette & Espionage, Curtsies & Conspiracies, and Waistcoats & Weaponry, you should definitely check them out!  This is a fun series...full of very dry humor!  You can borrow #1 from me, the CMS library has #1 & 2, and of course, MCPL shelves & overdrive contain them all!

Enjoy your 3-day weekend and spend some time reading!

2015 Wrap-Up

Here are my book stats for 2015:

  My goal was 200 & I'm happy to report that I exceeded it.  I read 222 books!  Most of the books I read were pretty good...this graphic is thanks to Goodreads.  The longest book I read was 896 pages.  I've already started on working toward this year's goal of 210 books.  I've got 2 down & only 208 to go!  Happy new reading year!

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!