KHCPL Teen Scene

Chat, Book Signing and Q&A with YA Author Saundra Mitchell

2011-09-12T14:27:00.000-04:00

Sunday, Sept. 18 • 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at KHCPL Main

Saundra Mitchell, author of The Vespertine (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2011) and Shadowed Summer (Random House, 2009) will be at the KHCPL Main at 220 N. Union St. Sunday, September 18^th from 2:30-4:30 P.M. for a book signing, talk, and question and answer session.

Join us for an exciting afternoon while we chat with award-winning young adult (YA) author Saundra Mitchell. She will talk about her books and the writing experience, and will answer questions from the audience.

The Vespertine is the story of a teen girl who discovers she has an unusual ability to see the future while visiting relatives in 1889 Baltimore. It is a gripping piece of historical fiction and fantasy. It is a 2011 Amazon Summer Reading List Selection and received excellent reviews from VOYA and Kirkus. A spinoff novel, The Springsweet, will be published on April 17, 2012 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Shadowed Summer was a 2009 ALAN pick, a 2009 Junior Library Guild Selection, and a 2010 Edgar Nominee for Best YA Mystery. Shadowed Summer takes place in the small town of Ondine, Louisiana. Fourteen-year-old Iris uncovers family secrets when she conjures up the ghost of a boy missing for decades and decides to solve the mystery of his disappearance

Saundra Mitchell resides in Indianapolis. I attended a couple of her signings in Indy and she is an excellent speaker. She can talk about writing and publishing as well as about her experiences in the process of getting her novel published. This is an excellent opportunity for teens to meet a published author and ask questions. I hope you will pass this information on to your students.

You may bring books to have signed or purchase books at the event. Hardcovers of The Vespertine will be $14 and paperbacks of Shadowed Summer will be $7. Cash only please.

Coming Soon:

Book Review: If I Grow Up by Todd Strasser

2011-08-23T15:23:00.001-04:00

If I Grow Up by Todd Strasser
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Growing up in the projects leaves a person with very few options. DeShawn, an intelligent young man knows this very well as he watches the young people around him join gangs, drop out of school, and fall between the cracks of society. The educational system fails them, and society fails them, leaving boys like DeShawn struggling to make ends meet in a world that doesn’t care if he grows up.

There is no doubting Strasser’s talent for getting a reader into the lives and minds of the characters. Strasser took a young man whose intelligence and street smarts attract the reader and shows how he develops over a period of several years. Looking closely at how a smart young man can become a gang member.

I’ll admit, this isn’t my usual type of book. It isn’t one that I would have willingly picked up on my own, but it is one that I am glad I read because it is remarkable. The characterizations are beautifully done. Gang members, who in other hands would have been superficial stereotypes, are wonderfully developed into people you can believe exist. The pacing is perfect. I literally flew through this novel in on sitting—rare for me because I am such a slow reader. Strasser hooks you with the gunshots at the beginning and propels you to the end at breakneck pace. You won’t believe where this novel will take you.

Overall this was a remarkable piece of fiction. Not a book I would have picked up on my own, but one that I am glad to have read. It is a fast, interesting read, with superb characters and remarkable writing.

Cautions for sensitive readers: Violence, drugs, sexual references, I don’t recall any explicit language, and language in the quotes at the beginning of the chapters was edited out.

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Book Review: Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross

2011-07-15T16:02:00.000-04:00

The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sixteen year-old Finley Jayne doesn't know exactly what she is, but for your own safety, it is unwise to make her angry. When the son of her employer attacks her, Finley protects herself, and finds herself out of a job and running for her life. While running away from the repercussions of her violent actions, Finley stumbles into Griffin King, the young Duke of Greythorne, who has some unusual abilities of his own. He and his group of unusual friends are after a man they call the Machinist who is turning automatons against their owners, and using them to commit crimes. Griff, recognizes Finley as one of their own, and tries to convince her that she can help him stop the Machinist and find out who and what she is once and for all.

This has to be one of my favorite books this year. It is so original and fun that from start to finish I didn't want to put it down. There are many things that I enjoyed about this book, but to keep this review brief I am only going to name a few.

First, the characters are wonderful--even the supporting ones. Finley Jayne is smart, strong, and even sassy at times. She has two warring personalities, and this is portrayed very well. Plus an unexpected surprise about her parentage added a bit of thrill to the story! I love Griffin, his calm reassurance that he always has a plan and his desire to save everyone. Emily is charming and it is so refreshing to see a girl that is smart and mechanically inclined. Sam was probably my least favorite character, but that is because I felt like he wallowed in his losses. The character development was outstanding. I love these characters and wanted to spend more time with them.

Secondly, the setting was exceptionally well done. The story takes place in a steampunk version of Victorian London. Although steampunk adds technology that doesn't exist in the time period of the book, it blended well into this novel. The technology and the Victorian era go well together, and it never felt forced to me. I could believe that this world existed and I wanted to go there.

Finally, the story keeps the reader engaged. It was vivid, fast paced, and action packed. I couldn't wait to keep reading this novel because I wanted to know what would happen next.

Overall, this novel is positively stunning. I loved this book, these characters, and couldn't stand to step away from it when finished. To be honest, I am already contemplating rereading it because I enjoyed it so much. This book is the first book in the Steampunk Chonicles series. My only regret is that I don't know when book #2 in the series will come out. Not soon enough for this fan!

Cautions for sensitive readers: Violence. No language and no sex, although the attack on Finley was suggestive in nature.

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Book Review: Dead is the New Black by Marlene Perez

2011-06-15T10:54:00.002-04:00

In summer I like to pick up light reads. Ones that are fun, entertaining, and fast reads. I like to avoid serious books when selecting my summer reads. Last week I picked up the first book in Marlene Perez's Dead is series and it had me hooked. Now four books later and only one more to go, I am looking for something else just like it. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed the fast paranormal reads! Daisy and her sisters are fun, quirky, and very entertaining.

If you like paranormal fiction, but want something on the lighter side, check out Dead is the New Black and its sequels. (Also available on audio!) Need more convincing? Check out my review below!

Dead Is the New Black by Marlene Perez
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Daisy Giordano is the only one in her family who hasn't inherited psychic abilities, but being a "norm" isn't going to stop her from trying to help her mother solve the case of the teenage girls who are being attacked all over town. With the help of Ryan, the son of the local police chief, and possibly her new boyfriend, Daisy is going to put everything on the line to figure out what is happening to these girls.

This novel was simply charming. I love Daisy and loved her sisters. The characters were fun and felt like people you wanted to know even the Divine Devereaux. Daisy is a fun, likable, teenage girl who wants to prove that she is as talented, just in different ways, as her two psychic older sisters. Ryan is a good guy who will do just about anything for Daisy.

While Nightshade has always been a bit of a mysterious town, it really gets creepy when a girl turns up dead and her body disappears from the morgue. Suddenly other popular girls from the cheer leading squad start getting sick, Daisy knows she needs to stop the culprit before someone else dies.

The audio version of this book is produced by Brilliance Audio and performed by Suzy Jackson. Jackson was a superb narrator for this book. She sounds convincing as a teenager and made the listening experience an exceptional one. I would recommend this audio experience to anyone. It is a great book to listen to.

Overall, this is a remarkably fun book. Dead is the New Black is just a fun light-hearted read. I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good, light-hearted, fun mystery, with laughs and charming characters.

Cautions for sensitive readers: This book has paranormal touches and even a few paranormal chacters, but the violence in this novel is tame and there is no foul langauge or sex at all in this book.

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Book Review: My Unfair Godmother by Janette Rallison

2011-06-10T11:51:00.000-04:00

My Unfair Godmother by Janette Rallison
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When her parents divorced, Tansy Miller’s close relationship with her father seemed to evaporate. Living with her mother and her little sister in New York, while her father moved to Arizona made their relationship impossible. Then he got remarried and seemed to have replaced her with a new stepson, Nick. When her sister is offered a part in a Broadway play that will require her sister and mother to travel, Tansy is sent to live with her distant father. Determined to rebel against him, she starts dating the town bad boy, but when she is arrested things start to fall apart for this good girl gone bad. And just when Tansy thinks things have gotten as bad as they could possibly get, in pops her fair godmother, Chrysanthemum Everstar, and things go from bad to worse as she has to deal with Robin Hood, his Merry Me, and the Middle Ages.

This book is a sequel to Rallison’s book My Fair Godmother (Walker & Co. 2009), where you see the return of the leprechaun Clover, and of Chrissy the fair godmother. Other characters are all new so this book will stand alone for readers who haven’t read the first. In fact, this one was so good that if you are interested in reading, but are concerned about not having read the first, I would whole heartedly say, skip the first and pick this one up.

Don’t get me wrong I did enjoy My Fair Godmother, but My Unfair Godmother completely outshines it. The humor is better, the situations are more extreme (and original), and the main character is much easier to connect to. I loved that she used Robin Hood and Rumpelstiltskin fairy tales this time around and showed the darker side of both. I especially loved the occasional Twilight references and humor.

Overall this book is a wild romp and a lot of fun. Highly recommended if you are looking for something light that will make you laugh. Don’t worry if you haven’t read the first, this will stand on its own.

Cautions for sensitive readers: Some violence.

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Looking for a Great Summer Read? Try As Easy As Falling Off the Face of the Earth by Lynn Rae Perkins

2011-05-27T10:34:00.000-04:00

As Easy as Falling Off the Face of the Earth by Lynne Rae Perkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
When Ry gets off the train during an unscheduled mechanical stop in hopes of getting better cell phone reception he thought he would have more time, but when the train pulls off without him leaving him in the middle of nowhere Montana he realizes he may be in over his head. Thus begins a journey of thousands of miles, and many many unforeseen circumstances.

I will start out by saying this is the perfect book for summer. Ry was supposed to go to archeology camp for the summer, but when the camp is cancelled and Ry gets off the train in the middle of nowhere, he embarks on another more exciting adventure. This story meanders its way from Montana, to Wisconsin, to Indiana, to Florida, and all the way to the Caribbean. Ry's story is one of luck or lack there of and is a humorous adventure tale that attempts to get one boy to the right place at the right time.

This family has to have the worst luck. Ry's parents are on a Caribbean vacation, and Ry's grandfather is supposed to watch the house and the family dogs. When the grandfather hits his head, losing both his memory and the dogs, Ry has no one he can reach to tell of his own predicament. With the help of some lovable yet unusual characters, Ry embarks on a journey to find his parents.

This story has moments that will make you laugh out loud. As Easy as Falling Off the Face of the Earth meanders its way across the country telling the story of a boy whose destiny seems to be determined by luck alone.

Overall, this fun rambling tale would make a great trip or summer read. I just hope the reader's trip isn't as meandering as Ry's. This is a light read that never takes itself too seriously.

Cautions for sensitive readers: None.

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Percy Jackson Is Back! In Rick Riordan's Newest Book Son of Neptune

2011-05-26T12:46:00.000-04:00

For those of you who missed Percy when you read The Lost Hero I have great news! Percy Jackson will be back in the next installment of the series Son of Neptune. While Son of Neptune won't be out until October 4, 2011, here is a sneak peak to tide you over until you can read the whole thing!

Son of Neptune Sneak Peak

Book Review: Soul Surfer by Bethany Hamilton [Plus Movie Trailer]

2011-05-03T10:40:00.000-04:00

On April 8th the movie Soul Surfer came out in theaters. It tells the story of fourteen year-old Bethany Hamilton after she was attacked by a shark while surfing. It is an inspiring story of her struggle to get back to the sport she loves so much. In 2004, Bethany wrote a book about her experience and her struggle. The library owns the book Soul Surfer, and you are welcome to place a hold on this title. (Click Here to Place Hold on Soul Surfer) Be sure to check out the trailer for the movie below.

Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board by Bethany Hamilton

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Soul Surfer is an inspiring story about not giving up. After losing her arm in a shark attack, fourteen year-old Bethany Hamilton returns to her beloved sport of surfing. This novel was written shortly after the accident and primarily focuses on Bethany's faith and her love of surfing. During the attack Bethany stays remarkably calm while her friends get her to shore and later to the hospital. In the book Bethany shares her love of surfing, her love of family, and her strong faith in God.

Soul Surfer has just recently been made into a movie, and I admit that I was curious about the book. The hold list for this title at our library is getting longer by the day as more and more people want to read it. It is a surprisingly quick read. I was able to finish this book in one day. The book is touching and at times heart-wrenching. I kept thinking about what her family was going through as they rushed to the hospital not knowing how Bethany was doing.

My only comment on the book is that there wasn't a lot of meat to the story. Many themes are repeated over and over, especially her faith in God. There weren't a lot of details about her recovery--it seemed kind of brief, and perhaps that is because the book was written so soon after the accident. She was still recovering from the injury. I think this might have been better if she had waited a few years to write it.

Overall this is an inspirational book written by a talented and inspiring teen. I would recommend it to those who are interested in seeing the movie and those who love biographies and inspiring stories.

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Here is the movie trailer:

Book Review: The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima

2011-04-06T13:34:00.000-04:00

The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Han Alister, once the famous streetlord of the Raggers better known as Cuffs, is trying to go straight for his sister Mari and his mother. He is out of the gang life, but leaving trouble behind isn't as easy as leaving the gang and changing professions. While hunting with his friend Dancer out on Hanalea he encounters three young wizards with a powerful amulet. Afraid that the wizards might try to use the amulet against him and Dancer, Han demands that they give him the amulet before they leave. Since taking that amulet, Han has known nothing but grief. Now street thugs are dying mysteriously and Han is the prime suspect.

Princess heir of the Fells, Raisa ana'Marianna, has discovered that she has lived a sheltered life, and doesn't know enough about the kingdom she will eventually help inherit. With the help of her friend, now a guardsman, Amon, Raisa hopes to find out more about life in her kingdom. But something bigger is going on. The wizards have too much power over the queen, and as Raisa's nameday approaches, the day she will be eligible to marry, she suspects something more sinister may be going on.

This is a long book, and at first seems rather daunting, but Cinda Williams Chima has a way of pulling you into the lives of her characters. Soon after starting, I found that I couldn't put the book down--it was simply addictive.

Chima's character development is outstanding. You are pulled into the lives of her characters and she makes them so believable you feel like you have known them for years. You root for their successes and you can feel their losses. Her characters are believable and well drawn, they act like you would expect them to, and are very real.

Chima has created a world of fantasy that is hard to leave. You want to understand the politics and the history of the Fells, and how they find themselves where they are now. The world building is rich and vibrant and invites you in to stay.

The audio version of this book, produced by Recorded Books and narrated by Carol Monda, is one of the best audio books I have listened to in a while. She does an excellent job with the individual voices and setting the mood of this fantastic fantasy novel. I was loath to stop listening to this book when it was time to get out of my car.

If you aren't a fan of high fantasy with a lot of world building this book might not be what you are looking for. It kind of reminded me of Kristin Cashore's Fire, with the same type of involved world building. I felt that Chima did an excellent job with the world building and introducing this world through the characters that you grow to love. But I do understand that this type of fantasy isn't for everyone.

Overall, I loved this book and couldn't put it down.

The sequel, The Exiled Queen, is available in both hardcover and in audio CD format.

Cautions for sensitive readers: No language, no sex, some violence.

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Book Review: Fat Cat by Robin Brande

2011-04-01T10:09:00.000-04:00

Fat Cat by Robin Brande
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Cat just wants one thing, to beat Matt McKinney at the science fair to get even for his betrayal four years ago. When the picture she receives as her inspiration for her science project features three naked hominids, man's early ancestor, she is no longer sure what to do for her project. When inspiration or desperation strikes, Cat decides on a project that may change her life forever. For 207 days "Fat Cat" will eat an all natural diet, ignore technology, and start a chain of events that will change her both physically and mentally. Watch out Matt McKinney!
I chose to read this book because it made Indiana's 2011-2012 Eliot Rosewater list. That wasn't the only reason though. I downloaded it as a whim from our Indiana Digital Media (Overdrive) site as a test on my iPod Touch. For whatever reason I originally started this book, it seems like I was meant to read it. From the first chapters displayed on my tiny iPod screen, to the later chapters when I gave up and decided to read it from my nook, and later the book, I can honestly say this book had me hooked. (YIKES! I am rhyming!!!) I don't read a lot of realistic fiction, but I am really glad that fate, or Overdrive, or Eliot Rosewater brought this book to me because I loved it.

The characters in this novel were great! I loved Cat's character. She is a strong young woman who is a good student and determined to do her best. She chooses a project and follows it with all of her heart, and discovers so much about herself along the way. Her best friend Amanda is terrific. If only everyone could have a best friend like her! Amanda's boyfriend Jordan, gives us a nice guy who loves his girlfriend and is willing to help out when necessary.

I loved the idea of the science experiment motivating Cat to change her lifestyle, and I love watching her confidence grow as she began to drop the pounds and discover that there is more to life than holding a grudge. The pacing of this story is superb. You follow Cat through 207 days of her experiment, and discover surprises around every turn.

Overall, this book was a welcome relief from so much of the urban fantasy, paranormal, and science fiction I have been reading lately. It was a light entertaining read and a surprisingly quick one. My only regret is that there wasn't more--I loved the characters so much I wanted the story to keep on going. It was fantastic!

Cautions for sensitive readers: Some kissing and some questions about sex are discussed.

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Where She Went by Gayle Forman Booktrailer and If I Stay Book Review

2011-03-17T10:28:00.000-04:00

If you have read Gayle Forman's If I Stay you won't want to miss the stunning sequel Where She Went. (See our review below for more information about If I Stay.) Where She Went is now on order at the library so don't forget to place your hold! (Click here to place hold!)

Where She Went takes place three years after the deadly accident that took the lives of Mia's family.

For those of you that haven't read If I Stay, find out more in our review below.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

On a snowy day in Oregon, Mia and her family go on a drive that ends in heartache. She finds herself thrown out of her body as a result of an horrific car accident and left with the choice to live with a loss that will change her life forever or to die.

If I Stay is an emotional roller coaster. One minute you are smiling and laughing, loving the main character, Mia and her family, and the next you are crying because of all she has lost. Mia’s family and friends are touchingly and memorably portrayed. The story smoothly transitions between where Mia is now, and her touching memories of her family and friends. The characters are well rounded and real and love between them and the difficulty of the decisions they make are palpable.

This book made me both laugh and cry. It gave be a better appreciation for a good tearjerker. As I read the book it made me think about my family and what is important to me, and how I would feel if I were in Mia’s position. While I won’t go out of my way to find tearjerkers from now on, I must say I was really impressed with this book.

A must read for those who like tearjerkers!

Cautions for sensitive readers: A situation with sexual references and mild language. There are some graphic depictions of the car accident that may disturb some readers, but once past that part, the book is pretty tame.

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Book Review: Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell

2011-03-09T12:01:00.000-05:00

Saundra Mitchell is an Indiana author. To find out more about Saundra and her writing visit her website, Making Stuff Up For A Living. The library owns both her first book, Shadowed Summer and her newest book that just came out on 3/07/11 The Vespertine. Get your holds in now for The Vespertine. This book is too good to miss!

The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
In the Summer of 1889 Amelia van den Broek leaves her country home in Maine to spend a season with her cousins the Stewarts in Baltimore. There she will attend dinners, go calling, and even attend balls where she hopes to find a suitable husband. But as the sun sets Amelia finds more than she ever hoped for, for in the vespers she sees the future. At first intrigued and excited by this new power, Amelia is an immediate sensation, but as her darkest predictions begin to come true those she loves and trusts begin to turn on her. In a world where the slightest misstep can lead to ruin, Amelia walks a fine line between the other world and a love that is unacceptable.

I couldn't put this one down. Saundra Mitchell pulls you into the late 1800s with sounds, settings, and tea services. The novel felt so authentic that I felt like I was right there gossiping with the girls in their tight corsets at teas, dinners, and balls. She leaves you on the edge of your seat as the girl flaunt and tease with propriety knowing that if they were caught it would be ruin.

The characters in this novel are exceptionally well developed. Amelia, who doesn't understand her powers, is at once both excited by and afraid of them. The visions at first positive have a dark side that frightens her. When she meets Nathaniel, he excites her in ways she has never known before, unfortunately he is below her station and not an acceptable match for a well bred girl like her. Zora is a city girl who loves Thomas Rea who just happens to be at the very edge of what is considered a suitable match. Other characters come and go, and all hold your interest.

What I loved about this book was its authenticity. It felt like I was stepping back in time. It pulled me in and kept me reading. I had to know what happened next--every little detail. In a word, it was magic.

Overall, a great historical fiction novel with a touch of the paranormal. A book too good to miss!

Cautions for sensitive readers: Mild violence, but very clean otherwise. A good choice for those looking for novels with paranormal aspects that are also clean reads.

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Exciting News for Vampire Academy Fans!

2011-02-09T16:04:00.001-05:00

Today in an exclusive article with Entertainment Weekly Richelle Mead, author of the Vampire Academy series, revealed the cover for the first book in her new series titled Bloodlines. The book doesn't come out until August 23rd so there will be a bit of a wait before we can read it, but in the mean time, take a look at this fantastic cover and check out the article at Entertainment Weekly for more details about this book and a video interview. Bloodlines is a spin off of the Vampire Academy series that is set in the same world but featuring a different character.

Unfortunately, no information is available yet from our vendors so we won't be able to pre-order it for a while, but until then we can eagerly anticipate this new addition to a fantastic series.

Teen Books Turning into Movies

2011-01-27T10:22:00.000-05:00

Two movies are coming out soon that are based on teen books!

The first is I am Number Four by Pitticus Lore. Nine are sent to Earth to try and find a place safe from the evil Mogadorian who are killing their people. Numbers 1-3 have been found and killed by the Mogadorian, now Number four, John Smith, knows he is next. The movie comes out February 18, 2011. While you wait for the movie, take the time to check out the book from the library!

Find out more about the movie at the I am Number Four movie website. http://www.findnumberfour.com/#/home

The second is Beastly by Alex Flinn, a modern retellling of the story of Beauty and the Beast told from the perspective of the beast. The movie comes out March 4, 2011, but in the meantime, you can check out the book here at the library!

Find out more about the movie and the stars at the Beastly movie website. http://www.beastlythemovie.com/

And the Winner is.... 2011 Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature

2011-01-18T11:42:00.000-05:00

Every year YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Division), a division of ALA (The American Library Association) announces its choices for the Michael L. Printz Award. According to YALSA, this award is given to "a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature" (Printz Award Page).

Over the years there have been a number of wonderful choices. Here are this year's winners:

Michael L. Printz Award Winner:

Shipbreaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

Michael L. Printz Honor Books:

Stolen by Lucy Christopher

Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King

Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick
Revolver

Nothing by Janne Teller

Read the Prequel to Lauren Barnholdt's One Night that Changes Everything for Free Online

2010-12-21T16:37:00.001-05:00

If you read and liked Lauren Barnholdt's One Night that Changes Everything, you can now visit her website to read the prequel to find out what happens Before That Night.

Visit http://laurenbarnholdt.com/beforethatnight/ to download and read this novella. A big thank you to Lauren Barnholdt for making this available for free! Be sure to check out her other books while you visit. Happy Reading!

Christmas Vacation Reading: Your Time to Catch Up On the Great Books Published in 2010

2010-12-17T09:50:00.000-05:00

This has been a great year for some really talented authors both new and old. I have simply been amazed at some of the debut authors who published in the YA genre this year. This has been a year with a lot of vampires, werewolves, fairies, and angels, but we have had some other great hits as well.

If you are looking for some good books to read over your Christmas vacation, here are a few of my favorites from the past year. Many are available on audio, if you have a trip coming up. Stop by the library and check one out! Click on the covers to go to Goodreads.com for book descriptions and details. (If you like series, a few have sequels that are out now or due out in 2011).

Looking for Some Holiday Reads? Try Some of These!

2010-12-09T11:51:00.000-05:00

Are you in the mood for some books featuring the holiday season? If that is what you are looking for you might give some of these titles a try! (Clicking on the book covers will take you to Goodreads.com for a book summary.)

Holiday Selections from YA Fiction:

Looking for something a little more out of the ordinary? Try our holiday selection from our YA Graphic Novel collection:

Today's YA Scene Article from Publisher's Weekly and Guys Reading

2010-12-04T09:44:00.000-05:00

I read this article from Publisher's Weekly (PW) and they talk about upcoming books from YA publishers. There are a lot of interesting titles coming out, but one thing that I noticed while reading about these fantastic new books, is that there wasn't a lot of stuff listed for guys to read. What do you think? Do you think there are more books for girls than guys in YA fiction?

Check out the article here:

Today's YA Scene

ALA and YALSA's 2010 Teens' Top Ten Books

2010-11-03T10:26:00.002-04:00

Every year in October teens across the country vote for their favorite titles from the list of nominations. This year the teens have spoken and these are the 2010 Teens' Top Ten Books:

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

I have read 7 of the ten titles listed above. How many have you read?

For more information about the Teens'Top Ten visit the ALA Website:
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/teenreading/teenstopten/teenstopten.cfm

Book Review: Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

2010-11-03T09:47:00.000-04:00

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Nora Gray just simply wants to finish high school and get into a good college. What she doesn’t plan on is Patch, the irritating yet attractive new biology partner she gets stuck with. As she gets closer and closer to Patch, Nora finds herself in several terrifying life and death situations. Is someone trying to kill her? Could it have something to do with Patch? What is Patch trying to hide? Find out in Hush, Hush.

This book was a hard one for me to get through. I went from moments where I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen next, to other moments when I really didn’t care. In some ways there were too many things going on in this novel and I really had trouble focusing on it. Now that I finished however, I find myself itching to read Crescendo, just to see where the story may go.

The book is told from the point of view of the main character Nora Gray. Nora is a likable character who is just your everyday girl. She has a lot more freedom than most teens since her mother works out of town most of the time. I felt that Nora was a well drawn realistic character that finds herself in a very unusual situation. Patch was a mystery throughout the book, and even remain so at the end, which will no doubt give us more to explore in the sequel.

Fitzpatrick’s descriptions are memorable and some of the scenes are heart stoppingly scary. I really enjoyed those moments when I was on the edge of my seat anxious to find out what is happening next. Unfortunately, there were lulls when I had trouble staying interested.

The audio version of this book is produced by Simon & Schuster Audio and narrated by Caitlin Greer. Greer does an excellent job with the voice of Nora and is a believable narrator. I would definitely recommend listening to the audio production.

Overall this is a book that I did enjoy, but not at the top of my list for best reads this year. I will definitely read the sequel though, because I believe the story has potential to be even better in the next installment. The sequel, Crescendo came out October 19, 2010 and is now at the library.

Cautions for sensitive readers: Violence

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Book Review: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

2010-11-03T09:40:00.000-04:00

Catching Fire (Hunger Games, #2) by Suzanne Collins

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Collins has done it again. Just when I thought she wouldn't be able to top Hunger Games she demonstrates a wonderful ability to spin an action packed tale. This book was just as good as the first if not better.

Katniss, winner of the last Hunger Games is back from the capital with her co-winner Peeta. In order to stay in good favor with the capital after Katniss's actions with the berries in the last book, she and Peeta must keep up the ruse of being madly in love with each other before the districts. But things are more complicated than they thought, and their deception may not be enough for the capital. How will Katniss survive when her entire world catches fire?

This was a wonderful sequel to the first book. I eagerly await number 3 in this series. One of my favorite books this year!

Cautions for sensitive readers: Violence

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Book Review: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

2010-10-27T12:09:00.000-04:00

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Samantha didn't know that Friday, February 12th was going to be the last day of her life. She also doesn't know why she is being forced to relive the day over and over again. But given the chance, wouldn't you try to change that fateful ending?

This is a book that begs to be talked about. I very seldom give 5 star reviews, but in this case I feel that it is absolutely deserved. By the end of chapter one I was dying to talk about this book with someone who has read it.

Oliver has created a flawed yet likable heroine in Samantha Kingston. She is a girl who was once picked on, but is now popular, who does everything required to fit in. She is a girl who holds power in her school and knows it. She is also a girl who has set herself up for a terrible fall. Friday, February 12th is the last day of her life, and she will have to live it again and again until she gets it right.

I started this book on audio, and while it isn't unusual for me to switch back in forth between audio and the printed version, it is unusual for me to get so wrapped up in a book that I set everything aside to finish the book in one night. Yesterday afternoon when I got out of my car after I got home from work, I was only about 30% through the book, by the time I went to bed I had finished the book. In fact I wouldn't go to bed until I finished. I had to know how the book was going to end.

Don't get me wrong, the audio version of this book is extremely well done. It is narrated by Sarah Drew and produced by Books on Tape. Drew does a great job with the voices with the possible exception of the teachers Mr. Otto and Ms. Winters who sound a little too over the top. Despite that, this is a great audio book, but I couldn't wait to finish the book so I picked up the hardcover and finished it in one sitting.

This is a book that really makes think about your actions and what you would do if you could live the day over. It was fascinating and gripping. I think Jay Asher's (author of Thirteen Reasons Why)quote on the cover says it best "You'll have no choice but to tear through this book." I am only sorry I waited so long to get to it.

Cautions for sensitive readers: Definitely for mature readers. There is alcohol and drug use in this book, along with some swearing, and sexual references.

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Claire de Lune Author Visiting KHCPL This Sunday!

2010-10-19T10:35:00.000-04:00

Christine Johnson, the author of the werewolf story Claire de Lune (Simon Pulse, 2010) will be at KHCPL Main this Sunday. Come hear her speak about writing, publishing, and her upcoming novel Nocturne. She will also be signing books and and we will have copies available for purchase.

Where: KHCPL Main at 220 N. Union St. Kokomo, IN 46901
When: Sunday, October 24th, from 2:30-4:30 P.M.
What: Author signing and talk.

Don't miss out on this great event!

Grand Opening!

2010-10-08T09:01:00.000-04:00

You are Invited to our Grand Opening Event!

Where: 220 N. Union St.When: Sunday, October 10, 2010 from 2:00-5:00 P.M.
What: Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at 2:00 P.M. at the east entrance. Tour all three levels of the newly remodeled building at 220 N. Union St.

Teens don't forget to stop by Youthtopia on the upper level. Our own room specially designed for teens. Also, don't forget to check out some DVD's and Music CDs from our AV area on the first floor. AV fees are gone, so movies and music are now free. Don't miss out, stop by and check out the newly remodeled KHCPL Main.

Book Review: Claire de Lune by Christine Johnson

2010-09-01T11:00:00.000-04:00

Claire de Lune by Christine Johnson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

All Claire wants for her sixteenth birthday is a car, but what she gets is something she didn’t count on. In a world where werewolves are being hunted by the government and the communities, Claire finds out that she is a werewolf, destined to change at every full moon. Torn between the joy of discovering who she is as a wolf, and the struggle to be a normal teenage girl, Claire must find a way to keep her secret and her life. Meanwhile a rogue wolf makes that all the more difficult for her to do by killing local residents and creating a panic.

There have been a lot of werewolf, vampire, and other types of paranormal novels lately, and after a while they begin to blur into each other. While Claire de Lune is a werewolf story, there was much more to it. Unlike other novels with shapeshifters/werewolves, this novel focuses on Claire’s internal struggle to accept who she is. She longs to be a normal girl, and fall in love, but she doesn’t dare let down her guard for fear her secret will be revealed. I felt like she was constantly walking a tight rope, and found myself wondering when she was going to make a mistake that would give away her secret, a mistake that would be fatal. I loved how Johnson built tension this way and for me this kept the pages turning.

In addition to Claire having to deal with her new identity, we also have a community that is hunting for the wolves. After a series of brutal werewolf attacks, the tension mounts as everyone in the community hunts the werewolves. Meanwhile, somewhere out there, there is a werewolf predator with an agenda all her own.

Overall I would say I enjoyed this book, but have to admit that it might not be for everyone. There isn’t a lot of action until the end, and it is strikingly different than many of the werewolf novels out there right now in that particular aspect. It was a fun light read though, and I do enjoy Johnson’s writing. I look forward to reading what she writes in the future.

Cautions for Sensitive Readers: No sex, no foul language, some violence.

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Book Review: Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

2010-08-13T16:57:00.000-04:00

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Sam and Grace are back again in Linger and now that Sam has stopped shifting they are hoping they can finally have their happily ever after. But it is never that easy. Sam has to deal with problems with the new wolves, Grace’s parents don’t want them to see each other, and Grace is suffering from a mysterious illness that may change everything for them both.

When I read Shiver earlier this year, I remember everyone telling me what a great book it was and how it was the next Twilight, but better than Twilight. I remember being so excited to read it and then feeling a little let down by the hype. Was it good? Yes. Was it better written than Twilight? Much! Did I love it? To be completely honest, no, not really. For me it was okay, but it was a book that left me feeling more than a little unsettled. I can’t explain really why I felt this way, but it didn’t hook me the way it has so many. But Stiefvater's poetic language and beautiful descriptions did interest me enough to read the next book in the series Linger.

Once again like Shiver there has been a lot of hype about this book. All over the blogosphere you hear everyone clamoring for Linger raving about it in reviews of advanced reading copies, and loving it. So once again, I thought I would give it a try. Stiefvater is a very talented author. Her descriptions are rich and luxurious, and even though I was reading this book during the hottest days of the year, she has a way of making me believe that I am in the middle of a Mercy Falls, Minnesota cold and icy early spring. I love that about her writing, that it is so rich that it can transport you. Unfortunately for this novel, while her descriptions, characters, dialogue, and narration is spot on, her pacing is off—an unfortunate occurrence in many middle of the series novels.

The narrative of Linger alternates between the voices of the four main characters; Sam, Grace, Isabel, and Cole, one of the new wolves. Stiefvataer’s transitions between these four characters are flawless and in many cases this allows the reader to see the thought on both sides of the conversations. I have to say that I enjoyed the way this story was told with these four distinct voices. The characters are carefully crafted and I love the introduction of Cole. Being able to see inside the mind of someone who chose to be a wolf is fascinating. Isabel is also more developed as a character this time of around. Of all the four major characters, Isabel and Cole felt the most real to me, and I loved the portions of the story told from their point of view. Grace and Sam just seem too perfect as characters, especially when they are together. I found I liked Grace and Sam better when they were apart or interacting with Isabel or Cole rather than each other, which I realize is silly, since the story is about their romance.

Stiefvater’s dialogue is well done and believable, but sometimes seems awkward with Grace and Sam. This could be because throughout the novel there is so much unsaid between the two of them, and so much they aren’t telling each other, that it really interferes with what is being said. I love it when Isabel comes into the picture and just tells everyone how it is because it really breaks up some of the tension.

My major problem with the novel though, is the pacing. Like many other middle of the series books, this one felt like it was merely a transition to the next book rather than a novel with action that stands alone on its own. I felt like you spend the whole book waiting for something to happen and this causes the story to slow in spots. While the ending is very climactic, and will lead us right into the next book, I just felt the rest of the book was lacking, because it took so long to get to the climax.

The audio version of the book was produced by Scholastic Audio and read by four different narrators, each representing the four main characters. Jenna Lamia reprises her role as Grace in the audio version, and does just as good a job as she did in Shiver. She is a talented and believable voice for Grace, and the narration is spot on. Pierce Cravens narrates the voice of Sam and does a wonderful job making Sam’s thoughts and dialogue sound convincing. Emma Galvin reads the role of Isabel and does a perfect job narrating Isabel’s edge, anger, attitude, and irritation at the events she sees unraveling around her. Finally Dan Bittner, who narrates Cole, performs a strong and convincing narration of the rock star turned wolf. Without the audio version, I might not have finished the book, but their voices and narration kept me interested throughout the novel. Original music from by the author rounds out the audio version, making it all the more enjoyable.

Overall I just felt that there was a lot of going nowhere in this book, and I realize that Stiefvater was building to the conclusion, but there was a lot of emotional baggage to slug through before you got there. It suffers from middle book syndrome, where you spend so much time building the story that you might lose your readers interest. I know that sometimes that has to be done, but it is unfortunate when the book is so slow. On the other hand, this book leads you right in to the third book, and believe me after finishing Linger you are going to want to know what happens next. It is just too bad, that the hook is so deeply buried in this novel, that you don’t feel it until the very end. Stiefvater manages to deliver a stunning conclusion to this novel that makes wading through the rest well worth it. I look forward to, and will definitely be picking up book 3.

Cautions for sensitive readers: Some violence, mild language, and discussion of drug use. Some gore.

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So what are your thoughts on Linger? Feel free to comment and disagree!:)

Book Review: Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready

2010-07-21T14:47:00.000-04:00

Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Everyone born after the Shift can see ghosts. Aura is no exception. She has used her ability to help them move on by working in her Aunt Gina’s lawfirm. Everything changes, when the love of her life dies and becomes a ghost. She loves Logan and doesn’t want him to move on, but keeping him here may be far more dangerous. It could make him turn Shade.

This book really surprised me. I was expecting another paranormal romance, and while that is what I got, I can honestly say I got so much more that I didn’t expect. In fact this book kind of left me with the feeling I had just finished a dystopian novel, even though isn’t exactly the right description for what this book is.

Shade was a fun book from the get go. Aura loves Logan and his death hits her hard. Her grief is believable, and the struggle for her to leave him behind and rejoin the living was fantastic. Jeri Smith-Ready does an admirable job of character development. We like Logan, we like Zachary, and we hate the thought that Aura must choose between the two.

I can’t explain exactly why I liked this book. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that it surprised me. I really wasn’t expecting the whole government involvement in the story and that took me off guard. As I said, I was expecting another paranormal romance, but it gave me so much more. For a girl who likes dystopias and conspiracies, this book had it all with the romance thrown in. My single complaint for this book is that it left too many strings dangling. I felt that too many of my questions were left unanswered and that make it difficult for this book to stand alone.

Those many unanswered questions however, will pave the way for its sequel, Shift in May of 2011. I will definitely be picking up the sequel, because I really want to know what is going to happen next.

Cautions for sensitive readers: Some violence, drinking, and drug use. Mentions of sex and mild language.

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Book Trailer: White Cat by Holly Black

2010-07-15T12:49:00.001-04:00

Do you like books by Holly Black? Check out the trailer for her newest title White Cat! Now available at KHCPL.

Book Review: The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella

2010-07-15T12:45:00.000-04:00

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella by Stephenie Meyer

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Bree lives in a home with several other newborn vampires. To call them a coven would be incorrect, since a coven would work together, and it seems like all the newborns do is work against each other. If it weren’t for her hiding place behind Fred, a newborn with unusual powers, she might not have survived so long, but self preservation is a strong instinct. Then one night hunting, she gets to know Diego, another new born who has begun to question things like she has, and she begins to think she might have finally found a friend. Just when she begins to puzzle out her new life, she is told that she has a terrible enemy who is coming for her.

In many ways, this novella had more appeal to me than any of the other Twilight saga novels. Bree was a tough character to like, but once you did, she is a hard character to forget. She is strong, smart, and desperate to survive. In many ways, she is also a better drawn character than you find in the original novels. You see her motivations, her desires, and her pain. Bree is a brilliantly developed character.

The other characters in this novella are not nearly as fully formed as Bree. Riley is a shadowy character at best, who speaks for the creator who Bree doesn’t remember. The other newborns are stereotypically savage and in turns stupid. Diego, is a little better developed, but we don’t spend enough time with him to fully flesh out his character. The one character I found myself wishing I could know more about was Fred.

Anyone who has read Eclipse knows where this novel will take us, but that doesn’t make the journey any less enjoyable. I really found myself wanting to read more of Bree and enjoying her story. I found this story to be better developed and thankfully missing much of the melodrama that was present in the other Twilight novels.

The audio version of this book was read by Emma Galvin, who does a superb job of narrating Bree’s story. She was clear, and believable as she voiced the newborn vampire Bree. I could easily imagine it was Bree telling her own story, and that is a mark of a good narrator.

Overall this was a fantastic addition to the Twilight saga and a must read for fans of the series. If you haven’t read the other books in the series, I am afraid this isn’t the place to start as some parts of the story will only make sense if you have read the other books.

Cautions for sensitive readers: Violence is present. No sex.

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New Week, New Teen SRC Giveaway!

2010-07-05T15:59:00.000-04:00

Enter to Win an ARC (Advanced Reading Copy) of The Clearing by Heather Davis.

From Goodreads.com:

Amy, a sixteen-year-old recovering from an abusive relationship, moves to the country to start a new life with her aunt–all she wants is for everything to be different. In the clearing at the back of Aunt Mae’s property, she makes an amazing discovery—Henry, a boy stuck in the endless summer of 1944. Henry and his world become Amy’s refuge and she begins to learn that some moments are worth savoring. But when the past and present come crashing together, both of them must find the courage to face what is meant to be, even if it means losing each other forever.

Giveaway rules:

You must be a KHCPL Library Patron.
You must fill out the following form: Enter Contest FORM
Four winners will be chosen randomly by Random.org.
Make sure you have your parent's permission before entering this contest.
Contest ends on Sunday July 11, 2010 at midnight.
Winners will be contacted on Monday July 12, 2010.
Questions or comments contact Melissa Wheelock (Teen Librarian) at mwheelock@khcpl.org

Book Review: Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien

2010-07-01T17:22:00.000-04:00

Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Gaia’s mother served the Enclave as a midwife, advancing three babies per month into the Enclave, forever separating them from their biological parents. Until one evening when she and Gaia’s father were arrested by guards of the Enclave. Gaia comes home that night after serving as a midwife and delivering her first baby to the Enclave, to discover her parents gone and an Enclave soldier waiting in her house. After questioning her about her mother and records her mother supposedly kept, he leaves, but her parents don’t return. Gaia has always served the Enclave well, but now she must risk everything to set her parents free. Little does she know...the Enclave is waiting.

I will admit to some difficulty writing about this book because my feelings are mixed. On a quality level this book is exceptional, but on a personal level I found this book a bit hard for me to get into. For some reason, it just wasn’t holding my interest in the beginning. After I got past the beginning and began to progress through the book, my interest grew and as I approached the end I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next.

I am glad that I endured, and finally finished Birthmarked because it is worth every effort. This book is dystopian fiction at its best. Gaia lives in a world where the poor live outside the wall and are subject to the laws and governance of the rich inside. Outside there a people who struggle to survive, and parents who must give up their newborns. Inside there are wealthy who want for nothing and raise children not their own. The poor don’t rebel because their own children live inside the Enclave, and some of their children serve in the Enclave guard.

O’Brien’s characterizations were excellent. Gaia is a well developed and likable character and you want to cry with her, when things go wrong. Gaia, who is scarred, is considered a “freak” both inside and outside the walls of the Enclave. According to them she is a girl who should be pitied because she is not perfect, but Gaia’s strength is that she is determined not to let her deformity hinder her. The other character who features heavily in this novel is Leon, who you don’t know quite as well and have doubt as to whether you can trust him. He too is an intriguing character. In Gaia’s world people aren’t always what they appear to be, and you don’t know who you can really trust.

In the end I would have to say that I liked this book. It was unpredictable both in vocabulary and in plotting events. You never knew where it was going to take you. Even at the end when I thought I knew the characters and could predict what they would do next, it never failed to take me by surprise.

Overall I would recommend this book to those who like dystopian fiction as a possible must read.

Cautions for sensitive readers: There is some violence in this book, but no language or sex. There are a couple of mildly bloody scenes when Gaia delivers babies.

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Book Review: Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey

2010-06-22T11:38:00.000-04:00

Hearts At Stake by Alyxandra Harvey

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Solange Drake’s sixteenth birthday is approaching, a birthday that will change her life forever. Unlike other girls who look forward to their sweet sixteen, Solange’s birthday worries her and her entire family. For on her sixteenth birthday, Solange will go through the bloodchange and if she survives she is prophesied to be the next queen of the vampires. Her survival isn’t a guarantee, after all her last brother to go through the blood change almost didn’t make it, and when assassins are out to kill you just because you were born as a female Drake your survival is precarious at best.

Fun, engrossing, light and fluffy are the four words that come to mind when I think of this book. Dialogue is one of Harvey’s strengths and the interaction between her characters is often fun and witty. I especially loved the relationship between Lucy and Nicholas better than the other storyline and even found myself wanting to flip forward to see what was going to happen with them. I am dying for more Lucy and Nicholas, and I hope we will see much more of them in the sequels.

Cautions for sensitive readers: It reads like a classic romance novel, but this book is tame enough for even sensitive readers without any sex and just a little kissing. You will find some mild profanity and violence, but for a vampire romance novel this book was very mild.

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When you finish Hearts at Stake don't forget to check out the sequel Blood Feud which was just released today 6/22/10!!! Not convinced? Watch the trailer for Blood Feud.

Giveaway!

2010-06-16T15:53:00.000-04:00

It is time for that 1st giveaway! I have four copies of D.J. MacHale's book Pilgrims of Rayne (Bk 8 in the Pendragon series).

To win:

You must be a KHCPL Library Patron.
You must fill out the following form: Enter Contest FORM
Four winners will be chosen randomly by Random.org.
Make sure you have your parent's permission before entering this contest.
Contest ends on June 30, 2010 at midnight.

Book Review: Prada and Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard

2010-06-14T15:16:00.000-04:00

Prada and Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“It is a truth, universally acknowledged, that a teen girl on a class trip to England should be having the time of her life” (pg. 1)

Callie is a self described clumsy, loser who can’t get any of her classmates to give her the time of day. It is the summer before her sophomore year and she is supposed to learning about London’s historic sites for European History next year, but she can’t seem to catch a break since her best friend Katie moved away last year. After a particularly embarrassing incident, Callie engages in some retail therapy and purchases a pair of red Prada pumps, hoping to redeem herself in the eyes of her classmates. Shortly after leaving the Prada store, Callie trips and wakes up in 1815. How is a loser from the 21st century supposed to get along in the year 1815? By pretending to be someone else of course!

Fifteen year-old Callie is a loveable and endearing character. I felt I knew Callie instantly. She is clumsy, awkward, and flawed, yet a character you just want to know and be friends with. Her antics are hilarious and the situations she gets into are a riot. Hubbard has done an excellent job with all of her characterizations, but Callie’s character is the true Gem. You find yourself cheering as she transforms from a self-conscious, uncertain teen to a confident young woman.

I found this book to be one of my favorite reads this year. I didn’t want it to end and longed to spend more time in 1815 with both Callie and Alex. This is a fantastic debut novel and one that is highly recommended.

Cautions for sensitive readers: None.

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Book Review: Whisperby Phoebe Kitanidis

2010-06-09T12:53:00.000-04:00

Whisper by Phoebe Kitanidis

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Since the age of three, when her sister first showed her how, Joy has been able to hear whispers. Whispers are people’s desires and wishes, the thoughts they think but don’t often express. Joy has always gone out of her way to try to give people around her their whispered wishes, but her sister Jessica isn’t as happy with her own ability to hear the whispers and goes out of her way to make people miserable by telling the truth they don’t want to hear. When Joy hears Jess whisper that she wants to kill her hearing and even kill herself if that is what it takes, Joy knows she has to save her sister at any cost.

This book has a little bit of everything. It has paranormal abilities, friendships, family, adventure, and even a touch of romance. I really like Joy’s growth throughout the novel as she discovers that not everything is as it appears to be and that sometimes she needs to think and act for herself. In the beginning Joy goes out of her way to make people happy even at her own expense. Slowly she discovers what Jessica has known, that even the best of friends may have selfish desires and thoughts. She comes to terms with the fact that she can’t make everyone happy all of the time and becomes stronger because of it.

One concern I had was that I thought having a young man enter the story with abilities similar to Joy’s was a bit of a stretch, but I did like Jamie, and in the end, was glad he made an appearance.

Overall I would say that this book is a fun fast read. I read it completely in two days, and am a very slow reader. If you can’t tell by the review, let me just say, that there isn’t much for me to say for this book. I liked it, it was entertaining, and a little different from some of the paranormal fiction out there. The ability to hear whispers was intriguing, but the best part was how Joy struggles to respond to those whispers. Joy does a lot of growing up in this short novel, and without hearing the whispers this could have been more of a coming of age story than a paranormal story.

Recommended for paranormal fans.

Cautions for sensitive readers: Some violence, no sexuality, some language.

View all my reviews

Book Review: Heist Society by Ally Carter

2010-06-07T12:34:00.000-04:00

Heist Society by Ally Carter

Katarina Bishop attempts to leave her old life of crime to attend a prestigious high school, but finds herself in the midst of a prank that leaves her expelled. With her failed con, she winds up back in the family business, “art distribution.” Kat’s best friend, Hale, convinces her to steal back a mobster’s prize art collection in order to save her father from unmentionable torture. Unfortunately, the art is being housed in the one museum that is impenetrable.

Heist Society takes off at lightning speed and doesn’t let up until the end. Then, it leaves you wanting more! The characters are people who are usually viewed with contempt, thieves, but Carter makes them endearing. The attempted caper becomes a background story for a girl rediscovering her family roots. However, the excitement comes from the impossible task of stealing back a priceless art collection in less than two weeks.

Usually, I have the unfortunate ability to see what is coming next in the story. I couldn’t do that with this book. The main characters traveled all over the world to gather a team and gadgets to pull off their heist. The relationships between the characters kept the book from becoming your typical mystery. A little bit of art history makes this story complete. I can’t wait to read another book by Ally Carter.

Guest Reviewer: Courtney Klueh, KHCPL South Children's Librarian

View all my review

Make a Splash Read: Summer Reading Club 2010

2010-06-04T12:57:00.000-04:00

Summer reading club starts Monday June 7th! Come into any library location to sign up! Don't forget you can earn extra prizes by filling out our YA Tic Tac Toe board. Following our blog, Twitter or Facebook pages will help you complete your Tic Tac Toe board so visit our sites, comment on them, and get those squares marked off your board.

Also stay tuned for more reviews for great summer books. All here on your KHCPL Teen Scene Blog, Twitter, and Facebook Pages.

For more information about Summer Reading Club, Programs, and Prizes visit our website!

SUMMER READING CLUB 2010 : Make A Splash - Read!

Book Review: After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick

2010-06-01T09:40:00.000-04:00

After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Jeffrey Alper has learned to live with cancer. He has passed the 5 year critical mark and now must face the challenges of being a normal 8th grader. Whatever that means? Jeffrey, Lindsey, the new girl in class from California, and Tad, also a cancer survivor, are friends that learn to work together for a common goal. Through their adventures, they learn to stand up for themselves as well as the ones they love. Together they learn to survive and start living again.

After Ever After by Jordan Sonneblick is a delightful book about 8th grader, Jeffrey Alper, a cancer survivor of 5 years, who now must face the challenges of being a normal 8th grader, a new girl in class from California who thinks he is cute and is a big distraction in science class, and a best friend, also a cancer survivor, who is plotting how to help Jeffrey pass the state standardized tests and graduate. Together they keep the reader turning pages to see what kind of mischief they will get into next.

The story is told from the point of view of Jeffrey who is not sure he is up to the challenges of 8th grade. Jeffrey’s older brother, Steven, was important to him as he was going through the challenges of fighting cancer but now has now moved to Africa, to ‘find’ himself. Jeffery often wishes he was around so he could talk to him.

The characters of this story become real as you get into the book. I felt the frustration Jeffrey feels when he has difficulty passing the state standardized tests. I wanted to help him study. However, it was a PE teacher who saw that he had the capability to get the job done that inspired him to keep trying along with his two friends, Lindsey and Tad. Both friends in their own way set out to help Jeffrey pass the state tests.

I enjoyed this book immensely! I would highly recommend it to everyone, young and old. I did not realize until after I had read the book that it is a sequel to Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie. The characters were realistic, loveable and unpredictable. The ending was not what I expected but it was very appropriate for the book. It could not have ended any other way after I thought about it. For a tender and funny story about the challenges of being 8th graders and dealing with friendship, this book is a great read.

Pat Heinig, Guest Reviewer

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Book Review: Reality Check by Peter Abrahams

2010-05-20T16:17:00.000-04:00

Reality Check by Peter Abrahams

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cody is almost 17. He is the quarterback on his high school football team, has a great girlfriend, and a wonderful summer job making more than minimum wage. For Cody, life is good, until his girlfriend Clea tells him she will be going to boarding school the following year, and at that point everything seems to fall apart. Cody breaks up with Clea, wreaks his knee and his football season, and then gives up on school. Just when things seem the worst, Cody finds out that Clea has disappeared from her New England boarding school, and no one can find her. Taking matters into his own hands, Cody travel across country and dives into the search for the one girl he loves.

Cody is a well developed and likable character whose relationship with his father is tenuous at best. He loves Clea, a fact you can see from the first pages of this book. You want to cheer for Cody’s persistence and his desire to find Clea.

Peter Abrahams is a master storyteller. Although a bit predictable at times, I did find this mystery to be gripping and engaging. You don’t want to put it down and are anxious to find out what happens. I think teens will like Cody and want to know what happens to him.
Cautions for sensitive readers: Some sex is mentioned in the text, but nothing is explicitly described—in fact I would say the book is very modest about the sexual relationship aspects. There is some strong language present that could offend sensitive readers, but it is used cautiously, and not that often. Violence is present in the text.

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Parents In Teen Lit: Why are they all so bad?

2010-05-20T11:49:00.000-04:00

You hear a lot of complaints these days about the absentee parents in YA lit. Not a new trend if you consider the theme of orphans in literature, but something that has good parents all riled up. As a parent myself, I will do everything in my power to make sure my son stays out of the situations that so many teen characters in today's lit find themselves in, but would there still be a story if the parents were hovering over their children in the stories? Would Grace in Shiver have been able to sneak Sam into her room if her parents did a bed check every night like my husband and I do (okay, my son is two so I am off the hook--for now)?

Sometimes it is the lack of parental supervision that lets the teens in these stories have the adventures they do. Why am I bringing up this topic now? Because Maggie Stiefvater (author of Shiver and the soon to be published sequel Linger) in her blog, The World According to Maggie, shares her opinion of this trend in YA lit. I found it interesting to see an author's point of view and it gives us something to think about. (Believe me, I have complained about the trend to, but I always have to ask myself, would there be a story if the teen had good, dutiful, parents?) Check it out!

Maggie's Inflammatory Blog Post About Parents in Books

What is your opinion of parents in YA books? How do you feel about what Maggie says in her posts. Just something to think about.

Linger Trailer by Maggie Stiefvater (Sequel to Shiver)

2010-05-12T09:00:00.000-04:00

Did you love Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver? Can't wait to find out more about the sequel Linger? Well here is a booktrailer from the author herself! Enjoy! Linger comes out July 20th! Place your hold on it today by clicking here: Request Linger

Book Review: Fallen by Lauren Kate

2010-05-10T17:51:00.001-04:00

Fallen by Lauren Kate

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Lucinda Price has seen shadows her entire life, dark twisting blackness that leaves disaster in its wake. It is because of the shadows that she is forced to go to Sword & Cross reform school, because she can’t remember exactly what happened to Trevor the night the shadows came. Now she finds herself living at Sword & Cross, with other “troubled” teens. It is there, at Sword & Cross, where she first sees him, a boy her own age who looks so startlingly familiar, Daniel. As she tries to get closer to Daniel, to discover how she knows him, the shadows too are moving closer to Luce and the people she cares for.

Fallen, from the very beginning, is both intriguing and enticing. It grabs you from the first page and propels you into an ages old struggle between good and evil. At each haunting turn you never know where this story will take you. It keeps you on the edge of your seat as the story progresses. Fallen is both romantic and intriguing. The ending left the reader wanting more, which leaves the door open for sequels. Torment the next installment is due out September 28, 2010 in the US. I will probably pick up the sequel since I enjoyed Fallen so much.

While I would classify this as paranormal romance, I think fans of the genre may find it a little lacking on the romance side. You feel the attraction between the characters, like you do in Twilight and maybe even Linger but unlike those, sometimes the relationship between the characters leaves you cold. You don’t see it; you don’t really feel it. If you are looking for the hot attraction you see in those books, you might what to try something else, because it just isn’t here in Fallen

The audio book is read by Justine Eyre who does an excellent job narrating the story. Her narration is the picture of clarity and is spot on for Luce and her schoolmates. The running time for the audio is just short of 11 hours and consists of 9 compact discs if listening on CD. It was the audio that propelled me through the tough, slow spots, and is an excellent way to enjoy this book.

Cautions for sensitive readers: Mild language and some violence are present in the novel. Mild kissing, but no sex.

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Book Review: Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

2010-05-04T11:58:00.000-04:00

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
In an instant, Prince Alek’s life changes forever. His father Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, and his mother are assassinated while visiting Serbia. On the run with a few of his father’s most trusted men, Alek seeks to escape from those who would kill him or make him a pawn.

Dylan Sharp, a young Midshipman aboard the Leviathan is more than he appears to be. Dylan is actually Deryn, a girl who longed to fly who disguises herself as a boy in order to enlist in the navy. When the Leviathan is attacked by the Germans and forced to crash land in Switzerland, Deryn meets a most unusual young Austrian who may or may not be her enemy.

In a world where Darwinist creations such as the whale of the Leviathan roam the skies, and Clanker machines walk on two, four, six, or even eight legs, you never know what will happen next.

Westerfeld refers to this book as being steampunk, a mixture of history, and science fiction. Where advanced technology may appear in an historical era. That is indeed the best description of what this novel is. It takes place right at the start of World War I, after the death of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife.

While the book was action packed, it did take a while to get used to the world Westerfeld has created. The book has interesting drawings to accompany the text which is helpful in visualizing the world Westerfeld created.

An audio version of this book is available in the teen book section. The audio is well done and very engaging. The only downside to listening to the audio is that you miss out on the interesting (and sometimes helpful) illustration that pepper the text. The illustrations help the reader visualize the machines, but even this did not detract from the quality and interest of the audio.

Overall, I felt this was an fascinating book, but I found the ending a bit abrupt. Since this is the first book in a series, I am anxious to see how this story will end. In some ways it reminded me of Eoin Colfer’s Airman, a book I also enjoyed. I just wish I had gotten more of a concrete ending to this book. I will pick up the next though, since I have to know what happens next.

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Book Review: Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

2010-04-28T17:19:00.000-04:00

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
After a love spell goes horribly wrong, Sophie Mercer is sent to live, at Hecate Hall. There she and other teen Prodigium, shape shifters, witches, and faeries, learn to use and control their powers so they don’t attract the attention of their mortal enemies. When Sophie arrives, she discovers that something more sinister is lurking inside the protected wall of Hecate Hall, something that will put lives in danger.

At first this book came across as a tamer version of P.C. Cast’s House of Night series mixed in with a little of Rowling’s Harry Potter. Readers may recognize parts of the books that will remind them of other favorite series that they are familiar with. Once past the initial pages, things begin to pick up and become a little more original.

Her characters are wonderful, especially Sophie and her roommate Jenna. Sophie’s naiveté and inability to control what comes out of her mouth when she starts speaking, provides us with a charming and likable heroine with a refreshing dose of humor. Hawkins writes with a wonderful sense of humor, and has some pretty good laugh out loud moments:

“Sophia Mercer, “ Elodie intoned, “we have come to induct you into our sisterhood. Say the five words to begin the ritual.”
I blinked at her. “Are you freaking kidding me?”
Anna gave an exasperated sigh. “No, the five words are, ‘I accept your offer sisters.’” (pg 92)

I like that this book made me laugh, and since it picked up towards the end, I may definitely have to give the sequel a shot. Yes this is the first book in a projected Hex Hall series, and I think that it will be interesting to see where Hawkins will take us next.

Cautions for sensitive readers: This book had all the fun of House of Night without the mature content. No language, some violence, and very mild sexuality.

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NOW ON ORDER! The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa sequel to The Iron King

2010-04-22T14:57:00.000-04:00

Haven't read The Iron King yet? Here is a taste of the book that should get you interested!

Already read The Iron King? Then get your hold in on The Iron Daughter due out 8/1/2010 by clicking here.

Help Name KHCPL's New Teen Room!

2010-04-20T16:31:00.000-04:00

The building remodel is right on schedule, but we need your help! We need a new name for the teen room in the remodeled library. Currently, our teen room is called the Teen Scene, but if you have a better idea, we want to hear it! Submit your suggestions either in the comments below or by emailing me at mwheelock@khcpl.org! Your suggestion could be our new name!!! Hurry and send us your suggestions now!

YALSA Announces 2010 Teens Top Ten Nominations!

2010-04-15T16:45:00.000-04:00

The new nominations list for the 2010 Teens Top Ten Award has been released. So far I have read 10 of the nominees. They all look great though and several are on my "To Read" list. Check out the list and let me know how many you have read!

2010 Teens’ Top Ten Nominations

Book Review: Tantalize Cynthia Leitich Smith

2010-04-14T12:04:00.001-04:00

Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Quincie Morris has a lot on her mind. Since the death of her parents three years ago, Quincie and her Uncle Davidson have been running the family restaurant Fat Lorenzo’s. With the completion taking away business they decided to change the restaurant into Sanguini’s, a restaurant built around a vampire theme. When the head chef, and good friend Vaggio is murdered in the restaurant kitchen, Quincie’s best friend, Kiernan, a hybrid werewolf and the boy of her dreams, warns her that real vampires may be involved. While the police investigate Kiernan and the werewolf connection, Quincie must get the restaurant ready for its grand reopening, and hope that whoever killed Vaggio doesn’t come back for her.

Cynthia Leitich Smith did an excellent job with her characters and her plotting. I can’t believe how fast I was drawn into this novel. While it still suffers from the Twilight vampire and werewolf phenomenon, it was still interesting and unique.

Recommended for those who like paranormal fiction, vampires, and werewolves.

Cautions for sensitive readers: Some violence, some sexuality although no sexual descriptions are in the book. Mild language.

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Book Review: Snap by Carol Snow

2010-04-14T12:02:00.000-04:00

Snap by Carol Snow

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Preppy and pampered Madison Sabatini has just about everything going for her. She got the job as photographer for her school newspaper, she has great friends, great clothes, and she is going on a Hawaiian vacation on her summer break with enough time left at the end of the summer to come home for the newspaper’s pool party. That is, until her parents cancel the trip and inform her that they are going to Sandyland instead. She suspects something is up with her parents, her dad isn’t talking much and her mother has been angry a lot lately. They seem to be keeping secrets from her. Then her prized camera begins to capture images that aren’t there in real life. Images of people who later suffer tragedies. Now Madison has a secret of her own, one she can only share with her new friends at the Psychic Photo store in town. Can she figure out what’s wrong with her parents and solve the mystery of her camera before it is too late?

A quick read for someone looking for light paranormal stories or semi-realistic fiction. It has the feel of a Sarah Dessen novel with paranormal circumstances.

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Book Review: The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

2010-04-08T11:04:00.001-04:00

The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Gabry lives in the protected town of Vista with her mother, Mary. She has always known safety in her small quiet town until one night when she and some of her friends decide to cross the barrier that protects Vista from the Mudo, the walking dead, on the outside. Although Gabry doesn’t want to cross the barrier she goes anyway to win the love of her best friend’s brother, Catcher. Only things don’t turn out as the teens expect, and when tragedy strikes, Gabry would give anything to go back to that moment before she crossed the barrier.

This sequel to The Forest of Hands and Teeth was exciting and action packed. There were times when my heart was racing because I didn’t know what would happen next. This book was so unpredictable, the narrator so indecisive that I had no clue where the book would take me next. I liked Gabry, but felt that she needed to reevaluate some of the choices she has made. She finds herself facing danger around every turn as her once quiet and safe life unravels around her. But it is her decision making (whether good or bad) that makes this novel such an unpredictable delight.

Cautions for sensitive readers: There is quite a bit of violence in this book. There is no language or sex.

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Winner!

2010-04-05T18:32:00.001-04:00

The winner of the Heist Society ARC has been contacted. Thank you to everyone who has particpated. Keep watching for more giveaways in the future!

Book Review: The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

2010-04-05T18:05:00.000-04:00

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
When Violet Ambrose was eight years old she found the remains of a human corpse. Violet has been able to find the dead her entire life. She senses echoes off both the dead and those who are responsible for their deaths. When a serial killer starts targeting teens in her area, Violet sets out to use her ability to find the murderer. What she doesn’t plan on is that as she gets closer to the killer, the killer gets closer to her.

Part romance, part paranormal fiction, part mystery, this book has a little for everyone. Although it has a few slow spots, the mystery and the romance pull you through the book. Violet’s abilities are unique. She can sense, visual, auditory, olfactory, or even taste echoes off both the dead and those responsible for their deaths. It was an interesting twist to see a character who senses violent deaths, rather than ghosts. The romance with her best friend was realistically portrayed and appropriately awkward at times. But my favorite parts of the book were the chapters from the killer’s point of view, which were riveting and kept me engaged. In fact, I found myself wanting to flip forward to find the next chapter from the killer’s point of view. (I was good and didn’t skip to those chapters, but boy did I want to.)

Overall this was a fun and entertaining read. Derting has created a highly enjoyable debut novel. I would recommend this to fans of paranormal fiction, romance, and mystery. The sequel, Desires of the Dead is scheduled to be released in 2011.)

Cautions for sensitive readers: While you know girls are being murdered, there are no gruesome descriptions. There is some drinking at a party and an incident where an intoxicated young man makes unwanted advances on Violet.

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Giveaway! Enter By 5pm Today!

2010-04-02T10:29:00.000-04:00

Only a few more hours left to enter for your chance to win one free Advanced Reading Copy of Heist Society by Ally Carter. To win you must send me an email by 5pm today--Friday April 2nd.

Send email to mwheelock@khcpl.org

Email must inclued which branch you would like to pick the book at if you win.

Entries open only to KHCPL library patrons who have a library card.

I will contact the winner on Monday by email. Good Luck!

Book Review: This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer

2010-04-01T10:59:00.000-04:00

This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer

My expectations were VERY high when I went to read this book. I truly loved the first book in this series, which centered around a girl named Miranda and her family dealing with the aftermath of a natural disaster involving a meteor hitting the moon. I liked the second book as well, which was about a young man named Alex and his family dealing with the same situation. In this book, the two families meet and form relationships. Miranda and Alex end up liking each other as well.

While I really liked the concept of knowing what happened next for the characters of those books, I was ultimately quite disappointed with the merging of the two storylines. I didn’t find the idea of Miranda and Alex falling for each other believable at all. There wasn’t enough attention given to the developing of that “love story”. And once again in this series, the story doesn’t completely wrap up completely in the end, so I have to wonder if she’s planning on writing a fourth installment.

It was still very interesting to contemplate the continued repercussions of the natural disaster, however. So while I feel that the books lessened in quality as the series went on, I don’t think they are a waste of time by any means! All in all I would still very much recommend reading this series, simply because the concept is just so gripping and thought-provoking.

Cautions for sensitive readers: Some gruesome descriptions of the dead and indications of violence. No sex or foul language.

Guest reviewer: CW

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Book Review: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

2010-03-30T15:43:00.000-04:00

Th1rteen R3asons Why by Jay Asher

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
“I hope you’re ready, because I’m about to tell you the story of my life. More specifically, why my life ended. And if you’re listening to these tapes, you’re one of the reasons why.”

When Clay Jenson first receives the unmarked package in the mail he is excited wondering what it is and thinking he might have received something interesting. When he opens it to discover the collection of cassette tapes, he is puzzled, wondering who would send a collection of seven audiotapes labeled 1-13 to him. When he puts the first tape into the cassette player, he discovers that they contain that story of a dead girl. The story of Hannah Baker who committed suicide two weeks before.

As Clay Jenson listens to Hannah’s last words he finds out things that will make his whole world turn upside down. Some secrets are meant to stay secrets, because when they are revealed they have the power to tear you apart.

I don’t know where to start with this book. I have read many really good books lately, but this one was outstanding. I remember reading a review for the book last year and thinking I needed to pick this one up, but I never got around to it until recently. I wish I had read it sooner. This book was fabulous.

I did listen to the audio format of this book, and felt that the format fit the style of the book. You are supposed to be listening to Hannah’s last words and her story, and by listening to the audio you feel like you are listening to her. In the book, Hannah’s words are italicized, but in the audio format we have a female narrator, Deborah Wiseman, being the voice of Hannah Baker. Likewise, Clay Jenson is voiced by Joel Johnstone.

Wiseman’s narration of Hannah is spot on. You can sense the anger in her voice and ultimately the helplessness and her circumstances overwhelm her. Joel Johnstone, does a good job voicing Clay’s confusion at getting the tapes, and his fondness for Hannah.

The story is remarkable no matter what format you choose. It demonstrates how little you can really know the people around you, and the secrets that they keep. This book was all about secrets, and how secrets can hurt you.

Highly recommended.

Cautions for sensitive readers: Obviously one the main characters of this story committed suicide, but the tapes are played to Clay after the fact.

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Big Stephenie Meyer's News from USA Today

2010-03-30T13:03:00.000-04:00

For all those who love Twilight, Stephenie Meyer will be releasing a novella The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella on June 5th at 12:01 am. Find out more in this article from USA Today!

Meyer grants Twilight saga's Bree Tanner a 'Second Life'

Don't worry, we will order it as soon as it is available.

Giveaway! Heist Society by Ally Carter

2010-03-30T09:40:00.000-04:00

Giveaway! Giveaway! Giveaway! I promised last week a giveaway is coming soon and here it is! One free ARC copy of Heist Society by Ally Carter is now available to some lucky winner. All requests have to be to me by 5pm on Friday April 2nd. You must email me at mwheelock@khcpl.org to win, have a library card, and specify what library location you would like to pick the book up at if you win. Good Luck!

Book Review: Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve

2010-03-29T16:07:00.000-04:00

Title: Fever Crumb
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication Date: 4/1/2010
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian Futures
ARC recieved from Scholastic via Goodreads First Reads.

Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Fever Crumb is the only girl in the Order of Engineers. In fact, she was raised by a member of the order, Dr. Crumb who found her as an infant, and deemed that it was only rational that he raise her. So fever has learned to be rational, to think like an engineer, and assist Dr. Crumb. When an archeologist by the name of Kit Solent request that Fever help him on his current dig, things for Fever change dramatically.

Meanwhile to the north of the city a movement of nomads threatens London agitating the people and setting everyone on edge. In a city where suspicion and fear run rampant, Fever is an oddity and a throwback that reminds people of the Scriven, the cruel rulers that the people of London overthrew a few years back. When she becomes the hunted, she must find a way to secure safety for herself in an unpredictable world.

I haven’t read the Hungry City Chronicles by Philip Reeve, but this book is just the enticement I needed to encourage me to do so. After reading Fever Crumb I want to know more about the remarkable world Reeve has created in his previous books where whole cities travel from place to place swallowing up smaller cities and villages in their wake.

Fever Crumb is a treasure trove of fiction. Reeve’s character are well constructed and well rounded. I even find myself liking one of the potential villains Bagman Creech. The author’s descriptions and world building is fantastic. You can feel the paranoia of the common people, as well as the fear, corruption, and instability of their government. London was waiting to riot again and Fever is an unintentional catalyst for a dynamic chain reaction.

Well written and enjoyable. I can’t wait to go out and read Mortal Engines now that I have finished Fever Crumb!

Cautions for sensitive readers: Some violence.

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Book Review: The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

2010-03-24T15:15:00.000-04:00

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Not since Alice went down the rabbit hole, or Dorothy flew over the rainbow, has there been a book so exciting. Iron King is a wonderful fantasy adventure that takes us into Nevernever, the heart of myths and fantasies, where danger lurks behind every turn. This book was too good to put down, as our heroine escapes one perilous situation only to stumble into more trouble at the next turn. Iron King has something for everyone; action, adventure, danger, friendship, and forbidden romance.

Tired of her life on a pig farm, Mehgan Chase looks forward to her sixteenth birthday, when she hopes getting her drivers permit might add some excitement to her dreary life. When she comes home and discovers her brother, Ethan, has been kidnapped by faeries and replaced with a dangerous changeling, Meghan gets more excitement than she had bargained for, as she resolves to save Ethan from the faeries who have captured him. After her only true friend, Robbie, reveals to her that he is actually the mythical Puck or Robin Goodfellow of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, Meghan enlists his help to venture into Nevernever to save her brother. As Meghan embarks on the adventure of a lifetime, she has no idea what dangers and revelations she will soon face.

There have been a lot of faery books published lately, and most focus on faeries interacting and living in our world. It was refreshing to see a book that dares to venture into fairyland, and the resulting story is top notch. Kagawa created a world where creatures of myth and legend roam, and what you say and the deals you make can have serious consequences.

My one criticism would be that the story’s climax came too swiftly. The entire story had been building towards this confrontation, but it was over in a matter of a few pages. The ending was a bit of a letdown after all the dangers and obstacles they face trying to get to the climax, but the journey to get there could not have been better. This quick ending may be partially due to the fact that this is the first book in a series, but still I feel with the time I invested in this novel I should have gotten more from the climax than the few pages it was given.

Still this was a fun and entertaining read and I find myself lamenting the fact that I have to wait another five whole months for the next installment in the series. I am anxious to see where Kagawa will go with the next book. Overall I found this book to be a very pleasant surprise. If you are looking for something to tide you over while you wait for the next installment, you might try Carrie Jone’s books Need and Captivate or the Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr. The next book, The Iron Daughter is due out in August 2010.

Cautions for sensitive readers: Mild use of swearing and some violence. There is no sex though.

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So You Think You Can Cook Teen Cooking Contest Winners

2010-03-23T11:00:00.000-04:00

A big thanks to all of our contestants who participated in our Teen So You Think You Can Cook Teen Cooking Contest on March 18th at KHCPL South. The food was truly wonderful and it was extremely difficult for us to choose our winners. We hope that you all keep perfecting your cooking skills and return for our next cooking contest. Here are our winners and our wonderful contestants!

Crowd Favorite Winner!

Solomon D.

Recipe: Dragon Chicken and Rice

STAFF FAVORITE WINNER

Nitin S.

Recipe: Crazy Burritos

Our Other Extremely Talented Contestants

Ariana G.

Recipe: Ariana's Cheesecake Cupcakes

Katherine R.

Recipe: Sweet and Sour Kielbasa

Ian R.

Recipe: Ian's Turtle Brownies

Haley F.

Recipe: No-cup Cupcakes

Rachel M.

Recipe: Double-Delight Peanut Butter Cookies

Angelina G.

Recipe: Chocolate Turtle Torte

Adeel A.

Recipe: Samosas

Ross C.

Recipe: Cheese and Peas with Rice

Nitosha S.

Recipe: Crazy Chicken

Book Review: The Maze Runner by James Dashner

2010-03-18T16:49:00.001-04:00

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
When Thomas first wakes up he finds himself in a metal box moving upward. He only remembers his name, not his parents, where he came from, or any other details. Then the box opens and he arrives in the Glade where a bunch of teenage boys who also have selective amnesia greet him and introduce him to his new life in the center of a large maze.

For two years the Gladers, all boys, have attempted to solve the maze and find a way out, but without any success. A special elite group of Gladers, called runners, court a gruesome death everyday in a maze that is patrolled by mechanical monsters called Grievers. The Gladers have created a society where they keep order by making sure everyone takes part in providing for the needs of those living in the glade. There are those that raise animals for food, those who garden, those who build, those who cook and those who clean up. Thomas must now find his place among the Gladers, but he can’t shake the feeling that he remembers this place.

Then one day, a girl arrives and everything changes. Thomas must look deep into himself to find a way out of the maze once and for all.

At first I found this book thoroughly frustrating. The reader and Thomas have a million questions, yet everyone refuses to answer them. At points I found myself wanting to throw the book across the room, because I felt like I was getting nowhere. As the story progresses, you still don’t get many of the answers you want, but it gets more bearable when you discover that none of the characters have all the answers and that Thomas has more answers and knowledge than most.

This book is action packed and extremely fast paced. There is danger around every corner and even the Glade isn’t safe. Thomas can be a difficult character to like at times, but you do have to admire his boldness. Many of the other characters were interesting and I think I would have enjoyed hearing more from Newt and Minho. It was nice that Thomas had to realize, through the other Gladers, that the solutions they sought were not that easy to come by. In fact the others often reminded him that if the solution was simple they would have found it already.

This was an engrossing, action packed read. Recommended for fans of action books, mysteries, and dystopian futures.

Cautions for sensitive readers: First the obvious, this book is very violent. The Grievers are terrifying and merciless and sometimes the Gladers themselves are violent. There is no sex at all in the book. As for offensive language, the author chose to make up his own types of swear words, so you will often see the word “klunk” used where you would normally see a foul word.

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Book Review: Dirty Little Secrets by C. J. Omololu

2010-03-16T11:56:00.000-04:00

Dirty Little Secrets by C.J. Omololu

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“That was the trouble with secrets—the lies you had to tell to keep them hidden almost made you feel worse than telling the truth. Almost” (pg. 14).

Everyone has secrets about their life or their families that they don’t want to share. Things that you keep close and hope that no one ever finds out, for fear they might judge you harshly. Lucy’s secret is one she has been keeping for years. It has kept her from having friends, and from inviting people to her house. From the outside she and her family look normal, but on the inside is a different matter.

Lucy’s mother is a hoarder. She keeps everything and doesn’t clean anything. For years her mother has said that it is Lucy’s fault because she doesn’t pick up after herself, but if Lucy were to touch any of her mother’s precious treasures, Lucy’s mother would be very displeased. When Lucy had the audacity to clean her room so she had her own refuge from the junk infesting the house, Lucy’s mother took it as a personal insult. No one can come in. No one can repair the broken furnace, or the broken water heater. No one can witness their terrible secret. Then the unthinkable happens and Lucy must find a way to keep her secret safe.

This is a fascinating book. It is on a subject that we hear of on the news or from other sources, but it often isn’t a subject that we talk about much. It was interesting to hear the story from the point of view of a teen living in the mess and desperately trying to keep the family secret. She is surrounded by a situation that seems hopeless, though she doesn’t give up trying to protect herself from disaster.

The book is well written. I liked how the chapters, with the exception of the first, mark time from 9:00am the first morning to 5:35 am the next, and as the time passes, you can feel Lucy’s desperation grow. The reader is given a window into Lucy’s life, and the difficulties she has had living with a mother who hoards everything. My one criticism would be that although you are told this story from Lucy’s point of view, it somehow lacked the emotional impact you would think it should have. I felt distanced from Lucy’s emotions, but perhaps that is because she is distanced from them herself. Still I think she should have reacted more strongly than she did to a few of the events in the book.

With the glut of vampire, dating, and fantasy books being published for teens, this book is refreshingly different, tackling a topic that is not often discussed in teen literature. In the Acknowledgements, the author includes a website that will help people who find themselves in Lucy’s situation.

Cautions for sensitive readers: There is no sex, language, or violence in this book although there is a small amount of drinking at a party.

View all my reviews >>

New Teen Books On Order!

2010-03-12T17:33:00.000-05:00

These books were ordered today. Get your holds in so you can be the first to enjoy these great titles!

Andromeda Klein by Frank Portman (sequel to King Dork)
Facing Bipolar: The Young Adult's Guide to Dealing with Bipolar Disorder by Russ Federman and J. Anderson Thomson, Jr.
Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George
Kiss of Death by Rachel Caine (Morganville Vampires #8)
Spells by Aprilynne Pike (sequel to Wings)
Perchance to Dream by Lisa Mantchev (sequel to Eyes Like Stars)
Last Night I Sang to the Monster: A Novel by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Liar by Justine Larbalestier

Novel Notes and Teen News: Your Source for Teen Book Information and Other Teen News 3/12/10

2010-03-12T16:04:00.000-05:00

Book of the Week Spotlight

When fifteen-year-old Cathy decides to carpool from Norwalk to tony Greenwich, Connecticut, to study Latin in summer school, she does not expect the shocking events that occurred five years earlier to suddenly come flooding back into her relatively settled life.

Future Releases

They have finally come out with a title for the sequel to Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. The sequel, titled Beautiful Darkness, is due to be released on 10/28/2010.

Find out more about Beautiful Creatures here:

http://gatlincounty.ning.com/

(Just a reminder though, it is too early for us to order this item since our vendors don't even have it listed yet. As soon as it is available it will be ordered. Count on it!)

Young Adult Lit Not Just for Young Adults Anymore!

Believe it or not, adults are finding Young Adult literature irresistable. I have to admit, I read Young Adult lit, not just because it is my job, but because I find it so much more enjoyable than many of the books being published for adults. In my opinion, I believe that the quality in young adult books is superior to those written for adults and so much more entertaining. Some of my favorite books are young adult and always have been (Hunger Games by Collins, Graceling by Cashore, Incarceron by Fisher, Airman by Colfer, Song of the Lioness Quartet series by Pierce--just to name a few). It seems that I am not alone. At least once a week I am asked by adults for teen books such as Twilight, Harry Potter, even Hunger Games. If you were to survey the staff, I think you might find that many of them are seeking out YA lit to read for themselves. You would certainly be surprised by the number die hard Twilight fans we have here. Apparently this isn't just a local phenomenon, or solely the results of me running to my coworkers and saying "You have to read this book it's GREAT!" Check out this article from the Los Angeles Times where reporter Susan Carpenter reports about this phenomenon:

Young Adult Lit Comes of Age

Eclipse Movie Trailer

2010-03-11T14:41:00.000-05:00

Stephenie Meyer's Eclipse comes out in theaters on June 30, 2010. In the meantime, you can check out the book at the library or one of our Twilight read alikes. Enjoy the trailer!

Book Review: By the Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters and GIVEAWAY!!!

2010-03-10T10:54:00.000-05:00

Two book reviews in one week! Wow, I must be on a roll. I admit this one took me a while to get through, not because it is a long book, but because it is such a serious book, and something that made me think.

By The Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Daelyn has been the victim of bullies all her life, and now, for the third time she seeks to end it once and for all. To end her pain and suffering, Daelyn has tried to commit suicide at least twice, but now with the help of a website, Through-the-Light, she hopes that she will finally be able to succeed. After her last attempt left her with no voice and in a neck brace, Daelyn is trapped in her own world of silence, while she attempts to withdraw from both her parents and her life. Although her parents and psychologist try to reach her, Daelyn is emotially distant from everyone around her until a young man, name Santana attempts to reach out to her. Will he be able to bring her back, or is it already too late for Daelyn?

I am not sure what I want to say about this book. Daelyn recounts the experiences she faced as an overweight child, and how she was bullied in several different environments. She never stood up for herself, or had anyone stand up for her. Even her parents were blind to see her pain. Yet I had difficulty seeing her as a truly suicidal teen. I think this may come from the fact that Daelyn is emotionally closed throughout the book. She is emotionally closed to the other characters of the book as well as to the reader. So you don’t feel the reasons behind the suicide attempts.

Although the story is a first person narrative, the author tells you what happened to her more than shows you, so there is a serious emotional disconnect that leaves you unsympathetic to the narrator, which can be a fatal flaw in a novel such as this. I believe the reader would have been more sympathetic to Daelyn’s plight if they could have felt or better understood pain. In a sense the emotional disconnect of the character was a double edged sword, it worked both for and against the author’s intent in this book. While it made it difficult for readers to understand Daelyn’s motives, it did allow us to see when she finally experiences the chink in her armor with Santana.

While I feel the book could have been better written, I believe that the book is timely and is something that needs to be discussed with teens. All over the news you hear about teen bullying and even suicides as the result. It is an important topic that needs to be discussed.

Sure there are mistakes that Daelyn made, she didn’t speak up for herself or point out her bullies, but there were mistakes made by her parents, the schools, the therapist, and of course the bullies. It seemed like everyone had their eyes closed to what was happening to Daelyn and no one ever asked her to explain to them what the issues were until it was too late. Now she feels like nothing they do will change her mind, and she doesn’t even want to reach out to them.

It is important to discuss bullying. It is happening and a new kind of bullying has emerged cyberbullying. Perhaps more book like this and Jay Asher’s Thirteen Reasons Why are needed to bring this issue of bullying into the light where we can actually talk about it.

At the end of the book, you will find discussion questions and more information on suicide and bullying. It also includes a list of suicide warning signs. The end matter is essential and a good resource for those looking for more information. For more books on this topic, readers might read Jay Asher’s novel Thirteen Reasons Why or you might try the nonfiction book Letters to a Bullied Girl: Messages of Healing and Hope by Olivia Gardner where two teens decided to help a bullied girl by sending her letters of hope.

Cautions for sensitive readers: This is a very delicate and sensitive topic, but made more so by the fact that the website listed in the book give methods of suicide that the sensitive reader may find disturbing. This is definitely a good book to sit down and discuss after reading.

ARC courtesy of Ingram Library Services.

View all my reviews >>

Now for the GIVEAWAY!!!

I am giving away an ARC (Advanced Reading Copy/Uncorrected Proof) of the book By the Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters. To win this book, you must have a Kokomo-Howard County Public Library card. To enter the contest, you may respond in the comments or email me at mwheelock@khcpl.org with the name your library card is under, your email address, and the branch where you would like to pick up the book. Winner will be chosen at random.

Book Review: Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

2010-03-08T15:50:00.000-05:00

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
First off, let me say that this book is a bit hard to describe. It is a unique fantasy/sci fi book that takes place in two worlds. First there is the world of Incarceron, the cruel prison that watches all the prisoners, recording their lives, and in some cases causing their deaths. Then there is the world outside of Incarceron, where although the people appear to be free, they are actually confined by the Era. Everything must be in Era. Everything not in Era is illegal. Although the more wealthy may have such modern conveniences as washing machines, everything must be scrupulously concealed so that it appears to be an Era centuries in the past.

Finn is a prisoner in Incarceron, and though everyone states that no one ever comes from outside the prison and many believe that outside doesn’t exist, Finn knows he has seen the stars and was not born in Incarceron. Finn’s memories are full of holes, and on occasions he gets flashes of things not from Incarceron. He longs to find out more, and to find a way out of the prison. When a woman in the prison mentions a key, Finn believes he may have found a way out.

Claudia is the daughter of the Warden of Incarceron, a formidable and scheming man. Her father has arranged for her to marry Caspar, who will one day be King. Claudia longs to be free of her engagement with the sniveling Caspar, and longs to be free of the confinements of the Era. She also seeks Incarceron, her father’s best kept secret. Although she knows the prison exists, she doesn’t know where it is. She doesn’t even have proof of the prison’s existence, until she finds a key and ends up communicating with a young man named Finn.

The dichotomy of the book is interesting. You have two separate worlds, a world that appears to be perhaps 17th century and a prison world that is a technological machine governed by what appears to be an artificial intelligence. In both worlds you can see that the society is more technologically advanced than we are now, but the outside, where Claudia lives, does its best to make you think time has stopped somewhere in an era past. Meanwhile, inside the prison, you see how the technology has been integrated into the bodies and lives of the prisoners.

I have to say that I like this book from the very beginning. It was gripping and I didn’t want to put it down. It is probably one of the most original fantasy novels I have read in a long time. Both Finn and Claudia were likable characters struggling to survive in their own prisons. Incarceron was not only a setting for the book, but a character. It is a scary unpredictable place. It watches you, knows you and interacts with you. Incarceron will try to bend you to its will or it may just destroy you.

In the end, I found myself wanting to know more about the prison’s intelligence and how it became what it did. You also find you self wanting to know more about the other characters, like Claudia’s father, and the Queen. The book leaves you wanting more, so I hope that the sequel due out in 2011 will address some of these questions.

This is definitely a favorite for me. Highly recommended.

Cautions for sensitive readers: There is some violence in the book.

View all my reviews >>

Novel Notes and Teen News: Your Source for Teen Book Information and Other Teen News 3/4/2010

2010-03-04T16:17:00.000-05:00

Teens Can Make A Difference

Check out this great interview in School Library Journal about a teen who is making big things happen in Rwanda!

WA Teen Helps Build School Libraries in Rwanda

Avalon High by Meg Cabot Will Be a Disney Channel Original Movie

Probably my favorite of all of Meg Cabot’s books is going to be a movie. This has me both excited and concerned because I am afraid of what changes they will make to her wonderful story (T*Witches anyone?). Read all about Meg Cabot’s exciting news on her website.

Movie Rights to Incarceron by Catherine Fisher have been Purchased by Fox

This is probably my favorite book since Hunger Games. Incarceron (book review forthcoming) is the story of two teens. Finn inside the prison of Incarceron, and Claudia, trapped in a prison of her own on the outside. It has been a book that I am loath to put down. It is filled with fabulous writing and descriptive imagery. I am so excited to see this as a movie, since the book itself evokes such wonderful and fantastic images in my imagination that I can actually picture this as a movie. I only hope that they don't make too many changes because Fisher's book is outstanding and very "visual" as it is. Read about the movie at Variety.com.

Fox wins bidding war for 'Incarceron': Studio picks up dystopian jail tale

It's Back for 2010! SLJ's Battle of the Kid's Books

Last year our winner for the best book of 2009 went to Suzanne Collin's fantastic book Hunger Games. Who will win this year's competition? Check out the competitors and the judges by following along this year. Don't forget to vote for your favorites so you can resurrect them from the discard pile!

Battle of the Kids' Books 2010 - More Bodacious Than Ever!
Battle of the Kid's Books 2010 New Arena

Check Out This Contest on Presenting Lenore

2010-03-02T09:13:00.000-05:00

All through the month of February the blog Presenting Lenore has reviewed different titles in dystopian fiction. Visit her blog to find some fabulous reviews and enter her contest for your chance to win some dystopian fiction of your own. Just click on the following link for more details:

Dystopian February Survey & 3 Mega Prize Packs!

Novel Notes and Teen News: Your Source for Teen Book Information and Other Teen News 2/26/10

2010-02-26T15:51:00.000-05:00

New Books on Order

The order for the following books was just placed today. Get your holds in so you can be the first to read these great books!

Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve a prequel to the Hungry City Chronicles
Rough Magic by Caryl Cude Mullin
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
The Line by Teri Hall
Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness the third book in the Chaos Walking series
Little Miss Red by Robin Palmer
Linger by Maggie Stiefvater
And more…

Featured Book of the Week

Dirty Little Secrets by C. J. Omololu

Everybody has secrets, some are just dirtier than others. Lucy does everything she can to keep people away from her home. Inside she has a secret that she will do anything to keep people from discovering. Her mother is a hoarder. She keeps everything—shoes, papers, newspapers, she doesn’t throw anything away. As a result their house is a mess with only little paths for Lucy and her mother to move through. So far, Lucy has managed to keep her secret, but when the unthinkable happens, Lucy must find a way to keep the world from finding out her dirty little secret.

Book Rating Controversy from Barnes and Noble

This week Meg Cabot posted a link on her twitter account to an ongoing discussion about Barnes and Noble’s website, www.bn.com, using ratings from Common Sense Media (http://www.commonsensemedia.org/) on their book listings. Since that time the blogosphere has been discussing the pros and cons of using those ratings on the site. Common Sense Media(CSM)is a great site for finding out about potential concerns in books, it usually evaluates the books fairly and impartially, while listing both pros and cons for the book. It does have its flaws, but it can be a useful tool for people concerned about things they are reading. What has concerned many authors, like Meg Cabot and Sarah Dessen, is that B&N isn’t using the whole entries from CSM. They are only displaying the age rating and the negatives about the books. Check out this article from Publisher’s Weekly:

Common Sense Raises Issues at B&N: Authors and Librarians Object to Book Ratings on Retailer's Web Site

Talk Back: What do you think of the rating systems for teen books?

Book Review: If I Stay by Gayle Forman

2010-02-20T11:00:00.000-05:00

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
For a long time I did everything I could to avoid any book with a sad or even depressing story. As a rule I still turn to books that I know will end happily or at least not leave me in tears. I have never been a Lurlene McDaniel fan and in fact have always wondered at the devotion of her readers—the ones who can’t get enough of her sad romance stories. I’m not really sure why I picked up this book. It really didn’t fall into the categories I usually choose, but for some reason I have wanted to read this book for a long while.

If I Stay is an emotional roller coaster. One minute you are smiling and laughing, loving the main character, Mia and her family, and the next you are crying because of all she has lost. On a snowy day in Oregon, Mia and her family go on a drive that ends in heartache. She finds herself thrown out of her body as a result of an horrific car accident and left with the choice to live with a loss that will change her life forever or to die.

Mia’s family and friends are touchingly and memorably portrayed. The story smoothly transitions between where Mia is now, and her touching memories of her family and friends. The characters are well rounded and real and love between them and the difficulty of the decisions they make are palpable.

This book made me both laugh and cry. It gave be a better appreciation for a good tearjerker. As I read the book it made me think about my family and what is important to me, and how I would feel if I were in Mia’s position. While I won’t go out of my way to find tearjerkers from now on, I must say I was really impressed with this book.

A must read for those who like tearjerkers!

Cautions for sensitive readers: The main character does have a sexual relationship with her boyfriend although one situation has a rather steamy moment, it cuts off before anything explicit happens. There is also some foul language used in the book although it is very rare. There are some graphic depictions of the car accident that may disturb some readers, but once past that part, the book is pretty tame.

View all my reviews >>

Novel Notes and Teen News: Your Source for Teen Book Information and Other Teen News 2/19/10

2010-02-19T11:54:00.000-05:00

Dystopian Futures

In my last Novel Notes I couldn’t control the excitement for the announcement of the new Hunger Games book, Mockingjay. Even though it is still months away from publication I have noticed a buzz around the library about the new cover, and of course the perpetual question, “When are you going to order it?” My standard answer is that I will order it as soon as our vendor shows quantities other than zero—once the magic number appears, I promise you it will be in my cart and shortly after in our catalog.

This excitement, however, has piqued a curiosity in me. You see, I never realized before now, how interested we seem to be in these dystopian futures. I knew I liked them and had read a number of them, but I never really thought about how many of the books I read would fall into that category. For instance, in the last year and including Incarceron by Catherine Fisher that I am currently reading I have read eight different dystopian novels. While that number is hardly huge, the number is significant because it seems to just slightly outweigh the other genres. I just thought I was reading fantasy or sci-fi, but it looks like what I have really been reading has been books about dystopian futures. In the last couple of years some of the dystopian books I have reviewed have included:

• City of Ember by DuPrau
• Little Brother by Doctrow
• The Uglies series by Westerfeld
• Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Collins
• Unwind by Shusterman
• Forest of Hands and Teeth by Ryan
• Genesis Alpha by Rune
• Life as We Knew It by Pfeffer
• Neptune’s Children by Dobkin
• Declaration by Malley

It seems like lately I am coming across books about dystopian futures everywhere, and I find myself most wanting to read those. Why? I don’t know, but they are the hardest for me to avoid and the hardest for me to put down. And suddenly it seems like I am not the only one. This month, one of the blogs I follow, Presenting Lenore, is dedicating an entire month to this topic and just this week, I found this article “Apocalypse Now” from Publisher’s Weekly’s email newsletter Children’s Bookshelf about how this genre is on the rise:

Apocalypse Now: Teens turn to dystopian novels

PW was also kind enough to post a list of upcoming dystopian novels that are due to be published in the next couple of years. Don’t worry dystopian future fans…I printed this one out!

Dystopian Novels for Teens, Present and Future

I guess this genre is slowly on the rise and let me say, I can't wait to see what is next!

Talk Back: I am going to be working on a Dystopian Futures book list for those of us addicted to this type of fiction. What books have you read that you would recommend to someone looking for books like the Hunger Games, Uglies, or any of your other favorite dystopian novels?

Fall Sneak Peak

While fall may seem like a long way away from now—especially since we are still digging out from the last snow storms that dumped inches on us, it isn’t that far away for publishers planning release dates for up and coming books. PW was kind enough to offer us a sneak peak at what is coming out from publishers this fall including a new novel in the Blue Bloods series by Melissa de la Cruz and a new book for the Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer. Check out this great list!

Fall 2010 Sneak Previews

Book Review: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

2010-02-16T17:09:00.000-05:00

After much prodding I finally realized that I was going to have to pick up this book. Many people I respect said that it was fabulous and worth the time, but I found myself dreading another Twilight read alike that would fall short of the original. This book, however, did not disappoint. Enjoy the review!

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
When she was young, Grace was attacked by wolves and rescued by one wolf with yellow eyes. Ever since he has been her wolf and for years she has watched him in the forest not knowing that he was more than he appeared. While Grace was watching him, her wolf, a young man, Sam, trapped as a wolf in winter and a boy in winter has watched her, wanting to be close to her. When a high school student at Grace’s school is mauled by wolves, Grace and Sam’s fates begin to entwine as never before.

I’ll admit I was a bit skeptical when I first started reading this book. On a lot of levels it reminded me of Twilight and I was afraid that it was going to be another sappy werewolf/human girl romance. Shiver surprised me though. While it had a bit of a slow start, its story drew me in and I found myself cheering for the characters and hoping everything would work out. The ending even felt right. Stiefvater found the perfect moment and the perfect words for the ending of Shiver and although I know there are more to come (Linger due out in July), I felt that this one had a satisfying ending. Stiefvater’s language is poetic and her descriptions lush and vivid. Her characters are likable, yet flawed and feel like real people. The mystery pulls you through the novel and leaves you wanting more. A wonderful read.

On another note, since everything is getting compared to Twilight these days, I do have to say that this one will appeal to those Twilight fans looking for what to read next. I think, however, they will find more here than they did in Twilight.

Cautions for sensitive readers: There is no language in this book, but you will find some violence. It is implied that the main characters have sex, but there are no explicit details that would disturb sensitive readers.

View all my reviews >>

Meg Cabot - So You Want To Be Published

2010-02-16T14:14:00.000-05:00

They are writing a story online via Twitter as we speak. Here are the details from Meg Cabot's blog. She wrote the first line, and Twitter users are writing the rest. So far we have fashion, a guy in distress, and brain eating zombies! Who knows what's next. You can participate too... Find out more by following the link to Meg Cabot's blog below:

Meg Cabot - So You Want To Be Published

Win an ARC of Linger by Maggie Stiefvater!

2010-02-15T15:48:00.000-05:00

For all you Shiver fans, here is a contest from Maggie Stiefvater's blog to win an ARC (Advance Readers Copy) of Linger the next book in the series. Check it out!

In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love -- the light and the dark, the warm and the cold -- in a way you will never forget.

Comes out in stores everywhere July 20th. Pre-order here.

Enter to win an advanced review copies of LINGER, Sisters Red, The Dead-Tossed Waves, and The Replacement on Maggie's blog.

Twilight Read Alikes Update

2010-02-15T14:01:00.001-05:00

We are updating the list constantly. If you look at the Twilight Read Alikes montage on the right side of the page you can see new book covers as we add new suggestions. Newest suggestions will appear at the top of the montage! Keep sending them in!

Question fo the Day: What Books Would You Recommend to Someone Looking for Twilight Read Alikes

2010-02-13T16:48:00.000-05:00

What books would you recommend to someone looking for books like Twilight? What have you read recently that compares? Share your thoughts and we may add your suggestions to our Twilight Read Alikes list on the sidebar!

New and Updated! Twilight Read Alikes!

2010-02-13T16:44:00.000-05:00

I was going through my list of bibliographies and came across my Twilight Read Alikes list that hadn't been updated in a couple of years. In that time there has been an onslaught of Twilightesque books, and I thought now would be a good time to add some of them. So here is an updated Twilight Read Alikes list!

If you have any suggestions for books you think should be added to this list, please comment and let me know so I can make this list even better!

Anderson, M. T. Thirsty
Atwater-Rhodes, Amelia. Demon in My View
Atwater-Rhodes, Amelia. In the Forests of the Night
Atwater-Rhodes, Amelia. Midnight Predator
Atwater-Rhodes, Amelia. Shattered Mirror
Black, Holly. Valiant ** (Modern tales of faerie series)
Bray, Libba. A Great and Terrible Beauty* (Gemma Doyle trilogy)
Cabot, Meg. Jinx
Carroll, Jenny. Mediator: Shadowland * (Mediator)
Caine, Rachel. Glass Houses* (Morganville vampires)
Cast, P. C. and Kristin Cast. Marked* (House of Night novels)
Clare, Cassandra. City of Bones* (Mortal instruments)
Clement-Davies, David. Fell
Collins, Nancy. Vamps* (Vamps novels)
Conrad, Liza. High School Bites* (Lucy chronicles)
Croggon, Alison. The Naming* (Pellinor)
De la Cruz, Melissa. Blue Bloods* (Blue bloods saga)
Fantaskey, Beth. Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side
Fitzpatrick, Becca. Hush, Hush
Gray, Claudia. Evernight* (Evernight series)
Hahn, Mary Downing. Look for Me by Moonlight
Jones, Carrie. Need* (no series title at time of publication sequel is Captivate)
Jones, Frewin. Faerie Path* (Faerie path series)
Kate, Lauren. Fallen* (Fallen series)
Klause, Annette Curtis. Blood and Chocolate
Klause, Annette Curtis. Silver Kiss
Leavitt, Martine. Keturah and Lord Death
Livingston, Lesley. Wondrous Strange
Marr, Melissa. Wicked Lovely* (Wicked lovely series)
Maxwell, Katie. Got Fangs?
Mead, Richelle. Vampire Academy* (Vampire Academy series)
Noel, Alyson. Evermore* (Immortals novels)
Pauley, Kimberly. Sucks to be Me: the All-true Confessions of Mina Hamilton, Teen Vampire (Maybe)
Ryan, Carrie. Forest of Hands and Teeth* (no series title at this time sequel is Dead Tossed Waves)
Schreiber, Ellen. Vampire Kisses* (Vampire kisses)
Smith, Cynthia Leitich. Tantalize
Smith, L. J. Secret Vampire* (Night world)
Somper, Justin. Demons of the Ocean* (Vampirates)
Stiefvater, Maggie. Shiver* (no series title at this time sequel is Linger)
Vande Velde, Vivian. Companions of the Night
Westerfeld, Scott. Peeps
Wooding, Chris. Poison

*denotes book 1 in a series
**denotes book 2 in a series
( )denotes the name of the series if available at time of publication

Novel Notes and Teen News: Your Source for Teen Book Information and Other Teen News 2/12/10

2010-02-12T12:46:00.000-05:00

3rd Hunger Games Book Title Revealed

Although it will still be a while before we can order the anticipated 3rd volume in this series, we finally know what the 3rd Hunger Games book by Suzanne Collins will be called. The third book in this trilogy featuring Hunger Games and Catching Fire will be titled Mockingjay a title that refers to the symbolic bird discussed in the series. For more information check out this PW article:

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6718651.html?nid=2788&source=link&rid=18736271

And for Those of Us Who Can’t Get Enough Hunger Games…Hunger Games Movie Anyone???

Yes it is true! Lionsgate has purchased the rights to turn Hunger Games into a movie. And the best news is that the author, Suzanne Collins, is writing the screenplay! To find out more read this article from Reuters:

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE52H0LK20090318

Not familiar with the Hunger Games trilogy or why this news has fans so excited? Check out this editorial from Poptimal:

http://poptimal.com/politics/2010-popeds/hungry-for-the-next-big-thing-in-tween-movies/

While We Are Talking Movies: The Lightning Thief in Theaters Today

Fans of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson can now rejoice! The much anticipated movie of this terrific series is released in theaters today. Here is a review of this movie by School Library Journal:

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6718650.html

If you can’t go to the movie though, come to the library and check out the book!

More Movie News: Meyer's Breaking Dawn will be made into Two Movies

Being the longest in the series it is hardly surprising that the final installment in the Twilight series would end up as two movies. I only hope they find a good stopping place! For more info, check out this link:

http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/exclusive-twilight-sagas-final-book-breaking-dawn-will-be-made-into-2-movies/

Radiant Shadows the Newest Book in the Wicked Lovely Series Will be Released Soon

Are you a fan of the Wicked Lovely series? The new book is due out on April 20, 2010. Check out author Melissa Marr’s blog for more information on this popular series, and snippets from the new book.

http://melissa-writing.livejournal.com/

Talk Back: How do you think the Hunger Games trilogy is going to end? Post your comments here!

Winter Escapes: Enter at Harper Teen for Your Chance to Win a Book or an iPod Touch

2010-02-10T10:11:00.001-05:00

Do you like free books? Harper Teen is offering a 28 day giveaway for the month of February. You can enter each day for a chance to win a free book and the possibility of winning an iPod Touch. Click on the link below to find out more!

Novel Notes and Teen News: Your Source for Teen Book Information and Other Teen News 02/05/10

2010-02-05T15:51:00.000-05:00

Libba Bray Sells New Series

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Printz award winning author of Going Bovine and Great and Terrible Beauty, Libba Bray, has sold rights to Little Brown and Company for her new teen series called The Diviners. Find out more here:

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6717570.html?nid=2788&source=link&rid=18736271

Interview With Author Carrie Jones

Did you enjoy the book Need by Carrie Jones. Find out more about her and her new book Captivate in this PW interview.

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6717628.html?nid=2788&source=link&rid=18736271

Coming Soon to the Library!

The DVD for the movie New Moon has been ordered. Get your hold in now!

Looking for the next book in Ally Carter’s Gallagher Girl’s series? Only the Good Spy Young is now on order. Get your hold in now!

Book Review: Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

2010-02-03T11:40:00.000-05:00

Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a well told story of the Yellow Fever epidemic that devastated the city of Philadelphia in the year 1793. Fourteen-year-old Mattie Cook is our narrator. Her mother owns the Cook Coffeehouse in Philadelphia and Mattie helps her run the place. When her mother falls ill with Yellow fever, Mattie has to learn how to grow up fast and make choices for her own destiny. Mattie is an interesting and likable character. She isn’t perfect and is quite frank about her many flaws. She has a most wonderful grandfather although her mother can be a bit of a trial for her to bear.

Surprisingly I don’t have a lot to say about this book. It was very good, and as far as I can tell very accurate. I am currently reading Jim Murphy’s An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 and many of the events in Fever 1793 are based on actual events. Anderson includes an appendix in the back of the book with additional information about the people of the time and the epidemic.

Cautions for Sensitive Readers: Some of the illness is vividly described, and there is some minor violence.

View all my reviews >>

Novel Notes and Teen News: Your Source for Teen Book Information and Other Teen News 01/29/2010

2010-01-28T16:46:00.000-05:00

Catcher in the Rye Author, J. D. Salinger Dies at 91

Many of us have had to read the book Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger in school with its caustic narrator, Holden Caulfield. Find out more about the author who died Wednesday at the age of 91 in this New York Times obituary.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/books/29salinger.html

Legal Website for Teens and Their Parents

Looking for interesting legal info? Check out this page that has legal issues regarding teens from around the country.

http://askthejudge.info/

Here is a review of the website by YPULSE:

http://www.ypulse.com/wordpress/wordpress/yab-ypulse-youth-website-profile-ask-the-judge

The questions and the discussions are interesting, but keep in mind, they may not be able to answer specific legal questions and if you have a question you may be asked to speak with an attorney in your area.

Eight YA Authors Who Have Shaped YA Lit Over the Last Decade

Check out this blog post from Omnivoracious that discusses some of the most influential authors of the last ten years.

http://www.omnivoracious.com/2010/01/the-ya-decade.html

Talk Back: Let us know what you think! Who do you think should be on the list of most influential authors for teens in the last 10 years! Post your responses in our comments. Do you agree with the picks of the author above, or do you have someone better?

Novel Notes and Teen News: Your Source for Teen Book Information and Other Teen News 01/22/2010

2010-01-21T11:42:00.000-05:00

Special Awards Edition

American Library Association Book Award Winners Announced

Every year in January the American Library Association (ALA) announces its list of award winning books for the previous year. These book awards include the Newbury for the “most distinguished contribution to American literature for children” (http://www.ala.org/), and the Caldecott, the Siebert, the Geisel, and the Laura Ingles Wilder awards all awarded for various different reasons. For a complete list of Children’s book awards and winners visit: http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/index.cfm

Although less well known than some of the awards listed above because of their relative newness to the field, the awards that I look forward to seeing each year are the ones that honor Young Adult literature. Most notably, the first list I always check is that of the Michael L. Printz Award for “excellence in young adult literature” (http://www.ala.org/). We (librarians) spend much time debating which books should make this important list, we spend months speculating and guessing (usually to find out we are wrong in the end). We don’t always agree with the book that is chosen (admittedly we all have our favorites), but I don’t believe we have ever been able to say that the chosen book isn’t worthy of the prestigious title. Last year’s book, Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta was one of my favorite books that I read last year.* This year’s winner, Going Bovine by Libba Bray, looks like a dynamite read. Admittedly I haven’t had the opportunity to read it yet, but it just jumped to the top of my list. It features a young man who discovers that he has Mad Cow disease and his unusual quest for a cure. (I promise I will review it as soon as I read it.)

2010 Michael L. Printz Award Winner and Honorees:

Winner:

Going Bovine by Libba Bray

Honor Books:

Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

Punkzilla by Adam Rapp

Tales of the Madman Underground: An Historical Romance, 1973 by John Barnes

I love the excitement these awards stir up and I hope you are as excited by the winners as I am. This link will provide you with a list of Awards. By clicking on the Award you can see both the Winners and the Honorees for the ALA Young Adult Book Awards including the brand new award for nonfiction the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults.
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/booklistsbook.cfm
Check them out online, and then reserve your copy at the library.

*For a complete list of books that I read and reviewed last year you can go to www.goodreads.com and search for me by my email address mwheelock@khcpl.org. While you are there join Goodreads and share your reading with your friends. You can also become a friend of KHCPL Teen Scene on Goodreads by searching for the email mwheelock@kokomo.lib.in.us.

Book Byte: Going Bovine by Libba Bray

2010-01-20T16:44:00.000-05:00

I know it has been a long time since we have posted a Book Byte, so I thought today would be a great opportunity. On Monday the winner of the 2010 Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature was announced. Congratulations are in order for Libba Bray and her book Going Bovine. Libba Bray is the author of the popular Gemma Doyle Trilogy which consists of the books A Great and Terrible Beauty, Rebel Angels, and A Sweet Far Thing.

And now the Book Byte for Going Bovine...

Cameron Smith, a disaffected sixteen year-old who, after being diagnosed with Creutzfeld Jakob's (aka mad cow) disease, sets off on a road trip with a death-obsessed video gaming dwarf he meets in the hospital in an attempt to find a cure.

Twilight Read-alikes

2010-01-20T11:36:00.000-05:00

Looking for more Twilight Read-alikes or read-alikes that are appropriate for a middle school reader? Try some of the titles on this list from School Library Journals. All are available at KHCPL!

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6715322.html?nid=4302&source=link&rid=17263441

LOVE BOOKS & BARGAINS?

2010-01-19T13:29:00.000-05:00

Love books and bargains? Then mark your calendar for the upcoming FRIENDS of the Library One-Day Book Sale on Saturday, January 23 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The sale will be held in the FRIENDS of the Library’s temporary location: 413 N. Washington St. in Kokomo. Look for the sidewalk sign out front; parking is available in a lot immediately north of the building.

At this special One-Day Sale, buy one book and get the second book of equal value for free! Proceeds from the book sales help support programs at the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library (KHCPL), purchase items needed to improve library service, and fund annual scholarships. If you would like to learn more about the FRIENDS of the Library, please contact Peg Harmon at KHCPL Main, 765.457.3242, during business hours.

For other upcoming KHCPL events, visit the library’s website: www.KHCPL.org, or stop by your favorite library location and pick up a copy of the KHCPL newsletter.

Book Review: Beastly by Alex Flinn

2010-01-19T12:42:00.000-05:00

Beastly by Alex Flinn

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There are many different versions of the Beauty and the Beast fairytale out there and many of them have been novelized. Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast by Robin McKinley is probably my favorite one, but there are a number of others. It seems like every time you open a review journal these days you see another retold fairytale, be it Beauty and the Beast, or some other one. Stories like this are timeless and that is why we continue to rework and retell them, even setting some of them in our time and world rather than the far off time and place of the originals.

Beastly is another retelling of Beauty and the Beast, but unlike many of its processors, this novel is told from the perspective of the Beast. We finally find out, what he did that caused him to become the Beast. Set in modern day New York City, Beastly is the story of the young man who is cursed by a witch to be a beast until he finds his true love, and can make her love him in return. Kyle Kingsbury had everything, wealth, power, and good looks, until one fateful night when a witch sees him for what he really is and curses him.

I do like these retold fairy tales. I like to see how authors can take a story that I am completely familiar with and create a new story, or tell me things I didn’t know about the old one. I do admit, however, there has been one exception to my fascination with these retold tales. I have never really been fond of any that take place in modern times. I found combining magical with the mundane world a daunting task for most authors, and had trouble believing it. In many cases I have trouble following the story—I want my fairytales to be “once upon a time” not the here and now. Alex Flinn, however, just might have converted me. It seemed so natural the way she incorporated the magical in to our modern world. I could even believe that a frog could be part of a discussion forum.

In the end, I loved this story. It was interesting to see the story from a new perspective, and it seemed natural that it should be set in the modern world. Alex Flinn did an excellent job!

On another note, they are making Beastly into a movie by CBS Films. It should be out in theaters in July 2010. Here is the link for the movie trailer from Alex Flinn’s website:

Beastly Movie Trailer from Alex Flinn's Website

Cautions for sensitive readers: I don’t recall any offensive language in this book, but there is some mild sexuality. Kyle is a teenage boy and he briefly mentions encounters and urges—no descriptions are given though.
View all my reviews >>

Novel Notes and Teen News: Your Source for Teen Book Information and Other Teen News 01/15/2010

2010-01-15T12:35:00.000-05:00

Coming Soon To A Library Near You:

An order for some new teen books was placed this week and here are some of the titles. Get your holds in now to be the first to see some of these great books!

If I should fall / Lauren Oliver
Malice / Chris Wooding
Pretty dead / Francesca Lia Block
Sweet little lies : an L.A. Candy novel / Lauren Conrad
Wanderlust : a Beautiful Americans novel / Lucy Silag
Gone / by Lisa McMann.
Scarlett fever / by Maureen Johnson
Heist society / Ally Carter
Beautiful creatures / by Kami Garcia
This world we live in / Susan Beth Pfeffer
Captivate / Carrie Jones
Dead Tossed Waves / Carrie Ryan
Elphame’s Choice / P. C. Cast

Book News:

The Babysitter’s Club is back! For all you fans of the original series, the publishers are now recreating this series, for an even younger crowd. Check out this article from YPULSE:

http://www.ypulse.com/wordpress/wordpress/the-baby-sitters-club-called-back-to-order

Read an excerpt of Lauren Conrad’s new novel Sweet Little Lies before it arrives at the library by going to this link from Seventeen.com:

http://www.seventeen.com/fun-stuff/special/sweet-little-lies-excerpt

Want to read some of the newest books from Simon Pulse Teen publishing. Are you good at reviewing? Then you might want to join Pulse It. Where you will have access to read new teen novels online and review them first! Here is the link for more information:

http://www.simonandschuster.com/specials/pulseit/about.html

Rick Riordan’s New Series Features a Different Type of Mythology

Good news for Percy Jackson fans! Author Rick Riordan will be releasing a new book, this time focusing on Egyptian mythology. The book titled, The Red Pyramid is due out in May. For your first look at the cover, check out this article from “Publisher’s Weekly” and don’t forget to check out the links in the article to Disney’s website dedicated to this new book!

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6714952.html?&rid=5499704&source=title

That’s the news for this week!

Digital Camera Class this Week!

2010-01-13T12:49:00.000-05:00

Digital Camera Class
KHCPL South
Thursday, January 14
5:00 to 7:45 p.m.

Spectrum Photography's Curt Alexander will be on hand to show you the many possibilities you have with a digital camera. He will give techniques and tips to get the most out of your photographs.

Novel Notes and Teen News: Your Source for Teen Book Information and Other Teen News 01/08/2010

2010-01-07T17:06:00.000-05:00

In the Movies

Movie goers have been flocking to theaters to see James Cameron’s new movie Avatar. Check out this teen’s review of Avatar at YPULSE:
http://www.ypulse.com/wordpress/wordpress/yab-review-avatar

Best and Worst Books of 2009

One YPULSE Review shares her picks for the best and worst books of 2009:
http://www.ypulse.com/wordpress/wordpress/ypulse-best-and-worst-of-2009-books
Tell us what you think! What were your best and worst reads of 2009?

Good News for Fans of Holes Author Louis Sachar

Louis Sachar is publishing his next YA Novel titled The Cardturner. For more information chceck out this link to Publisher’s Weekly:
http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6713988.html?nid=2788&source=link&rid=17263441

From Page to Screen: Movie/Book Tie-ins

Fans of the series Diary of a Wimpy Kid have a new movie to look forward to. The movie is due to be released on April second and is based on these bestselling novels by author Jeff Kinney. Also being released is a movie diary for the making of the movie title The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary. Read the complete story at the Publisher’s Weekly website:
http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6713883.html?nid=2788&source=link&rid=17263441

According to a number of news sources, the script for the movie Eclipse has been leaked. Many are upset by this news, but since they are following the events of the books does a leaked script really matter? What do you think? Let us know by commenting on our blog. For more information about the leaked script, check out this article:
http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/yes-that-leaked-movie-script-is-exclipse/

Children’s and Teens Book Reviews from Publisher’s Weekly

Check out these book reviews from the Publisher’s Weekly Website for a head up on what is new in books.
http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6713288.html?nid=2788&source=link&rid=17263441

Books in the Digital Age

In the first link author John Green speculates about the publishing world and the future of books in our electronic society listing librarians as gatekeepers to the best books.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/ca6712772.html

A YPULSE columnist also takes an interest in this topic this week.
http://www.ypulse.com/wordpress/wordpress/digital-reading-between-and-beyond-the-lines

Author Katherine Paterson Named Ambassador

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6713517.html?desc=topstory

Novel Notes and Teen News: Your Source for Teen Book Information and Other Teen News 12/18/09

2009-12-18T09:00:00.000-05:00

Just an FYI: Novel Notes will return after the holidays. We wish all our teen patrons Seasons Greetings, and hope they enjoy this issue. Please feel free to comment or suggest improvements to Novel Notes, we are always looking to make this blog better.

Tell us what you are reading! What are your favorite books, and what would you recommend to others looking for a good book. Please feel free to send us your review or comment on ours. We want to hear from you!

From Page to Screen: Movie/Book Tie-ins

Sherlock Holmes movie has hit theaters with an interesting take on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous detective. Check out the original books at the library and for more information about the movie; check this article by School Library Journal:

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6711448.html?nid=4302&source=link&rid=17263441

More and more teen books are being made into movies. Check out the Trailer for the movie Beastly due out in theaters in July 2010. The movie is based on the book Beastly by Alex Flinn. It is a modern retelling of the story of “Beauty and Beast” from the viewpoint of the Beast. Find it at the library and read it before it comes to theaters!

http://beastlythemovie.com/

The movie version of the adult book, The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold, is due to be released in theaters January 15th, and the theaters are targeting Twilight fans, hoping to gain big numbers at the box office. The movie is said to have toned down some of the more disturbing aspects of the book. You can find out more in the following news articles from the movie’s webpage, the LA Times, MTV, and New York Times

http://www.lovelybones.com/
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-bones16-2009dec16,0,5231289.story
http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1628055/story.jhtml
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/11/movies/11lovelybones.html

News Sites for Tweens

Looking for news that is geared toward you, for kids, by kids? Check out this website: TweenTribune.com. You have to register to get the full articles, but registration is simple and free. Choose a username, password, if your teacher is registered you can select your school, if not just check the box, choose a security question and off you go—you now have access to news geared towards teens and tweens. Here is the link:

http://tweentribune.com/

Awards for Saving the Environment in Your Community

Action for Nature, a non-profit organization seeks to award kids ages 8-16 for their efforts in saving the environment. For more information, read School Library Journal’s article at:

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6711450.html?nid=4302&source=link&rid=17263441

What are Teens at Other Libraries Reading for Fun?

Check out this School Library Journal Article to find out what teens in other libraries are reading for fun:

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6711512.html

Looking for Some of the Best Books of 2009?

Here are some books that School Library Journal believes should be on the list of best books in 2009. These books represent all grade levels and interest levels. See which ones you have read, and find others you might like!

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6708210.html

Looking for Some Good Nonfiction?

YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) has created a new book award for non-fiction. This is the first year and the first finalists listed by the book award committee. For more information check out this School Library Journal article or visit the YALSA webpage.

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6711664.html
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/nonfiction/nonfiction.cfm

Teens! Think You Know How to Avoid Scammers, Identity Theft, and Protect Your Online Privacy

The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) has designed and online mall called “You Are Here” to help kids protect themselves from online scammers and advertisers who target kids. Check out “You Are Here.”

http://www.ftc.gov/YouAreHere/

For more information about this website you can go to the FTC Press Release:

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2009/12/youarehere.shtm

10 Days Till Christmas! Are you ready?

2009-12-15T12:12:00.000-05:00

Tis the season for family, friends, and thank goodness Christmas Break. It is also a time for gift giving which can be hard on your wallet. Here are some ideas from the YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) Blog, to help you find or make great gifts despite your cash crunch:

http://yalsa.ala.org/blog/2009/12/15/dollars-sense-15-gift-giving-for-teens/

For more money saving craft ideas, baking ideas, or gift ideas, check out a book from the library!

Novel Notes: Your Source for Teen Book Info 12/11/09

2009-12-11T11:04:00.000-05:00

I hope that this will become a regular fixture on the KHCPL Teen Scene blog. I want to use the Novel Notes to give you information in teen publishing that you might find interesting or books that you might look forward to reading. Suggestions are welcome, so please feel free to comment.

Dutton Children's Books Believes they have Signed the Next Stephenie Meyer

A Publisher's Weekly article announces the signing of a new author Ally Condie. Dutton believes that Condie's three book series will appeal to fans of Meyer's Twilight series. These books aren't published yet, and there is no release date, but this author may be something to look out for. Her first book is currently titled Matched. Read more about this new author and her 7 figure book deal on PW's site:

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6711080.html?nid=2788&source=title&rid=17263441

Scholastic Announces Release of Hunger Games book 3

In another PW article, Scholastic announces exciting news for fans of Suzanne Collins's Hunger Games series. The thrid book in this exciting series featuring the character Katnis is due to be released August 24, 2010. After Catching Fire left us all hanging on the edges of our seats, we anxiously await August and the third book in this exciting series. Read more at:

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6709728.html?q=Hunger+Games

HarperTeen.com Announces the Purchase of Movie Rights for Popular YA Titles

In HarperTeen.com's "In the News" section on 12/11/09 they announce popular YA books that have been optioned for movies.

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr optioned by Universal Studios.
L.A. Candy by Lauren Conrad screen wrights aquired by Temple Hill Entertainment.
Wings by Aprilynne Pike is being made into a movie by Disney. It will star Miley Cyrus as Laurel.
Beastly by Alex Flinn is being made into a movie by CBS Films. It will star Mary-Kate Olsen and Alex Prettyfer.

For more information check out HarperTeen.com's In the News Column at:

http://www.harperteen.com/index.aspx

Hope you enjoyed this first edition of Novel Notes. I hope to have more exciting information about teen lit and movies next week. If you are interested in reading any of the above titles, please feel free to contact the library. (Matched by Ally Condie is still in the works, and will not be available for some time, but don't worry we will keep an eye out for it.) Happy Reading!

Book Review: Unwind by Neal Shusterman

2009-12-08T17:00:00.000-05:00

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Connor Lassiter is an AWOL Unwind. In a society that has eliminated abortion, they have a new solution to the problem of unwanted children. At the age of thirteen a child’s parents have the option of having their teen unwound. With unwinding, a child doesn’t die because all of the parts of him or her are harvested and used in other people. Connor wanted to keep his parts to himself, and decided the best way to do that was to escape.

Risa Ward grew up in Ohio State Home 23. As a ward of the state she knew she had to be exceptional in her chosen vocation. Who knew five small mistakes in a musical recital would have her on a bus to Harvest camp where she would be unwound.

Lev always knew his purpose. He was one of God’s chosen, and was willingly giving himself to God. Lev is his parent’s tithe of 1/10. They have 10 children and Lev is going to be their tithe to God. He planned to fulfill his role dutifully, until the freeway accident that killed a State Home bus driver led an AWOL unwind and a crazy state home girl to kidnap him for their escape. Who knew that those grand plans could change in an instant?

They are three teens on the run to keep themselves whole in a world that only wants them for their parts.

Unwind by Shusterman was an interesting read. As a parent myself, I can’t believe that parents would willingly unwind their children, so the concept of unwinding is difficult for me. Once I got past that aspect of the story, it is interesting to see the society that Conner, Risa, and Lev live in. In the beginning, you have difficulty liking Connor. You can understand his reasoning for getting away, but you can’t understand why he did the things he did that got his parents to sign the unwind order. Risa is a more sympathetic narrator. Nothing she did has gotten her into this situation—she tried to be perfect, but perfection isn’t something that comes easily to humans. Lev’s ideas were the most foreign to me, I had difficulty understanding why a child would willingly become an unwind, but Lev has had his whole life to prepare. He knows his purpose in life.

This novel is shocking, violent, alarming, and thought provoking. You keep wondering throughout the novel, how did this world get so messed up that something like unwinding would become an acceptable solution? These characters and their stories are well developed. You can’t help feeling the urgency they feel and the betrayal.

Cautions for sensitive readers: There is quite a bit of violence in this book and what might be considered a graphic surgical scene. There is mild language, but no sex.

View all my reviews >>

Can't Get Enough Vampires? We're Here to Help!

2009-12-03T14:00:00.000-05:00

You've read them all, Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn and now you are looking for something new. Here is a taste of some vampire favorites you might want to check out at KHCPL.

Have you seen the show Vampire Diaries on TV? It all started with a book, The Awakening by L. J. Smith. Sample the book here:

Browse Inside this book

Get this for your site

Looking for another book with bite? You might try Ellen Schreiber's series Vampire Kisses. Here's a taste:

Browse Inside this book

Get this for your site

You can also try the series Vamps by Nancy Collins.

Browse Inside this book

Get this for your site

Looking for something with more of a love story? Try Evernight by Claudia Gray. Here's a sample:

Browse Inside this book

Get this for your site

There are many more out there, see a librarian for help finding books you are interested in reading.

Book Review: Marked by P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast

2009-11-19T12:15:00.000-05:00

Marked by P.C. Cast

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
All Zoey Redbird wanted was a place to fit in. She thought that place was with her ordinary human friends at her high school until the vampyre tracker marked her as a fledgling vampyre and changed the course of her life forever. Now Zoey must try to fit in at the House of Night, a school for vampyre fledglings, but making that even more difficult is the fact that she has been specially marked by the goddess Nyx and is not the average fledgling. If she makes it through the Change she will become an adult vampyre, if not she will die.

This is the first book in the House of Night series. It is an interesting combination of two of the more popular trends in teen fiction: vampires and boarding school stories. While the book is enjoyable on a purely escapist level, it lacks depth, and is terribly predictable. The dos and don’ts of proper teenage behavior are a bit preachy at times. Other than that, if you are looking for a quick read that doesn’t require much thought, this book fits the bill. It is a fun story if you are willing to put up these flaws.

I would recommend this to teens who are fans of either the boarding school stories or of vampire stories.

Cautions for sensitive readers: There is some foul language present in the book that may offend readers who don’t like bad language in their books. Since this is also a story about vampires, you can expect to find some violence and sexuality.

View all my reviews >>

Book Review: Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

2009-11-09T13:28:00.000-05:00

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This book is a hard one for me to review. There are parts of the book that I found intriguing, but there were times that I felt that that main character was exceedingly annoying and whiny. I guess to answer the question of whether or not I liked this book I should ask myself another question, am I willing to read the sequel Dead Tossed Waves. Surprisingly my answer is yes, I definitely want to read the sequel. I want to know what is going on. There were too many secrets in this book that were never unraveled, I hope the author will give us some of those answers in Dead Tossed Waves.

Mary lives in a village surrounded by high fences that are the only protection they have against the Unconsecrated, beings who have risen from death and hunger for human flesh—yes zombies. When her mother becomes one of the Unconsecrated, Mary’s life begins to fall apart. Her brother, angry that she let her mother become one of the walking dead, sends Mary to the Sisterhood where she is to become one of the sisters instead of getting married. Inside the walls of the Cathedral where the Sisters dwell Mary learns that both the Sisters and the Guardians have been keeping secrets from the people. They know more about what causes the Unconsecrated to return than what they have let on, and they know the secret that somewhere beyond the Forest of Hands and Teeth there may be others living. Mary’s one dream has been to see the ocean her mother spoke about, but trapped behind fences and by the confines of her society, she fears she will never see what is beyond the Forest of Hands and Teeth.

This book was intriguing. Sometimes you could really feel how trapped Mary felt she was by both the Sisterhood and her brother. Sometimes she gets a little too obsessive and unpredictable, but that can make her an interesting narrator. I did get frustrated with her obsession over Travis, despite his being taken by someone else.

Recommended.

Cautions for Sensitive Readers: This book can be violent and gory at times, but is definitely worth reading.

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Book Review: Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer

2009-11-07T15:42:00.001-05:00

Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Hope has moved around a lot in her young life. She lives with her aunt, Addie, who has basically been a mother to her since she was born. When an unscrupulous business partner takes off with her aunt’s savings and forces her to close the diner she owns, Hope and her aunt move to Mulhoney, Wisconsin to help run the Welcome Stairways, a local diner owned by G. T. Stoop. G. T. is fighting a battle with leukemia and hires Addie and Hope to run the Welcome Stairways while he focuses on his battle with cancer and winning the local Mayoral election where he is running against the unscrupulous Eli Millstone. Politics, love, and food all make an appearance in this appealing and surprisingly quick read. Bauer’s characters are well drawn and feel like old friends.

Recommended for those who like realistic fiction and are looking for a fast and entertaining read.

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