Monday Meme: FRIENDSHIP

Obviously, that's not what real friendship is about. True friends have a serious bond, one that isn't easily shaken. Here are a few books with some great friendships that are just that- and don't try to become anything else. (Immediately you may think of Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, but that's too mainstream for me ;D)

Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles): Marissa Meyer- 

      Friendship: Cinder and Iko

          I will be the first one to gush about Cinder and Iko, her android companion. I've been with TLC from the very beginning, and to see their friendship blossom and endure countless trials has been something really impressive. Cinder's grounded personality and Iko's constant positive outlook (and her blunt honesty) are two qualities that let them complement each other, and they don't let any differences change their BFF status. If you'd like to start their journey, click here to find book 1.

Code Name Verity: Elizabeth Wein-

      Friendship: "Verity" and Maddie

           Unfortunately, I haven't had the pleasure of reading this one yet, but I've heard some great things about the strong friendship in Wein's novel. And it's a time when friendship is hard to keep going- World War II. Click here to see how their friendship works.  

An Abundance of Katherines: John Green-
      Friendship: Colin and Hassan
          Male friendships seem to be even rarer than female ones in YA fiction- often it too turns into 'something more.' But Colin and Hassan are best friends that are just that. They support each other's crazy ideas, annoy each other, and ultimately...remain friends. Most people by now have read John Green's Looking for Alaska, Paper Towns, and The Fault in our Stars, but AAOK is my favorite of all of his novels. It's funny, smart, and presents a new way of thinking that ultimately changes the way you perceive others. Click here to find out how.

Best Of 2015 Wrap Up

It's almost time to ring in the New Year! {Really? Where'd all that time go?} So, I thought that I'd wrap up 2015 by compiling a list of the best of the best books that I read this year. I also had the other lovely ladies who run this Blog to give me their favorite books. If any of these books strike your fancy, just click on the title of the book, and it will take you to the Library's Web Page and you can put your name on the list to be able to read them.

Kaitlynne's Picks 

{Hey, that's me!}

A Mad Zombie Party by Gena Showalter

Ali Bell's crew of zombie slayers thought they'd won the war against Anima Industries, the evil company responsible for capturing and experimenting on zombies in an effort to discover the secret to immortality. In the last epic clash, the slayers lost many of their crew and closest friends. But Frosty, the ice man himself, has not recovered from one casualty in particular — the love of his life, Kat Parker. 

On the path to self-annihilation, Frosty receives a message from beyond — Kat's spirit returns, insisting he partner with rogue slayer Camilla Marks. Frosty will do anything for Kat. Except that. Camilla's betrayal caused Kat's death.

But when Anima rises from the grave stronger than ever, Frosty, Camilla and all the slayers will have to work together to survive. And one broken slayer will learn that sometimes the line between hate and attraction is blurred... and the road to redemption may mean letting go of the past and grabbing hold of the future.




Until Friday Night by Abbi Glines

To everyone who knows him, West Ashby has always been that guy: the cocky, popular, way-too-handsome-for-his-own-good football god who led Lawton High to the state championships. But while West may be Big Man on Campus on the outside, on the inside he’s battling the grief that comes with watching his father slowly die of cancer.

Two years ago, Maggie Carleton’s life fell apart when her father murdered her mother. And after she told the police what happened, she stopped speaking and hasn’t spoken since. Even the move to Lawton, Alabama, couldn’t draw Maggie back out. So she stayed quiet, keeping her sorrow and her fractured heart hidden away.

As West’s pain becomes too much to handle, he knows he needs to talk to someone about his father—so in the dark shadows of a post-game party, he opens up to the one girl who he knows won’t tell anyone else.

West expected that talking about his dad would bring some relief, or at least a flood of emotions he couldn’t control. But he never expected the quiet new girl to reply, to reveal a pain even deeper than his own—or for them to form a connection so strong that he couldn’t ever let her go…






The One Thing by Marci Lyn Curtis

Maggie Sanders might be blind, but she won't invite anyone to her pity party. Ever since losing her sight six months ago, Maggie's rebellious streak has taken on a life of its own, culminating with an elaborate school prank. Maggie called it genius. The judge called it illegal.

Now Maggie has a probation officer. But she isn't interested in rehabilitation, not when she's still mourning the loss of her professional-soccer dreams, and furious at her so-called friends, who lost interest in her as soon as she could no longer lead the team to victory.

Then Maggie's whole world is turned upside down. Somehow, incredibly, she can see again. But only one person: Ben, a precocious ten-year-old unlike anyone she's ever met.Ben's life isn't easy, but he doesn't see limits, only possibilities. After awhile, Maggie starts to realize that losing her sight doesn't have to mean losing everything she dreamed of. Even if what she's currently dreaming of is Mason Milton, the infuriatingly attractive lead singer of Maggie's new favorite band, who just happens to be Ben's brother.

But when she learns the real reason she can see Ben, Maggie must find the courage to face a once-unimaginable future... before she loses everything she has grown to love.






The Amazing Book Is Not On Fire


Hello reader,

In this book is a world. A world created by two awkward guys who share their lives on the internet!

We are Dan and Phil and we invite you on a journey inside our minds! From the stories of our actual births, to exploring Phil's teenage diary and all the reasons why Dan's a fail.

Learn how to draw the perfect cat whiskers, get advice on what to do in an awkward situation and discover which of our dining chairs represents you emotionally. With everything from what we text each other, to the time we met One Direction and what really happened in Vegas... 





Every Last Breath by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Every choice has consequences—but seventeen-year-old Layla faces tougher choices than most. Light or darkness. Wickedly sexy demon prince Roth, or Zayne, the gorgeous, protective Warden she never thought could be hers. Hardest of all, Layla has to decide which side of herself to trust.

Layla has a new problem, too. A Lilin—the deadliest of demons—has been unleashed, wreaking havoc on those around her…including her best friend. To keep Sam from a fate much, much worse than death, Layla must strike a deal with the enemy while saving her city—and her race—from destruction.

Torn between two worlds and two different boys, Layla has no certainties, least of all survival, especially when an old bargain comes back to haunt them all. But sometimes, when secrets are everywhere and the truth seems unknowable, you have to listen to your heart, pick a side—and then fight like hell…

The Stars Never Rise by Rachel Vincent

Sixteen-year-old Nina Kane should be worrying about her immortal soul, but she's too busy trying to actually survive. Her town's population has been decimated by soul-consuming demons, and souls are in short supply. Watching over her younger sister, Mellie, and scraping together food and money are all that matters. The two of them are a family. They gave up on their deadbeat mom a long time ago.

When Nina discovers that Mellie is keeping a secret that threatens their very existence, she'll do anything to protect her. Because in New Temperance, sins are prosecuted as crimes by the brutal Church and its army of black-robed exorcists. And Mellie's sin has put her in serious trouble.

To keep them both alive, Nina will need to trust Finn, a fugitive with deep green eyes who has already saved her life once and who might just be an exorcist. But what kind of exorcist wears a hoodie?

Wanted by the Church and hunted by dark forces, Nina knows she can't survive on her own. She needs Finn and his group of rogue friends just as much as they need her.




All In by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Three casinos. Three bodies. Three days.

After a string of brutal murders in Las Vegas, Cassie Hobbes and the Naturals are called in to investigate. But even with the team's unique profiling talents, these murders seem baffling: unlike many serial killers, this one uses different methods every time. All of the victims were killed in public, yet the killer does not show up on any tape. And each victim has a string of numbers tattooed on their wrist. Hidden in the numbers is a code—and the closer the Naturals come to unraveling the mystery, the more perilous the case becomes.

Meanwhile, Cassie is dealing with an equally dangerous and much more painful mystery. For the first time in years, there's been a break in her mother's case. As personal issues and tensions between the team mount, Cassie and the Naturals will be faced with impossible odds—and impossible choices.




Reawakened by Colleen Houck

When seventeen-year-old Lilliana Young enters the Metropolitan Museum of Art one morning during spring break, the last thing she expects to find is a live Egyptian prince with godlike powers, who has been reawakened after a thousand years of mummification.

And she really can't imagine being chosen to aid him in an epic quest that will lead them across the globe to find his brothers and complete a grand ceremony that will save mankind.

But fate has taken hold of Lily, and she, along with her sun prince, Amon, must travel to the Valley of the Kings, raise his brothers, and stop an evil, shape-shifting god named Seth from taking over the world.

From New York Times bestselling author Colleen Houck comes an epic adventure about two star-crossed teens who must battle mythical forces and ancient curses on a journey with more twists and turns than the Nile itself.





 How (Not) To Fall In Love by Lisa Brown Roberts

Seventeen-year-old Darcy Covington never had to worry about money or where her next shopping spree was coming from. Even her dog ate gourmet. Then one day, Darcy’s car is repossessed from the parking lot of her elite private school. As her father’s business hit the skids, Dad didn’t just skip town, he bailed on his family.

Fortunately, Darcy’s uncle owns a thrift shop where she can hide out from the world. There’s also Lucas, the wickedly hot fix-it guy she can’t stop crushing on, even if she’s not sure they’ll ever get out of the friend zone. 

But it’s here among the colorful characters of her uncle’s world that Darcy begins to see something more in herself… if she has the courage to follow it.

Melissa's Picks

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman

 This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.

This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.

Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.









All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.

Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.

When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.

This is an intense, gripping novel perfect for fans of Jay Asher, Rainbow Rowell, John Green, Gayle Forman, and Jenny Downham from a talented new voice in YA, Jennifer Niven.









Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

Peyton, Sydney's charismatic older brother, has always been the star of the family, receiving the lion's share of their parents' attention and—lately—concern. When Peyton's increasingly reckless behavior culminates in an accident, a drunk driving conviction, and a jail sentence, Sydney is cast adrift, searching for her place in the family and the world. When everyone else is so worried about Peyton, is she the only one concerned about the victim of the accident?

Enter the Chathams, a warm, chaotic family who run a pizza parlor, play bluegrass on weekends, and pitch in to care for their mother, who has multiple sclerosis. Here Sydney experiences unquestioning acceptance. And here she meets Mac, gentle, watchful, and protective, who makes Sydney feel seen, really seen, for the first time.

Dear Killer by Katherine Ewell

Rule One—Nothing is right, nothing is wrong.
Rule Two—Be careful.
Rule Three—Fight using your legs whenever possible, because they’re the strongest part of your body. Your arms are the weakest.
Rule Four—Hit to kill. The first blow should be the last, if at all possible.
Rule Five—The letters are the law.

Kit takes her role as London’s notorious “Perfect Killer” seriously. The letters and cash that come to her via a secret mailbox are not a game; choosing who to kill is not an impulse decision. Every letter she receives begins with “Dear Killer,” and every time Kit murders, she leaves a letter with the dead body. Her moral nihilism and thus her murders are a way of life—the only way of life she has ever known.

But when a letter appears in the mailbox that will have the power to topple Kit’s convictions as perfectly as she commits her murders, she must make a decision: follow the only rules she has ever known, or challenge Rule One, and go from there.




Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson

A princess must find her place in a reborn world.

She flees on her wedding day.

She steals ancient documents from the Chancellor's secret collection.

She is pursued by bounty hunters sent by her own father.

She is Princess Lia, seventeen, First Daughter of the House of Morrighan.

The Kingdom of Morrighan is steeped in tradition and the stories of a bygone world, but some traditions Lia can't abide. Like having to marry someone she's never met to secure a political alliance.

Fed up and ready for a new life, Lia flees to a distant village on the morning of her wedding. She settles in among the common folk, intrigued when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deceptions swirl and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—secrets that may unravel her world—even as she feels herself falling in love.




Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

This is a world divided by blood – red or silver.

The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change.

That is, until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.

Fearful of Mare’s potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime.

But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance – Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own hear




Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman

A thrillingly reimagined fairy tale from the truly magical combination of author Neil Gaiman and illustrator Chris Riddell – weaving together a sort-of Snow White and an almost Sleeping Beauty with a thread of dark magic, which will hold readers spellbound from start to finish. 

On the eve of her wedding, a young queen sets out to rescue a princess from an enchantment. She casts aside her fine wedding clothes, takes her chain mail and her sword and follows her brave dwarf retainers into the tunnels under the mountain towards the sleeping kingdom. This queen will decide her own future – and the princess who needs rescuing is not quite what she seems. Twisting together the familiar and the new, this perfectly delicious, captivating and darkly funny tale shows its creators at the peak of their talents.





Steve Jobs: The Man Who Thought Different


"Your time is limited. . . . have the courage to follow your heart and intuition."--Steve Jobs

From the start, his path was never predictable. Steve Jobs was given up for adoption at birth, dropped out of college after one semester, and at the age of twenty, created Apple in his parents' garage with his friend Steve Wozniack. Then came the core and hallmark of his genius--his exacting moderation for perfection, his counterculture life approach, and his level of taste and style that pushed all boundaries. A devoted husband, father, and Buddhist, he battled cancer for over a decade, became the ultimate CEO, and made the world want every product he touched.

Critically acclaimed author Karen Blumenthal takes us to the core of this complicated and legendary man while simultaneously exploring the evolution of computers. Framed by Jobs' inspirational Stanford commencement speech and illustrated throughout with black and white photos, this is the story of the man who changed our world.






Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the  OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines, puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. When Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win—and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape.




Family Romanov by Candace Fleming


Here is the tumultuous, heartrending, true story of the Romanovs—at once an intimate portrait of Russia's last royal family and a gripping account of its undoing. Using captivating photos and compelling first person accounts, award-winning author Candace Fleming (Amelia Lost; The Lincolns) deftly maneuvers between the imperial family’s extravagant lives and the plight of Russia's poor masses, making this an utterly mesmerizing read as well as a perfect resource for meeting Common Core standards.

Mikayla's Picks

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

In a land ruled by a murderous boy-king, each dawn brings heartache to a new family. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have a silk cord wrapped around her throat come morning. When sixteen-year-old Shahrzad's dearest friend falls victim to Khalid, Shahrzad vows vengeance and volunteers to be his next bride. Shahrzad is determined not only to stay alive, but to end the caliph's reign of terror once and for all.

Night after night, Shahrzad beguiles Khalid, weaving stories that enchant, ensuring her survival, though she knows each dawn could be her last. But something she never expected begins to happen: Khalid is nothing like what she'd imagined him to be. This monster is a boy with a tormented heart. Incredibly, Shahrzad finds herself falling in love. How is this possible? It's an unforgivable betrayal. Still, Shahrzad has come to understand all is not as it seems in this palace of marble and stone. She resolves to uncover whatever secrets lurk and, despite her love, be ready to take Khalid's life as retribution for the many lives he's stolen. Can their love survive this world of stories and secrets?




Illuminae by Amie Kaufman

This book is super awesome because it was chosen by two different people














Everything That Makes You by Moriah McStay

One girl. Two stories. Meet Fiona Doyle. The thick ridges of scar tissue on her face are from an accident twelve years ago. Fiona has notebooks full of songs she’s written about her frustrations, her dreams, and about her massive crush on beautiful uber-jock Trent McKinnon. If she can’t even find the courage to look Trent straight in his beautiful blue eyes, she sure isn’t brave enough to play or sing any of her songs in public. But something’s changing in Fiona. She can’t be defined by her scars anymore. 

And what if there hadn’t been an accident? Meet Fi Doyle. Fi is the top-rated female high school lacrosse player in the state, heading straight to Northwestern on a full ride. She’s got more important things to deal with than her best friend Trent McKinnon, who’s been different ever since the kiss. When her luck goes south, even lacrosse can’t define her anymore. When you’ve always been the best at something, one dumb move can screw everything up. Can Fi fight back?

Hasn’t everyone wondered what if? In this daring debut novel, Moriah McStay gives us the rare opportunity to see what might have happened if things were different. Maybe luck determines our paths. But maybe it’s who we are that determines our luck.






Star Wars: Lost Stars by Claudia Gray

The reign of the Galactic Empire has reached the Outer Rim of Jelucan, where aristocratic Thane Kyrell and rural villager Ciena Ree bond over their love of flying. Enrolling at the Imperial Academy is nothing less than a dream come true for both of them. But Thane sours on the dream when he sees firsthand the horrific tactics the Empire uses to maintain its ironclad rule.

Bitter and disillusioned, he joins the fledging Rebellion--putting Ciena in an unbearable position between her loyalty to the Empire and her love for the man she's known since childhood.

Now on opposite sides of the war, will these friends turned foes ever find a way to be together, or will duty tear them--and the galaxy--apart?







An Inheritance of Ashes by Leah Bobet

Six months ago, the men of the lakelands marched south to fight a dark god. 

Weeks after the final battle was won, sixteen-year-old Hallie and her sister, Marthe, are still struggling to maintain their family farm—and are waiting for Marthe’s missing husband to return. After a summer of bitter arguments, Hallie is determined to get Roadstead Farm through the winter—and keep what’s left of her family together, despite an inheritance destined to drive them apart. 

But when Hallie hires a wandering veteran in a bid to save the farm, every phantom the men marched south to fight arrives at her front gate. Spider-eyed birds circle the fields, ghostly messages writes themselves on the riverbank, and soon Hallie finds herself keeping her new hired hand’s despite desperate secrets—and taking dangerous risks. But as she fights to keep both the farm and her new friend safe, ugly truths about her own family are emerging—truths that, amid gods, monsters, and armies, might tear Roadstead Farm apart. 






Winter by Marissa Meyer

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend—the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters?




Inherit the Stars by Tessa Elwood

Three royal houses ruling three interplanetary systems are on the brink of collapse, and they must either ally together or tear each other apart in order for their people to survive.

Asa is the youngest daughter of the house of Fane, which has been fighting a devastating food and energy crisis for far too long. She thinks she can save her family’s livelihood by posing as her oldest sister in an arranged marriage with Eagle, the heir to the throne of the house of Westlet. The appearance of her mother, a traitor who defected to the house of Galton, adds fuel to the fire, while Asa also tries to save her sister Wren's life . . . possibly from the hands of their own father.

But as Asa and Eagle forge a genuine bond, will secrets from the past and the urgent needs of their people in the present keep them divided?




My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

"One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time."

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, messy, affectionate. And every day from her rooftop perch, Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs up next to her and changes everything.

As the two fall fiercely for each other, stumbling through the awkwardness and awesomeness of first love, Jase's family embraces Samantha - even as she keeps him a secret from her own. Then something unthinkable happens, and the bottom drops out of Samantha's world. She's suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

Monday Meme Spotlight: Goodreads Choice Awards

 

The Goodreads.com Choice Awards are here! Every year, the massive book website www.goodreads.com hosts a choice award month to see what books were most loved in several different categories. For YA, there's both general fiction nominations as well as science fiction and fantasy. Here are some of my favorite from the selections.

 Illuminae- Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff: Maybe you've passed over this one because of the hype, or because science fiction isn't your thing. I assure you, this book is excellent for any genre reader. A subtle romance, action, thrills, dangers, even a slight apocalyptic theme (no spoilers!) are all included in this whirlwind novel written in found documents. Click here to reserve your copy from the library. 

Winter- Marissa Meyer: The perfect conclusion to a great series, Winter is the last of the Lunar chronicles. The fifth book released under the series name, this book wraps up the loose ends, weaves an intricate tale of danger, politics, and betrayal, and you won't ever want it to end. If you haven't read the series, start with Cinder (click here!) or if you're caught up, click here for Winter. 

I'll Meet You There- Heather Demetrios: A gorgeous story about a damaged boy, a girl going places, and the quirky California hotel job that brings them together,  I'll Meet You There is one of my favorite contemporary novels of 2015. It's understated and heartbreaking, and you'll love the way Demetrios write a tale of losing yourself, and the finding light in the darkness. Click here to check it out.

The Fill-In Boyfriend- Kasie West: Girl meets boy. Girl convinces boy to pretend to be her boyfriend for one night. Lies, chaos, and trouble ensue. Kasie West write a short, light novel that points out the power of friendship and the danger of lies- how they become bigger and more convoluted- as well as the way true friendship isn't built in a day. Also, this author is one of kwatanabe and I's favorites. Click here to check it out. 

It's not too late to vote! If you have a goodreads account, simply log in to choose your favorites in over 15 genres! The final round starts tomorrow!

Monday Meme Spotlight: YALSA 2014

     We all like to be winners. But sometimes, that's just not possible. There is one organization, though, that chooses the best of the best in young adult literature every year. This is YALSA, the Young Adult Librarian Services Association. Every year, they pick books that represent the best in YA for all sorts of awards and recognition. Here are just a few sterling picks from last year.

1. All the Truth That's In Me- Julie Berry: I love this book. Love it. It's set in a different type of world, a sort of Salem-meets-Amish town where people are old-fashioned and no one is safe from the insanity of one man. It's the story of a girl who was abducted and kept prisoner for years, a girl who's had her tongue cut out. It's a story of redemption, of moving on, of finding a way to live when it seems impossible and when everyone seems to be against you. Easily one of the best books I've evr read, I see why Berry's novel was chosen by YALSA. You can get your copy by clicking on this link.

2.The Naturals- Jennifer Barnes: Mystery abounds in this novel about gifted teens chosen to work in a special FBI profiling program to solve cold cases. But everything gets more dangerous, as you might expect, when secrets about the program are revealed to the teens involved. Although I haven't read this one, it did get put on a best fiction list, and kwatanabe loves this series, and that's a good enough recommendation for me!

3. Scarlet-Marissa Meyer: This is the second book of the Lunar Chronicles series, which is one of my favorites of all time, and of that series, Scarlet is my favorite right now. It was when I really started to understand how very well sculpted and thought out the storyline for the series was, and I love the characters in Meyer's futuristic France. And Wolf, too, who is simply awesome, a triumph of creation. You'll have to read it to find out who he is! You can find the whole series by clicking right here. (The order is Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, Fairest- and coming this fall is Winter)

4. Fangirl- Rainbow Rowell: I related pretty well to this book. It's about a girl in college who's stuck in a fictional world- she's more concerned with her fanfiction than she is with her real life. This is the story of how her friends pull her into the real world, and how she finds out that real life can be better than fiction. Honestly, Rowell's writing is fantastic. Everyone knows about Eleanor & Park, but I found Fangirl to be better (but of course, that's just me). If you'd like to see what I'm excited about, click this link.

     So these are just a few of YALSA's best fiction for 2014. They have several years worth of results and recommendations, though, so you can find the website and the 'best fiction' section by clicking here. It can look a little overwhelming at first, but it gets easier to navigate the more you explore. So while not everyone's a winner, you can find some who are.

Monday Meme Spotlight: Best YA Science Fiction

     Science Fiction is not generally a genre that everyone can enjoy. Wild planets, futuristic technology, and aliens are not exactly subjects and content that spans a wide audience. But even if you've never read sci-fi and you don't really think you'd like it, try these books on for size. You might be surprised.

1. The Lunar Chronicles: Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter- This is an awesome series by Marissa Meyer that will come to its conclusion in November of this year with Winter. The whole series is an amazing thrill ride, with different interlocking characters that all tie together to make one strong plot that sucks you in. Each book is based on a fairy tale, but retold in the future, with characters that mimic the stories of those old stories- Cinder is Cinderella, Scarlet is Little Red Riding Hood, Cress is Rapunzel, and Winter is Snow White. The way the fairy tales are rewritten is original and stays true to the sci-fi genre without going over the heads of those who are new to reading it. Click here to order any of the titles in the series, including the prequel, Fairest.

2. The Starbound novels: These Broken Stars and This Shattered World- Wow. Just wow. The second installment of this series only came out a month ago and I'm already dying for more from authors Amie Kaufman and Megan Spooner. Each novel so far is set on a different planet in the universe, with two main characters that alternate chapters and a wild mystery plot surrounding a corrupt intergalactic company and the people who are affected by it. The characters once again intertwine to enhance the larger plot, though each book comes to that plot through a different story. These are a little bit more complicated to understand- there is nothing earth-like about it except for the people, who are in the essential form of the word, human. There are no little green men. But they are more detailed, with newly created worlds and technology beyond our scope. But these books are so well written that you can't help but still enjoy them. Click here to order a copy from the library!

3. Across the Universe series: Across the Universe, A Million Suns, and Shades of Earth- I have long loved this trilogy by Beth Revis, and for good reason. The plot centers on a spaceship drifting toward a new Earth, with some people alive to run the ship and other important figures cryogenically frozen to help lead the new population on the new planet. But someone doesn't want that to happen, and begins unfreezing and murdering these scientists and leaders. One who is unfrozen, but lives, is Amy, who then has to uncover, with the help of the next captain of the ship, the reasons for these killings and how to stop it. These books never left me unsatisfied, and when I finally reached the end of the third book, I put it down with a smile. The unique characters keep you interested, and though the plot is futuristic, it is interesting and not hard to understand their technology and way of life. Click here to check them out.

     I can recommend a thousand other sci-fi novels worth their weight in awesome, (and so can goodreads.com) but these three series should get you started on the right track, even if all you know about science fiction is...