Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

Torn between loyalty and love this WWII story about two 12-year-olds is a must read!  Available at the library or via Woodland’s Downloadable Library.   Inspired by true events.

Who Isn't Afraid of Sharks??!?

I have a friend, Kristen Tracy, who writes books for teens. I've enjoyed all of her titles so far, but this summer, she's coming out with the best one yet! Sharks and Boys is the story of . . . well . . . sharks and boys. When Enid decides to follow her recently-ex boyfriend to see if he's going on a date with another girl, she certainly doesn't expect to wind up stranded at sea on a rubber raft with her twin brother, her ex and his twin, and two other sets of twin brothers. And she certainly didn't think that they would be fighting injury, thirst, sunburn, and bloodthirsty sharks! Sharks and Boys has everything you would want in a good summer read . . . scary predators, handsome boys, and a cinematic style that allows you to see all the action in your head. I, literally, could not put this book down, and stayed up way past my bedtime so that I could see what happened to the stranded teens. Keep an eye out for this one!

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

How do you stay true to yourself when you do not even know who you are? That is what Frankie Landau-Banks tries to figure out as she navigates from an unknown duckling to a sought-after swan in this funny, feminist tale.

With a title like this how can you resist? HCL has it in playaway format which I enjoyed but you can always interlibrary loan it if you would rather read it.

Delirium

Love is a disease that finally has a cure the question is, would you really want to be cured? Lena Haloway thinks so. She knows firsthand what being uncured can do and she wants the safety and happiness that being cured can bring her. What she does not realize is the only way to know happiness is to know sadness as well.

Delirium is the first book in a trilogy by Lauren Oliver. If you enjoyed Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies Series you will want to check this one out. We do not have it available at HCL yet but you can check it out through woodlands.lib.overdrive.com in WMA, PC, or iPod format.

Saving the World Will Change You

So I figured my first post should be about a series that has had an impact on my life as a reader. Have you guys ever read the 'Animorphs' series by K. A. Applegate? They were popular in the late 90s. I started reading them when I was in middle school. I bought the first one at a yard sale, fell in love, and then- lo and behold- the library had more! And we still do. :) This is a great series if you like teen sci-fi novels like Maximum Ride and Virals. The characters are original and believable and loveable, the plot twists and turns and keeps you interested, the dialoge is enjoyable and well-writtedn, and sometimes these books just make you laugh out loud. The library has most of the series, and you can always get the ones we don't have on interloan. Check them out! I'm very excited because Scholastic is publishing a reprint of this series. At least the first few, and then if they are well-received, the rest of the series as well. The reprints will be tweaked versions of the originals, with more updated pop-culture references and fixed loopholes or inconsistencies. (When you write a 50-some-odd book series, it's hard to be consistant, right?) I'm looking forward to reading these new versions of an old favorite, and I hope you'll enjoy them as much as I always have.

You can find more information on the official Animorphs website here.

Which Team Are YOU On?

If you keep up with teen books at all, you've probably at least heard murmurings about Zombies vs Unicorns, a short story collection edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier. These two ladies are HUGE in teen lit, particularly fantasy, and they've managed to pull together a great group of authors. The book is playfully arranged, too, with zombie and unicorn pictures in the corners of the pages so you can tell which camp the story falls into, and smack-talking introductions from the editors. It's clear that Black and Larbalestier want you to choose a team, although I thought I was going to like each side. As it turns out, though, I'm Team Zombie. Who knew??!?!??

Worth More Than a Passing Mention

Last year, while talking about books that had online components, I mentioned this second in the Skeleton Creek series by Patrick Carman. However, I just finished reading Ghost in the Machine, and realized that it was good enough to deserve its own post. The reader alternates reading chapters of the book with watching online videos, all of which advance the plot instead of being an afterthought. The videos, which are tense and spooky and kind of creep me out (even though I'm an adult and should be much braver), are an integral part of the story. This suspenseful series is good for any kid who likes to be scared.

Leviathan & Behemoth

Barking Spiders!

The best man for a job is a girl; a fifteen-year-old girl posing as a boy that is.

For those who love adventure and science fiction, this is a great new young adult series by Scott Westerfeld. Complete with amazing illustrations, Leviathan is a combination of historical fiction (WWI) and science fiction (advanced machinery of German Clankers and animal cross-breeding of British Darwinists). There are two main characters, Prince Aleksander and airman Deryn Sharp. Deryn, however, steals the show.

Happily, the second in the series, Behemoth, is already here but we will have to wait until October 2011 for the final book, Goliath.

Skulduggery Pleasant

If you are not yet familiar with the world of Skulduggery Pleasant, I recommend that you check it out. Skulduggery is a skeleton detective who has deadly sorcery skills . . . and an even more killer sense of fashion. Aided by his teenage sidekick, Valkyrie Cain, Skulduggery saves the world from the forces of darkness. I just finished reading The Faceless Ones, which is the third in this series by Derek Landy. Full of snarky, intelligent humor, great characters, and plenty of action, the Skulduggery Pleasant books are sure to please. And how can you resist such a wonderful name?!??

Elsewhere

Having your life cut short before it has even begun is one thing, learning you will be aging backwards is another. That is the premise of Gabrielle Zevin's book Elsewhere.

On the verge of getting her driver's license, thinking about boys and going to prom, fifteen-year-old Liz Hall is just waiting for her life to begin when it is tragically cut short. Sent to Elsewhere, she is angry over everything she has missed out on in her life and she refuses to accept her death. Complicating things is the fact that everyone in Elsewhere gets younger every year until they become infants and are sent back to Earth to be reborn.

Ranger's Apprentice

I can't believe that I went this long without talking about the Ranger's Apprentice series by John Flanagan! We all know how I love a good teen fantasy series, and this is consistently one of the best. I just got done reading number seven in the series, Erak's Ransom, and it was phenomenal. Do you know how I can tell? Because it's a prequel to books five and six, so fundamentally, I knew how it was going to turn out. But still . . . I was on the edge of my seat, reading far past my bedtime so that I could find out where it was going to take me. That's the sign of an excellent book! So if you like stories about underdogs who make good, epic battles, Viking-esque warriors, strong females, and against-all-odds journeys, check this series out.

Jane Austen Goes to Boarding School

Jane Austen is a popular author in Hillsdale, with people of all ages reading her works. A friend who works in publishing sent me a pre-publication copy of a new book based on the Austen tale, Pride and Prejudice. This new teen book, Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg, is set in an extremely exclusive boarding school where the prom is the most important thing to happen each year. Scholarship student Lizzie Bennet is despised by her classmates for not being wealthy, which colors her perception of the various boys she meets. This is a smart update of a great Austen novel, retaining enough of the original plot to appeal to fans of Jane Austen but tweaking enough of the details to make it seem fresh. Prom and Prejudice doesn't come out until January 2011, so be on the lookout for this fun teen book.

Mockingjay

I've made no secret of the fact that I love The Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. These stories of Katniss and Peeta fighting for their lives in the arena have adventure, romance, gore, philosophy, and everything else that you could possibly want in a book. Last month, the long-awaited third (and last) book, Mockingjay, was released, and reactions have been mixed. While I loved the ending and thought it was just right, there are many people who weren't satisfied by it. But, love it or hate it, you have to respect an author whose work garners such strong reactions!

What Can I Say? I Like Fantasy!!

If my reading of late has been any indication, I've been in a very escapist mood. I just finished Sword of Waters, a fantasy which is the second in a trilogy (the first being Shield of Stars). I've mentioned author Hilari Bell in this blog before, for her Farsala books, and she doesn't disappoint in this latest. A strong female characters, unexpected twists and turns, and excellent character development are all hallmarks of Bell's writing. If you're in the mood for some solid fantasy, check her out!

I Love Surprises!!

There are many, I am sure, who would consider me an indiscriminate reader. There are very few topics or genres that I avoid, and if someone gives me a book, I'm usually willing to at least give it a try. Sometimes, though, I will start to read a book with the preconceived notion that I'm not going to enjoy it very much. When these books turn out to be wonderful, it's such a pleasant surprise!

Ordinarily, I'm not a huge fan of historical fiction, and I'm particularly not a fan of civil rights novels for children and teens. I just feel that, while rushing to make their point, these books tend to get very simplistic, hollowly written, and manipulative. Morning in a Different Place by Mary Ann McGuigan surprised me, then, by being nuanced, interesting, and moving. It is the story of a 13-year old Irish American girl who is growing up in 1963 with an African American best friend and an alcoholic father. Touching on issues of race, class, and social change, the author offers up a very good read.

Heartsinger is a slender novel by Dutch author Karlijn Stoffels, which is ostensibly the story of two musicians--Mee, who can see into people's souls and sing their sorrows, and Mitou, who brings great joy to everyone who hears her songs. I'm so glad that I ignored my feelings that it was going to be corny and vague, as it is beautifully written! Stoffels weaves together the disparate stories of numerous characters to create a whole that is far greater than the sum of its gorgeous parts. The reader doesn't always understand how the different tales are going to fit together, so when the connections become clear, it's all the more delightful.

Something For All You Twilight Fans

The latest Twilight movie, New Moon, opens across the country at midnight tonight, and you can bet that teenagers and adults alike are excited. The Twilight books are a phenomenon, but what do you do when you've finished all four and have a craving for more supernatural romance? One option is Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. About a teenaged girl's lifelong fascination with a yellow-eyed wolf and the yellow-eyed boy who loves her, this story is very popular with people who like the Twilight series.

Gilbery & Sullivan Set Me Free by Kathleen Karr

A totally great read. Funny, serious and enlighting all at the same time. Kathleen Karr writes about life in a Massachusetts's women prison in the early 1900's. The main character, Libby is the youngest inmate,only 16,who learns about prison life very quickly. Libby and fellow inmates are allowed to be in a choir by the chaplin and then in a play "The Pirates of Penzance". You will be rooting for Libby and her friends before chapter 2. Historical fiction with a different twist. The book is based on a true story, the Massachusetts's Sherborn Prison for Women did put on a play in 1914.

Why Did I Resist??!?!

All of my publishing and librarian friends had been urging me to read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins for a very long time now. I'd heard about how good it was, and how popular it was with its teenaged audience, and I had a very vague idea of the basic concept. Strangely, though, I never got around to reading it. Finally, I was given an advanced review copy of the sequel, Catching Fire, and figured it was about time for me to read Hunger Games. I can't believe it took me so long to discover this wonderful book!!!!! I don't want to tell you too much about the plot, but I will say that it's set in a post-rebellion United States that has been divided into 13 different sectors. In an effort to avoid future rebellions, the government requires each sector to send one boy and one girl each year to the Hunger Games, where they will fight to the death until only one person is left. If this sounds horrible, it kind of is . . . but in a really gripping and moving sort of way. I cared about all the characters in this book, I was on the edge of my seat from all the action, and I'm very excited to read the next book. I'll just be sad when I have to wait until sometime next year for the third book in this trilogy.

Teen Fantasy . . . Not Just for Teens

I have always been one to read a lot of teen fantasy (because I'm what's traditionally known as a "nerd"), and so I'm delighted by all the attention it's gotten over the past couple years. Harry Potter opened the door for a lot of adult readers, and then the Eragon and Twilight books drew in a lot more fans. Here are some great fantasies you might not have heard of . . .

Flame, by Hilari Bell, is the first book of her Farsala trilogy, and it introduces the characters who are going to decide the fate of their land. As Farsala is invaded by the Hrum army, three young people with wildly different backgrounds--a spoiled rich girl, the illegitimate son of a Farsalan military leader, and a scarred orphan thief--find that their lives intersect in the most surprising of ways. The Farsala trilogy is based on Persian poetry, and has a lot of great characters who have to learn to trust both themselves and each other. Bell has several other series, as well as some very popular stand-alone titles.



I suppose it makes sense to go from Flame to Fire. Author Kristin Cashore set the teen publishing world abuzz last year with her debut novel, Graceling. This beautifully written and intricate tale with an engaging premise and a strong female main character was, in my opinion, one of the best books of 2008, and one of the best fantasies I've read in years. I can't wait until October, when her latest, Fire, will be released. Billed as a companion novel to Graceling, Fire focuses on an impossibly beautiful girl who can control the minds of others. Chock full of rebel lords, thieves and spies, a troubled young king, and a rugged land, I have high hopes for this title.

I hadn't realized that there was a third book about Icemark until one of our teen patrons had it sent over from another library (I probably startled her a bit with my exuberance). This series by Stuart Hill, which also includes Cry of the Icemark and Blade of Fire, centers on Thirrin, who is only 13 years old when her father dies and leaves her in charge of a small but embattled country. As she struggles against an arrogant invader and attempts to form alliances with the vampires, werewolves, and giant snow leopards that border her land, she grows up. These books are particularly good for those who enjoy rousing and action-packed battle scenes.



And I just can't talk about my favorite fantasy books without mentioning Hounds of the Morrigan by Pat O'Shea, which is one of my all-time favorites. Granted, it's old and it's so incredibly bulky (particularly in its paperback form) that it's hard to convince anyone to read it, but it has everything that good fantasy should. Endearing and relatable young protagonists? Check. Evil yet beautiful villian? Check. Seemingly insignificant good deeds being handsomely rewarded? Check. Based on Irish mythology, this book is almost Dickensian in scope, and is an all-around rollicking good read.