Teen Reads

Queen of the Dead

2011-11-27T13:34:00.005-06:00

This is the second book in the "Ghost and Goth" series, and it is just as entertaining as the first. Alona Dare, former cheerleader, homecoming queen and mean girl extraordinaire (who discovers she can actually be quite compassionate, funny and charming in the first book) continues her mission as a spirit guide to Will Killian, a dark and charismatic social outcast who sees and hears the dead.

The story that began in the first book continues with Alona and Will staking out an old abandoned (or perhaps not so abandoned?) house due to be demolished, and waiting for the ghost, who needs their help, to appear. However, their mission takes a turn of events that leads Will to meet another ghost seer, Mina, who disappears shortly after their meeting. It's all Will can think about, since she is the first seer he's met, other than his father. Will hopes she may hold the answers to the many questions he's had for so long... but Alona definitely doesn't trust her; all Mina's actions have pointed Alona to this conclusion, but Will is willing to risk it for the possibility of finding some one like him.

While Will is off chasing for answers, Alona is dealing with her own demons. Even though she thought she had grown so much since her death, she finds that her parents are moving on with their own lives only two months after she died, and she is having a hard time accepting that they could forget her so easily and reverts back to her old, selfish scheming ways. Alona doesn't want her parents to forget her, and with out Will around to help her she has to think of some other way to deal with this... a plan that leads to disaster.

I enjoyed this book just as much as the first, although I feel like Alona's character took a bit of a step backwards in her growth and experience, but that part was key in moving the story forward, so I guess I can't complain. I really liked the plot development and where the author took the story ... it was just as heart pounding and unexpected as the first book, and I can't wait to see where the author goes with the next book. This series really captures a lighthearted quality, which we see with Will and Alona, and at the same time it has such darkness and drama that comes when dealing with the dead.

A Monster Calls

2011-11-04T16:19:00.004-05:00

The nightmares began after Connor’s mother started her treatments. Night after night Connor dreams that his mother is on the edge of a cliff. Below her in the ravine is a grotesque monster clawing his way up the cliff wall to get her. Only Connor’s grasp on his mother’s hands keeps her from falling into the abyss until she slips from his grip and tumbles down …

Not that his waking hours are much better – school features a trio of recess bullies and friends who no longer seem to see him and the cancer treatments that were supposed to heal his mother seem only to be making her worse. But one night at 7 minutes after midnight a new Monster calls Connor. The Monster wants to tell Connor three stories. But in return, he demands that Connor tell him the fourth story.

Each night the Monster tells his stories of murder, destruction, and trickery, and Connor wakes the next day to confront his reality with the help of the Monster until the final night when Connor is forced to tell the Monster his devastating secret.

Patrick Ness is one of my favorite authors (I love his Chaos Walking series) and his storytelling really shines in this book. The illustrations by Jim Kay are brilliant. Although the book cover and title might make you think this is a horror book, it’s not. It’s a fable with a powerful sad/happy ending. How can it be both happy and sad? It just is.

The Bar Code Tattoo

2011-10-24T12:25:00.007-05:00

By: Susanne Weyn

The year 2025 is bringing lots of new changes for America. Currency is no longer the mighty dollar; you earn and spend credits now. There is no such thing as mail. You correspond through the internet and cell phones... there are no longer hard wired phones. It is the new digital age. Recently the Bar Code tattoo has been introduced. Those 17 and older are able to obtain them. They work like credit cards so you can use them to buy things, but they are also embedded with information like your drivers license, medical information doctors may need... pretty much everything about you is with you... always.

Kayla is about to turn 17 and is conflicted about the tattoo... does she really want to be permanently labeled and tracked all of her life? Her conflict becomes even greater after a family member's suicide. Her mother hints that it was connected to the bar code tattoo, but won't reveal more than that to her.

Around the same time Kayla is introduced to a group called Decode. They are a group rallying against being bar coded. The government wants to make it a law that requires everyone to have a bar code... a law that has already been implemented in China, Europe, and other countries. But what is so bad about the tattoo anyway? The government has been able to track people for years through credits cards and internet... so what's the big deal? Decode's leader, David Young, argues that America is about freedom and choices... citizens should not be forced to get the tattoo... there should be alternatives.

Kayla and the other members in the group don't believe Young is telling the whole truth... something is weird about the bar code. Many people, including the family of Kayla's best friend Amber, have had nothing but problems since getting the bar code. Kayla, and the other members of Decode, are determined to find out what's really going on... but little do they know, it's far worse than any of them could have ever imagined. Kayla is about to be taken on a journey, and her young life changed forever.

This was a fast and fun read; a perfect book if you've got an evening to kill. There are parts that are a little complex, but the author makes it easy to understand and follow. The whole concept really intrigued me... if you've ever read the book "1984", imagine the world leading up to the world in "1984"; that's what this book reminded me of. It also reminded me of the movie "Red Dawn"; teens coming together to fight for a cause in the face of danger. I really couldn't put it down! I hope the next book is just as interesting.

This book can be found in the Teen Paperbacks Under YA PBK Wey.

Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

2011-10-16T14:30:00.002-05:00

I recently cataloged a new book by Mary Pearson called the Fox Inheritance and it looked really fascinating. So I looked it up on the internet and found that it is book 2 in a series, so instead of checking it out, I let it go out for someone else to read and I checked out book 1, the Adoration of Jenna Fox.
I was not disappointed at all. I couldn't put this book down.
Jenna Fox was in an accident, which lefter her comatose for 18 months. When she finally wakes she has no memories at all. She is told to watch the family home videos to see if they will jog her memory. There is a disc for every year of her 16 year old life. She starts at the beginning and gradually gets through them all. She starts to remember bits and pieces of her life, some of the memories are strange, and she probably shouldn't remember them - such as when she almost drowned when she was 18 months old.
A couple weeks after she wakes, she convinces her mother to let her go to school, however mom picks out the school. It is a small class of 5 or 6 students, and taught by both the teacher and the students. She learns that each student is a "freak" in one form or another... and she fits right in.
This story is about Jenna Fox rediscovering who she is and who she can be AD (after disaster).

I really enjoyed this book, and have just checked out the Fox Inheritance to see what happens next. I look forward to reading more from Mary Pearson in the future.

Blood by K.J. Wignall

2011-10-12T15:01:00.009-05:00

Just when it seemed like there couldn’t possibly be any more vampire+girl=love 4ever stories … K.J. Wignall’s Blood is here.

And while we do have the story an angst-filled vampire who meets the human girl destined to be his soulmate, Blood is not another Twilight wanna-be.

Blood tells the mystery of William, Earl of Mercia, who was turned into a vampire in 1256 (or “became undead” as Will likes to say). He sleeps in his crypt and emerges into the world every few decades only to feed and return.

The last time Will emerged was in the 1980s and, oh my, have things changed. Now there are “vegans” and “born-again Christians” and other such novelties – not to mention Eloise, a homeless girl who makes his heart race, or at least she would if he wasn't "undead."

As it turns out, Eloise is not exactly homeless. She ran away from her swanky boarding school in a fit because pretty much all her family and friends are on exotic vacations and nobody invited her along. Usually Will stays clear of humans (unless he’s hungry of course) but when he sees Eloise being attacked by a gang of boys, he rescues her.

Eloise is irritatingly naive. Immediately after learning that Will is a vampire, she begs him to turn her into one too. (Perhaps she’s been reading a little too much Twilight?). Will demurs. He tried that once before with a girl in 1394 and it didn’t work. Will also tried to kill himself once by impaling himself with a wooden stake – that didn’t work either.

However, Will and Eloise feel destined for each other and together they try to solve the mystery of why Will was turned into a vamp--, er, became undead in 1256 and why after all these years, ghosts are whispering messages to him and demons are attacking him.

I enjoyed Blood, especially the way Wignall took the time to develop Will into a multifaceted and winsome character. I especially liked Will's journal entries interspersed throughout which highlight Will's introspective and sensitive nature. But if you like your vampires tough, don't worry, there's some vicious vampire vs. vampire fighting too.

Eloise is a little too naive and spoiled for my tastes, but she is certainly fearless. You have to admire the pluck of a girl who tries to convince a vampire to "make out" (another phrase Will has never heard) and then teasingly asks after the kiss if she "tastes like dinner".

The ending of Blood indicates that there will be at least one more book featuring Will and Eloise, and, hopefully, Eloise can prove she's interesting enough to be Will's match.

Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter

2011-07-19T15:11:00.006-05:00

To the elite circle of art thieves, Kat Bishop is known as the girl who pulled off the greatest art heist of the century when she robbed the Henley Art Museum. So it comes as no surprise when a desperate woman begs her to steal the famous Cleopatra Emerald and return it to her, the rightful owner. Determined to right a past wrong, Kat, along with her gorgeous best friend Hale, promise to help the woman.

Although the emerald is rumored to be cursed, this doesn't stop Kat, as she masterminds a flawless heist and returns the emerald. And that's when everything goes wrong ...

Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter is the second book in the Heist Society series, although you don’t have to read the first book (also named "Heist Society") to know what's going on. Fans of Carter's Gallagher Girls series ("Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover," etc) should try this new series.

What I liked: the characters (especially Hale) who supports Kat even when she doesn’t deserve it. I also like the spectacular plans they execute to steal the emerald (not once, but twice). The final heist is so clever and so obvious!! I can't believe I didn’t figure it out earlier.

What I didn’t like: the secondary characters who were so funny and interesting in "Heist Society," play a very small part in this book. Also, Kat has a lot of internal anguish that gets a bit tiresome.

It is also pretty unrealistic to believe that a band of teenagers could outsmart the world’s greatest security systems, but perhaps watching them outwit the adults is what makes this such a fun series.

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

2011-07-11T14:04:00.004-05:00

Andi Alpers' life couldn't get much worse. Her beloved brother has been murdered, her mother has been committed to an institution, she's about to be expelled from school, and she's chased away most of her friends.

As if that wasn't enough, Andi's absent father takes a break from his new family and career as a Nobel prize-winning geneticist to interfere in Andi's life just long enough to "fix" her problems by taking him to Paris with him for winter break. Once there, he pretty much ignores her because he's too busy working on his latest project: proving that a human heart preserved for centuries is actually the heart of young Prince Louis-Charles of France who supposedly died while kept prisoner in a tower.

When Andi finds a secret compartment in a guitar case, she discovers the diary of Alexandrine Paradis, a young girl who lived during the French Revolution. Although Alex dreamed of being on the Paris stage, her life is doomed when she encounters the boy Prince Louis-Charles and sets out to save him from certain death in the locked tower.

Andi and Alex's lives converge in a startling way when Andi is transported back to Alex's time. Once there she must try find what happened to Alex and finish her mission to save Louis Charles.

Although I usually don't like it when books use the gimmick of time travel, it worked in Revolution and brought the two stories together well. I also liked Andi's relationship with Virgil, a young musician/cab driver she meets in Paris. Although it's a long book, (almost 500 pages), it's well worth it.

Passion: by Lauren Kate

2011-06-27T12:53:00.004-05:00

Passion, the third book in the Fallen series, takes a different perspective than the others. Luce is mostly on her own for the greater part of the book, forced to trust her own instincts, and find her own way without the guidance her friends as she did in the previous books.

Luce is bound and determined to find the answers to her questions: Is the love her and Daniel feel for each other real or just part of the curse is? If given the choice, would they still choose each other? The only way to discover not only who she is, but what the love between her and Daniel means, is to take an epic journey through time to witness her past lives. She only hopes it will help her understand what makes her die over and over again with out killing her.

Always one step behind her, Daniel is following Luce on her journey. As he travels through time he is forced to re-live the scenes that have haunted him through the ages. Initially Daniel is simply trying to find Luce, but his pursuit turns into a self discovering journey of his own. The possibility of finding a loophole in the curse leads Daniel to wonder if it isn't just Luce who was meant go on this journey. Can he too play a part in breaking this cycle of death he and Luce have been going through over the millenia?

But there is more at stake on this journey than just Luce and Daniel; a more sinister being than either could ever imagine has his own plan set in place, and the fate of heaven rests in the balance.

I loved the suspense in this book; the constant struggle both Luce and Daniel have with trying not to change the past but at the same time make interactions that could change their fates, was really fun and exciting. Kate does a great job of giving the characters even more depth. The reader gets to see little glimpses of what the other angels were like before this era and what events in their pasts made them the way they are. Even better, she finally reveals what happened during the Fall of the Angels and out how the curse came upon Daniel and Luce. You'd think after finding all this out I would be satisfied, but the cliff hanger left me with so many unanswered questions; Kate really knows how to keep a reader wanting more!

The Girl in the Steel Corset (Steampunk Chronicles)- By: Kady Cross

2011-06-11T11:19:00.003-05:00

If there is one thing as a reader you should know about this book, it's that the title really has nothing to do with the actual book. It will be better knowing this when you start reading it. Yes, at one point Finley Jayne, our heroin, is given a steel corset in order to protect her, and subsequently gets into a fight where half of London gets a peek at her in it, but it doesn't play as big role in the book as the title makes it seem. This didn't prevent me from thoroughly enjoying the book, but it certainly surprised me.

Finley Jayne is a servant girl in 1897 England, and has been forced from job to job due to something inside of her she can't explain. This darkness or monster lurking inside of her has been creeping up more and more as of late. When her dark side takes over she has the capability to take down full grown men, which is exactly what she does when the Lord of the manor's son tries to force himself on her, and Finley's dark self nearly kills him for doing so.

When Finley flees the scene in order to save herself from the consequences of her actions, she runs into the Duke of Greythorne, Griffin King. Well, to be more accurate, he runs into her with his velocycle. Griffin takes the unconscious Finley to his estate where he soon discovers the seemingly frail girl is not what she seems; and as it turns out, no one living at the is estate is what they seem either. Griffin, Sam, Emily, and Jasper all have one thing in common: they are far from normal. Each of them has unique abilities, and they have banded together to try and stop a man known as The Machinist.

The Machinist, who seems to have the capability to control automatons, has been wreaking havoc all over London. Finley is soon swept up in their investigation, but the monster in her threatens to tear the company apart... which is exactly what The Machinist wants, and in order to fulfill his master plan, he cannot have this team of misfits interfering.

X-men meets the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is the only way to describe this book. It was refreshing and exciting. The setting was one of my favorite parts: a futuristic London full of modern technology and a little bit of the paranormal, but given a 19th century style. Cross' characters were fantastic, it's been a long time since I truly got attached to every character in a book! Some of them didn't get quite as developed as I would have liked, but I'm hoping that will happen in the next book.

Die for Me: by Amy Plum

2011-06-01T18:57:00.003-05:00

Having lost her parents in a horrible car accident, Kate and her sister Georgia move to Paris to live their grandparents in Paris. Kate has a hard time recovering from her loss, but soon finds a distraction from her misery at her local cafe: Vincent.

Vincent looked to Kate as if he'd walked of the pages of a high fashion magazine. An impossibly gorgeous boy... with an unbelievable secret! Little does Kate know, Vincent is about to take her on a journey to a paranormal side of the world she never knew existed.

Vincent's world is all about life or death... literally! Vincent is a supernatural being, trapped in a never ending cycle that consumes him; until he meets Kate, that is. Before, his life was filled with revenge, battles, secrecy, and a whole lot of dead people. Now, his life is consumed by one thought: Kate.

Kate struggles to understand and cope with her discovery about Vincent, but isn't sure she can be around so much death with out constantly being reminded of her parents' deaths. Plus, how much supernatural craziness can one mortal take! Vincent tries his best to stay away from her and save her from the dangers that come with his fate, but there is something pulling them together that cannot be ignored.

Move over vampires and werewolves! There's a new supernatural guy in town! The love story between Vincent and Kate is classic, but Vincent is new kind of creature, in the most romantic city in the world. Kudos to Amy Plum for making dead people sexy!

The Ask and the Answer

2011-04-23T09:16:00.004-05:00

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness ended with Todd and Viola's dramatic escape from the army of Prentisstown -- only to discover that as they rush into the town of Haven they've walked into a trap.

The Ask and the Answer immediately picks up the action from there as Todd is imprisoned by the mayor and Viola is hospitalized. Viola escapes and joins a rebel band of fighters (called The Answer) while Tood is coerced into joining the mayor's army (called The Ask).

What I love about this book is the alternating chapters between Viola and Todd. As the reader, we see what is happening and cringe as misunderstandings abound between the two.

While Viola and Todd are great characters, we also learn the full evil of Mayor Prentiss and his worthy opponent, Mistress Coyle. Prentiss and Coyle are calculating and clever and while both successfully manipulate the bond between Viola and Todd to advance their plans, neither realizes the danger Todd and Viola present when they are finally reunited.

There are also some interesting new characters. We see the development of Davy Prentiss, the son of the Mayor who was so vile in book 1 and we meet Lee, a member of the rebel army who falls in love with Viola.

If you haven't read the Monsters of Men trilogy yet, I highly recommend it. The suspense is so intense, I would find myself gripping the end of the book and reading as fast as I can. Start with Book 1: The Knife of Never Letting Go. Book 2 is The Ask and the Answer, and I can't wait to read the final book, Monsters of Men.

Waiting for Normal

2011-04-04T15:44:00.003-05:00

The IHS Book Club has been working its way through the Iowa Teen Award Nominees this year and we just finished Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor.

It's one of my favorite books from the list this year because it takes the notion of a "normal" mother-daughter relationship and tips it on its head. The mother acts like the child forcing the child to be the mother.

Addie and her mother (called "Mommers") are living in a trailer by the railroad tracks while her two younger sisters live with Addie's stepfather Dwight. Although Mommers has lost custody of her two younger children to Dwight, she still has Addie because Dwight is not Addie's father. However, it's pretty clear that Mommers can't be trusted to care for a hamster, let alone a child.

Addie is left home alone for days, where she learns to fend for herself and navigate the complexities of middle school alone. In addition to her own problems, she worries about her mother: the money she wastes, her new so-called job that comes with boxes of office supplies but never pays the bills, and her relationship with her new boss, Pete.

Her mother's all-or-nothing approach to life -- extreme happiness one day, vicious temper tantrums the next - grow old and Addie finds herself tired of always waiting for a normal life. Addie's attempts to bring normalcy to her life just make things worse until what seems like a tragedy finally brings what Addie's wanted all along.

Final Eragon book to be released in November

2011-03-23T13:47:00.004-05:00

Finally! Christopher Paolini has announced that the final book of the Inheritance Cycle series will be released on Nov. 8. It will be entitled Inheritance.

“The burning questions asked by fans around the world will finally be answered in this last installment. All will be revealed!”
-- said Christopher Paolini

About Inheritance

Not so very long ago, Eragon - Shadeslayer, Dragon Rider - was nothing more than a poor farm boy, and his dragon, Saphira, only a blue stone in the forest. Now the fate of an entire civilization rests on their shoulders.

Long months of training and battle have brought victories and hope, but they have also brought heartbreaking loss. And still, the real battle lies ahead: they must confront Galbatorix. When they do, they will have to be strong enough to defeat him. And if they cannot, no one can. There will be no second chances.

The Rider and his dragon have come further than anyone dared to hope. But can they topple the evil king and restore justice to Alagaësia? And if so, at what cost?

The Knife of Never Letting Go

2011-03-08T16:33:00.007-06:00

Imagine a world where everyone can hear your thoughts. There is no privacy, no secrets, and no way of hiding what you're thinking.

It wasn't always this way for the people of Prentisstown. At one time it was only the men whose thoughts invaded the air. Women's thoughts were silent but the women and girls died years ago, decimated by a deadly virus leaving the men of Prentisstown alone with the Noise of their thoughts.

Or so it seemed to Todd Hewitt, the last boy in Prentisstown. As the only boy left, Todd is usually alone with no one to hang out with but his dog Manchee (whose thoughts he can also hear). Then one day Todd and Manchee are walking in the swamp and stumble upon the impossible -- a pocket of silence. Stunned Todd searches for the source since he knows there is only one creature that doesn't make Noise -- a girl.

When Todd discovers Viola Eade hiding in the swamp, he knows that the men of Prentisstown have lied to him. There are still women and girls alive in the world. But he soon discovers that this is the least of their lies. They have been hiding a secret so awful it sends Todd and Viola fleeing through the countryside desperate to reach the next settlement before the army of Prentisstown tracks them down. Because Mayor Prentiss and his men will do anything to silence the boy. But how do you run from someone who can hear your every thought?

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness is the best teen book I've read since the Hunger Games trilogy. It is that good. It takes a little bit to figure out what is going on with the Noise, but then the book races along and is heart-stopping as Todd and Viola race from danger (and into danger and out of danger and into danger ...).

I liked how the author slowly unravels the puzzle of the history of Prentisstown and Todd's family. I also liked the characters of Todd and Viola, especially Todd who really struggles with his life and how things have turned out.

Unfortunately, The Knife of Never Letting Go ends in a cliff hanger, but the good news is that the other two books of the trilogy, The Ask and the Answer, and Monsters of Men are already out so you can jump right into the next one.

Rot and Ruin

2011-03-03T14:19:00.004-06:00

Living in America isn't what it used to be. Zombies have taken over the country until all that is left is a small band of survivors trapped in a small walled town. To step outside the walls is to risk a zombie bite - a fate worse than death as you turn into one of the living dead.

Benny Imura is less worried about a zombie bite than getting a job. If he doesn't get a job before he turns 15, his rations will be cut in half. Finally, in desperation he agrees to become an apprentice zombie hunter to Tom, his older brother. Tom is not a "cool" zombie hunter like Benny's heros "Pink-eye Charlie" or Marion "Motor City Hammer". Benny has grown up hanging onto the words of Charlie and Marion's wild stories of killing zoms while Benny thinks Tom is just a coward.

But when someone tries to murder the brothers and succeeds in kidnapping Benny's best friend, Nix, Tom and Benny must venture into Rot and Ruin to rescue her. What Benny finds there changes his view of everything.

I'm not a fan of zombie stories, but I really liked Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry. There is plenty of action and the characters are interesting, especially Tom. I liked watching how Benny's perceptions of his brother changes as he learns more about "First Night".

The second book, Dust and Decay comes out in August.

Iron King

2011-03-03T10:36:00.005-06:00

Meghan Chase's life is dismal. She's ignored at school (when she's not being teased). Bored at home where technology is pretty much banned. And lonely because her only friend is Rob, the class trickster.

This changes on her 16th birthday when her younger brother, Ethan, starts acting like a monster. Which makes sense because he is a monster -- the real Ethan has been kidnapped and taken to a mysterious world of fairies and an evil changeling has been left in his place.

Meanwhile Rob admits that he is really Robin Goodfellow (or Puck for those of you who've read your Shakespeare) and Meghan's father is actually Oberon, the King of the Summer Fey. Meghan convinces Puck to lead her into the fairy world of Nevernever to help her rescue her brother.

Once in the Nevernever, things don't go well. Oberon's wife Titania is not exactly pleased to meet her husband's half human/half fairy offspring. She tries to her enslave her. Oberon's arch-enemy Mab, queen of the Winter Court wants to capture Meghan too. Queen Mab sends her youngest son, the gorgeous warrior Ash to capture her. You see where this is going, right?

Of course, Meghan, princess of the Summer Court falls for Ash, prince of the Winter Court. He appears to love her too, but can he be trusted? Her best friend Puck says no, but Mehan's heart says yes ...

I really liked this book, especially the fact that Meghan is brave and clever and doesn't wait for Puck or Ash to save her. She can take care of herself. While the budding romance between Meghan and Ash plays a central role, there is enough action and plot twists to keep you turning pages. After finishing The Iron King, the next two books in this series The Iron Daughter and the Iron Queen are on my must-read list.

Low Red Moon

2011-02-16T08:17:00.003-06:00

The only thing Avery Hood can remember about the night her parents died is that she saw silver—deadly silver, moving inhumanly fast. As much as she wants to remember who killed them, she can't, and there's nothing left to do but try to piece her life back together.

Then Avery meets the new boy in school—Ben, mysterious and beautiful, with whom she feels a connection like nothing she's ever experienced. When Ben reveals he's a werewolf, Avery still trusts him—at first. Until she sees that sometimes his eyes flash inhuman silver.

And then she learns that she's not the only one who can't remember the night her parents died.

Well, it's pretty obvious from the start that Ben didn't kill her parents, so the question remains who did. Since there's only a short list of suspects, it doesn't take long to narrow down the possibilities. I had it figured out pretty quickly, but I did like the growing relationship between Avery and her grandmother -- and of course the highlight of the book is the romance between Ben and Avery.

Torment

2011-02-03T12:12:00.005-06:00

The newest book from Laurent Kate's Fallen series, Torment is everything the first book was and more. Where the focus of Fallen was a lot about finding out who (or perhaps what) David was (a fallen angel) and his connection Luce, Torment concentrates more on Luce and her discovery of who she is and what she is capable of (which it turns out is more than she ever imagined). Luce will do everything she can to break the cycle of falling in love with Daniel, dying, and being re-incarnated again.

After the battle that ensued in the last book, Luce is forced into hiding in order to escape beings even more sinister than Cam and his group (fallen angels who chose to side with Lucifer and are now known as demons), the Outcasts. Luce knows little about them, and is continually kept in the dark by Daniel, who only wants to protect her and not alarm her with how dangerous they really are. In an attempt to protect Luce, Daniel forms a short alliance with Cam and his fellow demons. They decide to hide Luce at a boarding school for Nephilim (children of fallen angels and humans).
Luce feels alone and uncertain in the strange boarding school. Lying to her parents and her best friend about what's really going on doesn't help matters, and Luce wonders if she even really knows what's going on; everyone seems intent on keeping her in the dark. Luckily, she manages to find a great friends: her new roommate, despite her hard outer shell, turns out to be just the friend Luce needed, as well as good hearted funny boy named Miles. They are there for her as Luce begins to uncover her powers and her past.

Luce discovers new abilities, which provide her with a window to her past, and despite warnings, refuses to stop using them. Luce's desire to discover who she is outweighs any kind of danger that might be caused. Her discoveries make her question what she thinks she knows, and the lines between good and evil are becoming blurrier by the day On top of all this Luce struggles with her relationship with Daniel, which is becoming more complicated than ever.

The author does a great job of giving the reader just enough information to stay hooked, while keeping the suspense and tension high. The author hints at how Luce is the key to something big, which is why the angels, demons, and outcasts alike all want her on their side. At times the book gets a little repetitious with Luce's long lamentations and continuous worries, but overall the book keeps a nice flow. Like the last book, this book is filled with more questions than answers, ending in a great battle and a jaw dropping cliff hanger that leaves the reader wanting more.

Firelight by Sophi Jordan

2011-02-02T20:18:00.004-06:00

A page turner, definitely! Elements of fantasy, suspense, a little romance and a whole lot of action make this novel one you won’t be able to put down.
Sophie Jordan's novel, Firelight, tells the story of a young girl, Jacinda, who is not quite what she seems... in fact, she's not even human! Jacinda is a draki (a descendant of dragons who can shift into human form) and one of the most important members of her draki pride because she is the first fire breather to be born in centuries. As it turns out though, being one of a kind isn't so great. Jacinda has almost no freedom to do what she wants, and is treated like the property of the whole pride to do with as they please, including betrothing her to the son of the alpha male, Cassian.
Jacinda longs for freedom... and flight! On an excursion flying during day light (which is strictly forbidden because of the high risk of being caught by hunters) she is nearly captured by hunters, but strangely, a hunter named Will allows her to escape. After this incident her mother suddenly announces that they must flee the pride in order to protect Jacinda, but won’t tell Jacinda why she must flee.
Jacinda's mother and sister are much more excited about the move than she is. Her sister's draki never manifested, so essentially she is forever trapped in a human form, and her mother can no longer manifest. In the small town desert the family moves to it seems like Jacinda's draki will wilt away and die while her mother and sister flourish in an environment where they are no longer outcasts.
There is one thing Jacinda didn't count on though.... Will. He is a student at her new school in the middle of what she can only describe as hell. Being around him makes Jacinda feel like a draki again, but is it because he's a hunter or something else? Jacinda becomes locked in a struggle between her feelings and what Will is: a hunter, who has probably killed many of her kind.
Fights ensue, threats and promises are made and several twists and turns come out that will make your head spin. Then, the book ends with one heck of a cliff hanger, leaving you with frustration at the lack of resolution and anticipation for the next novel. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I hope you will too!

Written in Blood

2011-02-01T09:49:00.004-06:00

It's 1877 when 16-year-old Jim Doolen leaves home to try to discover why his father left home four years ago and never returned.

Jim's quest takes him across the harsh deserts of Arizona and New Mexico where he meets up with Apache warriors, US soldiers, a mystic, roving bands of professional scalpers, cruel bandits, and an old Mexican revolutionary. Finally the clues his father left behind lead him to a violent confrontation in Old Mexico where he discovers his father's secret, bloody past.

Written in Blood is an old-school Western with plenty of ambushes, fistfights, and bloody shootouts. And while Jim can be maddeningly slow at figuring out who he can and cannot trust, his encounters with different people on his quest make this book really enjoyable.

You can find Written in Blood by John Wilson in the new teen books at the Indianola Public Library.

Matched by Ally Condie

2010-12-10T09:37:00.002-06:00

I love this trailer for Ally Condie's Matched (watch the whole thing). Check it out and then come to the library and check it out for real.

See the Book Trailer for Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

2010-12-03T15:18:00.001-06:00

Leviathan series by Scott Westerfeld

2010-12-01T08:17:00.013-06:00

One of my favorite new series of 2010 is Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan series. Like all good fantasy books, the plot is super complicated and if I tried to explain it in detail your head might start to spin, but in a nutshell ...

It's World War I, but this time it's the Darwinists (those who have scientifically created fabricated creatures) against the Clankers (creators of intricate mechanical devices).

The story revolves around two great characters:

Prince Alexsander is on the run. As the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne the assassins who killed his parents are after him. His people have abandoned him and his title is worthless. With just a small band of loyal friends of his father and a stolen mechanical walker, he's trying to hide out until the war is over.

Deryn Sharp is a brilliant airman in the British Air Service. Deryn is adventurous and loves everything about life aboard the Leviathan, a fabricated whaleship. There's just one problem -- Deryn is a girl disguised as a boy. If her secret is discovered, her life's dream of being an airman is over.

Alex and Deryn's paths cross and the adventures start as neither one of them is much good at staying out of trouble. If you like a lot of action in your books, this is a great series for you.

Jane by April Lindner

2010-11-30T08:44:00.003-06:00

Of all the classic love stories, Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre is one of the most under-appreciated.

Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is no slouch in the love story department, but, come on people! Who can compete with moody Mr. Rochester and fiesty Jane Eyre? And yet there are few (any?) retellings of Jane Eyre. Until now ...

In her new book, Jane, April Lindner asks "What if Jane Eyre fell in love with a rock star?"

Forced to drop out of college, Jane Moore takes a nanny job at Thornfield Park, home of rock legend Nico Rathburn. Her plan is to save up enough money to finish her degree. She's practical, sensible, and getting her life back on track. Everything is going according to plan ... and then she falls in love with Nico.

Nico is the quintessential rock star: obsessed fans, lots of women, lots of drugs, a deranged ex-wife, a life that spiraled out of control. He's putting all this behind him as he stages the concert comeback of the century. Everything is going according to plan ... and then he falls in love with Jane.

So far, so good, right? Not quite.

Thornfield Park hides Nico's darkest secret, one that threatens Jane's life (imagine creepy music playing here).

So, find a seat by a warm fireplace and prepare to enjoy a little gothic horror and romance with Jane this Christmas break.

The Interrogation of Gabriel James

2010-10-08T14:45:00.003-05:00

A teen witnesses a murder one night at an isolated farmhouse. As the police interview him afterward, Gabriel James tries to piece together the series of bizarre events that led to the shooting. Who started the fire? Why are pets disappearing from the neighborhood? Who is the mysterious Dr. Death? And, more importantly, are the police trying to pin something on him?

The Interrogation of Gabriel James is a fast read that keeps you guessing as you try to figure out what is happening. This is a great choice for mystery and thriller lovers.

You can find The Interrogation of Gabriel James by Charlie Price in the New Teen Books section of the Indianola Public Library.

Clockwork Angel

2010-09-23T13:06:00.006-05:00

Clockwork Angel, the new prequel to the Immortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare (City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass) is finally here!

This is one of those books with so much action, it's hard to summarize, but here it goes ...

It is the era of Queen Victoria and 16-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the sea from New York to London to join her only living relative, Nate. What awaits her is not a joyful reunion with her beloved brother, but the dangerous world of London's Downworld, where vampires, demons, and warlocks haunt the city.

Fresh off the boat, naive Tessa is tricked, kidnapped, and imprisoned by the "Dark Sisters," two evil creatures who teach her that she has the rare magical power to transform at will into another person. They are preparing her for a forced marriage to "The Magister" an evil Downworld lord who will do anything to claim her power as his own.

Tessa escapes the Dark Sisters, but not for long as she is hunted on all sides. With no one else to turn to, she takes refuge with the Shadowhunters, an elite group of demon hunters who promise to help her find her brother if she will help them fight The Magister.

Tessa is a feisty heroine who turns out to be a bit more clever than her adversaries imagined. She's also a little too trusting and a little too naive when it comes to love, which runs her into trouble when she meets Will, a Shadowhunter with a dark secret which he hides beneath a wicked sense of humor, and his best friend Jem, who has a few inner demons of his own. The three of them make a great team, even if they don't want to admit it.

You can find Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare in the New Teen Books section of the Indianola Public Library.

Dracula

2010-08-25T16:39:00.003-05:00

We have a new illustrated copy of Dracula at the library, and it's uber creepy.

It's a retelling of Bram Stoker's classic Dracula, and, in some ways, its actually better than the original. Some of the "good" characters, such as Mina and Holmwood have more personality, and the "bad" characters, such as Dracula and his brides, are even more sinister. (Note: if you're looking for a sexy Edward Cullen vampire romance, this is not the book for you).

But the best part is the fantastic illustrations. See for yourself. You can find this version of Dracula, adapted by Nicky Raven, in the Teen section of the Indianola Public Library.

Memoirs of a Teenage Anmesiac

2010-07-26T15:54:00.003-05:00

What if you woke up one morning and couldn't remember the last four years?

If you had to meet your friends for the first time, would you like them? How about your boyfriend? Would you like the sports you play, the things you do, the people you hang out with? Would you like the person you'd become?

Naomi Porter has just that experience in Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin. Naomi slips on some concrete stairs, suffers a concussion and loses her memory of everything from the past four years. When she meets her boyfriend, her friends, and the choices she's made, she's discovers she doesn't really like the person she's become. But her amnesia gives her the chance to fix some things (and to mess up a few things too).

I liked this book (although there were a few times I wanted to shake Naomi) and it's kind of fun to think back on the last few years and wonder what you'd think of your life if you lost your memory.

You can find Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac at the Indianola Public Library in the Teen section.

The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin by Josh Berk

2010-07-21T14:15:00.005-05:00

On a school field trip to the Happy Memories Coal Mine, football start Pat Chambers is found dead at the bottom of a coal shaft.

There's no end to the list of suspects: his ex-girlfriend, the crackpot bus driver, the 'I'm-too-sexy-for-calculus' math teacher, or the weird kid who talks to his fingers. The list goes on and on, which begs the question - how can the most popular kid in school have so many enemies?

Three friends, Devon (the least popular kid in school), Will (the new deaf kid), and Ebony (Will's old girlfriend) decide to emulate their favorite detectives, the Hardy Boys, and solve the case themselves. The result is a funny account of their bumbling investigation. This is a fun read for like to read humorous mysteries.

You can find The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin by Josh Berk in the New Teen Books section at the Indianola Public Library.

Dark Divne by Bree Despain

2010-06-24T09:43:00.003-05:00

Grace Divine is the daughter of the local pastor and, on the surface, everything is just about perfect. She has loving parents, a gorgeous, generous older brother, and a promising future as an artist. But she can't quite forget the day three years ago when her best friend Daniel disappeared and her brother came home covered in blood. It's a dark secret no one in her family will discuss.

When Daniel shows up in her art class, the old questions come bubbling to the surface - along with her feelings for him. Soon she must choose between her promise to her brother Jude to stay away from Daniel and her love for him. As she starts to dig into her family's dark secrets, she discovers that Daniel - and Jude - are not who they seem.

Dark Divine is a great paranormal romance complete with a "bad boy" werewolf, the good girl who saves him, and the plot twist that shatters Grace's image of her perfect family. This is a great summer read and is highly recommended for fans of paranormal mysteries.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson

2010-05-26T14:42:00.003-05:00

Will Grayson 1 lives in Evanston, Illinois. His best friend is Tiny Cooper, musical theater buff, star linebacker, and "the world's largest person who is really, really gay, and also the world's gayest person who is really, really large" (according to Will.) They met in 5th grade.

Will Grayson 2 lives in Naperville, Illinois. His best friend is Isaac, who lives in Ohio. Will chats online with Isaac every night but he's never actually seen him. "I mean, we've exchanged photos and have talked (online) enough for me to know that he's real (according to Will). They met online.

When Will Grayson 1 travels to Chicago to finally meet Isaac, chance brings the two Wills and Tiny together and their lives become entangled in Tiny's production of "history's most awesome musical".

Will Grayson, Will Grayson is written by John Green ("Waiting for Alaska") and David Levithan ("Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist") and the chapters alternate with Green writing the voice of Will Grayson I and Levithan writing Will Grayson II. It sounds a gimmicky, but it works. Each Will has a distinct voice and the plot stays together. The ending is a bit too tidy, but otherwise it's a very funny and enjoyable read.

Bestselling author of "The Shadow and the Wind" also has teen books

2010-05-18T14:39:00.003-05:00

Ruiz Zafon; YA Best Seller

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The Last Summer of the Death Warriors

2010-05-17T09:41:00.004-05:00

The police ruled it an accident but Pancho doesn't buy it.

His sister Rosa died alone in a hotel room from an allergic reaction to alcohol. It couldn't have been an accident since Rosa knew she was allergic to alcohol. Pancho is going to track down whoever tricked her into drinking and avenge her death.

Pancho knows he'll probably die in the attempt, but he doesn't think he has much to lose. His parents are dead and with Rosa now gone, what's he got to live for anyway?

And then he meets D.Q. -- a boy with terminal cancer.

Now, at this point, you're probably thinking you know what's going to happen -- you think this is one of those really, really sad stories where boy with cancer dies and the angry boy learns he has a lot to live for.

Nope, that's not what happens. But you'll have to read The Last Summer of the Death Warriors to find out what really happens.

The Adventures of Jack Lime

2010-05-14T15:05:00.003-05:00

Jack Lime is a sucker for beautiful girls and hard-to-solve cases. He's good at solving the cases but he's more apt to get a fat lip than a kiss.

Jack solves the mysteries the old fashioned way - staking out suspects and putting together clues. In this first book of a new series he takes on three cases in his high school: a stolen bike, a kidnapped hamster, and a missing math champ. He solves them all but the endings aren't always "happy".

If you loved reading the Encyclopedia Brown and Nancy Drew mysteries when you were younger, you'll probably like The Adventures of Jack Lime.

You can find a copy at the Indianola Public Library in the Teen section under FIC Lec.

Intertwined by Gena Showalter

2010-05-04T13:27:00.011-05:00

Sixteen-year-old Aden Stone has four human souls trapped in his body:

one can time travel,
one can raise the dead,
one can tell the future,
and one can possess other humans.

They talk to him. Not only that, but they talk at the same time until he feels like he's going to explode from the clash of voices. No wonder he has to talk to himself in order to think.

And on top of that, other creatures (ghosts, goblins, fairies, you name it) are strangely attracted to his presence. And most want to kill him, including a coven of witches tracking him.

There's never any peace until he meets Mary Ann. When she's near him, the voices stop and the creatures are held at bay. It's love at first sight -- but more of a brotherly type of love than the other kind of love. The other kind of love happens when he meets the vampire princess, Victoria, whose father has arranged her engagement to the cruel vampire Dmitri.

Together Aden, Mary Ann, Victoria, and a shape-shifting wolf named Riley band together to free the souls trapped in Aden's body, get Victoria's father to break her engagement, and find out what those witches want. Plus they have to save Mary Ann from her ex-boyfriend who turns out to be not only a jerk but a half-demon.

I really liked Intertwined. There was just enough mystery, romance, and action to keep me zipping through the pages. Aden and Mary Ann are great characters. The romance between Riley and Mary Ann is well developed and sweet (well, as sweet as love between a shape-shifting wolf and a human can be) Victoria is a little cold and Aden's love for her is puzzling. Maybe her character will be revealed more in book 2, Unraveled, which comes out next August.

Heist Society by Ally Carter

2010-04-25T13:19:00.006-05:00

Heist Society is the story of seven teenagers who steal five stolen paintings in the greatest art heist in history.

Yes, they steal five stolen paintings.

The five paintings were originally stolen by the Nazis during World War II. No one knows what happened to them until they turn up in the underwater bunker of Arturo Taccone, an underworld crime lord. Someone breaks into the bunker and steals them from Taccone. No one is certain who the thief is but the blame falls to 15-year-old Katarina Bishop's father. Taccone wants them back within two weeks or he'll kill Bobby. However, Bobby claims he didn't do it, and furthermore he can't do anything about it because he's being watched by the police night and day. So it falls to Kat to steal the paintings back and save her father's life.

The problem? The ingenious thief has hidden the stolen paintings in plain sight -- behind five legitimate paintings hanging in the renowned Henley Art Museum (home to one of the best anti-theft security systems in the world). All Kat has to do break into the Henley and steal them back. If only it were that easy.

Luckily she has a team of world-class teen thieves to help her, including a computer genius, two brothers born to run scams, her gorgeous cousin Gabrielle, and a pickpocket she met in Paris who may be more than he seems. And then there's her confusing feelings for Hale, the young billionaire she met the night she broke into his parents' home to steal his Monet.

If you like Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls series ("I'd Tell You I Love You but then I'd Have to Kill You" etc), you'll love Heist Society. There's plenty of clever adventure, hi-tech gadgets, romance, and humorous missteps to make this a great read (and hopefully the first in a new series).

Tales from Outer Suburbia

2010-04-14T09:36:00.006-05:00

OK, so we all know how boring the neighborhood can be, right? But imagine a place were water buffaloes live next door, people drive down the street in flying boats, and every backyard has a personal missile painted to match the house. Bizarre but kinda fun.

This is the world Shaun Tan imagines in Tales from Outer Suburbia, a series of short stories with color illustrations that are almost better than the stories. (Don't miss the "How to Make Your Own Pet" instructions on page 82).

You can find Tales from Outer Suburbia in the Teen section under at the Indianola Public Library.

What's the most bizarre book you've ever read?

Lips Touch Three Times by Laini Taylor

2010-03-03T10:49:00.003-06:00

Don't be deceived by the title - Lips Touch Three Times by Laini Taylor is about kissing -- but it's not romantic. That is unless kissing goblins, creepy shapeshifters, and killing your boyfriend with a cursed kiss is your idea of romance.

Lips Touch Three Times is comprised of three short stories about girls and a tempting kiss:

Goblin Fruit: Misfit Kizzy catches the eye of the new boy in school - the cutest guy she's ever seen, despite his weird, old-fashioned clothes. But why is he interested in her with so many beautiful, popular girls hanging around.

Spicy Little Curses: A bargain with a demon results in a "spicy little curse" on a beautiful newborn girl. But what happens 18 years later when the girl decides to test the curse?

Hatchling: One morning 14-year-old Esme wakes to find her left eye has turned from brown to blue. Why does this change make her mother panic? And why is a mysterious, beautiful, fanged man following her?

Dark, creepy, and full of mystery, these stories are highly recommended if you loved fairy tales as a child but are ready for something a bit more wicked.

You can find Lips Touch Three Times in the New Teen Books shelf at the Indianola Public Library.

Numbers by Rachel Ward

2010-02-25T09:18:00.003-06:00

Whenever Jem meets someone new, no matter who, as soon as she looks into their eyes, a number pops into her head. That number is a date: the date they will die.

Burdened with such an awful awareness, Jem avoids relationships. Until she meets Spider, another outsider, and takes a chance. But while they’re waiting to ride the Eye Ferris wheel, Jem notices that all the other tourists in line flash the same number. Today’s number. Today’s date. Terrorists are going to attack London. Jem’s world is about to explode!

You can find "Numbers" by Rachel Ward on the New Teen Books shelve at the Indianola Public Library.

Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough

2010-01-30T23:43:00.003-06:00

I've been listening to alot of audiobooks the past few months, so when this book crossed my desk I was ready for a change in pace - and this was just the right book! The story is about a family of witches, and the main character Tamsin, who doesn't have any "Talent" (what they call their powers) - she is the odd one in the family, as everyone receives their Talent by the age of 8, and at 17 she still hasn't received hers.
We start out by seeing Tamsin in her grandmothers bookstore working, when a stranger comes in, and wants help finding something that was lost. When he confuses Tamsin for her sister, she goes along with it - hoping to be able to find this lost item for the guy to prove to her family that she can do it.
The rest of the story is about Tamsin trying to find this item for the guy, and the obsticals she goes through and the trouble she causes in the process. A bonus - there's a love interest for her, which I was rooting for the entire time I was reading it!
This was a very fast read, and I enjoyed it alot. I recommend it to all!

Raven by Allison Van Diepen

2009-11-29T20:15:00.000-06:00

Nicole's best friend is Zin, someone she's known for a while as a great listener and a fabulous dancer. They both belong to the break dancing group Zin started, and when Nicole gets a job at the bar where Zin works--Evermore--life doesn't seem to get any better for Nicole.

Nicole has a secret from Zin--she's in love with him. He seems to return the same feelings, but she can never get close to him to figure out for sure. When Nicole is attacked on the street and almost killed, Zin rescues her and reveals his true self.

Not only that, but everyone who works at Evermore seems to share Zin's particular traits. And Carlos, the man that created them all, has taken a special interest in Nicole, the one he calls Raven, much to Zin's dismay.

Danger lurks on all sides, but is there a way to undo what has been done?

A good love story. The plot skips around a bit, and some of the details are a little fuzzy. The story itself is believable and the characters are interesting. You learn much about each character, not just Nicole and Zin.

STORM: The Infinity Code by E. L. Young

2009-11-29T20:01:00.000-06:00

Will's father died and his mom left him with Natalia so she could grieve. Will's started at a school for gifted children, but his true passion lies with inventions. While testing out a new invention, Gaia, one of the girls from school, sees. She reports back to Andrew, a friend and creator of STORM, a secret organization created to save the world, as only 11-year olds can.

The Caspian, one of their members, disappears. In an effort to find him, they stumble upon his formulas to create something called The Infinity Code--a black hole.

Worried why Caspian is messing around with this code, Will, Gaia, and Andrew follow him from England to Russia and find themselves in a much bigger plot and in more trouble than they bargained for.

This is the first book in the STORM series. There is action, science, and camaraderie throughout the book, although this book focuses more on Will than anyone else. The 11-year olds are smarter and sometimes more mature than their years, although sometimes their age shines through.

Forensic mysteries by Alane Ferguson

2009-11-29T19:48:00.000-06:00

This is a great series of books, and I'm going to mention the four that are currently out. I don't want to give away what happens in them by talking too much about the later ones. You can read them in any order that you want, although I think it makes the most sense to start with the first one. There is a lot of science and action in each book, a little romance, and a great story to be told.

The Christopher Killer
Cameryn has always wanted to go into forensic science. Her father, the coroner for their small Colorado town, accepts her as his assistant, so she can learn more about her favorite subject.

But Cameryn doesn't expect to get an intense case from the get-go. There is a serial killer on the loose, and a friend of Cameryn's is murdered.

Frustrated at not getting any leads, Cameryn takes matters into her own hands to solve the murder, possibly at the risk of becoming the next victim.

The Angel of Death
Death strikes again in Cameryn's town, only this death is much more puzzling. The victim, Brad Oakes, was burned alive with no outer burns on his skin. Oakes was a well-liked English teacher at the high school with no problems with anyone.

While trying to solve this mystery, Cameryn has a mystery and a few secrets of her own. Her mom is trying to contact her, and she has to deal with her own feelings as well as her dad's and her grandmother's. On top of which, Kyle, the boy who found Oakes' body, has taken an interest in her, not to everyone's delight. Can she balance everything in her life and figure out who the murderer is?

The Circle of Blood
Cameryn has certainly led an exciting and dangerous life since becoming her father's assistant. One she hopes will start to calm down.

Things aren't that simple. Another girl shows up dead, Justin declares his feelings for her, Hannah, her mom, gives a startling confession, and Cameryn hides details about the murdered girl, since they lead straight back to Hannah. How long can she keep up the charade?

The Dying Breath
Cameryn is truly happy for once in a very long time. She and her mom have reconnected, her dad and grandma are much calmer about everything, and she and Justin have gotten to spend some time together without having to work.

But Cameryn's life is not going to change for the better any time soon. One of the murderers from a previous book is back and ready to make Cameryn his final victim.

Killer Pizza by Greg Taylor

2009-11-29T19:42:00.000-06:00

Toby has a secret dream--he wants to be a chef. So when he gets a job at a new pizzeria, he's thrilled! He starts with Annabel, Strobe, and David, and can't imagine a better job. He's already thinking of opening his own place and what recipes he'd like to create when David reveals his true identity and the real purpose behind Killer Pizza.

Killer Pizza is a front for Harvey's true business--monster killing. There are monsters everywhere, monsters called gutlata. Harvey's team of MCOs (Monster Combat Officer) find, fight, and kill gutlata before they convert or kill humans. Harvey is hoping to take down the Alpha and take out the whole pack of gutlata, with or without their help. Even though Toby just wants to create pizzas, he finds himself unable to turn down the chance to be a hero.

An exciting story with many twists, turns, and action. The fighting between humans and gutlata are well done, varied, and throughout the novel. There are many creepy moments--not really scary ones--and Toby and his friends are completely believable characters.

Alibi Junior High by Greg Logsted

2009-11-29T19:37:00.000-06:00

Cody has lived in almost every country in the world and knows five languages. He helps his dad profile suspects for the CIA. But one of those suspects gets too close, and Cody has to stay with his aunt while his dad tracks down the man trying to kill them.

Cody is unprepared for the dangers of middle school. He has no idea how to manage the other students and he already knows everything they talk about in class. The bright spots in his life have narrowed to his aunt, his aunt's neighbor Andy, and the girl he likes--Renee.

But someone is stalking through the yard at night spying on Cody. And before he knows it, that someone gets the drop on him.

Interesting story--it seems a little far-fetched. But Cody is a believable character, and anyone in or out of middle school will recognize a lot of his struggle to fit in and become invisible. There is enough action throughout the book to stay interesting. A good quick read.

Lament by Maggie Stiefvater

2009-11-29T19:29:00.000-06:00

Deidre's life is about to change, even though she doesn't know it. She heads to the high school to participate in a musical competition, nervous about her performance. Then Luke Dillon, the new boy, helps her out and suddenly her life is unraveling. She finds four-leaf clovers everywhere and she discovers she can move things with her mind.

Before she knows it, she's thrust into a large battle with the Faerie Queen, and everyone she cares about is in danger.

A great love story. There is enough action, suspense, and plot here to keep anyone entertained. Deidre is believable even if the adults aren't always, and her and Luke's story makes the novel fantastic.

Note: the sequel to Lament is Ballad and it's about James. I don't want to say much here, because it'll give away some of the things that happen in Lament, but it is another fantastic love story. Again, filled with action, suspense, and a storyline that is believable and fascinating.

Fire by Kristin Cashore

2009-10-31T17:41:00.000-05:00

In the Dells, a kingdom is on the brink of civil war. King Nash inherited his father's mess--his father's only aim to please his close friend Cansrel, a human monster who could control thoughts and lived to see others suffer.

Cansrel's daughter, Fire, shares his abilities, but not his taste for suffering. She has hidden away her entire life to avoid controlling people, invading their thoughts, and being hunted. But the King calls on her to help avoid losing his kingdom, and she can't refuse the chance to undo the terror her father thrived on.

Just as fascinating as Graceling, Fire involves drama, action, adventure, and romance. There are many elements at play here, and it seems Fire is the focus in most of them, just as Katsa was. Her bravery and courage turn out to be her greatest assets.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith and Jane Austen

2009-09-28T10:03:00.000-05:00

What would the Bennets' life been like with zombies?

You're about to find out! A humorous retelling of the famous Bennet sisters who are not only husband-hunting, they're also zombie-hunting. Having trained in 'inferior' China (as opposed to Japan) the sisters are well known for their fighting skills and kills of zombies in Hertfordshire. Having to give up killing zombies once they are married, the sisters struggle between their father's insistence in fighting and their mother's insistence in attending balls and dinners.

Mr. Bingley makes an appearance as the purchaser of Netherfield, and our story begins. Instead of playing piano, the girls often demonstrate their abilities fighting zombies. All of your favorite characters are here, as Grahame-Smith took the original story and inserted zombies, a few tongue-in-cheek comments, and loosened the language.

If you're a die-hard Austen fan, you may not like this version of Pride and Prejudice. I had a hard time with it at times--especially when a comment made by Mr. Bennet or Mr. Darcy would be ignored by the recipient even though polite society wouldn't have allowed such bad behavior.

Despite these drawbacks, I found the story amusing and well done.

The Witch's Guide to Cooking with Children by Keith McGowan

2009-09-28T09:58:00.000-05:00

It's Hanzel and Gretel all over again...only not. Sol and Connie move to Grand Creek with their family to start over. What they don't realize is their parents moved there for a specific purpose. There's a fable told of a witch that takes troublesome children from their parents. But Sol and Connie aren't troublesome--just unwanted. But they don't know that.

Sol and Connie wonder when they don't see any other children in their new town. And they wonder when the next door neighbor, Fay Holaderry, takes a special interest in them. There's something not right about her.

An illustrated story about a brother and sister who are fairly clever and knowledgeable. Fans of Lemony Snicket will also enjoy this novel!

Soulstice by Simon Holt

2009-09-28T09:24:00.000-05:00

Soulstice picks up six months after The DeVouring ends. It's summer now, and Reggie, Adam, and Henry are all trying to get back to normal after their harrowing adventure the winter before. That is, until Quinn shows up, back from the "dead" and Adam is attacked by other Vours.

Reggie now fears the Vours will come after Henry once again, but their new target is her. Now that she can enter fearscapes, they believe she can break all the rules for them. It's a contest to see will succeed. And as the Summer Solstice approaches, all bets are off.

Just as good as the first book, this story packs a punch. Creepy and strangely fascinating all at the same time. Don't miss the first book The DeVouring and stay tuned for the third!

Take Me There by Susane Colasanti

2009-09-23T09:10:00.000-05:00

Rhiannon has just been dumped by her boyfriend Steve for no reason. She's heart-broken and desperate to get him back. She can't believe things ended the way they did.

Nicole broke up with her boyfriend Danny when her feelings were getting a little out of her control. She also has a massive crush on her math teacher. And some other issues that she may find hard to overcome.

James is feeling pressure from all sides. His feelings for Rhiannon have gone past friendship but he doesn't know how to tell her that. Everything he tries ends up wrong.

See how things manage to get completely out of control and then back together in just one week.

Another good romance from Colasanti. This one is also told in alternative voice, from the viewpoints of Rhiannon, Nicole, and James. Each of their stories is told 3 days at a time.

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

2009-09-02T20:54:00.000-05:00

Frankie is a sophomore at Alabaster, a private boarding school known for its famous alumni. Last year, Frankie hung out with her older sister, on the outskirts of the popular crowd. This year, she manages to snag the attention of senior Matthew Livingston.

Matthew belongs to a secret society on campus called the Basset Hounds. The Basset Hounds have been responsible for several pranks and parties on campus, but Matthew doesn't share that information with Frankie, even when it appears she might actually be aware of the secret society.

So Frankie decides to take action. Instead of trying to infiltrate the group, she decides to become their mastermind and begins supplying the boys with ideas, keys, and locations for their pranks.

This is the story of how an intelligent, attractive, and independent teen becomes a criminal mastermind.

Kiss of Life by Daniel Waters

2009-08-30T22:12:00.000-05:00

Kiss of Life picks up a couple of weeks after the end of Generation Dead, with a few new twists. It's hard to talk about the sequel to a book without revealing what happens at the end of the first, but I'm going to try.

First of all, this book is told a little differently than Generation Dead. This book varies focus on many of the main characters and jumps between what they are all doing. But at the heart of the novel is a story about acceptance, tolerance, and prejudice. And tragedy.

Tommy decides it's time to take his message out to Washington and so he leaves with Karen and Phoebe in charge of his website. The girls grow a strong bond, as Margi and Colette have reconciled and spend a lot of time together. Phoebe struggles to spend time with Adam, and Pete...well, Pete is up to his usual tricks, only this time he has help.

A still very powerful novel. I had to put it down several times today because I was getting anxious/sad/angry/nervous about what was going to happen.

The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks

2009-08-30T14:45:00.000-05:00

Nina Harrison has been a vampire for the past 30 years, but never tasted human blood. She's spent that time coping with nausea, weakness, and her generally boring life. She belongs to the Vampire Support Group, a group of vampires who attempt to live without biting humans.

Then one of the members is murdered in his sleep and the group must figure out who the murderer is before they all become victims. Nina heads out with her friend Dave, another vampire, to find the person responsible. They find more than they expected and soon their boring life is anything but.

A great story--I enjoyed reading about a different kind of vampire for once. There's a little bit of romance involved, but not much. Lots of action and an occasional glimpse of a werewolf.

Generation Dead by Daniel Waters

2009-08-19T21:17:00.000-05:00

Something's wrong with the world's teenagers. If they die, they don't stay dead--they come back to life. Sort of. Not your typical zombies though.

Phoebe, Adam, and Margi go to high school with some of those undead. And they join a group that's working towards tolerance and acceptance of the living impaired. Phoebe has an ulterior motive--she has a crush on Tommy. Adam has an ulterior motive--Phoebe. Not everyone is happy with accepting the living impaired in the school, their lives, and in society in general. Tensions build and just when you think this is a simple romance novel, the twists come out to surprise you.

This was a great first novel. I'm not always in the mood for a chick lit, but this wouldn't classify. There are many things about this book that I enjoyed. The sequel, Kiss of Life, is out now too!

The Stolen One by Suzanne Crowley (TEEN Cro)

2009-08-15T12:15:00.002-05:00

It's been a while for me since I've actually had time to sit and really read a book, I typically listen to audiobooks so as to be able to "multi-task". However, this book caught my fancy with the cover so I made time to read it! A pretty red-head in an elaborate gown, holding a pear... "The Stolen One" humm, sounds interesting enough!

This book is about a girl called Kat (later you find out her full name is Katherine), she was adopted and raised in the country with Anna, her adopted mothers biological daughter. After her adopted mother, Grace, passes away, Kat takes Anna to London to try and find out who she is. Grace knew, but always kept Kat's true parentage knowledge a secret. Kat's embroydery skills land her in the castle with Queen Elizabeth, where the past starts to unravel before your eyes.

I don't do this book justice, a great coming of age read! I couldn't put it down!

The Youngest Templar by Michael Spadlin

2009-07-06T09:30:00.002-05:00

Tristan is an orphan, living at St. Alban's Abbey. The monks and the Abbey are all he's known in his short life. The work is hard but Tristan doesn't mind it too much.

His entire future changes, however, when a band of Knights Templar come through the nearby village. Sir Thomas, one of the most honored knights in England, seeks Tristan out to become his squire. The Knights are headed to the Holy Land to continue the Crusades, and Sir Thomas wants Tristan to go along with and train to become a knight.

Not all of the Knights are happy with Sir Thomas' choice or with Tristan himself. Tristan finds himself in danger before the Knights even leave England. Before long, the Knights themselves are cornered in a siege that looks hopeless. Sir Thomas gives Tristan one last duty--to see the Holy Grail back to England, through enemy lines. Tristan's in a far-off land with no idea of how to get home.

The first book in a series, this tale involves action and mystery. The story ends in a cliffhanger, so be looking out for Book 2!

The Guardian by Joyce Sweeney

2009-07-02T12:17:00.002-05:00

Hunter has been in foster care for most of his life. He's never had luck when it comes to families either. The first three families he was placed with didn't work out, and just when he started to think living with Mike, Stephanie, and their three foster daughters would work, Mike dies.

Stephanie feels the kids should be supporting her instead of the other way around. And she especially doesn't like Hunter, since it was Mike's idea to bring in a boy. So when good things start happening around him, he believes his guardian angel has come back to keep him safe from bullies and from Stephanie. Little does he know who is posing as his guardian angel...or the danger.

An interesting twist and entertaining story. Hunter tells this story from his point of view.

Don't Judge a Girl By Her Cover by Ally Carter

2009-06-30T13:56:00.003-05:00

Cammie's back and enjoying her last few days of vacation before starting her junior year. She meets Macey on the campaign trail--Macey's dad is running for vice-president. While hanging out and following Macey's agenda, the girls are attacked, and only by quick thinking and luck do they escape with their lives.

But now Macey requires Secret Service protection and her parents want her out on the campaign trail where sympathetic voters can be swayed to vote for her father. Cammie's aunt comes back into the picture to help, and soon all the girls are thrown into a game they were never meant to play. Who were the kidnappers really after? What was their purpose? And will the girls survive?

A great new book in the Gallagher Girls series. Make sure to read the first two!

School for Dangerous Girls by Eliot Schrefer

2009-05-11T13:38:00.003-05:00

Angela's parents don't know what to do with her after her grandfather dies. She's been getting into one form of trouble or another for years, so they send her off to Hidden Oaks, a school for troubled young women. A school that has a reputation for changing their behavior.

Once Angela arrives, though, she realizes the school is not what it seems. For the first month, the new girls are kept secluded from the rest of the students, and given harsh lessons about their behavior. In groups, the girls disappear towards the end of the month, and Angela can't help but wonder where the people she got to know ended up. Determined to find her friends and figure out what the school is up to, she breaks too many rules and finds out for herself the true mission of the school.

An interesting idea and story line.

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

2009-04-26T13:37:00.003-05:00

Lia wakes up one morning to terrible news. Her best friend until 6 months ago was found dead in a hotel alone. She died as a direct result of her eating disorder.

Both girls have had eating disorders. Lia has been hospitalized twice, but all that did was teach her how to better hide her problem. But when she gets to 90 pounds, it's hard to hide that she isn't eating. Cassie ate too much, then purged to get rid of it. The girls encouraged each other to stay thin, even to the point of competing to see who could be the skinniest.

Now Lia's being haunted by her demons and Cassie's. Cassie called Lia the night she died and was ignored. And it seems that Cassie is more than ready to let Lia follow her to the grave.

This book is written in a way to pull you into Lia's world. However, this book is not for the faint of heart, as it talks about how Lia starves and cuts herself. The story is very powerful, moving, and emotional.

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

2009-04-22T15:27:00.003-05:00

Isabel and her younger sister Ruth were suppose to be freed when their mistress and owner passed away. But the old woman's will can't be found, and Isabel and Ruth are sold the very same day.

The Lockwoods take the sisters to New York City. It's 1776, and the Revolutionary War is just warming up. The Lockwoods are Loyalists and are anxiously awaiting news of British forces. Isabel, believing the Patriots can free her and her sister, begin to spy for the Patriots. She has no idea of the fate awaiting her with this decision.

This novel is told from Isabel's point of view. Isabel's life is not easy, and this story definitely shows that. A great story and well written.

Eternal by Cynthia Leigh Smith

2009-04-08T09:30:00.002-05:00

Miranda was suppose to die. Zachary knew that. But he couldn't help himself--he saved her. Which threw them both off the map.

Zachary is Miranda's guardian angel. He's watched out for her her entire life. But when he sees a chance to alter her destiny, he takes it. He saves her, in time for her to forfeit her soul. Because of his intervention, she's turned into a vampire. And now they're both in trouble.

Told in alternating voices, and taking place in the same world as Tantalize, Eternal is a fantastic story of two lost souls unsure of where they belong.

Vampire Diaries--The Return: Nightfall by L. J. Smith

2009-03-17T13:14:00.002-05:00

Elena is back from the dead, but not completely. Her time on the Other Side has given her Powers that make her more than human. She and Stefan slowly adapt to her new abilities and their life together.

But a new evil quietly slides into Fells Church and begins infecting several young women. Damen, in the wrong place at the wrong time, also gets infected. Then Stefan disappears and Elena and her friends don't know where to start looking for him. Meanwhile, the Old Woods turn against everyone who enters.

Can Elena, Bonnie, Meredith, and Matt find the courage and strength to fight this new evil? Can they trust Damen? And for Elena's sake--can they find Stefan?

A great book, continuing the Vampire Diaries series.

Bliss by Lauren Myracle

2009-03-09T09:45:00.003-05:00

It's 1969 and Bliss is moving to Georgia to live with her grandmother. Up until this point, she's lived with her parents no matter where they are, but as her dad dodges the draft, they send Bliss off in order to attend school.

Bliss has never really been around people her own age before, and feels a little out of sorts. She starts high school, and soon realizes not everything is what it seems. Still, she makes friends, even if she doesn't like them all the time.

But something evil is waiting for her in Hamilton Hall--one of the oldest building on campus. A young woman killed herself there many years ago, and is waiting for someone to bring her back to life.

A great and thrilling story. Each chapter begins with a quote from the times, including the Charles Manson trials, tv, and well-known people from the 60s and 70s.

Bonechiller by Graham McNamee

2009-02-27T08:19:00.002-06:00

Danny and his dad have moved around a lot since his mom died. Their latest home, Harvest Cove, feels like the end of the earth to Danny. But he's made friends and even though he knows better, he starts to get attached.

Then, one night on his way home, he's attacked by a beast that doesn't seem to be real. Can't be real. He has only a few memories of the attack, but the blue spot on his hand and the footprints he finds in the snow convince him he may not be hallucinating. Then his friend Howie is attacked by the same creature. Another boy goes missing. And they both start to have nightmares and hear voices.

With the beast still out on the hunt for them, can they find a way to escape?

A great novel with action, suspense, and creepy horror.

I, Q by Roland Smith

2009-02-26T20:02:00.003-06:00

Q and Angela's parents just got married. Right after the ceremony, Q, Angela, and their parents leave for their cross-country tour--their parents are musicians. Q figures this will be the time to learn a little more about Angela, and find out what his new step-sister is like.

He gets a little more than he bargained for, since Angela believes she's being followed. Her mother, a Secret Service agent who died during a terrorist attack, taught her to be vigilant. Angela is convinced she's being followed, and what's more--she's right. She's being used as bait, hoping to draw her mother out of hiding.

Now Q and Angela have to figure out who they can and can't trust, as everyone seems to switch sides at the drop of a hat.

A great action novel.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

2009-02-26T19:59:00.002-06:00

Nobody Owens was just a toddler when Jack snuck into his home and murdered his family. Nobody managed to escape, and found refuge in the cemetery nearby.

That's where things get a little strange. Mr. and Mrs. Owens decide to take Nobody, or Bod, in and bring him up. They're ghosts who have been dead for a few hundred years. Together with the other ghosts in their graveyard, they raise Bod.

But then Jack comes back, more determined than ever to finish the job...

An engrossing and fun read. Lots of action and suspense as well.

This book won the Newbery Award.

Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan

2009-02-24T15:16:00.003-06:00

I'm not a fan of short story collections, mostly because the words end before the story does. This book is different.

Each story is very weird yet fascinating. The illustrations accompanying each story add more than just words could ever do. The format of some of the stories, including an entire story written through pieces of scrap paper, and another story told in the format of a newspaper article--newspaper included, add new ways to see details described within each story.

This is definitely a book you need to check out!

Here Lies Arthur by Philip Reeve

2009-02-24T15:12:00.002-06:00

Gwyna barely escapes with her life as Arthur and his band come through her master's estate, burning and pillaging. Running away, she encounters Myrddin, the bard that travels with Arthur. Myrddin takes her in, and after her appearance as Lady of the Lake, dresses her as Gwyn, his servant.

And so Gwyna's story begins. She travels with Myrddin far and wide, spreading stories of Arthur's great deeds--all of which are lies. Myrddin himself is the means to Arthur's greatness, a greatness that outlived the monster in real life.

This is an interesting tale of the King Arthur legend, played out through a young servant's eyes. Gwyna is not always quick on what is happening, but her place in Arthur's world gives an interesting point of view not often heard.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

2009-02-24T15:09:00.002-06:00

Katniss and her family live in District 12 of the land known as Panem, in an area that was once North America. Every year, two "contestants" are chosen to participate in the Hunger Games, a brutal reminder to each District why the Council is in control.

Katniss knows she's at risk of being chosen--she has put her name into the drawing more than once each year, in order to get extra food for her, her mother, and her younger sister.

But when Prim, Katniss' 12-year old sister, is chosen, Katniss volunteers to go in her place. The other contestant is Peera, the baker's son, a boy Katniss barely knows. They travel to the Central City, to participate in a competition to the death. That is just the beginning of Katniss and Peera's journey through the Hunger Games.

This is the first book in a series, which promises to be full of action, adventure, and some of the darker sides of human nature.

Sucks to be Me by Kimberly Pauley

2009-02-24T15:05:00.003-06:00

Mina has a secret, one she's kept most of her life. Her parents are vampires. What she didn't know was that her parents were keeping a secret too--her. Then one night, she opens the front door and their lives come crashing down.

Now Mina has ever more pressure looming over her head--school, of course--but vampire classes too. She has to decide whether or not she should become a vampire. Upside, she'll get to stay in contact with her parents and the friends she's made in her vampire classes. Downside, she'll never see her best friend again.

All this before she turns 17.

An amusing and entertaining first novel. The chapters begin with vampire myths and the "truth." Mina is a sarcastic yet upbeat character who is believable and fun.

Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling

2009-02-02T09:34:00.002-06:00

If you're a fan of Harry Potter, you'll want to read this book! Translated by Hermione Granger and with special notes after each tale by Dumbledore, this book provides more insight into the wizarding world of Harry Potter.

Dumbledore's notes at the end of each tale provide insight into the story itself, as well as some of his own life. And the last tale in the book, "The Tale of the Three Brothers", is the story of the Elder Wand, the Invisibility Cloak, and the stone Harry uses in the last battle with Voldemort.

What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell

2009-02-02T09:19:00.002-06:00

When Evie's stepdad returns from World War II, things seem to settle back into normal life quickly. Evie spends time with her best friend and waits for the next year to pass so she can do things she feels she's old enough to do--wear lipstick and go out with boys.

Things are only normal on the outside. Evie begins to see hints at some of the lies and stories Joe, her stepdad, shares with her and her mom. When they suddenly take off for a vacation to Palm Beach, Florida at the end of the summer, she knows something is not right. But when she meets Peter Coleridge, a 23-year old who seems to know Joe pretty well, she decides to ignore the warning signs. Before she knows it, her family is dragged into a tragedy that very well may tear it apart.

Well-written and a great historical novel.

Revealers by Amanda Marrone

2009-01-26T15:15:00.003-06:00

Julia and her friends have been hunting things that go bump in the night since they were 13 years old. Together they have gotten rid of vampires, werewolves, ghosts, you name it.

As they all approach their 18th birthdays, one by one they are inducted officially into their coven, and told some of the secrets their mothers have hidden from them for years. The girls learn how they came to have their power, and the pact that was signed by their ancestors.

Jules, the youngest of the group, begins to wonder if they should continue with the old ways, especially when she sees how three of her friends handle whatever secrets they are told. When her best friend, Dani, is attacked, Jules stands up to the forces controlling her and the coven.

A well-written novel with lots of action. If you like witches or occult fiction, this one's for you!

The DeVouring by Simon Holt

2009-01-12T13:50:00.002-06:00

Reggie tries to be a typical teenager, but since her mom ran away and her dad buried himself in work, she has become responsible for her younger brother Henry as well.

One night, she decides to read to him from a journal she found, written in the 70s. The story is told by a young girl whose brother is possessed by what she calls the Vours. They come to you when you are the most fearful, and on Winter Solstice.

Reggie doesn't believe in the Vours, but Henry does. Then things start to happen--especially to Henry--that make Reggie rethink her earlier decision.

A great horror story. I'm sure there will be a sequel down the road.

Impossible by Nancy Werlin

2009-01-12T13:29:00.003-06:00

Lucy Scarborough has no idea the fate that awaits her when she heads to her junior prom. A somewhat normal teenager, Lucy has lots of friends and a great foster family. The only dark spot in her life is her real mother, who is crazy and has a habit of appearing at the worst possible times and places--like the night of Lucy's junior prom.

Then Lucy is raped after prom by her date, who kills himself. And then Lucy finds herself pregnant and begins to realize that maybe her mother isn't so crazy after all. Lucy has only until the birth of her daughter to end the curse and insanity that has haunted her family for generations by solving the riddles hidden in an old melody "The Scarborough Fair".

A fantastic novel with all the elements of a fairy tale.

Top 10 books voted for by teens

2009-01-07T15:46:00.002-06:00

Teens around the country have spoken about their favorite books for the past year.

Here they are! The books the Indianola Public Library owns are linked back to our catalog.

1. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer (book 3 in the Twilight saga)

2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling (book 7 in the Harry Potter series)

3. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney (1st book in the Wimpy Kid series)

4. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (1st book in the Vampire Academy series)

5. Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports by James Patterson (book 3 of the Maximum Ride series)

6. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (1st book in the Mortal Instruments series)

7. The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray (book 3 in the Gemma Doyle series)

8. Extras by Scott Westerfeld (book 4 of the Uglies series)

9. Before I Die by Jenny Downham

10. Twisted by Laurie H. Anderson

Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead

2008-12-22T13:28:00.003-06:00

Rose is back in this third Vampire Academy novel. Back at school after the events in Frostbite where Rose's good friend Mason was killed, Rose and her classmates are preparing for their field experience, where they protect their Moroi assignments from attack. To her surprise, Rose is assigned to Christian, Lissa's boyfriend, instead of Lissa herself.

But other things are going on at St. Vladmir's as well. For one, Rose is beginning to think she is going crazy as Mason periodically appears in front of her. Her temperament is even worse than it always has been. And Victor, the man who tortured Lissa and the reason Rose and Lissa ran away in the first place, may be let out of prison and be a free man once again.

And before you know it, Strigoi attack the school and Rose just may have to decide between the Moroi she has sworn with her life to protect, and the man she has come to love.

Vampire Diaries, volume 2 by L.J. Smith

2008-12-22T13:20:00.002-06:00

The Fury
Elena has been changed in ways she will never be able to reverse. But that's not all that's changed. Something seems out to get her and her friends, as well as everyone in town. Stefan and Damon have no experience with this--in fact--they don't have any experience in helping each other out either, but Elena is determined to be their common ground and convinces them they need each other in order to save her family, friends, and town. But will they figure things out in time?

The Dark Reunion
Without giving away what happens in the previous book, this fourth book of the Vampire Diaries series begins with Bonnie and Meredith confused about recent events going on around them. Something is once again reeking havoc on the town, and no one is sure what's going on. It seems necessary to bring Stefan back, and with him, Damon, to once again save Fells Church.

Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott

2008-12-22T13:11:00.002-06:00

"Alice" was abducted from an aquarium when she was 10 and kept tightly controlled by Ray. Now, at the age of 15, she is getting too old for Ray, as he steadily controls how much she eats, puts her on birth control, and restricts when she can leave their apartment. Ray dreams of finding another young girl he can 'train' and keep. Alice's continual growing annoys him.

Alice can't wait for him to find a new girl as well--fully knowing the end is coming for her. Even though Ray promises they'll be a 'family' with a new young girl for him to focus on, Alice knows better. She knows Ray is going to kill her as soon as he gets his next victim, and she cannot wait for a way to escape this life. Which is why she offers to find his next young girl. But as events unfold and she is faced with the ultimate decision, what will she do?

Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley

2008-12-22T12:44:00.002-06:00

Charlotte Usher has always been invisible. She has no friends, no fashion, and no social standing with anyone in her school.

But she begins her sophomore year thinking that will all change. Determined to get the boy she's been dreaming about for two years--Damen--she embarks on a complete makeover to become what she thinks he wants. And he seems to notice her on the first day--mostly because they are lab partners in Physics.

Then tragedy strikes. Charlotte, waiting to talk to Damen after class, chokes on a gummy bear while everyone else ignores her. Now Charlotte is truly invisible to everyone but Scarlet, Damen's girlfriend's little sister. Does she accept the inevitable and stop trying to get Damen to notice her, or just try harder as he starts to notice Scarlet as more than a pest?

Vampirates: Blood Captain by Justin Somper

2008-11-10T14:23:00.002-06:00

Connor and Grace are back yet again in another chapter of their adventure. Grace is back on the Vampirates' ship, The Nocturne, while Connor is living a pirate's life aboard The Diablo. Grace is struggling to help Lorcan, the vampirate who rescued her from the sea and went blind while trying to brave the sunlight to save her in Vampirates: Demons of the Ocean. Now they are traveling to Sanctuary, a place where vampires tired of the evil they do come to join others who can control their bloodlust.

Connor is having problems of his own, as he struggles with having killed a man in cold blood. He never thought it would happen the way it has, and he doesn't know if he can continue in his life as a pirate. Broken, he runs away from the life he once enthusiastically embraced, and attempts to find his own path, knowing he cannot join his sister.

However, there is mutiny on the vampirate's ship, from Connor's own friend and ally. The Captain is in grave danger, and the vampires are revolting. What will happen to the world with renegade vampirates on the high seas?

Another fantastic novel. Well-written and action-packed, there is enough here for everyone. Yet another book will follow...

Lily Dale: Believing by Wendy Corsi Staub

2008-11-10T14:15:00.002-06:00

Lily Dale: Believing is the sequel to Lily Dale: Awakening, and continues the story of Calla, a young woman who moved to Lily Dale to live with her grandmother after her mother's death and her father's move to California from their home in Florida.

Life for Calla has not changed much from the summer spent in Lily Dale. She convinced her father to let her stay there for at least the beginning of the year, and her skills as a medium are growing, despite her grandmother's concerns about using them. Calla is desperate to contact her mother beyond the grave. However, Kaitlyn, the young woman Calla "saw" in the first book is back, with another request: "Stop him". At a loss as to how to precede, Calla is caught between her father's visit, boys, and her problems at school (not to mention having a dead person talking to you while you're in math class...)

When Calla seems to become the target of the man who killed Kaitlyn and dumped yet another young woman, things start to become more dangerous, and Calla starts to realize how careful she needs to be with her gift...

This is an excellent second novel. The spirits Calla sees feel new and authentic, and Lily Dale comes alive once again. Keep an eye out for the third book in this series..

The Vampire Diaries vol 1 by L.J. Smith

2008-10-20T11:58:00.002-05:00

The Awakening
Elena seems to have it all, despite the fact that her parents just died. She and her younger sister live with their aunt, and the school year starts off just as it normally would. Elena is the most popular girl in school, and everyone wants to be her or be with her. After spending the summer in France, Elena is ready to face the coming year and be the "Queen" once again.

But things are not going to go the way she wants. First, there is a new mysterious guy--Stefan--who seems immune to her charms. Determined to catch him, she and her friends begin a campaign to make him hers. And then the real trouble begins...

The Struggle
The second book of the Vampire Diaries series begins right as the first one leaves off. Elena and Stefan are now together, but odd things begin to happen. There are attacks on the citizens of Fell's Church--ever since Stefan arrived--but they begin to tie back to him more now than ever before. Elena knows his secrets, but can she confide hers to him? How would he react to what his brother has been doing? And how he has also been targetting her?

An exciting beginning to an interesting series. I would suggest having all of the volumes before getting into the series--I can't wait to read what happens next!

Playing with Fire by Derek Landy

2008-10-20T11:53:00.002-05:00

Playing With Fire is the sequel to Landy's first novel, Skulduggery Pleasant. And Skulduggery and Valkyrie, aka Stephanie, are back in another action-packed adventure. Learning how to use her powers, Valkyrie, now 13, has the added stress of school and appearing normal to her family and friends on the outside. She and Skulduggery chase after bad guys at night, but often during the day as well.

Meanwhile, Baron Vengeous has escaped from his prison, bent on bringing the Faceless Ones back to life. The Baron has only been captured once before, and it was by Skulduggery. Once again, Skulduggery is called in to recapture the Baron and bring him to justice, Valkyrie at his side. But things seem to go wrong from the very beginning. Valkyrie is one of the Baron's main targets, and he sets a vampire and other beings out to capture her. It also appears someone very high on the "good" side is leaking information to the Baron. Will they be able to save the day?

Written with the same humor as the first book, Landy has created yet another exciting adventure.

Thirsty by M.T. Anderson

2008-09-08T13:47:00.003-05:00

In Chris's hometown, vampires are the norm. There's a ritual every year to keep the dark vampire lord in his prison, and the vampires in the area are usually hunted down and killed before they kill too many people. But the vampires are uneasy and beginning to form alliances in order to free their lord from his prison.

But Chris can't worry about that right now. Torn between daydreaming about Rebecca, wanting to be popular, and hanging out with his two friends, Chris has more important issues. Like a thirst he cannot seem to satisfy. And teeth that grow whenever he thinks about blood. Whatever is happening to him, it cannot be good.

A quick and fun novel, full of action, humor, and vampires.

The Ice Cream Con by Jimmy Docherty

2008-09-03T18:29:00.002-05:00

Jake and his friends live in the Projects--a poor, rundown area full of crime. When the local crime boss admits to Jake he stole Jake's money (and the only way to feed himself and his grandmother), Jake decides to get even.

Enter the Big Baresi. Soon, every major crime in the Projects is said to be the Big Baresi's work. And all Jake and his friends had to do was scatter some flyers around and scare a few big thugs who terrorize the neighborhood. Or so Jake thought. As long as everyone fears the Big Baresi, his enemies increase and his life expectancy decreases. And with it, Jake fears for his and his friends' lives as well.

So he comes up with a daring plot to save them all. And catch the big crime lords in the process...

An interesting story with action. Some things are a little unbelievable but the story as a whole is very entertaining.

Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

2008-08-13T14:48:00.002-05:00

Benevolence, or Ben as she is called, is a young girl whose life changes tragically when her mother is killed and her father disappears. Ben is the heir to the throne--her uncle, the king, was murdered along with her mother. Ben is moved to the palace from the only home she has ever known and forced into "queen" training by the queen regent, her aunt. Waiting desperately for her father to come home, she rebels any way she can. Including the ball her aunt plans in order to present her to the neighboring kingdoms--and available princes.

Then Ben is trapped behind enemy lines, and forced to see herself and her behavior from another perspective. Will it wake her up to do her duty and save her kingdom? Or will she be too late?

Evernight by Claudia Gray

2008-08-08T13:11:00.003-05:00

Bianca has just started a new school--a boarding school--with her parents as teachers. She struggles with some of the classes, and with her fellow classmates. The one person she feels she made a connection with seems leery of developing a friendship with her. The other students who have always gone to Evernight treat her with disdain, while the new students don't know what to make of her either. And then one night, everything changes.

Another view at the world of vampires. You aren't sure just who is or isn't one until someone gets bitten.

Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr

2008-07-31T09:42:00.003-05:00

In this sequel to Wicked Lovely, Marr brings back the main characters Aislynn, Seth, and Keenan, but only as minor characters.

The past year of Leslie's life has been terrible. Her mother ran out on her family, her dad drowns in a bottle of alcohol everyday, and her brother Ren hops from one drug to another, searching for the next high. The family is crumbling, and Leslie is the only one that strives for responsibility--she pays the bills with her waitressing job, and can't wait to graduate from high school and move to college.

The only thing Leslie looks forward to is the tattoo she hopes to get and the marking it will giver her body that it is hers--and hers alone.

What she doesn't know is the tattoo has its own way of making her body a prisoner.

Another fantastic novel by an accomplished author.

Up All Night

2008-07-21T09:07:00.002-05:00

Up All Night is an anthology of work from some of today's best authors. The stories all cover different topics and characters, but they all revolve around the characters discovering something about themselves or the world around them--late at night.

Peter Abrahams' story "Phase 2" tells the story of a family waiting for their father to return home to begin "Phase 2" of their lives.

Libba Bray's story "Not Just for Breakfast Anymore" is the story of Maggie and her friends, on their way to a concert and Maggie's attempts at hiding her father's secret life.

David Levithan's "The Vulnerable Hours" portrays a wide cast of teens, all at crossroads in their life, and how the hours between midnight and dawn are powerful at revealing strengths and weaknesses.

"Orange Alert" by Patricia McCormick is the first person narrative of a 15-year old girl wanting her driver's license and the freedom being away from an abusive step father and an ignorant mother.

"Superman Is Dead" by Sarah Weeks is a story within a story--the main character is telling his friend the story he wrote for an English project while his mother is gone and he's babysitting his brother. His story reflects his real life--something he would like to be away from.

Gene Luen Yang's "The Motherless One" is a manga depiction of a monkey who learns he has no mother, and the search to find out why.

Ever by Gail Carson Levine

2008-07-21T09:02:00.003-05:00

As with Levine's other books, Ever takes a fairytale and turns it on its head.

Kezi is a young girl living with her family. They are a devote family, praying to their god Admat and following his laws. But one day, Kezi's mother becomes sick. Kezi's father, in an attempt to cure his wife, promises to kill the first person who congratulates him on his wife's recovery in a sacrifice to Admat. In their world, an oath is no longer valid after three days, so after Kezi's mother becomes well, the family lives in fear as to who will congratulate her father.

Olus is a young god from another country, fascinated with humans. He has longed for a friend his whole life, but he never imagines he'd fall in love with Kezi. As he watches their life, he becomes more infatuated with her, even daring to introduce himself and save her at one point. When fate intervenes, Olus is determined the two of them can overcome destiny to write their own.

This tale is told in both Kezi and Olus' point of view. Each chapter alternates, but the story is powerful and amusing.

The Market by J.M. Steele

2008-06-28T11:57:00.001-05:00

Kate is a senior at Millbank High School, and not happy with her life, but content. Then she finds out that every senior girl is ranked online through a system called the Millbank Social Stock Market, and becomes obsessed. She's number 71 of 140 girls.

So Kate and her friends Dev and Cal get together to change her stock. They change her image and she changes her attitude in the last few weeks of high school to see what they can do to change her stock. They also join the stock market--at $500 a pop--to invest in her. The winner gets $25,000, and they're hoping they can accomplish that.

This is not your typical chick lit book, however. There is a sort of happy ending, but not the typical-girl-wins-guy-and-everyone-is-happy ending. However, this is a very interesting story and ending.

Madapple by Christina Meldrum (Audiobook)

2008-06-23T16:10:00.001-05:00

I recently found a new TEEN audiobook sitting on my desk... someone suggesting that I wanted to listen to it. So, I get disc 1 out, put it in my computer and turn up the volume... The only thing I get out of it was that the family is from Denmark... so I decide that I need to wait, so I can turn the volume up louder and be able to listen more closely.

On my dinner break I take Madapple with me, and crank up the volume. As I'm driving home for break I'm introduced to sisters, Sara and Maren - in 1987. Sara has a daughter named Susanne and is pregnant, and Maren just reveals that she is also pregnant, only 3 or so months behind Sara.

Then the story jumps forward in time to 2007 and there is a courtroom and I'm utterly confused! But I stick with the story, it's got my attention and I want to know what's going on!

The story jumps backward in time to 2003, Maren's daughters name is Aslaug, and they are gathering plants - which you find out as you keep listening/reading that the plants throughout the story are very important all the way through.

To sum things up, Aslaug finds herself alone, her mother has died of cancer... so Aslaug finds her aunt and cousins and lives with them.... but the story gets complicated after that! Aslaug was raised by her mother alone, and they rarely left the house... Now Aslaug is living with her Aunt and cousins in a world she didn't know even existed.

After I was done listening to this book, I found myself sitting in my living room just thinking about Aslaug. This was a wonderful book. There are some "grown up" scenes toward the end of the story, so I would recommend this for older teens to adults. If you don't like books that jump from one time to another and back again, this story isn't for you. It goes back and forth between the "present (2007)" and the "past (2003/4, 2006)".

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

2008-06-16T16:43:00.001-05:00

Earth has been taken over by aliens who call themselves souls. They take over human bodies (the organism that effects the environment the most) and live out their life in that guise.

Wanderer, one of the most experienced souls, has requested an adult body, almost unheard of in her day. Adults are the more difficult to control, as they have been influenced by outside forces for longer than children. As one of the strongest souls in their society, Wanderer is expected to use her new body to find the hidden pockets of resistance and help make Earth more peaceful.

What no one expects is that Melanie is very much alive in her own body. Shunted off to the side by Wanderer's soul, Melanie clutches on to her very being--unwilling or unable to let go completely. As she and Wanderer spend more time together, however, Wanderer begins to understand the complexities behind human existence. Forced to see the evil nature of her own species through the eyes of the very organisms she has been trained to discard, Wanderer cannot resist Melanie's pull to find her family and help them survive.

Even though this book is primarily science fiction, it has appeal across all genres as it examines what it means to be human. There are definitely some slower parts to the novel--Meyer has written three teen novels--this is her first adult attempt. The examination of what makes us human, and what can still be admired about our own species is a nice change from everyday life.

Frostbite by Richelle Mead

2008-05-19T13:10:00.002-05:00

Rose and Lissa are back in the next installment of the Vampire Academy series. This time, something threatens the safety of all Moroi everywhere. Strigoi are attacking Moroi--heavily guarded Moroi--and killing them. Instead of students being sent home for the holidays, all students are sent to a ski lodge to meet up with their families and stay in the protection of a larger group of guardians.

But Rose still seems to get into trouble. Not only has her mother shown up for the first time in five years, but boys are coming in from all sides. And now, Rose may know the location of the Strigoi that are attacking Moroi families--a location she lets slip to some of her peers. What's a girl to do?

Suck It Up by Brian Meehl

2008-05-19T13:02:00.002-05:00

Morning McCobb is a vampire. No seriously. He is. No one believes him either, not at first. Morning is the first vampire to come out. He's a Leaguer. A Leaguer is a vampire that doesn't follow the old rules--killing humans. In fact, Morning has never had human or animal blood. Nope. He only drinks blood made from soy products. He's the perfect spokesperson for the International Vampire League (or IVL for short).

Then things just get complicated. Morning demonstrates his vampire abilities on television across the nation, and he becomes a target for the Loners, or old type of vampires. Not to mention, his publicist's daughter is very attractive, and he begins to crave her blood. In order for humans to accept the Leaguers into their society, they have to be convinced of their safety. Can Morning resist temptation and escape the plotting of the Loners as well?

Mistik Lake by Martha Brooks

2008-05-06T08:14:00.003-05:00

Sally was involved in the accident on Mistik Lake when she was a teenager, and the only survivor. No one blames her but herself.

Odella, Sally's oldest daughter, never understood her mom. And when her mom runs away with another man, she really doesn't understand her at all. Who would abandon 3 daughters and a husband? But as Odella's family begins to heal from this betrayal, Sally dies, leaving the four of them remembering last words and bitter feelings.

They all react in different ways. Odella begins lashing out, not understanding why her mom did the things she did. Her great aunt, Gloria, tries to explain things but cannot. And soon, the whole family realizes there are too many secrets left--too many to keep quiet anymore.

This book is told in third person, but it focuses on three different characters throughout, Odella, Gloria, and Jimmy, Odella's boyfriend. There are many elements that are pulled back in towards the end of the book.

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin

2008-04-25T13:35:00.002-05:00

What would you do if you suddenly couldn't remember the last 4 years of your life?

Naomi is having a typical day when she falls down a flight of stairs at school--and gets amnesia. Now, she's missing the last four years of her life--years where many things happened. She has to be told about her parents' divorce and her mother's remarriage. She has to be told about her boyfriend and her best friend. And while people are trying to fill the holes in her memory, they also tell her how she should be acting, feeling, and talking.

All except James. And what will happen if she gets her memory back?