Teen Scene

New Books

2012-02-04T15:32:00.000-08:00

Graphic Novels:
Fullmetal Alchemist vol. 27 (final volume) -- Eric and Alphonse and their allies make their final assault against the homunculus known as "Father". But is a happy ending in store for the brothers, or will one of them have to make the ultimate sacrifice? find out in this final volume.
Bleach vols. 11-15, 36-35 -- Ichigo defeats Ikkaku and discovers where Rukia is being detained before her execution. Meanwhile, Ganju is having more difficulty with his opponent, and Uryû finally has an opportunity to prove how much more powerful he has become.
Naruto vols. 9-10, 53 -- The student ninja unleash their signature moves as the preliminaries to the third phase of the Chûnin Exams continue. The heated, one-on-one battles bring out the best and the worst in the young ninja fighting to move on to the finals.
Shonen Jump -- March 2012 -- this should be the final print volume we receive of Shonen Jump. After this it will only be available for online subscription.

Fiction:
Timber Wolf by Caroline Pignat -- Jack works in a logging camp as a cook's helper, but longs to work with the loggers. However, when he tries, disaster strikes, and the boy soon finds himself alone in the woods. Can a lone, injured boy and a wolf cub survive and overcome?
My Awesome/Awful Popularity Plan by Seth Rudetsky -- Justin is fat, Jewish, unpopular and Gay. Too bad he has a crush on a straight guy who's dating the most popular girl in school! And then the awesome plan comes to him...
Diabolical by Cynthia L. Smith -- Tantalize book 4 - Zachary and Kieren, angel and werewolf, arrive at a hellish new boarding school and must fight for their lives against demons, hellhounds and sadistic teachers.
Getting Over Garret Delany by Abby McDonald -- Sadie's best friend Garret is also her secret crush; but when he leaves for the summer, she decides it is time to get over him, and creates a 12-step plan for herself, involving a summer job and a new boy.
Fallen in Love by Lauren Kate -- Fallen, book 3.5 - a collection of four romantic stories involving characters from the Fallen series.
Echoes by Laura Dockrill -- twisted fairy tales, familiar yet odd, tantalize in this haunting collection.
Alienation by Jon Lewis -- C.H.A.O.S book 2 - Colt begins to learn new things about himself and his friendship with Oz as he undergoes training in his powers at the CHAOS academy.
Mark of the Golden Dragon by L.A. Meyer -- Bloody Jack book 9 - Jacky Faber makes her way to London after surviving a Typhoon, and seeks pardons for herself and her betrothed, Jaimy, who is now posing as a highwayman and trying to avenge Jacky's supposed death.
Don't Call Me Hero by Ray Villareal -- Rawly's brother is in prison, his Mom's restaurant is failing, and he's got a crush on a girl who doesn't even know he exists. But when fame, in the form of Rawly rescuing a famous woman from drowning, arrives, does it really improve his life?
Leap of Faith by Anne E. Schraff -- Urban Underground book 19 - when Ernesto sees a robbery in the Barrio go down, he thinks he recognizes one of the suspects. But is he jumping to conclusions? Was it really Cruz? Should he go to the police?
Crazy Things Girls Do For Love by Dyan Sheldon -- Cody, the new boy at school, is so gorgeous that three girls find themselves drawn to joining the Environmental club just to be near him. Is chasing a cute guy worth risking your reputation over?
A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies -- Skye has been raised by her aunt, but when she meets two gorgeous, polar-opposite boys in one wild night, she begins to question everything about her past, in this paranormal romance. First of a trilogy.
Pretty Little Secrets by Sara Shepard -- Pretty Little Liars book 6 - Hanna, Emily, Aria and Spenser continue to have relationship troubles, romance, and adventure.
The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder -- 16 year old Cam suffers from a life-threatening illness, and her miracle-seeking mother moves them to a town in Maine with a reputation for having healing properties.
Small Town Sinners by Melissa Walker -- High-school Junior Lacey finds herself questioning the narrowly evangelical christian values she was brought up with when an intriguing new boy moves into town.
Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey -- When Eloise is kidnapped, she has never heard of Faery. But she soon discovers she's being used as a pawn to capture her aunt Antonia, who is the only one who can prevent Lord Strahan, king of the faeries, from wrongly keeping his throne. But in faeryland, not everyone is to be trusted...
There Is No Long Distance Now by Naomi Shihab Nye -- a collection of forty very short stories that affirm life, family and friendship.
Fracture by Megan Miranda -- Delaney survives a near death experience, but afterwards her awakened ability to sense the dying frightens her. And what about Troy, the boy who survived a coma and awakens with similar abilities?
Wildefire by Karsten Knight -- after Ashley flees from a death she feels morally responsible for, she arrives at a peculiar boardingschool where she discovers that a host of gods and goddesses have enrolled - and she is one of them!
Winter Town by Stephen Emond -- Evan and Lucy were childhood sweethearts, and now they are drawn together again at seventeen. But Evan's father wants him to go to an Ivy-league college, and Lucy's family is torn apart by divorce. Will this goth girl/normal boy romance flourish?
Epic Fail by Clare LaZebnik -- in this modern retake on "Pride and Prejudice" Elise Benton finds herself both drawn to and repelled by the moody and handsome son of Hollywood's most famous couple.
Dancergirl by Carol Tanzman -- Ali is a dancer, and when a video of herself goes viral on the internet, she quickly finds herself famous. But then someone begins watching her, stalking her, and she finds her fame has drawbacks.
Children of the Lost by David Whitley -- Agora trilogy book 2 - Mark and Lily have been banished from Agora, but are happy to reach the land of Giseth, but they keep hearing whispers in their dreams, urging them to "find the children of the Lost".
The Boy is Mine! by Charmaine White -- Wilson High Confidential - Neisha wants to attract Marcus, and doubly so when she found out another girl wants him; but is he really worth all her time and attention?
Book of Spells by Kate Brian (Last of the Private series) -- the origins of the Billings Girls are finally revealed in this story about the arrival of Elizabeth Williams at the School in 1915.
Promise the Night by Michaela MacColl -- the fictionalized childhood of Beryl Markham in Kenya, the first person to fly solo from east to west across the Atlantic Ocean.
Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges -- Duchess Katerina of Oldenberg, a royal debutant in 1888 Russia, has a terrible secret; she can raise the dead. When she uses her power to protect aa member of the Tsar's family, she is caught up in intrigue that threatens her life.
Flyaway by Helen Landalf -- Stevie knows her life isn't perfect, but when her mom disappears this time, Aunt Mindy hauls her off for the summer to stay with her and work in a bird sanctuary. But what's really awful is that Stevie begins to understand how much better her life Should be; but how can it be, without her mother?
Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey -- it is 1192, and Tess, the daughter of a cruel blacksmith, stands accused of witchcraft. When she flees for her life, she meets
In Darkness by Nick Lake -- in Haiti after the earthquake, gang-member Shorty is caught in the rubble of a hospital, and while waiting for rescue, has visions of his life of violence, his lost sister and of Toussaint L'Ouverture, a revolutionary from Haiti's past.
Black Boy/White School by Brian Walker -- "Ant" Jones, a black boy from the Cleveland Ghetto, wins a scholarship to a private school; he finds that no matter how much he changes, he can never quite fit in; when he goes home again, he discovers that he no longer quite fits there, either, in this story about the reality of growing up.
Daughter of the Centaurs by Kate Klimo -- the Centauriad, book 1 - alone after the destruction of her village, Melora and the horse, Sky, must find ways to survive and rebuild their lives.
Tankborn by Karen Sandler -- Kayla and Mishalla are tankborn, the lowest of the low - but when they start to discover terrible things about their world, they have the strength and courage to work for change, in this dystopian far-future thriller.
Try Not to Breathe by Jennifer Hubbard -- Ryan has just been released from a psychiatric hospital after a suicide attempt, when he meets Nicki, who wants to understand why a person would kill themselves. Between them, they make discoveries that lead both to healing and further pain.
What Boys Really Want by Pete Hautman -- Lita is a writer, and Adam is going to help her sell her book. But all sorts of things go wrong, in this hilarious book of misunderstandings and miscommunication.
International Kissing Club by Ivy Adams -- four best friends from Paris, Texas, spend a semester abroad, and use their Facebook page to keep track of their romances, breakups, and growing up, in this seriously sweet comedy.
Original Sin by Lisa Desrochers -- sequel to Personal Demons - Luc Cain, who was born and raised in hell, loves Frannie, an ordinary human girl. When he trades in his powers for the life of a mortal, "all hell" breaks loose.
Ghost Moon by John Wilson -- Desert Legend Trilogy book 2 - Jim and his friend Billy get caught up in a struggle between ranchers and lawmen near Fort Stockton, Texas, in this historical adventure.
My Own Worst Frenemy by Kim Reid -- Langdon Prep Academy book 1 - Chanti, the daughter of a vice cop, arrives at her new private school, only to find herself accused of a string of thefts in short order. She must go to work herself to find the real culprit and clear her name.

SLJ Teen reviews

2012-02-01T07:21:00.000-08:00

Every month School Library Journal posts reviews of books, games, music, etc... by teens. Here's a link to one of their colums on Music and Games. Enjoy!

New Books

2012-01-31T14:23:00.000-08:00

Graphic Novels:
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon vols. 1-3 - The Queen is still searching for a way to restore herself to life, and to destroy the Guardians. Sailor Moon continues her quest for Sailor Venus, and Usagi remembers who she truly is, in this new Sailor Moon Saga.

Nonfiction:
Black & White: the Confrontation between Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth and Eugene "Bull" Connor by Larry Brimner - Two of the most important figures of the 1950's and 60's Civil Rights movement are covered in this dual biography.
To the Mountaintop: Martin Luther King Jr.'s sacred mission to Save America by Stewart Burns

Fiction:
Deadly Little Voices: a Touch Novel by Laurie Stolarz -- Camelia's powers seem to be changing, as she begins to hear voices saying malicious things in her head, and even working her beloved pottery doesn't help. And then things only get worse when her Aunt, just out of the hospital after a suicide attempt, comes to stay.
Magic of the Moonlight: a Full Moon Novel by Ellen Schreiber -- Celeste adores Brandon, but they must hide their relationship to keep his secret - he's a werewolf! Can they find anyone to help them solve his problem? And can they go to the Moonlight Ball, or will his condition be revealed to all?
Emily the Strange: Piece of Mind by Rob Reger -- Emily's to do list begins with 1) Lose (and find) Mind, and ends with 13) Guard family legacy and claim Inheritance! Come along with Emily as she finds the oddest possible solutions to her problems.
There is No Dog by Meg Rosoff -- God is a teenaged boy, slobbish, lazy and easily infatuated. When the beautiful Lucy attracts his attention, Mr. B is left, as usual, to clean up the disasters that follow... a cheeky, wildly funny parable.
Sigh by Marjane Satrapi -- this not-quite-a-graphic novel tells the romantic fairytale-like story of Rose, a blue bean, the creature called Ah, and a journey toward true love.
Angel Fire by Lee Weatherly -- Alex and Willow are on the run,being led to Mexico City by Willow's prophetic dreams. When they join up with Kira, an angel-killer from Alex's past, no one on the team trusts Willow.Will she be able to convince them she's trustworthy? Does she even want to?
Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer -- now that the final battle is upon her, Calla realizes there's more at stake than just fighting. Can she save Ren, keep Ansel safe, and prove herself the alpha of the pack?
Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer -- Calla Tor forges an alliance with her master's enemies and tries to rescue her pack from imprisonment in Vail.
Asylum by L.J. Smith (Vampire Diaries) -- Stefan and Damon must join forces to defeat an enemy from Katherine's past, after it sets out to destroy the brothers.

Spring Break Program!

2012-01-30T11:20:00.000-08:00

We're going to be doing the MOST fantastic teen program for SPRING BREAK!

You are invited to attend the HUNGER GAMES of the Waco-McLennan County Library
Wednesday, March 14 from 3:00 - 5:30 pm

We will have:
      A Cornucopia Game - you and your team compete to acquire the equipment to survive 3 days in the Arena
      A Trivia Contest - questions from Hunger Games, the first novel, only. Multiple choice and True-false.
      A Costume Contest - choose from Hunger Games Tribute, Sector Resident (you choose what sector) or Capitol Resident.
      Food - select from the plain fare of sector 12 or the delicacies of the Capitol.

Prizes for the games and contests will be movie posters, mockingjay tokens, and possibly more! I hope to see you all there!

What I'm Reading

2012-01-25T14:54:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading John Green's newest book, "The Fault in Our Stars". The story revolves around sixteen year old Hazel, who is dying of thyroid cancer, and has been for the past three years. Then she meets Augustus, a survivor of osteosarcoma, and suddenly her whole world changes. Hazel never thought she'd fall in love, and she's bitterly afraid of hurting this handsome young man who offers to help her fulfill a dream. This is definitely a three-hanky read, with deep sorrow and loss inevitable from page one. Yet at the same time, Hazel and Gus are a very typical, if not ordinary, pair of teens, discovering love, romance, and desire. You'll thoroughly enjoy meeting and coming to know them both. I know I did! So next time you feel a need to weep over life, do it with this sensitive, moving, funny novel.

More New Books

2012-01-21T11:04:00.000-08:00

Fiction:
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green -- Sixteen-year-old Hazel, a stage IV thyroid cancer patient, has accepted her terminal diagnosis until a chance meeting with a boy at cancer support group forces her to reexamine her perspective on love, loss, and life.
Ripper by L.J. Smith (Vampire Diaries Stephan's Diaries #4) -- Stefan is drawn into the investigation of Jack the Ripper when he suspects the killer to be a vampire.
Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler -- Sixteen-year-old Min Green writes a letter to Ed Slaterton in which she breaks up with him, documenting their relationship and how items in the accompanying box, from bottle caps to a cookbook, foretell the end.
White Fox by James Bartholomeusz (Seven Stars Trilogy #1) -- Teenager Jack Lawson lives an average and ordinary life in a typical southern English town, until the day a white fox introduces himself as Jack's guardian spirit and gives to him a mysterious talisman. Jack's life continues to spin out of control when his friend Alex, after warning that the town is in grave danger from demons controlled by the Cult of Dionysus, is kidnapped by the cult.
Stick by Andrew Smith -- Thirteen-year-old Stark "Stick" McClellan's brother has always defended him against those who tease him for his thinness and facial deformity, so when Bosten, having admitted he is gay, must leave home and their abusive parents, Stick sets out to find him.
Away by Teri Hall (Sequel to "The Line") -- After helping heal Malgam, Rachel learns that her father is still living in the devastated territory of Away, captured by members of another clan who are planning to use him to make a deal with the government on the other side of the Line, and she joins the rescue party that must risk much to save him.
Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore -- Esmerine, a mermaid, grows close to her childhood playmate Alander, a winged man, when they join forces to find her sister Dosia, who has reportedly eloped with a human despite the sisters' vow to always keep the sea and its people first in their hearts.
Elephant in the Garden by Michael Morpurgo -- 1944. Elizabeth's mother works at Dresden Zoo, where her favorite animal is an elephant named Marlene. When the zoo director tells her the dangerous animals must be shot to prevent them running amok when the town is bombed, Elizabeth's mother moves Marlene into the back garden to save her. And then the bombs start to fall...
Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare (Infernal Devices #2) -- As the Council attempts to strip Charlotte of her power, sixteen-year-old orphaned shapechanger Tessa Gray works with the London Shadowhunters to find the Magister and destroy his clockwork army, learning the secret of her own identity while investigating his past.
Darkness Falls by Cate Tiernan (Immortal Beloved #2) -- While living at River's Edge where she is learning to cope with her darker impulses, immortal Nastasya's ties to dark magick get in her way once again and she is pulled back into her former destructive lifestyle.
Cinder by Marissa Meyer (Lunar Chronicles #1) -- As plague ravages the overcrowded Earth, observed by a ruthless lunar people, Cinder, a gifted mechanic and cyborg, becomes involved with handsome Prince Kai and must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect the world in this futuristic take on the Cinderella story.
Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday (Deadly Cool #1) -- When sixteen-year-old Hartley Featherstone finds out that her boyfriend is cheating on her, she goes to his house to confront him but instead finds the strangled body of the girl he was cheating with.
Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer Smith -- In this heady romance, Hadley misses her flight to London, but briefly meets Oliver, and they fall in love at first sight. Separated, Hadley spends the next 24 hours before she returns to New York trying to figure out how to find him.
A Millions Suns by Beth Revis (Across the Universe #2) -- Amy and Elder made a shocking discovery about the spaceship Godspeed after he takes control; they must race to solve a puzzle that was set in motion long ago, while they also struggle with the chaos that threatens the ship and her crew.
Legacy by Katy Cochran -- Katy is hurt when her father dumps her at a boarding school, but when she discovers that everyone there, including herself, is a witch, she finds that everything she thought she knew is changing. An unsettling paranormal with touches of romance and superb characters.
Irises by Francisco Stork -- Kate and Mary are sisters, but they couldn't be more different. Kate can't wait to leave, Mary only wants to stay and paint, but when their father dies both girls are forced to reach deep inside to find new ways of caring for their comatose mother, each other and themselves.
Angel Burn by Lee Weatherly -- Willow doesn't know where her power to see into the future comes from, but Alex, the assassin sent to slay her, does. When he falls in love instead, they must flee while trying to discover why he has been instructed to kill a seeming innocent.
Queen of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker -- Ricky Jo tries to remake herself into Erica when she enters her local high school (after attending Catholic school for years). Unfortunately, she runs into trouble trying to fit in with the cool girls, deal with her crush on cool-guy Wolf, and remain friends with Luke, the boy-next-door.
Prized by Caragh M. O'Brien -- Gaia has fled into the wilderness with her baby sister and now faces starvation. Saved by the people of Sylum, she finds it a challenge to fit into their strict social order, and is troubled by the injustices she perceives. Will she risk losing her baby sister to stand up for herself?
On the Come Up by Travis Hunter -- DeMarco and his twin sister Jasmine have grown up rough, DeMarco in and out of Juvie, and Jasmine fighting to keep her position on the honor roll. But now Jasmine's mother has thrown her out for revealing that her mother's boyfriend tried to abuse her. Can DeMarco find a way to help her, or even himself?
Also Known as Rowan Pohi by Ralph Fletcher -- Bobby's application to a fancy prep school starts as a joke, but when "Rowan Pohi" wins a scholarship, Bobby impulsively takes a chance to escape his unhappy home life with a new identity.
Month of Sundays by Ruth White -- It's 1956. April Garnet Rose, dumped with her Aunt while her mother job hunts, attends various churches as her aunt seeks healing. A tragic romance and the discovery of what family can mean both help fatherless Garnet grow up.
Saving June by Hannah Harrington -- After 16 year old Harper's perfect sister June commits suicide, Harper steals her ashes and sets off for California, where her sister longed to go. Harper, her best friend Laney, and Jake, a surly boy-with-a-car, embark on an adventurous cross-country trip.
If I Tell by Janet Gurtler -- biracial Jasmine, at 17, lives with her grandparents, but gets along with her mother and mother's new boyfriend, until she sees him kissing her best friend at a party. What's she to do? And her mother is pregnant, too!
My Beating Teenage Heart by C.K. Kelly Martin -- 15 year old Ashlyn, recently deceased, finds her spirit hovering over Breckon,who is grief-stricken over the death of his little sister. Can she help him, when she doesn't even know how to help herself? A somber tale of grief and eventual growth.
Caleb's War by David L. Dudley -- in 1944, South Carolina, African-american teen Caleb gets a job in a diner as a dishwasher, and befriends a German POW. Then his brother becomes a POW in Europe. Caleb has to evaluate the discrimination, injustices, and hatred he sees as he deals with life.

New Books

2012-01-17T15:04:00.000-08:00

Graphic Novels:
Shonen Jump v. 2 Feb 2012 -- this is the final print issue...
A Certain Scientific Raigun by Kazuma Kamachi -- Welcome to a world where mysticism and science collide, and supernatural powers are derived from either science or religion. Mikoto is the 3rd most powerful student ever to attend Academy City, where she learns to fight crime and discover secrets about her world.
Innocent by Avi Arad -- Wrongly executed for crimes he didn't commit, a former detective is given a second chance at life. To earn that chance, though, the man now known as Ash must use the supernatural abilities with which he has been infused to prevent the deaths of other innocents. But, is Ash willing to dedicate himself to helping others, or is his thirst for vengeance against those who destroyed his life and his loved ones too powerful to ignore?
Daredevil. Reborn -- The apocalyptic events of SHADOWLAND have left the once-proud legacy of Daredevil in tatters. Now, far from the mean streets of Hell's Kitchen, a new evil is rising, and the only man crazy enough to face it is a man with nothing left to lose. The road to Hell was paved with good intentions, but the long road to redemption is the far harder path.
Ouran High School Host Club Volumes 1-5 -- In this screwball romantic comedy, a poor girl at a rich kids' school ends up working for the school's swankiest club -- and gets mistaken for a boy! One day, Haruhi, a scholarship student at exclusive Ouran High School, breaks an $80,000 vase that belongs to the 'Host Club', a mysterious campus group consisting of six super-rich (and gorgeous) guys. To pay back the damages, she is forced to work for the club, and it's there that she discovers just how wealthy the boys are and how different they are from everybody else.
Amazing Agent Luna vol. 007 by Nunzio Defilippis -- Luna struggles to protect the scientist's daughter who holds the secret to cold fusion, while torn between Jonah, her ex-boyfriend-turned-leader-of-a-rogue-nation, and an unknown agent dressed as a knight in shining armor.
Amazing Agent Jennifer vol. 1 by Nunzio Defilippis -- Before Luna's hard-as-nails boss known simply as "Control" ever became a control agent, Jennifer Kajiwara was once a rookie herself. From Jennifer's freshman year in the Agency as a late teen, through her struggles with her parents and her grueling training, to her first dangerous mission as a field agent (and first big romance!), being a young secret agent is never easy.
Dengenki Daisy vols. 5-8 by Kyousoki Motomi -- While trying to uncover who the fake DAISY is, Kurosaki gets injured protecting Teru from an attack! The near-fatal incident leaves Teru shaken, and she vows to stay close to Kurosaki. But is proximity just going to hurt them both with the truth still veiled?
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon vols. 1-2 by Naoko Takeuchi -- Usagi Tsukino is a normal girl until she meets up with Luna, a talking cat, who tells her that she is Sailor Moon. As Sailor Moon, Usagi must fight evils and enforce justice, in the name of the Moon and the mysterious Moon Princess. She meets other girls destined to be Sailor Senshi (Sailor Scouts), and together, they fight the forces of evil!
Arisa vols 2-5 by Natsume Ando -- Who is the mysterious 'King' controlling the class? Tsubasa pursues Akira Manabe, a troubled boy who might know the King's true identity. As Tsubasa closes in on Arisa's secret, the King makes another move!
Library Wars. Love & War. vols 4-6 by Kiiro Yumi -- In the near future, the federal government creates a committee to rid society of books it deems unsuitable. The libraries vow to protect their collections, and with the help of local governments, form a military group to defend themselves -- the Library Forces!
One Piece vols 3-5 by Eiichiro Oda -- Captain Buggy reveals an unexpected connection between himself and Luffy's long-lost hero, Captain "Red-Haired" Shanks. Meanwhile, Luffy and his tiny crew must endure the Trial of the Forest on a remote jungle island if they hope to find the elusive One Piece.
I Am Here vol. 1 by Ema Toyama -- Invisible to her classmates, Hikage Sumino is an eighth grader with no self-esteem. Her only friends are the visitors to her Internet blog. One day, the most popular boy in the grade suddenly talks to her. Encouraged by this twist of fate, Hikage determines to transform her life.
Lily Rene, Escape Artist by Trina Robbins -- Presents the story of Lily Renée Wilheim, the Jewish girl who escaped from the Nazis through the Kindertransport operation, leaving her parents behind and traveling alone to England, later becoming a comic book artist in New York.
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep vol 6 by Philip K. Dick (Final volume) -- the movie Bladerunner was based on this science fiction classic, expertly translated to graphic format.
Superman. Earth One. -- Gives new insight into Clark Kent's transformation into Superman and his first year as the Man of Steel.
Spider-Man. Matters of Life and Death -- Spider-Man fights the new Spider-Slayer to protect the mayor's family, questions his purpose after someone is killed in front of him, and wonders if he made a promise he cannot keep during a hostage situation.
Stargazer vols. 1-2 by Von Allan -- Young Marie inherits a mysterious item she knows only as the Artifact, a treasured keepsake of her late grandmother. While on a backyard camping trip, the Artifact transports Marie and her best friends Sophie and Elora to a strange and distant world and disappears. Gathering their courage, the three friends set out to find a way home.
Red Hulk. Volume eight. Planet Red Hulk -- For years, Gen. 'Thunderbolt' Ross chased the Hulk across the planet, hoping to capture and defeat the Jade Giant. Now, Ross himself is a gamma-irradiated force of nature, and a new enemy has emerged to fill the general's army boots. His name is Fortean. His mission: to enact vengeance on the beast that took the life of Thunderbolt Ross.
Incredible Hulks. Vol. 4. Heart of the Monster -- To protect his beloved family, Bruce Banner has spent the last year sacrificing himself in titanic clashes with monsters, demon, and the gods themselves. But, what happens when the furious monster inside him says enough? Every wish comes true -- and every curse is unleashed -- as the angriest, strongest one there is finally seizes what he wants.
X-Men. Origins II -- Before they became heroes, they were just teenagers -- frightened in a world that feared and hated them. Take a look at how some mutants fought their way through childhood to become X-Men.
Astonishing X-Men. Xenoogenesis -- The X-Men decide to investigate the births of mutant infants born in the African country of Mbanawi, ruled by the ruthless Doctor Crocodile.
Superman. Mon-El Man of Valor -- With The Man of Steel away on New Krypton, it's up to Mon-El to face off against Bizarro and General Lane - Lois Lane's father! Mon-El also debuts his new Superman-inspired costume in this collection guest-starring Superboy, the Legion of Super-Heroes and many others!
Green Lantern. The Movie Prequels -- Green Lantern (Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, Carol Ferris, Amanda Waller, Sinestro, Tomar-Re, Kilowog, Abin Sur, Boodikka, and Salaak.
My Boyfriend is a Monster vols 1-4 -- St. Petersburg High school juniors Dicey Bell, a baseball star, and Jack Chen, who loves science and role-playing games, discover a mutual attraction when paired for a project, but on their first date, a zombie-producing fungus sends them on the run.
Bake Sale by Sara Varon -- Cupcake runs a successful bakery with his best friend, Eggplant, but dreams of going abroad to meet his idol, Turkish Delight, who is the most famous pastry chef in the world.

Fiction:
Dark Fae by Terri Spear -- Alicia has planned a vacation at South Padre Island with her girlfriend Cassie in forever. But just as they're enjoying a day on the beach, here comes a dark fae to spoil their holiday, except only she can see what he truly is. Alicia has no idea how upside down her world can turn with a chance meeting with one of the dark fae from the royal house of the Denkar.
Every You, Every Me by David Levithan -- Evan is haunted by the loss of his best friend, but when mysterious photographs start appearing, he begins to fall apart as he starts to wonder if she has returned, seeking vengeance. Incorporates strike-through text and other design elements.
You Against Me by Jenny Downham -- When eighteen-year-old Mikey's younger sister claims to have been raped and he seeks to avenge the crime, he meets Ellie, the sister of the accused, and befriends her, complicating the situation considerably for all of them.
Switched by Amanda Hocking -- When Wendy Everly was six years-old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. Eleven years later, Wendy learns that her mother was right and that she is actually a changeling troll, who, at the age of seventeen, must be returned to her rightful home.
Fox and Phoenix by Ben Bernobich -- Sixteen-year-old Kai, a magician's apprentice and former street tough, must travel to the Phoenix Empire, where his friend Princess Lian is studying statecraft, and help her escape so she can return home before her father, the king, dies.
Icefall by Matthew Kirby -- Princess Solveig and her siblings are trapped in a hidden fortress tucked between towering mountains and a frozen fjord, along with her best friend and an army of restless soldiers, all awaiting news of the king's victory in battle, but as they wait for winter's end and the all-encompassing ice to break, acts of treachery make it clear that a traitor lurks in their midst.
Death Watch by Ari Berk -- When seventeen-year-old Silas Umber's father disappears, Silas is sure it is connected to the powerful artifact he discovers, combined with his father's hidden hometown history, which compels Silas to pursue the path leading to his destiny and ultimately, to the discovery of his father, dead or alive.
What You Wish For: Stories and Poems for Darfur -- A collection of stories and poems with the theme of wishes.
Seizure by Kathleen Reichs - Virals book 2 -- Ever since Tory Brennan and her friends rescued Cooper, a kidnapped wolf pup with a rare strain of canine parvovirus, they've turned from regular kids into a crime-solving pack! But now, the very place that brought them together -- the Loggerhead Island Research Institute -- is out of funding and will have to shut down. That is, unless the Virals can figure out a way to save it!
Belle's Song by K.M. Grant -- In 1387, fifteen-year-old Belle joins Geoffrey Chaucer, his scribe Luke, squire Walter, and others on a pilgrimage from London to Canterbury to atone and pray for a cure for her father's crippling injury, but political intrigue threatens them all.
Conspiracies by Mercedes Lackey - Shadow Grail book 2 -- When a series of magical attacks disrupts Oakhurst Academy, a boarding school for orphaned future magicians, a suspicious alumnus is hired to secure the campus and start training the students for war.
All You Desire by Kirsten Miller - Eternals book 2 -- Haven must infiltrate the Ouroboros Society, charm Adam Rosier, and lure him into a trap. It's a plan the underground group known as the Horae believe will save the world -- but Haven and Iain fear that it may destroy the happiness they've been chasing for two thousand years.
As I Wake by Elizabeth Scott -- Seventeen-year-old Ava awakens with amnesia and a feeling that something is wrong with her life, her mother, and her friends but when the mysterious Morgan appears, her flashbacks of life as a spy for a shady government agency begin to make sense.
Pregnant Pause by Han Nolan -- Married, pregnant, and living at a "fat camp" in Maine, sixteen-year-old Eleanor has many questions about her future, especially whether the marriage will last and if she should keep the baby.
Fire by James Patterson - Witch and Wizard book 3 -- Whit and Wisty Allgood have led the resistance against a totalitarian regime that has banned all forms of creativity and executed their parents, but even the growing strength of the siblings' magic has not been able to stop the evil dictator, and they must somehow prepare for an imminent showdown.
Going Underground by Susan Vaught -- Interest in a new girl and pressure from his parole officer cause seventeen-year-old Del, a gravedigger, to recall and face the "sexting" incident three years earlier that transformed him from a straight-A student-athlete into a social outcast and felon.
Little Women and Me by Lauren Baratz-Logsted -- Modern-day teen Emily March turns to Louisa May Alcott's famous book for a school assignment and finds herself mysteriously transported to the world of "Little Women," where she undergoes surprising changes.
The File on Angelyn Stark by Catherine Atkins -- Fifteen-year-old Angelyn Stark, a troubled high school student, is trying to get along while keeping a terrible secret about her past, but when one of her teachers tries to offer her encouragement and support, she does not know how to react.
Downside of Being Up by Alan Sitomer -- All Bobby Connor wants is to survive middle school, but puberty is making that difficult for him as his body conspires against him.
Reasons to Be Happy by Katrina Kittle -- Eighth-grader Hannah Carlisle feels unattractive compared to her movie star parents and cliquish Beverly Hills classmates, and when her mother's cancer worsens and her father starts drinking heavily, Hannah's grief and anger turn into bulimia, which only her aunt, a documentary filmmaker, understands.
My Brother's Shadow by Monika Schroder -- In 1918 Berlin, Germany, sixteen-year-old Moritz struggles to do what is right on his newspaper job, in his relationship with his mother and sister who are outspoken socialists, and with his brother, who returns from the war physically and emotionally scarred.

What I'm Reading

2012-01-04T08:43:00.000-08:00

In the Shadow of the Lamp by Susanne Dunlap -- this is historical fiction at its very best. Molly is a serving maid in London in the 1860's. When things at her job go badly wrong, she turns to becoming a Nurse in the Crimea under Florence Nightingale. She has no idea what nursing will entail, nor the horrors of war that she will witness, but she has determination and a strong will. Molly is a believable girl, naive but sturdy, intelligent but uneducated. Her adventures are told in first person, which allows the reader to follow along with Molly as she expands her horizons. I'm really enjoying both Molly, her two romantic interests, and her friend Emma, even though I'm only half-way through. If you enjoy historical fiction, good adventure and a mild romance, I think this one will be a winner for you!

The Cybils 2011 Winners

2012-01-02T13:54:00.000-08:00

The Cybil winners for 2011 have been announced; this is a list of the year's best Children's and YA fiction as chosen by the blogging community. Take a look - you might discover something new and fascinating!

New Books

2011-12-28T12:25:00.000-08:00

Graphic Novels:
Maximum Ride the manga vol. 5 -- Escaping ITEX in Florida, the Flock head west, with Max more burdened than ever by the knowledge that she's meant to save the world. But while their leader is keen to stay on the path leading to her destiny, Fang and the others are more interested in settling down and letting the chips fall where they may.
Captain America: Man out of Time -- Decades after Captain America is presumed killed, he is found in suspended animation by the Avengers and awakens to a strange new America he barely recognizes, with the death of his partner, Bucky Barnes, hanging over him.
Flashpoint -- Barry Allen is a hero. He protects the innocent and battles evil as the Flash - the world's fastest man. But this is not the world he knew. This is a world where Wonder Woman and Aquaman have plunged millions into the darkness of war...where the fastest man alive is just another man.
Twilight the graphic novel vol. 2 -- Having uncovered the dark secret of her enigmatic classmate, Edward Cullen, Bella Swan embraces her feelings for him, trusting Edward to keep her safe despite the risks. When a rival clan of vampires makes its way into Forks, though, the danger to Bella has never been more real. Will she make the ultimate sacrifice to protect the people dearest to her?

Fiction:
Big Crunch by Pete Hautman -- June is starting at her sixth school in four years when she meets Wes, who has just broken up with a girlfriend, and although they do not share an instant or intense connection, attraction turns to love and they wonder where it will lead.
Beatle Meets Destiny by Gabrielle Williams -- When superstitious eighteen-year-old John "Beatle" Lennon, who is dating the best friend of his twin sister, meets Destiny McCartney, their instant rapport and shared quirkiness make it seem that their fate is written in the stars.
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins -- When Anna's romance-novelist father sends her to an elite American boarding school in Paris for her senior year of high school, she reluctantly goes, and meets an amazing boy who becomes her best friend, in spite of the fact that they both want something more.
Exposed by Kimberly Marcus -- High school senior Liz, a gifted photographer, can no longer see things clearly after her best friend accuses Liz's older brother of a terrible crime.
Long Way Home by Andrew Klavan -- Homelanders Book 2 - As eighteen-year-old Charlie West continues to elude the law and the group of terrorists looking for him, he tries to remember what happened a year ago and find out who has framed him so he can clear his name.
Karma: a Novel in Verse by Ostlere -- In 1984, following her mother's suicide, 15-year-old Maya and her Sikh father travel to New Delhi from Canada to place her mother's ashes in their final resting place. On the night of their arrival, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is assassinated, Maya and her father are separated when the city erupts in chaos, and Maya must rely on Sandeep, a boy she has just met, for survival.
Something to Hold by Katherine Noe -- In the early 1960s, Kitty is one of only two white children in her class on Warm Springs Reservation, Oregon, where her father is a government forester, and although past injustices and pain are still very much alive there, she eventually finds friendships and opportunities to make a difference. Includes map, author's note, glossary, and pronunciation guide.
Miles from Ordinary by Carol Williams -- As her mother's mental illness spins terrifyingly out of control, thirteen-year-old Lacey must face the truth of what life with her mother means for both of them.
Queen of Hearts by Martha Brooks -- Shortly after her first kiss but before her sixteenth birthday in December, 1941, Marie Claire and her younger brother and sister are sent to a tuberculosis sanatorium near their Manitoba farm.
Thunder Over Kandahar by Sharon McKay -- A powerful novel of enduring friendship set amid the terror and chaos of present-day Afghanistan.
It's a Wonderful Life by Jesse Goossens -- Dutch almost-eighteen-year-old Anna is not allowed to go on a Spanish beach vacation with her friends. Instead, her parents send her to small town America to spend the summer with her uncle. To pass the time, Anna starts working in an antique shop where she befriends different kinds of people ranging from the local undertaker -- a boy her age -- to an elderly Jewish couple. Anna could never have imagined that what she thought would be the dullest holiday ever would turn out to be a time where she discovers what life is about.
Deadly Little Secret by Laurie Stolarz -- When someone starts stalking high school junior Camelia, everyone at school assumes that it is Ben, who is new at school and rumored to have killed his previous girlfriend, but Camelia is nevertheless inexplicably drawn to him.
All Men of Genius by Lev Rosen -- Violet Adams finds it difficult to keep her true gender secret when she disguises herself as a man to attend an exclusive college.
Ashes by Ilsa Bick -- Alex, a resourceful seventeen-year-old running from her incurable brain tumor, Tom, who has left the war in Afghanistan, and Ellie, an angry eight-year-old, join forces after an electromagnetic pulse sweeps through the sky and kills most of the world's population, turning some of those who remain into zombies and giving the others superhuman senses.
Survival Kit by Donna Freitas -- After her mother dies, sixteen-year-old Rose works through her grief by finding meaning in a survival kit that her mother left behind.
Silence of Murder by Dandi McKall -- Sixteen-year-old Hope must defend her developmentally disabled brother (who has not spoken a word since he was seven) when he is accused of murdering a beloved high school baseball coach.
Misfit by Jon Skovron -- Seattle sixteen-year-old Jael must negotiate normal life in Catholic school while learning to control the abilities she inherited from her mother, a demon, and protect those she loves from Belial, the Duke of Hell.
Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst -- After sixteen-year-old vampire Pearl Sange is stabbed through the heart by a were-unicorn, she develops non-vampire-like traits that lead her to save her high school classmates from the Vampire King of New England.
Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan Told in the alternating voices of Dash and Lily, two sixteen-year-olds carry on a wintry scavenger hunt at Christmas-time in New York, neither knowing quite what -- or who -- they will find.
Lie by Caroline Bock -- Told in several voices, a group of Long Island high school seniors conspire to protect eighteen-year-old Jimmy after he brutally assaults two Salvadoran immigrants, until they begin to see the moral implications of Jimmy's actions and the consequences of being loyal to a violent bully.
Michael Vey : the Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans -- 1st in the Michael Vey series: To everyone at Meridian High School, fourteen-year-old Michael Vey is nothing special, just the kid who has Tourette's syndrome. But in truth, Michael is extremely special -- he has electric powers. Michael thinks he is unique until he discovers that a cheerleader named Taylor has the same mysterious powers.
Girls Don't Fly by Kristen Chandler -- Myra, a high school senior, will do almost anything to win a contest and earn money for a study trip to the Galapagos Islands, which would mean getting away from her demanding family life in Utah and ex-boyfriend Erik, but Erik is set on winning the same contest.
Always War by Margaret Haddix -- In a war-torn future United States, fifteen-year-old Tessa, her childhood friend Gideon, now a traumatized military hero, and Dek, a streetwise orphan, enter enemy territory and discover the shocking truth about a war that began more than seventy-five years earlier.
Poisoned House by Michael Ford -- As the widowed master of an elegant house in Victorian-era London slips slowly into madness and his tyrannical housekeeper takes on more power, a ghostly presence distracts a teenaged maidservant with clues to a deadly secret.
Bronxwood by Coe Booth -- Tyrell's life is spinning out of control after his father is released from prison, his little brother is placed in foster care, and the drug dealers he's living with are pressuring him to start dealing.
Legend by Marie Lu -- In a dark future, when North America has split into two warring nations, fifteen-year-olds Day, a famous criminal, and prodigy June, the brilliant soldier hired to capture him, discover that they have a common enemy.
Robot by Paul Watson -- When unpopular freshman Gabe Messner and his best friend Dover crack the code to the forbidden laboratory of Gabe's father, they unwittingly unleash T.R.I.N.A., a beautiful blonde robot programmed with a mission that the two boys must put to a stop.
Leverage by Joshua Cohen -- High school sophomore Danny excels at gymnastics but is bullied, like the rest of the gymnasts, by members of the football team, until an emotionally and physically scarred new student joins the football team and forms an unlikely friendship with Danny.
Between by Jessica Warman -- By weaving through her memories and watching the family and friends she left behind, eighteen-year-old Liz Valchar solves the mystery of how her life ended in the Long Island Sound.
Variant by Robison Wells -- First in a series -- After years in foster homes, seventeen-year-old Benson Fisher applies to New Mexico's Maxfield Academy in hopes of securing a brighter future, but instead he finds that the school is a prison and no one is what he or she seems.
Brooklyn, Burning by Steven Brezenoff -- Sixteen-year-old Kid, who lives on the streets of Brooklyn, loves Felix, a guitarist and junkie who disappears, leaving Kid the prime suspect in an arson investigation. But a year later, Scout arrives, giving Kid a second chance to be in a band and find true love.
Hunted by Adam Slater -- Shadowing, book 1 -- At the time called The Shadowing, the barrier between the netherworld and the human world begins to break down, and as fourteen-year-old Callum sees his visions of grisly murders coming true, he strives to fulfill his destiny to stand against bloodthirsty demon forces while he, himself, is being hunted.
Planesrunner by Ian McDonald -- When fourteen-year-old Everett Singh's scientist father is kidnapped from the streets of London, he leaves a mysterious app on Everett's computer, giving him access to the Infundibulum -- a map of parallel earths -- which is being sought by technologically advanced dark powers that Everett must somehow elude while he tries to rescue his father.

New Books

2011-12-16T09:03:00.000-08:00

Graphic Novels:
Shonen Jump for January 2012 -- Bakuman artist issue!

Fiction:
King's Ransom by Jude Watson -- 39 Clues. Vespers vs. Cahills bk. 2 -- After seven members of their family are kidnapped by an organization called the Vespers, Dan and Amy Cahill must race against time to track down an ancient map to pay as ransom to bring the hostages home.
Body of Water by Sarah Dooley -- After their trailer home and all their belongings are burned, twelve-year-old Ember and her Wiccan family move to a lakeside campground where Ember's anguish over losing her dog, as well as her friendship with the boy she fears started the fire, stops her from making new friends and moving on.
Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch -- Twenty years after the start of the war that caused the Collapse, fifteen-year-old Stephen, his father, and grandfather travel post-Collapse America scavenging, but when his grandfather dies and his father decides to risk everything to save the lives of two strangers, Stephen's life is turned upside down.
Future of Us by Jay Asher -- It's 1996, and less than half of all American high school students have ever used the Internet. Emma just got her first computer and Josh is her best friend. They power up and log on -- and discover themselves on Facebook, fifteen years in the future. Everybody wonders what their Destiny will be. Josh and Emma are about to find out.
Illusions by Aprilynne Pike -- As her senior year of high school starts, Laurel is just beginning to adjust to Tamani's absence when he suddenly reappears, telling her he must guard her against the returning threat of the trolls that pose a danger both to her and to Avalon.

Free short story by Cynthia Leitich Smith

2011-12-15T09:13:00.000-08:00

If you enjoy her books, or if you want to find out if you'd enjoy them, try THIS link!
She writes really neat vampire/werewolf stories, like Tantalize and Eternal... which are all set in Austin, TX. So give it a try!

Book Review

2011-12-14T11:26:00.000-08:00

Blood Wounds by Susan Beth Pfeffer - I've always liked Susan Pfeffer as an author, since I read "The Year Without Michael" during my first year as a YA Librarian. But I do think that Blood Wounds might be my favorite book by her. It follows the complex emotional journey of Willa, a girl whose birth father, whom she has not seen since she and her mother ran away when she was four, commits an act of terrific evil. Willa is forced to confront the ramifications of being a killer's daughter, of living with two stepsisters who have "everything" that she lacks, of having a mother who has kept secret, closed off, the whole history of her life before running away. Willa is a strong heroine, with her own secrets. She manages to endure, to struggle, to speak out, but her journey is a tough one. You'll want to take it with her... I'd recommend this to anyone who loves realistic, emotional stories about strong young women without an ounce of romance, supernatural elements or other window dressing. Five stars!

Pikapals Club update

2011-12-12T11:22:00.000-08:00

Anyone who wants to come to Central Library and pick up their baked polymer clay critters is now welcome to do so. Remember, I'll have them up here all month, and I will also bring any as-yet unclaimed critters to the program in January. We'll be watching one of the Anime movies I mentioned last month (at least the first hour or so). Please come and join us! Snacks and water as usual...

Book Reviews

2011-12-05T12:26:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd tell you about two books I read recently, both of which I thoroughly enjoyed. First is The Princess Curse, by Merrie Haskell, and second was Witchlanders by Lena Coakley.

The Princess Curse is a retelling of the fairytale "Twelve Dancing Princesses" with a lot of mythology (Persephone among others) and medieval history. But it doesn't feel heavy! It's a very sprightly, enjoyable tale that follows Reveka, a girl who is determined to make her own future by breaking the "silly curse" that affects the twelve princesses of the kingdom. But as Reveka comes to understand the ramifications of the curse, she realizes it is far more serious than she ever imagined. With the aid of a kindly maid, her father's apprentice, and others, Reveka embarks on a quest to save both her kingdom, and the underworld realm she discovers. This was the third retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses story I've read recently, and I liked it the best. Reveka was a believable heroine who had strong motives and a realistic ability to succeed in her mission. I look forward to the potential sequel. This story is one I would recommend especially to younger teens, who enjoy historical fiction or fantasy.

Witchlanders is a slightly longer story, more intense and darker in tone. Ryder's mother is a witch, and since his father's death, her strange behavior has disturbed and worried him. Now she is determined to summon the members of her old coven, because she has had a vision she cannot interpret. But Ryder soon discovers that nearly everything he has been taught about his country, his mother's history, and witchcraft, is wrong. And when he meets a mysterious stranger from the hated nation of Baen, his whole view of the world may have to change... if he is going to be able to save the lives of his sisters, his village, and perhaps his entire people! I would recommend Witchlanders (and the possible sequels) to anyone, teens or adults, who likes fantasy with believable characters, good worldbuilding, and ambivalent villains.

New Books (almost all graphic novels)

2011-12-05T10:04:00.000-08:00

Graphic Novels:
Fullmetal Alchemist vol. 26 -- With all the pieces now in his possession, the homunculus 'father' executes his master plan as Edward and the others watch in horror. When the dust settles, the entire world has been reshaped. With the help of Hohenheim, the Elric brothers lauch a desperate final attack, but is it all too late...?
Bakuman vols 1-3 Average student Moritaka Mashiro enjoys drawing for fun. When his classmate and aspiring writer Akito Takagi discovers his talent, he begs Moritaka to team up with him as a manga-creating duo. But, what exactly does it take to make it in the manga-publishing world? Moritaka is hesitant to seriously consider Akito's proposal because he knows how difficult reaching the professional level can be.
Nabari No Ou vols 1-2 -- Apathetic schoolboy Miharu Rokujou is content to meander through life in the sleepy village of Banten. But, his quiet existence is shattered when the Grey Wolves of Iga, a powerful ninja clan, attempt to kidnap him in broad daylight. Only then does Miharu discover that the ultimate power of the hidden ninja realm -- a power that can do both great good and great harm -- is sealed within his body.
Blood Blockade Battlefront vol. 1 -- A breach between Earth and the netherworlds has opened up over the city of New York, trapping New Yorkers and creatures from other dimensions in an impenetrable bubble. They've lived together for years, in a world of crazy crime sci-fi sensibilities. Now, someone is threatening to sever the bubble, and a group of stylish superhumans is working to keep it from happening.
Eye of the World vol. 1 by Robert Jordan -- Three young friends from a village so far on the fringes that its residents no longer know they're part of the queen's kingdom set out on an adventure that will change their lives and place them in the middle of events they can neither control nor escape.
Naruto vol. 52 -- Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto finally meet, as the former classmates' complicated past gives way to a violent and unsure future. Naruto realizes he must eventually battle Sasuke one-on-one... to the death! But with Sasuke and his dark allies bent on complete destruction, and political intrigue in the villages, will the powerful Allied Shinobi Forces allow the two "friends" to meet in battle?!
Blue Exorcist vols 1-3 -- Fight hellfire with hellfire! Raised by Father Fujimoto, a famous exorcist, Rin Okumura never knew his real father. One day, a fateful argument with Father Fujimoto forces Rin to face a terrible truth -- the blood of the demon lord Satan runs in Rin's veins!
Hero Tales vol. 5 -- The time is drawing near when Taitou must face the self-proclaimed ruler of the Ken Empire, Keirou -- and the avatars of the opposing stars Hagun and Tonrou will decide the fate of the world! Taitou makes his way to the capital with only a handful of friends and Divine Warriors.
Eyeshield 21 vols 11-15 -- The Devil Bats are up against the NASA Aliens, who just happen to have a huge front line and a quarterback who throws like a rocket launcher. Will Sena's speed be enough to give them an edge?
Romeo x Juliet -- Neo-Verona was once peacefully ruled by the Capulet family, but the rival house of Montague led a coup against the Capulets, wiping them out. Fourteen years later, Lord Montague rules Neo-Verona with an iron fist. But there is hope for the suffering citizens: Juliet Capulet survived the massacre and now turns her sword against the wealthly Montagues in an effort to aid the poor.
Fairy Tail vols 15-16 -- Laxus' protectors have all been defeated, but he still remains one of the most powerful wizards in Fairy Tail, and his Thunder Palace is threatening to rain down death and destruction on the innocent people of Magnolia! Can the two dragon slayers, Natsu and Gajeel, manage to keep from fighting each other enough to stop him?
Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan vols 1-2 -- While the day belongs to humans, the night belongs to yokai, supernatural creatures that thrive on human fear. Caught between these worlds is Rikuo Nura. He's three-quarters human, but his grandfather is none other than Nurarihyon, the supreme commander of the Nura clan, a powerful yokai consortium. So, Rikuo is an ordinary teenager three quarters of the time, until his yokai blood awakens. Then, Rikuo transforms into the future leader of the Nura clan, leading a hundred demons.
Uncanny X-Men. Breaking Point -- Magneto is an X-Man. This may not be news to you, but only a handful in the Marvel Universe know that the poster boy for Fearing Mutants is now living just off the coast of one of the United State's largest cities. How on Earth are the X-Men going to explain the presence of one of the world's most infamous super villains?
X-Men. Legacy. Collision -- Following the events of Second Coming, young X-Man Indra is called back to India at the request of his family. Accompanied by Rogue and Magneto, the X-Men arrive to discover that not all is right in Mumbai -- and not just due to tensions with Indra's parents. Earthquakes tear through the streets, and energy flares cause planes to fall from the sky. Could this be a new mutant manifestation? Or is this something far more sinister?
Spider-Man. The Next Chapter -- Peter Parker thought he'd given up a life as Spider-Man, but he keeps getting pulled back in! With threats like the Kingpin, Bullseye, Dr. Octopus, Shadrac, the Scorpion, the Frightful Four, Marrow and Tokkots coming at him from every angle, it's a good thing Spider-Man has friends like the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, Madame Web, Thor and Man-Thing at his side!
Showcase Presents The Trial of the Flash -- Following the murder of The Flash's wife, Iris, by his greatest foe, The Reverse-Flash, the two costumed characters are locked in a round-the-world race and battle -- one that ended in the death of the evildoer. This is only the beginning of a startling chain of events for The Fastest Man Alive, as he is arrested on a charge of murder.
Justice League of America. Vol. 7, Team History -- A new era begins for the JLA as a one-time member falls before he can warn the team of looming peril -- while what's left of the JLA journeys to the heart of their past to decide if the team has any future at all. Also, the Blackest Night darkens the skies over the Justice League. Can the team get it together in time to survive the return of the undead Dr. Light? And then, the team regroups with a new roster that will transcend time and space!

Fiction:
You Are My Only by Beth Kephart -- Tells, in their separate voices and at a space of fourteen years, of Emmy, whose baby has been stolen, and Sophie, a teenager who defies her nomadic, controlling mother by making friends with a neighbor boy and his elderly aunts.

New Books

2011-11-21T09:22:00.000-08:00

Nocturne: A Claire de Lune Novel by Christine Johnson -- After the tragic events of the summer, Claire wants to worry about nothing but finding the perfect dress for the Autumn Ball, but her worst nightmares come true when someone learns that she is a werewolf, placing everyone she knows at risk.
Pearl by Johanna Knowles -- After fifteen-year-old Bean's beloved grandfather Gus dies, she discovers uncomfortable secrets about him, her mother, and the father she has never known.
The Princess Curse by Merrie Haskell -- Thirteen-year-old Reveka, an herbalist's apprentice in the Middle Ages, attempts to break the mysterious curse on the princesses of Sylvania and instead discovers a door to the Underworld. Based on The Twelve Dancing Princesses.
The Final Hour: the Final Homelander Novel by Andrew Klavan -- Time is short, but eighteen-year-old Charlie West has one last chance to stop the Homelanders from attacking when he finally gets back enough of his memory to realize when the terrorists are going to strike next.
The Boy at the End of the World by Greg van Eekhout -- Born half-grown in a world that is being destroyed, Fisher has instinctive knowledge of many things, including that he must avoid the robot that knows his name.
King of Ithaka by Tracey Barrett -- When sixteen-year-old Telemachos and his two best friends, one a centaur, leave their life of privilege to undertake a quest to find Telemachos' father Odysseus, they learn much along the way about what it means to be a man and a king.
Following Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci -- Legally-blind college reporter Mike Mavic hopes to get a story about a body found in Steepleton, believed to be that of long-missing teen Christopher Creed, but finds something odd about the town, including Justin Creed's obsessive drive to learn what really happened to his older brother.
Playground by 50 Cent -- After beating up Maurice on the playground, Butterball is forced to see the school therapist.
Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey -- After a terrifying vision, Braden retreats to an old city divided by two feuding witch dynasties, where he learns that the head of one dynasty is his father and the guy for whom he is falling is the son of the head of the other dynasty.
Sharp Time by Mary O'Connell -- In the week following her mother's death in a freak accident, eighteen-year-old Sandanista Jones finds small measures of happiness even as she fantasizes about an act of revenge against an abusive teacher at her high school.
13 Gifts by Wendy Mass -- Shortly before her thirteenth birthday, shy and withdrawn Tara is sent to stay with her aunt, uncle, and cousin in her parents' hometown of Willow Falls, where she makes friends and becomes involved with an elderly buyer and seller of collectibles, who seems to be trying to give Tara some kind of mysterious message.
The Project by Brian Falkner -- After discovering a terrible secret hidden in the most boring book in the world, Iowa fifteen-year-olds Luke and Tommy find out that members of a secret Nazi organization intend to use this information to rewrite history.
Sparks : the Epic, Completely True Blue (almost) holy quest of Debbie... by S.J. Adams -- A sixteen-year-old lesbian tries to get over a crush on her religious best friend by embarking on a "holy quest" with a couple of misfits who have invented a wacky, made-up faith called the Church of Blue.
Warrior by Bryan Davis -- Dragons of Starlight #2 -- The quest to rescue the slaves on the dragon planet of Starlight continues, as those from the human planet, Major Four, attempt to overcome the dragon prophecy surrounding the black egg, while those on Starlight work to fullfill the prophecy.
This Girl is Different by J.J. Johnson -- Having always been home schooled by her counter-culture mother, Evie has decided to spend her senior year at the local public high school, an experience that challenges her preconceptions about friendship, boundaries, and power.
Secrets of Tamarind by Nadia Aguiar -- Four years after leaving the lost island of Tamarind, Maya, Simon, and Penny Nelson return to stop the Red Coral Project, a sinister group mining the magical mineral ophalla there and, in the process, ruining the magnificent island.
Sign Language: a Novel by Amy Ackely -- Twelve-year-old Abby must deal with her feelings about her father's cancer and its aftermath while simultaneously navigating the difficult problems of growing up.
Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready -- Logan returns as a ghost, complicating sixteen-year-old Aura's budding relationship with Zachary, especially when they discover that Logan might be able to become solid again.
Witchlanders by Lena Coakley -- Logan returns as a ghost, complicating sixteen-year-old Aura's budding relationship with Zachary, especially when they discover that Logan might be able to become solid again.
A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young -- A compelling Need that Charlotte has felt all her life is growing stronger, forcing her to connect with people in crisis, but at the same time other changes are taking place and, she is terrified by what a doctor and family friend says must happen next.
Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos -- In the historic town of Norvelt, Pennsylvania, twelve-year-old Jack Gantos spends the summer of 1962 grounded for various offenses until he is assigned to help an elderly neighbor with a most unusual chore involving the newly dead, molten wax, twisted promises, Girl Scout cookies, underage driving, lessons from history, typewriting, and countless bloody noses.
Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton -- The year is 1871, and Tiki has been making a home for herself and her family of orphans in a deserted hideaway adjoining Charing Cross Station in central London. They survive by picking pockets. One December night, Tiki steals a ring and sets off a chain of events that could lead to all-out war with the Fey.
Kiss of Death by Lauren Henderson -- While on a school trip to Edinburgh, Scotland, sixteen-year-old Scarlett is reunited with Callum McAndrew, as well as her former St. Tabby's cohorts, providing plenty of suspects when she is targeted in a series of attacks.
Blood Wounds by Susan Beth Pfeffer -- Willa seems to have a perfect life as a member of a loving blended family until the estranged father she barely remembers murders his wife and children, then heads toward Willa and her mother.
Green Hornet Casefiles -- Moonstone presents The Green Hornet Casefiles, the second anthology featuring all-new, original crime fiction tales of the man who hunts the biggest of all game - public enemies that even the FBI can't reach!
12 Things To Do Before You Crash and Burn by James Proimos -- Sixteen-year-old James "Hercules" Martino completes twelve tasks while spending two weeks in Baltimore with his Uncle Anthony, and gains insights into himself, his uncle, and his recently deceased father, a self-help author and daytime talk show host who was beloved by the public but a terrible father.
Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King -- Overburdened by his parents' bickering and a bully's attacks, fifteen-year-old Lucky Linderman begins dreaming of being with his grandfather, who went missing during the Vietnam War, but during a visit to Arizona, his aunt and uncle and their beautiful neighbor, Ginny, help him find a new perspective.
How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr -- Told from their own viewpoints, seventeen-year-old Jill, in grief over the loss of her father, and Mandy, nearly nineteen, are thrown together when Jill's mother agrees to adopt Mandy's unborn child, but nothing turns out as they had anticipated.
Desert Angel by Charlie Price -- In the California desert, fourteen-year-old Angel is on the run from the man who abused her, killed her mother, and intends to kill her too.
Tiger's Voyage by Colleen Houck -- Tiger Saga #3 - After battling the villanous Lokesh, Kelsey and the Indian princes Ren and Kishan return to India, where Kelsey learns that Ren has amnesia, and five cunning dragons try to keep the trio from breaking the curse that binds them.
A Monster Calls: a Novel by Patrick Ness -- Thirteen-year-old Conor awakens one night to find a monster outside his bedroom window, but not the one from the recurring nightmare that began when his mother became ill--an ancient, wild creature that wants him to face truth and loss.
Cleopatra's Moon by Vicky Shecter -- Cleopatra Selene, the only surviving daughter of Cleopatra and Marc Antony, recalls her life of pomp and splendor in Egypt and, after her parents' deaths, capitivity and treachery in Rome.
Crossed by Allie Condie -- sequel to Matched - Seventeen-year-old Cassia sacrifices everything and heads to the Outer Provinces in search of Ky, where she is confronted with shocking revelations about Society and the promise of rebellion.
Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan -- Forest of Hands and Teeth #3 - Alone and listening to the moaning of the Dark City dying around her, Annah wants to find her way back home, to her sister and family and their village in the Forest of Hands and Teeth.

New Books

2011-11-15T15:03:00.000-08:00

Nonfiction:
Dear Bully: seventy authors tell their stories, edited by Carrie Jones and Megan Hall -- Presents top authors for teens as they share their stories about bullying -- as silent observers on the sidelines of high school, as victims, and as perpetrators.
Trapped: how the world rescued 33 miners from 2,000 feet below the Chilean desert by Marc Aronson

Fiction:
Wildwood by Colin Meloy -- When her baby brother is kidnapped by crows, seventh-grader Prue McKeel ventures into the forbidden Impassable Wilderness -- a dangerous and magical forest at the edge of Portland, Oregon -- and soon finds herself involved in a war among the various inhabitants.
Thirst Vol. 4. The Shadow of Death by Christopher Pike -- Five-thousand-year-old vampire Alisa Perne battles a new race of immortals: the Telar. The Telar are a challenging threat. But, Alisa is hungry for blood -- and thirsty for revenge.
Thirst vol. 1. The Last Vampire, Black Blood, and Red Dice -- Alisa must get close to Ray to ensure her immortality and she falls in love.
Paradise by Jill S. Alexander -- Alisa must get close to Ray to ensure her immortality and she falls in love.
Steampunk! edited by Kelly Link and Gavin Grant --A collection of fourteen fantasy stories by well-known authors, set in the age of steam engines and featuring automatons, clockworks, calculating machines, and other marvels that never existed.
Life: an Exploded Diagram by Mal Peet -- In 1960's Norfolk, England, seventeen-year-old Clem Ackroyd lives with his mother and grandmother in a tiny cottage, but his life is transformed when he falls in love with the daughter of a wealthy farmer in this tale that flashes back through the stories of three generations.
Blood: Book One of the Mercian Trilogy by K. J. Wignall -- A centuries-old vampire wakes up in the modern day to find he is being hunted by an unknown enemy, and begins to uncover the secrets of his origin and the path of his destiny.
Death Cure: Maze Runner #3 by James Dashner -- As the third Trial draws to a close, Thomas and some of his cohorts manage to escape from WICKED, their memories having been restored, only to face new dangers as WICKED claims to be trying to protect the human race from the deadly FLARE virus.
Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia -- Swarms of locusts, record-breaking heat, and devastating storms ravage Gatlin as Ethan and Lena struggle to understand and control the impact of Lena's claiming, which is even causing her family members' abilities to dangerously misfire.
The Watch that Ends the Night: Voices from the Titanic by Allan Wolf -- Recreates the 1912 sinking of the Titanic as observed by millionaire John Jacob Astor, a beautiful young Lebanese refugee finding first love, "Unsinkable" Molly Brown, Captain Smith, and others including the iceberg itself.
Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson -- Almost seventeen-year-old Alison, who has synesthesia, finds herself in a psychiatric facility accused of killing a classmate whose body cannot be found.
Unforgettable by Loretta Ellsworth -- When Baxter Green was three years old, he developed a condition that causes him to remember absolutely everything, and now that he is fifteen, he and his mother have moved to Minnesota to escape her criminal boyfriend and, Baxter hopes, to reconnect with a girl he has been thinking about since kindergarten.
Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa -- Faery prince Ash -- the last remaining son of Mab, Queen of the Unseelie Court -- finally gets to tell his story: how he escaped the Winter Court with his life intact and the promise he made to the Iron Queen.
Outcasts by John Flanagan -- Skandian outcasts Hal, Stig, and others do battle at sea against the Wolves and the Sharks, in the ultimate race across icy waters where not everyone thinks of the competition as play.
Pearl Wars by Nick James -- Skyship Academy #1 -- In 2095 when a fifteen-year-old slacker discovers that he has the power to control Pearls, fragments of space debris that are a dying Earth's most important energy source, government forces work to capture him.
The Craving by L.J. Smith (vampire diaries) -- Stefan flees to Manhattan hoping to escape his brother Damon, but when his brother finds him, they both become involved with a high society family, while an old enemy, Klaus, continues to hunt them down.
Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan -- Sixteen-year-old Rosalinda Fitzroy, heir to the multiplanetary corporation UniCorp, is awakened after sixty years in stasis to find that everyone she knew has died and, as she tries to make a new life for herself, learns she is the target of a robot assassin.
Near Witch by Victoria Schwab -- Sixteen-year-old Lexi, who lives on an enchanted moor at the edge of the village of Near, must solve the mystery when, the day after a mysterious boy appears in town, children start disappearing.
Ashfall by Mike Mullin -- After the eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano destroys his city and its surroundings, fifteen-year-old Alex must journey from Cedar Falls, Iowa, to Illinois to find his parents and sister, trying to survive in a transformed landscape and a new society in which all the old rules of living have vanished.
The Space Between by Brenna Yovanoff -- Daphne is the half-demon, half-fallen angel daughter of Lucifer and Lilith. Life for her is an endless expanse of time, until her brother Obie is kidnapped -- and Daphne realizes she may be partially responsible. Determined to find him, Daphne travels from her home in Pandemonium to the vast streets of Earth, where everything is colder and more terrifying.
Liar's Moon by Elizabeth Bunce -- Sequel to Starcrossed -- In a quest to prove her friend, Lord Durrel Decath, innocent of the murder of his wife, pickpocket Digger stumbles into a conspiracy with far-reaching consequences for the civil war raging in Lllyvraneth, while also finding herself falling in love.
Break-up Diaries vol. 2 by Nikki Carter -- The holidays are coming, and this year there's more in the air than gifts and bling 'cause these relationships are hitting bumps. So get ready for two stories that dish on what it means to forgive, forget, and move on...
iBoy by Kevin Brooks -- Sixteen-year-old Tom Harvey was an ordinary Londoner until an attack that caused fragments of an iPhone to be embedded in his brain, giving him incredible knowledge and power, but using that power against the gang that attacked him and a friend could have deadly consequences.
Snow in Summer by Jane Yolen -- Recasts the tale of Snow White, setting it in West Virginia in the 1940s with a stepmother who is a snake-handler.

New Books

2011-11-09T13:36:00.000-08:00

Graphic Novels:
Shonen Jump for December - I am sad to report that Shonen Jump will soon be switching to an online format, and we will no longer be able to get it in print every month.

Fiction:
Powerslide by Jeff Ross -- Complications arise when Casey gets hired as a skateboarding double and a competitor challenges him to a series of dangerous tricks.
Torn From Troy by Patrick Bowman -- Orphaned by the war and enslaved by Odysseus himself, Alexi has a very different view of the conquering heroes of legend. Despite a simmering anger towards his captors, Alexi gradually develops a grudging respect for them. As the Greeks fight off the angry Cicones, weather a storm that pushes them far beyond charted waters, and nearly succumb to the blandishments of the bewitching Lotus-eaters, he realizes that they are not the demons they were said to be, but people like himself.
Never Have I Ever: A Lying Game Novel by Sara Shepard -- Seventeen-year-old Sutton Mercer watches from the afterlife as her long-lost twin sister, Emma Paxton, continues to pretend to be her in order to identify Sutton's killer.
Wisdom's Kiss by Catherine Gilbert Murdock -- Princess Wisdom, who yearns for a life of adventure beyond the kingdom of Montagne, Tips, a soldier keeping his true life secret from his family, Fortitude, an orphaned maid who longs for Tips, and Magic the cat form an uneasy alliance as they try to save the kingdom from certain destruction. Told through diaries, memoirs, encyclopedia entries, letters, biographies, and a stage play.
Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson -- Rory, of Boueuxlieu, Louisiana, is spending a year at a London boarding school when she witnesses a murder by a Jack the Ripper copycat and becomes involved with the very unusual investigation.
Perfect by Ellen Hopkins -- Four teens will stop at nothing to achieve perfection. Cara has to fulfill her parent's high expectations, even if it means sacrificing love. Kendra is willing to do anything to have the perfect body, even drugs and surgery. Sean is prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice on and off the ball field. To achieve the perfect performance and live his dream, Andre will have to forsake his ancestry.
Fallen 2, End of Days by Tom Sniegoski -- Half-angel and half-human, Aaron commands the Fallen in their quest to protect humanity, drawing confidence from the girl he loves as he struggles to make peace with his legacy as Lucifer's son.
Ambitious by Monica McKayhan -- When Marisol Garcia, a new student at a competitive performing arts high school, is chosen to take part in a dance contest, she becomes obsessed with winning and risks losing her friends, her good grades, and her place at the school.
Possessed by Kate Cann -- Sixteen-year-old Rayne escapes London, her mother, and boyfriend for a job in the country at Morton's Keep, where she is drawn to a mysterious clique and its leader, St. John, but puzzles over whether the growing evil she senses is from the manor house or her new friends.
Crookedstar's Promise by Erin Hunter -- As a young warrior, Crookedjaw pledges his undying loyalty to RiverClan in exchange for the promise of power, not realizing that his pledge will haunt him when he becomes the leader of his Clan.
Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson -- A fearful sixteen-year-old princess discovers her heroic destiny after being married off to the king of a neighboring country in turmoil and pursued by enemies seething with dark magic.
All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin -- In a future where chocolate and caffeine are contraband, teenage cellphone use is illegal, and water and paper are carefully rationed, sixteen-year-old Anya Balanchine finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight as heir apparent to an important New York City crime family.
Sweet Venom by Tera Lee Childs -- As monsters walk the streets of San Francisco, unseen by humans, three teenage descendants of Medusa, the once-beautiful gorgon maligned in Greek mythology, must reunite and embrace their fates.
Isle of Blood by Rick Yancey -- When Dr. Warthrop goes hunting for the "Holy Grail of Monstrumology" in 1888, twelve-year-old orphan Will Henry follows him to Socotra, plunging into depths of horror worse than anything he has experienced so far.
Sammy Keyes and the Night Skulls by Wendelin Van Draanen -- Junior high detective Sammy Keyes and her friends take a detour through a graveyard on Halloween night and find themselves in the middle of a mystery involving missing people, human skulls, and a ghoulish embalmer, while school presents its own set of tricks and treats.
Destined by P.C. Cast -- Zoey is finally home where she belongs, safe with her Guardian Warrior, Stark, by her side, and preparing to face off against Neferet - which would be a whole lot easier if the High Counsel saw the ex-High Priestess for what she really is. Kalona has released his hold on Rephaim, and, through Nyx's gift of a human form, Rephaim and Stevie Rae are finally able to be together - if he can truly walk the path of the Goddess and stay free of his father's shadow... and lots more
Goliath by Scott Westerfeld -- Alek and Deryn encounter obstacles on the last leg of their round-the-world quest to end World War I, reclaim Alek's throne as prince of Austria, and finally fall in love...
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor -- Seventeen-year-old Karou, a lovely, enigmatic art student in a Prague boarding school, carries a sketchbook of hideous, frightening monsters -- the chimaerae who form the only family she has ever known.
Where There's a Wolf, There's a Way by Lisi Harrison -- Always overshadowed by her six brothers and her fab friends, Clawdeen Wolf plans to finally strut her stuff in the spotlight at her upcoming Sweet Sixteen bash. But after The Ghoul Next Door goes viral, it's into the woods for the family Wolf. Clawdeen goes stir crazy lying low at her family's B&B with her annoying brothers until Lala shows up to keep her company. But, is the vamp flirting with Claude?
Gossip Girl, Psycho Killer by Cecily von Ziegesar -- An uproarious horror-spin adaptation of the first Gossip Girl tale finds Serena returning from boarding school determined to make amends to Blair Waldorf by eliminating Nate Archibald, a plot that Blair counters with her own plans to get rid of everyone who ever irritated her.
Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater -- Nineteen-year-old returning champion Sean Kendrick competes against Puck Connolly, the first girl ever to ride in the annual Scorpio Races, both trying to keep hold of their dangerous water horses long enough to make it to the finish line.
Web of Air by Philip Reeve -- In Mayda, a post-apocalyptic city off the coast of Portugal, a brilliant young engineer and a mysterious recluse race to build a flying machine, unaware that powerful enemies will kill to possess -- or destroy -- their new technology.
Mastiff by Tamora Pierce -- Beka, having just lost her fiance in a slaver's raid, is able to distract herself by going with her team on an important hunt at the queen's request, unaware that the throne of Tortall depends on their success.
Lost Songs by Caroline Cooney -- In small-town Carolina, sixteen-year-old Lutie Painter treasures the "Laundry List" of songs written by her ancestor and does not want to share them, but ultimately they help her learn more about her absent mother and connect with fellow students Kelvin, Doria, and especially Train, a former friend.
Fire King by Paul Crilley -- To stop the warring fairy courts from destroying their world, Emily, Jack, William, and piskie Corrigan, aided by Christopher Wren, must try to prevent the 1666 Great Fire of London from burning the city to the ground.

Tayshas and Lonestar Lists are out!

2011-10-26T15:22:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Lonestar List (with PDF) - recommended Middle School reading for the year

Author	Title
Paolo Bacigalupi	Ship Breaker
Cathleen Davitt Bell	Little Blog on the Prairie
Robin Brande	Fat Cat
Ally Carter	Heist Society
Tera Lynn Childs	Forgive My Fins
Ally Condie	Matched
Carl Deuker	Payback Time
Erin Dionne	The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet
Brian Falkner	Brain Jack
Catherine Fisher	Incarceron
Donna Gephart	How to Survive Middle School
Julia Golding	Dragonfly
Jason Henderson	Vampire Rising
David Klass	Stuck on Earth
Polly Shulman	The Grimm Legacy
Neal Shusterman	Bruiser
Jordan Sonnenblick	After Ever After
Francisco X Stork	The Last Summer of the Death Warriors
Deborah Wiles	Countdown
Richard Yancey	The Monstrumologist

The 2011 Tayshas list: (with PDF) - recommended High School Reading for the year

Author	Title
Elaine Marie Alphin	An Unspeakable Crime: the Prosecution and Persecution of Leo Frank
Ariela Anhalt	Freefall
Pam Bachorz	Candor
Paolo Bacigalupi	Ship Breaker
Susan Campbell Bartoletti	They Called Themselves the K.K.K.: the Birth of an American Terrorist Group
Holly Black & Justine Larbalestier, ed.	Zombies vs. Unicorns
Jennifer Brown	The Hate List
Deb Caletti	Six Rules of Maybe
Kristin Cashore	Fire
Elisabeth Combres	Broken Memory: a Novel of Rwanda
Eireann Corrigan	Accomplice
Matt De La Pena	We Were Here
Susanne Dunlap	The Musician's Daughter
Stephen Emond	Happyface
Margarita Engle	The Firefly Letters: a Suffragette's Journey to Cuba
Catherine Fisher	Incarceron
Sharon G. Flake	You Don't Even Know Me: Stories and Poems About Boys
John C. Ford	The Morgue and Me
John Green & David Levithan	Will Grayson, Will Grayson
Ellen Hopkins	Fallout
Silas House	Eli the Good
Jennifer Hubbard	The Secret Year
Brian Katcher	Almost Perfect
Jo Knowles	Jumping Off Swings
Jacqueline Kolosov	A Sweet Disorder
Nina LaCour	Hold Still
Carolyn Mackler	Tangled
L. K. Madigan	Flash Burnout
Kekla Magoon	The Rock and the River
Carmelina Marchetta	Finnikin of the Rock
Albert Marrin	Years of Dust: the Story Behind the Dust Bowl
Patricia McCormick	Purple Heart
Frederick McKissack Jr.	Shooting Star
Lyn Miller-Lachmann	Gringolandia: a Novel
Todd Mitchell	The Secret to Lying
Jandy Nelson	The Sky is Everywhere
Caragh M. O'Brien	Birthmarked
Lauren Oliver	Before I Fall
C. J. Omololu	Dirty Little Secrets
Elizabeth Partridge	Marching for Freedom: Walk Together, Children, and Don't You Grow Weary
Charlie Price	The Interrogation of Gabriel James
Matthew Quick	Sorta Like a Rockstar
Catherine Ryan Hyde	Diary of a Witness
Lisa Schroeder	Chasing Brooklyn
Marcus Sedgwick	Revolver
Maggie Stiefvater	Shiver
Francisco X Stork	Last Summer of the Death Warriors
Todd Strasser	Wish You Were Dead
Allan Stratton	Borderline
Laini Taylor	Lips Touch Three Times
Rachel Ward	Num8ers
Scott Westerfeld	Leviathan
Carol Lynch Williams	Glimpse
Rita Williams-Garcia	Jumped
Jill Wolfson	Cold Hands, Warm Heart
Rick Yancey	The Monstrumologist
Sara Zarr	Once Was Lost

And the Maverick List for 2011 will be out shortly after November 12, when I go to Austin to help select the titles that will be on the list... there are some really great nominees, and I can't wait to vote in their favor!

Recent Returns

2011-10-26T13:00:00.000-07:00

the dead and the gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer - sequel to Life as We Knew It -- Alex Morales is an ordinary teenager living in NYC with his Mom, Dad and two younger sisters. His biggest worry is getting elected Senior Class President, when a comet strikes the moon and causes terrible effects on the earth. Soon Alex finds himself alone, responsible for his younger sisters, trying to avoid flooding, starvation, and bitter cold. Can he survive? Can he save his sisters? Will he ever find his mother? 30 circs for the book, and 17 for the audio. We also have it as a downloadable audio.

Royal Blood: a Vampire Kisses Novel by Ellen Schreiber - the continuing romance of Alexander and Raven is strained when his parents announce they're coming home for a visit - but Raven is the last one to meet them... what secret could Alexander be hiding? And what does it mean for their future? 9 circs for this romantic vampire saga.

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer - Bree Tanner can barely remember her first life - but she loves this one; the mystery, the hunt, her new friends. But when she begins to realize that everything she knows is based on lies, she must decide what course to pursue. 106 circs for this very popular title.

Hero by Mike Lupica - Zach's dad was an advisor to the president - which really meant he was a hero, out completing missions in odd corners of the world. But when Tom's plane crashes, Zach finds himself trying to fill his dad's shoes, to become a superhero himself. Can he succeed? Will he be able to stop "the Bads"? Or will this 14 year old lose his own war? 14 circs for this high adrenaline adventure.

Candy by Kevin Brooks - When Joe meets Candy, all he cares about is his music, but he's soon drawn into her seedy, unhappy world. When he discovers how grim her world really is, he has to decide; is it worth risking everything he has for the hope he and Candy share? 38 circs for this realistic adventure story.

New YA Books

2011-10-21T10:10:00.001-07:00

Beautiful Friendship by David Weber -- Stephanie Harrington, aged 12, wants to be a ranger. When she's dragged to a new planet, Sphinx, she makes a marvelous discovery while out exploring. She discovers the telepathic Tree-Cats! But not everyone is happy with her discovery...
Bluefish by Pat Schmatz -- 13 year old Travis enters a new school with a hurtful secret, but when he makes friends with a sassy girl and gets a fabulous teacher, life starts looking up for him.
Apothecary by Maile Meloy -- When Janie and her family move to London in 1952, she meets Benjamin, a fascinating boy who wants to be a spy. When Ben's father disappears, they must put all their skills to the test to find and rescue him; their experiences include uncovering alchemical secrets, avoiding Russian spies, and a race to rescue nuclear secrets.
The Surge by Roland Smith -- After barely surviving a terrifying hurricane, Chase and his friends Nicole and Rashawn have made it to the safety of Nicole's family farm, which is also the winter home of the Rossi Brothers Circus, where flood waters are rising and dangerous circus animals are on the loose.

Recent returns

2011-10-21T08:32:00.000-07:00

Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough -- Tamsin is from a powerful magical family, but she has no Talent of her own, despite her grandmother's prophecy to the contrary. She's always longed to be respected for herself, but when she finally meets a stranger who mistakes her for her powerful sister, Tamsin can't resist the situation. But will she survive the adventure that follows? 15 circs for this marvelous paranormal (and a sequel!)

Lemonade Mouth by Mark Peter Hughes -- 5 very different kids end up in detention, and form a band to compete in the school talent show. But when they end up becoming popular, things go from crazy to worse! 12 hilarious checkouts - and 16 for the movie!!

Searching for Dragons by Patricia Wrede -- second in the "Enchanted Forest Chronicles". Those evil magicians are back at work, draining power from the enchanted forest - so King Mendanbar and Princess Cimorene are forced to ally with each other to solve the problem, hopefully once and for all! 165 checkouts for this perennial favorite.

Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare and Richard Appignanesi (adapted) - a steampunky, graphic novelization of a romantic comedy - in which Viola, her twin brother Sebastian, Countess Olivia and Duke Orsino fall in and out of love, mistake each other's identities, and create much confusion. A wonderful play, and a wonderful adaptation. 1 circ for this new GN.

Batman, the Return of Bruce Wayne by Grant Morrison -- after being blasted back in time, Batman has no memory, but finds himself leaping forward from era to era, all the while his friends of the future hunt for him to stop a terrible accident. 13 circs.

Teen Top Ten 2011 Winners!

2011-10-18T08:08:00.000-07:00

Every year, teens have the opportunity to vote for their 10 favorite novels in October. This year's winners have just been announced! You can watch a video of the announcement, see authors accepting their wins, and see the list.

And the winners are:

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (Simon & Schuster)
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (Scholastic)
Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick (Simon & Schuster)
I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore (HarperCollins)
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa (Harlequin)
Matched by Ally Condie (Penguin)
Angel: A Maximum Ride Novel by James Patterson (Little, Brown & Company)
Paranormalcy by Kiersten White (HarperCollins)
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (HarperCollins)
Nightshade by Andrea Cremer (Penguin)

New Books

2011-10-18T07:55:00.000-07:00

Wonderstruck: a novel in words and pictures by Brian Selznick -- Having lost his mother and his hearing in a short time, twelve-year-old Ben leaves his Minnesota home in 1977 to seek the father he never knew in New York City, and meets there Rose, who is also longing for something missing from her life. Ben's story is told in words; Rose's in pictures.

Game Over by James Patterson -- Daniel X, book 4 - In Tokyo, fifteen-year-old Daniel X faces two of the most dangerous aliens on the planet, who are plotting to use video games to control children and turn them into an army of doom.

Vanish by Sophie Jordan -- sequel to Firelight - To save the life of the boy she loves, Jacinda did the unthinkable: she betrayed the most closely guarded secret of her kind. Now, she must return to the protection of her pride knowing she might never see Will again -- and worse, that because his mind has been shaded, Will's memories of that fateful night and why she had to flee are gone.

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater -- When Sam met Grace, he was a wolf and she was a girl. Eventually he found a way to become a boy, and their love moved from a curious distance to the intense closeness of shared lives. That should have been the end of their story. But Grace was not meant to stay human. Now she is the wolf. And the wolves of Mercy Falls are about to be killed in one final, spectacular hunt. Sam would do anything for Grace. But can one boy and one love really change a hostile, predatory world?

Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles -- When he returns to Illinois and the gang culture on the south side of Fairfield after six years in Colorado, high school senior Luis Fuentes, who dreams of becoming an astronaut, falls for a girl and enters a dark world after learning some disturbing news about his family.

Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick -- Hush, Vol 3 - Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for -- and their love -- forever.

Recent Returns

2011-10-14T14:58:00.000-07:00

The Alchemyst by Michael Scott: first of the Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel - Fifteen year old twins Sophie and Josh are swept up in a quest to keep a book containing the secrets of immortality from the hands of the evil alchemist John Dee. 111 checkouts on 4 copies, plus 5 more checkouts of the audiobook!

Divine Confidential: a Novel by Jacquelin Thomas - Divine was a Hollywood high-life teen until she moved to Georgia to live with her aunt and uncle; can she deal with small town life and have a romance as well? Or will trouble arrive in ways she never expects? 21 circs for this series paperback.

Origins: Stefan's Diary Vol 1 (Vampire Diaries) by L.J. Smith - in 1864, during the Civil War, Stefan falls for Katherine, a dark eyed, sultry beauty, who is also a vampire... 5 circs.

The Lying Game by Sara Shepard - what if you had a long-lost twin? What if she vanished the day you were supposed to meet? How far would you go to find out what happened? 16 circs on 2 copies.

Astro City: Shining Stars by Kurt Busiek - a collection of superheroic short stories in Graphic format. A beautiful, thoroughly enjoyable book even if you don't like Superhero stories or Graphic novels. 4 circs for this fairly new title.

November Teen Anime Club

2011-10-05T08:33:00.000-07:00

November's Pikapals of Waco Meeting has been set! Because of Booksale the first week in November, we'll be meeting Tuesday, Nov 8th from 7:00 - 8:30. We'll be showing an anime movie - possibly Howl's Moving Castle.

I hope to see you all there! We'll be munching popcorn!

New Books

2011-10-05T08:31:00.000-07:00

Graphic Novels:
Avengers vol. 1 Next Avengers -- After hearing a warning about the children of the Avengers from Kang, who has returned from the future, Captain Steve Rogers assembles a team of the Avengers to deal with the threat, including Iron Man, Captain America, Spider-Man, Thor, and Spider-Woman.
Chaos War -- Hercules, thought dead by his friends and collegues, has returned from exile with more power and a warning: The Chaos King is coming! The Choas King has amassed his army of alien slave gods -- and the time to strike Earth is now! Only the greatest Marvel heroes can oppose him , led by the god of heroes Hercules!
Chaos War. Avengers -- The Vision, Captain Mar-Vell, Yellowjacket, Deathcry, Swordsman, and Dr. Druid all lost their lives in the line of duty -- or in disgrace. When Earth's Mightiest Heroes are themselves laid low in the carnage of the Chaos War and the graves give up their dead, these six find themselves mysteriously returned, to re-assemble against the Chaos King's most fearsome ally -- one of the Avengers' greatest foes!
Spider-Man. Origin of the Species -- Doctor Octopus gathers Spider-Man's deadliest foes as he plots to obtain the newborn child of the Green Goblin and Menace.
Essential. The Amazing Spider-Man. vol. 10 -- The adventures of Spider-Man continue as Peter Parker tries balancing his work problems and his love life with Deb Whitman, while Spider-Man faces enemies right and left! Guest-starring the Fantastic Four, Moon Knight, Black Cat, and the Punisher.
Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four -- Spider-Man teams up with the Fantastic Four to battle a variety of threats and foes.
Amazing Spider-Man. Big Time -- Just as Peter Parker appears to get his life in order, with a new job and a new girlfriend, he and his friends, the Avengers, must reunite to defeat the Hobgoblin who has been hired by the Kingpin of Crime to spread crime and destruction throughout the city.
Spider-Man. Am I an Avenger -- After years of fighting crime on his own, the web-spinner has become one of Earth's Mightiest Heroes! But, this isn't the first time he's joined the team! Collected here is Spider-Man's tenuous history with the Avengers as they face the end of the universe, prison breakouts, and a massive battle with the Hulk!
Amazing Spider-Man. The Complete Ben Reilly Epic -- Meet Ben Reilly, clone of Spider-Man! When Peter Parker decides to retire, Ben takes up the job as the new web-slinger in town, the Scarlet Spider!
Amazing Spider-Man. The Original Clone Saga -- Remember the good old days when Spidey's life wasn't very complicated? When evil scientists like the Jackal sought to destroy him? When Gwen Stacy showed up on his doorstep, suddenly alive? See the original clone saga unravel as Spider-Man tries to keep up!
Essential. Peter Parker the Senstional Spider-Man. vol. 5 -- Spidey's got friends: Black Cat, Wasp, Paladin, Starfox, and Daredevil. Spidey's go enemies: Spot, Blacklash, Kingpin, Killer Shrike, Blaze, Rocket Racer, Sin-Eater
Hulk Visionaries. Peter David. vol. 8 -- The situation in Trans-Sabal may lead to nuclear disaster, and the Hulk, the Pantheon, and X-Factor are at war among themselves to stop it!
Marvel Masterworks. X-Men vol. 3 -- See the X-Men confronted by a host of villains weird and varied, from Count Nefaria and his horde of henchmen to the Locust and the Aztec-inspired Kukulcán. Witness the first appearance of X-Men mainstay Banshee and read the rare stories when a sixth mutant member, the Mimic, joined Professor X's squad.
X-Men. Second Coming Revelations -- As the mutant population dwindles to a mere 181, the messianic girl named Hope returns from the future, carrying with her the hope of repopulating the mutant race. But, Bastion, a highly evolved mutant-hunting Sentinel robot, lies in wait. He's acquired an alien virus that allows him to reanimate and control some of the X-Men's deadliest enemies, including Bolivar Trask, the creator of the Sentinels himself!
Uncanny X-Men. Quarantine -- Is there anything worse than that slow, sinking feeling like you're getting sick? So what if it happened to all the X-Men, all at once? The Sublime are back, and they've unleashed a contagion on Utopia. To what end? Why now? And what's next?
X-Men. Curse of the Mutants -- When a suicide bomber strikes in downtown San Francisco, it gets the X-Men's immediate attention. But, this is not your garden variety terrorist, and he's not acting alone. Vampires from around the globe are descending en masse on the City by the Bay, staking a brutal claim for the patch of land the X-Men call their home.
Brightest Day vol. 3 -- Hawkman and Hawkgirl pay a visit to the Star Sapphires, but with the Hawks' connection to the cosmic corps, it looks like this meeting may end in bloodshed. And more even more blood may be drawn as Captain Boomerang hunts down Deadman and Dove!
Blackest Night. Tales of the Corps. -- Witness Saint Walker's pilgrimage of hope, Carol Ferris' sacrifice for love, the first appearance of the Indigo Tribe, and much more!
Green Lantern Corps. Vol. 6, Blackest Night -- As the Green Lantern Corps and their uneasy allies battle the Black Lanterns, Kyle Rayner, Guy Gardner, and John Stewart struggle to save the power source on the planet Oa from the Black Lanterns, a fight which threatens the entire universe.
Green Lantern. Vol. 7, Blackest Night -- Expands on the War of the Light as the evil Black Lanterns descend on all of the Corps throughout the universe, and explains villain Black Hand's connection to death and the Black Lantern corps.
Blackest Night -- Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps must join forces with their rivals of the other colors to battle the Black Lanterns, an army of undead superheroes and villains--all their deceased friends and foes--who are out to destroy all life.
Batman. Imposters -- when Gotham goes insane and a false Batman goes up against a faux Joker, what can the real Dark Knight do?
Superman Chronicles vol. 9 -- The ninth collection of early Superman adventures in which Superman defends Metropolis from the Merchant of Murder, the Human Bomb, and the World's Meanest Man.
Justice Leage. Cry for Justice -- When Batman and Martian Manhunter are slaughtered by Prometheus, their allies Green Lantern, Green Arrow, Shazam, Supergirl, and Starman team together to defeat him before he can attack again.
DC Universe Legacies -- Meet Paul Lincoln: dedicated Metropolis police officer, loving husband and father, and witness to the major events of DC Universe history, from the rise of the Justice Society of America to the fall of Batman and Superman. Even as the world seems to turn darker, Paul never stops believing in the superheroes.
Do Anodroids Dream of Electric Sheep vol. 5 -- the 5th of six volumes narrates the original novel version of the movie Bladerunner.
Gotham City Sirens. vol. 3, Strange Fruit -- Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn are tired of playing by other people's rules. As Catwoman deals with the aftermath of battling her sister, Poison Ivy's career at Gotham City's S.T.A.R. Labs takes an unexpected turn. Secrets involving the "Return of Bruce Wayne" storyline affect all three Sirens, setting them against each other in a brutal display of their villainous roots.

Fiction:
Glow by Amy Ryan -- Part of the first generation to be conceived in deep space, fifteen-year-old Waverly is expected to marry young and have children to populate a new planet, but a violent betrayal by the dogmatic leader of their sister ship could have devastating consequences.
Damned by Nancy Holder -- As the newly appointed Hunter, teenager Jenn leads the fighting teams who defend against the Cursed Ones -- the vampires who are taking over Earth -- but an even more sinister force now threatens the teams of hunters, with the fate of humanity at stake.
Hades by Alexandra Adornetto -- Even the love of her boyfriend, Xavier Woods, and her archangel siblings, Gabriel and Ivy, can't keep the angel Bethany Church from being tricked into a motorcycle ride that ends up in Hell. There, Jake Thorn bargains for Beth's release back to Earth. But what he asks of her will destroy her, and quite possibly her loved ones as well.
Fox Inheritance by Mary Pearson -- Two-hundred-sixty years after a terrible accident destroyed their bodies, sixteen-year-old Locke and seventeen-year-old Kara have been brought back to life in newly bioengineered bodies, with many questions about the world they find themselves in and more than two centuries of horrible memories of being trapped in a digital netherworld wondering what would become of them.
Twisted by Gena Showalter -- After being saved from death by his vampire girlfriend Victoria, Aden finds himself becoming more like a vampire as his girlfriend becomes more human.
Wizard of Mars by Diane Duane -- Young wizards Kit Rodriguez and Nita Callahan manage to wangle their way onto an elite team sent to investigate the mysterious, long-sought "message in a bottle" that holds the first clues to the secrets of the ancient Martian race.
This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel -- When his twin brother falls ill in the family's chateau in the independent republic of Geneva in the eighteenth century, sixteen-year-old Victor Frankenstein embarks on a dangerous and uncertain quest to create the forbidden Elixir of Life described in an ancient text in the family's secret Biblioteka Obscura.

New Text a Librarian Service

2011-09-26T08:17:00.000-07:00

Did you know that you can now TEXT your Librarian? Try it out!

Here's how, if you don't already know instinctively:

Compose New SMS
Send to 66746 (this spells MOSIO on the phone keypad)
Type the "Keyword" (our keyword is askwmcl)
Send

You'll get a message back that tells you to save us in your contacts, and reply with your question. From then on, any time you text 66746 you won't need to put in the keyword. If you text during a time when there's a librarian on duty, we'll get back to you just about instantly!

Recent Returns

2011-09-22T13:39:00.000-07:00

The Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan -- this audiobook is the 2nd in the Kane Chronicles. Carter and Sadie are in trouble; as descendants of the Egyptian Gods, they are being threatened by the snake-god Apophis. Can they prevent him from breaking free and ending the world? 13 checkouts for the audio...

Misguided Angel by Melissa De La Cruz -- a blue bloods novel. Schuyler and Jack are on a mission - together at last - to protect the five remaining gates from Lucifer and the Silver Bloods. But they're being pursued - can they reach Florence in time...15 circs on this haunting title.

Black Gate: the Complete Collection by Sumiyoshi -- sometimes a soul is accidentally called through the Black Gate before its time. Senju has the ability to right this wrong, and summon or seal gates. He guards Hiriji, a boy with his own powers, who is on a quest to save the world. 13 circs.

Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon and Dean Hale -- a wacky, western retelling of the classic fairy tale - fully illustrated! Rapunzel grows up wondering what's on the other side of the wall - and when she finds out, WHOA! 13 circs for this one, too!

Austin Teen Book Festival of 2011

2011-09-22T07:12:00.000-07:00

Do you know about this GREAT event?

On Saturday, Oct 1st in Austin for FREE! You can meet dozens of teen authors, hear Scott Westerfeld deliver the keynote speech, attend many wonderful programs, and even get your favorite book signed!

New Books (almost all graphic novels)

2011-09-19T08:18:00.000-07:00

Graphic Novels:
Shonen Jump -- Oct/Nov issue
Showcase Presents Green Lantern vol. 5 --This volume includes the famed stories that teamed Green Lantern with Green Arrow, in which the two heroes face issues of the day including women's rights, political corruption, religious intolerance and more -- all while battling evil. This volume also includes adventures from GL's 1976 relaunch, collected here for the first time!
Flash. Rebirth -- Barry Allen - the Flash. His birth kick-started the Silver Age, and his heroic death defending the universe from a cosmic Crisis made him a legend. Now, another Crisis has brought Barry back to life, and the fastest man alive is out of step with the world.
Superman. The Black Ring. vol. 1 -- Lex Luthor searches across time and space tracking an energy that will finally make his vision for humanity a reality.
Superman. New Krypton. vol. 4 -- Following the startling events of "New Krypton," Earth finds itself without its greatest protector - Superman! And this "World Without Superman" is a very dangerous place, indeed. The only thing standing between the good (and not so good) folks of Earth and an impending shadow of doom are the all-new Nightwing and Flamebird!
Superman. Codename: Patriot -- Zod, the military leader of the planet of New Krypton, has been shot. Chaos erupts as 100,000 Kryptonians fear that this is just the opening salvo in a full-scale war. As Zod's would-be assassin flees to Earth, it's up to Krypton's new Commander Kal-El and his cousin Kara Zor-El -- better known as Superman and Supergirl -- to track down tht gunman and bring him to justice.
Batman. Streets of Gotham. Hush Money -- How will the police feel about this new Batman -- and can he control the crime in Gotham the way the old Batman did? Commissioner Gordon is about to find out as he teams with the new Batman to combat the fiery threat that Firefly has spread across Gotham City
Batman. Long Shadows -- As Dick Grayson takes on the persona of Batman after the disappearance of Bruce Wayne, some believe that Batman is unchanged, while others, like the villain Two-Face, knows he is an impostor.
Incredible Hulks. vol. 1 Dark Son -- As the dark son rises, the universe will fall! All his life, the Hulk has wanted to be left alone; now, he's got a big, bad family to keep up with.
Incredible Hulks vol. 2 Chaos War (part of the Chaos War event) -- Bring out your dead -- and the Hulks will smash them! When the King of Chaos and Darkness unleashes his horrors upon planet Earth, Doctor Strange calls on the strongest team there is to save life itself.
Incredible Hulks vol. 3 Planet Savage -- The Hulk has never been welcome in the civilized world. What better place for the savage Hulks than the Savage Land? Get ready for jungle action as Hulk and Skaar invade the prehistoric paradise of Ka-Zar, Lord of the Hidden Jungle.
Hulk vol. 3. Red Hulk. Scorched Earth -- The score has been settled, Red Hulk has been beaten by the Incredible Hulk decisively. The war is over, and Steve Rogers is on tap to give these explosive characters a sense of direction!
Incredible Hulk. vol. 6 World War Hulks -- The identity of the Red Hulk is revealed as there is a final showdown between the Red and Green Hulks.
Spider-Man. The Extremist -- As Peter Parker struggles with unemployment, Spider-Man must cope with a vigilante calling himself the Extremist who is attacking Spider-Man's supposed enemies, starting with a television commentator and then aiming for Mayor Jameson.
Spider-Man. One Moment in Time -- You've wanted answers, well here they are! What really happened at the wedding of Spider-Man and Mary Jane? What does Mary Jane know about Spider-Man today? How did One More Day really affect Peter Parker, MJ, and the rest of the Marvel U?
Spider-Man. New York Stories -- Tales from the concrete jungle! Revealed at last an untold tale of Spider-Man's first meeting with Captain America! Learn the secret history of how the web-head and the Star-Spangled Avenger saved the world from the deadly brains of the dreaded Rogue Scholars!
Spider-Man. Hobgoblin Lives -- The identity of the Hobgoblin is about to be exposed as Spider-Man tries to end his reign of terror and deal with threats from Norman Osborn and the Green Goblin.
X-Men Forever 2. vol. 2 Perfect World -- When Storm, the usurper of Wakanda, plans to take over Genosha, the X-Men try to stop her, aided by the mysterious Ghost Panther, who claims to be the spirit of T'Challa, Storm's former lover and the rightful ruler of Wakanda.
X-Men. Age of Apocalypse Prelude -- Legion, the son of Charles Xavier, travels back in time to kill Magneto, thereby changing the world forever for the mutants who would have become the X-Men.
X-Men. To Serve and Protect -- In San Franscisco, two X-Men have donned masks and taken to the streets as the new vigilante protectors of the people against a huge Spider-Man villain. Who are these X-Men, and why are they disguising themselves?
X-Men. First Class. Class Portraits -- Shares stories of members of the first class of X-Men, including young Magneto, Jean Grey, Iceman, Angel, and Cyclops, and includes previously untold tales of Spider-Man, the Thing, and the Incredible Hulk.
X-Men. Chaos War (part of the Chaos War event) -- As the Marvel Universe is destroyed pantheon by pantheon by the dark god, Chaos King, the rift between the underworld and Earth is violently ripped apart. How can a handful of deceased X-Men make a difference in Chaos King's war against life?
Pandora Hearts. vol. 6 -- Uncle Oscar drags Oz and company on a "mission" to Lutwidge Academy, where Oz's little sister, Ada, is a student.

Novels:
Wolf Mark by Joseph Bruchac -- When Lucas King's covert-ops father is kidnapped and his best friend Meena is put in danger, Luke's only chance to save them -- a skin that will let him walk as a wolf -- is hidden away in an abandoned mansion guarded by monsters.

Recent Returns

2011-09-17T08:24:00.000-07:00

The Naming by Alison Croggan - the first book of Pellinor - Maerad is a slave, taken as a prisoner of war when she was a small child. But when she discovers that she is gifted with a special power, she also discovers a special destiny, if she can survive a punishing and uncertain journey. First in a quartet of fantasy novels about the land of Annar. 45 circs for this high fantasy adventure!

Vampire Academy the Graphic Novel by Richelle Mead - Lissa Dragomir is a mortal vampire princess, and this is the tale of her friendship with Rose Hathaway, the half-human, half vampire who protects her from those who would end her life. This BRAND new GN has only one checkout at this time!

Gravesight, Book One by Charlain Harris - Harper Connelly can see the dead, and how they died... she makes a meager living selling her services to the police and to the families of the dead or missing, until she and her brother Tolliver become embroiled in a murder mystery in a small Arkansas town. Again, this book is quite new and has only 1 checkout!

Teen Top Ten Voting has begun!

2011-09-08T10:59:00.000-07:00

Have you read all the nominees for this year's Teen Top Ten list? I have! But even if you haven't, you can still vote now for your favorites!

Anime and Manga Club - Pikapals of Waco

2011-09-08T08:17:00.000-07:00

Well, Pikapals of Waco had their first 2011-12 meeting last Tuesday night.
We had a great crowd of 16 people! It was very energetic and fun... we discussed what sorts of activities we'd like to do for the upcoming year, and several things were decided. 1st, we will do some craft activities, and alternate that with watching some anime. We voted to do a craft first - we'll be making animal ears from craft foam, attached to headbands. Lots of glue and maybe some glitter!

Then, in future months, we'll watch some anime - maybe the first half of a couple of movies that most people have missed, or some older stuff for retrospective fun. Or I may get some more episodes of current shows from Funimation, too! Come and find out what we're watching!

We may also do some other activities - if you have ideas for crafts, anime viewing to suggest, or other things we could do, please comment here, or join us on Facebook...

New YA Books

2011-08-26T15:23:00.000-07:00

Graphic Novels:
Card Captor Sakura omnibus vol. 2 -- The beautiful new teacher in Sakura's class, Kaho Mizuki, soon reveals that she's a shrine maiden with magic powers of her own. But as always, the struggle to capture the Clow cards is woven together with the mysterious - and complicated - threads of love and affection between Sakura and all the people in her life. Will her heart be strong enough as she faces the one who will judge her worthiness to master the cards at last?
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead, adapted by Dragon Leigh and illustrated by Emma Vieceli -- Runaway vampire princess Lissa and her guardian-in-training Rose are found and returned to St. Vladimir's Academy, where one focuses on mastering magic, the other on physical training, while both try to avoid the perils of gossip, cliques, gruesome pranks, and sinister plots.
Hero Tales vols 1-3 by Hiromu Arakawa -- Legend speaks of seven heroes, each one bearing the power of one of the stars of the Big Dipper. Two of these stars are constantly in conflict, destined to battle and throw the world into chaos...these are their tales!
Slam Dunk vol. 17 by Takehiko Inoue -- the much anticipated game between Ryonan High and Kainen High is heating up, but then word reaches Captain Akagi that Coach Anzai has collapsed!
Possessions vols 1-2 by Ray Fawkes -- Gurgazon the Unclean (demon or little girl?) is determined to escape once she becomes part of Mrs. Llewellyn-Vane's collection of captured spirits and ghostly curiosities. Or will her spirit finally be broken by offers of ice cream and friendship?
Flight vol 8, edited by Kazu Kibuishi -- a visual feast of short stories, beautifully illustrated and fascinating to read.

Fiction:
Hidden by Helen Frost -- When fourteen-year-olds Wren and Darra meet at a Michigan summer camp, both are overwhelmed by memories from six years earlier when Darra's father stole a car, unaware that Wren was hiding in the back.
There's No Place Like Home by Jen Calonita -- bk. 6 of Secrets of My Hollywood Life -- Seventeen-year-old Kaitlin Burke is back in Los Angeles after her brilliant run on Broadway, but her new sitcom is such a success that she finds herself again wishing for a normal life when a bad run-in with aggressive paparazzi puts her boyfriend Austin in danger. (The rest of the series is on order)
Brother/Sister by Sean Olin -- Told in alternating perspectives, Will and Asheley relate the events of the summer and explain how their lives became violently out of control.

Recent Reads

2011-08-24T10:44:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading "The Girl in the Steel Corset" by Kady Cross. It's a steampunk adventure-mystery, in which Finley Jayne, a young woman with a secret, finds herself in the company of a band of misfits, led by Duke Griffin King. Griffon recognizes in Finley the same sort of magical powers that he and his friends possess, and sets out to discover how she acquired them. At the same time, the Machinist begins to execute a deadly assassination plot against Queen Victoria. Only Griffin, Finley, Emily, Sam and Jasper stand in his way -- if they can remain loyal to each other!

I really enjoyed the Victorian-steampunk setting, which used elements from H.G. Wells and other classic pieces of literature, as well as all the expected accoutrements of steampunk. Finley was an enjoyable heroine, and her romantic quandary was believable. I could never quite decide whether I liked Griffin or Jack Dandy, the handsome ne'er-do-well, better. And the fabulous scenes of conflict were great - battles against robots for life and limb! I'm waiting for the sequel quite eagerly.

And tonight, I'm taking home the third Agatha Heterodyne graphic novel: The Circus of Dreams... it should be a fun read!

New YA Books

2011-08-23T10:56:00.000-07:00

Graphic Novels:
Bad Island by Doug TenNapel - Lyle, Karen, Janie, and Reese must find a way off an island while they dodge strange and dangerous things on the island.

Fiction:
Power of Six by Pittacus Lore -- sequel to I Am Number Four -- In a Spanish convent, seventeen-year-old Marina longs to join forces with her fellow Loriens to prepare for battle with the Mogadorians who destroyed their home planet, while in the United States, John, Six, and Sam elude authorities who think John is a terrorist.

Reaching Through Time by Lurlene McDaniel -- Three tales of teenagers experiencing the inexplicable. What's happened to me? -- When the clock chimes -- The mysteries of chance.

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead -- When alchemist Sydney is ordered into hiding to protect the life of Moroi princess Jill Dragomir, the last place she expects to be sent is a human private school in Palm Springs, California. But at their new school, the drama is only just beginning.

Dragon's Oath by P.C. Cast -- In early 19th century England, long before he's a professor at the Tulsa House of Night, Bryan Lankford is a troublesome yet talented human teen who thinks he can get away with anything -- until his father, a wealthy nobleman, has finally had enough and banishes him to America. When Bryan is Marked on the docks and given the choice between the London House of Night and the dragon-prowed ship to America, he chooses the Dragon -- and a brand new fate.

Across the Great Barrier by Patricia Wrede -- Frontier Magic bk. 2 -- In an alternate frontier America, Eff must travel beyond the Great Barrier and come to terms with her magic abilities -- and those of her twin brother -- to stop the newest threat encroaching on the settlers.

Rip Tide by Kat Falls -- Dark Life bk. 2 -- Ty discovers an entire township chained to a sunken submarine, its inhabitants condemned to an icy underwater grave. It's only the first clue to a mystery that has claimed hundreds of lives and stands to claim two more -- lives very precious to Ty and his Topsider ally, Gemma.

Lost Crown by Sarah Elizabeth Miller -- In alternating chapters, Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia tell how their privileged lives as the daughters of the tsar in early twentieth-century Russia are transformed by world war and revolution.

The Midnight Gate by Helen Stringer -- sequel to Spellbinder -- Twelve-year-old Belladonna Johnson, who lives with the ghosts of her parents, once again teams up with her classmate Steve, whose mother has suddenly disappeared, when they are given a dangerous assignment by a ghostly monk involving a return to the Dark Times.

Reading Club Drawing Coming Soon

2011-08-22T10:48:00.001-07:00

We are happy to announce that the Teen Reading Club for 2011 has concluded, and we will be drawing final winners for the iPod Shuffles in the very near future.

We're still moving and settling into our new temporary location at 1603 Washington Avenue, so please bear with us if it takes a little while...

We're thrilled with the number of reviews that were submitted! If you want to read reviews, remember they're all posted right here in this blog.

You can even comment on your reviews, or those made by others.

New YA Books

2011-08-18T11:23:00.000-07:00

Graphic Novels:
Batman. Bruce Wayne : the Return Home -- Bruce Wayne may have been missing, but Gotham City's criminals and crime-fighters kept the action alive in his absense! Now that he's made a long return trip to the land of the living, Batman finally gets a chance to reunite with those characters closest to him. Featuring Batman's greatest allies and enemies, friends, foes and loved ones, these eight interconnected tales connect Bruce Wayne's past to Batman's exciting future!

Nonfiction:
Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony: a friendship that saved the world by Penny Coleman-- A dual biography of the lives of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony and the friendship that they formed. Together they challenged entrenched beliefs, customs, and laws that oppressed women and spearheaded the fight to gain legal rights, including the right to vote, despite fierce opposition, daunting conditions, scandalous entanglements, and betrayal by their friends and allies.

Fiction:
Boyfriend Season by Kelli London -- Three girls in Atlanta fall in and out of love. Now, each has an invitation to the tottest teen society party of the year. Can they handle the pressure of getting everything they think they want?
Silhouetted by the Blue by Traci Jones -- After the death of her mother in an automobile accident, seventh-grader Serena, who has gotten the lead in her middle school play, is left to handle the day-to-day challenges of caring for herself and her younger brother when their father cannot pull himself out of his depression.
Escape Velocity by Mark Walden -- The Higher Institute of Villainous Education is in grave danger. It's learder, Dr. Nero, has been captured by the world's most ruthless security force. It's up to Otto to save Dr. Nero, but first Otto must escape Nero's sinister replacement and H.I.V.E. itself. Will Otto be able to break into MI6 as no other villain has ever done?
Voice of the Undead by Jason Henderson -- After a fire damages his boarding school in Switzerland, fourteen-year-old Alex and his friends move to the girls' school across the lake, where supernatural happenings are disturbing the peace, and in the meantime, more Van Helsing family secrets are revealed.

Summer Review

2011-08-18T08:05:00.000-07:00

Title: Rapunzel
Author: Bernadette Watts
Rating: 4.5 stars
Where did this book take you? Germany
Review: a tale of a fair but imprisoned maiden kept prisoner by an evil, but maybe envious as well, witch. Originally told by the Brothers Grimm. So the story we all know bears an interesting twist that Disney never mentioned!
Reviewer: K. D.

Summer Review

2011-08-18T08:04:00.000-07:00

Title: Twenty-thousand Leagues Under the Sea
Author: Jules Verne
Rating: 4.5 stars
Where did this book take you? England and on all the seas
Review: A crazy sea captain takes three men prisoners of his underwater submarine. Exploring underwater coral reefs, taking treasures and sinking ships, til the captain goes mad and tries to drown his crew...
Reviewer: K. D.

Summer Review

2011-08-18T07:57:00.000-07:00

Title: Breathless
Author: Lurlene McDaniel
Rating: 5 stars
Where did this book take you? Southern Alabama
Review: A champion diver, Travis, develops bone cancer and two years pass and it gets worse, and he decides to tell his friend Cooper to help him die, and makes it look like an accident. Darla, his girlfriend, and his sister Emily find out about Travis' plot, but will it be too late for them to stop Travis?
Reviewer: K. D.

2011-08-18T07:55:00.000-07:00

Title: In the Camps: Teens who survived the Nazi Concentration Camps
Author: Toby Axelrod
Rating: 5 stars
Where did this book take you? Europe/ Germany
Review: The horrors of the Holocaust are retold through the eyes of a regular teen. These miraculous stories are each different, but the same in a sort of sense. Very good book!!!
Reviewer: K. D.

Summer Review

2011-08-18T07:53:00.000-07:00

Title: Time Stranger Kyoko, Volume 3
Author: Arina Tanemura
Rating: 4 stars
Where did this book take you? Tokyo
Review: In the last volume of Kyoko, shocking confessions are made that might just change the entire future of Kyoko and the gang
Reviewer: K. D.

Summer Review

2011-08-18T07:47:00.000-07:00

Title: Peach Girl: Sae's Story, Volume 3
Author: Ueda Miwa
Rating: 4 stars
Where did this book take you? Tokyo
Review: So far Sae thinks she has found Mr. Perfect, but has Mr. Perfect been dating her for ALL the wrong reasons? Will Saefinally realize Mr. Perfect is closer than she thinks?
Reviewer: K. D.

Summer Review

2011-08-18T07:44:00.000-07:00

Title: Teen Idol
Author: Meg Cabot
Rating: 4 stars
Where did this book take you? Indiana
Review: Jenny Greenly is keeping a secret. Teen hearthrob Luke striker is researching a role at her small town school, and Jenny Greenly is assigned to keep the celeb a secret. When his cover is blown, he wants Jenny to make a change in her school for the better. The problem is that Jenny doesn't feel ready to do that.
Reviewer: K. D.

New Books!

2011-08-15T14:55:00.000-07:00

Graphic Novels:
Naruto vol. 51 -- At Hokage's Resolve Sasuke finally takes on Danzo, the leader of Konoha, determined to interrogate him about the Uchiha clan and what really happened between the political factions of Konoha and his brother, Itachi.
Fullmetal Alchemist vol. 25 -- As Greed and King Bradley continue their battle, the mysterious homunculus “father” makes his move under Central City. In order to achieve his objectives, he will need to force Mustang to make an unthinkable choice. Meanwhile, Alphonse has the chance to regain his own body, but the sacrifice to do so may be too much. (Only 2 more to go!)
Olympians Volume 3. Hera : the Goddess and her Glory -- Introduces Hera, Zeus's wife and goddess of air, sky, and the heavens, and the only thing Zeus is afraid of.
Girl Genius Vol. 4: Agatha Heterodyne and the Circus of Dreams -- Agatha Heterodyne's damaged aircraft comes roughly to rest in the Wastelands where she encounters a traveling circus and proves her mettle by destroying a massive spider-clank as it attacks. Meanwhile, a frustrated Baron Wulfenbach dispatches his son Gilgamesh and deposed pirate queen Bangaldesh DuPree to capture Agatha, whose very existence threatens the peace.
Ray Bradybury's The Martian Chronicles: the authorized adaptation -- The Earthmen came by the handful, then the hundreds, then the millions. They swept aside the majestic, dying Martian civilization to build their homes, shopping malls, and cities. Mars began as a place of boundless hopes and dreams, a planet to replace an Earth sinking into waste and war.But eventually earthmen wake to find they've been conquered by the martians, at a terrible cost.

Fiction:
Spoiled by Heather Cocks -- When her mother dies, sixteen-year-old Molly moves from Indiana to California, to live with her newly discovered father, a Hollywood megastar, and his pampered teenaged daughter.
Twisted by Sara Shepard -- Pretty Little Liars #9 -- Now seniors in high school, Spencer, Emily, Hanna, and Aria's friendship has been torn apart by new lies and stress, but they are drawn back together when anonymous messages threatening to reveal their secrets resume.
Dark Parties by Sara Grant -- Sixteen-year-old Neva, born and raised under the electrified Protectosphere that was built when civilization collapsed in violent warfare, puts her friends, family, and life at risk when she tries to find out if their world is built on a complex series of lies and deceptions.
The Girl is Murder by Kathryn Haines -- In 1942 New York City, fifteen-year-old Iris grieves for her mother, who committed suicide and for the loss of her life of privilege, and secretly helps her father with his detective business, since he, having lost a leg at Pearl Harbor, struggles to make ends meet.
Ripple by Mandy Hubbard -- Lexi is cursed with a dark secret. Each day, she goes to school like a normal teenager, and each night, she must swim or the pain will be unbearable. She is a siren -- a deadly mermaid destined to lure men to their watery deaths. After a terrible tragedy, Lexi shut herself off from the world, vowing to protect the ones she loves. But can she?
Margrave by Catherine Fisher -- Relic Masters bk. 4 -- Their quest to find a secret relic with great power leads Master Galen and his sixteen-year-old apprentice Raffi into the Pit of Maar and the deep evil world at the heart of the Watch.
Addie on the Inside by James Howe -- In this verse novel, outspoken thirteen-year-old Addie Carle learns about love, loss, and staying true to herself as she navigates seventh grade, enjoys a visit from her grandmother, fights with her boyfriend, and endures gossip and meanness from her former best friend.
Babysitter Murders by Janet Young -- Imaginative Massachusetts seventeen-year-old Dani Solomon confesses she has been troubled by thoughts of harming Alex, the little boy she loves to babysit, triggering gossip and a media frenzy that makes "Dani Death" the target of an extremist vigilante group.
The Implosion of Aggie Winchester by Lara Zielin -- Sixteen-year-old Aggie feels compelled to investigate rumors that her cancer-stricken mother, principal of her small Minnesota high school, has rigged the prom queen election to keep Aggie's best friend Sylvia, a pregnant Goth, from winning.
Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy by Bil Wright -- Sixteen-year-old Carlos Duarte is on the verge of realizing his dream of becoming a famous make-up artist, but first he must face his jealous boss at a Macy's cosmetics counter, his sister's abusive boyfriend, and his crush on a punk-rocker classmate.
Edda by Connor Kostick -- Avatar Chronicles bk. 3 -- in the virtual world of Edda, the ruler decides he wishes to invade another virtual world, embroiling Edda, Saga and Epic into a massive war.
Always a Witch by Carolyn Macullough -- Sixteen-year-old Carlos Duarte is on the verge of realizing his dream of becoming a famous make-up artist, but first he must face his jealous boss at a Macy's cosmetics counter, his sister's abusive boyfriend, and his crush on a punk-rocker classmate.

Summer Review

2011-08-15T12:39:00.000-07:00

Title: Lion at Lunch Time

Author: Mary Pope Osborne

Rating: 3 stars

Where did this Book take you? To Africa, where the wild animals lived

Review: I like this, which guided me to an idea of how animals lived and they also lived by connected to each others.

Reviewer: J.P.

Summer Review

2011-08-15T12:37:00.000-07:00

Title: June B. First Grade Boss of Lunch

Author: Barbara Park

Rating: 2 stars

Where did this Book take you? It took me to know how delightful June B is.

Review: this book is actually okay. It gave me some facts and entertainment, which is good.

Reviewer: J. P.

Summer Review

2011-08-15T12:32:00.000-07:00

Title: Cruel Love

Author: Kate Brian

Rating: 5 stars

Where did this Book take you? Atherton Pryce Boarding School

Review: As the final book in the series, it was Awesome. Perfectly tied everything together in a dramatic ending. Really loved this one! But I'm sad it's over.

Reviewer: G. L.

Summer Review

2011-08-15T12:30:00.000-07:00

Title: Pure Sin

Author: Kate Brian

Rating: 4 stars

Where did this Book take you? Atherton Pryce Boarding School

Review: After knowing how far Ariana has come, you want her to succeed. When Lexa Green threatens it all you can't wait for Ariana's response! Loved this book!

Reviewer: G. L.

Summer Review

2011-08-15T12:21:00.000-07:00

Title: Perfect Mistake

Author: Kate Brian

Rating: 5 stars

Where did this Book take you? Atherton Pryce Boarding School

Review: With all the drama in this book you feel intense emotion for Ariana. Definitely not a filler book!

Reviewer: G. L.

Summer Review

2011-08-15T12:19:00.000-07:00

Title: Sweet Deceit

Author: Kate Brian

Rating: 5 stars

Where did this Book take you? Atherton-Pryce

Review: The competition was fierce, and the drama was intense. Always kept me on my toes! Loved this book!

Reviewer: G.L.

Summer Review

2011-08-15T12:18:00.000-07:00

Title: Beautiful Disaster

Author: Kate Brian

Rating: 4 stars

Where did this Book take you? Easton Academy

Review: I loved this book. I loved the suspense! Kate Brian is truly an amazing author!

Reviewer:G.L.

Summer Review

2011-08-15T12:15:00.000-07:00

Title: Privilege

Author: Kate Brian

Rating: 5 stars

Where did this Book take you? Easton Academy HS, and the Brenda T. Trumbull Correction Facility for Women

Review: I absolutely loved this book. It was thrilling, full of suspense, and written extremely well. It was good enough to make me buy the rest of the series!

Reviewer: G. L.

Summer Review

2011-08-15T12:13:00.000-07:00

Title: Two Girls of Gettysburgh

Author: Lisa Klein

Rating: 4.5 stars

Where did this Book take you? Gettysburgh, Richmond, during the Civil War

Review: a story of two girls torn apart by the Civil War with one yearning for her love while the other is haunted by love's past.

Reviewer:V. M.

Summer Review

2011-08-15T12:12:00.000-07:00

Title: The Bad Queen

Author: Carolyn Meyer

Rating: 4 stars

Where did this Book take you? Austria and France during revolution

Review: An interesting, insightful book that makes you realize Marie-Antoinette wasn't all that bad.

Reviewer: V. M.

Summer Review

2011-08-15T12:10:00.000-07:00

Title: Devilish

Author: Maureen Johnson

Rating: 1.5 stars

Where did this Book take you? Providence, Rhode Island

Review: A kooky yet slightly macabre book that was hard to understand in some parts but suspenseful and clever in others.

Reviewer: V. M.

Summer Review

2011-08-15T12:07:00.000-07:00

Title: Goddess of Yesterday
Author: Caroline Cooney
Rating: 4.5 stars
Where did this book take you? Greece, then Troy during the Trojan War
Review: A very compelling tale of a girl who witnesses important events of Ancient Greece, and even finds love on the way.
Reviewer: V. M.

Summer Review

2011-08-15T12:01:00.000-07:00

Title: Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Rating:5 stars
Where did this book take you? On an exciting journey as Katniss fights for her life.
Review: Great book! Exciting fast paced story as Katniss tries to stay alive.
Reviewer: K.K.

Summer Review

2011-08-15T11:59:00.000-07:00

Title: Dead is the New Black
Author: Marlene Perez
Rating: 3 stars
Where did this book take you? on the trail of an energy vampire
Review: It's a mystery. A girl and her boyfriend try to find a vampire that is attacking the High School's cheer squad.
Reviewer: K. K.

Summer Review

2011-08-15T11:57:00.000-07:00

Title: Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac
Author: Gabrielle Zevin
Rating: 4 stars
Where did this book take you? to the feeling of not knowing anything of relevance
Review: It was a book about an "It Girl" who lost her memories of high school and how she came back from the memory loss.
Reviewer: K.K.

Summer Review

2011-08-15T11:04:00.000-07:00

Title: What Happened to Cass McBride
Author: Gail Giles
Rating: 4 stars
Where did this book take you? a small box in the ground
Review: It was a fast-paced, life-and-death story about what happens to different people after a student commits suicide.
Reviewer: K.K.

Summer Review

2011-08-15T11:02:00.000-07:00

Title: Hex Hall
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Rating: 4 stars
Where did this book take you? To a school of fairy-tale creatures
Review: A good book. Sophie ais always in trouble as she tries to find the person who is draining her cousin's blood.
Reviewer:K. K.

summer review

2011-08-15T11:00:00.000-07:00

Title: Plague
Author: Michael Grant
Rating: 5 stars
Where did this book take you? It took me inside chaos
Review: Great book, must read first three first! Modern version of Lord of the Flies
Reviewer: K. K.

Summer Review

2011-08-15T10:52:00.000-07:00

Title: The Knight at Dawn
Author: Mary Pope Osborne
Rating: 3 stars
Where did this book take you? It takes me to feel the aroma of the old dark castle.
Review: I always love about the knights, especially the knights' story. What I can tell is the book told me MORE about knights.
Reviewer: J. P.

Summer Review

2011-08-15T10:37:00.000-07:00

Title: Thanksgiving on Thursday
Author: Mary Pope Osborne
Rating: 5 stars
Where did this book take you? It took me to view about life and festivals of the Pilgrims as they prepared for Thanksgiving.
Review: this book are full of history and incredible story. The book gives me knowledge about the American original Thanksgiving. I've had so much of it.
Reviewer: J. P.

Summer Review

2011-08-05T11:50:00.000-07:00

Title: Dolphin at Daybreak
Author: Mary Pope Osborne
Rating: 3 stars
Where did this book take you: It took me to see how beautiful an ocean is.
Review: I learn what a true friend is in this book. And how lovely two dolphins can be. I also was scared when the hammer shark came, so it is exciting to read.

Summer Review

2011-08-05T11:47:00.001-07:00

Title: Midnight on the Moon
Author: Mary Pope Osborne
Rating: 5 stars
Where did this book take you: It take me to the future of outer space, where the moon shines.
Review: I learned so much in the adventure book. It gave me an idea how the real astronauts and scientists live. Sometimes I wish to go somewhere, it's this book that lead me to.
Reviewer: P. J.

Summer Review

2011-08-05T11:47:00.000-07:00

Summer Review

2011-08-05T11:44:00.000-07:00

Title: Earthquake in the Early Morning
Author: Mary Pope Osborne
Rating: 4.5 stars
Where did this book take you: it take me to California. During a time of Earthquake in April 1906
Review: I like this book. After I finished reading it, I realized that it actually brought me to that time of earthquake.
Reviewer: P. J.

2011-08-03T11:52:00.000-07:00

Title: Amazing Snakes

Author: Sarah L. Thomson

Rating: 3 stars

Where did this book take you: Underground

Review: that snakes can climb trees and swim. some baby snakes hatch out of eggs. A snake can swallow something bigger than its head.

Reviewer: N. K.

2011-08-03T11:49:00.000-07:00

Title: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Author: J. K. Rowling

Rating: 5 stars

Where did this book take you: Hogwarts, Privet Drive, Weasley's House

Review: A very very great book. Best book I've read yet.

Reviewer: M. M.

2011-08-03T11:48:00.000-07:00

Title: Eloise in Paris

Author: Kay Thompson

Rating: 3 stars

Where did this book take you: Park Plaza Hotel

Review: So Cool

Reviewer: S. K.

2011-08-03T11:41:00.000-07:00

Title: Hunger Games

Author: Suzanne Collins

Rating: 5 stars

Where did this book take you: Panem

Review: Amazing story! Grips you from the beginning. Hard to grasp at first that these are just kids.

Reviewer:J. T.

2011-08-03T11:36:00.000-07:00

Title: Now You See Her

Author: James Patterson

Rating: 4 stars

Where did this book take you: Key West, New York

Review: Better than his last collaboration... some moments seemed like a Clint Eastwood movie.

Reviewer: J. T.

2011-08-03T11:26:00.000-07:00

Title: Mockingjay

Author: Suzanne Collins

Rating: 5 stars

Where did this book take you: Panem

Review: An amazing end to a brilliant trilogy... the pain in this book seems endless at times.

Reviewer: J. T.

2011-08-03T11:24:00.000-07:00

Title: Catching Fire

Author: Suzanne Collins

Rating: 5 stars

Where did this book take you: America in the future under the name Panem

Review: Finished this one faster than the first... could not stop turning the pages... lots of great action and emotion.

Reviewer: J. T.

2011-08-03T11:19:00.000-07:00

Title: Halo: Cryptum

Author: Greg Bear

Rating: 3 stars

Where did this book take you: The Universe

Review: the book is okay if you're a Halo fan, but otherwise it is slow

Reviewer: Z. J.

2011-08-03T11:17:00.000-07:00

Title: Tobias Protocol (Halo)

Author: Tobias Bucknell

Rating: 5 stars

Where did this book take you: the Rubble

Review: If you start reading you can't stop

Reviewer: Z. J.

2011-08-03T11:13:00.000-07:00

Title: Helljumper (Halo)

Author: David Nguyen

Rating:4 stars

Where did this book take you: Ariel

Review: Great Graphic Novel

Reviewer: Z. J.

2011-08-03T11:09:00.000-07:00

Title: First Strike (Halo)

Author: Eric Nylund

Rating: 5 stars

Where did this book take you: Halo/Reach

Review: this book is full of mystery and intrigue.

Reviewer:Z. J.

2011-08-03T11:06:00.000-07:00

Title: Ghosts Of Onyx (Halo)

Author: Eric Nylund

Rating: 5 stars

Where did this book take you: Onyx

Review: written well - feels like you're in the story.

Reviewer: Z. J.

2011-08-03T11:01:00.000-07:00

Title: Raider's Ransom

Author: Emily Diamond

Rating: 3.5 stars

Where did this book take you: London, Britain and Scotland

Review: Good book for anyone who likes cats, ships and raiders. It takes a very big, unexpected turn about 1/3 of the way through that I did not see coming.

Reviewer: B.A.

2011-08-03T10:59:00.000-07:00

Title: Night

Author: Elie Wiesel

Rating: 5 stars

Where did this book take you: Auschwitz Camp

Review: a book of sadness, struggles, and a book of hope. "Night" is the story about a boy (Jewish) during WWII and his experience in Auschwitz.

Reviewer: M. C.

2011-08-03T10:57:00.000-07:00

Title: The End and the Beginning

Author: George Weigel

Rating: 5 stars

Where did this book take you: to when there was strong Christianity

Review: When Pope St. John died Pope John Paul II took his place as a strongly pope who led christians through the world.

Reviewer: Q. S.

2011-08-03T10:56:00.000-07:00

Title: Silverwing

Author: Kenneth Oppel

Rating: 5 stars

Where did this book take you: on an epic adventure

Review: Shade Silverwing sees the sun and the owls burn down his home.

Reviewer:Q. S.

2011-08-03T10:54:00.000-07:00

Title: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Author: J. K. Rowling

Rating: 5 stars

Where did this book take you: Hogwarts, all over Britain

Review: The last book in the seven book series of J. K. Rowling's fascinating story about a boy, Harry Potter, finally coming face to face to the dark wizard Lord Voldemort.

Reviewer: M. C.

2011-08-03T10:53:00.000-07:00

Title: The Notebook

Author: Nicholas Sparks

Rating: 5 stars

Where did this book take you: New Bern, North Carolina

Review: A book of romance, inspiration, and a love that is so powerful between Noah and Allie. A very moving book that can touch anyone's heart.

Reviewer: M. C.

2011-08-03T10:52:00.001-07:00

Title: Harry Potter

Author: J. K. Rowling

Rating:5 stars

Where did this book take you: Hogwarts, Privet Drive

Review: A good book once you get started

Reviewer: M. M.

2011-08-03T10:50:00.000-07:00

Title: Geronimo Stilton

Author: Geronimo Stilton

Rating: 5 stars

Where did this book take you: house, office, RatZanka

Review: I love all his books

Reviewer: M. M.

2011-08-03T10:46:00.000-07:00

Title: The Healing of Texas Jake

Author: Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Rating: 5 stars

Where did this book take you: to a cat's world

Review: The tabby brothers Marco and Polo are on a mission to heal T.J. the leader cat and they encounter fivious felines.

Reviewer: Q. S.

2011-08-03T10:45:00.000-07:00

Title: Sunwing

Author: Kenneth Oppel

Rating: 5 stars

Where did this book take you: to the skies where bats fly

Review: Shade Silver Wing in search for his father is banded by the humans and uses the band to blow out a temple.

Reviewer: Q. S.

2011-08-03T10:43:00.000-07:00

Title:The Devil Wears Prada

Author: Lauren Weisberger

Rating: 5 stars

Where did this book take you: Into the crazy life of Andy Sachal in New York City

Review: Andy Sachal, wanting a job as an editor, got a job as the assistant of a strict, devil-like lady Miranda Priesly. A good book about hard work and comedy.

Reviewer: M. C.

Summer Review

2011-08-03T10:37:00.000-07:00

Title: Skybreaker

Author: Kenneth Oppel

Rating: 5 stars

Where did this book take you: to the sky

Review: 4 adults go looking for the ghost ship called the Hyperion and find strange creatures and pirates so the end up snagging blueprints for inventions.

Reviewer: Q. S.

Novels in Verse

2011-08-02T13:26:00.000-07:00

Do you like novels-in-verse? Have you ever read one? They're usually quick to read, but can carry a powerful emotional punch.

Here's an Australian website called YARR-A (Young Adult Reader Reviews - Australia) which has a fabulous list of these wonderful works of art. So if you like them, explore here...

Time to Complete the Reading Club

2011-07-27T15:07:00.000-07:00

Well, Saturday is our final Summer Reading Club Event - Cupcake Decorating with Miss Vivian. If you have not signed up, we still have a very few spaces open, so please call South Waco Library at 750-8620 and ask to sign up.

You should also be headed to South Waco before August 15 to pick up your final reading club prizes... turn in your logs and your review cards to be entered into the drawing for an ipod! And get your own free book prize. Remember, selection of titles is limited, so go soon to ensure you get your first choice of a book.

New Books

2011-07-22T10:40:00.000-07:00

Graphic Novels:
Cowboys and Aliens by Fred Van Lente - In 1873 Arizona, the continuous battle between a Native American tribe and white settlers is halted when an alien spaceship lands in the desert with plans to conquer Earth.
Shakespeare's MacBeth by Adam Sexton - A rendering of Shakespeare's play in manga format.
Twelfth Night by Richard Appignanesi - Retells, in comic book format, Shakespeare's comedy about Viola who, upon finding herself shipwrecked, pretends to be a servant but finds herself falling in love with Duke Orsino.
Astro City. The Dark Age vol. 2 by Kurt Busiek - Astro City is a shining metropolis on a hill where super-heroes patrol the skies. However, things were not always as bright as they are today. In the early 1970's, in the wake of a global catastrophe, two brothers, one good and one evil must deal with family secrets and social upheaval, involving heroes from Jack-In-the-Box to the Blue Knight and the unsettling events leading to the final fate of the mysterious Silver Agent.
Grave Sight, Book One by Charlaine Harris - At the age of 15, Harper Connelly was struck by lightning, an event that gave her the ability to find the dead and see how they died. Since then, Harper's scratched out a living selling her services to anyone with a checkbook. It's not the best life, but it beats the alternative -- at least until Harper and her brother Tolliver roll into Sarne, Arkansas and find themselves embroiled in a murder mystery!
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep vols. 3-4 by Philip K. Dick - Rick Deckard is an officially sanctioned bounty hunter tasked to find six rogue androids. They are machines, but look, sound, and think just like humans -- clever and most of all dangerous humans.
Code Geass. Lelouch of the Rebellion. vol. 4 - As a Geass user and enemy of the Britannian empire, Lelouch figures that he will not be able to stay by his sister Nunnally's side. He hopes that his best friend, Suzaku, will be the one to protect her. However, the conflict between Zero, who has created the "Black Knights" to further rebel against Britannia, and Suzaku, who is ranking up in the Britannian Forces, is about to take a turn for the worse...
Cirque du Freak. vol. 10 by Darren Shan - Endeavoring to learn more about who Harkat truly is, Darren and Harkat journey to the Lake of Souls. Facing unending twists, turns, and trials, the two of them eventually find themselves at the edge of a lake teeming with souls. Time to go fishing! If Darren and Harkat can reel in the little person's soul, they might be able to find out more about Harkat's past ... and Mr. Tiny's cruelty. (Volume 9 is coming soon!)
Fairy Tail vols. 13-14 by Hiro Mashima - Master Makarov's grandson, the too-powerful wizard Laxus, has seen the new Fairy Tail guild hall and doesn't like what he sees! So, he gathers some of the strongest wizards in the guild and starts a Fairy Tail civil war!

Nonfiction:
Grammar Girl Presents the Ultimate Writing Guide for Students by Mignon Fogarty - For beginners to more advanced students, this guide covers it all: the parts of speech, sentences, and punctuation are all explained clearly and concisely with the warmth, wit, and accessibility Grammar Girl is known for.

Fiction:
Rites and Wrongs of Janice Wills by Joanna Pearson - Aspiring anthropologist Janice Wills reports on the socio-cultural ordeals of being an almost-seventeen-year-old in Melva, North Carolina, including "Beautiful Rich Girls," parties, and the Miss Livermush pageant.
Miss Peregrin's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs - After a family tragedy, Jacob feels compelled to explore an abandoned orphanage on an island off the coast of Wales, discovering disturbing facts about the children who were kept there.
Legacy by Cayla Kluver - Princess Alera of Hytanica resents that she is duty-bound to wed Steldor, the arrogant and hot-tempered suitor her father has chosen as successor to the throne, but the more she learns of palace intrigue and ancient feuds, the less sure she is of right and wrong.
Cryptic Cravings by Ellen Shrieber (Vampire Kisses) - When Jagger plans to open a new club, goth-girl Raven and her vampire boyfriend, Alexander, must figure out what the nefarious vampire has in store for the Dullsville's vampire population.
Five 4ths of July by Pat Hughes - On July 4th, 1777, fourteen-year-old Jake Mallory and his friends are celebrating their new nation's independence, but over the next four years, Jake finds himself in increasingly adventurous circumstances as he battles British forces, barely survives captivity on a prison ship, and finally returns home to Connecticut, war-torn and weary, but hopeful for America's future.
Benched by Cristy Watson - When Cody and his friends accept a challenge from a local gang to steal a park bench, their main concern is keeping themselves on the gang's good side. But, Cody quickly learns that the theft is no harmless prank.
Long Story Short by Siobhan Parkinson - Fourteen-year-old Jono and his eight-year-old sister Julie run away when, soon after their grandmother's death, their alcoholic mother hits Julie, but when the police find them in Galway, Jono learns he is in big trouble.
Midnight Palace by Carlos Ruiz Zafon - When a mysterious threat reenters the lives of twins Ben and Sheere, separated as babies and reunited as teenagers in 1930s Calcutta, the siblings must confront an unspeakable terror, with the help of their secret society of fellow orphans.
Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma - Sixteen-year-old Maya and seventeen-year-old Lochan tell, in their separate voices, of their confusion and longing as they fall in love with one another after years of functioning as parents to three younger siblings due to their alcoholic mother's neglect.
Fins are Forever by Tera Lynn Childs - Mermaid princess Lily is about to renounce her place in the royal succession of the undersea kingdom of Thalassina and spend her life on land with the boy she loves, until her annoying cousin appears and throws her decision into doubt.
Withering Tights by Louise Rennison - Self-conscious about her knobby knees but confident in her acting ability, fourteen-year-old Tallulah spends the summer at a Yorkshire performing arts camp that, she is surprised to learn, is for girls only.
Now Is the Time for Running by Michael Williams - When soldiers attack a small village in Zimbabwe, Deo goes on the run with Innocent, his older, mentally disabled brother, carrying little but a leather soccer ball filled with money, and after facing prejudice, poverty, and tragedy, it is in soccer that Deo finds renewed hope.
Lost Voices by Sara Porter - Assaulted and left on the cliffs outside of her grim Alaskan fishing village by her abusive, alcoholic uncle, fourteen-year-old Luce expects to die when she tumbles into the icy waters below, but when she instead transforms into a mermaid, she is faced with struggles and choices she could never have imagined.
Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz - When prep school newcomer Emma Conner meets the rich, charming Brendan Salinger, she is instantly attracted to him, but strange visions of her past lives begin warning her to stay away or face a cursed prophecy that she will die.
White Crow by Marcus Sedgewick - Sixteen-year-old Rebecca moves with her father from London to a small, seaside village, where she befriends another motherless girl, and they spend the summer together exploring the village's sinister history.
If I Could Fly by Judith Cofer - When fifteen-year-old Doris' mother, a professional singer, returns to Puerto Rico and her father finds a girlfriend, Doris cares for a neighbor's pigeons and relies on friends as she begins to find her own voice and wings.
Roadside Assistance by Amy Clipston - After her mother dies and she and her father move in with her wealthy aunt and cousin, Emily struggles when her car-loving, tomboy identity and her way of expressing her faith clash with the expectations of others.
My Favorite Band Does Not Exist by Robert Jeschonek - Sixteen-year-old Idea Deity, who believes that he is a character in a novel who will die in the sixty-fourth chapter, has created a fictional underground rock band on the internet which, it turns out, may actually exist, and whose members are wondering who is broadcasting all their personal information.
Scary Scene in a Scary Movie by Matt Blackstone - Rene, a high school freshman with obsessive-compulsive disorder, finds life to be like a scary movie, and even after he makes friends with the ultra-cool Giovanni, he still feels responsible for saving his favorite teacher, dealing with his missing father, courting the beautiful Ariel, and trying to pretend to be normal for the school psychologist.
Dark Territory by J. Gabriel Gates (the Tracks bk. 1) - When high school student Ignacio Torrez moves to an isolated small town and finds himself in the midst of a gang war between the wealthy and the working class students, he is surprised to learn that the gangs adhere to a strict code of honor and use deadly martial arts skills, and even more shocked by the malevolent, mystical powers at the abandoned train tunnel crossing in the middle of town.
Doing My Own Thing: A Fab Novel by Nikki Carter - With a smash album and her own reality show, Sunday Tolliver has finally arrived. But success brings a whole new set of challenges including a diva cousin and a bad-boy rapper who are trying to get payback by wrecking her reputation, a gifted new collaborator who is trying to sabotage her follow-up album, and a more complicated love life.
Summer of Firsts and Lasts by Terra McVoy - When teenaged sisters Daisy, Violet, and Calla spend their last summer together at Camp Callanwolde, the decisions they make -- both good and bad -- bring challenges to their relationship as well as opportunities to demonstrate their devotion to one another.
Plan B by Charnan Simon - Lucy has her life planned out: she'll graduate and then join her boyfriend, Luke, at college in Austin. She'll become a Spanish teacher, and they'll get married. Deciding there's no reason to wait, and despite trying to be careful, Lucy gets pregnant. Now, none of Lucy's options are part of her picture-perfect plan. Together, she and Luke will have to make the most difficult decision of their lives.
Compulsion by Heidi Ayarbe - Poised to lead his high school soccer team to its third straight state championship, seventeen-year-old star player Jake Martin struggles to keep hidden his nearly debilitating obsessive-compulsive disorder.
In the Shadow of the Lamp by Susanne Dunlap - Sixteen-year-old Molly Fraser works as a nurse with Florence Nightingale during the Crimean War to earn a salary to help her family survive in nineteenth-century England.
Hidden Coronet by Catherine Fisher (Relic Master #3) - Sixteen-year-old Raffi and Master Galen continue to evade the Watch as they seek the Flain's Coronet, a potent ancient relic that could be their only hope for defeating the power that is destroying Anara.
Lost Heiress by Catherine Fisher (Relic Master #2) - Even though the city of Tasceron and its emperor have fallen, when Master Galen and his sixteen-year-old apprentice Raffi hear a rumor that the heiress to the throne still lives, they must try to find her and keep her safe.
But I Love Him by Amanda Grace - Traces, through the course of a year, Ann's transformation from a happy A-student, track star, and popular senior to a solitary, abused woman whose love for the emotionally-scarred Connor has taken away everything -- even herself.
Welcome to Bordertown by various authors, edited by Holly Black and Ellen Kushner - Stories and poems set in the urban land of Bordertown, a city on the edge of the faerie and human world, populated by human and elfin runaways.
Hell's Heroes by Darren Shan (Demonata #10) - Bec, Kernel, and Grubbs gear up for the fight of their lives as the final battle between Earth and the hoardes of the Demonata draws near.
Summer Break by Sophia Lowell (Glee #3) - While Mr. Schuester and most of the members of the Glee Club plan to help kids in summer music camp, Rachel has some unusual experiences of her own fulfilling her ambitions to be a star, but she's not sure if they're real or the result of a dream.
The Summer I learned to Fly by Dana Reinhardt - Thirteen-year-old Drew starts the summer of 1986 helping in her mother's cheese shop and dreaming about co-worker Nick, but when her widowed mother begins dating, Drew's father's book of lists, her pet rat, and Emmett, a boy on a quest, help her cope.
Then I Met My Sister by Christine Deriso - Summer Stetson has always lived in the shadow of her dead sister, knowing she can never measure up in any way, but on her seventeenth birthday, her aunt gives her Shannon's diary, which reveals painful but liberating truths about Summer's family and herself.
Subway Girl by P.J. Converse - In Hong Kong, Chan Tze Man, called Simon Chan, leaves high school because he can't master English, but when he befriends Amy, a Chinese-American who knows little Chinese, their unlikely bond gives hope to both.
When the Stars Go Blue by Caredad Ferrer - Soledad Reyes decides to dance Carmen as part of a drum and bugle corps competition, not knowing if it will help or harm her chance of becoming a professional ballet dancer but eager to pursue new options, including a romance with the boy who invited her to audition.
OyMG by Amy Dominy - Fourteen-year-old Ellie will do almost anything to win a scholarship to the best speech school in the country but must decide if she is willing to hide her Jewish heritage while at a Phoenix, Arizona, summer camp that could help her reach her goal.
Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter - Fifteen-year-old Kat Bishop and her fellow talented teenagers work together to find and steal the "Cleopatra Emerald" from an unscrupulous dealer and return it to its rightful owner, while a former love of her Uncle Eddie tries to get the gem for herself.

Summer Review

2011-07-22T07:32:00.000-07:00

Title: Silver Eyes
Author: Nicole Luiken
Rating: 3 stars
Where did this book take you?: Into the year 2089
Review: a thriller and science fiction fan's dream. Keeps you on the edge of your seat!
Reviewer:A. S.