J. K. Rowling News!

So you want to hear some fantastic news? J.K. Rowling attended the annual Easter Egg Roll at the White House where she read from The Sorcerer's Stone (along with musical guests Justin Bieber and the cast of "Glee") and confirmed that there's another book coming. Rowling is "quite sure in the not-too-distant future, I will bring out another book." The even better news? She did not rule out the prospect that at some point she will write a new book which will be set in the Potter Universe!

Twilight News

Stephenie Meyer announced yesterday that there will be a novella (almost 200 pages) published about the newly turned vampire Bree from Eclipse. The book, The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, will be released on June 7 and will be available in print as well as a free e-book for a month.

What do you guys think? Are you excited? Interested to read Bree's story? I'm curious to know how much of it will include Meyer's most popular characters, Bella and Edward and how much of it will be about Bree's life as a newly turned vampire. What I can't figure out is if it's a standalone story based around events in Eclipse or if it will remain safely in the Twilight universe, catching up with the Cullens. In any case, I'm not sure how I feel about it...but what I do know for sure is that I'm not a huge fan of the cover art.

In other YA news, the sequel to Lauren Kate's Fallen will be released on September 28, 2010 and will be called Torment (check out the cover.) Did you guys like Fallen? Are you excited for the next episode in the saga? How did it compare to Twilight? (as there are obvious similarities between the two books.)

Book Review: The Secret Year

I recently read The Secret Year by Jennifer Hubbard. I had been intrigued by the premise for awhile, I must admit I'm a huge fan of clandestine secret love and tortured rich girl/wrong side of the track pairings, especially if they end tragically (for some reason I am a total sucker for tragic relationships.) Because of this odd enjoyment I knew I would probably like The Secret Year. After all, this is a book narrated by Colt, coming to terms with the death of Julia, a girl he was secretly seeing for over a year. So secret that NO ONE knew. And then she dies. And still NO ONE knows. Okay, I'm hooked.

So how was it?

Right before I started reading the book, I read a not so positive review, so I was somewhat apprehensive about how much I would actually like. However I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I was going to, which is saying something....since it already sounded like a book I would like. The Secret Year, like many books I've read recently is built around the "journal" plot device. In this way, Julia's journal (delivered to Colt by her younger brother following her death) supplies her voice from beyond the grave. It's a similar device to the journal in Hold Still and the tapes in 13 Reasons Why and it serves the same function, it provides the back story for Colt and Julia's relationship and it allows Julia to live and breathe as a fully formed character even though she is dead for the entire story. The journal allowed Julia to become more than just a spoiled rich whiny girl slumming with Colt, all the while dating a more accepted boy. The journal explores Julia's relationship with her "real" boyfriend, her struggle with what is expected of her versus what actually makes her happy, her dreams for the future, travel plans, poetry, and her complicated feelings for Colt. I looked forward to Julia's journal entries throughout the book, because they gave everything Colt was feeling more impact and meaning.

The book meanders and doesn't really follow a traditional plot filled with a beginning, a middle and an end. If you crave action this book will probably bore you as there is very of it in. The Secret Year it is a book more about a boy trying to figure out what to do in the aftermath of a tragedy and to come to terms with a loss he is unable to talk about. The little action that is included felt forced. My least favorite parts of the book were the "rich/poor" fight (which felt overdone and unnecessary) and Colt's two romantic entanglements (both which explode in his face.)

The Secret Year provides a snapshot into both Colt and Julia's lives. You get to know them. Their families. Their friends. Their (doomed) relationship. You even get answers and (some) closure.

Mortal Instruments Jewelry

Anyone fans of Cassandra Clare's Moral Instruments series?

I stumbled across this Mortal Instruments jewelry line (jewelry inspired by the book series) today...I actually think a lot of it is pretty cute.

New Books!

I've been taking advantage of all the new YA books at the library and reading a ton! In the past few weeks I've read The Body Finder, Incareron, The Lonely Hearts Club, and A Spy in the House.

I really really really loved Incareron, which suprised me because I've never been big on fantasy books. It had everything I look for in a book:

Eclipse Trailer: It's Here!

Check out the just released Eclipse trailer:



Eclipse hits theatres on June 30th.

New Books at the Tucker Free Library!

We just got a bunch of new YA books!

Here's a quick summary of what's new in the world of YA books at the Tucker Free Library. Currently, the newest YA books are on display at the table to the right of the front desk.



Incarceron, Catherine Fisher

Incarceron is a prison unlike any other: Its inmates live not only in cells, but also in metal forests, dilapidated cities, and unbounded wilderness. The prison has been sealed for centuries, and only one man, legend says, has ever escaped.
           
Finn, a seventeen-year-old prisoner, can’t remember his childhood and believes he came from Outside Incarceron. He’s going to escape, even though most inmates don’t believe that Outside even exists. And then Finn finds a crystal key and through it, a girl named Claudia. 
           
Claudia claims to live Outside—her father is the Warden of Incarceron and she’s doomed to an arranged marriage. If she helps Finn escape, she will need his help in return. But they don’t realize that there is more to Incarceron than meets the eye. Escape will take their greatest courage and cost far more than they know. 
           
Because Incarceron is alive.

The Mark, Jen Nadol

Cassandra Renfield has always seen the mark—a glow around certain people reminiscent of candlelight. But the one time she mentioned it, it was dismissed as a trick of the light. Until the day she watches a man awash in the mark die. After searching her memories, Cassie realizes she can see a person’s imminent death. Not how or where, only when: today.

Armed with a vague understanding of the light, Cassie begins to explore her “gift,” seeking those marked for death and probing the line between decision and destiny. Though she’s careful to hide her secret—even from her new philosophy-obsessed boyfriend—with each impending death comes the temptation to test fate. But so many questions remain. How does the mark work? Why is she the only one who sees it? And finally, the most important of all: If you know today is someone’s last, should you tell them?



Heist Society, Ally Carter

When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre...to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria...to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own--scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving "the life" for a normal life proves harder than she'd expected.Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring her back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat's dad needs her help. For Kat there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in history--or at least her family's (very crooked) history.



Don't Judge a Girl by her Cover, Ally Carter (Gallagher Girls Book 2)

When Cammie "The Chameleon" Morgan visits her roommate Macey in Boston, she thinks she's in for an exciting end to her summer break. After all, she's there to watch Macey's father accept the nomination for vice president of the United States. But when you go to the world's best school (for spies), "exciting" and "deadly" are never far apart. Cammie and Macey soon find themselves trapped in a kidnappers' plot, with only their espionage skills to save them.

As her junior year begins, Cammie can't shake the memory of what happened in Boston, and even the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women doesn't feel like the safe haven it once did. Shocking secrets and old flames seem to lurk around every one of the mansion's corners as Cammie and her friends struggle to answer the questions, Who is after Macey? And how can the Gallagher Girls keep her safe?

Soon Cammie is joining Bex and Liz as Macey's private security team on the campaign trail. The girls must use their spy training at every turn as the stakes are raised, and Cammie gets closer and closer to the shocking truth.



The Sky is Everywhere, Jandy Nelson

Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey’s boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie’s own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they’re the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can’t collide without the whole wide world exploding.This remarkable debut is perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Francesca Lia Block. Just as much a celebration of love as it is a portrait of loss, Lennie’s struggle to sort her own melody out of the noise around her is always honest, often hilarious, and ultimately unforgettable.



The Lonely Hearts Club, Elizabeth Eulberg

Penny is sick of boys and sick of dating. So she vows: no more. It's a personal choice. . .and, of course, soon everyone wants to know about it. And a few other girls are inspired. A movement is born: The Lonely Hearts Club (named after the band from Sgt. Pepper). Penny is suddenly known for her nondating ways . . . which is too bad, because there's this certain boy she can't help but like. . . .



Boys, Girls & Other Hazardous Materials, Rosalind Wiseman

Looking for a new beginning after a terrible mean girl past, Charlie Healey realizes there's no escaping high school drama.

Charlie Healey thinks Harmony Falls is the beginning of a whole new life. Middle school was brutal. But high school is Charlie's big chance to start over and stay out of drama, except that on her first day she runs into Will, her ex–best friend, who had moved away. Now a varsity athlete and hotter than Charlie remembered, Will hangs with the crowd running the school. But Charlie doesn't understand their power until an innocent delivery guy falls victim to a near-deadly hazing prank.

Torn between doing what's right and her secret feelings for Will, Charlie must decide whether to turn in her very best friend or live with the guilt of knowing what he did.



Tangled, Carolyn Mackler

Paradise wasn't supposed to suck.

Not the state of being, but a resort in the Caribbean.

Jena, Dakota, Skye, and Owen are all there for different reasons, but at Paradise their lives become tangled together in ways none of them can predict. Paradise will change them all.

It will change Jena, whose first brush with romance takes her that much closer to having a life, and not just reading about those infinitely cooler and more exciting.

It will change Dakota, who needs the devastating truth about his past to make him realize that he doesn't have to be a jerk just because people think he's one.

It will change Skye, a heartbreakingly beautiful actress, who must come to terms with the fact that for once she has to stop playing a role or face the consequences.

And it will change Owen, who has never risked anything before and who will take the leap from his online life to a real one all because of a girl he met at Paradise. . . .

From confused to confident and back again, one thing's certain: Four months after it all begins, none of them will ever be the same.



Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side, Beth Fantaskey

The undead can really screw up your senior year . . .

Marrying a vampire definitely doesn’t fit into Jessica Packwood’s senior year “get-a-life” plan. But then a bizarre (and incredibly hot) new exchange student named Lucius Vladescu shows up, claiming that Jessica is a Romanian vampire princess by birth—and he’s her long-lost fiancé. Armed with newfound confidence and a copy of Growing Up Undead: A Teen Vampire’s Guide to Dating, Health, and Emotions, Jessica makes a dramatic transition from average American teenager to glam European vampire princess. But when a devious cheerleader sets her sights on Lucius, Jess finds herself fighting to win back her wayward prince, stop a global vampire war—and save Lucius’s soul from eternal destruction.



Magic Under Glass, Jaclyn Dolamore

Nimira is a foreign music-hall girl forced to dance for mere pennies. When wealthy sorcerer Hollin Parry hires her to sing with a piano-playing automaton, Nimira believes it is the start of a new and better life. In Parry's world, however, buried secrets are beginning to stir. Unsettling below-stairs rumors swirl about ghosts, a madwoman roaming the halls, and Parry's involvement with a league of sorcerers who torture fairies for sport. Then Nimira discovers the spirit of a fairy gentleman named Erris is trapped inside the clockwork automaton, waiting for someone to break his curse. The two fall into a love that seems hopeless, and breaking the curse becomes a race against time, as not just their love, but the fate of the entire magical world may be in peril.



The Dead Tossed Waves, Carrie Ryan (sequel to The Forest of Hands and Teeth)

Gabry lives a quiet life. As safe a life as is possible in a town trapped between a forest and the ocean, in a world teeming with the dead, who constantly hunger for those still living. She’s content on her side of the Barrier, happy to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. But there are threats the Barrier cannot hold back. Threats like the secrets Gabry’s mother thought she left behind when she escaped from the Sisterhood and the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Like the cult of religious zealots who worship the dead. Like the stranger from the forest who seems to know Gabry. And suddenly, everything is changing. One reckless moment, and half of Gabry’s generation is dead, the other half imprisoned. Now Gabry only knows one thing: she must face the forest of her mother’s past in order to save herself and the one she loves.



The Monstrumologist, Rick Yancey

These are the secrets I have kept. This is the trust I never betrayed. But he is dead now and has been for nearly ninety years, the one who gave me his trust, the one for whom I kept these secrets. The one who saved me . . . and the one who cursed me.

So starts the diary of Will Henry, orphan and assistant to a doctor with a most unusual specialty: monster hunting. In the short time he has lived with the doctor, Will has grown accustomed to his late night callers and dangerous business. But when one visitor comes with the body of a young girl and the monster that was eating her, Will's world is about to change forever. The doctor has discovered a baby Anthropophagus--a headless monster that feeds through a mouth in its chest--and it signals a growing number of Anthropophagi. Now, Will and the doctor must face the horror threatenning to overtake and consume our world before it is too late.



The Body Finder, Kimberly Derting

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat left for her. But now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself.

Check the new books out...Let me know what you think!

The Dark Divine: Book Review

I finished The Dark Divine by Bree Despain last week...and absolutely loved it. I highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the Twilight series or Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver or supernatural romances in general, be it vampires, warewolves, fairies, etc. What I appreciated about The Dark Divine was although it was definitely a supernatural romance it was more than that and the heroine was fully formed and relatable. Grace had a life outside her love interest, Daniel and cared about things besides being with him every second of the day (unlike cough Bella Swan cough). She cared about her family, her friends, art and school. She also had a future planned that didn't simply revolve being with Daniel, which was really it was refreshing. I also liked that Grace and Daniel didn't run into each other one day in school and fall in love at first sight. It was nice that they had a history and were childhood friends, it made the love story (and the story in general) matter more, because there was a foundation, a history, and something at stake. I also liked the mystery surrounding bad boy Daniel, his unexplained falling out with Grace's father and brother, and his disappearance and subsequent return. It kept me guessing until the very last pages. Also, with Grace's dad a minister, it was a unique family unit and religion served as an interesting backdrop for a supernatural story. I also liked the historical element that Despain wove into the story, and how religion served its part in moving the story along, so that Minister Divine didn't seem just like a tacked on component of the story. All in all, it's a great book, and I highly recommend it (it's also got a really beautiful cover...and you know how much I love pretty covers.)

Percy Jackson: movie review, YA movie news

I finished The Last Olympian on Saturday, and was really excited to see the movie a few days later...I ended up seeing the Percy Jackson movie on Monday; and honestly, I have to say I was rather disappointed. I hate when movies needlessly change plots and characters in beloved books. And in this case, the changes weren't necessary and didn't do anything to improve the story (or in this case, the movie). Like, for instance, they completely left Clarisse COMPLETELY. And any mention of Ares (one of my favorite gods in the book series). They also made Percy 16 in the first movie, instead of 12. Introduced a love interest in Annabeth almost immediately and threw out a lot of (usual) back story/mythology Riordan created about the gods (Poseidon in Bermuda shorts for instance)/their relationships with their children/the gods dropping in and "helping" Percy, Annabeth, and Grover along the way. AND DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON LUKE. I thought one of the greatest strengths of the The Lightning Thief was the surprising reveal, near the very end of the book, that Luke was evil. The tarantula scene still haunts me, particularly because this was a boy who Percy trusted and who he considered a friend. None of that relationship was built up in the movie, and Luke ended up coming off like a spoiled pouty child having a temper tantrum.

Okay. End rant.

Have you guys had a chance to check out the new YA books? What have you been particularly enjoying? I started Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater and have been really enjoying it. It's nice to see a wolf not in competition with a vampire. I've been anxiously waiting for The Dark Divine to come back in, as I'm really excited to read that.

Speaking of Shiver, the movie version now has a writer attached to pen the script. And in other movie news, Scott Westerfeld's Uglies series is being made into movies too. New broke last summer that the series would be made into movies, but in the months following no progress was made. Now however, Screen Gems has fast tracked the a film version of the series. Anyone fans of the Uglies series? I tried to read Pretties but just couldn't get into it. Should I give the series another try?

Hunger Games Fans?

For those of you out there who might be Hunger Games fans, I have big news. The third (and final) book in the trilogy, which will be released in August, now has a name: Mockingjay. (It has previously been referred to as Hunger Games Book 3.) It also has a cover, featuring, you guessed it a mockingjay. I like the symmetry between three book covers. On the cover of book 1 you have Katniss' gold mockingjay pin, on Catching Fire you have a more realistic looking mockingjay which looks as though it is attempting to fly free of the wheel [of fate?] it's attached to, and the third book shows a real mockingjay completely free. My friend, another Young Adult Librarian, took issue with the background color, saying the sky blue was too optimistic for the series, but I kind of like it. Fans of the series are already looking to the cover for clues as to who Katniss will ultimately end up with; fellow contestant and baker's son Peeta Mellark or childhood friend/hunting partner Gale Hawthorne. I'm not sure how much I'm able to read into the cover about this, at all, but that's just me.

So what about you guys? Are you Team Peeta? Team Gale? I find this blog entry entertaining, and the casting (for the upcoming Hunger Games movie) spot on. I'm going to start reading Catching Fire next week, but as of this moment, I must confess I am a big Team Peeta fan. Coincidentally, we recently got Catching Fire here at the Tucker Free Library, so stop by and check it out.

If you're looking for more information about the release of the third book and it's cover, check out publisher's weekly article here.

Review: All Unquiet Things

I started Anna Jarzab's All Unquiet Things at 6:30 on Friday night, and I finished it at approximately 11. That same night. It's absolutely fantastic. It is by far the best book I've read this year (yes yes, I know it's only February, but it's still a very true claim.) All Unquiet Things follows two high school students, withdrawn and sulky Neily and ostracized former "it girl" Audrey as they attempt to band together to uncover who killed Carly the year before. Narrated by both, in alternating sections, their motivations for uncovering who really killed Carly are complicated by their personal history to her. Carly is Neily's ex-girlfriend (who he has never quite gotten over) and Audrey's best friend/cousin. Oh, and Audrey's father is the one who is in jail for killing Carly.

All Unquiet Things is smart. It's immensely readable. Neily and Audrey, though flawed and devestated by Carly's death, are utterly relatable and we understand why this quest is so important to them, because we understand how important Carly was to them (despite her numerous faults). This book reminded me of Veronica Mars in the best way possible. They both had a Lilly Kane tragic figure, a murder mystery with a killer no one ever saw coming, a realistic film noir tone, flashbacks which helped give the victim a life and a history and made her someone who we, like the determined characters, cared about, and two people coming together to discover the truth.




I urge you to check out this book. It's different than a lot of the supernatural romances which are raging right now. It's set in the real world, but it's in a shady underbelly of corruption and dark secrets which is totally addicting, even if we'd never want to live there ourselves.

P.S. If you haven't seen Veronica Mars you need to Netflix it. It'll change your life. Everyone I've forced to start watching it has become addicted.

Percy Jackson!

So any Percy Jackson and the Olympian fans? I recently started reading the series (I'll admit it, after seeing a really cool looking preview for The Lighting Thief) and I have really been enjoying it (I'm currently halfway through the fourth book.) I find the dynamic between Percy and Annabeth really interesting, I love all the characters (even Clarisse, and Luke [[surprisingly]]) and I have really been enjoying how Rick Riordan weaves Greek mythology into an exciting adventure story. (A particular favorite of mine was Medusa popping up at a bizarre roadside antique store/fast food diner/stone sculpture place in The Lighting Thief). I'm really excited about  seeing how Riordan ties everything up in the fifth and final book, The Last Olympian, although I must confess much like reaching the final Harry Potter book (The Deathly Hallows, I don't want this series to end.

Incidentally, I am insanely excited for the movie (out February 12th) because I really feel this is a series which would lend itself nicely to film. (and the previews look awesome! Although I kind of wish that Annabeth had blonde hair, like she does in the books.)

Thoughts?

Holden Caulfield and his Literary Legacy

 J.D. Salinger, the enigmatic author of The Catcher in the Rye passed away yesterday of natural causes at 91 years old. As a fan of Catcher in the Rye I was thrilled to discover an article written by David Levithan (author of Boy Meets Boy, Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist, and The Realm of Possibility among others) about Catcher in the Rye's enduring impact on young adult literature. If you're at all a fan of Catcher in the Rye, Salinger, Levithan, or young adult literature it's a really great read. Check it out here at the Wall Street Online.

Levithan writes:

Probably the most popular thing I’ve ever read during school visits is a piece from one of my novels called “My girlfriend is in love with Holden Caulfield.” No matter where I am in America, no matter if I’m talking to freshmen or seniors, guys or girls, every time I say the title, at least half the class knows exactly what I’m talking about. I often say that “The Catcher in the Rye” is the second most misread book in history – when you’re young, you don’t really see Holden’s pain, only his bravado. Then, when you get older, you see the sorrow and confusion underneath. And the book gets even stronger for it.

If you want to check out his short story, "My girlfriend is in love with Holden Caulfield" you can check it out here [it's a great read, and a nice introduction into David Levithan, if you've never had the pleasure of reading him before.] 

Any Salinger fans out there? What did you guys think about Holden Caulfield? Catcher in the Rye?

Hold Still: the review

I recently finished Hold Still by Nina LaCour. I was excited to read it; as I had heard tons of praise about it and countless comparisons to Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why. Now, I absolutely loved Thirteen Reasons Why, I rank it in top ten books of 2009...so I guess I can't blame Hold Still for leaving me a bit underwhelmed. (I mean realistically, that is a lot of pressure to live up to, and perhaps I was setting myself up for at least a little disappointment.) The story follows Caitlin in the days, weeks, and months following her best friend Ingrid's suicide.  In the aftermath of the tragic event, Caitlin stumbles upon Ingrid's journal and in this discovery, finds a portal into a world where she can still connect with Ingrid. I liked the premise of this book. It's not surprising that it keeps getting compared to Thirteen Reasons, which had a similar suicide/messages from the dead setup. Only, Asher took it so much further in Thirteen Reasons. In Hold Still I had a hard time knowing and understanding Ingrid. She often felt whiny, petty and bratty to me. I found myself wishing I could get to know the Ingrid who Caitlin knew (as she obviously loved/worshipped Ingrid). I only got a glimpse at a very depressed girl, out of control girl making bad decisions and blaming everyone else.  Regardless, I enjoyed the book. Caitlin's struggle to pick up the pieces is simultaneously heartbreaking and encouraging, a testament to the power of people to heal. She is ultimately, whether she realizes it or not, able to build her life back up again (with new friends, new experiences (she builds a treehouse), and the rediscovery of old loves (photography, and her photo teacher.) I recommend the book, although if you have already read Thirteen Reasons, try not to be too disappointed.

*Hold Still is currently on display with new YA books on the table to the right of the main desk upstairs.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Trailer

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid trailer has officially hit the web. I myself haven't read any of the books in this outrageously popular series, but people seem to love them. We just got the fourth book in the series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days at the library.

Beautiful Creatures Book Trailer

I stumbled upon this really cool "book trailer" for Beatuiful Creatures today...check it out! It's actually really faithful to the story, so if you find yourself at all intrigued, stop by and pick up the book.

New Books

I promised a post about the YA books that have arrived at the Tucker Free Library, so here we go:  

Fallen by Lauren Kate (which I mentioned in my earlier post and which I'm currently reading/listening to).  

There's something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price's attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He's the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce--and goes out of his way to make that very clear--she can't let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame,  

 she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, Fallen is a page turning thriller and the ultimate love story.

 

 So think Twilight at reform school in the South, only BETTER. And as far as I'm aware, not written by a mormon. I've really been enjoying it, and I haven't even gotten to the great big angel/supernatural twist/explanation of repeating the past over and over again and never being able to be with each other reveal (I am imagining this is the great big reveal, based on hints.) I recommend checking it out, especially if you were a fan of Twilight or like forbidden/dangerous love. Alas, as far as I can tell Daniel doesn't have sparkling capabilities (but it could still be too soon to tell, I'll keep you posted)

 

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

Five months ago, Valerie Leftman's boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Shot trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saved the life of a classmate, but was implicated in the shootings because of the list she helped create. A list of people and things she and Nick hated. The list he used to pick his targets.

Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life.  

This book has won many awards, including best début author, and I'm looking forward to reading it. The plot actually reminds me of something Laurie Halse Anderson would write and if the advance praise Jennifer Brown is getting is any indicator, it's good.  

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan. (NOTE: you can check out a really great review of The Forest of Hands and Teeth on amazon from Scott Westerfeld, who wrote the Uglies series and So Yesterday among others.)   

In Mary's world, there are simple truths.

The Sisterhood always knows best.

The Guardians will protect and serve.

The Unconsecrated will never relent.

And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village. The fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth.

 

Now she must choose between her village and her future, between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded by so much death?  

A friend of mine (who, full disclosure, is also a Youth Services Librarian) urged me to read The Forest of Hands and Teeth. What can I say? I love a good zombie story (and a zombie+apocalypse+love story+survival story? =perfection if you ask me.) This actually reminds me of The Hunger Games, which had apocalypse+maybe love story+survival. I of course, LOVED The Hunger Games (yes yes, you know!),  so I'm looking forward to this one as well.  

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld  

 

 It is the cusp of World War I, and all the European powers are arming up. The Austro-Hungarians and Germans have their Clankers, steam-driven iron machines loaded with guns and ammunition. The British Darwinists employ fabricated animals as their weaponry. Their Leviathan is a whale airship, and the most masterful beast in the British fleet.  

Aleksandar Ferdinand, prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battle-torn Stormwalker and a loyal crew of men.  

Deryn Sharp is a commoner, a girl disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She's a brilliant airman. But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered.  

With the Great War brewing, Alek's and Deryn's paths cross in the most unexpected way...taking them both aboard the Leviathan on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure. One that will change both their lives forever.  

Speaking of Scott Westerfeld we now have his new book, described as a steampunk fantasty fantasy adventure. If you're a fan of Westerfeld, you'll enjoy it. Anyone read the Uglies series?  

Hold Still by Nina LaCour  

dear caitlin, there are so many things that i want so badly to tell you but i just can’t.  

Devastating, hopeful, hopeless, playful . . . in words and illustrations, Ingrid left behind a painful farewell in her journal for Caitlin. Now Caitlin is left alone, by loss and by choice, struggling to find renewed hope in the wake of her best friend’s suicide. With the help of family and newfound friends, Caitlin will encounter first love, broaden her horizons, and start to realize that true friendship didn’t die with Ingrid. And the journal which once seemed only to chronicle Ingrid’s descent into depression, becomes the tool by which Caitlin once again reaches out to all those who loved Ingrid—and Caitlin herself.  

Anyone read Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why? It follows a similar story, someone dealing with the aftermath of a suicide and trying to understand WHY. Thirteen Reasons Why was one of my favorite books of 2008, so I'm curious to read Hold Still, since instead of being a classmate this is someone's best friend who commits suicide.   

The Everafter by Amy Huntley  

Madison Stanton doesn't know where she is or how she got there. But she does know this—she is dead. And alone, in a vast, dark space. The only company she has in this place are luminescent objects that turn out to be all the things Maddy lost while she was alive. And soon she discovers that with these artifacts, she can reexperience—and sometimes even change—moments from her life.  

Her first kiss.  

A trip to Disney World.  

Her sister's wedding.  

A disastrous sleepover.  

In reliving these moments, Maddy learns illuminating and sometimes frightening truths about her life—and death.  

This is a haunting and ultimately hopeful novel about the beauty of even the most insignificant moments—and the strength of true love even beyond death.  

This is another one which has been getting raved reviews and another by a first time author. I'm curious to see how the author will handle it, especially since it's really supposed to be about the healing power of life and love and not about the girl's death.  

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Peterson  

There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that's what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave. 

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything. 

You guys know I've been raving about this book for months. So I'm not going to say anything else about it. But it comes highly recommended and I urge you to check it out.

 

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater  

  

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again.Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever. 

 

This is another book I've been dying to read. Fans of Jacob Black will surely find themselves sucked into this world where the wolf gets the girl.

 

The Circle of Blood and The Angel of Death by Alane Ferguson

Book two and three in Ferguson's Forensic Mystery series (the first was The Christopher Killer which we also have here at the Tucker Free Library). If you are a fan of forensic science, mysteries and thrillers, and CSI check out this captivating series.

 

 

Blood Fever, Double or Die, and Hurricane Gold by Charlie Higson 

Books two, three, and four in the Young Bond series (book onem which we also have, is Silverfin). The adventure stories follow bond before he became Bond.

 

 

 

 

Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan

 

Tender Morsels is a dark and vivid story, set in two worlds and worrying at the border between them. Liga lives modestly in her own personal heaven, a world given to her in exchange for her earthly life. Her two daughters grow up in this soft place, protected from the violence that once harmed their mother. But the real world cannot be denied forever—magicked men and wild bears break down the borders of Liga’s refuge. Now, having known Heaven, how will these three women survive in a world where beauty and brutality lie side by side?

 

Winner of the Printz award this year. It is being described as a twisted dark fairy tale.

 

 

Million-Dollar Throw by Mike Lupica

 

 Nate should be excited. But things have been tough lately. His dad lost his job and his family is losing their home. It’s no secret that a million dollars would go a long way. So all Nate feels is pressure, and just when he needs it most, his golden arm begins to fail him. Even worse, his best friend Abby is going blind, slowly losing her ability to do the one thing she loves most—paint. Yet Abby never complains, and she is Nate’s inspiration. He knows she’ll be there when he makes the throw of a lifetime. 

Lupica's latest (we also have Heat, The Big Field, Hot Hand, Long Shot, Two-Minute Drill, Summer Ball, and Travel Team) is a sport story with heart.  

 

Liar by Justine Larbalestier  

Micah will freely admit that she’s a compulsive liar, but that may be the one honest thing she’ll ever tell you. Over the years she’s duped her classmates, her teachers, and even her parents, and she’s always managed to stay one step ahead of her lies. That is, until her boyfriend dies under brutal circumstances and her dishonesty begins to catch up with her. But is it possible to tell the truth when lying comes as naturally as breathing? Taking readers deep into the psyche of a young woman who will say just about anything to convince them—and herself—that she’s finally come clean, Liar is a bone-chilling thriller that will have readers see-sawing between truths and lies right up to the end. Honestly.   

This book recieved a lot of press recently and much of it came from the "cover controversy" (the controversy surrounding the fact that the main character is African-American yet was pictured as white on the first cover, check out this article here and here). However, the book has held its own in the fact of the critical onslaught (only over the cover, not having anything to do with the actual book, which has recieved nothing but praise). It sounds great, I'm a sucker for an unreliable narrated, it makes it a puzzle to read.  

Twilight--The Graphic Novel

There's a Twilight graphic novel on the way. Check out Entertainment Weekly for an exclusive sneak peek of the book (cover, excerpt, artwork), as well as a short interview with Stephenie Meyers. 

They have also released a new poster for the movie version of the first book in Rick Riordan's popular Percy Jackson series, The Lightning Thief. The movie version hits theatres on February 12th. I for one am very excited about this, having just finished reading The Lightning Thief  I think it's a book which will really translate well to a movie. (And yes, I'm optimistic despite the fact that it's directed by the same guy who did Harry Potter I/II, which you guys know are not "books to movies" I'm especially fond of.) 

 

New Books at the Tucker Free Library!

So as I promised here's a post of the new YA books which have arrived at the Tucker Free Library.

Fallen (which I mentioned in my previous post) by Lauren Kate.

There's something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price's attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He's the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce--and goes out of his way to make that very clear--she can't let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, Fallen is a page turning thriller and the ultimate love story.

So think Twilight at a southern reform school, featuring angels and not vampires. I've really been enjoying it so far (and I haven't even gotten to the angels reveal yet), and I recommend you guys check it out. Sidenote: unfortunately Daniel doesn't seem to sparkly (minus one?)

Angels? The new Vampire?

I started reading Lauren Kate's Fallen over the weekend (which FYI we ordered for the Tucker Free Library; see my upcoming post on new YA books!) and it's about a girl who finds herself at reform school (under suspicious supernatural circumstances and finds herself face to face with two dueling fallen angels.) Or so I've heard. I haven't gotten to any fallen angels yet. But I have been introduced to a very interesting protagonist in Luce, and not one, but TWO cute love interests, no sight of wings yet.

Speaking of angels...they just might be emerging as the new trend in YA fiction.  In other words, it might be time for Edward Cullen to move on over and make way for angels, and not necessarily in any religious sort of way. In fact,  "many of these next-gen protagonists are more badass than biblical — rebels, rockers and villains among them."

So where can you find these angels?



Fallen by Lauren Kate of course, which is the first of a planned four book series. The movie rights have also been spanned up by Disney à la Twilight.

Another is Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick, which seems to have a setup much like Twilight girl meets impossibly beautiful boy in school, spends 200 pages obsessing about him. His name is Patch not Edward though. I love the cover, you can check out this really interesting post about the cover and you can hear the author and the cover designer's prospective take on the cover.



There are also YA books which features angels who are not tortured and angsty, but are instead comical angels or guardian angels.  There is Elizabeth Chandler's Kissed by an Angel trilogy, which finds a girl's dead boyfriend return to her as her guardian angel and Suzanne Selfors's Coffeehouse Angel  which also features a funny guardian angel.

Of course there is also Libby Bray's Going Bovine which includes a punk angel (NOTE: we have Going Bovine here at the Tucker Free Library so check it out!)

And in Timothy Carter's Evil? there is a fallen angel in a Canadian town wrecking havoc. It also have a really fantastic cover!

I'll post a proper review of Fallen once I finish it and then you guys can look for it here at the library.