Monday, July 26, 2010

Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow

Dru's psychic abilities helped her father battle zombies and other creatures, but now she must rely on herself, a werewolf-bitten friend, and a half-human vampire hunter to learn who murdered her parents, and why. This action-packed title has a butt-kicking yet relatable heroine in Dru. Sequels, Betrayals and Jealousy, can be reserved now.
KC

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Cures for Heartbreak by Margo Rabb

As she navigates adolescence, ninth-grader Mia must deal with her mother's recent death and her father's illness while she searches for friendship and love in the world around her. Cures for Heartbreak explores everyday life in the face of family tragedy, offering hope, humor and a light touch of romance along with sorrow and loss.
KC

Gone by Michael Grant

Reminiscent of Lord of the Flies, Gone, by Michael Grant, shows a small town on the coast of California where everyone over the age of 14 suddenly disappears, setting up a battle between the remaining town residents and the students from a local private school, as well as those who have "The Power" and are able to perform supernatural feats and those who do not. Also in the series are Hunger and Lies.

Book_Buddy

Sunday, July 18, 2010

House of Night Series by P.C. Cast

Sixteen-year-old Zoey Redbird is Marked as a fledgling vampyre and joins the House of Night, where she will train to become an adult vampyre. This mixture of fantasy, horror and romance will leave readers with enough unanswered questions to keep them hungry for the next book in the series, Book seven, Burned, is now available.
KC

Book 1 Marked
Book 2 Betrayed
Book 3 Chosen
Book 4 Untamed
Book 5 Tempted
Book 6 Hunted
Book 7 Burned

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Sweethearts by Sarah Zarr

After losing her soul mate, Cameron, when they were nine, Jennifer, now seventeen, transformed herself from the unpopular fat girl into the beautiful and popular Jenna. Cameron's unexpected return dredges up memories that cause both social and emotional turmoil. Sweethearts is a bittersweet story driven by Jenna's quests to reconcile past trauma, find self-acceptance, and rediscover a once-powerful relationship.
KC

Monday, July 12, 2010

Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Whether you are remembering your high school years or in the midst of them, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a classic. More intimate than a diary, Charlie's letters are unique, hilarious and devastating. Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it puts Charlie on a strange course through uncharted territory.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Black Duck by Janet Taylor Lisle

There are two parallel stories in this book. The modern story serves as a segway for the legendary story of the rum running ship called the Black Duck. The story begins with David Peterson, a boy who wants to be a reporter; however he will be unsuccessful unless he can report on a good story. Determined, David sets off to find and interview, Ruben Hart, an elder man rumored to have been a rumrunner. This interview takes the reader back to Ruben’s youth when Ruben and his best friend Jeddy find a dead body on the Rhode Island shore. They are certain it has something to do with smuggling liquor. The timeline is set in the 1920s and Prohibition is in full swing, and almost everyone in the shore community is involved. The dead body turns out to be an important gang member, and as Reuben and Jeddy pursue answers, they are trapped in a web of deceitful activities, ending in a Coast Guard shooting. The author explores the historical subject of Prohibition as well as various underlying social themes. She shows the difficulty of staying honest when everyone else is breaking the law including the local authorities. The framing device of having the modern day boy listening to the story provides a surprise twist at the end. The characterization and suspenseful plot make this an entertaining, accessible historical mystery for middle school teens.

Recommended for Grades 6-8
Mary Beth

Thursday, July 8, 2010

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Teen books are traditionally angst-ridden, but Sherman Alexie combines it with humor in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. As an author of adult books, this fiction book for teens is semi autobiographical about a budding cartoonist who leaves his troubled school on the Spokane Indian Reservation to attend an all-white farm town school where the only other Indian is the school mascot. This book is a great example of humorous fiction that both teens and adults would enjoy reading.
Book_Buddy

Bonechiller by Graham McNamee

Four high school students face off against a soul-stealing beast that has been making young people disappear in their small Ontario Canada town for centuries. A creature feature with breakneck pacing, chilling atmosphere and an action-packed ending.
KC

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

Val created the Hate List with her boyfriend, Nick, who used it as a hit list in a school shooting. Though Val had a hand in creating the list, she tried to stop Nick and was wounded in the process. This gut-wrenching, powerful novel explores Val's guilt and recovery from this horrific incident.
MA