New Books for June...Finally! (Part 2)

The Cage by Megan Sheperd

Science Fiction 

Cora wakes up in a cage on an alien planet where she meets the Kindred, her mysterious alien captors, and along with other teenager abductees must find a way to escape back to Earth.

 

Cameron and the Girls by Edward Averett

Contemporary Fiction 

Fourteen-year-old Cameron Galloway of Lexington, Washington, understands that he has schizophreniform disorder and needs to take pills to quiet the voices in his head. But he likes the voices, especially the gentle, encouraging voice of The Girl. Conflicted, he turns to his friend Nina Savage, who is clinically depressed and can relate to his horror of the numbing effects of medication. They make a pact to ditch the pills. At first they feel triumphant, but soon Cameron's untreated mind goes haywire--to disastrous effect. 

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sara J. Maas

Fantasy 

 Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from stories, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin, a High Lord of the faeries. As her feelings toward him transform from hostility to a firey passion, the threats against the faerie lands grow. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose Tamlin forever.

 Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge

Fantasy 

Rachelle must protect the king's bastard son while searching for the weapons that will save her world from endless night.

 The Devil and Winnie Flynn by Micol Ostow

Paranormal 

While working as a production assistant on her aunt's television show about the paranormal, a seventeen-year-old girl discovers a psychic ability of her own, which may provide clues to her mother's death.

April Books bring May...more books! (April new books part 3)

The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

Fantasy

In the town of Fairfold, where humans and fae exist side by side, a boy with horns on his head and ears as pointed as knives awakes after generations of sleep in a glass coffin in the woods, causing Hazel to be swept up in new love, shift her loyalties, feel the fresh sting of betrayal, and to make a secret sacrifice to the faerie king.

The Doubt Factory by Paolo Bacigalupi

Action/Adventure

When a radical band of teen activists claim that Alix's powerful father covers up wrongdoing by corporations that knowingly allow innocent victims to die in order to make enormous profits from unsafe products, she must decide if she will blow the whistle on his misdeeds.

Dragonball 3-in-1 vol 5 by Akira Toriyama

Graphic Novel

King Piccolo is all set for world domination, but first he needs to gather the seven Dragon Balls together to restore his youth. Goku and his friends are fighting to stop Piccolo, but things are looking grim for the good guys as Piccolo picks them off one by one. Their only hope is a martial arts move known as the “Mafū-Ba,” a technique so powerful that it killed the last person who used it. But that won’t stop Kame-Sen’nin and Tenshinhan from trying it, even if it means forfeiting their own lives in the process!

 

Fairy Tail volumes 15 & 16 by Hiro Mashima

Graphic Novel

Volume 15: Laxus' protectors have all been defeated, but he still remains one of the most powerful wizards in Fairy Tail, and his Thunderous 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?

Volume 16: The dark guilds have allied, and the only thing that Fairy Tail can do to stop them is to ally with three other guilds and try to take on the most powerful wizards in the underworld.  But the dark guild wizards won't wait for our heroes to make the first move!  This volume begins the epic Nirvana storyline!

Gabi, a Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero

Contemporary Fiction

Sixteen-year-old Gabi Hernandez chronicles her senior year in high school as she copes with her friend Cindy's pregnancy, friend Sebastian's coming out, her father's meth habit, her own cravings for food and cute boys, and especially, the poetry that helps forge her identity.

New year, new books ~ Happy 2015! (part 1)

100 Questions You'd Never Ask Your Parents by Elisabeth Henderson & Nancy Armstrong, MD

A guide for teens about sex and related topics draws on the expertise of a psychologist and an OB/GYN to offer answers to questions on a wide range of subjects that teenagers may be reluctant to discuss with adults.

The Accidental Highwayman by Ben Tripp

In eighteenth-century England, young Christopher "Kit" Bristol unwittingly takes on the task of his dead master, notorious highwayman Whistling Jack, who pledged a fairy he would rescue feisty Princess Morgana from an arranged marriage with King George III.

Alex Rider: Russian Roulette: The Story of an Assassin by Anthony Horowitz

The final book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series! Alex Rider's life changed forever with the silent pull of a trigger . Every story has a beginning. For teen secret agent Alex Rider, that beginning occurred prior to his first case for MI6, known by the code name Stormbreaker. By the time Stormbreaker forever changed Alex's life, his uncle had been murdered by the assassin Yassen Gregorovich, leaving Alex orphaned and craving revenge. Yet when Yassen had a clear shot to take out Alex after he foiled the Stormbreaker plot, he let Alex live. Why ? This is Yassen's story. 

Anatomy of a Girl Gang by Ashley Little

Recounts the experiences of the five members of the all-girl gang of Vacouver, the "Black Roses."

Arm Knitting: Chunky Cowls, Scarves, and Other No-Needle Knits by Linda Zemba Burhance

Newtown designer Linda Zemba Burhance is the authorof this arm knitting book, published by The Taunton Press. Arm knitting is a technique in which big arm loops are "cast on" to a person's arms just below the wrists. You knit using your arms as needles, and can make everything from scarves to dresses. 

Ask Again Later by Liz Czukas

Instead of a "No Drama Prom-a" with a group of friends, seventeen-year-old Heart LaCoeur must choose between two boys with good reasons for asking her, but a flip of a coin leads not to one date but two complete--and very different--prom nights.

New Books for a New School Year - September books part 6

The Girl Who Never Was by Skylar Dorset

THE GIRL WHO NEVER WAS is the story of Selkie Stewart, who thinks she’s a totally normal teenager growing up in Boston. Sure, her father is in an insane asylum, her mother left her on his doorstep—literally—when she was a baby, and she’s being raised by two ancient aunts who spend their time hunting gnomes in their Beacon Hill townhouse. But other than that her life is totally normal! She’s got an adventurous best friend who’s always got her back and an unrequited crush on an older boy named Ben. Just like any other teenager, right?  When Selkie goes in search of the mother she’s never known, she gets more than she bargained for. It turns out that her mother is faerie royalty, which would make Selkie a faerie princess—except for the part where her father is an ogre, which makes her only half of anything. Even more confusing, there’s a prophecy that Selkie is going to destroy the tyrannical Seelie Court, which is why her mother actually wants to kill her. Selkie has been kept hidden all her life by her adoring aunts, with the help of a Salem wizard named Will. And Ben. Because the boy she thinks she’s in love with turns out to be a faerie whose enchantment has kept her alive, but also kept her in the dark about her own life.

The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone by Adele Griffin

When a celebrated New York City teenager, known for her subversive street art, mysteriously dies, her life is examined in a series of interviews with her parents, friends, boyfriends, mentors, and critics.

Camelot Burning by Kathryn Rose

By day, Vivienne is Guinevere's lady-in-waiting. By night, she's Merlin's secret apprentice, indulging in the new mechanical arts and science of alchemy. It's a preferred distraction from Camelot’s gossipy nobility, roguish knights, and Lancelot’s athletic new squire, Marcus, who will follow in all knights’ footsteps by taking a rather inconvenient vow of chastity.  More than anything, Vivienne longs to escape Camelot for a future that wouldn't include needlework or marriage to a boorish lord or dandy. But when King Arthur's sorceress sister, Morgan le Fay, threatens Camelot, Vivienne must stay to help Merlin build a steam-powered weapon to defeat the dark magic machine Morgan will set upon the castle. Because if Camelot falls, Morgan would be that much closer to finding the elusive Holy Grail. Time is running out and Morgan draws near, and if Vivienne doesn't have Merlin's weapon ready soon, lives would pay the price, including that of Marcus, the only one fast enough to activate it on the battlefield.

 

Zom-B Mission (#7) and Zom-B Clans (#8) by Darren Shan

B Smith and the other Angels are relieved to finally receive their first mission - to safely escort a group of human survivors from the zombie-infested streets of London to New Kirkham, a barricaded safe haven in the country. But after battling through crowds of undead monsters, B discovers that the survivors of the town don't necessarily represent the best of humanity. And when evil influences make their way to New Kirkham, unearthing demons from B's past, the humans will be forced to choose between being honorable and being safe. (Zom-B Mission)

Jane, The Fox, and Me by Fanny Britt & Isabelle Arsenault

Hélène is an outcast in her grade. Her only consolation is reading Jane Eyre. Even seeing a lovely fox doesn't make her feel better, but maybe a new friendship will.

New Books ~ August 2014 ~ Part 4

Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater

Sinner follows Cole St. Clair, a pivotal character from the #1 New York Times bestselling Shiver Trilogy. Everybody thinks they know Cole's story. Stardom. Addiction. Downfall. Disappearance. But only a few people know Cole's darkest secret -- his ability to shift into a wolf. One of these people is Isabel. At one point, they may have even loved each other. But that feels like a lifetime ago. Now Cole is back. Back in the spotlight. Back in the danger zone. Back in Isabel's life. Can this sinner be saved?

Kewl Bites: 100 Nutritious, Delicious, and Family-Friendly Dishes by Reed Alexander

As a busy teen star, Reed Alexander's life is a balancing act. Several years ago, as he juggled career commitments and school, he lost sight of how to eat right, became overweight, and as a result, was exhausted and lethargic. Too tired to keep up with his hectic schedule, he decided to reclaim his health by changing his diet. A can-do guy, his first step was to learn how to cook for himself. Unable to find any recipes suited to a teenager's tastes, he rolled up his sleeves and set to work in his kitchen, developing healthy versions of the foods he loves. Along the way, he became a dedicated cook, sharing his culinary discoveries with his fans and friends on his Web site, KewlBites.com.

Graffiti Knight by Karen Bass

After a childhood cut short by war and the harsh strictures of Nazi Germany, sixteen-year-old Wilm is finally tasting freedom. In spite of the scars World War II has left on his hometown, Leipzig, and in spite of the oppressive new Soviet regime, Wilm is finding his own voice. It's dangerous, of course, to be sneaking out at night to leave messages on police buildings. But it's exciting, too, and Wilm feels justified, considering his family's suffering. Until one mission goes too far, and Wilm finds he's endangered the very people he most wants to protect.

The Falconer by Elizabeth May

In 1844 Edinburgh eighteen-year-old Lady Aileana Kameron is neither an ordinary debutante, nor a murderess--she is a Falconer, a female warrior born with the gift for hunting and killing the faeries who prey on mankind and who killed her mother.

Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science by Marc Aronson & Marina Budhos

When this award-winning husband-and-wife team discovered that they each had sugar in their family history, they were inspired to trace the globe-spanning story of the sweet substance and to seek out the voices of those who led bitter sugar lives. The trail ran like a bright band from religious ceremonies in India to Europe's Middle Ages, then on to Columbus, who brought the first cane cuttings to the Americas. Sugar was the substance that drove the bloody slave trade and caused the loss of countless lives but it also planted the seeds of revolution that led to freedom in the American colonies, Haiti, and France. With songs, oral histories, maps, and over 80 archival illustrations, here is the story of how one product allows us to see the grand currents of world history in new ways.

Teen Book Club April - Wicked Lovely

The Teen Book Club met tonight to discuss Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr.

Seventeen-year-old Aislinn, who has the rare ability to see faeries, is drawn against her will into a centuries-old battle between the Summer King and Winter Queen, and the survival of her life, her love, and summer all hang in the balance.

Here are the discussion questions we used:

1. What did you think of the book?  General thoughts?
2. Did you have a favorite character?  Favorite scene or part?
3. How did Donia feel about Keenan?  What makes her feel that way?
4. How does Aislinn feel about her grandmother's way of dealing with the faeries?  Does Ash follow her example?  If she had chosen different, how might things have turned out differently?
5. How does Keenan feel about Seth?  What does he do about him, and why?
6. With such a terrible risk attached to it, why would any of Keenan's chosen girls choose to take up the staff?  What made his Summer Girls refuse?  Do you think you would have done it?
7. What do you think will happen in the future for Keenan, Donia, Ash, and Seth?
8. What did you think of the portrayal of faeries in this book?
9. What did you think of the writing style?
10. Ratings and final thoughts!

Here are our ratings!

Melanie - 6/10 - The beginning was slow going, but the plot line was very interesting.
Catherine - 6.5/10 - A little slow, but a fun read.
MissG - 7.5/10 - A modern fairy story with classic elements, vivid descriptions, and memorable characters.

For May we are reading...

Having been recently dumped for the nineteenth time by a girl named Katherine, recent high school graduate and former child prodigy Colin sets off on a road trip with his best friend to try to find some new direction in life while also trying to create a mathematical formula to explain his relationships.

Discussion, snack, and preview of the new books for June on Wednesday, May 28th 6:00-7:00pm

New books to spend the holidays with~ (Part 2)

The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason

In 1889 London young women are turning up dead, and Evaline Stoker, relative of Bram, and Mina Holmes, niece of Sherlock, are summoned to investigate the clue of the not-so-ancient Egyptian scarabs--but where does a time traveler fit in?

Mystic by Alyson Noel

Since coming to Enchantment, New Mexico everything in Daire Santos life has changed. And not all for the better. While she's come to accept and embrace her new powers as a Soul Seeker, Daire struggles with the responsibility she holds navigating between the worlds of the living and the dead.

Inhuman by Kat Falls 

Beyond the Titan wall lies the Feral Zone, and the only people who break quarantine and venture there are the "fetches", who are paid exorbitant sums to bring back items that were left behind when the wall went up--but Delaney McEvoy's father is there and she is being forced to find him and bring him back.

 Maximum Ride: The Manga vol 4 by James Patterson

Despite their initial hesitation, living with Anne has softened the Flock, so Max is keenly aware that it's time to leave. With Thanksgiving so near, though, all of them want to stay, at least until they've had their first ever Thanksgiving turkey! But danger is on the horizon as Jeb's plan advances, and while the Flock's new school seems normal and safe, secrets are hidden beneath its prestigious facade...

The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa

Journeying in the lands of the fey, Ethan Chase discovers that his nephew, Keirran, is missing, and may be on the verge of doing something unthinkable in the name of saving his own love. Something that will fracture the human and faery worlds forever, and give rise to the dangerous fey known as the Forgotten. As Ethan's and Keirran's fates entwine and Keirran slips further into darkness, Ethan's next choice may decide the fate of them all.

~International Fairy Day~

That's right, today is International Fairy Day!  Today believers in fairies of all ages will be celebrating the stories and magic of fairies/faeries/fair folk/the fae/little ones/etc!  In legends fairies are described as smart, mischievous, and magical, casting spells and flying.  They live in "Tir na nog," the land of eternal youth and sighting of fairies most often occur during Beltane (April30-May1), Mid Summer's Eve (June 21-June 25), and All Hallow's Eve (Halloween). 

International Fairy Day is a great day to build a fairy house or read a fairy book.  Click the link to learn about fairy houses or read below to see the fairy books for teens we have here at Durham Public Library.

Ash by Malinda Lo - In this variation on the Cinderella story, Ash grows up believing in the fairy realm that the king and his philosophers have sought to suppress, until one day she must choose between a handsome fairy cursed to love her and the King's Huntress whom she loves.

Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin - Phoebe, a member of the wealthy Rothschilds family, befriends Mallory, an awkward new girl in school, and the two become as close as sisters, but Phoebe does not know that Mallory is a faerie, sent to the human world to trap the ordinary human girl into fulfilling a promise made by her ancestor Mayer to the queen of the faeries.

The 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. For the ring belongs to Queen Victoria, and it binds the rulers of England and the realm of Faerie to peace. With the ring missing, a rebel group of faeries hopes to break the treaty with dark magic and blood--Tiki's blood. (book 2 = The Torn War and book 3 = The Seven Year King)

Faerie Wars by Herbie Brennan - Troubled by family problems, Henry finds his life taking a whole new dimension when he and his friend, old Mr. Fogarty, become involved with Prince Pyrgus Malvae who has been sent from the faerie world in order to escape the treacherous Faeries of the Night. (books 2-5 are: The Purple Emperor, The Ruler of the Realm, Faerie Lord and Faeman Quest)

Fairy Bad Day by Amanda Ashby - High schooler Emma is devastated to learn that she may not follow in her mother's footsteps as a dragon slayer, but with an unlikely band of allies she discovers that she may, indeed, be more adept at slaying giant killer fairies.

How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Larbalestier - In a world in which everyone has a personal fairy who tends to one aspect of daily life, fourteen-year-old Charlie decides she does not want hers--a parking fairy--and embarks on a series of misadventures designed to rid herself of the invisible sprite and replace it with a better one, like her friend Rochelle's shopping fairy.

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa - Meghan Chase has a secret destiny--one she could never have imagined...Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school...or at home. When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change. But she could never have guessed the truth--that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. (books 2-4 are The Iron Daughter, The Iron Queen, and The Iron Knight)

Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore - A wealthy sorcerer's invitation to sing with his automaton leads seventeen-year-old Nimira, whose family's disgrace brought her from a palace to poverty, into political intrigue, enchantments, and a friendship with a fairy prince who needs her help. (Sequel is Magic Under Stone)

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White - When a dark prophecy begins to come true, sixteen-year-old Evie of the International Paranormal Containment Agency must not only try to stop it, she must also uncover its connection to herself and the alluring shapeshifter, Lend. (Books 2 and 3 are Supernaturally and Endlessly)

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr - Seventeen-year-old Aislinn, who has the rare ability to see faeries, is drawn against her will into a centuries-old battle between the Summer King and Winter Queen, and the survival of her life, her love, and summer all hang in the balance. (books 2-5 are: Ink Exchange, Fragile Eternity, Radiant Shadows, and Darkest Mercy)

Wings by Aprilynne Pike - When a plant blooms out of fifteen-year-old Laurel's back, it leads her to discover the fact that she is a faerie and that she has a crucial role to play in keeping the world safe from the encroaching enemy trolls. (books 2-4 are Spells, Illusions, and Destiny)

I have already read The Iron King, the whole Paranormalcy series, and the whole Wings series.  the Wings series is my favorite so far.  Tonight I think I will go home with Magic Under Glass ... so I hope you didn't want that one! ;)

New Book Time - June Post 4

This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel

Check the Catalog

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.

Endure by Carrie Jones

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When evil pixies cause mass destruction and chaos in Bedford, Maine, sixteen-year-old Zara prepares for war, aligning her team of pixies with the humans she loves so much, a task made more difficult by her growing feelings for pixie king Astley.

Scandalous!: 50 Shocking Events You Should Know About by Hallie Fryd

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Do you love a good scandal? This book includes 50 juicy pop culture, political, and entertainment-related scandals complete with photos, event synopses, and a look at why it went down in history and how it continues to influence us today. Other features include famous quotes and a section on where the players are now. 

 Guy Langman: Crime Scene Procrastinator by Josh Berk

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Sixteen-year-old Guy Langman, his best friend Anoop, and other members of the school Forensics Club investigate a break-in and a possible murder, which could be connected to the mysterious past of Guy's recently-deceased father.

 The Pledge by Kimberly Derting

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In a dystopian kingdom where the classes are separated by the languages they speak, Charlaina "Charlie" Hart has a secret gift that is revealed when she meets a mysterious young man named Max.