New books for October ~ Part 4

Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between by Jennifer Smith

Contemporary Fiction 

High school sweethearts Clare and Aidan spend the night before they leave for college reminiscing about their relationship and deciding whether they should stay together or break up.

The Hired Girl by Laura Amy Schlitz

Historical Fiction 

Fourteen-year-old Joan Skraggs, just like the heroines in her beloved novels, yearns for real life and true love. But what hope is there for adventure, beauty, or art on a hardscrabble farm in Pennsylvania where the work never ends? Over the summer of 1911, Joan pours her heart out into her diary as she seeks a new, better life for herself--because maybe, just maybe, a hired girl cleaning and cooking for six dollars a week can become what a farm girl could only dream of--a woman with a future.

How to be Richer, Smarter, and Better Looking Than Your Parents by Zac Bissonnette

Nonfiction 

Striking out on your own for the first time is exhilarating. But in a culture full of bad advice, predatory banks, and splurge-now-pay-later temptations, it can also be extremely dangerous--leading you to make financial decisions that could hurt you for years to come. Combine this with a slumped economy, mounds of student loans, and dubious examples from reality TV stars to politicians to your own parents, and it’s no wonder so many twenty-somethings are struggling.

Twenty-three-year-old Zac Bissonnette--the author of Debt-Free U--knows exactly what you’re going through. He demystifies the many traps young people fall victim to in their post-college years. He offers fresh insights on everything from job hunting to buying a car to saving for retirement that will give you a foundation for a secure, stable, and happy life. In the process, he reveals why FICO scores are overrated, online job applications are a waste of time, car loans are for suckers, and credit card rewards are a scam.

With detours to discuss wine connoisseurs, Really Broke Housewives, and Lenny Dykstra, Zac shows you how to make better choices today so you can be richer, smarter (and better-looking!) for years to come.

Hunter by Mercedes Lackey

Fantasy 

Long ago, the barriers between our world and the Otherworld were ripped open, and it's taken centuries to bring back civilization in the wake. Now, the luckiest Cits live in enclosed communities, behind walls that keep them safe from the hideous monsters fighting to break through. Others are not so lucky. To Joyeaux Charmand, who has been a Hunter in her tight-knit mountain community since she was a child, every Cit without magic deserves her protection from dangerous Othersiders, whatever that might cost her.

The Keeper by David Baldacci

Fantasy 

Vega Jane and her friend Delph have taken the map that Quentin Harris left them and set out from the town of Wormwood, determined to brave the Quag and find freedom on the other side--but the Quag was designed to keep the town people in, and it is filled with bloodthirsty creatures and sinister magic, and it is not going to let them escape unscathed.

New School Year, New Books! September New Books (part 5)

Joyride by Anna Banks

Contemporary Fiction 

A popular guy and a shy girl with a secret become unlikely accomplices for midnight pranking, and are soon in over their heads--with the law and with each other.

Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray

Historical Fiction 

After a supernatural showdown with a serial killer, Evie O'Neill has outed herself as a Diviner. Meanwhile, mysterious deaths have been turning up in the city, victims of an unknown sleeping sickness. Can the Diviners descend into the dreamworld and catch a killer?

Legacy of Kings by Eleanor Herman

Historical Fiction 

Imagine a time when the gods turn a blind eye to the agony of men, when the last of the hellions roam the plains, and evil stirs beyond the edges of the map. A time when cities burn, and in their ashes, empires rise. Alexander , Macedon's sixteen-year-old heir, is on the brink of discovering his fated role in conquering the known world, but finds himself drawn to a newcomer... Katerina must navigate the dark secrets of court life while keeping hidden her own mission: kill the queen. But she doesn't account for her first love... Jacob will go to unthinkable lengths to win Katerina, even if it means having to compete with Hephaestion , a murderer sheltered by the prince. And far across the sea, Zofia, a Persian princess and Alexander's unmet betrothed, wants to alter her destiny by seeking the famed and deadly Spirit Eaters.

The Letter for the King by Tonke Dragt

Fantasy 

A young messenger. A secret mission. A kingdom in peril. It is the dead of night. Sixteen-year-old Tiuri must spend hours locked in a chapel in silent contemplation if he is to be knighted the next day. But, as he waits by the light of a flickering candle, he hears a knock at the door and a voice desperately asking for help. A secret letter must be delivered to King Unauwen across the GreatMountains - a letter upon which the fate of the entire kingdom depends. Tiuri has a vital role to play, one that might cost him his knighthood. Tiuri's journey will take him through dark, menacing forests, across treacherous rivers, to sinister castles and strange cities. He will encounter evil enemies who would kill to get the letter, but also the best of friends in the most unexpected places. He must trust no one. He must keep his true identity secret. Above all, he must never reveal what is in the letter...

A Little in Love by Susan Fletcher

Historical Fiction 

As a young child Eponine never knew kindness, except once from her family's kitchen slave, Cosette. When at sixteen the girls' paths cross again and their circumstances are reversed, Eponine must decide what that friendship is worth, even though they've both fallen for the same boy. In the end, Eponine will sacrifice everything to keep true love alive.

The Rest of Your Summer Reading ~ August New Books (part 1)

15 Dangerously Mad Projects for the Evil Genius by Simon Monk

Nonfiction 

This wickedly inventive guide explains how to design and build 15 fiendishly fun electronics projects. Filled with photos and illustrations, 15 Dangerously Mad Projects for the Evil Genius includes step-by-step directions, as well as a construction primer for those who are new to electronics projects.

Using easy-to-find components and equipment, this do-it-yourself book shows you how to create a variety of mischievous gadgets, such as a remote-controlled laser, motorized multicolored LEDs that write in the air, and a surveillance robot. You'll also learn to use the highly popular Arduino microcontroller board with three of the projects.

Avalon Rising by Kathryn Rose

Metal & Lace #2

Fantasy 

In the aftermath of Morgan le Fay’s war on Camelot, the once great kingdom struggles to rebuild. Knights scour the world, attempting to restore the Round Table’s glory by locating Avalon and the Holy Grail before the dreaded Black Knight can do so first.

Vivienne, Merlin’s former apprentice, toils in secret day and night to build an aeroship. The Lady of the Lake has seen the future and promised that the ship will ensure Camelot’s knights succeed in their quest.

But when an infantry of knights goes missing—including Owen, Vivienne’s brother, and Marcus, her beloved—Vivienne changes the plan and commandeers the aeroship for a rescue mission, altering the fates of all involved. Now, the Lady sees danger in Vivienne’s future. And for Marcus: either betrayal or death.

Batgirl of Burnside by Cameron Stewart

Batgirl #1

Graphic Novel 

It's Batgirl as you've never seen her before! Big changes are here for Barbara Gordon as she moves across Gotham City to begin a new chapter in her ongoing fight against crime as Batgirl! The new creative team of Cameron Stewart (BATMAN AND ROBIN, SEAGUY, SEVEN SOLDIERS), Brenden Fletcher and Babs Tarr set Barbara Gordon off in a brand-new direction in BATGIRL VOL. 1! Collects BATGIRL #35-40 and a story from SECRET ORIGINS #10

Beauty's Daughter by Carolyn Meyer

Historical Fiction 

When renowned beauty Helen runs off to Troy with Prince Paris, her enraged husband, King Menelaus, starts the Trojan War, leaving their plain daughter, Hermione, alone to witness the deaths of heroes on both sides and longing to find her own love and place in the world. Includes historical notes.

Beyond Championships: A Playbook for Winning at Life by Coach Dru Joyce II

Nonfiction 

In Beyond Championships Teen Edition, Coach Dru Joyce lays out the steps teens can follow to become winners on and off the court. Much more than a sports book, Beyond Championships Teen Edition is a blueprint for anyone looking to make better choices and reach their full potential. The book speaks to athletes aspiring to emulate LeBron's success, as well as anyone who feels either uninspired or unable to change the direction of their lives. In less than ten years, Coach Dru went from someone resigned to a dull-yet-stable existence to one of the highest profile basketball coaches in the country, despite having virtually no background in the sport. It was an incredible transformation, the type most people only dream of, but one Coach Dru proved can become a reality with the right combination of faith and hard work. 

July New Books (Part 1)

5 to 1 by Holly Bodger

Science Fiction 

In a dystopian future where gender selection has led to girls outnumbering boys 5 to 1 marriage is arranged based on a series of tests. It's Sudasa's turn to pick a husband through this 'fair' method, but she's not sure she wants to be a part of it.

Anastasia and Her Sisters by Carolyn Meyer

Historical Fiction 

A novel in diary form in which the youngest daughter of Czar Nicholas II describes the privileged life her family led up until the time of World War I and the tragic events that befell them.

Ash by Shani Petroff & Darci Manley

Science Fiction 

An outcast destined to live in squalor and a royal future Minister are united by a catastrophic event that makes them question everything they believe about their strictly controlled, spectrum-based world.

Assassination Classroom vol 1 by Yusei Matsui

Graphic Novel (Manga) 

The students in Class 3-E of Kunugigaoka Junior High have a new teacher: an alien octopus with bizarre powers and unlimited strength, who’s just destroyed the moon and is threatening to destroy the earth—unless they can kill him first!

Volumes 2 & 3 also available.

The Awesome by Eva Darrows

Paranormal 

Maggie Cunningham, who wants to enter in the family business of monster hunting, can't get her license until she loses her virginity, but finding a normal boy proves to be more difficult than she thought.

Happy birthday Marcus Sedgwick!

Marcus Sedgwick is a British author, illustrator, and musician.  We have 3 young adult novels by Mr. Sedgwick, in 3 different genres!

Mystery

She is Not Invisible

Laureth Peak's father has taught her to look for recurring events, patterns, and numbers--a skill at which she's remarkably talented. Her secret: She is blind. But when her father goes missing, Laureth and her 7-year-old brother Benjamin are thrust into a mystery that takes them to New York City where surviving will take all her skill at spotting the amazing, shocking, and sometimes dangerous connections in a world full of darkness. She Is Not Invisible is an intricate puzzle of a novel that sheds a light on the delicate ties that bind people to each other.

Science Fiction/Fantasy

Midwinterblood

Seven stories of passion and love separated by centuries but mysteriously intertwined--this is a tale of horror and beauty, tenderness and sacrifice. An archaeologist who unearths a mysterious artifact, an airman who finds himself far from home, a painter, a ghost, a vampire, and a Viking: the seven stories in this compelling novel all take place on the remote Scandinavian island of Blessed where a curiously powerful plant that resembles a dragon grows. What binds these stories together? What secrets lurk beneath the surface of this idyllic countryside? And what might be powerful enough to break the cycle of midwinterblood? From award-winning author Marcus Sedgwick comes a book about passion and preservation and ultimately an exploration of the bounds of love. A Publishers Weekly Best Children's Book of 2013 A Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book of 2013.

Historical Fiction

Revolver

A LOADED GUN. STOLEN GOLD. And a menacing stranger. A taut frontier survivor story, set at the time of the Alaska gold rush. In an isolated cabin, fourteen-year-old Sig is alone with a corpse: his father, who has fallen through the ice and frozen to death only hours earlier. Then comes a stranger claiming that Sig's father owes him a share of a horde of stolen gold. Sig's only protection is a loaded Colt revolver hidden in the cabin's storeroom. The question is, will Sig use the gun, and why? Revolver is a 2011 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

April Books bring May...more books! (April new books part 8)

Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman

Fantasy

Seraphina, half-dragon and half-human, searches for others like her who can make the difference in the war between dragons and humans in the kingdom of Goredd.

Shipwreck Island by S. A. Bodeen

Action/Adventure

Sarah's dad and stepmom then decide to take the whole family on a special vacation in order to break the ice and have everyone get to know one another. They'll fly to Tahiti, charter a boat, and go sailing for a few days. It'll be an adventure, right? Wrong. Dead wrong.

Since You've Been Gone by Mary Jennifer Payne

Mystery

Is it possible to outrun your past? Fifteen-year-old Edie Fraser and her mother, Sydney, have been trying to do just that for five years. Now, things have gone from bad to worse. Not only has Edie had to move to another new school - she's in a different country. Sydney promises her that this is their chance at a fresh start, and Edie does her best to adjust to life in London, England, despite being targeted by the school bully. But when Sydney goes out to work the night shift and doesn't come home, Edie is terrified that the past has finally caught up with them. Alone in a strange country, Edie is afraid to call the police for fear that she'll be sent back to her abusive father. Determined to find her mother but with no idea where to start, she must now face the most difficult decision of her life.

The Tightrope Walkers by David Almond

Historical Fiction

Coming of age in the shadow of northern England's shipyards, young Dominic is torn between the extremes of his shipbuilder family's lifestyle, a complex bully to whom he finds himself irresistibly drawn, and the tightrope-walking girl he loves.

Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver

Mystery

Two sisters inexorably altered by a terrible accident, a missing nine-year-old girl, and the shocking connection between them.

First New Books of 2014~ Part 3

March: Book One by John Lewis, Andrew Ayden, & Nate Powell

March is a vivid first-hand account of John Lewis' lifelong struggle for civil and human rights, meditating in the modern age on the distance traveled since the days of Jim Crow and segregation. Rooted in Lewis' personal story, it also reflects on the highs and lows of the broader civil rights movement.

 The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Seventeen-year-old Cassie is a natural at reading people. Piecing together the tiniest details, she can tell you who you are and what you want. But, it's not a skill that she's ever taken seriously. That is, until the FBI come knocking: they've begun a classified program that uses exceptional teenagers to crack infamous cold cases, and they need Cassie. What Cassie doesn't realize is that there's more at risk than a few unsolved homicides-especially when she's sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own. Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem. And when a new killer strikes, danger looms close. 

 Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher

Zoe, a teenager in Bath, England, writes letters to a death-row inmate in Texas, hoping to find comfort in sharing her guilty secret over the death of a friend with someone who can never tell her family.

Through the Zombie Glass by Gena Showalter

After a strange new zombie attack, a terrible darkness blooms inside Alice urging her to do wicked things. She's never needed her team of zombie slayers more --including her boyfriend, Cole -- than she does now. But as Cole strangely withdraws and the zombies gain new strength, Ali knows one false step may doom them all.

 Blackout by Robison Wells

A mysterious virus is spreading through America, infecting teenagers with incredible powers--and a group of four teens are about to find their lives intertwined in a web of danger and catastrophic destruction.

Teen Book Club November: Code Talker

This month the TBC read Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac.

Here are the discussion questions we used:

1.  What did you think of the book?  General impressions?
2.  Did you have a favorite character?  A favorite scene or part?
3.  What was Ned's life like at the boarding school?  How was it different from his home life?  How did he cope?
4.  Why does Ned want to join up?
5.  What is the warfare method the Americans call "banzai" that the Japanese use?  Why do they use it?
6.  What does the pouch of corn pollen mean to Ned?
7.  Why were the Code Talkers important?  Had you heard of them before reading this book?
8.  The story is told as if Ned is telling the story to his grandchildren.  How do you think they feel about their grandfather's time as a Code Talker?  What do you think are the most important lessons they learn?
9.  How was this book similar to or different from the book we read in September, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian?  Which did you prefer?
10.  Ratings and final thoughts!

Melanie gave the book a perfect 10!  She said she loved how the author put the history in a book that made her want to learn more about the Code Talkers and World War II.

Miss Gardiner gives this book a 9/10.  She thought this was a page turner that showcased a little known part of history.


For December we are reading...

  Stardust by Neil Gaiman

In the sleepy English countryside at the dawn of the Victorian Era, life moves at a leisurely pace in the tiny town of Wall--a secluded hamlet so named for an imposing stone barrier that surrounds a fertile grassland. Armed sentries guard the sole gap in the bulwark to keep the inquisitive from wandering through, relaxing their vigil only once every nine years, when a market fair unlike any other in the world of men comes to the meadow. Here in Wall, young Tristran Thorn has lost his heart to beautiful Victoria Forester. But Victoria is cold and distant--as distant, in fact, as the star she and Tristran see fall from the sky on a crisp October evening. For the coveted prize of Victoria's hand, Tristran vows to retrieve the fallen star and deliver it to his beloved. It is an oath that sends the lovelorn swain over the ancient wall, and propels him into a world that is strange beyond imagining. But Tristran is not the only one seeking the heavenly jewel. There are those for whom it promises youth and beauty, the key to a kingdom, and the rejuvenation of dark, dormant magics. And a lad compelled by love will have to keep his wits about him to succeed and survive in this secret place where fallen stars come in many guises--and where quests have a way of branching off in unexpected directions, even turning back upon themselves in space and in time. 

 At our meeting on Friday, Dec. 27th we will not only be discussing the book, but we will be watching the movie too!  And ordering pizza!  So read the book and join us from 2 to 4:30 on the 27th.

At our meeting this month we also decided the books we would be reading for the next several months...

January - Steampunk - Steampunk! by various authors (short stories)

February - Biography/Memoir - Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah

March - Manga (Japanese graphic novels) - Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind by Hayao Miyazaki

April - Fairies - Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

May - Roadtrip - An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

See you next time!

April's new books are all vampire romances! (Part 3)

April Fools :)

Break My Heart 1000 Times by Daniel Waters

In the aftermath of the Event, which made seeing the dead a part of life, Veronica and her friend Kirk investigate why the ghosts seem to be gaining power and stumble upon the sinister plot of a teacher who is seeking a replacement for his dead daughter.

 One Came Home by Amy Timberlake

In 1871 Wisconsin, thirteen-year-old Georgia sets out to find her sister Agatha, presumed dead when remains are found wearing the dress she was last seen in, and before the end of the year gains fame as a sharpshooter and foiler of counterfeiters.

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

When seventeen-year-old orphaned shapechanger Tessa Gray is kidnapped by the villainous Mortmain in his final bid for power, the London Institute rallies to save her, but is beset by danger and betrayal at every turn.

Suzanne Collins: Words on Fire by Marcia Amidon Lusted

Sizanne Collins came up with the storyline for The Hunger Games one night while channel surfing. Images of televised news coverage of the U.S.-led war in Iraq blurred in her mind with scenes from a reality show and sparked an exciting idea. What about a story that focused on teens in a fight-to-the-death battle, televised live from start to finish?  Read more about this highly successful author in this USA Today Lifeline biography.

Bleach vol 4, 5, & 6 by Tite Kubo

Volumes 4-6 of the popular manga.