New Books for April 2016 (part 9)

Tommy: The Gun That Changed America by Karen Blumenthal

Nonfiction 

John Taliaferro Thompson had a mission: to develop a lightweight, fast-firing weapon that would help Americans win on the battlefield. His Thompson submachine gun could deliver a hundred bullets in a matter of seconds but didn't find a market in the U.S. military. Instead, the Tommy gun became the weapon of choice for a generation of bootleggers and bank-robbing outlaws, and became a deadly American icon. Following a bloody decade and eighty years before the mass shootings of our own time Congress moved to take this weapon off the streets, igniting a national debate about gun control. 

The Truth by Jeffry W. Johnston

Action/Adventure 

When Chris wakes up tied to a chair in a dark basement, he knows that he's trapped—and why. He shot and killed Derek's little brother. He had his reasons, but no matter how far Derek goes to uncover the truth about that night, Chris's story won't change. It can't. There is far too much at stake…

Derek is desperate to prove his brother didn't deserve to die. And if kidnapping his brother's killer is the only way to the truth, than he'll go to extremes. But Chris's truth is far more dangerous than Derek could have imagined, and knowing could cost both their lives…

A Tyranny of Petticoats by various

Historical Fiction 

From an impressive sisterhood of YA writers comes an edge-of-your-seat anthology of historical fiction and fantasy featuring a diverse array of daring heroines. Crisscross America -- on dogsleds and ships, stagecoaches and trains -- from pirate ships off the coast of the Carolinas to the peace, love, and protests of 1960s Chicago. Join fifteen of today's most talented writers of young adult literature on a thrill ride through history with American girls charting their own course. They are monsters and mediums, bodyguards and barkeeps, screenwriters and schoolteachers, heiresses and hobos. They're making their own way in often-hostile lands, using every weapon in their arsenals, facing down murderers and marriage proposals. And they all have a story to tell. 

Unbecoming by Jenny Downham

Contemporary Fiction 

Life has just become very complicated for seventeen-year-old Katie; her father walked out a year ago, her mother is stressed out, her brother is a "special needs" teenager, and she is caring for the maternal grandmother she has never met, who is suffering from Alzheimer's--and Katie has a secret of her own that she cannot reveal.

Unhooked by Lisa Maxwell

Fantasy 

For as long as she can remember, Gwendolyn Allister has never had a place to call home. Her mother believes they are being hunted by brutal monsters, and those delusions have brought them to London, far from the life Gwen had finally started to build for herself. Gwen's only saving grace is that her best friend, Olivia, is with her for the summer. But shortly after their arrival, the girls are kidnapped by shadowy creatures and dragged to a world of flesh-eating sea hags and dangerous Fey. And Gwen begins to realize that maybe her mother isn't so crazy after all... Gwen discovers that this new world she inhabits is called Neverland, but it's nothing like the Neverland you've heard about in stories. Here, good and evil lose their meaning and memories slip like water through your fingers. As Gwen struggles to remember where she came from and tries to find a way home, she must choose between trusting the charming fairy-tale hero who says all the right things and the captivating pirate who promises to keep her safe. Caught in the ultimate battle between good and evil, with time running out and her enemies closing in, Gwen is forced to finally face the truths she's been hiding from all along. But can she save Neverland without losing herself?

New Books for April 2016 (part 5)

Identity Crisis by Melissa Schorr

Contemporary Fiction 

Who does she think she is? Annalise audacious freshman-year hookup with Cooper Franklin has a trio of friends thirsting for revenge. So they catfish Annalise by creating the perfect virtual guy, with Noelle playing along reluctantly only because her lifelong crush, Cooper, is in love with Annalise. As Annalise falls for it, even buying tickets for the concert of the year for her and her mythical new guy, Noelle feels more and more guilty. Then, the whole thing blows up and Annalise faces her betrayers. But when Annalise forgives, the reunited friends learn that adults even famous adults can be even more bogus than teenagers.

The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Graphic Novel 

The threat of Mortmain's Infernal Devices looms as the Shadowhunters race to work out a way to counteract the mechanical monsters. Meanwhile, plans for Tessa's marriage to Jem are underway, despite her fiancé's failing health and the unresolved feelings between her and Will. When Tessa is captured, Will must leave his comrade behind to save the woman they both love... But with the final missing piece—Tessa herself—in Mortmain's possession, can anything stop his plot for revenge?

It's a Wonderful Death by Sarah Schmitt

Paranormal 

Seventeen-year-old RJ always gets what she wants. So when her soul is accidentally collected by a distracted Grim Reaper, somebody in the afterlife better figure out a way to send her back from the dead or heads will roll. But in her quest for mortality, she becomes a pawn in a power struggle between an overzealous archangel and Death Himself. The tribunal presents her with two options: she can remain in the lobby, where souls wait to be processed, until her original lifeline expires, or she can replay three moments in her life in an effort to make choices that will result in a future deemed worthy of being saved. It sounds like a no-brainer. She'll take a walk down memory lane. How hard can changing her future be? But with each changing moment, RJ's life begins to unravel, until this self-proclaimed queen bee is a social pariah. She begins to wonder if walking among the living is worth it if she has to spend the next sixty years as an outcast. Too quickly, RJ finds herself back in limbo, her time on Earth once again up for debate.

Kill the Boy Band by Goldy Moldavsky

Contemporary Fiction 

Four superfan friends devotion to their favorite boy band has darkly comical and murderous results! Okay, so just know from the start that it wasn't supposed to go like this. All we wanted was to get near The Ruperts, our favorite boy band. We didn't mean to kidnap one of the guys. It kind of, sort of happened that way. But now he's tied up in our hotel room. And the worst part of all, it's Rupert P. All four members of The Ruperts might have the same first name but they couldn't be more different. And Rupert P. is the biggest flop out of the whole group. We didn't mean to hold hostage a member of The Ruperts, I swear. At least, I didn't. We are fans. Okay, superfans who spend all of our free time tweeting about the boys and updating our fan tumblrs. But so what, that's what you do when you love a group so much it hurt s. How did it get this far? Who knows. I mean midterms are coming up. I really do not have time to go to hell.

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

Paranormal 

It's been five years since the events of City of Heavenly Fire that brought the Shadowhunters to the brink of oblivion. Emma Carstairs is no longer a child in mourning, but a young woman bent on discovering what killed her parents and avenging her losses. Together with her parabatai Julian Blackthorn, Emma must learn to trust her head and her heart as she investigates a demonic plot that stretches across Los Angeles, from the Sunset Strip to the enchanted sea that pounds the beaches of Santa Monica. If only her heart didn't lead her in treacherous directions... Making things even more complicated, Julian's brother Mark--who was captured by the faeries five years ago--has been returned as a bargaining chip. The faeries are desperate to find out who is murdering their kind--and they need the Shadowhunters' help to do it. But time works differently in faerie, so Mark has barely aged and doesn't recognize his family. Can he ever truly return to them? Will the faeries really allow it? 

New Books for April 2016 (part 1)

The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie

Science Fiction 

For Cassandra Leung, bossing around sea monsters is just the family business. She's been a Reckoner trainer-in-training ever since she could walk, raising the giant, genetically engineered beasts to defend ships as they cross the pirate-infested NeoPacific. But when the pirate queen Santa Elena swoops in on Cas's first solo mission and snatches her from the bloodstained decks, Cas's dream of being a full-time trainer seems dead in the water. Waiting for her on the pirate ship is an unhatched Reckoner pup. Santa Elena wants to take back the seas with a monster of her own, and she needs a proper trainer to do it. She orders Cas to raise the pup and teach him to fight for the pirates. If Cas fails, her blood will be the next to paint the sea. 

After The Woods by Kim Savage

Mystery 

An emotionally-charged debut novel about the deadly lies hidden beneath a destructive friendship. One year ago, two best friends, Liv and Julia, were attacked in the woods by a paroled predator. In an attempt to save Liv, Julia was left behind while Liv escaped. After spending three days in the woods trying to escape her abductor, Julia was rescued. She only remembers what happened in the woods in terrifying flashbacks. Now, on the eve of the anniversary of the attack, a body is found in the woods. This discovery rips open fresh wounds between the two girls as the truth about Liv's role in the kidnapping is revealed.

All-New Ultimates vol 2: No Gods, No Masters by Michel Fiffe

Graphic Novel (Comic Book) 

Spider-Man, Black Widow, Kitt y Pryde and Cloak & Dagger can barely hold back the carnage of vengeful sewer leaders Vermin and Agent Crock! Meanwhile, the Bengal joins the police squad just in time to deal with Scourge's murderous aftermath...but will Scourge break out of prison and conti nue his killing spree of costumed crusaders? And will the hunt for Crossbones reveal a deeper, darker secret behind the city's rampant crime wave? As the all-new Ultimates battle superpowered mercenaries the Femme Fatales and the white supremacist meth-head militia the Watchdogs, the team's ulti mate nemesis makes his first deadly play - and Miles and co. will never be the same when it hits! It's the deadliest battle of the super street war!

The Best Summer Programs for Teens 2016-2017 by Sandra L. Berger

Nonfiction 

Record numbers of teens are applying to selective universities and the competition to gain entrance into college is tougher than ever before. The 2016-2017 edition of The Best Summer Programs for Teens helps teenagers find the coolest, most exciting, and most fulfilling summer programs across the United States. College-planning expert Sandra L. Berger provides students and parents with advice on using summer opportunities to help gain entrance into selective universities, and guidance on researching, choosing, applying for, and making the most out of summer programs. Students will be able to peruse the updated directory of more than 200 of the best summer opportunities in the areas of academic enrichment; fine arts; internships and paid positions; leadership and service; math, science, computer science, and technology; and study abroad or international travel, to find the program that fits them best.

The Bitter Side of Sweet by Tara Sullivan

Contemporary Fiction 

Fifteen-year-old Amadou counts the things that matter. For two years what has mattered are the number of cacao pods he and his younger brother, Seydou, can chop down in a day. This number is very important. The higher the number the safer they are because the bosses won't beat them. The higher the number the closer they are to paying off their debt and returning home to Moke and Auntie. Maybe. The problem is Amadou doesn't know how much he and Seydou owe, and the bosses won't tell him. The boys only wanted to make some money during the dry season to help their impoverished family. Instead they were tricked into forced labor on a plantation in the Ivory Coast; they spend day after day living on little food and harvesting beans in the hot sun - dangerous, backbreaking work. With no hope of escape, all they can do is try their best to stay alive - until Khadija comes into their lives. She's the first girl who's ever come to camp, and she's a wild thing. She fights bravely every day, attempting escape again and again, reminding Amadou what it means to be free. 

Bleeding Earth by Kaitlin Ward

Action/Adventure 

Between Mother Nature and human nature, disasters are inevitable. Lea was in a cemetery when the earth started bleeding. Within twenty-four hours, the blood made international news. All over the world, blood oozed out of the ground, even through the concrete, even in the water. Then the earth started growing hair and bones. Lea wishes she could ignore the blood. She wishes she could spend time with her new girlfriend, Aracely, in public, if only Aracely wasn't so afraid of her father. Lea wants to be a regular teen again, but the blood has made her a prisoner in her own home. Fear for her social life turns into fear for her sanity, and Lea must save herself and her girlfriend however she can.

Curl Up With One of February's New Books (part 9)

Velvet Undercover by Teri Brown

Historical Fiction 

Samantha Donaldson's family has always done its duty for the British Crown. In the midst of World War I, seventeen-year-old Sam follows in their footsteps, serving her country from the homefront as a messenger for the intelligence organization MI5. After her father disappears on a diplomatic mission, she continues their studies of languages, mathematics, and complex puzzles, hoping to make him proud. When Sam is asked to join the famed women's spy group La Dame Blanche, she's torn--while this could be an unbelievable adventure, how can she abandon her mother, who has already lost a husband? But when her handlers reveal shocking news, Sam realizes she can't refuse the exciting and dangerous opportunity. Her acceptance leads her straight into the heart of enemy territory on a mission to extract the most valuable British spy embedded in Germany, known only as Velvet. Deep undercover in the court of Kaiser Wilhelm II, Sam must navigate the labyrinthine palace and its many glamorous--and secretive--residents to complete her assignment. To make matters worse she must fight a forbidden attraction to the enemy--a dangerously handsome German guard. In a place where personal politics are treacherously entangled in wartime policy, can Sam find Velvet before it's too late . . . for them both? 

The Wanderers by Kate Ormand

Paranormal

Flo lives an eccentric life—she travels with a popular circus in which the main acts star orphaned children with secret shape-shifting abilities. Once Flo turns sixteen, she must perform, but she’s not ready. While practicing jumping a flaming hurdle in a clearing beside the circus, she spots a dark figure in the trees and fears he saw her shift. The news sends the circus into a panic.

In Flo’s world, shifters are unknown to humans with the exception of a secret organization—the EOS, referred to as “hunters.” Hunters capture and kill. They send some shifters to labs for observation and testing—testing they don’t often survive—and deem others useless, a danger to society, and eliminate them. To avoid discovery, shifters travel in packs, constantly moving and keeping themselves hidden. Up until now, the circus was the perfect disguise.

Zero Day by Jan Gangsei

Action/Adventure 

Addie Webster's kidnapping was the most notorious of the decade - her high-profile parents were forced to go through their grief in the public eye. Mark Webster is now the President of the United States, fighting to keep the oval office after a tumultuous first term when the unthinkable happens: his daughter resurfaces. Addie is brought back into her family's fold, but who is this sixteen-year-old girl with a quiet, burning intelligence now living in the White House? There are those in the president's political circle who find her timely return suspicious.

Curl Up With One of February's New Books (part 2)

Breakaway by Kat Spears

Contemporary Fiction 

When Jason Marshall's younger sister passes away, he knows he can count on his three best friends and soccer teammates Mario, Jordie, and Chick to be there for him. With a grief-crippled mother and a father who's not in the picture, he needs them more than ever. But when Mario starts hanging out with a rough group of friends and Jordie finally lands the girl of his dreams, Jason is left to fend for himself while maintaining a strained relationship with troubled and quiet Chick. Then Jason meets Raine, a girl he thinks is out of his league but who sees him for everything he wants to be, and he finds himself pulled between building a healthy and stable relationship with a girl he might be falling in love with, grieving for his sister, and trying to hold onto the friendships he has always relied on. 

Captive by A. J. Grainger

Action/Adventure 

When a teen is held hostage, her efforts to escape uncover a conspiracy that forces her to question everything in this psychological thriller with a twist of forbidden romance. They told her not to worry-- because the man who shot her father was in custody. They told her that she was safe-- because security had been increased. All it took was one opportunity, one breach, and then she was theirs. Kidnapped, confined, alone. They told her she could go home when their demands were met. That it wouldn't take long, because she was the prime minister's daughter. But it has been days , and still no help has come. She wonders when they will tire of this game and kill her. She cannot wait around for that to happen; she will escape. She has to.

The Capture by Tom Isbell

Science Fiction 

The Maze Runner meets The Hunger Games in this heart-pounding teen trilogy. This second book in the Prey series is a suspenseful story of courage, survival, and doing what's right, no matter how hard. Orphaned teens, soon to be hunted for sport, must fight for a better life. Riveting action, intense romance, and gripping emotion make this fast-paced adventure a standout. Fifteen escaped and found their way to freedom, but Book, Hope, and Cat can't settle into their new life knowing the rest of the Less Thans and Sisters are still imprisoned. Now the teens must retrace their steps to save the others and thwart the Republic's dark plans to destroy those deemed different, even as relationships are tested and the path back is filled with danger. With new enemies lurking, the group must put their fate into the hands of unexpected allies and must ask themselves how far they're willing to go to free their friends.

Catacomb by Madeleine Roux

Paranormal 

The heart-stopping third book in the New York Times bestselling Asylum series follows three teens as they take a senior year road trip to one of America's most haunted cities, uncovering dangerous secrets from their past along the way. With all the thrills, chills, and eerie found photographs that led Publishers Weekly to call Asylum "a strong YA debut," Catacomb is perfect for fans for Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. Sometimes the past is better off buried. Senior year is finally over. After all they've been through, Dan, Abby, and Jordan are excited to take one last road trip together, and they're just not going to think about what will happen when the summer ends. But on their way to visit Jordan's uncle in New Orleans, the three friends notice that they're being followed . . . and photographed. Then Dan starts receiving messages from someone he didn't expect to hear from again--someone who died last Halloween. When the trio arrives in New Orleans and the strange occurrences only escalate, Dan is forced to accept that everything that has happened to him in the past year may not be a coincidence, but fate--a fate that ties Dan to a group called the Bone Artists, who have a sinister fascination with notorious killers of the past. Now Dan's only hope is that he will make it out of his senior trip alive.

City of Halves by Lucy Inglis

Paranormal 

Ancient myth collides with modern technology in this gripping urban fantasy.

London. Present day. Girls are disappearing. And strange things are roaming the streets. 

When sixteen-year-old Lily is attacked by a two-headed dog, she's saved by hot, tattooed, and not-quite-human Regan. As Guardian of the Gates, it's his job to protect both halves of the City--new and old--from restless creatures that threaten its very existence. But an influx of these mythological beasts has Regan worried that something terrible--and immense--is about to happen. 

The missing girls may have something to do with the monsters wandering around London, but what do they have in common? Can Lily and Regan find the girls and discover the truth in time to save London from being torn apart?

My Gift to You ~ New Books for December (part 7)

The Right Side of History: 100 Years of LGBTQI Activism by Adrian Brooks

Nonfiction 

The Right Side of History tells the 100-year history of queer activism in a series of revealing close-ups, first-person accounts, and intimate snapshots of LGBT pioneers and radicals. This diverse cast stretches from the Edwardian period to today, including first-person accounts of the key protest that is at the heart of the 2015 movie Stonewall.

Shackled by Tom Leveen

Action/Adventure 

Sixteen-year-old Pelly has a master plan. After years of therapy, medication, and even a stint in a mental hospital, she's finally ready to re-enter the world of the living. Pelly has been suffering from severe panic attacks ever since her best friend, Tara, disappeared from a mall six years ago. And her plan seems to be working, until an unkempt girl accompanied by an older man walks into the coffee shop where she works. Pelly thinks she's seen a ghost, until the girl mouths "help me" on the way out, and Pelly knows she's just seen Tara. Too shocked to do anything, Pelly helplessly watches Tara slip away again as she steels herself against a renewed spiral of crippling anxiety. But rather than being overcome by anxiety, Pelly feels more energized than she has in years. Determined to track down enough evidence to force the police to reopen Tara's file, Pelly's master plan takes a turn for the dangerous. Pelly decides she cannot be shackled by her past--and the anxiety, fear, and grief that comes with it--any longer if she wants to save Tara. But in seeking answers through whatever means necessary, she'll come face-to-face with true evil. And not all the shackles are in her head...

The Shadow Behind the Stars by Rebecca Hahn

Fantasy 

Heed this warning, mortal: stay far away from the three sister Fates. For if they come to love you, they might bring about the end of the world... Chloe is the youngest. Hers are the fingers that choose the wool, that shape the thread, that begin it. The sun smiles upon her. Men love her without knowing who she is. She has lived forever and will live forever more. She and her sisters have been on their isolated Greek island for centuries, longer than any mortal can remember. They spin, measure, and slice the countless golden threads of human life. They are the three Fates, and they have stayed separate for good reason: it is dangerous for them to become involved with the humans whose lives they shape. So when a beautiful girl named Aglaia shows up on their doorstep, Chloe tries to make sure her sisters don't become attached. But in seeking to protect them, Chloe discovers the dark power of Aglaia's destiny. As her path unwinds, the three Fates find themselves pulled inextricably along--toward mortal pain, and mortal love, and a fate that could unravel the world.

A Song for Ella Grey by David Almond

Paranormal 

Claire and Ella and their friends are bound by ties so strong they seem unbreakable. Then the strange and handsome Orpheus strolls onto the beach, and he sings them all into an astonishing new understanding of themselves. Ella is caught the hardest, fastest, deepest--and Claire is left with the pain of looking on. Raw, emotional, lyrical, funny, and true, A Song for Ella Grey is a tale of the joys, troubles, and desires of modern teens. It takes place in the ordinary streets of Tyneside and on the beautiful beaches of Northumberland. It's a story of first love, a love song that draws on ancient mythical forces. A love that leads Ella, Orpheus, and Claire to the gates of Death and beyond. 

Sophomores and Other Oxymorons by David Lubar

Contemporary Fiction 

Following a difficult freshman year, Scott Hudson is hoping that sophomore year will be easier, but after a disaster of a first week he finds himself faced with new challenges--including a particularly demanding English teacher, a school board member whose budget cutting is covering up a crime, and the discovery that his friendship with Lee, the Goth girl he met last year, is turning into something else entirely.

What's New in November? (part 5)

Orbiting Jupiter by Gary Schmidt

Contemporary Fiction 

Jack, 12, tells the gripping story of Joseph, 14, who joins his family as a foster child. Damaged in prison, Joseph wants nothing more than to find his baby daughter, Jupiter, whom he has never seen. When Joseph has begun to believe he'll have a future, he is confronted by demons from his past that force a tragic sacrifice.

One by Sarah Crossan

Contemporary Fiction 

Tippi and Grace share everything--clothes, friends . . . even their body. Writing in free verse, Sarah Crossan tells the sensitive and moving story of conjoined twin sisters, which will find fans in readers of Gayle Forman, Jodi Picoult, and Jandy Nelson. Tippi and Grace. Grace and Tippi. For them, it's normal to step into the same skirt. To hook their arms around each other for balance. To fall asleep listening to the other breathing. To share. And to keep some things private. Each of the sixteen-year-old girls has her own head, heart, and two arms, but at the belly, they join. And they are happy, never wanting to risk the dangerous separation surgery. But the girls' body is beginning to fight against them. And Grace doesn't want to admit it. Not even to Tippi. How long can they hide from the truth--how long before they must face the most impossible choice of their lives? 

Paperweight by Meg Haston

Contemporary Fiction 

Seventeen-year-old Stevie is trapped. In her life. In her body. And now in an eating-disorder treatment center on the dusty outskirts of the New Mexico desert. Life in the center is regimented and intrusive, a nightmare come true. Nurses and therapists watch Stevie at meal time, accompany her to the bathroom, and challenge her to eat the foods she's worked so hard to avoid. Her dad has signed her up for sixty days of treatment. But what no one knows is that Stevie doesn't plan to stay that long. There are only twenty-seven days until the anniversary of her brother Josh's death--the death she caused. And if Stevie gets her way, there are only twenty-seven days until she, too, will end her life. Paperweight follows Stevie's journey as she struggles not only with this life-threatening eating disorder, but with the question of whether she can ever find absolution for the mistakes of her past...and whether she truly deserves to.

Pretending to be Erica by Michelle Painchaud

Action/Adventure 

Erica Silverman was abducted when she was four. She was snatched outside her kindergarten and never seen again. Over the past thirteen years, her multimillionaire parents have spared no expense trying to find her. Then, one day, the miracle happens. Erica frees herself from her kidnappers and finds her way home. She is seventeen. Years of her life are lost. She is battered. She has PTSD. She has to relearn everything about who she is and where she's from. And there's one more thing: She is not Erica Silverman. Violet is the daughter of the best con man in Las Vegas. She has spent her whole life preparing to step into the shoes of a girl she has never met. But she is also Violet, and she has a job: stay long enough to steal the legendary Silverman Painting. Walking a razor's edge, calculating every decision, not sure sometimes who she is or what she is doing it all for, Violet is getting lost in her own lies. . . .

Public Enemies by Ann Aguirre

Paranormal 

Through a Faustian bargain, Edie Kramer has been pulled into the dangerous world of the Immortal Game, where belief makes your nightmares real. Hungry for sport, fears-made-flesh are always raising the stakes. To them, human lives are less than nothing, just pieces on a board. Because of her boyfriend Kian's sacrifice, she's operating under the mysterious Harbinger's aegis, but his patronage could prove as fatal as the opposition. Raw from deepest loss, she's terrified over the deal Kian made for her. Though her very public enemies keep sending foot soldiers - mercenary monsters committed to her destruction - she's not the one playing under a doom clock. Kian has six months . . . unless Edie can save him. And this is a game she can't bear to lose.

What's New in November? (part 2)

Daughters Unto Devils by Amy Lukavics

Paranormal

When sixteen-year-old Amanda Verner's family decides to move from their small mountain cabin to the vast prairie, she hopes it is her chance for a fresh start. She can leave behind the memory of the past winter; of her sickly ma giving birth to a baby sister who cries endlessly; of the terrifying visions she saw as her sanity began to slip, the victim of cabin fever; and most of all, the memories of the boy she has been secretly meeting with as a distraction from her pain. The boy whose baby she now carries. When the Verners arrive at their new home, a large cabin abandoned by its previous owners, they discover the inside covered in blood. And as the days pass, it is obvious to Amanda that something isn't right on the prairie. She's heard stories of lands being tainted by evil, of men losing their minds and killing their families, and there is something strange about the doctor and his son who live in the woods on the edge of the prairie. But with the guilt and shame of her sins weighing on her, Amanda can't be sure if the true evil lies in the land, or deep within her soul.

The Detour by S. A. Bodeen

Action/Adventure 

Livvy Flynn is a big deal - she's a New York Times -bestselling author whose YA fiction has sold all over the world. She's rich, she's famous, she's gorgeous, and she's full of herself. When she's invited to an A-list writer's conference, she decides to accept so she can have some time to herself. She's on a tight deadline for her next book, and she has no intention of socializing with the other industry people at the conference. And then she hits the detour. Before she knows it, her brand new car is wrecked, she's hurt, and she's tied to a bed in a nondescript shack in the middle of nowhere. A woman and her apparently manic daughter have kidnapped her. And they have no intention of letting her go.

The Devil is a Part-Timer by Satoshi Wagahara & Akio Hiiragi

Manga

It's tough being evil when you have to pay the rent! This comical tale of a demon-lord-turned-fry-slinger follows the daily travails of (former) Devil King Sadao Maou and his general Shiro Ashiya as they navigate the complexities of life in modern-day Tokyo. Having suffered utter defeat at the hands of a plucky hero, they've been banished to Earth and stripped of magical power. And if that wasn't enough, that pesky hero is still hell bent on finishing the job. Artist Akio Hiiragi brings Satoshi Wagahara's story to hilarious life in this manga adaptation of the hit light novel series. It turns out crushing your enemies beneath your feet is tricky when you haven't even made manager yet!

Diary of a Haunting by M. Verano

Paranormal 

After her parents' high-profile divorce, sixteen-year-old Paige is forced to leave Los Angeles for a rambling Victorian mansion in small-town Idaho where she soon notices strange occurrences that seem to be building toward some unspeakable horror.

Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor: Revolutions of Terror by Nick Abadzi

Graphic Novel 

Two strangers: the Doctor, charming, eccentric Time Lord with a past as dark and heavy as a black hole; Gabriella Gonzalez, waitress and wannabe artist with a future dragging her down like lead chains. Hurled together by a wave of psychic horror haunting New York, they embark on an epic new adventure across time and space...

New School Year, New Books! September New Books (part 8)

Reawakened by Colleen Houck

Paranormal 

When seventeen-year-old Lilliana Young enters the Metropolitan Museum of Art one morning during spring break, the last thing she expects to find is a live Egyptian prince with godlike powers, who has been reawakened after a thousand years of mummification. 
And she really can't imagine being chosen to aid him in an epic quest that will lead them across the globe.
 
But fate has taken hold of Lily, and she, along with her sun prince, Amon, must travel to the Valley of the Kings, raise his brothers, and stop an evil, shape-shifting god named Seth from taking over the world. 


Rebel Mechanics by Shanna Swendson

Fantasy 

It's 1888, and seventeen-year-old Verity Newton lands a job in New York as a governess to a wealthy leading family--but she quickly learns that the family has big secrets. Magisters have always ruled the colonies, but now an underground society of mechanics and engineers are developing non-magical sources of power via steam engines that they hope will help them gain freedom from British rule. The family Verity works for is magister--but it seems like the children's young guardian uncle is sympathetic to the rebel cause. As Verity falls for a charming rebel inventor and agrees to become a spy, she also becomes more and more enmeshed in the magister family's life. She soon realizes she's uniquely positioned to advance the cause--but to do so, she'll have to reveal her own dangerous secret.

Ruthless by Carolyn Lee Adams

Action/Adventure 

Ruth Carver has always competed like her life depends on it. Ambitious. Tough. Maybe even mean. It's no wonder people call her Ruthless. When she wakes up with a concussion in the bed of a moving pickup trick, she realizes she has been entered into a contest she can't afford to lose. At a remote, rotting cabin deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Ruth's blindfold comes off and she comes face-to-face with her captor. A man who believes his mission is to punish bad girls like Ruth. A man who has done this six times before. The other girls were never heard from again, but Ruth won't go down easy. She escapes into the wilderness, but her hunter is close at her heels. That's when the real battle begins. That's when Ruth must decides just how far she'll go in order to survive. Back home, they called her Ruthless. They had no idea just how right they were.

Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life vol 1 by Bryan Lee O'Malley

Graphic Novel 

Scott Pilgrim's life is totally sweet. He's 23 years old, he's in a rockband, he's ""between jobs,"" and he's dating a cute high school girl. Nothingcould possibly go wrong, unless a seriously mind-blowing, dangerouslyfashionable, rollerblading delivery girl named Ramona Flowers starts cruisingthrough his dreams and sailing by him at parties. Will Scott's awesome life getturned upside-down? Will he have to face Ramona's seven evil ex-boyfriends inbattle? The short answer is yes. The long answer is Scott Pilgrim, Volume 1:Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life.

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World vol 2 by Bryan Lee O'Malley

Graphic Novel 

Does Scott and Ramona's burgeoning relationship have a future? Isn't Scott still supposedly dating Knives Chau? Who is Ramona's second evil ex-boyfriend, and why is he in Toronto? Who are The Clash At Demonhead, and what kind of bizarre art-punky music do they play? Who's their hot girl keyboardist, and what is Scott's relation to her? Why are they Knives Chau's new favourite band? Fights! Drama! Secrets revealed! The answers to all these questions and more!

New School Year, New Books! September New Books (part 3)

Court of Fives by Kate Elliott

Fantasy 

When a scheming lord tears Jess's family apart, she must rely on her unlikely friendship with Kal, a high-ranking Patron boy, and her skill at Fives, an intricate, multi-level athletic competition that offers a chance for glory, to protect her Commoner mother and mixed-race sisters and save her father's reputation.

Crystal Kingdom by Amanda Hocking

Paranormal 

Cast out by her kingdom and far from home, she's the Kanin people's only hope. Bryn Aven-unjustly charged with murder and treason-is on the run. The one person who can help is her greatest enemy, the gorgeous and enigmatic Konstantin Black. Konstantin is her only ally against those who have taken over her kingdom and threaten to destroy everything she holds dear. But can she trust him? As Bryn fights to clear her name, the Kanin rulers' darkest secrets are coming to light... and now the entire troll world is on the brink of war. Will it tear Bryn from Ridley Dresden, the only guy she's ever loved? And can she join forces with Finn Holms and the Trylle kingdom? Nothing is as it seems, but one thing is certain: an epic battle is underway-and when it's complete, nothing will ever be the same.

Daughter of Dusk by Livia Blackburne

Fantasy 

As tensions rise within Forge's Council, and vicious Demon Rider attacks continue in surrounding villages, Kyra knows she must do something to save her city. But she walks a dangerous line between opposing armies: will she be able to use her link to theDemon Riders for good, or will her Makvani blood prove to be deadly? Kyra and Tristam face their biggest battle yet as they grapple with changing allegiances, shocking deceit, and vengeful opponents

The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall by Katie Alender

Paranormal 

Sixteen-year-old Cordelia and her family move into the house they just inherited in Pennsylvania, a former insane asylum the locals call Hysteria Hall--unfortunately the house does not want defiant girls like Delia, so it kills her, and as she wanders the house, meeting the other ghosts and learning the dark secrets of the Hall, she realizes that she has to find a way to save her sister, parents, and perhaps herself.

Dead Upon a Time by Elizabeth Paulson

Fantasy 

A sinister kidnapper is on the loose in Kate Hood's world, and when her grandmother disappears from her cottage in the woods, leaving behind tapestries showing the torments being inflicted on the victims, Kate knows she will have to find the witch responsible on her own--that is until the King's daughter is also kidnapped.

The Rest of Your Summer Reading ~ August New Books (part 3)

Welcome to Gotham Academy by Becky Cloonan

Gotham Academy #1

Graphic Novel 

Gotham City's most prestigious prep school is a very weird place. It's got a spooky campus, oddball teachers, and rich benefactors always dropping by...like that weirdo Bruce Wayne. But nothing is as strange as the students! Like, what's up with Olive Silverlock? Is she crazy or what? Where did she go last summer? And what's the deal with her creepy mom? And how come that Freshman Maps is always following her around? And is she still going out with Kyle? P.S. Did you hear the rumor about the ghost in the North Hall?! Collects Gotham Academy #1-6 GOTHAM ACADEMY is a new teen drama set in the shadow of Batman and the craziness of Gotham City, with new characters and old plus a secret tie to Gotham's past.

The Warrior's Return by Alyson Peterson

Ian Quicksilver #1

Pararnormal

Skinny, nerdy foster kid Ian Quicksilver from Puckerbush, Nevada, has just discovered an unsettling truth—he is the last warrior prince of Bankhir. And the fate of his home planet—and the entire galaxy—depends on him. Well, him and Arianna Hernfeld, the hottest girl in school. He needs her help and her magic to stop a sociopathic magician bent on galactic domination.

The problem is, Arianna doesn’t remember anything about their past, and all of this galaxy-saving, spell-breaking stuff has to happen by Ian’s sixteenth birthday. Which is only five days away.

Get ready for an action-packed, laugh-out-loud book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Witty and perfectly paced, this is one adventure story you’ll have to read to believe. 

Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine 

The Great Library #1

Fantasy 

In a world where the Great Library of Alexandria governs the flow of information to the people, Jess discovers that those who control the Library believe that knowledge is more valuable than human life after his friend inadvertently commits heresy.

Kiss of the Rose Princess by Aya Shouoto

Volume 2

Manga 

Anise Yamamoto has been told that if she ever removes the rose choker given to her by her father, a terrible punishment will befall her. Unfortunately she loses that choker when a bat-like being falls from the sky and hits her. Anise is granted four cards representing four knights whom she can summon with a kiss. But now that she has these gorgeous men at her beck and call, what exactly is her quest?!

The Last Good Day of the Year by Jessica Warman

Mystery 

Ten years after Samantha and her next door neighbor Remy watched as a man broke into Sam's home and lifted her younger sister, Turtle, from her sleeping bag, Sam's shattered family returns to her childhood home in an effort to heal, and the more they re-examine the events of that fateful night, the more questions they discover about what really happened to Turtle.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past by Shotaro Ishinomori

Graphic Novel 

In this adaptation of the classic video game, a young boy named Link must go on a great adventure when the Princess Zelda summons him to save the Kingdom of Hyrule from the evil wizard Agahnim. To find the Master Sword that will defeat Agahnim, Link must travel through both Hyrule and its mirror copy, the Dark World.