PUT THESE ON YOUR TBR LIST FOR FALL 2014

First, some YA books by well loved authors . . .

The Infinite Sea

by Rick Yancey  | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
Sequel to The 5th Wave--a series that will appeal to a wide audience--not just fans of dystopian like Hunger Games. Think of handing this to readers who love scifi (aliens!) apocalypse fiction, and some romance readers. Although lets be clear, The Infinite Sea is not full of romance--there's lots of action, twists & turns, and lots of what I love in YA--dire dilemmas the characters have to face that force them to ask the tough questions. Not a disappointing sequel at all.

The Young Elites
by Marie Lu  | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
From author Marie Lu of the Legend trilogy-- some survivors of a blood fever have talents that make them more then normal, which in turn makes them powerful enemies that have dark secrets of their own. Expect nothing less than great world building and characters from this author & new series!

Atlantia
by Ally Condie  | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
Betrayal by a twin sister, treachery surrounding her mother's death, and making a plan to cross the divide between land and Atlantia, the sea, where the main character Rio lives. Matched triliogy fans will be excited for Ally Condie's next book, and in skimming the reviews, reaction seems mostly positive and excited for this standalone book.

Blue Lily, Lily Blue
by Maggie Stiefvater  | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
I feel like I have to be rather vague in order to not give away spoilers . . . we'll just say that the story of the search continues--only there are more things to search for now, including Blue's missing mother. More Gansey & Blue moments, great character development, poetic writing, and the fascinating myth that this is all based on brings you closer to the moment of truth & death that was predicted in the first book.

Illusions of Fate
by Kiersten White | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
Another standalone from a best selling author. The marketing blurb "Downton Abbey meets Cassandra Clare" seems like a tall order to fill, but reviews have been positive! After leaving her home, main character Jessamin feel like an outcast until Finn. He introduces her into circles of nobility--and all that comes with it, which means she must rely on her own strength to navigate the secrets, the power, and the danger.

The Contract
by Derek Jeter | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
I love that Derek Jeter--the New York Yankee with five World Series appearances, thirteen All-Star nominations, membership in the 3,000 hit club, the legend-- now has his own publishing imprint. This is the debut book and first in a middle grade series based on Jeter's childhood. Hard work and goals are running themes throughout. I love this niche of sports and based-on-a-true-story fiction that this book fills! Jeter's nonfiction title was also a best-seller.

A taste of nonfiction . . .

What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions
by Randall Munroe | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
The subtitle gives you a good idea of what this is about. Former NASA, currently running the website xkcd.com, Randall Munroe takes on questions about pools & thunderstorms, Star Trek, energy producing capabilities of people exercising, and much more. I can think of such a diverse audience that would love this book! I'm excited to recommend it to people.

Some majorly anticipated fiction by big name writers . . .

Lila
by Marilynne Robinson | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
So if you haven't read Marilynne Robinson's Gilead (won her a Pulitzer) or Home (Orange Prize & National Book Award Finalist, you probably should. If you have, and you found out that she wrote another book set in the same town and revisiting old characters, your heart is probably beating really fast.

The Bone Clocks
by David Mitchell | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
Hearing that David Mitchell also wrote another book might cause some of your hearts to beat a little fast. Shifting between different points of view, several characters receive an in depth study through a smaller portion of their life story. Each of the characters in some way ties back to Holly Sykes, who throughout her life has been involved--willingly or not--with supernatural happenings and in a few dangerous circles.

And something to think about . . .

The Learning Habit: A Groundbreaking Approach to Homework and Parenting that Helps Our Children Succeed in School and Life
by Stephanie Donaldson-Pressman, Rebecca Jackson, & Robert Pressman
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
This book talks about the most essential learning habits in the face of the Common Core State Standards, large amounts of standardized testing, screen time, and more.

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SHORT REVIEWS: AVALON, THE SCAR BOYS, & DARK EDEN

Avalon
by Mindee Arnott
****4 of 5 stars

Balzer & Bray
Release Date: January 21, 2014
Genre: YA, Science fiction, Fantasy, Space
Pages: 432
Amazon | Indiebound | Goodreads

Synopsis: 
A ragtag group of teenage mercenaries who crew the spaceship Avalon stumble upon a conspiracy that could threaten the entire galaxy in this fascinating and fast-paced sci-fi adventure from author Mindee Arnett. 

 Of the various star systems that make up the Confederation, most lie thousands of light-years from First Earth-and out here, no one is free. The agencies that govern the Confederation are as corrupt as the crime bosses who patrol it, and power is held by anyone with enough greed and ruthlessness to claim it. That power is derived from one thing: metatech, the devices that allow people to travel great distances faster than the speed of light. 

 Jeth Seagrave and his crew of teenage mercenaries have survived in this world by stealing unsecured metatech, and they're damn good at it. Jeth doesn't care about the politics or the law; all he cares about is earning enough money to buy back his parents' ship, Avalon, from his crime-boss employer and getting himself and his sister, Lizzie, the heck out of Dodge. But when Jeth finds himself in possession of information that both the crime bosses and the government are willing to kill for, he is going to have to ask himself how far he'll go to get the freedom he's wanted for so long. Avalon is the perfect fit for teens new to sci-fi as well as seasoned sci-fi readers looking for more books in the YA space-and a great match for fans of Joss Whedon's cult hit show Firefly.

Plenty of action scenes, space, and a gang of teenage mercenaries make this book entertaining and fun. The plot twists in the second half of the book, along with a bit of romance thrown in (sometimes a bit obviously) keeps things interesting. Because it's told in third person mainly from the perspective of Jeth, you can see that the other characters have secrets and hidden motives, which creates some great suspense throughout the story. 

An advanced copy was provided by the publisher for an honest review. 

The Scar Boys
by Len Vlahos
****4 of 5 stars

Edgmont USA
Release Date: January 21, 2014
Genre: YA, Music, Realistic fiction
Pages: 256
Amazon | Indiebound | Goodreads

Synopsis: 
A severely burned teenager. A guitar. Punk rock. The chords of a rock 'n' roll road trip in a coming-of-age novel that is a must-read story about finding your place in the world...even if you carry scars inside and out. 

The first defining moment: the day the neighborhood goons tied him to a tree during a lightning storm when he was 8 years old, and the tree was struck and caught fire. Harry was badly burned and has had to live with the physical and emotional scars, reactions from strangers, bullying, and loneliness that instantly became his everyday reality. 

The second defining moment: the day in 8th grade when the handsome, charismatic Johnny rescued him from the bullies and then made the startling suggestion that they start a band together. Harry discovered that playing music transported him out of his nightmare of a world, and he finally had something that compelled people to look beyond his physical appearance. Harry's description of his life in his essay is both humorous and heart-wrenching. He had a steeper road to climb than the average kid, but he ends up learning something about personal power, friendship, first love, and how to fit in the world. While he's looking back at the moments that have shaped his life, most of this story takes place while Harry is in high school and the summer after he graduates.

Anyone who is into bands or music will really be able to connect with this book. Also well done is how the main character Harry becomes aware of himself and his self-pitying tendencies, and tries to work it out. He's got kind of a rough deal but the people in his life--the friends, the Obi-Wan Kenobi-like mentors, as well as the cathartic, empowering presence of music help him through those rough things and that is what makes this story work.

Sure, it's insightful as it examines feelings toward self and bullying, but really the best parts are how it gives you a taste of rock-band life, and how anyone who has ever felt like a song (or music in general) just spoke to them at a certain time in their life will get that from this book.



Dark Eden
by Chris Beckett
***3 of 5 stars

Broadway Books
Release Date: April 1, 2014
Genre: Sci-fi, Fantasy, Dystopia
Pages: 448
Amazon | Indiebound | Goodreads

Synopsis: 
On the alien, sunless planet they call Eden, the 532 members of the Family shelter beneath the light and warmth of the Forest’s lantern trees. Beyond the Forest lie the mountains of the Snowy Dark and a cold so bitter and a night so profound that no man has ever crossed it. 

 The Oldest among the Family recount legends of a world where light came from the sky, where men and women made boats that could cross the stars. These ships brought us here, the Oldest say—and the Family must only wait for the travelers to return. But young John Redlantern will break the laws of Eden, shatter the Family and change history. He will abandon the old ways, venture into the Dark…and discover the truth about their world. 

 Already remarkably acclaimed in the UK, Dark Eden is science fiction as literature; part parable, part powerful coming-of-age story, set in a truly original alien world of dark, sinister beauty--rendered in prose that is at once strikingly simple and stunningly inventive.

On a sci-fi and kind of Avatar mixed with Lord of the Flies level it worked really well: how free &; critical thinking change things, and how stories shape and change society. Those were the most interesting parts, and the times when the plot had the most action and excitement. The big moment at the end is revelatory, but doesn't solve every little thing--which was surprisingly not disappointing at all but rather an organic conclusion of the story.

But, it felt like it was mis-marketed. It seemed to be a YA book, but after getting not that far into it I started feeling like all the content (relationship and some language), while showing an interesting picture of a somewhat primitive society, was taking away from the story and would not fit for younger YA audiences. The continual and heavy-handed emphasis that the author put on the primitive society's promiscuous approach made this book seem better put in a more mature category. I was left with too uncomfortable of a feeling at some parts to enjoy it much, but some readers might not care. Overall it was a fascinating story.

An advanced copy was provided by the publisher for an honest review.


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Other new books with a male POV that sound interesting (that I haven't read):

Phoenix Island
by John Dixon
This one sounds like a mix of X-Men and Percy Jackson. Got you interested? Just the first part of the book blurb had me curious: A champion boxer with a sharp hook and a short temper, sixteen-year-old Carl Freeman has been shuffled from foster home to foster home. He can't seem to stay out of trouble, using his fists to defend weaker classmates from bullies. His latest incident sends his opponent to the emergency room, and now the court is sending Carl to the worst place on earth: Phoenix Island. 

Zom-B Gladiators
by Darren Shan
Part of the Zom-B series by Darren Shan, this thrilling and gory sounding book is supposed to be one of the best in the series . . . if action and zombies are your thing--I can see some readers loving this stuff.

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REVIEW: OPHELIA AND THE MARVELOUS BOY

Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy by Karen Foxlee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book has such a lovely moody tone! The dusty museum, the ghosts, the frightening adventures, and the snow and frost make this a perfectly pitched magical story for the middle-grade audience. I have to say that I think it's good timing with the Snow Queen story--with the raging popularity around Disney's Frozen, this is a great rendition of the story for middle-grade readers.

I thought that some of the chapter titles "In Which . . ." gave away a little too much. But that really seems to be my only complaint. The characters, especially Ophelia, have a lot of heart and are very brave. The writing has an understated poetic and dramatic feel, which if we're comparing, is similar in feeling to Neil Gaiman. This is definitely a book I would recommend to middle-grade and even slightly older readers not just for the thoughts on bravery and things, but for the suspenseful and exciting story.

An advanced copy was provided by the publisher for an honest review. 

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REVIEW: HOSTAGE THREE

Hostage Three by Nick Lake
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I've met Amy in a host of other rebellious, depressed, financially well-off teenagers in other books. However, her realization of what happened with her mother and what it will mean to her is natural and nicely done: gradually as she becomes more aware of the limits and flaws of her own view. But what Nick Lake really did successfully here was create a beautiful backstory of the Somali pirates--their homeland, history, and business-like approach to hostage-taking. This kind of story building based on historical occurrences is a strength of Nick Lake's that I also saw and loved in his Printz-award winner, In Darkness.

Lake also writes in Hostage Three with a clarity that conveys a lot of emotion in it's simplicity.  I particularly loved In Darkness, I enjoyed the writing and story of this one too, despite the fact that it didn't have quite the deep characters and layered story that In Darkness has.  Plus, the book delivers on the action it promises; the situation calls for a swift pace, and the up and down, back and forth emotions and physical standing between the hostages and the pirates brings some breathless suspense and action.

Good for fans of Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly, or if you liked books like Code Name Verity.

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REVIEW: PROXY

Proxy by Alex London
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In Proxy, the best kind of entertainment doesn't sacrifice action or thrills to world building or a YA-typical romance plot. It jumps right into the action from the beginning, and keeps it coming.

Characters were real and diverse. Refreshingly free from stereotypes. Friendships between the characters, and even the characters themselves, develop so naturally that it redefines what I've always thought of the genre. YA that reaches beyond--with writing quality and layering that shouldn't be thought of as being among the torrent of other recycled YA stories out there. Amazing character development will have you thinking one thing about the character at the beginning, and something completely different at the end. This happened with such finesse in Proxy, that you can't help but admire how smoothly the author changed the game.

While this book is excellently multi-layered, at times the social commentary and overtones overshadow the plot. Amid all the action and twists, there is a lot of questioning and issues being addressed. The characters are constantly grappling with these huge social constructs, and sometimes it feels a little overwhelming. However, this book has an introspective quality that is rare in Young Adult literature. Self examination and character development usually gets lost in the fast paced action or the romance aspects, but in Proxy it shines gloriously through. Here's some gems that really showcase that quality:

"Sarcasm was the easy expression of an empty mind. It carried no information, nothing he could learn except that Knox was an a--, which he knew already. The knowledge wasn't useful."

"This girl contained that girl. Whoever she was was also whoever she had been. The same was true for him, he guessed. He wondered if anyone really ever changed, or if stuff just piled on and on, covering up, but never erasing all the different parts. How deep would you have to dig to find who you started out as?"

This series-starter has both the entertainment and thought-provoking factors . . . I'm excited to see if the author can keep it up for the rest of the series.

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READ, WHITE, & BLUE

A few patriotic picks for your 4th of July holiday:

Bunker Hill

by Nathaniel Philbrick

Like the blurb says, this book is about the " . . . Boston battle that ignited the American Revolution." Really, though, I can't wait to get this one because Philbrick is one amazing storyteller. I first became a fan after In the Heart of the Sea, and Bunker Hill is really being talked about. The detail and suspense that Philbrick endows these moments of history with are not to be missed. (Nonfiction)

Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10. 
by Marcus Luttrell

I listened to this on audio book and it was such an incredible, intense experience. Intense. He talks about how SEAL team members are selected and trained, and takes you through the play-by-play experience of Operation Redwing--the goal of which was to take out an al Qaeda leader in Taliban territory. This made me feel pride in our troops like never before. Plus, this book has really been a hit with reluctant readers of all ages--lots of teen readers, mostly boys, really find this book to be thrilling. Which, really, it is for any level of reader. (Nonfiction)

Eleanor & Park
by Rainbow Rowell

This one might not be as directly patriotic as the others, but I thought of it because it really provides a fun, interesting snapshot of America in a certain special decade (the 80s). It's just fun to read books that give you nostalgia for a decade, or if you weren't alive in that decade (I barely was)--you can laugh and learn about all the crazy things that American teenagers loved (Walkmans! Mix tapes! etc.) The story is about an unlikely couple--quirky Eleanor and quiet but strong Park. See my review here. (YA)

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REVIEW: THE 5TH WAVE

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The 5th Wave will pull you under. With the fast-paced action scenes and mysterious nature of the humans and the aliens, this original, violent, suspenseful story blows past the other typical post-apocalyptic novels. The world that has been hit by alien forces with electromagnetic pulses, tsunamis & earthquakes, and disease,and  Cassie is determined to keep her promise to find her little brother. She has to navigate a world full of murderous aliens-posed-as-humans, a new kind of army set on a course to extermination, and knows she can't trust anyone.

The breathlessly fast action scenes, the alien-invasion premise, and the brilliant writing make this a stunning combination. Really, what sets this book apart is the writing--it's concise while still descriptive, brimming with beauty and tension, and quick and dramatic enough to be completely chilling. The sense of uncertainty that the characters experience saturates the writing to the point that you feel the suspicion and uncertainty that the characters do. All perfectly matched to a world in the middle of destruction, trying to save what humanity is left.

It's written in a few different POV's--you'll be really getting into Cassie's of-the-moment, trusting no-one, running-on-an-impossible-promise storyline, then you'll be thrown into another character who is equally believable, well-developed, and captivating. The gradual development of each character, revealing their secrets agonizingly slow, served to build up an incredible amount of suspense throughout the whole book.

It's a major plus that there is an Ender's Game feel to it--with the children's army, the training and the desperate hope they have to have. However, I get anxious when young children are placed in situations like this, and I wondered if that was entirely necessary to the plot. I feel like it could have worked without the young kids--and just stuck to teenagers. And while we're comparing to other books, notice that it shares some genre similarities with Hunger Games and that crowd, but I felt like it even ran a little deeper and was more realistic. There wasn't a whole lot of time spent world building because it takes place in the world we live in today! Which was kind of nice, not to have to go through the sometimes painful process of world building that you're subjected to in a lot of dystopian, post-apocalyptic YA.

This book touches on a lot of dark, deep issues--like humanity, survival, trust, bravery, love, and strong familial bonds. Sometimes these issues make it seem more mature, but the humor and the age of the characters keep it light and fresh. You can bet that this book is going to be a hit--but for good reason! Strong reader reaction shows that it's exciting to read, and I'm looking forward to seeing people get into it.

Definitely pick this up if you liked The Hunger Games, Ender's Game, the classic War of the Worlds, Insurgent, or really any welcome-to-the-apocalypse dystopian or science fiction books. Like Across the Universe, The Dead and the Gone, or even The Host.

Read the first 54 pages of the book here.

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REVIEW: PRODIGY

Prodigy by Marie Lu
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This action-packed sequel comes at you with not only a thrilling, stumbling romance set in an intense and foreboding future America, but also questions about the differences between right and wrong, oppressors and the oppressed.This book--even more so than the first one--brings it. If you were ever lukewarm about Legend, well then, I bet Prodigy will change your mind about this series!

Oh, June & Day. Good distinction between the two voices. We really went deeper into the characters this time. June stayed true to her militaristic self, sharp and logical, and so she understandingly bumbles around in her relationship with Day, who also struggles in the communication department. Not to worry though! There are plenty of sparks between them. And other characters. What?! Let's call this a love square. And I'm on team Anden, who blazes into this book along with a more fully developed cast of secondary characters, including the lovely, grown-up Tess and perceptive, I'm-in-it-for-me Kaede. Cheers for Kaede!

Lu doesn't hold back when she dishes out further context of this futuristic (more or less united) States of America. The wider perspective and placement of their world post-climate change was realistic, startling, and well done. Definitely a little foreboding, as well . . .

Prodigy wasn't afraid to ask questions this time--questions that maybe the reader was having all along. Like, was it really ok for June to do all that stuff to Day's family, and he still likes her? Hmm. Who/what is right/wrong? I love that this book questions right and wrong things about the characters, the Republic and the Colonies, and loyalty. It didn't miss on talking about class differences either--there is definite tension between the haves and the have-nots in this book.

And wow. Great ending. Enough closure but also enough that I am imagining all sorts of thrilling endings for the next one, which I can't wait for.

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Insurgent

Insurgent by Veronica Roth
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Not much world building or setting explanations to start out with. If you haven't just finished reading Divergent, you will feel a little lost. This contributed to me not caring about many of the characters, even when they died--this book didn't give me much of a reason to care about them, even if they were big players in the last one. I hardly remembered any of them, then combine that with the fact that even more characters are introduced, and I could care less.

One part that I thought was interesting was getting into the mind of Tris. It took me a while to get past the fact that she just sounded whiny and confused all the time (like most of the book) to the point where I realized that she is dealing with a seriously traumatic event, and having a hard time with it. I would have loved something that prompted me to think that earlier, but for most of the book she just bugged me.

Mixed up in that was all the teenage romance drama with Four. So back and forth and so drama. Put that together with Tris' mental issues and somewhat self-injuring tendencies, and it smacked a little of Twilight. Because of this, I felt like there really wasn't too much action. A lot of running around from different places to other places, but I didn't feel like the plot really advanced until the last fourth of the book. This was the total opposite of Divergent, where the action and character development took center stage and the romance was a wonderful side part of the book. Switch that, and you'll have Insurgent.

A redeeming quality would be the storyline, but even that was a bit predictable at the end. And of course it's a series book, so you'd be silly not to expect a cliffhanger. I really liked Divergent, so I think I will read the next one, even though this one was a bit of a disappointment. I do want to see where the storyline goes, and overall I like her style of writing. So we'll see, right?

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Revolver

Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The best YA I've read in a while! You can't help but admire the writing- sparse but full of action and tension. But I also got really caught up in the story. It's just so fascinating. I loved learning more about the time period--in an indirect way--but also the characters were so captivating and unique that I was interested the whole time. It also feels like it has wider significance--morals that you can pull from the action other than the ones that are more overt. I really enjoy reading books where you can gradually see the puzzle pieces fit together to create a masterful narrative, and seeing where those pieces fit in was part of the excitement of this book.

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The Maze Runner

The Maze Runner by James Dashner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I felt like this book was a mix of Hunger Games, Lord of the Flies, and Ender's Game. Made things kind of interesting. Definitely a dynamic story that you will get caught up in, although it might take you getting used to the constant annoying questions the main character asks at the beginning. The plot and idea behind the story was pretty exciting and intriguing, especially since you don't get background information up front--it's kind of learned along the way. The made-up vocabulary was an interesting touch to put on it . . . still not sure if I liked it. I also wish i would have seen more character development and uniqueness--sometimes that felt a little flat. But overall, a really great read. I finished it in one sitting, and tons of my male students LOVE it (maybe b/c it's lighter on the romance side than, say, Hunger Games). And it's a cliffhanger, people, so you gotta read the next one!

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The Lightning Thief: Graphic Novel Version.

The Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Lightning Thief: The Graphic Novel by Rick Riordan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A lot of books-turned graphic novels don't seem as good as the original, but the art on this one is so well done! I felt like it really matched up with the story and the characters, and didn't seem too "magical" or fairy-tale-ish. My students really love this one--even if they haven't read the original version, they get really into the story.



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bikes + suspense = can't put it down!

Shift by Jennifer Bradbury


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
SUCH a great book. I love riding anyway, and this just felt like a great adventure. Who doesn't think that it would fun to ride your bike across the country, seeing the world? (besides having sore leg muscles the whole time . . .)I also loved the relationship between Chris and Win. It was written so well- particularly with the flashbacks every other chapter. I like how that was done, because we get more insight into the characters and the way they think. Their relationship feels very real. The mystery and suspense aspect was great as well- i could hardly wait to find out what happened. p.s. a shout out to Cat for recommending this to me! (and letting me borrow it . . .)

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BEWARE THE ICE!

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Endurance by Jennifer Armstrong


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Very well done! This book gives you a good taste of the feeling of the survival journey as well being excellently researched. I learned so much! Who knew ice could be so dangerous? I was amazed at the actual survival story too- absolutely incredible and inspiring- the things that those men went through! Loved the pictures as well. aimed towards young adult audiences, but enjoyable for everyone.

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talents, adventures, & puzzles

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

My rating: 3 of 5 stars a fun book! the story of some talented but somewhat misfit children who learn and grow, have adventures, and do some pretty important things! this book was a bit long at times, occasionally feeling a bit drawn out. It's fun though, and i had fun and laughed right along with the kids in their adventures. there are definitely some fun mysteries and puzzles in this book. View all my reviews >>

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