The Crimson Crown

I wanted to end 2012 with a great read. So I spent the last two hours finishing the 4th book in the Seven Realms series by Cinda Williams Chima. What a way to go ! I love this series. It is one of my all time favorites and book four was no exception. Han Alister is sitting atop my fictional boy list with a Crimson Crown on his head. This book finds him and Raisa trying to hold the queendom together. All the factions are fighting and they have no intention of working together to make the kingdom strong. As they try and figure out a way to marry- a new enemy arrises that puts all the factions in danger. There are very few people Raisa can trust and when Han disappears, she considers surrender, until her friends step up and give her strength. Everyone is out for themselves and Raisa is pulled in so many directions and the only direction she is interested in is Han's. Han gives a speech about all the reasons he loves her that will make a grown woman weep, and she did. I mean who doesn't want someone to say those words about her. As for Raisa, she decides that in a world where there is no one she can trust, she can trust Han. They find a way to unite the kingdom, but at great cost. Many major characters are victims, some good, some bad. When all is said and done, Raisa finds a family- the kind that may not be related to her. One that will help her change the old ways and make her queendom a better place. I love Crow and his help. He is an interesting character that gave Han a hand when it was needed. I am sad that I will have to leave them now and hope this is not the end. The threats are not over for the couple, and new enemies have been made. But for now, I end the year with happy heart for these great characters. I look forward to a new year of great reading. Happy New Year and happy reading my friends!

Beta

I had the chance to hear Rachel Cohn read from this book not long ago. She was great, funny and the book was interesting. Elysia is a Beta Clone. She is cloned from a teen who has died. She is the first of the teen models and is bought to be a companion on the island of Demesne- a place engineered for pleasure. The water, the air, the drugs, all created to give the residents a sense of peace and prosperity. Beta's are not meant to feel, or think, or have any desires of their own. If they do, they are considered Defects and are destroyed. Elysia quickly learns she may be a Defect. She can taste, think, and tell jokes. She is having visions from her First's life. She must keep all this a secret. As she hangs out with her 'brother' and his friends, she is drawn to Tahir, a boy who is recovering from a terrible accident. But he too, has a secret and they decide to run away together. They know they are about to enter the Awfuls, the time when teen Beta's go crazy and die. They decide they want to go through this together. Before their plan can be put into effect, some terrible things happen that tear them apart. Elysia must run for her life and help comes from the most unlikely source. The end is a cliffhanger of epic proportions and leaves the reader in desperate need of a sequel sooner than later. A nice triangle (or square) is set up, a murderer is on the loose, a boyfriend is missing and an insurrection is imminent. Wow, well done Ms. Cohn. I'm off to meet up with Han and Raisa in book four of the Grey Wolf Throne. I've left them sitting on my shelf far too long. Happy reading my friends !

Touching the Surface

Elliot has died for the third time. She just can't move on until she figures out her life lesson. As she reaches the afterlife as a third-timer, she is immediately drawn to Oliver and Trevor. Oliver is kind, and golden and warm hearted. Trevor is surly, and angry and mean. As Elliot Delves into her memories, she realizes her connection to the two boys and is horrified by what she had done in her last life. To make matters worse, her best friend and former twin brother (in her first life) Julia wants nothing to do with her. Elliot must face her past and work her way through it so that she can move on and release those who are there to help her. She is drawn more and more to Trevor and finds that her greatest fears turn out to be his reality. Her relationship with the boys is the key to her ability to move past this "holding station" and into her future, wherever that may be. Kimberley Sabatini has created an interesting world where the characters can create their own surroundings based on their moods and feelings. The idea of examining your actions to become a better person is appropriate for this time of year. The message is one of being present in the moment as a active participant rather than a casual, distracted observer. A great lesson in our world of technology where smart phones seem to be more interesting than the people we are with. I feel a New Year's resolution coming on. Merry Christmas and happy reading my friends.

Rebel Heart- Book Two of the Dust Lands series

     Saba and Jack. Saba and DeMalo. Saba and Tommo. Oh what a tangle web she weaves. Rebel Heart is the sequel to Blood Red Road by Moira Young. It is a story set in the future, where the evil Tontons are taking over land to create a New Eden. Saba and Jack have left each other to their individual tasks. Jack to tell Molly of Ike's death and Saba to reunite with her family. They will meet in the West and start their lives together. Nothing, of course, goes as planned. Jack is drawn into the Tonton's world and Saba is shocked by the betrayal. Her brother Lugh, who is her twin and best friend, is harder and harder to get along with. And Tommo seems to be falling in love with her. Saba doesn't know what her path is and she can't get over the death of Epona. As she leads her group through one treacherous adventure to the next, she is searching for Jack because she just doesn't believe he could betray her. As a twist, she seemingly betrays him when she encounters DeMalo and he isn't at all what she expected. Her heartstone seems to burn for him as well. Saba can't seem to get out of her own way and continually questions her motives and the results of her actions. Those she relied on the most, seem to be pushing farther and farther away from her. I love this series. It is not for everyone, however. The author has chosen to use no quotation marks and this can be difficult for poorer readers. I had the chance to ask her why she did this and she wanted no barriers between her characters and the readers. It didn't bother me this time. It just seemed natural. I love Saba and her toughness. She is no damsel in distress, but she find she is not the only capable one in the bunch. And Jack....well, he's always been on my top ten fictional boy list. As this is the second book in the trilogy, it most definitely leaves the reader hanging with a cryptic passage at the end that foreshadows a future betrayal. Christmas break has started so I have a brand new basket- thanks ML- filled with books to occupy my time. Would it be wrong to stay in the house and read for the next two weeks?? Don't judge. Merry Christmas and Happy reading my friends!

Days of Blood and Starlight

I read a lot of books. That being said, one of my favorites of last year (?) was Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. A tale of forbidden love between angel and chimaera. This is the sequel. Karou- the chimaera, is recovering from the news that all she loves has been killed by Akiva- the angel, and the love of her life. Akiva thinks Karou is dead and he doesn't know if he wants to go on in a world without her, his soulmate. They are both devastated by their losses. They miss each other. They both live their lives for each other. Karou has become the resurrectionist for her people. She is creating an army of chimaera who are powerful enough to take on the Seraphim. Akiva is trying to fulfill his duty as a Misbegotten, while secretly helping Karou's people who are being hunted and killed. The war is in full force and the old loves find themselves doing all they can to prevent it from destroying their people. Akiva's father is set on destroying the chimaera. Karou's leader- Thiago, the White Wolf- is set on destroying the Seraphim. Karou cannot understand the point of all the destruction with no solution in sight. But she has such intense feelings of rage at what was done to her beloved father Brimstone, that she can't always see that Akiva is still looking out for her and her people. As each takes action in their own worlds, they face devastating losses and must decide if they can put the past behind them to save what is left of the future of their races. This book was wonderful. It is so different from anything else I have read. These characters are so amazingly rendered that you almost believe they are somewhere in the world, in that little corner of the Kasbah. I look forward with great anticipation for the next book, and it will take a while to get these characters out of my head. I wish that Laini Taylor would publish Karous' sketchbooks so I can see these characters in color. I'm curious if my imagination is a match. Well, this glorious week off is now over. It's back to work for 4 weeks until Christmas. Han, Raisa, Patch, Nora, Ky and Xander, Saba and Jack and Norah and Bram all await me. I can't wait to see what they have been up to. Until then, happy reading my friends!

Flesh and Bone

Oh, John Maberry. I am not happy with you and your dreadful books. You broke my heart in the last one and yet I came back for number 3. What little heart I had left is now in pieces. I had to see how the gang was holding up after Tom's warrior death. Not well at all. As Benny, Nix and their friends Lilah and Chong make their way farther into the Ruin, they encounter a whole new level of crazy. What I love about these books is that the zombies are not the most evil creatures in the story, the humans are. The new batch of evil is the Night Church, led by Saint John- a psychopathic serial killer. He leads a bunch of Reapers, who roam the Ruin leading people to darkness. You see, their mission is to wipe all humans off the face of the earth. As Benny and his group encounter this cult, they are separated and each find a new character to help them on their quest. Their new destination is Sanctuary, a place where they are trying to cure the plague and help the sick. Its location is quite clever, and I'll let you discover that for yourselves dear friends. Along the way, our band of plucky zombie hunters have to deal with their overwhelming grief for all they have lost. I love that Tom's voice guides them all when they need to be 'Warrior Smart'. The kids find a jet filled with research that may save the world. But it may not be in time to save one of their own. While these books are about a zombie apocalypse, they are also about so much more. This one questions how we deal with grief, how much love can guide us to make impossible choices and how even in the midst of a world ending, there is still hope. I know I will pick up the next book as soon as it comes out because the crazies are heading for Benny's home town, but I will do it with a heavy heart and the hopes that Maberry will stop killing the ones I love. Until then, be warrior smart my friends and have a Happy Thanksgiving! Happy reading my friends.

Enchanted

Once upon a time, a teacher was on vacation with a pile of books, and she lived happily ever after! If you like fairy tales, have I got a book for you! Enchanted by Alethea Kontis takes every fairy tale you can imagine, and twists them into a fairy tale of their own. Sunday Woodcutter is the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter. She loves nothing more that to tell stories, one problem though, whatever she writes comes true. So she sticks to things that have already happened. One day in the woods, she meets a frog, who says hello. She starts a friendship with this frog named Grumble and finds herself in love with him in no time. Little does she know, you guessed it, he is Prince Rumbold, an enemy of her family. When, unbeknownst to her, she turns him back with her kiss, he is faced with the dilemma of telling her who he really is. So he throws a couple of balls, they meet, they fall in love, and still he doesn't tell her who he is. Drama ensues. A chase occurs, all are reunited. The end.  This story has fairy godmothers, a beanstalk, a lost slipper, a magic spinning wheel and many more familiar tales. There's even a pirate queen. I really enjoyed the way they were all weaved together into quite a cloth of gold. This book has a great message "He could not change the man he had been, but these hands would make him the man he could be." As the Prince tries to win Sunday back, he must become someone worthy of her. Tear. Well, that's two girly books in a row, so it's off to the Rot and Ruin for me to check on Benny Imura and his friends as they deal with the loss of Tom in Flesh and Bone, book three of Jonathan Maberry's amazing zombie series. In the meantime, may you all have a happily ever after. Happy reading my friends.

The Selection

Imagine if you will, the tv show The Bachelor. Yes, the one where a bunch of girls go on tv to find "true love". Cynic that I am, I refuse to watch those shows. Well, much to my surprise, I totally loved this novel with that exact concept. 35 girls vying to win the heart of the Prince and become the Princess of Illea. When there is a Prince that needs a bride, they must choose from one of their subjects. Girls may enter "The Selection" in which one girl is chosen from each region. America does not want anything to do with this. She is in love with a boy in the caste below her and has every intention of marrying him. Aspen does not want her to have to struggle and fight for survival with him and insists she enters the selection for the good of her and her family. See, the girls in the 'selection' get all sorts of perks, from clothes to food to a change in caste status. Her family is desperate for her to go and when Aspen breaks her heart, she reluctantly agrees, thinking she won't have a chance. Of course, she is selected and finds herself in the palace and face to face with Prince Maxon, who is nothing like she imagines he will be. They become friends and as the process continues with rebels attacking the castle and Aspen showing up as a guard, America and her feelings get a bit confused. Does she still love Aspen or is she starting to have real feelings for Maxon? Of course there are the other contestants, evil, conniving Celeste and lovely Malloree. But the Prince only has eyes for America. As America finds herself one of the six Elite remaining competitors, she has to figure out where her heart lies. I'm sure this will all be resolved at some point in a sequel as we are left hanging at the end. I totally enjoyed this book and it's lack of supernatural elements. I know that it will find an audience in my classroom as well as in the YA world. Good fun Kiera Cass, I look forward to the next book. Until then, Happy reading my friends!

Carnival of Souls

Daimons and witches are mortal enemies. What happens when their worlds get mixed up and no one really knows who they are? Mallory knows her father Adam is a witch. What she doesn't know is that she is a daimon that he stole from her true father and hid in the human world. Aya is a half-witch, half-daimon. If she is found out, she will be killed in The City, where daimons rule and witches drool. J/K. Enter Kaleb, a cur daimon, the lowest of the low. He is trying to fight his way out of his caste and into the ruling caste. They are all fighting to win a place on the ruling council, and the fights are usually to the death. When Aya and Kaleb team up, they each have ulterior motives that can get them killed. Of course, Kaleb falls for Mallory, who has been raised to hate daimons, and Aya has killed the one she loves to stop from having to marry him and have his babies. This book is a carnival. Melissa Marr has created a world where you never really know who is behind the mask. It has such lush imagery, you can see yourself walking the carnival at night with all the masked creatures waiting to make you an offer you can't refuse. But who to trust? When Mallory's father goes missing, she must rely on those she was trained to hate to help her find him. All the characters have much to lose and everything to gain if only they play their cards right. So, was there a happy ending you ask? Stay tuned for the rest of the series- sorry!! Book one down as my week of Thanksgiving break starts. Rainy day, stack of books, and very few papers to grade- looks like it will be a good one. Happy reading my friends!

Defiance

Rachel and Logan grew up together. Logan was Rachel's father's apprentice. Rachel declared her love for him, only to be rejected. The lived in an uneasy silence for the next couple of years. When Rachel's father, Jared, goes missing in the Wasteland and Logan is appointed Rachel's protecter, Rachel decides to risk it all to go and find her father. She captures the attention of the evil Commander who is in charge of her city and he thinks she knows something he wants. His plan destroys all that Rachel loves and sets her out on a mission of revenge. As she searches for her father and the missing package she must bring back to the Commander, she meets others in the Wasteland that may be able to help her on the quest. Logan, meanwhile, escapes the dungeon and sets out to save Rachel from the tracker sent to kill her. This book is non stop action from page one. Rachel is no damsel in distress, but her hot temper seems to get her into trouble around every turn. Logan is an inventor who likes to think his way out of trouble. Together, they are the hope for Baalboden and a way to control the Cursed One who terrorizes the city at the Commander's will. There is action, adventure, romance and loss in this tale of defiance and what it means to protect those you love. As always, this is part one and a cliffhanger is in place. But you could be almost satisfied with the ending if you choose to go no further. That, however, is not my style, so I will be looking forward to seeing if the loose ends are tied up and a happy ending is secured. Happy reading my friends!

Seconds Away

I am not impartial when it comes to Harlan Coben books. He is my favorite adult author. He is from my home state of New Jersey, he writes about my two favorite characters, Myron and Win and he has a great sense of humor on Twitter. Oh, and he also answers emails. That being said, when he started writing for the YA audience, I was thrilled. His first novel, Shelter, was about Mickey Bolitar, Myron's nephew. It was filled with action, suspense and a surprise twist of history. This one picks up seconds away from the first, hence the title. Mickey and his friends are thrown into another mystery when one of their own is shot. Mickey is determined to figure out who her shooter is. Ema and Spoon help him on his quest and one is seemingly down for the count (don't be cruel, Harlan! ) As always, Myron is there to back up Mickey and Mickey is getting a feel that Myron isn't just a sports agent. Oh, and Win makes an appearance, albeit an invisible one in this book. Yay. Mixed in the intrigue is the pursuit of making the basketball team and what it means to be an elite athlete. While Mickey keeps getting himself and his friends into dangerous situations, he seems to be getting closer to the uncle he despises. Harlan has mixed some of his adult series into this book as a nod to his adult readers- I think. This sequel screams for another as nothing is really solved and there's a casket to unbury. So while I await another Myron Bolitar book, I will happily recommend the junior version to tide any fans over. As for the young readers looking for a book filled with action and intrigue, this one's for you. It is a nice change of pace from the zombie/vampire/supernatural fare that is so prevalent these days. So enjoy my friends and pick up this great series. Coben is the Boss when it comes to telling a good story. Happy reading my friends!

Tilt

My father lives in Carson City, so the novels of Ellen Hopkins are especially interesting to me. She mentions places I've been or heard about and I keep hoping to run into her sometime when I am up there. If you have never read one of her books, be warned, they are not for the young. She deals with serious teenage problems and does not shy away from graphic detail. So of course, my students love them (the ones on my shelves, anyway) Tilt is the story of three teenagers, Mikki- who finds herself pregnant. Harley- a girl trying to figure out how to fit in. And Shane- a gay teenager finding first love. Of course these are just the three main characters whose stories are told in free verse poetry. There are a plethora of other fascinating characters that inhabit this world. She has also include black pages that give the perspective of other characters. While the subject matter includes sex, drugs, rape and unexpected pregnancy, one thing is certain, in the world of Ellen Hopkins, there are always consequences for your actions. Nothing is glamourized and there isn't always a happy ending. I think that is why teens can really relate to these books. She has a way of weaving all the characters stories together and the writing is lovely. This is a companion novel to an adult novel called Triangles, which I haven't read but plan to. These books are a window into the world of todays teenager and an eye-opening look at the reality that certain choices will bring you. So here's to one day bumping into Ellen Hopkins in Carson City and happy reading my friends.

The Raven Boys

I am in shock that it has been a month since I finished a book. My job is really getting in the way of my reading. I have stacks and stacks of books waiting to be read and more coming on the horizon. I had the chance to see two great authors- David Levithan and Rachel Cohn- speak. I've graded masses of papers and watched hours of mindless tv. Today was the day I decided I had to finish the newest book by Maggie Stiefvater. I don't know what took so long. She wrote my all time favorite YA book- The Scorpio Races and I was so looking forward to reading this one. It tells the story of four boys who go to an exclusive boarding school. They are best friends led by the enigmatic Gansey. They are looking for the Ley line so they can awaken the king Glendower and get granted a wish. They meet up with Blue, who comes from a family of psychics who have always predicted she would kill her true love with a kiss. As she waits on the Corpse road to see who will die in the next year, she encounters the ghost of Gansey. When he arrives in the flesh at her house for a reading, she becomes entangled in the Raven Boys quest for the king. Wow, that sounded really complicated. This book is filled with interesting characters, Ronan- the hot headed roommate who drops a bomb on the last page. Noah- the rumpled roommate who is keeping a secret of his own. Adam- the boy trying to escape his upbringing to fit into the ultra elite world of Aglionby Academy. And the women in Blue's life, her mother, Maura, Calla and Persephone , women with the power to see things. As the plot carries along, each plays a part in the quest for Glendower. I really enjoyed the book and look forward to the next two. Will it know The Scorpio Races out of the top spot- not quite, but it will keep me coming back for more. Happy reading my friends! It's good to be back.

Throne of Glass

If you asked me if I liked fantasy books, I would say no. But all evidence points to the fact that this isn't true. I just finished Throne of Glass by Sarah Maas. It tells the tale of a teenage assassin, Celeana Sardothian. She is wasting away as a slave in the Endovier salt mines. One day the king's guard comes and retrieves her to compete in a competition to become the King's Assassin. If she wins, she will be granted her freedom. Celeana hates the king and wants to kill him, but as the competition becomes fierce, she finds herself willing to take the job. Of course she is joined by two men, Dorian, the King's son and Chaol, captain of the King's Guard. Both men find her irresistible for reasons they can't explain. Chaol keeps his distance, while Dorian dives in with both feet. Celeana is torn by her feelings and knows that whatever decision she makes will hurt someone. As the competition goes on, Champions are being found dead and dismembered as someone has released an ancient evil in the castle. Celeana thinks it may be her friend Nehemia, a princess, who is doing the evil to retaliate against the King and his slaughter of her people. Or it could be Duke Pennington who wears a mysterious ring and is manipulating members of the kingdom for his own gains. Celeana risks her life to find out who is behind the deaths and on the brink of death herself, her friends come to her rescue. This book is along the lines of The Demon King and Bitterblue, two of my favorites. Celeana is a spunky assassin who also loves pretty dresses and parties. She longs for freedom above all else and knows she may have two do terrible things to get it. Dorian and Chaol are great characters, both who would be worthy of her attention. I look forward to many more books in this series. So ask me again if I like fantasy books and I think the answer has to be YES! The Raven Boys finally arrived and I look forward to starting that next. Happy reading my friends.

Girl of Nightmares

I read the first book Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake over the summer. It was a great read and one of my favorite summer books. Part two finds Cas in despair over what has happened to Anna, a malevolent ghost turned savior, when she pulled the Obeahman out of this world. He is afraid she is suffering, and as he loves her, he is determined to bring her back. Thomas and Carmel, his best friends, are willing to help him and his father's friend Gideon is pulled into the mix. Cas is willing to die to save her and his family is trying to convince him otherwise. Even when everyone tells him it is impossible to save her, he never gives up, risking his life for hers. In his quest to find a way to save her, he winds up in London to take on the Order of the Biodag Dubh, who want to take his weapon from him. He meets Jestine who is to be his replacement. And he goes to the edge of death to try and rescue Anna from Hell. Cas is a great character who is dedicated to saving those he loves. His friends risk death to help him on his quest. And even his "enemy" Jestine, isn't all she seems. Cas winds up having to decide what is best for Anna, even if it means heartbreak for him. I really enjoyed this sequel and it's quirky characters. It's not your typical ghost story. I recommend this to even the most reluctant readers. Still waiting for my new box of books, but don't worry, I have plenty to keep me reading until it arrives. happy reading my friend!

Don't Turn Around by Michelle Gagnon

Noa is a hacker. When she wakes up on an operating table in an old building, she realizes someone has kidnapped her. In her daring escape, she makes her way to her safe house. Noa is an orphan and has been surviving on her own for years. Peter is the son of rich parents. He has everything he wants, car, girlfriend, easy access to money. He is also a hacker. When he stumbles on some secret files in his father's desk, he brings a secret organization to his door. As Noa and Peter's paths cross, they realize they are both involved in some dreadful experiment. A corporation has been kidnapping kids and using their parts to find a cure for a mysterious disease called Pema that is killing the youth population. Noa finds out that she is the key to the cure. As Peter tries to help her, they find themselves in more and more trouble with nowhere to turn. Where do you hide when your every move is tracked? If you can't trust the FBI to help, who can you trust? A fellow orphan decides to help Noa escape, but she has to leave Peter behind to get away. How will two teenagers bring down a multi million dollar corporation to save the street kids? I'm sure we will find out in the sequels to come. This was a fast paced story with many ethical dilemmas. Do you sacrifice a few to save many? There is something for everyone in this one, action, romance, chase scenes, and an evil faceless enemy. Give it a read. In the meantime, I am expecting a box of fun today- Raven Boys, Seconds Away and other new books. Where will I start and how will my papers get graded. I'll think about that tomorrow- for now, happy reading my friends

Dust and Decay

Heartbroken. Just sayin'. I just finished Dust and Decay, the sequel to Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Mayberry. A zombie book with a heart. So we pick up with our gang of friends, Benny, Nix, Chong, Lilah and Tom setting out to find the jet they saw in the first book. Things go wrong from the start, going from bad to devastating. With the death of Charlie Matthias, even more evil bounty hunters join up to take his place. And they are after Tom and his brother Benny. With prices on their heads, our heroes find themselves right back in the place they dread- the reinvented Gameland. Chong had been captured and the gang set out to save him. They each find their way there, not knowing where the others are. When Tom's fellow bounty hunters show up to help, he realizes what he means to everyone and it is not what he expects. With a showdown with Preacher Jack and White Bear in the making, the kids must dig deep to remember all the lessons Tom has taught them in order to stay alive. This sequel is not so much about zombies as it is about the evil people can perpetrate against each other when the law is no longer clear. What makes some people do what is right even when no one is in charge? What would cause you to risk your life to save others? And how do you go on when the one person holding you together is no longer there? I'm not going to give aways some of the twists, I will only say, be prepared to shed some tears as not all our heroes make it out of this one. "Such a man was the most dangerous of all opponents- one who fights to preserve love rather than perpetuate hate" Amen. And Happy reading my friends.

UnWholly

Where do you begin to change the world? Good question, Neal Shusterman. Anyone who really knows me, knows I have a huge crush on this amazing author. I once had the pleasure to sit at a breakfast table with him at a conference. He's a very kind and soft spoken man. Where he came up with this idea for his series is beyond me, but it has kept me entertained for two books now. If you haven't read book one- Unwind, start there. It is one of those books that keeps getting stolen from my book shelves. It is the story of a society where a parent can decide to 'unwind' their children for whatever reason. Unwinding is when all your parts are donated to others. Yes, you are alive through the unwinding process- one of the creepiest scenes I have ever read. Meet Connor- a boy whose parents have decided is irredeemable. Risa- a brilliant pianist whose foster parents decide the mistake she made at her recital was unforgiveable. Lev- a tithe, who has know his whole life he is destined to be donated to the unwinding process- and what an honor. UnWholly continues with these characters. Connor and Risa are at the Graveyard (an old airplane base) trying to keep the AWOLs alive. It is getting harder and harder to survive and the pressure is getting to Connor. Risa, in a wheelchair, sacrifices herself to save another child and is set on a horrifying path. Lev is trying to find his way back to Connor in order to save the world. And meet the newest member to this cast- Cam, who is made COMPLETELY from unwinds. He wants Risa. Our newest villain is Starkey, a storked baby, who has a GIGANTIC chip on his shoulder. Shusterman has woven a thrilling path, leaving these characters with huge choices to make. I loved this book, it raises so many ethical questions. It was even better because I wasn't expecting a sequel, let alone a trilogy. I love a book that makes you think while it is entertaining you and I look forward to the conclusion of this trilogy. If you find you like it, check out his other books, you won't be disappointed. Happy reading my friends!

Every day

I have so enjoyed so many of David Levithan's books. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, Will Grayson, Will Grayson and most especially Dash and Lily's Book of Dares. I was happy to see a new book from him with such an interesting premise. A wakes up every day in a different body. He stays in that body for just one day. Sometimes A's a boy and sometimes a girl. Sometimes A is trapped in terrible situations, sometimes he is in a seemingly perfect life. One day he meets Rhiannon, the girlfriend of a boy who's body his is in. A falls in love and starts to find a way to get back to her every day. When he tells her about his situation, Rhiannon believes him and they struggle to make it work. Can she love him no matter what his outside looks like that day? Can she love him when he is in a female body? Can she love him when she can never wake up in the morning with him? And can A give up what he wants the most to give her what she needs the most? This book was fantastic on so many levels. To walk a mile in someone else's shoes is a way to realize that we are all human and are facing things in our lives that others may not understand. A respects all the bodies he has occupied, but when he finds out there is a way to stay in one body for longer, he struggles with the knowledge that he would be stealing someone else's life. This book really broke my heart in so many ways, but good ways. The selflessness that A shows is admirable and I want him/her to have a chance for a life of his/her own. (yes, I know this is fiction) But isn't that what makes an author so great- to bring characters to life that you want to believe are really out there? In a perfect ending, A and Rhiannon would ride off into the sunset together, but life rarely works out that way. This one will stay with me for a while. I hope you give it a try and that it will change the way you look at the people you encounter as you go about your day. Happy reading my friends!

Michael Vey- Rise of the Elgen

Well that was fast. I got a new box of books and a three day weekend- you do the math. Since I know one of my students is anxiously awaiting this book, I thought I would read it first. Earlier this summer I read the first Michael Vey book and loved it. I read it to my class in their reading minute and they loved it. So here is part two. Michael and the Electroclan have just escaped the academy and are on a mission to save Michael's mom. She has been taken to Peru to a secure facility run by the evil Dr. Hatch. He has created a species of electrified rats that he hope to power the world with. Then he plans to blackmail the world to secure electricity. He has his minions at his side as he tries to capture the escaped Glows. Someone is trying to help Michael and his clan, but they can't let anyone know they are helping and often lead Michael into traps. Michael feels the weight of the world on his shoulders as he tries to keep his friends out of harms way while saving the only family he has left. These are some fast paced books that have something for everyone, heroic acts, a love triangle, an evil Dr. and a group of dedicated friends. Oh and lots of electricity! It's fun to see that the nerdy Ostin is often the one saving the day with his mind rather than a power. But as he says- the brain is power. I highly recommend this series to the most reluctant readers, it has short chapters filled with non stop action. And the descriptions of the rats eating whatever is put in their food chute...eww. Enough said- get out there and read something my friends! Happy reading!

Everneath

Well, it's been a while my friends. School started and it has really taken a toll on my reading time. I mean really- a month between books, what the heck. I'm not completely sure it is just because of work. The book I have been reading, Everneath by Brodi Ashton, didn't make me want to spend my few spare moments reading. It's not because it wasn't enjoyable, I did wind up liking it. It was because I didn't think I could take one more supernatural book where the hero and heroine have to fight to be together. But if I don't get over that, then I think my reading choices will be limited. Lol. This is the story of Nikki and Jack. Nikki has disappeared without a trace and Jack is distraught. Nikki has gone to the Everneath with Cole who spends a hundred years feeding off her emotions. She went willingly after a misunderstanding with Jack. When she survives the Feed, she comes back to say goodbye to everyone she loves before she is dragged to the Tunnels where she will have to stay forever. Cole, however, wants her to become an Everliving and be his queen. She isn't willing to feed off others and fights Cole the entire way, preferring death to that kind of life. As her time on the surface dwindles down, she and Jack try and figure out a way to defeat the inevitable. They rekindle their love, while trying to keep Cole at bay. When Nikki realizes how she can escape her fate, she must decide if she is willing to sacrifice her greatest love to save herself. This is a play on the Persephone myth and it contains a good deal of other mythology as well. Jack is a great hero and Cole is a dastardly villain. The book ends with a twist and leave plenty of room for the inevitable sequel. I will most certainly have to read it to find out what happens next. In the meantime, as one of my students informed me- the sequel to Michael Vey is out and calling my name. Sorry to have been gone so long, but it's good to be back. Happy reading my friends and here is to a successful, book filled school year!

Revived

I write this on the last day of my summer vacation. So sad... It's been a summer of books for me and most have been a great ride. The last of the summer is Revived by Cat Patrick. It is about a girl involved in drug trials for a drug called Revive. It does just what you think it does, it brings you back from the dead. Daisy is one of 21 kids involved in the program. She lives with her handlers who keep an eye on her. Every time she dies, she must relocate. The last  time she dies, they head to Omaha where she meets Audrey and Matt, siblings. She allows herself to make friends and get involved in a relationship. When she discovers Audrey's secret, she wants to help her and Matt, but knows to reveal her secret could put both their lives in danger. The evil head of the program is watching from the wings as Daisy gets close to his secrets as well. Daisy must figure out what is going on while trying to keep Matt and Audrey safe and getting her "father" Mason to believe her. All does not end well in this story. The villains get what is coming to them, a little too neatly and Daisy is a likeable girl. Again I find myself relating more to the dad- man I'm getting old. So, not a bad way to end the summer, but not my favorite. I will try and pick my top ten summer reads in the next few days and let you know what I decide. Until then, I slowly walk back into my classroom to share my love of books with my new classes. Hopefully they will enjoy them as much as I have. Happy reading my friends.

Bewitching

I really enjoy Alex Flinn's books. This one is no different. It takes fairy tales to a new and interesting level. It is the story of the witch Kendra and how she is involved in many of the fairy tales we are all familiar with. She starts with Hansel and Gretel, The Little Mermaid, The Princess and the Pea, Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast. The fairy tales are wound around the main character Emma, who Kendra has decided to help. Emma has a stepsister and stepfather and the story is a twist to the typical Cinderella tale. It got off to a slow start, but once it got going, man it was really clever and enjoyable. Kendra is a witch who admits her faults and mistakes. Emma is a normal girl who is trying to get some self esteem. Together, they really make an interesting friendship. The story gives lots of glimpses into history, as a matter of fact, she has tied the Titanic to the Little Mermaid. So, once upon a time, I read another terrific Alex Flinn book, I hope you find the time to do the same. Happily ever after  reading my friends!

Wentworth Hall

Are you watching Downton Abbey with the rest of the world? Well, I am addicted. So when I saw this book on the shelf, I thought, great, a DA for the YA set. This story is about the Darlingtons. They are an aristocratic family that has seen better days. The daughters, Maggie and Lila, are both trying to figure out how to survive life as a Darlington. Maggie has just spent a year in France and has come back a different person. She won't even look at Michael the groomsmen anymore. Lila is trying to be noticed as the less flashy sister. The people in service are also trying to find their ways. Therese, the mysterious French nanny, Nora, the gossipy maid and Michael the dashing groomsmen all have secrets of their own. And to top it all off someone is writing a satire of life at the manor that doesn't paint them in a good light. But the big question is who is really baby James's mother.... and father for that matter. This was a light, fast read that really wrapped up quickly. I guess I was hoping for more Downton than I got from this version, but is that really fair? It is a great introduction to what life was like when people were in service and girls had little choice in how their lives would turn out. So all and all, I'd say this was a nice book, but won't make my top ten for anything this summer. Happy reading my friends!

Masque of the Red Death

As an eighth grade teacher, I am well aware of the power of Poe. So the title of this book alone intrigued me. In this novel by Bethany Griffin, the world has been infected with a contagion that has wiped out a great portion of the population. Everyone who can afford one wears a mask to protect themselves. Araby is trying to find creative ways to kill herself as punishment for her twin brother, Finn's death. She loses herself in underground clubs to drinking and drugs. Her father is the scientist who created the life saving masks. But since the death of her brother, she feels her parents blame her. When she meets the manager of one of the underground clubs, she is drawn to him. Will saves her life on a few occasions and introduce her to his younger brother and sister who she comes to love. The other angle of this love triangle is Elliot. The brother of her best friend April. He is trying to overthrow his corrupt uncle to take over the city. His Uncle Prospero had killed his father and Elliot is trying to find a way to save humanity. When a new plague, the Red Death, starts to spread to the city, they have to find a way to escape. When Will betrays her, Araby must decide if she should save him or let him die. This book is left in a major cliffhanger with nothing resolved except for the fact that I have to read the sequel. This is a pretty dark book, not for  a younger reader, but perfect for the reader looking to find a modern version of a Poe tale. Happy reading my friends.

Gilt

One of my many reading obsessions is books about Henry the VIII. Up until now, they have been adult books. Katherine Longshore has taken it down to the young adult level. This is the story of Catherine Howard, the fifth wife of Henry the VII. She was a young girl with lofty dreams and the duplicitous nature to pull off marrying the king. It takes the story from the point of view of her friend Kitty, who is brought to the castle to be a chamberer to the new queen. Kitty has a love-hate relationship with Cat and is made to cover up most of Cat's treasonous behavior. She is trying to maneuver through the treacherous life at court. Besides being at Cat's beck and call, she has her own love life to deal with. Does she marry the poxy old man her parents have "sold" her too, or sweet William who wants her to leave court and live in the country with him or Edmund, the sneaky friend, with questionable motives, who wants Kitty for less than chivalrous reasons. As Cat's life and lies begin to unravel, Kitty must decide if she will lie to save Cat or tell the truth to save herself. We know how this story ends, it isn't a happy one, but this is a glimpse at just how dreadful life at court was for women. Henry was a man who wouldn't be crossed and once he was, he was unforgiving. Cat was just not up to the challenge of being his queen for many reasons, but she certainly didn't deserve her fate. This was a great taste of this time period with a story line teens will relate to- intrigue, romance, friendship and loyalty. Happy reading my friends.

Seraphina

For the record, I don't like dragon books.That being said, this is a GREAT dragon book. Seraphina is half dragon, half human, an abomination in this world. She has to keep her true self hidden for fear of the repercussions if she doesn't. She has a band of silver scales around her arm and across her back. She  can speak to other half breeds with her mind. She can speak Dragon. Her uncle is a dragon, which are called Saars in this world. When one of the royal families is murdered and dragons are blamed, Seraphina decides to find out on her own if it is true. Dragons are in human form, but they are in a shaky truce with the humans and this murder could set off a war. Helping Seraphina on this quest is Prince Lucian Kiggs, the future husband of Princess Glisselda. Phina is Selda's music instructor and good friend. Do you see the love triangle forming people? Kiggs only wants the truth from everyone and the only thing Phina can't give him is the truth- about who she really is, about her uncle and grandfather, about how she can speak dragon and about how she truly feels about him. There are many fantastic messages in this book about self image, loyalty, friendship and love. I am not sure how this triangle will be resolved as Selda is a totally likeable character, Kiggs a loyal man not willing to break a promise and Phina, a girl just figuring out who she is and what she wants. Phina's uncle Orma is a hilarious character as the dragon who is not supposed to form attachments to humans, but can't help but love his niece. I truly can't wait for the sequel. It was a well written, very clever take on dragons and has possibly made me change my position on dragon books. This is a can't miss friends. So happy reading.

Iron Daughter

I've been on vacation for a week, so I have three books to talk about. The first one is a sequel in the Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa. Meghan is the daughter of the Summer Fey King, Oberon. She is in love with the Winter Fey Prince, Ash. She is best friends with Robin Goodfellow, otherwise known as Puck. She has just defeated the Iron King and is fulfilling her promise to Ash to attend the Winter Fey's Court. It is forbidden for Winter and Summer Fey to mix and Ash is torn about following this rule. He loves Meghan and she loves him. He is haunted by the death of his last love and is unsure how to proceed with Meghan. So he does the boy thing, where he pushes her away and says mean things to her. When the Iron Fey kill his brother Sage and steal the Sceptor of the Seasons, Meghan and Ash must go on a quest to find it. Robin goes with them and they are met with peril every step of the way. Ash retreats farther and farther from Meghan as Robin gets closer. When Ash is taken over by the Iron Fey, Meghan must find a way to save him before he kills her. This was book two of at least four books and I must say it had a sort of happy ending, which I love. But I know it won't last... Ash turns out to be worthy of the title Prince and Meghan never gives up on him. They will have to find a way to overcome their differences if they want to be together. And what about Robin? I look forward to more time in Fey land.... just don't eat or drink anything while you are there, and never trust those Redcaps. Happy reading my friends.

In the Arms of Stone Angels

Another tricky title- no angels except the ones in the cemetery. Brenna witnessed what she thought was her best friend committing murder. She calls the police and he is locked up. Her mother moves them out of town and she lives with the guilt and shame of her actions. See, White Bird has been locked in a mental ward and won't communicate with anyone. Two years later, they are forced to come back to town to clean out her grandmother's house and she is compelled to go and see White Bird. She has an instant connection to him and sees into his nightmares. Brenna decides she has to find a way to help him. She enlists the help of Joe Sunne, a tribal healer, who tells her she must walk his vision with him and help him find the way out. In the meantime, the real murderers are plotting their revenge on Brenna. She is beaten, kidnapped and almost killed herself as these bullies try and keep her from finding the real truth. To top things off, the sheriff has it out for her, as his nephew is the biggest bully of them all. This was an enjoyable novel with a great Native American feel. Brenna must go on her own vision quest to figure out her true feelings for White Bird and her true feelings about herself. So even there were no angels, this was a good read. Happy reading my friends, I'm off to the beach to read some more. :)

Vixen

My friend gave me this book. If you know me, you know I don't like that. Weird I know. But as I come to the end of my giant pile, I decided to give this one a try. Good call JP! Vixen takes place in the world of the flappers. Complete with speak-easies, gangsters, debutantes, and interracial love stories, this book takes you on one wild ride. It follows the story of three girls, Gloria- the fiance of a prominent society boy, Lorraine, who is in love with Glo's best friend Marcus and Clara who is running from a flapper past that found her in desperate trouble. These girls come together and get torn apart amid the glamour and danger of 20's Chicago. Gloria wants to break free from her loveless engagement and finds herself singing in a speak easy and falling in love with Jerome, an African American piano player. The scandal any of these activities will cause will bring down her family. Lorraine just wants to be noticed and if that means betraying all her friends, then so be it. She finds herself pulled into the world of gangsters and she may have a hard time getting out of it. Clara is pretending to be a good country girl, but her unexpected love for Marcus finds her being drawn back into the flapper world. This was told in alternating chapters and at a rapid pace. It is for an older crowd, but it was interesting to learn about 20's Chicago and how scandalous the flappers were. This is at least a trilogy, with Ingenue being the next in the series. I will be journeying back to the twenties to see how these girls fare as they set off on the next stages of their lives. Happy reading my friends.

The Fear

Charlie Higson's follow up to The Enemy takes place simultaneously with his original story. It follows a different group of kids as they try and navigate zombie filled London. The adults have all turned into flesh eating zombies, the kids are all fighting to survive. Different groups of kids are hiding in some pretty impressive places, the Tower of London, Parliament, the Museum of Natural History and Buckingham Palace. Each is led by a different kid with their own agenda. This book follows DogNut and his band as they try and find the friends they were separated from. Being out on the streets is deadly and as this group makes its way from one end of London to the other, things don't always go as planned. Higson does not have any problem killing off the kids in some fairly gruesome ways. This is not a book for younger kids, it is very gory and violent, as I guess a zombie apocalypse would be. It is interesting to see what each group is focused on. David wants to dominate the country and become it's new King, Nicola wants to win the next election to stay in power with her group, Shadowman just wants to be left alone, and Justin is trying to cure the disease that took all the adults. This is a reflection of where each group hides out. It is also interesting to see the survival of the fittest instinct as often kids are left behind to their own fates, which is never good. Guilt is an emotion most of the kids learn to live with. On top of all that, the zombies seem to be getting smarter and organizing themselves and that can't turn out well for the kids. The book definitely leaves you hanging so I'm sure more zombie terror is going to follow. Happy reading my friends.

Anna Dressed in Blood

What a gem of a little novel! Kendare Blake has created one of my new favorite characters- Cas Lowood, a wise-cracking, self-assured ghost killer. He and his witch mother (literally a witch) travel around the country killing malevolent (love that word) spirits. He has taken over the job his father was doing when he was killed. Cas is onto a famous spirit named Anna Dressed in Blood who has been on a murderous rampage for over fifty years. Cas is fascinated by her, even more so when he meets her and she spares his life. Cas must decide if he really wants to kill her or date her. Ha. Cas is joined by some great characters, his mind reading friend Thomas, Thomas's grandfather, Carmel, the hot popular girl from school and Tybalt, the ghost seeing cat. When several of the high schoolers are ripped apart by a spirit, Cas and the scooby gang (thanks Joss Whedon) must figure out what is really going on. As the group finds out, it's not Anna that's is doing the current damage, but a ghost from Cas's past who has followed Cas to finish the job. Cas must fight his growing feelings for Anna and decide if he is willing to let her go to save himself. I really enjoyed this story only one complaint- the print is in red and my old eyes are not what they used to be. I like the idea and kids will love that. The book had everything a supernatural (not Dean and Sam Supernatural, well maybe) fan will love, scary ghosts, lots of ghost lore, a team of friends working together, a cute, albeit, implausible romance and room for a sequel. Which I have just discovered will be out in August. yay. So if these things are of interest to you,  this is the book to pick up. Happy reading my friends.

Prized

Prized, by Caragh O'Brien is the continuation of the Birthmarked trilogy. I really enjoyed the first one, with it leaving Gaia and her baby sister escaping the Enclave for the Wastelands. This one picks up with her being rescued by Peter and taken to Sylum, a society run by women. These women hold all the power because the men outnumber them by A LOT. They are trying to keep their society alive so all the women are expected to have 10 children each. But girls just aren't being born and many of the men are infertile. Gaia and her sister are taken in and Gaia is asked to change all her beliefs or be punished. Maya is taken away from her and she must find a way to get her back. Whey Gaia helps a girl have a miscarriage, she is locked away until she will tell Olivia, the Matrarc, who it was. Leon also finds his way to Sylum, where he promptly winds up in prison. When he finally gets out, he is furious with Gaia for not helping him. Gaia is torn between Leon, Peter and Peter's brother Will. Too many boys for one girl to handle. The problem is, in this society if a man touches you, it is considered rape. Gaia must combat her feelings for all these boys to figure out many things. How to get her sister back, how to escape Sylum without dying, how to figure out the genetics problem of only boys being born, and how to help the men get a vote in this matriarchal society. Oh, and juggle three difficult boys. This was a great story and I loved all the characters. I can't even do justice to all the subplots in this story- reproductive rights, suffrage, class systems, etc. You really have to read it to get the idea. Gaia is one tough chick. She finds a way to be true to herself and help those around her. Can't wait for book three... girl power! Happy reading my friends.

Unthinkable

Consider this a mini review. This is a 100 page book that took about thirty minutes to read. It is a great book for struggling readers with a short attention span. It moves RAPIDLY and does not involve any tricky plot twists. It is about a boy named Omar who has visions. They will only go away when he writes them down and posts them on Facebook. Unfortunately, as soon as he writes them down, they come true. And these aren't happy stories. He meets another person with the same problem and she tells him she can help him. You know the saying- don't follow the creepy goth girl into the woods. Well, don't feel bad if you don't, I just made it up. This book is quickly resolved and finished. It looks like a more adult book than it is, which struggling readers will like. It is right up some of my students alley. This is part of a series called Night Fall, they aren't connected I don't think, but they would be great books to have on a middle school shelf- for the right audience. They will not challenge your good readers. Happy reading my friends.

Unwelcome

So this is book two of the Archangel Academy series. I read the first one earlier this summer and wondered why a book with this title would be about vampires. Well, in book two the title becomes more clear. The story picks up where the first one leaves off, with Michael and Ronan having returned from sealing their union at the Well. A new headmaster arrives to take the place of the one who had staked himself and lo and behold it is Brania's father David. David is an ancient vampire who wants to find a way for his breed to walk in the sun. He also wants to destroy the water vamps and all they stand for. He spends his time getting his minions in line for the day of the eclipse when his plan will come together. In the meantime, Michael is trying to find his way as a new vampire and to try and find his place by Ronan's side. He wants to be treated as an equal, but Ronan is determined to keep him safe.  Meanwhile, Ronan's mother is looking for a way to be happy and all her children come to the school, which she hates, (not a mother of the year). There is much intrigue as you try to figure out who is on which side and who can be convinced to switch alliances. David is supremely evil and Ronan is unsure how to keep the people he loves safe. Michael finds himself at constant odds with Ronan's need to be in charge and finds temptation with Jean- Paul, his father's new driver. The minor characters, Kano, Phaedra, Fritz and Imogene all have things to deal with as well. As angels start to play a role in this series, I find myself more interested in this series. I like that this book is looking for a different audience that may not have a lot of supernatural books to choose from. Happy reading my friends.

How to Save a Life

Sara Zarr is an author I always like to read. In this novel, the story is told from Mandy and Jill's point of view. Mandy is a pregnant teenager who is looking to give her baby up for adoption. She has been abused by her mother's boyfriend and doesn't know who the father is . Jill has just lost her father and her mother is looking to fill the void by adopting a baby. Mandy finds Jill's mom online and starts the process. She moves in with Jill and her mom and that's when all her lies start to unravel. Jill doesn't trust her and lets her know, often. Jill is still grieving over the loss of her father and has pushed everyone away from her. She is angry and alone and lashes out at everyone. (Yet you still like her!) Mandy is a lost soul, trying to figure out why no one loves her. She isn't sure she even want to give up her baby. This is a heartbreaker of a book. But not to worry- it has a happy ending. Mandy and Jill both take a journey through grief and rebirth to find their way back to themselves. Don't worry- there's a little love story on the way that help Jill realize who she wants to be. I enjoyed reading a book without zombies, supernatural powers, or the apocalypse for a change. I know the girls in my classes will really like this book and I will recommend it wholeheartedly to them. Off to the Archangel Academy for book two- I know- supernatural again- but what's a girl gonna do, the vampires call. Happy reading my friends.

Monument 14

Have you ever had the fantasy of living in a large department store like Target? I mean, if there was a disaster, wouldn't that be the best place to be? On the morning bus ride to school,  Dean's bus is hit with monster sized hail. I mean MONSTER size hail. The bus driver tries to make his way to the Greenway store, the bus tips on it's side and skids to a halt in front of the store. The driver is dead along with several classmates. The younger kids bus is also at the store and that bus driver finds a way to get the kids inside safely. That leaves six high school kids, two eighth graders and six little kids trapped in the store. The bus driver goes for help- and of course you knew this was coming- doesn't come back. The kids are left alone to figure out how to survive when the world seems to have gone mad. A huge tsunami takes out the east coast, a volcano erupts and in Colorado where the kids are, a cloud of toxic gas has been released. The kids need to figure things out- who's in charge, who's going to cook, who's going to be in charge of the little kids and how long will they have to wait it out in the store? It is scary times inside the store, but even scarier outside. Dean has to find his place among the 14 and deal with his huge crush on one of the girls. When some men arrive needing shelter, they have to decide if they should let them in to help. The do decide to let them in, but their original instincts prove right and this sets in motion a not so good chain of events. Do they stay in the store, or make a break for it to Denver where evacuations are taking place? Cliffhanger warning!! I liked this book. It was interesting to see how the kids dealt with their situation and the little kids are kind of hilarious. What would you do in a disaster? I hope I never have to find out. Happy reading my friends!

Shattered Souls

Alden is waiting for Rose to appear. They have been together for hundreds of years and many cycles. They are a Speaker and Protector. They help the Hindered spirits resolve their earthly issues and move on. But this time Rose doesn't remember her former lives. She goes by the name Lenzi now. She has a boyfriend named Zak and she thinks she is going crazy like her father. She is hearing voices and doesn't know why. One night in the cemetery as she is visiting her father's grave, she sees the gray eyed boy from her dreams. He seems to know her by the name of Rose. Even as she tries to push him away and tell him he is crazy, she finds herself thinking about him all the time. Alden tells her who she is and she tries to fight it. She doesn't want to help the dead. She wants the voices to stop. Alden convinces her to help one spirit and she finds she loves it. She also finds herself falling in love with Alden, but he keeps pushing her away. Evidently Rose of the past had made it clear they would never be more than co-workers. Lenzi is having none of that and as she pushes her old boyfriend away, she gets closer and closer to Alden. Of course there is a malevolent spirit haunting her named Smith. Smith is trying to possess Lenzi's body for good. When Alden sacrifices his life to save Lenzi, she must convince the higher powers to spare him. This was an enjoyable book. I think the relationship with Zak was conveniently made to take a bad turn so there was no love triangle of any importance, but it resolved itself nicely. There was room left for a sequel and I would read it. Happy reading my friends.

Michael Vey The Prisoner of Cell 25

Wow- this was a fast one. I picked it up yesterday and finished it this morning. Michael is a 15 year old living in Idaho with his mom. His best friend Ostin (his mom couldn't spell) is a genius. They are bullied at school by Jack and Wade. Michael has a crush on cheerleader Taylor. One day after school the bullies corner Michael and try to pants him. He has had enough and unleashes his power on them. Surprise- he conducts electricity and can shock people. Taylor sees him do this and confronts him. She also tells him that she has similar powers. They find out they are from the 17 children who were present when some hospital equipment malfunctions and are now the 'electric' children. Hatch, head of the Elgin group, wants to collect all the children so he can rule the world. Michael and Taylor are the last two he needed to find. He kidnaps Taylor and Michael's mom and Michael must find a way to get them back. He finds help in the most unlikely places. I really enjoyed this book. Michael is a great character, along with his powers he has Tourette's Syndrome. Ostin is a crack up and uses his brains for good. It was a fast moving story with really short chapters which I think my students will love. It's kind of like the Percy Jackson series without the mythology. It is also very much like X-Men. This is going to be  series and the next book is out in August. I wish I had read this sooner, it's been sitting on my shelf for a while, because I think lots of my students would have loved it. There's always next year, which, unfortunately, is only a few weeks away. I look forward to more adventures with Michael Vey. Happy reading my friends.

Fire Will Fall

I just finished the sequel to Streams of Babel by Carol Plum-Ucci. She sure knows how to tell a tale and still leave you wanting to know more. This sequel follows the story of the Trinity 4 and the two v-spys who saved them. They are recovering in a mansion in the Pine Barrens, when the terrorists decide to try out some new strains of Q3 on the kids. While they try and deal with the sickness they have, they need to decide how they want to live what lives they have left. Cora is trying to deal with her horrible mother issues, Scott needs something to do to keep himself busy, Rain just wants to fall in love and start her "normal" life, Shahzad wants to keep hacking, Tyler wants to be taken seriously and Owen wants to die so he can be with his mother and the Saints. The adults in their lives try their best to help the kids while keeping them alive and safe from the terrorists. They are in peril at all times, if not from outside sources, from the diseases they each carry. As romance blooms, the couples try and figure out how to be together while still being true to themselves. I don't know if there was a happy ending, I am super torn about that. But life doesn't always have happy endings so I guess I'll just have to deal with it. My favorite characters are Scott and Shahzad. They are very interesting and not your typical jock/computer nerds. I don't think there is another book in this series, but I suppose there could be in the future. The bad guys are still out there and the kids all face challenges as they get healthy. Another great read by this fantastic author. Happy reading my friends.

Streams of Babel

I love Carol Plum-Ucci's books. So when I found this one, I was surprised that I had missed it. It is a story of four kids in Trinity Falls, New Jersey, who get sick when the water on their street is poisoned. Cora, Rain, Owen and Scott finds their lives and health turned upside down when terrorists unleash "Red Vinegar' into the pipes on their street. Owen and Scott lose their mother to the sickness and Cora loses her mother. As the four kids are quarantined the USIC races to figure out what the biochemical agent is and how to stop the terrorists from committing another act. Two teenage hackers are helping the government, one in Pakistan- Shahzad and one American - Tyler. They bring Shahzad to the US and he is immediately found out by Tyler. They team up to try and figure out who the terrorists are as they try to protect the Trinity Four. Shahzad wants to be treated like a man and Tyler is trying to make up for the fact that his mother is a spy for North Korea. When they find themselves in the terrorists lair (an apartment) their own lives are compromised by a different biochemical agent. So as the book ends, the four are sent off to an historic mansion in the Pine Barrens to wait out their sickness and Tyler and Shahzad are waiting to see how their own illness will manifest. The story is told in alternating chapters by the 6 characters. All the characters are unique and likeable and you really root for them. One good thing about coming to a series late is that you don't have to wait for the sequel- so I've already started Fire Will Fall. Carol hasn't let me down yet, so I 'm sure it will be another page turner. Check this author out  if you haven't, I would start with the Body of Christopher Creed one of my all time favorites. (I reviewed the sequel recently) Happy 4th and Happy reading my friends!

Rot and Ruin

Holy zombies my friends! If you are a fan of The Walking Dead starring the adorable Andrew Lincoln, you will LOVE this book. It is about Benny and Tom Imura. Their parents were killed on First Night, when the zombies rose. Tom took baby Benny and ran for their lives. Benny thinks this makes him a coward- why didn't Tom go back and save their mother? Now Benny is 15 and has to get a job or have his rations cut in half.  He would rather die than work with Tom, a zombie Bounty Hunter. How could Tom, the coward, be a bounty hunter. He was nothing like Charlie Pink Eye, the most notorious bounty hunter in town. Benny admires Charlie and all his exploits. His best friend Nix, however, can't stand Charlie and neither can Tom. When all other job opportunities fall through, Benny begrudgingly goes to work in the Ruin with Tom to do some 'closure' work. What he sees changes his life and his opinion of his brother forever. When Nix is kidnapped by Charlie, Benny and Tom set off to find her and to find the Lost Girl, who is said to roam the ruins,  where they are faced with death every step of the way. This is a very thought provoking book. It poses the question, who really is the enemy, the dead or the humans who hunt them? Benny thinks he knows his brother and comes to find that Tom is anything but what Benny thought he was. This is really a story of humanity and what it means to be human in a zombie filled world. It is the story of family and bravery and yes a little bit about love. Tom is a fascinating character who shows Benny what it means to be human even when dealing with the undead. I had some tears in my eyes at various points and I didn't expect that. I look forward to Jonathan Maberry's sequel Dust and Decay to see where that jet was going, to see if Nix and Benny can make their romance work, to see if Tom can find some peace and to see if Lost Girl can live in civilization. Well done, well done. Happy reading my friends!

Croak

So I tried to go back to the other book I have been reading, but to no avail. Instead I picked up this little gem by Gina Damico. It is a story about Lex. She is one angry teenager. All of a sudden this straight A student has turned into a truculent, obnoxious brawler. Her parents don't know what to do with her and her twin, Cordy, is beside herself. They decide to send her to live with her Uncle Mort in Croak. She thinks she'll be working on a farm. Guess again! She finds out her uncle is a Grim Reaper and that she  has quite the talent for it herself. She meets lots of interesting people and finally feels like she has found the place she belongs. Along with her partner Driggs, who is of course a super hot guy, they quickly become the best team in Croak. That is, until they start noticing strange deaths that can only be attributed to another Grim. Lex and her friends try and figure out what is happening and wind up in some dreadful situations. This book is filled with humor, which I love. I mean the twins are named after the first battles of the Revolutionary War for goodness sakes! Lex is a smart aleck and her relationship with Driggs is really fun- and at times violent- in a playful way. I have reached that point in my life that I am more interested in her Uncle, who is a fantastic character, than the younguns, but all in all I really enjoyed this book. I look forward to more tales of Uncle Mort and Croak as Lex begins her quest to find a killer. So if you happen to get lost in the town of Croak, prepare to pay a fine and mysteriously be led back on your way. Happy reading my friends.

Fair Coin

I've been shuttling in between two books this week. Neither one of them has really grabbed my attention. I finished this one first. Fair Coin by E.C. Meyers is about a boy named Ephraim who finds a coin that allows him to make wishes. His mother is an alcoholic and his life is not so great. He makes his first wish and off he goes. Of course, you know the saying- be careful what you wish for. Things don't always wind up like the thinks they will and he continues to make wishes to fix the ones before. After one of these wishes, his best friend Nathaniel turns up and informs him the coin does not grant wishes, it allows him to travel to alternate dimensions where his analogs are living their own reality. One of the Nate's is not so nice and takes Eph on a wild ride through the dimensions, while Eph tries to figure out a way to get the device out of Nate's hands. This is an interesting premise, but I was underwhelmed by the book. There were many universes to keep track of, with many problems. It may interest someone who is really into dimension travel and all it can entail. Eph is a likeable enough guy and one of the Zoe's is an interesting girl. I would have liked more of her backstory. All and all this was a flat liner for me. Off to finish the other book I was reading this week. Hopefully it gets better. Happy reading my friends.

Unnatural

Well, it isn't often I am puzzled as to what to do with a book. It goes on my shelf. I don't usually censor unless there is something graphic in the content, and then i just put it behind my desk, like some Ellen Hopkins books. But Unnatural by Michael Griffo has me a little stumped. It is called An Archangel Academy novel. It isn't about Angels. It is about two breeds of vampires who lurk about the halls of this school in England trying to destroy each other. Stuck in the middle of this feud is newcomer Michael, who hales from Nebraska. He has just lost his mother and his father comes to take him back to London to live. Michael is thrilled, as he just doesn't fit in in his small town where he is being bullied because he is gay. When he arrives at the academy, he locks gazes with Ronan and it is love at first bite for both of them. (pun intended) Ronan has been waiting for Michael for what seems like an eternity (again pun intended) and the two quickly embark on a passionate relationship. What Michael doesn't know is that he is surrounded by vampires. When he tells Ronan he wants to be with him forever, Ronan quickly makes that come true. Of course, Michael didn't know that Ronan meant For-ev-er literally. Michael feels betrayed and a little freaked out and Ronan has to find a way to convince him that this is the best thing to happen to both of them. So, the question becomes, do I put this on my bookshelf as there is lots of sex. I just don't know if the immature boys I usually have in my class would be able to handle it. But I also know it may be reaching an audience that there are not a lot of book choices for. I enjoyed the book, it is stylistically different that a lot of books, you know what is going on in  everyone's heads and really have to pay attention to the font etc. to see who is talking. This is a series and I will read the next ones as the story is interesting. I'm mad that I even have to think about where this book will go, but such is the nature of teenagers. I will ponder this a while longer but in the meantime- happy reading my friends.

The Book of Blood and Shadows

So. Where to begin? If you liked the Davinci Code you might enjoy Robin Wasserman's novel. It is complicated, at times confusing, and somewhat interesting. Four students are helping a professor translate a mysterious book. The story is told from Nora's point of view. She and her best friend Chris, his girlfriend Adriane and Chris's roommate Max each are working on their own piece of the puzzle. When Nora stumbles upon a letter and she sneaks it home, she sets off a chain of events that takes her on a journey to Prague. Chris has been murdered and Max has disappeared. She and Adriane sneak away from their school trip to Paris to find Max and solve Chris's murder. They are met by Eli- Chris's cousin, who has some pretty useful skills on this mission, What they discover is a secret society set to build a machine that will allow them to speak to God. Nothing good has ever come of this search and their is a secret society set to thwart this attempt. The only way for Nora to survive is to find the pieces to the machine and save her and her friend's lives. The end reminds me of the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark. No one is as they seem and some meet quite melty ends. I don't know what student I would recommend this too, it is more for an advanced reader, or high school reader. It did make me want to visit Prague, but that will be a passing fancy I fear. So, if you are up for secret societies, lots of latin translations and a twisted love story, this may be the book for you. Happy reading my friends.

Silence

I thought this was the final book in the trilogy. I was wrong I think. The story of Patch and Nora will most likely continue. But unlike my feelings about book two, I welcome more of this tale. In this book, Nora awakes in a cemetery with no memory of the last five months of her life. This means no memory of Patch, the fallen angel she is in love with. He made a deal to keep her safe and that included removing her memory of him. True love never dies however, and Nora keeps running into Jev, a mysterious boy who reminds her of someone. Of course it's Patch and as she slowly regains some of her memories, he comes clean. They are up against the Black Hand who is is trying to start a war with the fallen angels. As Nora's true bloodline is discovered, she is forced to make a choice to protect those she loves. This choice may put her at odds with Patch but she has no choice. It was nice to have Patch and Nora working together in this book without all the "does he love me or not" nonsense. They seem to have finally decided that they can figure out a way to overcome the odds. So, I enjoyed this one and didn't want to kill Nora at the end. Much improved. Happy reading my friends.

City of Lost Souls

I put it off as long as I could. I couldn't stand the thought of another Mortal Instruments series ending with Jace and Clary torn apart by evil things. But I bit the bullet and low and behold, not disappointed in this one. The fifth book in this series by Cassandra Clare starts with the search for Jace. When last we left him, he had disappeared from the roof with Sebastian and he had been tied to him. The Clave is looking for him, but Clary isn't satisfied with the effort. She enlists the help of her boy Friday, Simon, Isabelle and Alec and Magnus Bane. Together they form many crazy schemes to get Jace back. Clary, as always, throws herself into the fire by running away with Jace and Sebastian in order to find out what they are up to. Jace isn't himself, he is at Sebastian's mercy and Clary tries to break through to him while fending off the every creepy advances of her brother Sebastian. When in the brief moments Jace returns to his usual sarcastic, loyal, fierce self, he is able to share Sebastian's plan even as he knows he will have to go along with it. Simon does many heroic things to help Clary while cultivating his romance with Isabelle. Magnus and Alec hit some snags in their relationship, (spoiler alert) but if you were paying attention at the end, you know it wasn't Magnus.... Luke almost dies, Maia and Jordan get back together and (surprise) Sebastian might get away again. My favorite parts of this book were the references to Will Herondale...Tale of Two Cities, the little box, the picture Magnus has etc. But I have to ask you my friends- Is Brother Zacariah who I think he is????? I liked the ending of this book and don'f feel let down. Jace and Clary are side by side where they belong, even if Jace is a little changed. He still rates a spot in the top ten. I am now determined to read Silence and finish Becca Fitzpatrick's series about Patch and Nora. It's off to an interesting start. Happy reading my friends.