Top XIII First Quarter Reads

Out of the 41 books I feasted on during the first 3 wintery months of 2014, here are my top of the heap favorites.  If you want a book to take you through spring vacation week, these are just a few choice reads I would hand you. Stop by the library and visit with me if you would like other recommendations. (Descriptions following the book titles are from the Library's online catalog.)  

FANTASY    Our Children's Librarian suggested Revenge of the Witch, to me. I enjoyed it so much that I purchased the rest of the Last Apprentice 13 book series for the teen collection. Delaney's books fit in the fantasy genre but could also be placed in the horror genre due to scary events and dire creatures that appear during the many struggles between good and evil. The most recent book, Fury of the Seventh Son, was just published this month.  Seventh Son, a movie based on the Last Apprentice series, is planned for release February 2015.
Half Bad is urban fantasy, set in England in the present day, and is the first book in a planned trilogy. Besides telling a story about people with magical powers this story is about prejudice.  It is also, at heart, about a boy seeking his father and his place in the world.
It was exciting to finally hold the much anticipated prequel to Throne of Glass in my hands. It did not disappoint.  If you read Throne of Glass and Crown of Midnight, you have to read Assassin's Blade.

Revenge of the Witch, by Joseph Delaney, 2005.  Young Tom, the seventh son of a seventh son, starts work as an apprentice for the village spook, whose job is to protect ordinary folk from "ghouls, boggarts, and all manner of wicked beasties."  Book 1 in Last Apprentice series.

Half Bad, by Sally Green, 2014.  In modern-day England, where witches live alongside humans, Nathan, son of a White witch and the most powerful Black witch, must escape captivity before his 17th birthday and receive the gifts that will determine his future.  First book in planned trilogy.

Assassin's Blade: The Throne of Glass novellas, by Sarah Maas, 2014.  In these five prequel novellas to Throne of Glass, feared assassin Celaena embarks on daring missions that take her from remote islands to hostile deserts, where she fights to liberate slaves and avenge tyranny.


HISTORICAL FICTION   These two books are very different in tone.  Northern Light is the darker of the two with a murder mystery at its core.  A Mad, Wicked Folly, you can just tell from the title, is a lighter, frothier historical tale. Both books concern themselves with balancing independent work aspirations with romance and their heroines expected role in society.

Northern Light, by Jennifer Donnelly, 2003.  In 1906, sixteen-year-old Mattie, determined to attend college and be a writer against the wishes of her father and fiance, takes a job at a summer inn where she discovers the truth about the death of a guest.  Based on a true story.

A Mad, Wicked Folly, by Sharon Biggs Waller, 2014.  In 1909 London, as the world of debutante balls and high society obligations closes in around her, 17-year-old Victoria must figure out just how much is she willing to sacrifice to pursue her dream of becoming an artist.


REALISTIC FICTION   Panic is a modern day Hunger Games sort of story about facing fears and taking risks. You may ask yourself as I did, "Where are the people who might be concerned about safety, i.e. parents, teachers, police, etc.?!".  Sex & Violence is a psychologically gripping story that although it has a brutal beginning is sure to keep you turning the page.  Winger, set in a boarding school, is by turns funny and serious.  Violence in various forms is a theme in all three of these stories.

Sex & Violence, by Carrie Mesrobian, 2013.  Sex has always come without consequences for 17-year-old Evan. Until he hooks up with the wrong girl and finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. After an assault that leaves Evan scarred inside and out, he and his father retreat to the family cabin in rural Minnesota—which, ironically, turns out to be the one place where Evan can't escape other people. Including himself.

Panic, by Lauren Oliver, 2014.  A high-stakes competition marks a summer in a small isolated community and compels graduating seniors Heather and Dodge to tap inner strengths while hiding dangerous secrets and forging unexpected alliances.

Winger, by Andrew Smith, 2013.  Two years younger than his classmates at a prestigious boarding school, 14-year-old Ryan grapples with living in the dorm for troublemakers, falling for his female best friend who thinks of him as just a kid, and playing wing on the Varsity rugby team with some of his frightening new dorm-mates.

SCIENCE FICTION   Aliens, cyborgs, and video game characters people these futuristic stories in strong feminine roles.

Tin Star, by Cecil Castellucci, 2014. Beaten and left for dead, 14-year-old Tula Bane finds herself abandoned on a space station called Yertina Feray after traveling with the colonist group, Children of the Earth. An alien, Heckleck, saves her and teaches her the ways of life on the space station.

Earth Girl, by Janet Edwards, 2013.  Abandoned on Earth because of her inability to survive on other planets, Jarra crafts a fake background for herself to join a class of norms who are excavating the dangerous ruins of the old cities.  First book in a planned trilogy.



Game Slaves, by Gard Skinner, 2014.  A highly intelligent group of video game enemy non-player characters (NPC) begins to doubt they are merely codes in a machine. Their search for answers leads them to a gruesome discovery.

Cress, by Marissa Meyer, 2014.  Working to overthrow Queen Levana, a fugitive Cinder and her companions search for Rapunzel-like hacker Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood and who has received orders from Levana to foil Cinder's efforts. This is the third book in the Lunar Chronicle series.

NON-FICTION   If you have ever thought you might like to pursue a career in graphic design, or that you would like to improve your skill with creating signs or posters, then this book is the place to start. There are 10 design project exercises included at the end of this informative book, such as creating your personal logo, redesigning a familiar object, and making your own font specimen sheet.

Go: A Kidd's Guide to Graphic Design, by Chip Kidd, 2013.  Go, by the award-winning graphic designer Chip Kidd, is an introduction to the ways in which designers communicate their ideas to the world, whether through images, color, text, or placement.

17 Third Quarter-ish Favorites

Here are my top 17 book picks from the 50 I read between July and October.  Out of these, the top two must not miss titles (imo) are Neal Shusterman's lastest book in his Unwind series, which stitches up more adventure with a dark thread of biological engineering horror, and Counting By 7s, by Holly Sloan, a sparkling gem of a story. In August I got hooked on the Forgotten Realms series fantasy books by R.A. Salvatore, thanks to a recommendation from a teen advisory board member.  Give Homeland, the first book in this series a try; it has adventure, battles galore, and intriguing character development. Crown of Midnight, by Sarah J. Maas, the sequel to Throne of Glass, arrived at the end of August, which was a squeee moment for me, only now, I again (sigh) must wait for the next book to be published to find out what happens with Celaena.  I am a huge fan of all the Tamora Pierce series so was very excited when her latest book Battle Magic, arrived to continue the story about Winding Circle's ambient magic mages.  Living with Jackie Chan, Pieces, and Rats Saw God, are all realistic fiction on serious topics told with humor from a teenage boy's perspective.  I had not read Jo Knowles, Jumping Off Swings, but after reading Living with Jackie Chan, I had to read that too.  Spirit and Dust is a romping paranormal/mystery road trip featuring ghosts, witches, psychics, and Egyptology.  I was amazed by Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice, a well-told biographical narrative by Phillip Hoose, about a girl who ought to be as well known as Rosa Parks.  Relish was delicious graphic format nonfiction, and includes recipes.  If you pick up one of the following to read, let me know what you think.  (Book summaries are from the online catalog, just click on the title to place a hold or to see if the book is on the shelf, i.e. checked in.)

Fantasy

Battle Magic, by Tamora Pierce, 2013.  When messengers arrive in Gyongxe "inviting" Dedicate Initiate Rosethorn and her two young companion mages, Evumeimei and Briar, to court to celebrate the birthday of the Emperor of Yanjing, Rosethorn is eager to go, but Briar suspects that there is an ulterior motive behind the invitation.  (Third book in Circle Reforged series.)

The Bitter Kingdom, by Rae Carson, 2013.  Elisa, a fugitive in her own kingdom, faces great challenges to rescue the man she loves from her enemies, prevent a civil war, and take back her throne but as her magic grows, Elisa discovers the shocking truth about her enemy's ultimate goal.  (Third book in Fire and Thorns trilogy.)

Crown of Midnight, by Sarah J. Maas, 2013.  As the royal assassin to an evil king, 18-year-old Celaena Sardothien must decide what she will fight for--survival, love, or the future of a kingdom.  (Sequel to Throne of Glass)



Homeland, by R.A. Salvatore, 1990.  Drizzt the Dark Elf finds adventure, peril, and awesome magical power as he confronts the underground civilization of the evil race of Drow elves. (First book in Forgotten Realms Dark Elf series.)

Shadowfell, by Juliet Marillier, 2013.  Fifteen-year-old Neryn is alone in the land of Alban, where the oppressive king has ordered anyone with magical strengths captured, but when she sets out for Shadowfell, a training ground for a rebel group, she meets a mysterious soldier and the Good Folk, who tell her that she, alone, can save Alban. (First book in Shadowfell series.)

Historical Fiction

All The Truth That's In Me, by Julie Berry, 2013. Judith can't speak. But when her close-knit community of Roswell Station is attacked by enemies, Judith is forced to choose: continue to live in silence, or recover her voice.

The Caged Graves, by Dianne K. Salerni, 2013.  Returning to her hometown of Catawissa, Pennsylvania, in 1867 to marry a man she has never met, 17-year-old Verity Boone gets caught up in the mystery surrounding the graves of her mother and aunt and a dangerous hunt for Revolutionary-era gold.

Mystery

Spirit and Dust, by Rosemary Clement-Moore, 2013.   Raised in a family of psychics and witches, teen Daisy Goodnight is happy to help local police solve cold cases but when the FBI seeks her talents, she becomes involved in a mess that even has the spirits terrified.

Realistic Fiction

Counting By 7s, by Holly Goldberg Sloan, 2013.   Twelve-year-old genius and outsider Willow Chance must figure out how to connect with other people and find a surrogate family for herself after her parents are killed in a car accident.

Fangirl, by Rainbow Rowell, 2013.  Feeling cast off when her best friend outgrows their shared love for a favorite celebrity, Cath, a dedicated fan-fiction writer, struggles to survive on her own in her first year of college while avoiding a surly roommate, bonding with a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words and worrying about her fragile father.

Living with Jackie Chan, by Jo Knowles, 2013.  After moving in with his karate-loving uncle in a different town, Josh struggles with regrets while practicing karate with upstairs neighbor Stella, whom Josh fears will reject him because of her jealous boyfriend and his own checkered past.  (Sequel to Jumping Off Swings.)

Pieces, by Chris Lynch, 2013.  18-year-old Eric deals with the loss of his older brother Duane by meeting three of the seven recipients of Duane's organs a year after his death, and pondering who they are to him, and he to them.

Rats Saw God, by Rob Thomas, 1996.   In hopes of graduating, Steve York agrees to complete a 100-page writing assignment which helps him to sort out his relationship with his famous astronaut father and the events that changed him from promising student to troubled teen.

NonFiction/Biographies

Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice, by Phillip M. Hoose, 2009.   Presents the life of the Alabama teenager who played an integral but little-known role in the Montgomery bus strike of 1955-1956, once by refusing to give up a bus seat, and again, by becoming a plaintiff in the landmark civil rights case against the bus company.

Relish: My Life in the Kitchen, by Lucy Knisley, 2013.  Presents an illustrated memoir of the author's early life, as she describes key episodes and the foods associated with them, and the life lessons she learned from cooking and eating gourmet meals with her parents and friends.  (Graphic novel format.)

Science Fiction

Rot & Ruin, by Jonathan Maberry, 2010. In a post-apocalyptic world where fences and border patrols guard the few people left from the zombies that have overtaken civilization, fifteen-year-old Benny Imura is finally convinced that he must follow in his older brother's footsteps and become a bounty hunter.  (First book in Benny Imura series.)

Unsouled, by Neal Shusterman, 2013.  After the destruction of the Graveyard, Connor and Lev are on the run, seeking a woman who may be the key to bringing down unwinding forever while Cam, the rewound boy, tries to prove his love for Risa by bringing Proactive Citizenry to its knees.  (Third book in Unwind series.)

Star Wars Symposium

Calling all Star Wars Geeks: 

 Feel the Force at the Library!   

Saturday, October 13, 1 pm to 3 pm

Costume Contest, Trivia Contest, Show and Tell, Xbox Gaming, and Historical Presentation. Revel in all things Star Wars. Appropriate for ages 6 and older.  Children under 8 must have a parent or guardian present.  Experience this fun event, run by Scituate Teen Librarian Peter Struzziero, that over 2000 Star Wars fans in Massachusetts are already raving about. 

There will be lots of things going on, like: 

• Star Wars games set up on XBOX360 to play.
• Show and Tell - bring toys, collectibles, anything Star Wars - a prize will be given for the best item.
• Dress Up - feel free to dress up like a Star Wars character, a prize will be given for the best costume.
• Presentation from a Star Wars expert, so bring your Star Wars questions, anything you've always wondered, something you need explained, Peter Struzziero will be here to chit chat with you about it.
• We will also have Star Wars Trivia - whoever answers the most questions correctly will win a prize.

 Shop the Library's online catalog for all things Star Wars.

18 Dystopian Valentines

What is a dystopia but a love gone wrong. This list of dystopian fiction is a trove of suspenseful, adventurous, anti-valentines.  Some of them are brand new, just out of the box fresh; feel the angst, live the adventure.  Happy Valentines!  "May the odds be ever in your favor."--Hunger Games

The Hunger Games - Official Theatrical Trailer
Movie Release date: March 23, 2012

If you liked The Hunger Games, then you may like... :

 

The Diary of Pelly D, by L. J. Adlington, 2005.  When Toni V, a construction worker on a futuristic colony, finds the diary of a teenage girl whose life has been turned upside-down by holocaust-like events, he begins to question his own beliefs.

Ship Breaker, by Paolo Bacigalupi, 2010.  In a futuristic world, teen-aged Nailer scavenges copper wiring from grounded oil tankers for a living, but when he finds a beached clipper ship with a girl in the wreckage, he has to decide if he should strip the ship for its wealth or rescue the girl.

Ashes, by Ilsa Bick, 2011.  Alex, a resourceful 17-year-old running from her incurable brain tumor, Tom, who has left the war in Afghanistan, and Ellie, an angry 8-year-old, join forces after an electromagnetic pulse sweeps through the sky and kills most of the world's population, turning some of those who remain into zombies and giving the others superhuman senses.

Matched, by Ally Condie, 2010.  Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her, so when Xander appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows he is her ideal mate--until Ky Markham's face appears for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Maze Runner, by James Dashner, 2009.  Sixteen-year-old Thomas wakes up with no memory in the middle of a maze and realizes he must work with the community in which he finds himself if he is to escape.

Little Brother, by Cory Doctorow, 2008.  After being interrogated for days by the Department of Homeland Security in the aftermath of a major terrorist attack on San Francisco,17-year-old Marcus, released into what is now a police state, decides to use his expertise in computer hacking to set things right.

The Eleventh Plague, by Jeff Hirsch, 2011.  20 years after the start of the war that caused the Collapse, 15-year-old Stephen, his father, and grandfather travel post-Collapse America scavenging, but when his grandfather dies and his father decides to risk everything to save the lives of two strangers, Stephen's life is turned upside down.

Epic, by Conor Kostick, 2007.  On New Earth, a world based on a video role-playing game, 14-year-old Erik pursuades his friends to aid him in some unusual gambits in order to save Erik's father from exile and safeguard the futures of each of their families.

Legend, by Marie Lu, 2011.  In a dark future, when North America has split into two warring nations, fifteen-year-olds Day, a famous criminal, and prodigy June, the brilliant soldier hired to capture him, discover that they have a common enemy.

The Secret Under My Skin, by Janet McNaughton, 2005.  In the year 2368, humans exist under dire environmental conditions. Blay, rescued from a work camp and chosen for a special duty, uses her love of learning to discover the truth about the planet's future and her own dark past.

Cinder, by Marissa Meyer, 2012.  As plague ravages the overcrowded Earth, observed by a ruthless lunar people, Cinder, a gifted mechanic and cyborg, becomes involved with Prince Kai and must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect the world in this futuristic take on the Cinderella story.

The Knife of Never Letting Go, by Patrick Ness, 2008.  Pursued by power-hungry Prentiss and mad minister Aaron, young Todd and Viola set out across New World searching for answers about his colony's true past and seeking a way to warn the ship bringing hopeful settlers from Old World.

Delirium, by Lauren Oliver, 2011.  Lena looks forward to receiving the government-mandated cure that prevents the delirium of love and leads to a safe, predictable, and happy life, until ninety-five days before her eighteenth birthday and her treatment, when she falls in love.

Across the Universe, by Beth Revis, 2011.  Amy, a cryogenically frozen passenger on the spaceship Godspeed, wakes up to discover that someone may have tried to murder her.

Under the Never Sky, by Veronica Rossi, 2012.  When Aria is exiled from the enclosed city of Reverie, she forms an unlikely alliance with an Outsider named Perry, who could be her only chance of survival providing they can overcome their prejudices.

Divergent, by Veronica Roth, 2011.  In a future Chicago, 16-year-old Beatrice must choose among five factions to define her identity for the rest of her life, a decision made more difficult when she discovers that she is an anomaly who does not fit into any one group.

Unwind, by Neal Shusterman, 2007.  In a future world where those between the ages of thirteen and eighteen can have their lives "unwound" and their body parts harvested for use by others, three teens go to extreme lengths to uphold their beliefs--and, perhaps, save their own lives.

All These Things I've Done, by Gabrielle Zevin, 2011.  In a future where chocolate and caffeine are contraband, teenage cellphone use is illegal, and water and paper are carefully rationed, 16-year-old Anya finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight as heir apparent to an important New York City crime family.

MORE SEQUELS TO SQUEAL ABOUT

The new sequels below are hot titles that are not sleeping on the shelf here.  However, if you request them now, you might just get a copy in time to see you through the Thanksgiving break.  If you haven't read the first title in the series, (lucky you) then you'll have even better luck in borrowing a copy.  All of these titles are fantasy, supernatural, or science fiction stories with varying (from tiny blip of a heartbeat to might as well call it a romance heart throb) proportions of romance running through them, except for Lola and the Boy Next Door, which is a romance set in present day San Francisco. Red ♥(s) after the author's name indicate how much romance is in the story on a scale of 1 ♥(barely there) to 5 ♥♥♥♥♥(throbs galore).

Crossed, by Ally Condie. science fiction, dystopia, ♥♥♥

Sequel to Matched.
Cassia sacrifices everything and heads to the Outer Provinces in search of Ky, where she is confronted with shocking revelations about Society and the promise of rebellion.

Death Cure, by James Dashner. science fiction, dystopia, ♥
Final Book in the Maze Runner trilogy.
As the third Trial draws to a close, Thomas and some of his cohorts manage to escape from WICKED, their memories having been restored, only to face new dangers as WICKED claims to be trying to protect the human race from the deadly FLARE virus.

Tiger's Voyage, by Colleen Houck. fantasy, ♥♥♥♥♥

Third book in the Tiger's Curse series.

After battling the villainous Lokesh, Kelsey and the Indian princes Ren and Kishan return to India, where Kelsey learns that Ren has amnesia, and five cunning dragons try to keep the trio from breaking the curse that binds them.

Silence, by Becca Fitzpatrick.
urban fantasy, supernatural, ♥♥♥♥
Third book in the Hush, Hush saga.
Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for -- and their love -- forever.

The Fox Inheritance, by Mary Peason.
science fiction, dystopia, ♥

Second book in the Jenna Fox Chronicles.
260 years after an accident destroyed their bodies, 16 year old Locke, and 17 year old Kara, have been brought back to life in newly bioengineered bodies, with many questions about the world they find themselves in and more than two centuries of horrible memories of being trapped in a digital netherworld wondering what would become of them.

Lola and the Boy Next Door, by Stephanie Perkins.
realistic fiction, romance, ♥♥♥♥♥
Characters from Anna and the French Kiss appear in Lola and the Boy Next Door.
Budding costume designer Lola lives an extraordinary life in San Francisco with her two dads and beloved dog, dating a punk rocker, but when the Bell twins return to the house next door Lola recalls both the friendship-ending fight with Calliope, a figure skater, and the childhood crush she had on Cricket.

The Dark and Hollow Places, by Carrie Ryan.
fantasy, horror, dystopia, ♥♥♥

Book 3 in The Forest of Hands and Teeth series.
Alone and listening to the moaning of the Dark City dying around her, Annah wants to find her way back home, to her sister & family & their village in the Forest of Hands & Teeth.

Supernaturally, by Kierstan White.
urban fantasy, supernatural, ♥♥♥
Sequel to Paranormalcy.
Sixteen-year-old Evie thinks she has left the International Paranormal Containment Agency, and her own paranormal activities, behind her when she is recruited to help at the Agency, where she discovers more about the dark faerie prophecy that threatens her future.