Such a Good Book I'm Sad

Insurgent by Veronica Roth  (Divergent Series #2)

I read Insurgent over the past few days, staying up until all hours of the morning because I couldn't/wouldn't stop.  It was so good, that now, I feel depressed.  I want to feel that excitement and suspense and the pure joy of reading a book I love, and I don't know what book to turn to for that experience now.

I do have some good books waiting to read and so I press on, but I'm not expecting them to be anything close to the experience I had reading Insurgent.

Can you Catch a Microbe Killer?

Deadly by Julie Chibbaro

Another great teen historical fiction novel.  It's told in a series of journal entries including penned drawings. 

Prudence is an intelligent and curious teen living in the beginning of the twentieth century.  She has a mind for science and experience with death.  She is given the rare chance to work at a laboratory (as a secretary) where she gets pulled into a medical investigation of a deadly outbreak in New York City.  Prudence  gets to help track a killer.  But is it a person or a microbe to be considered the killer? 

I enjoyed the way this book was written.  I enjoyed the medical history and mystery included in the book.  It was wonderful to experience the growth Prudence goes through and the way she heals her heart.

This book won the 2011 National Jewish Book Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature.  It is a unique book to find for Young Adult readers.

Is Being Brave Selfless? Is Being Selfish Brave?

Divergent by Veronica Roth

These are central questions for Beatrice as she decides which faction to belong to.  In an attempt to avoid more devastating war, five factions have formed: Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent).  These factions work together to govern and provide for the citizens of a dystopian Chicago.  At age 16, each citizen must decide which faction to chose.  Whether they will stay where they were raised or join a new faction is a major decision.  But making the decision guarantees nothing.  Each candidate must pass a rigorous trial to determine if they will be accepted into the faction or become factionless--a homeless untouchable.

Beatrice encounters new alliances and new emotions on the path she has chosen. She must also endure dangers, deceit, and death as the peace that has been found in this city begins to crumble.  What Beatrice thought she knew begins to disintegrate and her bravery will truly be tested. 

This suspenseful and intriguing trilogy should not be missed!!  The second book came out in May and I can't wait to read it.

History is Alive for Teens

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
First, do not confuse this book with the new overly publicized erotic book Fifty Shades of Grey.  I put a photo of the hardcover and paperback covers to help you identify Between Shades of Gray.

Between Shades of Grey is about a teen girl, Lina, and her family, citizens of Lithuania during the rule of Stalin.  Stalin and his regime killed millions of people among other atrocities.  As part of seizing the Baltics, Stalin had many of Lithuania's (and other countries') military officers and intellectuals and their families killed or deported to labor camps in Siberia.  This heart wrenching tale is based on true events and first-hand accounts, some from the authors relations.  The book is beautifully written.  I think it is a must-read for teens and adults, too.  As a science and math fanatic, I missed out and tuned out of a lot of history lessons.  I was ignorant of this chapter of history.  I'm glad I'm not anymore, and others shouldn't be ignorant either.

I knew this book would have sad moments at the least, and I was determined to keep a hard heart throughout the book and read it objectively without succumbing to emotion.  Impossible.  The characters and environment are so well-developed, the book is so well written, you can't help but become engrossed in Lina's story.  You are transported right along side of Lina.

This is a living history book that can get teens who are reluctant to study history motivated.  I was inspired to read Between Shades of Gray from a co-workers recommendation and because of the experience I had reading The Book Thief.  Lots of people at work were telling me I had to read The Book Thief over and over, so I finally did.  I didn't really want to because, as I said earlier, I wasn't interested in history.  I knew the gist of WWII and that was enough for me.  But after I read The Book Thief, I wanted to know more.  I wasn't content with the little knowledge I had.  It opened up the world of history and historical fiction for me!  Between Shades of Gray can do that just as well!  You HAVE to read Between Shades of Gray.

You Can't Relax...and Unwind

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

This book as been on my to-read list for a long time.  I'm so glad I read it.  It's a fast read because of the way it's written and because you can't put it down.

This sci-fi teen novel is set in the future where, it seems, the problem of unwanted children has been solved.  From the time a child turns thirteen until the age of eighteen, it's parents can decide whether or not they want to keep the child.  If they don't, they can have the kid unwound.  All of the child's body parts are used to help other people in need.  Not just their organs, but their hands, legs,and even pieces of their brain.  The unwound child is then alive in a different way--through the people their body parts go to.  So, it's not murder, it's just unwinding. 

Unwind has action and suspense to carry you along as questions of life and death, right and wrong, the value of a human and human parts are turned around.  Even those who are not inclined to philosophy will enjoy this book and the discussion it can lead to.

I highly recommend this book.  Neal Susterman has written many other teen novels.  They seem to all have a strong plot with a creepy or eerie flavor surrounding deep questions worth asking.  I'm looking forward to reading more along with the sequel to Unwind.

Next But Not Last, Last But Not Least

I've been reading lots of sequels lately.  I don't think there much point in posting about other books in a series if I've already posted about the first book.  I have thoroughly enjoyed all the series I've been reading.

I finished the Leviathan trilogy.  It gets better as it goes.  Since I listened to the first book on audio, I missed out on the books' beautiful illustrations by Keith Thompson.  Though it was good on audio, don't forget to look at the artwork in the book!!  Scott Westerfeld (the author) has many other good books.  One of his most popular series is the Uglies Series.

I read the second in the Miss Dido Kent Series.  It's called A Gentleman of Fortune, Or the Suspicions of Miss Dido Kent.  It's just as good as the first if not better.  The third book, A Woman of Consequence, Or the Investigations of Miss Dido Kent, is due out April 10, 2012.

I've also been reading more in the Sister Frevisse Series.  They have all been fabulous.

You Can COUNT on This Book Series

I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

Blogger...

"Nine of us came here. We look like you. We talk like you. We live among you. But we are not you. We can do things you dream of doing. We have powers you dream of having. We are stronger and faster than anything you have ever seen. We are the superheroes you worship in movies and comic books—but we are real.

Our plan was to grow, and train, and become strong, and become one, and fight them. But they found us and started hunting us first. Now all of us are running. Spending our lives in shadows, in places where no one would look, blending in. We have lived among you without you knowing.

But they know.

They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They killed them all.

I am Number Four.

I am next."

I can't possibly give you a better preview of this book then the synopsis from Barnes and Noble quoted above. I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore is the "hardest-to- put-down" book that I've read since the 7th book in the Harry Potter series. I started reading on Saturday afternoon, and finished on Sunday night, after 3, two hour reading sessions. Yes, 439 pages in 6 hours...I used to speed read. Thanks to my wife for recommending this book and for allowing me 3, two hour reading sessions in one weekend.

"I Am Number Four" is the first in a planned 6 book series by Pittacus Lore. Pittacus Lore is the pseudonym adopted by the writing duo of Jobie Hughes and James Frey. There is also a movie planned for next spring based on this book. The second book in "The Lorien Legacies" series is supposed to be released in the Spring of 2011, and I for one can't wait.

I can't recommend "I Am Number Four" highly enough. It has everything you could want in a book...super powered alien heroes, super powered alien villans, likable characters, action, humor and a love story. They packed so much into one story that I can't wait to see what they can get into 6 books. Hands down, one of the best books I've read in recent memory. There is some strong language, so it's definitely PG-13. I hope you'll give it a shot, I think you'll like it.

The Power of Six by Pittacss Lore

Blogger...

The Power of Six is the 2nd book in the Lorien Legacies series by Pittacus Lore (a Pseudonym for the 2 guys working on this series). You will recall that I really liked I Am Number Four, and I liked the 2nd book as well.

This 2nd book continues to follow John Smith (a.k.a Number Four), but in this story, we also get to know Six, who we met at the end of the first book, Seven (a.k.a Marina) and Nine. The Power of Six takes place over a very short period of time, and thus moves extremely fast and is packed with action. The story continues to follow the conflict between the Lorien's (good aliens) and Mogadorians (bad aliens) on earth. The Mogadorians are trying to exterminate the remaining Loriens before they attain their full power...yes they have super powers. Trust me, it's a good story.

You will discover that this book does not have top notch writing. I mean, it's not terrible, but I wouldn't describe it as literary genius either. Still, this was a great read and I'm excited about the third book, which will probably come out next summer. My brief internet search did not reveal a title, and I'm too lazy to keep digging.

Steampunk is So Cool

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

Booker...
     Remember the show Wild Wild West.  It was great, huh?  And it could be called steampunk.  I've found I really like this genre.  Steampunk books take place in the past but have other aspects that are futuristic or science fiction.  The Parasol Protectorate Series is steampunk.  So is Leviathan, a science fiction/alternate history/steampunk novel for teens.

     Leviathan takes place at the very start of The Great War (later to be known as World War I).  Alek must hide his identity as he races from the Germans.  He and his crewmates pilot a two-legged walking machine. (I pictured something similar to an AT-AT Walker from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.)
     Deryn must hide her identity as well.  A girl would never be allowed to join the military, but she won't let that stop her from achieving her dream of serving on airship.  The airship she ends up on is no ordinary airship.  It's actually a whale who's life thread have been incorporated into a blimp like machine. 
     The Darwinists use life threads of animals to create useful devices.  The Clankers rely on metal and machinery to do their work.  We follow Alek, a Clanker, and Deryn known as Dillan, a Darwinist on their dangerous journeys filled with danger and suspense and a bit of humor.  It's a great book!  It might even inspire you to investigate a little more about WWI.
     I knew there was a sequel, Behemoth, but I didn't realize Leviathan would end in the middle of the story, leaving us with a big cliff hanger.  Luckily for us, Behemoth, is out, and the third book,Goliath, is due to come out September 20th! 

[I listened to the audio book of Leviathan, which was very good, but I haven't seen the names in print.  I think they are all spelled correctly except maybe Dillan.]

I Did Not Get Bogged Down in This Book (b/c it's awesome)

The Bog Child by Siobhan Dowd

Booker...

You can appreciate this story much more if you know some history of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Britain.  At the time of this story, many people in Northern Ireland are protesting that this land was not given it's independence with the rest of Ireland and still belongs to Great Britain.  Some protesters are using bombs to make their point, but not all.  Many rebels are also being imprisoned...as criminals.  The rebels want to be considered and treated as prisoners of war--not criminals.  Bobby Sands started a hunger strike in the prisons to help this status come about and with hopes that conditions in the prisons would improve.

Despite the danger, Fergus and his uncle have crossed the border to collect peat on the Irish side of the border.  While collecting the peat, Fergus discovers the body of a child.  The bog preserves like the sands of Egypt, so it's difficult to know how recently the child may have died or been killed.  Fergus insist his uncles contact the authorities despite the danger this may impose.  Fergus feels a connection to the "bog child" and is eager to help the woman who comes to investigate and enjoys her daughter's company, too.  But Fergus has more to worry about than his gruesome discovery.  His final exams are coming up, Fergus's brother has been imprisoned, and now Fergus is getting pressure to join the fight against Britain. 

This book has so much depth.  The story of Fergus and that of the Bog Child are interwoven wonderfully.  This is a magnificent book, and would make a great book club selection because there are so many things to discuss.  A friend from work has read two of Ms. Dowd's other books and highly recommends them as well.  Unfortunately, Ms. Dowd passed from breast cancer at the age of 47.  She was an amazing woman working hard for human rights and to help bring literacy to those who most needed it.  You can a view a short biography of Ms. Dowd at http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/80760.Siobhan_Dowd which lists her community and global work and her success as a writer.  There is also a link to the trust she established shortly before her death.  The website address is  http://www.siobhandowdtrust.com/ .  We are fortunate that she was able to give her readers four phenomenal books.  (Two more teen books: Swift Pure Cry and Solace of the Road and a juvenile fiction book The London Eye Mystery)

Parental note: There are jokes about condoms, physical affection, and a reference to sex.  While this may make it inappropriate for some readers, the subjects are mentioned in a fairly innocent way.

The Real Story of Alyss in Wonderland

Blogger...

So, apparently Lewis Carroll totally botched it.  Luckily, Frank Beddor figured it out and now tells us the real story of Alyss Heart, heir to the Wonderland Throne, who ended up stranded on earth for a few years and told her story to Carroll, who twisted it into a children's story.

In The Looking Glass Wars, we meet 7 year old Alyss, just before her evil aunt Redd takes control of Wonderland.  The women of the Heart family are gifted with a powerful imagination, so powerful that they are able to imagine objects into being.  As Redd is attacking, the Queen's bodyguard, Hatter Madigan, takes Alyss through the pool of tears to earth.  They become separated and Alyss is eventually adopted by the Liddell family and comes to think of her prior life in Wonderland as nothing more than a dream.  That is, until she reaches 20 and it is learned she is alive on Earth.  Queen Redd promptly sends assassins to kill her niece, but her allies in Wonderland save her, and they hatch a plot to retake Wonderland.

I won't give away much of the follow-on books, "Seeing Redd" and "Arch Enemy" except to say that "Seeing Redd" was the weakest of the 3 books.  Overall, I really enjoyed these books.  I found them to be a fairly light read and books that I could easily put down and come back to later.  This series isn't on the level of "Harry Potter" or "Percy Jackson", but is a good, quick, entertaining read, that you don't have to really focus on to enjoy.

One complaint I do have is that there seemed to be quite a few typos in "Arch Enemy", and I thought the editing in the final book was a little off.  Basically, things resolve themselves too quickly...almost as if they had to hit 370ish pages, so the author and editor made some weird choices to end it on time.  Still though, these books were worth the time I took to read them, and I'll never be able to look at "Alice in Wonderland" the same way again.

Booker...

There is also a graphic novel available for at least the first book, The Looking Glass Wars.  I also think Frank Beddor is a really nice person, not just a good author so I would encourage people to read this unique fun series.

Also, if you've never read the orignal Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, you really should.  I think they are such fun books.  Many people read Wonderland but not the Looking Glass.  I think the Looking Glass is definitely the best of the two books.  If you've seen Disney's animated Alice in Wonderland, you'll find some of the characters actually come from Through the Looking Glass.  I think you would enjoy Frank Beddor's series even more if you knew the orginal tales.

Everyone Should Read This Book

THE BOOK THIEF by Markus Zusak

I read this book several years ago now, but I think it should become required reading in high school.  This story, narrated by Death, takes place in Germany at the rise of Hitler's power.  It is a supremely good book, and I think everybody should read it.  Before I read this book, I had little interest in history.  After I read this book, I wanted to learn much more about WW II and I began to see the importance of understanding history.  Aspects of this book are based on experiences of the author's relatives in Germany during WW II.

The Book Thief is the story of a young girl who comes to live in a foster home and the people she meets in this new place.  But there is much more than an interesting plot to this book.  The story considers the power of words to inspire good as well as to destroy. 

It's hard for me to do justice to this book in a simple review, and I don't want to ruin the story by giving too much away.  I can only emphatically recommend you sit down and read this book.

 

THE Book

EVA by Peter Dickinson

At a gathering of fellow booksellers, we talked about recent books we'd read, and I mentioned Cat's Cradle.  One bookseller said that was one of three books that really got them into reading.  They would stay up late at night with the lights on to read and they were hooked and inspired by Cat's Cradle, and two other books, which I can't remember now.

It made me think of the first book that really hooked me on reading.  It was Eva by award-winning author Peter Dickinson.  Reading that book was the first time I hid under my covers with a flashlight so I could keep reading into the wee hours of the night.  The story just blew me away.

Eva's parents are scientists, who work with chimpanzees.  After a terrible car accident, they decide to save Eva by placing her brain in the body of a chimpanzee.  Eva doesn't know what has happened when she first awakes.  How she discovers the truth, copes with it, and eventually decides what to do with her life is a fantasic story.  I highly recommend it.  It is a great book for discussion!

I have to give credit to my junior high librarian for introducing me to this book.  Every so often, she would read part of a book to us over the intercom system and end at a suspenseful part of the book.  This was one of the books she read.  I don't know that I would have ever discovered this book without her introduction.

All Hail Shannon Hale

THE GOOSE GIRL by Shannon Hale

Booker...

I haven't read a book by Shannon Hale that I didn't like.  I loved her extrapolation of the Grimm's fairy tale, The Goose Girl.  It's one of their more gruesome tales, and I was intrigued when I saw Hale's teen book, The Goose Girl.  I wondered what kind of a story someone could make from that tale.  Hale does a great job of seamlessly including so much of the true tale into her story and yet creates a brand new and satisfying story.  Hale's story has such likeable characters and equally devious villains.  There is adventure, self-discovery, a budding romance, and characters choosing to do what is morally right.  What more could you want?  Maybe a few more like this one?  Well, Hale supplies that, too.  There is now a series based on the characters and kingdom from the The Goose Girl.  The second book in the Books of Bayern Series, Enna Burning is quite a bit darker than The Goose Girl, but still and interesting tale.  River Secrets is the third book.  I love Razo, who is the main character in this book--another great story.  I have yet to read Forest Born, the fourth book focusing on Razo's sister.  

    

Hale earned a Newbery Honor Award for Princess Academy.  I also enjoyed this book.  The people on Mount Eskel work tirelessly, but live in relative poverty compared to most citizens in the kingdom.  Things change on Mount Eskel when it is announced that the prince's new wife will be found among the eligible ladies of Mount Eskel.  Miri and many others are forced to attend the princess academy (usually a formality in most provinces but desperately needed to prepare Mount Eskel girls for the role of princess).  Miri faces difficult challenges including a tyrannical headmistress, shunning from her peers, and determining her own heart.  This book also includes more of the speaking-with-nature theme found in the Books of Bayern.

Hale has another teen book which is a retelling or expansion of the tale A Book of a Thousand Days.  I have not read this teen book, but I know it is about a princess who is a tower and afraid to meet her suitors, so she insists her maid/lady-in-waiting impersonate her before a suitor with unforeseen consequences.  Shannon Hale has also written a new series of graphic novels about Rapunzel and some women's fiction books.  Austenland is one of them.  It is pictured above.  Clicking on any of the pictures will take you to a description and place to order the book if you'd like to find out more.

I Spy a Good G-rated Teen Book

I'D TELL YOU I LOVE YOU BUT THEN I'D HAVE TO KILL YOU  by Ally Carter

This is the first book in the Gallagher Girls Series.  The local citizens don't realize The Gallagher Academy isn't actually just a school for rich preppy girls, but actually a school training teen girls how to become spies.   Cammie is the master at staying undetected when on missions.  So much so, she's known as the Chameleon.  But at the academy, things are different.  Everyone recogonizes her as the headmistress' daughter and the girl whose dad died on what would become his last spy mission. 

A new teacher arrives who tests the girls' skills.  Cammie was doing a great job of tracking her target undetected.  In fact no one was paying any attention to her.  She had almost completed her mission, when someone noticed her.  A very cute boy noticed her.  Maybe it wasn't so bad being noticed.

But, Cammie has a mission and training to complete.  Should she put that aside and try to live like a normal teenager?  With the help of an very unlikely allie, Cammie tries to do both--be normal and be a spy.  Will it work?  Which should she choose?  It will be fun reading to find out.

Are you Hungry for the Hunger Games? You Should Be

The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins
HUNGER GAMES   CATCHING FIRE     MOCKINGJAY


Blogger...
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is the first book I've read on our new Nook. I had been steering clear of the e-readers, but we took the plunge and got one.

Ok, so "Hunger Games." This is a science fiction book with a different take on a post apocalyptic United States. In the country of Panem (old United States) the Capitol rules the people with an iron fist. The country is divided up into 12 districts, though prior to some earlier rebellion there were 13. Every year, as a show of the Capitol's power, each district is forced to send 2 of their children, ages 12-18, to compete in the Hunger Games. Think TV's "Survivor" but instead of voting each other off the island, they end up killing each other. When 16 year old Katniss Everdeen's younger sister is selected to compete, Katniss volunteers in her place. Now, she's off to the arena to face 23 other "tributes" from around the district.

I liked "Hunger Games" but I'm not sure I loved it. The concept is an interesting one, and it certainly was an exciting read. What is throwing me off a little is there is slightly more teenage angst going on then I would really like to read about. However, I did like the story enough that I plan to read the other 2 books in the series, "Catching Fire" and "Mockingjay," though I predict some depressing things ahead.

I don't want to give too much away. My wife recommended I read this book, and I do like it...she's really good at picking books for me. I wouldn't recommend "Hunger Games" for anyone under about 16 years old...it's somewhat intense at times.

Booker...
I LOVED Hunger Games.  Our store got an advanced reader copy and I think I was the second person in our store to read this book.  Erica and I were trying to get everyone to read this book.  (One of our managers discovered Twilight and it was a huge hit in our store before it ever reached the conscience of mainstream America!)  I was having some trouble convincing people because it just sounds weird when you say, "You've got to read this awesome book!  It's about a distopian America where one boy and one girl age 12-17 from each district have to go to a battle to the death."  Sounds good, huh?  But it is.  I don't think it's nearly as gory as it sounds, and the strategy and government politics are extremely intriguing.  There is also an innocent love triangle to add to suspense.

Blogger...
"Catching Fire": This was my favorite book in the Hunger Games Trilogy, by Suzanne Collins. "Catching Fire" was a great bridge between "Hunger Games" and "Mockingjay". This book was longer than "Hunger Games" and I appreciated the extra detail. We learn much more about our heroes, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, and we meet some fun new characters, including my personal favorite, Finnick O'Dair. Overall, this was a really good book, but be sure you have access to "Mockingjay" right away because there is quite the cliffhanger.

Mockingjay": After reading "Catching Fire" I was a little disappointed with "Mockingjay", the conclusion to the Hunger Games trilogy. It's not that "Mockingjay" was a bad book, it just didn't live up to the quality of "Catching Fire". I felt like some of the momentum was lost and the story was a little disjointed. I did enjoy the end of the book though, I just wish Suzanne Collins would have gotten us to that ending a little differently.

Overall, I did enjoy the Hunger Games trilogy. I think it's an appropriate series for teenagers on up. If you like post apocalyptic style stories, give these books a shot. I'd really like to discuss them with someone else who has read them.

Booker...
I liked Cathching Fire and Mockingjay.  I knew Katniss would be in trouble with the government at the end of Book 1, but what happened in Catching Fire took me completely by surprise.  I couldn't believe it!!  I didn't find anything wrong with Mockingjay like Blogger did.  I found it interesting and I feel it flowed very well.

This trilogy is a great read.  There's lots of action and suspense, political intrigue, an innocent love, and hope in the face of catastrophe.  I loved this series!