6/6/11

Ursula Le Guin speaks about YA fantasy

Just found this interesting article by Ursula Le Guin, which includes a discussion YA fantasy. That section begins with this provocative anecdote:

"A friend of mine submitted his young adult fantasy novel to a publisher. After initial encouragement, the editor had the kind of talk with the author that authors don’t want to have with an editor. This is how my friend reports what the editor said:

“Your book does not meet reader expectation for a YA fantasy. YA readers expect fantasy to be plot-driven, not character-driven. They expect the protagonist to be self-confident, to meet distrust only from other people. They expect the magic in the book to be overt and direct, not subtle or metaphorical. They expect no moral ambiguity: all characters or magic powers should be clearly good or clearly evil. They expect the story to move very quickly with no slowing down at any time. A novel that does not meet reader expectation will not sell.”

The editor’s final reason for rejecting the book: “Your book isn’t fantasy, because it’s open to interpretation. It’s literary." (end of quote)

Well now. My mind is sputtering. And I want to read this author's book very very badly--it sounds like just what I look for in YA fantasy!

(Have any of you who read my reviews noticed that when I don't personally care for a book I call it "plot-driven?" edited to add: well, no, you wouldn't have noticed, because I never actually seem to have used that phrase. But I think I do come across as preferring characters and gradual development to action and plot. I tend to skim sections that have too much Action, because it's not as interesting to me as the small events).

6/5/11

This Sunday's round-up of middle-grade fantasy and science fiction

Here's what I found this week from around the blogs...as ever, let me know if I missed any posts of mg sff relevance!

The Reviews:

Bad Island, by Doug TenNapel, at Fuse #8

The Book of Three, by Lloyd Alexander, at Bookie Woogie

The Boy at the End of the World, by Greg van Eekhout, at Suburban (in)Sanity

The Dark City, by Catherine Fisher, at One Librarian's Book Reviews (I gave my own ARC of this away to a 12 year old boy I know, who liked it so much that he made (or at least started to make) his own recording of it so that his mother could listen to it on her commute to work)

Dr. Proctor's Fart Powder--Time Travel Bath Bomb, by Jo Nesbo, at Wondrous Reads

Enchanted Glass, by Diana Wynne Jones, at Confessions of a Bibliovore

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, by Catherynne Valente, at Fuse #8

The Green Book, by Jill Paton Walsh, at Just Booking Around

Half-Magic, by Edward Eager, at Anita Silvey's Book-a-day Almanac

Human.4, by Mike Lancaster, at Charlotte's Library (one of those "YA" books that works for 11, even 10 year olds. My 10 year old is enjoying it, at any rate).

The Memory Bank, by Carolyn Coman, at Jen Robinson's Book Page

Scumble, by Ingrid Law, at Jen Robinson's Book Page

Spellbinder, by Helen Stringer at Kid Lit Frenzy

Three Lives to Live, by Anne Lindburgh, at Charlotte's Library

The Throne of Fire, by Rick Riordan, at Libri Dilectio

Tom's Midnight Garden, by at Anita Silvey's Children's Book-a-Day Almanac

Truth or Dare, by P.J. Night, at It's all about books

The Wikkeling, by Steven Arntson, at Candace's Book Blog

Other Good Stuff:

Helen Stringer (The Midnight Gate) at Wicked Awesome Books, Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books, and Kid Lit Frenzy

Here's the 2011 Guardian Children's Fiction long list, nicely presented at Waking Brain Cells.

And finally, the winners of last week's mg sff giveaway (which was a thank you from me to all of you who read these round-ups!):

Kerry wins an ARC of Orphan of Awkward Falls, Stephanie wins an ARC of Jewel of the Kalderash, and Heidi (aka Geo Librarian) gets an ARC of The Unwanteds! (I'll be emailing you all later to ask for your addresses!)

48HRC Wrap-up Post

(note--to those looking for the mg sff roundup, it won't be up till later this evening....I've been too busy reading to do other crucial household tasks, and must do those first....)

I have just finished 48 hours of not reading as much as I would have liked to, but which brought me great reading pleasure none the less.

Since I last posted, I have read

The Chalet at Saint-Marc, by Suzanne Butler (1968, 114 pages), which was just about the most unexciting children trapped alone by heavy snow story that I have ever read. They never run out of food or fuel; although someone falls ill, it is a random neighbor; the rescue mission to bring said neighbor help is easy as all get out; and to top it off the rescue helicopter makes an utterly uneventful round-trip. Hmph.

Can't Wait to Get to Heaven, by Fannie Flagg (359 pages). Although I was moved to tears (literally) by this touching story, and read it avidly, at the end of it I was feeling that the central character (an old woman of great folksy charm, wisdom, virtue, loved by all who know her, friend of the small animals and bringer of happiness to all living things she encounters) maybe was a bit too good to be true. But I enjoyed it.

The Sunny Side, short stories and poems by A.A. Milne (312 pages). I very much enjoy Milne's essays, and hoped I'd like these stories, but didn't, quite, although I did chuckle now and then.

Plus "Broomsticks and Sardines," by Joan Aiken, out loud to children (10 pages of hideously tiny type, difficult for one who has become accustomed to the swollen fonts of contemporary children's books to read in a dark room. The copy I was reading from was my own from when I was 10).

plus 98 pages of Hawksbill Station, by Robert Silverberg (haven't finished it yet, but it's very good), and 253 pages of Mistress of the Storm,by M.L. Welsh, that I also haven't finished but intend to later today because it is really good, and I will be writing about it tomorrow.

Final Stats:

Pages Read: 2963 (less than the past two years, but I was alone with the kids, and goodness knows they'd be in trouble if they were the ones stuck in a snow-buried chalet without parents)

Time Spent Reading and Blogging
: 15 hours and ten minutes time spent reading, plus 2 hours and forty minutes of social media time, for a grand total of 17 hours and 50 minutes

Number of Books No Longer on my TBR Pile
: 13
Effect this has had on my TBR pile: negligible
Number of tbr books discovered in a box in the hallway after photo of tbr pile was taken: 11; Number of tbr books I forgot were in a secluded pile in the spare room: 7. Overall feeling that progress has been made--some, because I did read some books that I've had for ages.

Number of Books that Made Me Cry: 3 out of 13. Not bad.

What made this 48HRC different from previous ones: I DID NOT MISPLACE A SINGLE BOOK! No time wasted wandering around cursing!

Thanks so much, Pam, for hosting this again!

Just to say that I'm busy reading...plus pictures of a garden mistake

This is not an official updating of my 48 hour reading challenge stats--when I finish at least one of the three books I have going I'll update.

But I did want to quickly say that if you are looking for this week's middle grade science fiction and fantasy round-up, please come back around 3--I stop reading at 2, so it should be up by then....

And, just because, here's a rose that is bringing me very little pleasure. You will notice that it is very Pink, and this was taken on very cloudy day--the effect is even more so in sunlight. It's right next to the back step, where I sit every morning to drink my coffee....and its pinkness really truly gets on my nerves, which aren't at their best then anyway.

It was not supposed to be this pink. Here is what we thought we were getting when we ordered Madam Gregoire Staechelin. Much nicer. Sigh.

6/4/11

48 hour reading challege update--Anansi Boys, The Last Dragon, and The Boy at the End of the World

4 hours and 46 minutes more of reading since I last checked in....I'm on my own with the Dear Boys this weekend, and there were things they had to do.

But boy, I just read a great book (one that caused me to almost, but not quite, burn the children's supper--isn't it handy how pasta starts to spit noisily when all the water's boiled away?). Said book being Anansi Boys, by Neil Gaimen. In particular, I appreciated the lime. The lime is now my favorite fictional citrus fruit (does anyone else have one?)--it was so utterly random, but so full of quiet power, in a lime sort of way.

But the rest was pretty darn good too, and I am awfully pleased to have this one in my mental library (when I'm out in the garden, weeding, my mind plays books back to me quite often....)

I also read The Boy at the End of the World, by Greg van Eekhout, which was good too! I'll be writting this one up nice and proper like since it's a review copy.

So what I didn't have in quantity, I made up for in quality.

Edited to add: Yoiks! I actually spent another hour and ten minutes reading The Last Dragon this morning...I wasn't sure I was going to like this one (annoying child elf as main character? no thanks) but in the end I did, mainly because there were two stories, one a sequel to the other, and in the sequel the elf was much less annoying, and there were orphans (who ate eggs raw, which reminded me of Bonnie and Sylvia, for any Joan Aiken fans), and it made me cry rather broken heartedly for the pity of it at the end, which took me by surprise.

Stats:

Pages: 963 more pages. Bothering realization that I haven't been writing down page numbers for other books read, and will have to re-find them.
Hours: 10 hours and 25 minutes reading
Blogging: Two hours and 33 minutes blogging and commenting
Books read: seven completed, two abandoned, and one still in progress.
Number of books that have made me cry: 2

Hospital Summer, by Margaret Egan (48 Hour Reading Challenge)

Ever since I met Sue Barton, Student Nurse more than thirty years ago, I've had a penchant for hospital books. So when my local public library discarded Hospital Summer, by Margeret Egan (1968), I naturally took it home with me....and just spent a satisfying 50 minutes in the dated but diverting world of the 18-year-old nurse's aide, watching young Kathy learning valuable lessons about Life and Love.

This bit (about a girl being reuinted with her dying father) actually made me cry, which I wasn't expecting.

"My God!" His voice hurt with its harshness. "My God. Janet."

She was paralyzed, frozen; and then she broke like glass. "Daddy!" She lunged from the chair. "It's my daddy." (page 185).

sniff.

50 more minutes read. 5 more minutes of blogging.
Totals: 5 hours and 40 minutes reading. Two hours and 13 minutes blogging and commenting.

Shelter from the Wind, by Marion Dane Bauer (48 reading challenge)

I've been letting my 8-year-old pick which book I will read next from the Stack...and his choice yesterday evening was a book called Shelter From the Wind, by Marion Dane Bauer (older middle grade/YA, 106 pages). This is a 2010 reissue of a book originally published in 1976, and I recently (I think it was recent, at any event) received a review copy from Marshall Cavendish.

Stacy's mom took off when she was young, and it was just her and her dad, being good company for each other. But when she was eleven, her father married again, and now, a year later, her stepmother is going to be having a baby. Stacy is angry and sore--and one day her feelings come to a head and she runs out of town, into the wilds of the Oklahoma panhandle, with no water, food, or any sort of logical thought. She's saved from certain death when she's found by two dogs, who take her home to their mistress--Ella, an old woman on an old homestead, living alone with her memories....

Listening to Ella gradually share her own painful past, forced to become more practical in the mechanics of living, and confronted with the hard facts of life (in the form of a puppy born with a cleft palate, who must be drowned, and the tragedies of Ella's life), Stacy grows from an utterly self-absorbed, unsympathetic adolescent to an adolescent who at least has the decency to go home, even if she remains unsympathetic (yep, Stacy didn't do much for me, although I do sympathize with her circumstances).

Ella, however, is a great character--I was fascinated by what she shared about her hard life on the Oklahoma prairie, and the pages flew by.

Interestingly, although this was written in the 1970s, it didn't strike me as dated (although the modern young reader might, I guess, disagree...., and one thing that is obviously different is that this is only 106 pages, tremendously short by today's standards). The original cover, with its 1970s color palate,* does look old-fashioned...although I don't, myself, care for the hat Stacy wears on the current cover. Wearing a hat implies she had some of her wits about her when she tore off from home, and she didn't.

Added bonus--nice introduction to the history of the Dust Bowl.

48 hour stats: 35 minutes on this one (plus a hour and 5 minutes reading a Grown Up (!) time travel book, about which more later). Another hour and ten minutes of blogging and blog reading.

Total time read: 4 hours and 50 minutes. Two hours and 8 minutes blogging and commenting. Note to self: read books, not blogs. (For the purposes of the challenge, you get an hour of blogging time for every five hours of reading time....)

* Bonus feature: the colors of the 1970s

6/3/11

Two I did not finish for the 48 hour reading challenge

I spent an hour and five minutes listening to The Birchbark House, by Louise Eldritch (which I've never read) while driving to the car repair place in rush hour traffic to get my car, only to find that when I said "please put new tires on my car," which they said were needed six months ago, they heard me say "see if you think you need knew tires on your car," so there were no new tires and I went home again in the loaner car. Sigh. I did not like the narrator, who was Too Fond of many individual words...giving them strange Stress....and...pauses. She relaxed a bit by the end of the hour, though, just as the cd began to skip horribly. Sigh.

And then I came home and had to throw myself into the morass of getting the children to swim class, but they left, eventually, and I sat down to read again.

The Tower Room, by Adele Geras (2005), is a book I'm happy to recommend to those who take a prurient interest in the sexual longings of girls at boarding school (in this case, heterosexual). I found the central story of a girl and a male lab assistant falling in love boring, and gave up on page 91, although I did read about ten pages of the ending (the repressed sexual desires of the spinster teacher were featured. It was not interesting). It is also, incidentally, a reimagining of Rapunzel, for what that's worth--I thought it a nice touch that the sex crazed teacher/witch smashes the lab assistant's glasses at the end (as opposed to him having his eyes put out by thorns).

Onward.

Stats: additional hours read: 1 hour, 35 minutes additional blogging/commenting: 35.

My first two books of the 48 hours--One Crazy Summer and Midnight Blue

I just spent two hours and ten minutes reading two very fine books.

One Crazy Summer, by Rita Williams-Garcia (2010) has probably already been read by many of you, so I won't say much about it, other than that I Loved it, it's one of the best books about sisters I've read, it's great history, and I just loved Delphine's narrative voice so much! I knew I would love it when she described her mother as "mammal birth giver" on page 14. Which might seem odd, but it tickled me. Thank you, very much, Harper Collins representative who gave it to me at BEA! I'll try to find it a good library home.



The other book I read has probably been sitting on TBR shelf 1 for three years now...judging by the dust. Sigh. Midnight Blue, by Pauline Fisk (2005), is a British fantasy type book of the sort that involves standing stones, things sliding between the cracks of what is real (as well as travel to an alternate version of "reality", ie, not to a fantasy land), and a plot that was more than a bit creepily, magically exciting. I will be looking out for more of her books, just as soon as I read the next 149 in my tbr pile (note: this number includes the ARCs that are not pictured in my Picture of Doom).

Stats: reading--2 hours and 10 minutes blogging--18 minutes feeding children, self, and chickens, etc--22 minutes

My 48 Hours of Reading begins!

I am about to commence Mother Reader's 48 Hour Reading Challenge. I won't be able, probably, to read as much as I'd like to...life is tricky this weekend. But I will do my darndest to make a dent in my tbr pile of doom:

With a few exceptions, this is my personally acquired pile of books. I'm going to focus on these books for the weekend, in as much as my to-be-reviewed pile, which is mercifully smaller, gets priority the rest of the time!

It was both fun and disturbing to go around the house last night, gathering up all the mini tbr piles from the tops of various surfaces....

The Disunited States of America, by Harry Turtledove

Fans of alternate history and YA dystopias, this book is for you. The Disunited States of America, by Harry Turtledove (2006, but just reprinted by Tor in 2011, YA, 288 pages), is based on the premise that a huge range of alternate histories exist, which are accessed by travellers from one technologically advanced time line. Justin and his mother are two such travellers, visiting an America where the Revolutionary War failed to give birth to a union of the states. Instead, various states and territories became independent countries--some, like California, peaceful and (relatively) enlightened with regard to social justice, others, like Virginia, troubled by boarder wars and a place where the Civil Rights movement never happened.

It to this alternate Virginia, a place where black people are treated as less than human, that Justin and his mom have travelled. There Justin meets a girl named Becky, dragged from California to Virginia by her grandmother's desire to see her family there. For both these teenagers, their visit soon becomes a nightmare when Ohio launches a bioengineered disease on Virginia, the two "states" go to war, and Virgina is shaken from within by a desperate rebellion of its African American population.

Turtledove takes his time here, spending considerable time making his alternative history clear to the reader. Much of this exposition is presented as the thoughts of the two main protagonists, and their rather abstract musings keep the reader from becoming immediately engaged. It's interesting stuff, and thought-provoking, but it makes for a somewhat slow start to the book. It's not till the war breaks out, and Becky and Justin find themselves trapped by disease in a small town near the Ohio boarder, that it becomes a gripping, even nail-biting at times, story.

This book made an interesting change from many current YA. Turtledove is much more interested in his world building than in his characters, and so Justin and Becky's relationship isn't the driving force of the plot. They do not fall into one another's arms by day three, drawn to each other by an overpowering attraction. Instead, Turtledove develops their growing attraction slowly and believably. It is a relationship somewhat pressure-cooked by their circumstances--they are two foreigners trapped together--but one that is constrained by Becky's realization that Justin is hiding things from her, and by his recognition of the fact that he cannot tell her what his secrets are. For Justin, the hardest part of being stuck in this alternate reality is that he must pretend to be a Virginian, espousing the despicable beliefs of his "home" state, which Becky finds repellent. For both, the fear of never getting home haunts them.

The story alternates between the perspectives of the two protagonists, giving the reader both Becky's insights into the disfunctionality of her time, and Justin's broader perspective on the horrors of war and racism. The result is a thought-provoking, even haunting look at what might have happened to our country if things had happened just a little differently back at its beginnings. It's perhaps a tad too didactic at times, but not so much so as to put me off.

Note on readership age: this book is part of series written for young adults, and it is clear the Turtledove held back with regard to profanity and racial epithets--he mentions when characters are using these, but doesn't spell them out. I don't particularly want to read lots of curses and hideous racial epithets, but Turtledove's (very) pointed avoidance of these was distracting. For example:

"Those miserable people are still making trouble in Charlestown. We're going in to make sure they stop."

He didn't really say people. The word he used was one nobody in the U.S.A. in the home timeline could say without proving he was a disgusting racist." (pp 201-202)

I think I would have preferred asterisks.

Becky and Justin's relationship only just barely squeaks into the realm of the physical, so it's a "clean" read in that regard. However, there is some horrifying violence toward the end, and this, plus the disturbing nature of this dystopia (and the fact that the protagonists are older teenagers), makes it firmly YA on up.

There's a study guide included at the end, which raises some interesting questions and discussion points.

Here's the whole Crosstime Traffic series--
Just as soon as I read the 151 books in my tbr (gives merry (or possibly hysterical) laugh), I will look out for these....

nb: review copy of The Disunited States received from the publisher.

6/2/11

Three fantasy pop-up books of great gorgeousness

I got a lovely surprise the week before last, when a box arrived containing three extraordinary pop-up books from Candlewick's Encyclopedia Mythologica series--Dragons & Monsters, Gods and Heroes, and Fairies and Magical Creatures, written and illustrated by Matthew Reinhart and Robert Sabuda (of Encyclopedia Prehistorica fame). To call these "pop-up books" does them injustice--rather they are books in which intricate paper art springs (very impressively! small exclamations were elicited!) into lovely three-dimensional wonderful-ness!


It is the paper art that dominates these books--I found it hard to take my eyes from the central creations. And there are numerous side flaps to open as well, making for much fun and excitement. But once I focused on the text, I was pleased to find it crisp and interesting.

These books include myths and fabulous creatures from around the world--like the lovely Chinese dragon on the cover of Dragons and Monsters (although still weighted a tad too much for my taste towards Europe). In Gods and Heroes, for instance, you get one double spread on Egypt, one on the classical pantheon, one on "mortal champions of the old world", one on "mighty Eastern Dynasties," and one on "Great Spirits of the New World."

Even though much of the ground covered is familiar territory, Reinhart includes enough things I had never heard of to make it interesting to the reader who's already read lots about gods, monsters, and fairies.

For instance, from Dragons and Monsters, I learned of the "Leech of Doom"--"According to Algonquian belief, bloodthirsty, horned leeches known as weewilmekq lurk below raging river rapids and at the foot of crashing waterfalls." And on the same page, I learned about the monster in Russia's Lake Brosno, that rose up from the waters to devour a 13th century Mongol army (page 8).

Fascinating!

Even more so than most pop-up books, these need to be handled with care. My boys (ten and eight) were able to gently and safely unfold and close again all the lovely pictures; I, myself, am paper-folding-challenged, and ran into a bit of trouble turning the page on the Yeti. I had to get my son to do it. So I don't thing you would want to give this to a young child (say, younger than 5), to look at alone.

That being said, there is nothing better than sharing a book, such as these are, that makes you squeak with excitement when you turn the page, and find, for instance, the Argo of Greek legend coming right out at you! And it's much more fun to look at a three-dimensional Alfheim in company. So although this is a great book for an older kid (or grown-up) to enjoy on their own, I think that any of these books would be a perfect grandparent gift of the sort that guarantees quality sofa time together!

For the younger child, Fairies and Magical Creatures might be best:
Dragons and Monsters is a bit scary....here's a picture that made me squeak:
But on the other hand, that's the only really scary one, and I do like the dragon very much (the picture doesn't do it justice. I can say, with conviction, that it is the most gorgeous pop-up dragon I've ever seen in a book).

6/1/11

Waiting on Wednesday-- The Last Dragon, by Jane Yolen

I have so many reviews waiting to be written that it makes me squeak, but alas, there hasn't been time. But here is a lovely book for Waiting on Wednesday (a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine)-- The Last Dragon, by Jane Yolen. This was just about the loveliest book I saw at Book Expo America. I looked at it in company with Pam (Mother Reader) and Anamaria (Books Together) and we created a pretty chorus of oohs and awes.

Sadly, they had no review copies, but that matters little, because I will most certainly be buying it new at any event (it just squeaks under the wire for the Cybils deadline, coming out as it does on October 4th, so it is important that it be bought and read by someone....so why not me).

The Last Dragon is a graphic novel, illustrated by Rebecca Guay. "Two hundred years ago, humans drove the dragons from the islands of May. Now, the last of the dragons rises to reak havoc anew--with only a healer's daughter and a kite-flying would-be hero standing in its way."

The story sounds just fine (but I haven't read it, so can't say much more), but the illustrations I saw, and they are lovely. The flowing lines looked to me somewhat Rackham-esque, and they are "fully painted," according to the promotional material, which means (to me) that they are beautifully colorful and lush.

New Releases of Fantasy and Science Fiction for Kids and Teens--the first half of June, 2011 edition

Here are the new releases of fantasy and sci fi for kids and teens from the first half of June, 2011 (a feature I offer on a regular basis--check the "new releases" label for earlier lists). My information comes from Teens Read Too, and the blurbs from Amazon, the publishers, etc. It may or may not be entirely accurate. And, since I haven't read them, I don't know if the ages put on them at Amazon are accurate either....

This is the sort of list that drives one to the book store (or to drink), in as much as there are books on here that I want to Read Right Now. I'm going to try to restrain myself to Darke, the new Septimus Heap book, and The Demon's Surrender, by Sarah Rees Brennan...

Middle Grade (aka for ages 9-12)

13 CURSES by Michelle Harrison "The 13 Treasures have become the 13 Curses. When fairies stole her brother, Red vowed to get him back. Now trapped in the fairy realm, she begs to be seen before the fairy court where she strikes a bargain: Her brother in exchange for all thirteen charms from Tanya's bracelet.

Back at Elvesden Manor, Red, Tanya, and Fabian begin a desperate hunt, but as they soon find out, the fairies have done more than hide the charms; they've enchanted them with twisted qualities of the thirteen treasures they represent. And the longer the charms are missing, the more dangerous they become.

Can Red, Tanya, and Fabian find all thirteen charms? And if they do, will the fairies keep their promise?"

THE ADVENTURES OF ROOPSTER ROUX by Ryan Burton & Erik Thompson "Finals are tough, but they're even tougher when your best friend and sister have been mind controlled by the most sinister villain in the city! And that's exactly the situation Roopster Roux finds himself in his latest escapade. He'll have to use all his wits, book smarts, and his trusty Roux Ripper to overcome his greatest and most dangerous adventure yet!"

ARE YOU READY TO BE A LEGEND?: THE ESSENTIAL HANDBOOK FOR WANNABE HEROES by Chris Edge "This worst-case mythological survival guide offers advice on battling myriad mythical creatures and surviving situations sure to test the strength and skill of any aspiring hero. Practical how-to instructions are presented for outwitting goblins, hatching phoenix eggs, learning invisibility, and escaping a dungeon. Sections on riding a witch's broom, being a wizard’s apprentice, and bartering at a magical market will be of special interest to young fantasy readers. Pull-out maps, quizzes, stories, and a goblin IQ test are some of the interactive elements presented in this stunningly illustrated handbook to the magical realms."

BAD WOLF RISING: WOLVEN by Di Toft "When Nat Carver and his Wolven pal Woody learn that their arch enemy is creating a bad werewolf pack, they know they must stop him. Although it doesn't help that Nat's having problems controllinghis own shape-shifting abilities. Delving back into history, the boy s have to solve the clues and riddles to stop one of the worst monsters of all time!"

THE BONES OF THE HOLY: GILDA JOYCE PSYCHIC INVESTIGATOR by Jennifer Allison "When Gilda Joyce's mother announces her engagement to a man from St. Augustine, Florida, Gilda is appalled. She hasn't even given him the "Joyce Family Application" yet! But as the wedding preparations get under way, Gilda realizes she has much bigger concerns. Why does her soon-to-be stepdad keep calling Mrs. Joyce by his ex-wife's name? And why is Mrs. Joyce acting like she's possessed?

With only a few short days before her mother says "I do," Gilda knows this much for sure: it's going to take every ounce of her sleuthing skill and psychic savvy to solve this one!"

CITY OF ICE: CITY TRILOGY by Laurence Yep "....the action-packed sequel to the critically-acclaimed City of Fire

From the islands of Hawaii, Scirye and her loyal companions pursue the villainous Mr. Roland and evil dragon Badik all the way to the city of Nova Hafnia in the Arctic Circle. With the help of a trader, Prince Tarkhun, and his daughter Roxanna, the companions chase their enemies into the vast and desolate Wastes. Scirye and her friends are determined to stop Mr. Roland from getting his hands on the second of the Five Lost Treasures of Emperor Yü, which will give him the power to alter the very fabric of the universe. But few who enter the Wastes ever return, and Scirye has no choice but to call on the spirit of the North for help. As wild and unpredictable as the Arctic itself, will the spirit turn out to be friend or foe?"

DARKE: SEPTIMUS HEAP by Angie Sage "In the sixth book of the Magykal series, Alther Mella has been Banished, a Darke Domaine engulfs the Castle, and a Darke dragon is on the loose. Septimus Heap must use all of his skills to save the Castle and the Wizard Tower from destruction: He must enter the Darke. But he cannot do this alone. With the help of Jenna, Alther Mella, Marcellus Pye, and Septimus's estranged brother, Simon Heap, Septimus and Marcia Overstrand battle the spreading Darkenesse. Will Septimus succeed in protecting his Magykal world?"

THE EMPIRE OF GUT AND BONE by M.T. Anderson "Murder! Mystery! Rebellion! From bestselling and National Book Award-winning author M.T. Anderson, a third visit to the world of THE GAME OF SUNKEN PLACES.

The land of New Norumbega is an unusual one--an empire of gut and bone, a kingdom of blood and mucus. At its dark, dry heart is a ruling class that doesn't care about much besides itself . . . and a ruler who is (literally) a one-eyed stump of flesh. Brian and Gregory have come to New Norumbega for a reason--to get the Norumbegans to help them thwart an alien attack back home on earth. But instead, the two boys find themselves caught up in both a robot rebellion and a murder mystery after one of the Norumbegan leaders is sent to sleep . . . permanently. In New Norumbega, it's very hard to know who to trust. There are assassins around every corner, and secrets pave every conversation. Brian and Gregory will be lucky to make it out alive, never sure if they are meant to catch the murderer . . . or be the killer's next victim."

FLOOD AND FIRE: RAIDERS' RANSOM by Emily Diamand "The Riveting Sequel to the Award-Winning RAIDERS' RANSOM. "She survived the epic battle of the raiders on the rough waters that flood England. Now poor fishergirl Lilly is determined to return Lexy, the Prime Minister's kidnapped daughter, to her home. And since his father was killed in the clash, Zeph is equally determined to claim leadership of his family's clan before more savage tribes invade the marshlands. But will the electromagnetic pulse of an omnipotent computer set the world aflame and wipe out all humans so that artificial intelligence can take over the future?! It's up to the unlikely trio of children -- and their petulant, unpredictable gameboard PSAI -- to rage against the machines!"

MISTRESS OF THE STORM by M.L. Welsh "Verity Gallant is a lonely little girl who doesn't quite fit in. But when a mysterious stranger hands her an ancient book, everything changes. Suddenly it's up to her to solve the riddle of an ancient pledge and protect her family from the evil Mistress of the Storm. What hope does she have against a witch so powerful she can control the wind and create storms at will? Luckily, Verity does not have to face her enemy alone. As events begin to spiral out of control, she finds two loyal and steadfast friends to stand by her side.

The Storm is coming. And it will change Verity's life forever."

THE NIGHTMARE NINJA: MOONSHADOW by Simon Higgins "The future of medieval Japan is at stake once again. A ruthless and power hungry warlord has set out to destroy Moonshadow, a young ninja spy, and his clan of ninja warriors, the Grey Light Order. Luckily, Moonshadow has Snowhawk, a powerful girl ninja and former rival, at his side. Together, they face bounty hunters, a vengeful gangster, and cunning agents from Snowhawk's former clan. But their greatest enemy is a man who uses no weapons-a deadly ninja who enters his victims' minds in their sleep!"

THE SECRET KINGDOM: CHRONICLES OF THE RED KING by Jenny Nimmo "Timoken is a prince born in a secret kingdom. At his birth, a forest jinni bestows magical gifts upon him: a cloak made by the last moon spider and a potion called Alixir. When the peaceful land is attacked, Timoken and his sister, Zobayda, must find a new kingdom to call home. Together, with only the magical gifts and a talking camel, the siblings set off.

In this brand-new series, bestselling author Jenny Nimmo takes readers on an extraordinary quest with one of her most powerful and mysterious characters, the one who started it all for Charlie Bone and the children of the Red King."

SHARK WARS by EJ Altbacker "Since the dawn of time, prehistoric shark clans called Shivers have ruled over the earth's oceans, fierce protectors of all who swim. For eons, the Big Blue has prospered under Shiver Law, and the delicate balance of sea life kept sacred. Until now.

Rising sea temperatures and overfishing have caused food to become scarce, and the battle for new hunting grounds has brought with it corruption and warfare.

Now, with the ocean on the brink of chaos, a young reef shark named Gray - exiled from the safety of his peaceful reef home - must venture deep into Open Water to unlock the secrets of his destiny and bring peace back to the ocean. But first, he'll have to discover the truth about who - and what - he really is."

SUPERCHARGED!: CARTOON KID by Jeremy Strong "MEET CASPER! By day he’s a regular school kid but by . . . later on in the day he’s CARTOON KID! That’s right – Casper is a SUPERHERO – but shhhhhh, keep it quiet because it’s a SECRET! Casper, Big Feet Pete and Sarah Sitterbout are in for a shock when a MONSTROUS new teacher arrives. She says her name is Mrs Cloddle – ha! – CLODZILLA more like. Cartoon Kid to the rescue! And that’s just ONE of their adventures in this laugh-out-loud book . . . WHAM BAM JELLY AND JAM!"

THE SWORD OF DARROW by Hal & Alex Malchow "In a magical realm filled with creatures of every possible shape and size, war is brought upon the peaceful kingdom of Sonnencrest by evil goblin King Malmut. Princess Babette, the only surviving member of the royal family, manages to escape and seeks refuge with Asterux, a powerful wizard who agrees to teach Babette magic, and who disguises her as an ugly gypsy girl to protect her from King Malmut’s thugs.

Ten years later, Babette must use the magic she has learned to help aid the kingdom’s only hope at defeating the goblins’ horrible reign: Darrow, a lame boy who can barely pick up a sword but has a great gift for inspiring others. With Babette’s unseen help, Darrow begins a journey to free his country once and for all and bring peace back to Sonnencrest."

TRUTH OR DARE...: YOU'RE INVITED TO A CREEPOVER by P.J. Night "During a round of Truth or Dare, Abby Miller confesses her crush on Jake Chilson. The only people who know her secret are her friends at the sleepover—and whoever sent her a text message in the middle of the night warning her to stay away from Jake…or else! But Abby isn’t going to stay away from Jake, especially not after he asks her to the school dance. As the night of the dance comes closer, some very creepy things start happening to Abby. Someone definitely wants to keep her away from Jake. Is it a jealous classmate or, as Abby begins to suspect, could it be a ghost?"

WATCH WOLF: WOLVES OF THE BEYOND by Kathryn Lasky "A wolf's eye view of the legends of Ga'Hoole in this stirring third installment of the Wolves of Beyond series by bestselling author Kathryn Lasky.

Born with a twisted paw, Faolan was abandoned as a wolf pup and left to die. But not only did he survive and make it back to the wolf clan, he proved himself to be one of the most worthy wolves of all.

But just as Faolan is about to take his place as one of the revered Wolves of the Watch, a fellow watch wolf goes missing. Faolan is sent to track her down and makes a horrifying discovery - she has been kidnapped by bears. A war is coming between the wolves and the bears, and only Faolan can stop it.

THE WIKKELING by Steven Arntson "In the enormous city of the Addition, all children are SAFE, SECURE, and SUPERVISED, and are watched by cameras even while they sleep. Henrietta is unlikable at her competitive school until she meets Gary and Rose. They all share something in common: headaches with an unknown cause. Then, late one night, Henrietta makes a startling discovery when she finds a wounded cat in the attic above her bedroom. Soon after, a series of strange occurrences follow, including the appearance of a threatening creature with long, waxy fingers, who calls itself the Wikkeling. With the help of an ancient Bestiary, will Henrietta and her friends solve these mysteries before the Wikkeling finally catches them?"

WISHES FOR BEGINNERS: FOURTH GRADE FAIRY by Eileen Cook "The second in a series of books about Willow's adventures as she masters her secret fairy powers, navigates sprite training, tries to ignore her perfect older sister, and maintains a friendship with Katie, the most un-normal of humans. Miranda, the most popular girl in fourth grade, comes to school with exciting news: her older cousin is getting married, and Miranda will be in the bridal party! This is great news for Willow, because Miranda's cousin has hired Willow's mom to provide the cake. She is certain this is her chance to finally get closer to Miranda. She makes it sound as if she is very involved in her mother's bakery and wedding planning business. Suddenly Willow is gaining popularity as the fourth grade expert on all things wedding. The only one who doesn’t seem impressed is her best friend, Katie. Willow thinks she’s finally arrived when Miranda invites her to an exclusive birthday slumber party. The only problem is that it is so exclusive, Katie hasn’t been invited. Then, when Willow tries to use some fairy magic to make Miranda’s cousin’s wedding even bigger and better, everything goes horribly wrong. She might ruin the wedding, blow her first slumber party, and lose her best friend all in one. It’s going to take magic to survive fourth grade."

YOU CAN'T COME IN HERE!: YOU'RE INVITED TO A CREEPOVER by P.J. Night "Emily Hunter loves hanging out with her new neighbors. From their decked-out rec room to their almost-professional guitar playing, Drew and Vicky Strig are super cool. The only bummer is that Drew and Vicky are homeschooled and Emily's other friends haven't gotten to know them yet. So Emily comes up with a plan for everyone to meet--a big party and sleepover at her house! But as Emily gets ready for the party, she begins to wonder about Drew and Vicky. They won't let Emily into certain rooms in their house. And a wolf howls on their lawn every night. Is it only Emily's overactive imagination or are the new neighbors more than just a little strange?"

YOU'LL LIKE IT HERE (EVERYBODY DOES) by Ruth White "While Meggie and David Blue are from another planet, they're a lot like Earth kids, with similar hopes and dreams, and can't wait to grow up. BUT they also have GROSSLY UNIQUE qualities, such as blue streaks in their hair that pop up randomly and language skills that sound like nothing on this planet. The story takes these alien kids, along with their mother and grandfather, by accident, to a far planet in which the society is not only oppressive but hostile to individual freedom. People are kept submissive through drugs and brainwashing. The Blues, who have spent time in free societies recognize the upside-down-ness of this world. They're almost helpless to do anything, but do what they can, plan their escape, and vow to help others."

ZERO GRAVITY: ASTRONAUT ACADEMY by Dave Roman "Hakata Soy's past life as the leader of a futuristic super team won't stay in the past!

The former space hero is doing his best to keep his head down at Astronaut Academy. Things aren't going so great, though. The most popular girl in school has it in for him. His best friend won't return his calls. And his new roommate is a complete jock who only cares about Fireball.

Hakata just wants to make a fresh start. But how will he find time to study Anti-Gravity Gymnastics and Tactical Randomness when he's got a robot doppelganger on its way to kill him?"


Young Adult

ANYA'S GHOST by Vera Brosgol "Anya could really use a friend. But her new BFF isn’t kidding about the “Forever” part . . . Of all the things Anya expected to find at the bottom of an old well, a new friend was not one of them. Especially not a new friend who’s been dead for a century. Falling down a well is bad enough, but Anya’s normal life might actually be worse. She’s embarrassed by her family, self-conscious about her body, and she’s pretty much given up on fitting in at school. A new friend—even a ghost—is just what she needs. Or so she thinks."

ASHES, ASHES by Jo Treggiari "A thrilling tale of adventure, romance, and one girl's unyielding courage through the darkest of nightmares.

Epidemics, floods, droughts--for sixteen-year-old Lucy, the end of the world came and went, taking 99% of the population with it. As the weather continues to rage out of control, and Sweepers clean the streets of plague victims, Lucy survives alone in the wilds of Central Park. But when she's rescued from a pack of hunting dogs by a mysterious boy named Aidan, she reluctantly realizes she can't continue on her own. She joins his band of survivors, yet, a new danger awaits her: the Sweepers are looking for her. There's something special about Lucy, and they will stop at nothing to have her."

BANDITS by LM Preston "Daniel's father has gotten himself killed and left another mess for Daniel to clean up. To save his world from destruction, he must fight off his father's killers while discovering a way to save his world. Time is running out, and Daniel must choose to either walk in his father's footsteps or to reinvent himself into the one to save his world."

BLOOD RED ROAD: DUSTLANDS by Moira Young Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back.

Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization."

CASCADE: RIVER OF TIME by Lisa T. Bergren "Mom touched my underdress—a gown made six hundred years before—and her eyes widened as she rubbed the raw silk between thumb and forefinger. She turned and touched Lia’s gown. “Where did you get these clothes?”
Gabi knows she’s left her heart in the fourteenth century and she persuades Lia to help her to return, even though they know doing so will risk their very lives. When they arrive, weeks have passed and all of Siena longs to celebrate the heroines who turned the tide in the battle against Florence—while the Florentines will go to great lengths to see them dead.
But Marcello patiently awaits, and Gabi must decide if she’s willing to leave her family behind for good in order to give her heart to him forever."

CHASERS: ALONE by James Phelan "Jesse is on a school trip in New York when his subway carriage is rocked by an explosion. When he and three friends crawl out of the wreckage they discover a city in chaos. Streets are deserted. Buildings are in ruins. And the only other survivors are infected with a virus that turns them into horrifying predators..."

THE DEMON'S SURRENDER: THE DEMON'S LEXICON TRILOGY by Sarah Rees Brennan "The Goblin Market has always been the center of Sin’s world. But now the Market is at war with the magicians, and Sin’s place is in danger. Thrown out of the Market she loves, Sin is thrown together with brothers Nick and Alan—whom she’s always despised.

Alan has been marked by a magician and is being tortured so that the magicians can get to Nick. As Sin watches Alan struggle to protect the demon brother he loves, she begins to see him in a new light—but she and Mae are locked in a fierce rivalry over who will inherit the leadership of the Goblin Market, and a decisive battle with the Aventurine Circle is looming. Mae’s brother, Jamie, is holed up with the magicians, his loyalties in question. And Nick—well, who knows what a demon might do to save his brother? How far will Nick go to save Alan—and what will it cost them all?"

DRAGON CASTLE by Joseph Bruchac "Young Prince Rashko is frustrated with his family - no one does any thinking but him! The kingdom and castle seem to be in the hands of fools. So when Rashko's parents mysteriously disappear and the evil Baron Temny parks his army outside the castle walls, it is up to the young prince to save the day. But there is more to this castle and its history than meets the eye, and Rashko will have to embrace his ancestry, harness a dragon, and use his sword-fighting skills to stop the baron and save the kingdom. Along the way, he realizes that his family is not quite as stupid as he always thought."

THE ETERNAL SEA by Angie Frazier "Romance and adventure are just around the corner . . .After the thrilling journey that led Camille through the dangerous discovery of love, secrets, and a magical stone that grants immortality, Camille has everything she wants. She's escaped the men who wanted her dead, and now she is ready to build a new life with Oscar, her one true love. But things are not to be so simple. Oscar is acting strangely, and before they can even board a ship from Australia back home, to San Francisco, Camille learns that the journey is not over. If she does not follow the magic of the curse of Umandu, her life and Ocar's could be in grave danger."

EVERLASTING: THE IMMORTALS by Alyson Noel "Their epic love story has captured the hearts of millions and enchanted readers across the world. In this beautiful finale, their journey draws to a spectacular conclusion—where all will be revealed.

Their darkest enemies now defeated, Damen and Ever are free to embark upon their final quest—to free Damen from the poison lingering in his body. If they can just find the antidote, they’ll finally be able to feel each other’s touch—and experience the passionate night they’ve been longing for. But their fight to be together will lead them into the most formidable terrain yet…into the dark heart of Summerland.

Here in a land of scorched earth and endless rain, Ever and Damen will discover their relationship’s hidden origins, expose a secret history they never imagined…and come face to face with the true reason fate keeps tearing them apart. Only then, when the final mystery is unraveled and the last secret revealed, Ever and Damen’s future will hinge on one ultimate decision that will put everything at stake….even eternity."

FAIRY BAD DAY by Amanda Ashby "While most students at Burtonwood Academy get to kill demons and goblins, fifteen-year-old Emma gets to rid the world of little annoying fairies with glittery wings and a hipster fashion sense. She was destined to be a dragon slayer, but cute and charming Curtis stole her spot. Then she sees a giant killer fairy - and it's invisible to everyone but her! If Emma has any chance of stopping this evil fairy, she's going to need help. Unfortunately, the only person who can help is Curtis. And now, not only has he stolen her dragon-slayer spot, but maybe her heart as well! Why does she think it's going to be a fairy bad day?"

A FLICKERING FIRE by Alexandria Cramer "Join Fiammetta, a young traveling entertainer, as she embarks on a journey that will change the course of a kingdom. An outcast among her own people, she possesses the power to create and control fire; it is this power that embroils her in the plot of the cruel King Nicholas, who as killed his brother and usurped the throne. Framed for the murder, Fiammetta must buy her family's freedom by accepting the King's quest to find the Gavino Claw. With her cursed companion, Paolo, she must endure an arduous journey that will either bring her face to face with destiny, or end her life."

FLYING BLIND: THE DRAGON DIARIES by Deborah Cooke "Zoë Sorensson is perfectly normal, except she's been told she's destined for great things. Zoë's the one female dragon shapeshifter of her kind. But Zoë is at the bottom of the class when it comes to being Pyr and her powers are AWOL, so she's sent to a Pyr boot camp.

Zoë quickly realizes that she has to master her powers yesterday, because the Pyr are in danger and boot camp is a trap. The Mages want to eliminate all shifters and the Pyr are next in line-unless Zoë and her friends can work together and save their own kind."

FORGOTTEN by Cat Patrick "Each night at precisely 4:33 am, while sixteen-year-old London Lane is asleep, her memory of that day is erased. In the morning, all she can "remember" are events from her future. London is used to relying on reminder notes and a trusted friend to get through the day, but things get complicated when a new boy at school enters the picture. Luke Henry is not someone you'd easily forget, yet try as she might, London can't find him in her memories of things to come.

When London starts experiencing disturbing flashbacks, or flash-forwards, as the case may be, she realizes it's time to learn about the past she keeps forgetting-before it destroys her future."

FROM BAD TO CURSED: BAD GIRLS DON'T DIE by Katie Alender "Alexis is the last girl you'd expect to sell her soul. She already has everything she needs—an adorable boyfriend, the perfect best friend, and a little sister who’s finally recovering after being possessed by an evil spirit.

Alexis is thrilled when her sister joins a club: new friends are just what Kasey needs. It’s strange, though, to see how fast the girls in the Sunshine Club go from dorky and antisocial to gorgeous and popular. Then Alexis learns that the girls have pledged an oath to a seemingly benevolent spirit named Aralt. Worried that Kasey’s in over her head again, Alexis and her best friend, Megan, decide to investigate by joining the club themselves. Soon, Alexis trades in her pink hair and punky clothes for a mainstream look, and finds herself reveling in her newfound elegance and success.

The club’s connection with Aralt seems harmless, and before long, Alexis can hardly remember why she joined in the first place.Surely it wasn’t to destroy Aralt. . . . Why would she hurt someone who has given her so much, and asked for so little in return?"

HEREAFTER by Tara Hudson "Can there truly be love after death? Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she's dead. With no recollection of her past life—or her actual death—she's trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but will him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive.

Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that held her captive for so long. But even while they struggle to keep their bond hidden from the living world, a frightening spirit named Eli is doing everything in his power to destroy their newfound happiness and drag Amelia back into the ghost world . . . forever."

HOURGLASS by Myra McEntire "One hour to rewrite the past . . .

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn't there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents' death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She's tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson's willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he's around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?
"

THE LOST HEIRESS: RELIC MASTER by Catherine Fisher "The second installment in the Relic Master quartet!

Even though Tasceron and its Emperor have fallen, there is a rumor that the heiress to the throne still lives. If so, her life is in grave danger, especially from the Watch. Galen and Raffi must race to find and protect her."

MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN by Ransom Riggs "As a kid, Jacob formed a special bond with his grandfather over his bizarre tales and photos of levitating girls and invisible boys. Now at 16, he is reeling from the old man's unexpected death. Then Jacob is given a mysterious letter that propels him on a journey to the remote Welsh island where his grandfather grew up. There, he finds the children from the photographs--alive and well--despite the islanders’ assertion that all were killed decades ago. As Jacob begins to unravel more about his grandfather’s childhood, he suspects he is being trailed by a monster only he can see. A haunting and out-of-the-ordinary read, debut author Ransom Rigg’s first-person narration is convincing and absorbing, and every detail he draws our eye to is deftly woven into an unforgettable whole."

NYX IN THE HOUSE OF NIGHT edited by P.C. Cast "The House of Night is no ordinary school—and not just because it's for vampyres. It's a place where magic, religion, folklore, and mythology from multiple traditions merry meet and meld to create something incredible and new.

In Nyx in the House of Night—a 2-color illustrated companion to the House of Night series—some of your favorite YA authors, plus a few experts, help you navigate the influences behind the House of Night series in a guide that would get even Damien's seal of approval. Travel with P.C. Cast as she gets her first tattoo in Ireland, climbs the ruins of Sgiach's castle, and discovers the lore that led to the Isle of Skye vampyres. Read Kristin Cast's defense of women in history and mythology who, like Zoey, have made a practice of juggling multiple men. Sit in on a vampyre lecture by Bryan Lankford, the real-life basis for House of Night instructor Dragon Lankford, on the parallels between Wiccan and vampyre circle rituals. Tour Tulsa's House of Night landmarks with local Amy H. Sturgis."

PASSION: FALLEN by Lauren Kate "Luce would die for Daniel. And she has. Over and over again. Throughout time, Luce and Daniel have found each other, only to be painfully torn apart: Luce dead, Daniel left broken and alone. But perhaps it doesn’t need to be that way. . . .

Luce is certain that something—or someone—in a past life can help her in her present one. So she begins the most important journey of this lifetime . . . going back eternities to witness firsthand her romances with Daniel . . . and finally unlock the key to making their love last. Cam and the legions of angels and Outcasts are desperate to catch Luce, but none are as frantic as Daniel. He chases Luce through their shared pasts, terrified of what might happen if she rewrites history. Because their romance for the ages could go up in flames . . . forever."

PERFECTLY REFLECTED by S.C. Ransom "This is the second book in the Small Blue thing trilogy. Still recovering from her earlier brush with death, Alex's source of strength and comfort is Callum, still locked in a sad half-life after drowing in the river Fleet that flows into the Thames. And she needs all the strength and comfort she can get: someone is out to make her life a misery, and someone is out to get hold of the extraordinary bracelet that enables her to communicate with Callum."

THE QUICKSILVER FAIRE: THE SCIONS OF SHADOW by Gillian Summers
"At the dazzling Fairy High Court—fraught with enchantments and trickery—Keelie Heartwood discovers that an imbalance in magic has created a colossal rift that can destroy the world. Keelie's mixed blood (elf, human, and fae) makes her powerful, but this sixteen-year-old L.A. girl can't fix things alone. The Grey Mantle elves aren't helping at all, even though bizarre things are happening all around their village.

The more Keelie learns about the magical worlds of the Northwoods-where time is unruly, nasty goblins run amok, and an ancient (and handsome) forest god is pursuing her-the more she doesn't know just whom to trust."

THE RAMPAGE OF HARUHI SUZUMIYA by Nagaru Tanigawa "What Haruhi wants, Haruhi gets! Stunning, brash, and completely clueless about her powers, Haruhi Suzumiya can make anything bend to her will. Although she doesn't know it, she's a goddess who has the ability destroy the world--don't make her mad! Luckily, she has her SOS Brigade (a club comprised of her high school's most extraordinary students) to keep her happy.

This fifth volume in the wildly fun and unpredictable Haruhi Suzumiya series features three short stories for Haruhi's every mood--an endless (never-ending) summer, a heated (overheated) competition with the computer club, and a ski trip getaway (with a dangerous blizzard!)."

THE REVENANT by Sonia Gensler "When Willie arrives in Indian Territory, she knows only one thing: no one can find out who she really is. To escape a home she doesn't belong in anymore, she assumes the name of a former classmate and accepts a teaching job at the Cherokee Female Seminary.

Nothing prepares her for what she finds there. Her pupils are the daughters of the Cherokee elite—educated and more wealthy than she, and the school is cloaked in mystery. A student drowned in the river last year, and the girls whisper that she was killed by a jealous lover. Willie's room is the very room the dead girl slept in. The students say her spirit haunts it.

Willie doesn't believe in ghosts, but when strange things start happening at the school, she isn't sure anymore. She's also not sure what to make of a boy from the nearby boys' school who has taken an interest in her—his past is cloaked in secrets. Soon, even she has to admit that the revenant may be trying to tell her something. . . ."

SIRENZ by Charlotte Bennardo & Natalie Zaman "Bickering frenemies Meg and Shar are doing some serious damage at a midnight sample sale when the fashionistas find themselves arguing over a pair of shoes-with fatal consequences. One innocent bystander later, the girls are suddenly at the mercy of Hades, Lord of the Underworld himself. To make them atone for what they've done, Hades forces the teens to become special-assignment Sirens, luring to the Underworld an individual whose unholy contract is up.

Finding that delicate balance between their fashion addiction and their new part-time job in the eternal hellfire biz turns out to be harder than Meg and Shar expected, especially when an entire pantheon of Greek deities decides to get involved. Then there's the matter of the fine print in their own contracts..."

THE SPECTRAL BLAZE: BROTHERHOOD OF THE GRIFFON by Richard Lee Byers "Aoth and the Brotherhood of the Griffon have succeeded in rescuing Tchazzar, the lost king of Chessenta and a formidable red dragon, and are rewarded with a contract to aid in his war with a powerful dracolich. But the more Aoth sees of the war, the more suspicious he becomes that the Brotherhood may be just a pawn in a cutthroat draconic game that puts whole kingdoms at risk--a game played for stakes of gold and blood. And the more he sees the game play out, the more he realizes that he will have to become a player in this most dangerous of games if he wants the Realms to remain free."

SPIRITS OF THE NOH: THE WAKING by Thomas Randall "Kara Foster is finally starting to fit in at her boarding school in Japan-after all, nothing bonds you with your classmates like having an ancient demon put a curse on you. Hoping life can go back to normal now that the monster has been laid to rest, Kara joins her friends Sakura and Miho in putting on a play for the Noh drama club. It's the story of the Hannya, a snake demon who inhabits the body of a beautiful woman. When a few members of the Noh club go missing, Kara fears that the real Hannya has been awakened by the curse. Then Miho is abducted, and Kara must find her before the Hannya exacts her terrible revenge. But the demon is wily and may be hidden in the last place anyone would think to look."

TIGER'S QUEST: THE TIGER'S CURSE by Colleen Houck "Back in Oregon, Kelsey tries to pick up the pieces of her life and push aside her feelings for Ren. But danger lurks around the corner, forcing her to return to India where she embarks on a second quest--this time with Ren's dark, bad-boy brother Kishan, who has also fallen prey to the Tiger's Curse. Fraught with danger, spellbinding dreams, and choices of the heart, TIGER'S QUEST brings the trio one step closer to breaking the spell that binds them."

A TRAVELLER IN TIME by Alison Uttley "Penelope Taberner Cameron is a solitary and a sickly child, a reader and a dreamer. Her mother, indeed, is of the opinion that the girl has grown all too attached to the products of her imagination and decides to send her away from London for a restorative dose of fresh country air. But staying at Thackers, in remote Derbyshire, Penelope is soon caught up in a new mystery, as she finds herself transported at unforeseeable intervals back and forth from modern to Elizabethan times. There she becomes part of a remarkable family that is, Penelope realizes, in terrible danger as they plot to free Mary, Queen of Scot, from the prison in which Queen Elizabeth has confined her.
Penelope knows the tragic end that awaits the Scottish queen but she can neither change the course of events nor persuade her new family of the hopelessness of their cause, which love, loyalty, and justice all compel them to embrace. Caught between present and past, Penelope is ever more torn by questions of freedom and fate. To travel in time, Penelope discovers, is to to be very much alone. And yet the slow recurrent rhythms of the natural world, beautifully captured by Alison Uttley, also speak of a greater ongoing life that transcends the passage of years."

TRIAL BY FIRE: A RAISED BY WOLVES NOVEL by Jennifer Lynn Barnes "There can only be one alpha. Bryn is finally settling into her position as alpha of the Cedar Ridge Pack—or at least, her own version of what it means to be alpha when you’re a human leading a band of werewolves. Then she finds a teenage boy bleeding on her front porch. Before collapsing, he tells her his name is Lucas, he’s a Were, and Bryn’s protection is his only hope.

But Lucas isn’t part of Bryn’s pack, and she has no right to claim another alpha’s Were. With threats—old and new—looming, and danger closing in from all sides, Bryn will have to accept what her guardian Callum knew all along. To be alpha, she will have to give in to her own animal instincts and become less human. And, she’s going to have to do it alone. Bryn faces both the costs, and the rewards, of love and loyalty, in this thrilling sequel to Raised by Wolves."

UNLEASHED: MONSTER SLAYERS by Lukas Ritter "For as long as Evin can remember, he has dreamed of being a real hero. And when his entire village is kidnapped by evil monsters, he finally gets his wish. With the help of his friend Jorick, a young elf wizard named Betilivatis, and an ancient guidebook of magical beasts called A Practical Guide to Monsters, Evin treks through ancient ruins and faces all kinds of strange and terrible creatures on his quest to find his family.

But soon, Evin realizes that not everything is as it seems. Why is Betilivatis sneaking off to report their every move to someone only she can see? Why can’t Evin remember anything before the day of the kidnapping? Why does it seem as if someone—or something—is controlling the monsters and drawing the three friends deeper into a battle they might never win?"


THE VAMPIRE STALKER
by Allison van Diepen "What if the characters in a vampire novel left their world--and came into yours?

Amy is in love with someone who doesn't exist: Alexander Banks, the dashing hero in a popular series of vampire novels. Then one night, Amy meets a boy who bears an eerie resemblance to Alexander. In fact, he IS Alexander, who has escaped from the pages of the book and is in hot pursuit of a wicked vampire named Vigo. Together, Amy and Alexander set out to track Vigo and learn how and why Alexander crossed over. But when she and Alexander begin to fall for each other, Amy wonders if she even wants him to ever return to the realm of fiction."

THE VAMPIRE HUNTERS by Pete Johnson "On my thirteenth birthday, my life changed for ever. That’s when I learned the shocking truth: I’m a half-vampire.

Think that sounds cool? Think again! I’ve been attacked by an evil vampire bat, had huge cravings for my best friend’s blood, and nearly died from eating a pizza (half-vampires aren’t great with garlic). Writing my secret blog is the only thing that’s kept me from going completely crazy. As if life couldn’t get any more complicated, there have been some vicious attacks in the local woods. Vampire-mad Tallulah (definitely not my girlfriend) thinks a super-vampire is behind them – and she’s desperate to prove it, with a mysterious chain that’s supposed to glow red-hot when a vampire is close by. And I have a horrible feeling that the chain’s going to turn red-hot any day now . . ."

WHAT WE KEEP IS NOT ALWAYS WHAT WILL STAY by Amanda Cockrell "Fifteen-year-old Angie never used to think much about God—until things started getting weird. Like the statue of St. Felix, her secret confidante, suddenly coming off his pedestal and talking to her. And Angie's mother, who's busting up her third marriage for no apparent reason. Then there's Jesse Francis, sent home from Afghanistan at age nineteen with his leg blown off. Now he's expected to finish high school and fit right back in. Is God even paying attention to any of this?

Against the advice of an increasingly vocal St. Felix (who knows a thing or two about war), Angie falls for Jesse—who's a lot deeper than most high school guys. But Jesse is battling some major demons. As his rages start to become more frequent and unpredictable, Angie finds herself losing control of the situation. And she's starting to wonder: can one person ever make things right for someone else?"

Z. RAPTOR: HUNTING by Steve Cole "Thirteen-year-old Adam Adlar used to have a normal life. Then his father created the most advanced video-game technology ever-one that uses a person's thoughts to control game characters, so that the characters are actually part of you. And scientists stole this technology to create hyper-evolved dinosaurs with a human's ability to learn . . . and a beast's ability to kill. Now packs of raptors populate a deserted island where the only law is survival. For the death-row inmates who were forced to live there as part of an experiment, survival was not an option. Now it's up to Adam and his dad to make sure the brutality stops."

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