(as usual, my information comes from Teens Read Too, with blurbs via Amazon/Goodreads. I'm rather glad I've given up on the YA section blurbs, because this list is so long I would have been here all night...)
8 CLASS PETS + 1 SQUIRREL / BY 1 DOG = CHAOS by Vivian Vande Velde
"Twitch, the school yard squirrel, has really gotten himself into a bind this time. While trying to escape from a hungry owl, he roused the principal's dog and got chased into the school. Now he's locked in for a dangerous and disastrous night. Can Green Eggs and Hamster, Sweetie the library rat, and the other school pets save Twitch from the crazed dog, Cuddles? In this uproarious chapter book, a group of small animals manages to turn an elementary school into a real zoo."
ALWAYS NEVERLAND by Zoe Barton "School has only been out for one whole day, and Ashley can already tell her vacation is going to bore her to tears. With her friends out of town and her parents working nonstop, she finds herself alone and with nothing to do—until one night she wakes up and discovers Peter Pan in her bedroom, wrestling with his shadow.
Since his original adventure with the Darlings, Peter Pan has been bringing new “Wendy girls” to Neverland to take care of the Lost Boys. But Ashley’s made of much tougher stuff than the Wendy girls before her—she’d rather befriend the mermaids or fight Captain Hook and his pirate crew. Creating new adventures for her friends, Ashley is bringing change to Neverland . . . and not everyone is happy about it."
THE APOTHECARY by Maile Meloy "It's 1952 and the Scott family has just moved from Los Angeles to London. Here, fourteen-year-old Janie meets a mysterious apothecary and his son, Benjamin Burrows - a fascinating boy who's not afraid to stand up to authority and dreams of becoming a spy. When Benjamin's father is kidnapped, Janie and Benjamin must uncover the secrets of the apothecary's sacred book, the Pharmacopoeia, in order to find him, all while keeping it out of the hands of their enemies - Russian spies in possession of nuclear weapons. Discovering and testing potions they never believed could exist, Janie and Benjamin embark on a dangerous race to save the apothecary and prevent impending disaster."THE CASE OF THE GREEN GUINEA PIG: JACK GETS A CLUE by Nancy Krulik "Our big school trip was at the end of the week, and I couldn't wait! But someone kept playing pranks at school, including dyeing the class guinea pig green. I love a good practical joke, but Principal Bumble threatened to cancel the trip if the pranks didn't stop.
I knew what I had to do--talk to the animals around school to get some clues. That's right--I can talk to animals. It sounds crazy, but it's true. Now it was up to me and my brainiac friend Elizabeth to solve this mystery in time to save our trip!"
THE CHESHIRE CHEESE CAT: A DICKENS OF A TALE by Carmen Agra Deedy & Randall Wright "Skilley, an alley cat with an embarrassing secret, longs to escape his hard life dodging fishwives brooms and carriage wheels and trade his damp alley for the warmth of the Cheshire Cheese Inn. When he learns that the innkeeper is looking for a new mouser, Skilley comes up with an audacious scheme to install himself in the famous tavern. Once established in the inn, Skilley strikes a bargain with Pip, the intelligent mouse-resident, and his fellow mice. Skilley protects the mice and the mice in turn give to Skilley the delectable Cheshire cheese of the inn. Thus begins a most unlikely alliance and friendship. The cat and mouse design a plan to restore Maldwyn wounded raven and faithful guard in the service of Queen Victoria to his rightful place in The Tower, but first they must contend with a tyrannical cook, a mouse-despising barmaid, and an evil tomcat named Pinch. Will the famous author suffering from serious writer s block who visits the Cheshire Cheese pub each day be able to help?"THE CHOCOLATE MELTDOWN: B MAGICAL by Lexi Connor "B will cast a S-P-E-L-L on middle-grade readers in this funny, fast-paced series!
Eleven year-old Beatrix, B for short, is a witch with a quirky talent. When she spells out words, magic spells take shape!
B's dad's job at Enchanted Chocolates has always been a great thing -- who doesn't like free candy and special tours of a chocolate factory? But when something goes wrong with the new batch of treats, there's nothing sweet about it! Everyone seems to be losing their magic touch -- can B whip up a solution, or could this spell the E-N-D of witches?"
DARKFALL: THE HEALING WARS by Janice Hardy "War has come. Nya’s the one who brought it. And the people love her for it.With Baseer in shambles and Geveg now an impenetrable military stronghold, Nya and the Underground have fled to a safer location—without Tali. Nya is guilt-ridden over leaving her sister behind and vows to find her, but with the rebellion in full swing and refugees flooding the Three Territories, she fears she never will.
The Duke, desperate to reclaim the throne as his own, has rallied his powerful army. And they are on the move, destroying anyone who gets in the way.
To save her sister, her family, and her people, Nya needs to stay ahead of the Duke’s army and find a way to build one of her own. Past hurts must be healed, past wrongs must be righted, and Nya must decide: Is she merely a pawn in the rebellion, a symbol of hope—or is she ready to be a hero?"
DARWEN ARKWRIGHT AND THE PEREGRINE PACT by A.J. Hartley "Eleven-year-old Darwen Arkwright has spent his whole life in a tiny town in England. So when he is forced to move to Atlanta, Georgia, to live with his aunt, he knows things will be different - but what he finds there is beyond even his wildest imaginings!Darwen discovers an enchanting world through the old mirror hanging in his closet - a world that holds as many dangers as it does wonders. Scrobblers on motorbikes with nets big enough to fit a human boy. Gnashers with no eyes, but monstrous mouths full of teeth. Flittercrakes with bat-like bodies and the faces of men. Along with his new friends Rich and Alexandra, Darwen becomes entangled in an adventure and a mystery that involves the safety of his entire school. They soon realize that the creatures are after something in our world - something that only human children possess."
DIAMONDS AND DOOM: THE RAVEN MYSTERIES by Marcus Sedgwick "There's no sign of the fabled treasure of the Otherhand, and the family are on the verge of being thrown out of the castle in the sixth quirky mystery by BLUE PETER-award-winning team Marcus Sedgwick and Pete Williamson. "
DREAMS OF A DANCING HORSE: ANIMAL TALES by Dandi Daley Mackall "Fred the plow horse is born with a dancing tune in his heart. When he hears music, he just has to dance-even if it means overturning the plow and wreaking havoc! When Fred gets kicked off the farm, he must find a new home for himself-a place where a dancing horse might truly fit in. This feisty horse gallops hooves-first into the Animal Tales series-and into the hearts of young readers who are graduating from chapter books. Black-and-white line art dances off the page to bring Dandi Mackall's whimsical characters to life."
FAIR WIND TO WIDDERSHINS: THE SIX CROWNS by Allan Jones "After finding the first of six legendary crowns, Trundle the lamplighter thought he could finally return to his quiet life in Port Shiverstones. But Esmeralda has other ideas. A princess with a talent for magic and mischief, she is determined to continue their quest to find the five other crowns, and to use them to unite the Sundered Lands once and for all.
Accompanied by their new friend, Jack Nimble the bard, Trundle and Esmeralda sail to new lands in search of Esmeralda’s wise old aunt. Will the mysterious Aunt Millie give them the clues they need to find the next treasure? Or are they walking straight into a trap?"
GHOSTS OF THE CAROLINAS FOR KIDS by Terrance Zepke "Sixteen ghost tales from all around North and South Carolina that are suitable for 9–12 year-olds, including stories about lake monsters, pirate ghosts, a ghost who doesn’t like Christmas, haunted schools, a swamp creature, the strangest house in the world, a ghost who warns people about hurricanes, and even a ghost train. The book is in color and every story is illustrated."THE GHOSTS OF GRIBBLESEA PIER by Deborah Abela "Aurelie Bonhoffen has grown up in the circus. She’s been a juggler, the back end of a cow, and played a dead girl on the ghost train at Gribblesea Pier, her parents’ run-down amusement park. She adores her family, especially her uncles Rolo and Rindolf, but when she turns twelve she stumbles onto a remarkable secret. Her family members have two chances at life—they can become ghosts! It’s hard to accept that her favorite uncles are ghosts, but when Aurelie’s new friend at school reveals a dangerous plot to demolish the pier, the secret helps her confront the greatest threat her family has ever faced. "
THE HUNT FOR THE YETI SKULL: SECRET AGENT JACK STALWART by Elizabeth Singer Hunt "Jack has become the most decorated secret agent for the Global Protection Force, but during the day he’s still just an ordinary kid who has to put up with annoying people—like Marko Mayer, a new student in Jack’s rock-climbing class. When Jack and Marko race to the top of the wall, Marko stomps on Jack’s hand and wins—then has the nerve to gloat! But Jack has no time to sulk—the GPF needs him in Nepal. A plane carrying a team of scientists has gone missing over Mount Everest. They were thought to be carrying the first true Yeti skull ever recovered—proof that the legendary Abominable Snowman really existed. Jack quickly discovers that a greedy collector is behind the theft—and he may have hired Jack’s archnemesis for the job. Can Jack and his fellow agents use their climbing skills to brave the highest mountain on earth and recover the priceless skull?"
ICEFALL by Matthew J. Kirby "Trapped in a hidden fortress tucked between towering mountains and a frozen sea, Solveig, along with her brother the crown prince, their older sister, and an army of restless warriors, anxiously awaits news of her father's victory at battle. But as winter stretches on, and the unending ice refuses to break, terrible acts of treachery soon make it clear that a traitor lurks in their midst. A malevolent air begins to seep through the fortress walls, and a smothering claustrophobia slowly turns these prisoners of winter against one another.
Those charged with protecting the king's children are all suspect, and the siblings must choose their allies wisely. But who can be trusted so far from their father's watchful eye? Can Solveig and her siblings survive the long winter months and expose the traitor before he succeeds in destroying a kingdom?"
THE INQUISITOR'S APPRENTICE by Chris Moriarty "The day Sacha found out he could see witches was the worst day of his life . . . Being an Inquisitor is no job for a nice Jewish boy. But when the police learn that Sacha Kessler can see witches, he’s apprenticed to the department’s star Inquisitor, Maximillian Wolf. Their mission is to stop magical crime. And New York at the beginning of the twentieth century is a magical melting pot where each ethnic group has its own brand of homegrown witchcraft, and magical gangs rule the streets from Hell’s Kitchen to Chinatown. Soon Sacha has teamed up with fellow apprentice Lily Astral, daughter of one of the city’s richest Wall Street Wizards—and a spoiled snob, if you ask Sacha. Their first case is to find out who’s trying to kill Thomas Edison. Edison has invented a mechanical witch detector that could unleash the worst witch-hunt in American history. Every magician in town has a motive to kill him. But as the investigation unfolds, all the clues lead back to the Lower East Side. And Sacha soon realizes that his own family could be accused of murder!"IVY AND THE MEANSTALK by Dawn Lairamore "Having saved her kingdom from the dastardly designs of a scheming prince in Ivy's Ever After, fourteen-year-old Princess Ivy and her dragon friend, Elridge, have little time to rest on their laurels, for Ardendale is once again being threatened. It seems that many years ago a magical harp and a hen that laid golden eggs were stolen by a youth named Jack. The rightful owner, a surly giantess who hasn't slept a wink since the thefts, needs her harp back to cure her insomnia. Otherwise Ardendale will suffer an unspeakable fate. So Ivy and Elridge set off on another fairy-tale-inspired adventure--a quest for the magical harp that takes them across the sea, into the fiery depths of a magnificent golden kingdom, and high into the clouds to the top of a vicious man-eating meanstalk."
KILLER KOALAS FROM OUTER SPACE: AND LOTS OF OTHER VERY BAD STUFF THAT WILL MAKE YOUR BRAIN EXPLODE! by Andy Griffiths "Surprise, absurdity, and laugh-out-loud humor are the hallmarks of this New York Times-bestselling author, and in Killer Koalas from Outer Space, Griffiths offers up a collection of ridiculous stories featuring zombie kittens, rocket stealing ants, and of course, killer koalas from outer space."
LIESL & PO by Lauren Oliver "Liesl lives in a tiny attic bedroom, locked away by her cruel stepmother. Her only friends are the shadows and the mice—until one night a ghost appears from the darkness. It is Po, who comes from the Other Side. Both Liesl and Po are lonely, but together they are less alone.
That same night, an alchemist's apprentice, Will, bungles an important delivery. He accidentally switches a box containing the most powerful magic in the world with one containing something decidedly less remarkable
Will's mistake has tremendous consequences for Liesl and Po, and it draws the three of them together on an extraordinary journey.
From New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver comes a luminous and magnificent novel that glows with rare magic, ghostly wonders, and a true friendship that lights even the darkest of places."
THE MASTERWORK OF A PAINTING ELEPHANT by Michelle Cuevas "Ever since he was an infant, Pigeon Jones has lived on the back of an artistically gifted white elephant named Birch. Birch is a loving father, but that doesn’t stop Pigeon from wondering about the human parents who abandoned him. Birch has dreams, too—of being a well-known artist, and of finding the acrobat he fell in love with while they performed together in a circus years ago.And so, on Pigeon’s tenth birthday, their search for fame and lost loves begins. Pigeon and Birch paint their way across the world, dodging an evil circus ringleader, freeing zoo animals, and befriending singing hoboes along the way. But when they reach the end of their journey, Birch must master the most difficult art of all: letting go and allowing his beloved Pigeon to stand on his own two feet."
THE OTHER FELIX by Keir Graff "Felix has nightmares. Every night when he falls asleep he goes to the land of monsters, and when he wakes up he's back in his bed with mud on his feet and torn pajamas. One night Felix meets a boy who knows how to fight the monsters, a boy who looks just like him and is also named Felix. The Other Felix is a fantastical, psychological story of growing up for kids who have graduated from Where the Wild Things Are but are still fascinated by the world of dreams."
RASHOUK THE CAVE TROLL: BEAST QUEST, AMULET OF AVANTIA by Adam Blade "Fight the Beasts. Fear the Magic!
Lurking in the Dead Peaks is Rashouk the Cave Troll. The Ghost Beast smells out his victim's fear--and turns them to stone. It will take all of Tom's courage to capture Rashouk's piece of the Amulet of Avantia, but failure means never seeing his father again..."
Helena is the oldest of four mouse siblings who live in the walls of the Cranston estate. It is 1887 when the nouveau riche Cranstons decide to take a cruise ship to England in search of a husband for their awkward older daughter. The Cranston mice stow away in the luggage . . . and so begins the time of their lives, as they meet intriguing, cosmopolitan mice onboard and take it upon themselves to help the human Cranston daughters find love. They might just find perfect futures for themselves as well!
Full of laughs, near-misses, and surprise, this is Richard Peck at his best and most playful."
THE SHEPHERD OF WEEDS: THE POISONS OF CAUX by Susannah Appelbaum "Back in the Kingdom of Caux after her journey to its sisterland, Ivy wakes up in a dismal orphanage alongside her friend Rue. Accompanied by a strange woman named Lumpen—who looks suspiciously like a scarecrow—the girls make their way back to Templar to plan a massive battle against the Tasters Guild, where Vidal Verjouce is making ink out of the deadly Scourge Bracken weed. Rocamadour grows darker and more dangerous with every drop.
With an army of scarecrows, a legion of birds, and her friends and uncle by her side, it's up to Ivy—the true "Shepherd of Weeds"—to wage war against the Guild, defeat her own father, and restore order to the plant world. Susannah Appelbaum's imagination soars in this stunning and utterly satisfying final volume of the Poisons of Caux trilogy."
THE SNOW MERCHANT by Sam Gayton "The Snow Merchant is a fantastic, hugely imaginative, quirky debut by Samuel Gayton. It's a story of alchemy, family and an astonishing new creation, snow."
THE SON OF NEPTUNE: THE HEROES OF OLYMPUS by Rick Riordan
"In The Lost Hero, three demigods named Jason, Piper, and Leo made their first visit to Camp Half-Blood, where they inherited a blood-chilling quest:
Seven half-bloods shall answer the call,
To storm or fire the world must fall.
An oath to keep with a final breath,
And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.
Who are the other four mentioned in the prophesy? The answer may lie in another camp thousands of miles away, where a new camper has shown up and appears to be the son of Neptune, god of the sea. . ."
STAN AND THE TOILET MONSTER by Steve Shreve "Stan finds a mutant chameleon egg in the sewer near his home."
A WEB OF AIR: FEVER CRUMB by Philip Reeve "The second, thrilling adventure in the Fever Crumb trilogy from the brilliant and award-winning Philip Reeve.
Two years ago, Fever Crumb escaped the war-torn city of London in a traveling theater. Now, she arrives in the extraordinary city of Mayda, where buildings ascend the cliffs on funicular rails, and a mysterious recluse is building a machine that can fly. Fever is the engineer he needs - but ruthless enemies will kill to possess their secrets."
THE WHITE ASSASSIN: THE NIGHTSHADE CHRONICLES by Hilary Wagner "Book II of the Nightshade Chronicles begins three years after Juniper and his rebel band liberated the Catacombs from Billycan's vicious control and established the democratic Nightshade City. A sense of peace has settled over Nightshade, but it is a false one. Billycan, the White Assassin, has been found deep in the southern swamps, where he now rules a horde of savage swamp rats eager to overrun Nightshade City. With the help of an ancient colony of bats and an uneasy alliance with the swamp snakes, Juniper and his council set out to thwart Billycan's plans. When a shocking secret is revealed everything changes. The fate of Nightshade City and the life of Juniper's only son depend on Juniper's decision: should he help his mortal enemy? The past resurfaces with devastating impact in this sequel to Nightshade City, a dark tale of intrigue, deception, and betrayal. "WHY I QUIT ZOMBIE SCHOOL: GOOSEBUMPS, HALL OF HORRORS by R.L. Stine "Welcome to the Hall of Horrors, HorrorLand's Hall of Fame for the truly terrifying.
Matt was never a superstar in school, but he's definitely the most energetic and quick-witted student here. But what's up with the others? His suspicions are finally confirmed when Franny, his new friend asks, "How long have you been dead?" To his horror, Matt realizes his parents have unknowingly enrolled him in a zombie school. When Matt overhears the zombie plans to march and claim the whole city for the undead, he has to make a frightening choice- protect himself and continue his charade-or reveal his aliveness and try to save the unsuspecting alive people in the town."
YOUNG ADULT
ALL GOOD CHILDREN by Catherine Austen
AWAKE AT DAWN: SHADOW FALLS by C. C. Hunter
A BEAUTIFUL FRIENDSHIP by David Weber
CARRIER OF THE MARK by Leigh Fallon
THE COMBINATION by Elias Carr
DARK VENGEANCE VOL. 1: SUMMER/FALL by Jeff Mariotte
THE DEATH CURE: THE MAZE RUNNER by James Dashner
DEVOTED: ELIXIR by Hilary Duff
EMBRACE by Jessica Shirvington
EVE by Anna Carey
EVERYBODY SEES THE ANTS by A.S. King
FOX & PHOENIX by Beth Bernobich
FROST by Wendy Delsol
THE GLASS SWALLOW by Julia Golding
THE GOBLIN WAR by Hilari Bell
HEAVEN AND HELL: BEAUTIFUL BEINGS by Kailin Gow
LAST DESSERTS by Megan Atwood
THE LATE BUS by Rick Jasper
OUT OF BREATH by Blair Richmond
PALACE OF THE DAMNED: THE SAGA OF LARTEN CREPSLEY by Darren Shan
PHOENIX: BEAUTIFUL DEAD by Eden Maguire
THE PRANK by Ashley Rae Harris
SILENCE: HUSH, HUSH by Becca Fitzpatrick
THE SLEEPWALKERS by J. Gabriel Gates
STEAMPUNK!: AN ANTHOLOGY OF FANTASTICALLY RICH AND STRANGE STORIES
edited by Kelly Link & Gavin J. Grant
TRIS & IZZIE by Mette Ivie Harrison
THE TWELFTH STONE by Jana Laiz
UNFORSAKEN: BANISHED by Sophie Littlefield
VARIANT by Robison Wells
I really enjoyed DARKFALL and THE WHITE ASSASSIN. I'm giving away ARC's and interviewing both Janice and Hilary this month (Hilary on Monday) at Literary Rambles.
ReplyDeleteI really want to read The Inquisitor's Apprentice & Liesl & Po. Thanks for putting this together. I always enjoy it.