Apocalyptic Dream Awakens an Awesome Idea!

Last night I dreamed that I was watching the night sky filled with massive amounts of shooting stars. In my dream, the entire sky was lit up with lights and I believed that it was an apocalyptic event. Somewhere toward the end of this dream, I was half awake and still half dreaming I remember an idea came to me. I should start a Walking Dead book club at the library! I think three things would bring in teens to join this club. One is they love anything related to zombies, two they think anything apocalyptic is cool, and three we can play the new Walking Dead Monopoly game! I absolutely adore any YA book that features an apocalyptic world gone mad. I have read a lot of dystopic YA novels and one that I think was my first love was Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. I also remember fancying The Giver by Lois Lowry, but not really understanding the impact that this book would have me on much later fostering my love for the dystopic. Most recently, one of the best apocalyptic books I have read is Pure by Julianna Baggot. This book was totally awesome and freaky too. For when then world was ending an explosion occurred and anything that was near a person fused to their body. That meant that people were walking around with doll parts, other people, and bird cages fused somewhere on their persons. Yikes that is freaky! Funny enough, I have never been a big fan of zombies. They kind of scare me and I would hate to be chased by one. I postponed watching the Walking Dead television show on AMC for exactly that reason. After a long period of coaxing, my kids finally talked me into watching the first season and after me walking out of the room a few times during gruesome hoards of zombies feeding I was totally hooked on the show. I power watched to get caught up to the 4th season and now have been following the show and the after show the Talking Dead. After my dream and idea of starting a Walking Dead book club, I realized I should probably try to read the Walking Dead graphic novels by Robert Kirkman. I think it would be a great way to segue into the book club and find out if the new members have them already or plan to read for the club. I will keep you posted on the progress of the Walking Dead book club!

Happy Reading to you!

Mrs. Librarian Lady

Insurgent Feeds My Soul

I was so excited to see Insurgent in 3D this last weekend! The movie was totally amazing and I was surprised because it was even better than Divergent. It seems like the first movie had a lot of setting up to do and there was like this secret romance going on between Tris and Four. But... in Insurgent the cat was out of the bag and the romance was full on baby! They fought some too and that was cool, but their love shines through all the way. I think Tris and Four are my favorite fictional couple, which is why I am so not looking forward to the next movie Allegiant. I am sorry I won't give anything away, but it is going to be a super cry fest for me for sure. Here is one of my favorite pictures I've seen around on the net that shows the awesome dynamic duo Tris and Four!!!

Steelheart: taking dystopia to another level!

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson is a fast-paced novel, and the first installment in his Reckoners series.

“The superheroes came, but they weren’t exactly what everyone thought they’d be. The Epics, as they’re called, have incredible powers, but with great power comes great corruptibility.
Soon, the Epics takes over the world. They fight against each other, gaining territory and ruling the humans as their subjects. Some are smart and set up cities in their honor, a place where they can control the population and get them to do their bidding.
Such is life in Newcago under Steeheart’s reign. It’s all David has known for the past 10 years. But while most people just try to survive in a world that is literally made of steel, David has other plans. He wants to join the Reckoners and avenge his father, whom Steelheart killed the day he came into town.
The Reckoners are a group of humans led by the mysterious Prof. Their goal is to kill as many Epics as possible. And David is about to show them what he’s got. He knows something no one else does. Because no matter what Steelheart says, he’s not completely invincible.
David’s seen Steelheart bleed, and he intends to see it again.”
Steelheart is a fast-paced, suspenseful page-turner. With cliffhangers at the end of every chapter, it will be hard to put this book down long enough to eat and sleep, never mind doing responsible things like going to work or school.
Set in a world that is vivid and complex, this is not a book that seems overwhelming or overly detailed. Sanderson does an excellent job of feeding you information that is necessary in the moment, rather than overloading you right from the beginning.
The humor in this book is well placed, as well. In a novel that could take itself too seriously but doesn’t, the purposefully terrible metaphors will have you laughing every time you think of them.
With a quickly escalating plot and a few twists and turns, this is definitely a book you’ll want on your to-be-read list. And while it does answer many of the questions raised throughout the book, enough is left unanswered to cause you to want to read the next installation, Firefight, like, right now. Sadly, we’ll have to wait until 2014 for that one.

“Incredible cosmic powers do not equate with high IQ.” David, Steelheart

Happy Reading to You!
Mrs. Librarian Lady

Day Brings Legend to Life

Here's the 8th book I've read from the YALSA teens top choice list! So far this one is my favorite!! It's Legend by Marie Lu. In this story we meet Day who is a renegade teenager with striking white blonde hair and good looks. He is smart and sly and has a very good heart. He has to hide in the shadows because he lives in a world where most people are poor and a terrible plague has taken over California. Day will stop at nothing to protect his family. He would give up his own life for his loved ones. He is also loyal to his friends to the end. He looks for for a young girl named Tess who has taken under his wing. We also meet June Iparis who is a strong and smart military girl. She works for the Republic which is basically the government that rules the United States. June loves her older brother Metias and doesn't realize until it's too late that she (and everyone else) is being duped by the Republic. When a terrible tragedy happens, June's vision is clouded and she is heartbroken. She goes out into the streets in disguise and tries to find Day because she thinks he is responsible for her pain. June is confused because she is attracted to Day, but she hates him for what she thinks that he did. She seeks revenge on Day and hurts him like no other person ever has. You have to read this book to find out what happens when June turns Day over to the Republic. Will Day win his fight against the Republic? Will June let him die? READ this book and LEGEND will become your favorite book too! Reading Rulez!! Mrs. Librarian Lady

No "Confusion" Here Prince Khemri Rocks It

I just finished reading "A Confusion of Princes" by Garth Nix, which is on the Best Fiction for Young Adults (BFYA) list for 2012. I have to say I am a long time fan of Garth Nix. I read the entire "Abhorsen" series and love Sabriel to death (LOL! I hear there is a movie in the making - Woohoo!) but this new book is pretty darn hot too!! It's definitely a guys kind of read and it is also definitely majorly sci-fi. Here's a little review for ya'all :) "A Confusion of Princes" is a Sci-fi novel complete with space travel, adventurous hijinks, a dash of romance and an attempt at exploration of what it means to be human. Khemri is an enhanced human being, a Prince of the Empire, expected to do great things once he leaves the secluded temple where he has grown up. He has these strange priests that run every aspect of his life for him. He has trained to do battle but has never really even known the real company of another real person. Until he is sent on a mission and has to become a normal human in the somewhat real world of outer space. There he has life experiences that change him forever. Especially when he saves the life of a girl named Raine. Once Khemri goes back to being Prince he just can't shake the connection he had with Raine. This is a great book with lots of sci-fi jargon and techy and gadgety references. It was so cool!! You should really go to your library and check out this book! ♥ Mrs. Librarian Lady

What's Brewing in the Chemical Garden??

Last week I finished my fifth book from the YALSA Teens' Top Ten nominees and it's "Withe" by Lauren DeStefano. This book had so many elements that I love in YA sci-fi books. There's that distinct dystopic element where the world has turned into this really ugly place to live and humans are doing horrible things to each other. Then there's the love element that is brewing underneath all of the grossness that is going on that I totally love. In Wither you get all of this and more. After modern science turns every human into a genetic time bomb with men dying at age twenty-five and women dying at age twenty, girls are kidnapped and married off in order to repopulate the world. The main character is a teen girl named Rhine who gets kidnapped and married off to a rich man's son. She is being held captive with two other girls she calls her sister-wives and plots her escape daily. She meets Gabriel who has been in captive his whole life and something special begins to build between the two of them. The most interesting and scary part in this book is what is going on behind closed doors down in the basement that you will not believe!! And if you loved this book you have to continue reading the "Chemical Garden" series and read "Fever" it was completely and totally amazing!! Happy Reading! ♥ Mrs. Librarian Lady

Going BZRK for Michael Grant

I am a huge fan of Michael Grant! I think the Gone series was so mesmerizing and I am thrilled to be hooked on another series by Grant. Here's what is going on in BZRK! These are no ordinary soldiers. This is no ordinary war. Welcome to the nano, where the only battle is for sanity. Losing is not an option when a world of madness is at stake. Time is running out for the good guys. But what happens when you don't know who the good guys really are? Noah and Sadie: newly initiated to an underground cell so covert that they don't even know each other's names. Here they will learn what it means to fight on a nano level. Soon they will become the deadliest warriors the world has ever seen. Vincent: feels nothing, cares for no one; fighting his own personal battle with Bug Man, the greatest nano warrior alive. The Armstrong Twins: wealthy, privileged, and fanatical. Are they the saviours of mankind or authors of the darkest conspiracy the world has ever seen? The nano is uncharted territory. A terrifying world of discovery. And everything is to play for... It's true, I definitely think that BZRK will have your mind reeling! BZRK is very intense and you don't find that in most of the YA books out right now. It captures that insane futuristic reality that no one wants to really ever think about. The Book Zone reviewed BZRK and noted that Grant's diabolical writing "deals with issues such as: identity; control; what it is that makes us independent humans with independent thoughts; and - scariest of all in this book - madness. It is a book where you question the actions of everyone, both good and bad, and find yourself asking whether the good guys are actually just slightly less bad than the villains. For both sides, it is very much a case of the end justifies the means, and in BZRK the means are pretty damn deplorable sometimes. And what makes things even worse is that to many of the bad guys, what they are up to is just a game, albeit infinitely bigger and more extreme than anything produced for your average games console. There is one speech, by a character called Bug Man, that really does leave a bad taste in your mouth.... just as Michael Grant intended, I do suspect." I agree wholeheartedly with The Book Zone and feel that this book would be great for reluctant readers as well as boys and girls who love adventure, sci-fi, apocalyptic dystopic novels, and just plain mind games and action. Grant has a way of drawing the reader in and making sure that they don't put the book down until they are finished. And... his books really keep you thinking long after you are done reading them. The creepiness of Gone still haunts me to this day! Happy Reading to you All!! Mrs. Librarian Lady

Surviving in a World of Magic

"The Fire" by James Patterson is the last book in the "Witch & Wizard" series! I just love Whit & Wisty and hope that this really won't be the last we see of them. This brother and sister duo are so cool and I love their strength to overcome all the odds against them. Their world is an anti-witch-establishment!!

Apocalyptic Dream Team

ALERT! I love this Book!! "Enclave" by Ann Aguirre 2011

"In Deuce’s world, people earn the right to a name only if they survive their first fifteen years. By that point, each unnamed ‘brat’ has trained into one of three groups–Breeders, Builders, or Hunters, identifiable by the number of scars they bear on their arms. Deuce has wanted to be a Huntress for as long as she can remember.

As a Huntress, her purpose is clear—to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading ferocious monsters known as Freaks. She’s worked toward this goal her whole life, and nothing’s going to stop her, not even a beautiful, brooding Hunter named Fade. When the mysterious boy becomes her partner, Deuce’s troubles are just beginning.

Down below, deviation from the rules is punished swiftly and harshly, and Fade doesn’t like following orders. At first she thinks he’s crazy, but as death stalks their sanctuary, and it becomes clear the elders don’t always know best, Deuce wonders if Fade might be telling the truth. Her partner confuses her; she’s never known a boy like him before, as prone to touching her gently as using his knives with feral grace.

As Deuce’s perception shifts, so does the balance in the constant battle for survival. The mindless Freaks, once considered a threat only due to their sheer numbers, show signs of cunning and strategy… but the elders refuse to heed any warnings. Despite imminent disaster, the enclave puts their faith in strictures and sacrifice instead. No matter how she tries, Deuce cannot stem the dark tide that carries her far from the only world she’s ever known."

I think this book would be a great movie!

Mockingjay is Amazingly Awesome!!

This is the best book ever! I just finished it today and I'm still reeling from the action, excitement and thrills of it all. I am a huge fan of the Hunger Games and I am sad that this is the last book in the series, but this book did it all for me. Katniss is an awesome character and I absolutely love her courage and drive in all three books. I don't want to give away the ending, but Mockingjay ended just the way that I wanted it to end. Collins is a brilliant writer and she had me going through so many different emotions in this story. I was laughing at jokes between Katniss and her friends and crying when my favorite characters were in trouble. Who will Katniss choose? Is it the rugged and woodsy Gale, or is it the thoughtful blue eyed Peeta? Well I can't tell you that, you will have to find out for yourself. If you haven't read this trilogy yet, I recommend that you go and get it right now and read it!! It is amazingly awesome!!

Dystopia in Space

Here's another addition to my favorite genre of dystopic science fiction. Across the Universe is such a good read and very very intriguing and suspenseful. Can you imagine you and your family being cryogenically frozen because Earth is in bad shaped and then loaded on to a space craft to travel 300 years to a new planet and then waking up to find out that you never made it to the new planet? Plus your family is still frozen and life on the ship is more oppressive than the Nazi regime. This book is a must read for all you mega dystopia fans just like me. Dystopia in Space rules!!!

Across the Universe by Beth Revis 2011

A cryogenically frozen 17 year old girl named Amy is thawed out and meets and falls for Elder the future ruler of the space craft she is aboard called the Godspeed. The ship is headed for a new planet and houses the remaining humans from Earth. No one knows that the ship is several hundred years off schedule and may never even make it to the new world because they are under the influence of a heinous and tyrannical ruler who idolizes Adolph Hitler. Rivas' idea of humans freezing themselves and taking a 300 hundred year space flight to a new planet was very intruiging, but also very creepy. The thought of being frozen and with thoughts and dreams flowing during the span of the flight time sounds horrendous. After Amy is unfrozen the story begins to unfold that things did not go exactly as the humans had planned when concocting the journey to a new world. Amy and Elder begin to unfold the truth, which in turn will change both of their lives forever. This book is great because it really has that "what if?" factor that keeps you reading to find out what really happened to change the course of the Godspeed.

Future-licious Fan in the House!

This week I am very excited to talk about one of my favorite sub-genres which is apocalyptic/dystopic science fiction. I don't know why, but I have always been a sucker for a good future gone bad story. I tend to stay away from the zombie apocalyptic stories, but last spring I found myself drawn to Carrie Ryan's series that started with The Forest of Hands and Teeth. Usually zombies make me run the other way, but I stuck with it and read all three in the series. I have to say that I really liked the series and will continue to read anything that Ms. Ryan releases. Lately, I have found that there are some really good books out there that focus on the plight of our future and what will happen to all of mankind. Sometimes these books make think to myself, what would it be like if life was really like this? I think these kinds of books are really good for keeping young adult readers on their toes and many of the books have really exciting and thoughtful storylines. I definitley love a twisting and turning futuristic plot that leaves you wanting more when the book is done!

"In a world gone mad, where humans are treated as slaves, and the planet is now ruled by intelligent apes, Galen, Virdon and Burke must find a way to return to Earth in their own time, or be doomed to spend their lives on the run from the murderous apes…" Planet of the Apes, 1975

I hope you enjoy my apocalyptic/dystopic sci fi picks this week!

Love to read,

Mrs. Librarian Lady

Matched by Ally Condie (Dutton Juvenile, 2010)

Set in a dystopian future, Matched tells the story of Cassia, a seventeen year old girl who is about to be matched with her future husband. During her Match Banquet, Cassia is matched with her best friend, Xander which is a rare outcome that hardly ever happens in the Society. However, Cassia is very relieved because Xander is her best friend. While viewing her Matched files of Xander, Cassia sees her handsome neighbor Ky's face. She knows she is supposed to be matched with Xander, but in her mind she begins to question who is really her true match. A Society official has told her not to worry about Ky and that it was a mistake, or rather a trick that someone played on her. Cassia lives in a world where people are watched at all times and individuality is not allowed. What will Cassia do when she realizes that her heart is going to lead her on a journey of love and she must break the rules of the Society?

I love love loved this book! It was an amazing rendition of a world gone bad where higher up officials take a person’s life and identity away by using control. The main character Cassia was wonderfully engaging and I really connected with her plight of having to choose between doing what is right according to the Society, or doing what her heart told her was right in choosing her soul mate. Condie did a fantastic job portraying a dystopiian socieity where everyone was basically brainwashed and did what they were told. The story was a bit familiar and reminded me of Lois Lowry's The Giver, but that is ok, because Condie went the extra mile and filled this novel up with excellent characters and a truly corrupt and distorted view of the Society in control. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a good romance with a fateful twist.

Gone by Michael Grant (Harper Teen, 2008)

The kids of Perdido Beach suddenly find themselves alone as each adult in their community poofs out of sight right before their very eyes. It’s as if everyone over the age 14 has disappeared without a trace. Sam is an everyday average kid who likes to surf with his best friend Quinn, but now those days are over. Immediate chaos has broken out because children are fending for themselves and they don’t know what to do. Most of the kids want Sam to lead them because he was a hero when he was younger and saved a school bus from crashing over a cliff. Sam is really reluctant to take over the role as leader because he knows it is a great responsibility. Now his secret crush Astrid the smart girl has come to him for help in finding her autistic brother and Sam is set on helping her. Caine and Diana from Coates Academy roll into town and start to set down some rules and suddenly the bullies find that this is their chance to do some damage. Secretly Sam hides a supernatural power that could kill everyone if he lets the fire escape from his hands. Strangely enough, Sam’s not the only one with supernatural powers. As things heat up there will be fights to the death, talking coyotes, an evil darkness, and creepy evil arms that will keep you turning the pages on this one. I will continue to read this incredible apocalyptic series, or maybe as you read you might find it may not even be apocalyptic but that evil has tipped the balance and is messing with your mind!