What's Happening!!

HaHa it's kind of funny I tend to post a lot of book reviews in January and June! This must mean that the rest of the year I am very very busy. I've read some really great books lately and I plan to write about them all. I also have taken an interest in realistic fiction and would like to continue to read more that strike home with issues that teens are dealing with. An interesting books club that I was hosting from January to May was called the who's that Lady book club and it was all girls. The topics were very much real life issues and I think that those issues should never be ignored. My new favorite author is Jodi Picoult. I love her stories and her writing, she is one talented lady!

Messed Up

Messed Up by Janet Nichols Lynch

We meet the adorable R.D. who happens to be stuck in limbo in the San Joaquin Valley school system. He's repeating 8th grade again and he is sick of seeing the same old crap day after day. Those who wear red and blue find ways to hide it under their clothes and they fight each other for no reason at all. On the first day of school R.D. gets suspended for helping a teacher break up a fight. One tiny girl is getting her rear kicked by a much bigger girl and R.D. feels bad for the little girl. He later regrets helping her because now she thinks that he is her man. In the meantime, R.D. is living with his grandmother's boyfriend Earl who takes really good care of him, but Grandma is off doing the town with her new boyfriend Hairy. Also, to make matters worse his mom is in the State Pen. Then things get much worse than having a mom in prison. Earl up and dies on R.D. and he's afraid to let anyone know because he knows he will end up in an orphanage and who will want to adopt him? He's part Mexican and part Cheyenne and he thinks that's quite a mixture. I love this story because this kid has got a great heart. He does some messed up things, but he is just trying to get by in life and some how- some way- you just feel like this guy will do great things. He figures out how to take care of himself, feed himself, make money and he also takes care of Earl's burial in a kind and loving way that not even Earl's sister would do for him. R.D. is one heck of a great main character and I think that the author really brings to light the difficulties of growing up in hard times and in diverse communities. He also ends up making some great friends and deep connections that will last beyond this book. I really enjoyed the end of the book and wished that it would not end and that I could go on hearing about how R.D. is doing from time to time. R.D. reminds me of many of the kids that I work with in my library and I know that if you give a kid a chance they will overcome their adversities. I love that the author allowed R.D. to achieve his highest heights!

The Summoning

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

This book is a nice twist on the girl meets ghost and freaks out story. Our heroine is Chloe Saunders who at first has no idea that she has the power to see ghosts and to make contact with them. After a surprise visit from a burned up custodian ghost at her school she has fit and flips out. She can't figure out why this scary dude is chasing her. When she fights to get away from the teachers and principal, she is taken out in a straight jacket and sent to the hospital. Poor Chloe, the doctors think that she is crazy and she herself isn't quite sure if she is or not. She is sent to a home for mentally ill teens called Lyle House and it's there that she realizes that there are other kids that have special abilities too. She really likes Liz, but Liz can't control her special power and she is taken away. Suddenly, Chloe starts to see Liz in ghost form and she is very alarmed. Simon is the cute guy that has a unique power that is usually undetected by others. Derek is the huge neanderthal dude that has everyone wondering if he can control his temper and he is eating all the time. Tori is of course the nasty nemesis of Chloe, although she doesn't really know that Tori has a power and we don't find out what that power is in this book. I hope the sequel will prove to be as exciting and as interesting as this first book in the Darkest Powers series by Armstrong.

The characters are great in this book and Chloe has a strong personality that the reader can really fall in love with. She is caring, sweet and strong willed. Derek is very likable even though you feel like he might be a bad guy you can't help but feel that he has strong feelings for Chloe. As you learn more about the supernaturals you find that each one has a unique power. Chloe seems to have one of the strongest powers as she can summon the dead which as Derek says is called a necromancer. It was Garth Nix's Sabriel that first got my attention with necromancers being in the spotlight. Sabriel was able to go into the world of the dead and fight them off. Chloe is able to talk to the dead. She has to be very careful because she can actually bring them into our world.

I highly recommend this book to anyone that likes a good story that revolves around mystery and intrigue and yes especially if you like ghosts and creepy things that go bump in the night. Watch out for the click clack click clack!

Bad Girls Don't Die

Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender

Allright! Cue the creepy eerie ghost music right now. This book rocks the house with it's creepy haunted house, scary deaths, brakes being cut, possessed little sister, and main heroine with hot pink hair! I didn't quite know what to expect with this one but I was really pleased by the end. The story starts out with Alexis who is kind of wannabe bad girl. She is trying to not get hurt by the preps at school so she's striking out and becoming the bad girl before they can even say anything bad about her. She is cutting class and has dyed her hair bright pink all in the efforts of showing the school that no one tells her what to do. Meanwhile, back at home she has parents that don't pay any attention to her. Mom is a workaholic and Dad watches sports on t.v. to block out that his wife is always at work. She has a little sister named Kelsey who really annoys everyone with her whining and sensitivity and she's totally obsessed with dolls and wow is that creepy. So one night Kelsey is wigging out about Mom's lack of mothering and Alexis tries to comfort her but instead she is taken over by this weird story that she starts telling Kelsey and she has no idea where this is coming from. The story goes on and on and mentions all kinds of people and it takes place at the house they live in and then bam! the girl in the story dies. Ok, so anyway not too long later Kelsey starts acting absolutely whackadoo and the next morning Dad almost dies because the brakes in the car have been cut. Come to find out later... Kelsey is being possessed by a super evil ghost that lives in the house. I like this book because there is a lot of depth to the characters and as you get to know Alexis you find that she is a very strong girl and she can and will do anything to fight off this evil spirit. She also bonds with one of the cheerleaders who she hated before and this is all because of a common bond that they have which you find out about later in the story. And, Alexis finds that she gets along really well with a boy that runs into her head with a door. For some reason she has been trying to fight off forming friendships with people and now it seems that she has to trust others in order to get rid of the evil spirit. I really recommend this book because it is a suspenseful mystery and an awesomely creepy ghost story.

The Chosen One

The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams

Oh wow this one is intense. The book takes you on a journey through the eyes of a 13 year old girl named Kyra who lives in a community of polygamists. Now she of course doesn't really know any other way of life. But through the course of the book she starts to learn that she lives a very different life than others on the outside. Her life is pretty fine with one dad, 3 mothers and 20 siblings. However, one day the head of their community, he's called The Prophet comes to their house to speak to her dad. In a very distressful meeting Kyra finds out that she is to be married to her 60 year old uncle. He already has 6 wives and she will be the 7th. That's when the story heats up and we find out that Kyra will do anything she can to not marry her uncle. She also has a love interest in a boy close to her own age named Joshua and he wants to try to talk The Prophet out of marrying Kyra off. Things do not turn out well for the two young people and they are both beaten badly. That's when you find out that the community they live in has a lot of secrets and a lot of control over their people. It's all a very sad story when Kyra decides to run away she can't even do that because they catch her and bring her back. It has been said that if you try to run away they might even kill you. The story has a bitterweet ending that does show you that Kyra has been saved but the price she has to pay is very very dear. I recommend this book because it is not only shocking but very intense to find out that people actually do live in this kind of setting and practice the same beliefs. I would have to say that this book definitely opened my eyes to different ways of living.

The Comet's Curse

The Comet's Curse by Dom Testa

I was very excited to read this book. It has a lot going for it. The scenario is that a terrible and deadly comet that makes anyone over the age of 18 get very sick and eventually die. So that's it, the end of the world is near. The book flashes back and forward from the present to the past so we can get an idea of how things got to be the way they are. We find out that a man decided that he was not going to let the human race die out and created what they called the Galahad. 251 teenagers were selected and trained for two years in preparation for a five year journey to a distant planet on the Galahad, which was made special for the voyage. The teens have to be very responsible, actually as responsible as aduts because they are in charge and not one of them is older than sixteen.

This is a very good story and it reminds me a lot of Star Trek and The Next Generation. The reader is pulled in emotionally by the characters and how they have had either a loss in their lives or how they are cut off from everyone. The five main chaaracters called the Council are specially appealing, their dialogue is hip and sounds authentic, and we get to share their very realistic emotional responses to this life and death situation - having to leave their home, parents, etc. and find ways to cope with the huge responsibilities they must take on.

Eon Dragoneye Reborn

Eon Dragoneye Reborn by Allison Goodman


The lead character in the book is 12 year-old Eon who has had some serious setbacks, his leg is mangled, and he has many deep dark secrets that he is holding on to. However, all might not appear as it seems once you get step into Eon's world. Eon’s master Brannon has trained him well to become an apprentice Dragoneye. When Eon tries out he finds he has much more power than anyone ever thought he had. Dragoneyes are the lucky 12 chosen to be the human link to the dragons of magic or Hua that are represented in the twelve year cycle of power beginning with Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. Each year, the ascendant dragon chooses a new apprentice to be trained in this magic. The magic of the dragons is a power used to keep monsoons at bay, minimize earthquakes and keep the well being of the Empire. As Eon ascends into a royal state of court, he tries to hold on to his secret. However, when the evil Lord Ido seeks to destroy Eon things get pretty dangerous. Eon must turn to his new friends he has made to help him stay alive. With his secret dangling in the wind his and their lives are all at stake. This book takes you on an exciting journey through the world that Eon lives in and shows you how the power of one’s own self worth can actually help you achieve a winning hand.

The setting is quite mystical and has you visualizing colorful auras of Chinese dragons and 12 tweens trying to harness the power of these mystical beings. This book is fast-paced and full of exciting surprises. Eon goes beyond the normal fantasy book because it encompasses so much more in a world that does not exist yet has many similarities of the world we know. It starts out with Eon as a boy who is hiding a secret and a lame leg and transcends to an epic saga of a girl who finally realizes that she must stop hiding her true identity to prevail and that takes more courage than she ever knew she had.

Wintergirls

I'm back!! I read a lot of books over the winter break and I have been inspired to start reading again on a weekly basis.


Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

This is an amazing book. The writing is excellent and the story is extremely gripping. Basically you'll be on the edge of your seat while reading this book. It is the story of Lia who is a senior in high school. Lia suffers terribly from anorexia and she hurts herself by cutting. She has already been in the hospital for her sickness and she is under careful watch by her dad and step-mom. She has to be weighed everyday and she has to try to stay at a healthy weight. Lia has visions of weighing less than 80 pounds and she sneaks around at night doing exercises and starves herself. She has no idea that she is hurting herself to the point of nearly dying. Meanwhile, we find out that Lia's best friend Cassie has died mysteriously and everyone including Lia is wondering what really happened. Lia goes back to the place where Cassie died, which actually spurs her to start to go into a backward spiral. Can Lia turn her life around? It will take more than just hope and wishes. She will have to make the choice herself and build up all the trust that she has lost from her family.

I highly recommend this book as it touches on a very serious and disturbing disorder that is now not only related to young women, as is reaching out and affecting young men as well.

Long time no blog

Wow, I can't believe I haven't been on since January. So much has been happening I can't quite believe it myself. I start a MLIS program in January and it basically took up all my time. Work has been very busy for the last two months and I haven't had much time to do any reading really. We had a book fair in May and I was able to read a few good books during that week. One of the books that I highly recommend is a novel called The Godmother. I was entrance with this book and I think that it's a really good read. I am currently reading The Ghost Huntress by Marley Gibson and this is really good as well. It's a modern day girl can hear ghosts story that's got all the chills and thrills like The Sixth Sense. I am going to be off of work for the summer and I will be reading a box of books that I received from a bookstore. I look forward to posting their reviews!

Looking Beyond Fantasy

I had a student ask me the other day to recommend a book for him to read. I asked him what subjects he liked and he said he didn’t know. I asked what other books he had read that he liked and again he didn’t know. I knew that I was going to be digging deep on this one and trying to figure out the just right book for this guy. He finally decided that he liked fantasy and proceeded to ask me if I knew what the book about “dust” was called. Immediately my brain was searching for a book about dust – hmmm let’s see is it "The Golden Compass"? The student was astonished. He asked me how did I figure that out just by me saying “dust”? Well, I have read the book and love it very much and I know that Lyra is a journey in search of dust. When I read the book a few years ago I was amazed by the cosmic references to dust and how it related so much with my master’s degree in Consciousness Studies which was all about the “dust”. But to my dismay the student did not want to read "The Golden Compass".

So, the search was on again. We talked about "The Alchemyst" by Michael Scott and "The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman and even "The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan but none of these tickled his fancy. It was in a desperate moment that the student asked me, “What is your favorite book?” I knew I better search my mental favorite book list and think about this very carefully. Taking in the statistics, 8th grade student, looking for book probably with action and adventure and then it hit me! One of my favorite books is "Ender’s Game" by Orson Scott Card would you like to take a look at it? As the student read the back of the book I heard him saying oh aliens and oh this looks good. And then I told him the best thing of all is that it has an ending that will jump out and grab you. You will be totally surprised at the outcome. He looked inside the book and saw the chapter Thirds and had a very quizzical look on his face. I said you have to read about the thirds it’s so cool. And that was that. He was hooked on the book and I can’t wait to hear back from him to see his reactions on one of my all time favorite book.

The great thing about science fiction is that it can really captivate the fantasy lover as well. There are so many great elements in science fiction that you don’t see in fantasy. Some of the main elements are technology and invention, which are weaved into the story and it may be set in the future or the past, and includes all time travel. The cool thing about science fiction is that it can be set on other planets, dimensions, and can include catastrophes or natural or manmade disasters. I believe the main point of this genre is to allow the reader to draw conclusions on the characters and how the scientific possibilities affect their fictitious world. Also, the interesting factor in science fiction is that it introduces ideas that are wild and out there that can include the past or present.

The difference between science fiction and fantasy is that the latter is a world that does not exist in our reality. In other words, it is a place that is made up and is imaginary and its existence will never be possible. A few ideas that go hand in hand with science fiction are the point of disconnection from our life which is considered mainly normal and in the science fiction world we would say that way of life is not normal such as robots or machines coming alive or travelling through time and getting stuck in Dracula’s castle. The other point in science fiction that makes it stand out from the other genres is the understanding that as the whole planet Earth is connected as a race, we are also constantly moving forward with technology and really this advancement has progress massively over the last ten years. We are also always trying to find ways to move forward in finding cures to diseases and making ourselves live longer and this plays into a lot of ideas for many new science fiction books such as, Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer, "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary Pearson and "Double Identity" by Margaret Peterson Haddix. Now, I just want to say that I am a big fan of the fantasy genre and it seems to be the area that I enjoy reading the most. However, I feel that science fiction offers an interesting alternative to fantasy and gives the readers much satisfaction in knowing that there is something else out there. Cue the weird space odyssey music - ooh eee ooh.

Love & Vampires

In "Breaking Dawn" by Stephenie Meyer, our beloved Bella finally is forced to make the most ultimate and final choice in her life. She and Edward are married in old world style with the help of her true friend Alice. While Bella and Edward are honeymooning Bella begins to feel very ill and their trip is cut short when she feels that there is something growing inside of her. The tension of the story grows as the little "nudge" grows larger and larger itself. The chain of events from this point on lead up to the most amazing transformation I have ever seen in a character. Let’s just say that Bella becomes the main focus of the story and her drive to protect not only Edward and her family but any other vampires that support her family is truly incredible. I have to say that I have heard and read negative reviews of this book and I do not agree with those reviews. I think that "Twilight" fans will find all that they have been waiting for in this final installment of the series. There is a complete and solid ending and everyone in this story does end up happy and that's what I had really wanted for all these wonderful characters that Stephenie Meyer has created. Will Bella’s dream of spending an eternal life with Edward finally come true? I can’t tell you that! It’s up to you to read this book to draw the conclusions yourself. With a mighty bit of blood and ewww the story really lends itself to the true nature of what being a vampire must really be like. This book leaves me thinking that for the vampire the blood is the most motivating goal and that love is the unending desire to protect those you love.

He Aint Just Nobody

"The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman is one of the most refreshing books I have read in a long time. We begin with an eerie story about how a horrible man murders a family quietly sleeping in their home. However, the man can’t seem to find the baby who has mysteriously slipped out of the house and into the graveyard across the street. When the baby is found by a pair of old married ghosts in the graveyard they decide to raise him and call him Nobody Owens. Now, he must stay in the graveyard because the terrible man named Jack is the one that killed his whole family and he is still after him. At any time he could strike terror in the graveyard. As Nobody grows up he begins to refer to himself as "Bod". Bod has a good time at the graveyard and makes many ghostly friends. He also makes friends with Scarlet who happens to be the exact same age as he is. Sadly, though Scarlet thinks that Bod is a ghost and her parents make her move far away. As time goes on, Bod grows into a strapping young boy and must face his worst and greatest fear, the man called Jack. He is prone to going on many interesting and ridiculous journeys that always bring him straight back to the graveyard. Will Bod ever get out of the graveyard and live a normal life? This book is a fun and intriguing tale that will definitely have you rooting for Nobody Owens.

Get the Doll Rolling

Decapitated doll heads and aliens are the focus in "Carlos Is Gonna Get It" by Kevin Emerson. Trina and her friend Sara are really tired of Carlos and his strange antics. It seems like 6th grade couldn’t get any worse except that it can when Carlos has one of his “Day After” episodes. Trina can usually tell when it’s going to happen right away. Carlos comes into class late and then he starts to fall all over the floor and on top of his classmates.

The problem is not that Carlos is so clumsy; no it’s that Carlos says he is visited by aliens at night. This makes the class think he’s so weird that no one wants him near them.

Tired of all of the alien talk and crazy outburst, Trina and her friends begin to hatch a plan that they think will teach Carlos a lesson. The plan is to teach Carlos a lesson that he will never forget.

Unfortunately, as the plan is being mapped out Trina and Carlos get hooked up as science partners. They are assigned to do an oral presentation on any subject they like. Trina’s reaction to finding out that Carlos is her partner is not a pretty one. She is really upset. Her friends think this is perfect because Trina can learn more about Carlos so they can execute their plan.

When Trina visits Carlos at home she sees that his home life is not so great. He has a little sister who bites the heads off of dolls and a teenage cousin who babysits them while his mom works. Trina starts to feel sorry for Carlos and that means that she really starts to question the need to continue with the plan.

After a lot of hard work, Trina and Carlos are ready for their presentation. Carlos has drawn some great pictures and is prepared for his part of the talk but something goes drastically wrong and Carlos has a meltdown right there in class in front of everyone. Trina is humiliated and vows never to speak to him again and she immediately thinks to herself – the plan is on!

Taking into consideration the difficulties that young adults face in middle school and the challenges of fitting in this book covers a lot of emotions that many people can relate to. The issues that Trina is faced with and the decision that she makes will decide her fate as well. Can she live with the consequences that the plan leaves her with? Can Carlos help himself for things he says and does? Read this book to find out and watch out for aliens and flying doll heads!

If He Looks Guilty Is He Guilty?

"Falling From Grace" by Jane Godwin in an amazing mystery that will have you on the edge of your seat right from the start. Sisters Grace and Annie are trying to help a dying penguin on the beach at Point Nepean in Australia. Grace and Annie are 11 months apart and for one month out of the year they are the same age so at the time they are both 12. On the other side of the beach 14 year old Kip is dealing with his own issues, his thoughts, his feelings on being a teenager, and then there is this strange man that appears from nowhere. The man says his name is Ted and he’s bleeding and in need of help.

These young people’s stories collide when Kip finds a backpack in the water with a ringing cell phone. Kip drastically changes the course of his destiny when he answers the phone and hears the panicked voice of Grace and Annie’s father on the other end. Back at the point, Annie has lost Grace, there is a heavy mist and Grace has fallen through the sand on a cliff. Annie panics as well and runs home to find her father.

Kip’s life becomes a whirlwind of secrets, lies, and grunge rock. After the police begin to interrogate him, he begins to look very guilty in the eyes of everyone including his own parents. The police have been searching for days for Grace, but they have not found her. There were only a few clues, her pants were found on the beach with blood stains and her backpack that Kip said he found.

Finally, Kip has had it with all eyes focused on him and decides to try to find Grace himself. It would be a miracle if Grace was alive. Told in the perspective of mainly Annie and Kip, this book is riveting. It rocks you to the core and is sure to have you wondering – did Kip really do it???

Protons Do Die

In "Smiles To Go" by Jerry Spinelli,
Will has so much going
for him
He is a chess champ,
skateboarder,
monopoly lover,
stargazer,
proton thinker,
He even contemplates
his existence in the
Universe
So why does he
Find it so hard
To deal with
His
Little
SISTER!

Vlad Might Be Glad

In "The Book of Time" by Guillaume Prevost, Sam is on a mission to find his father who’s been missing for 10 days. Searching through his father’s things, Sam finds an old book, a strange statue, and an ancient coin with a hole in it. After he inserts the coin in the statue he is transported through time to a place called Iona during Medieval times. Trying to escape Vikings he lands in France during World War I, then in ancient Egypt. After he returns, Sam realizes that his father must be stuck in the past and as he looks at the old book he sees on every single page the castle of Vlad Tepes a.k.a. Dracula. The book is very captivating and readers will be scrambling for the second book of the planned trilogy.

Tricky Tricky That's Not Nice

In "Runemarks" by Joanne Harris, it’s been five hundred year since the gods fought at Ragnarok which was an epic war between the Norse gods. A new group called the Order took over and has put everything back into place, but the only thing it’s their view of what is wrong and what is right so basically it's their way or the highway. Maddy Smith was born with a copper mark on her hand which makes her an outcast or a witch you might say. When she meets a friend whom she calls One Eye, she asks him to teach her about the gods and her mark which is called a runemark. After several years of teachings and conversations Maddy is faced with a dilemma. One Eye wants Maddy to open Red Horse Hill and descend into World Below to retrieve something called the Whisperer. He tells her if she fails, it is likely to be another Ragnarok. Hesitantly she decides to go on her quest. Her first meeting is with a intensely nervous goblin named Sugar-and-Sack. He rants about how the General is going to be so mad that she is down there and that she needs to get out fast. Maddy ignores the terrified goblin and continues on her way. Further on she meets a strange boy with fiery red hair. The boy seems to trick her into giving up her plan to find the Whisperer. Well, trick is the perfect word for this character because in reality he is no other than the Norse god Loki. Loki and Maddy seem to have very much in common and as time goes on you will find that there is a long lost secret that binds not only Loki and Maddy, but One Eye as well. Will Maddy have what it takes to stop a return Ragnarok and will she find out her true calling? This book is an epic tale that delves into the heart of Norse mythology with excellent characters such as Loki the trickster, Hel of the Underworld and Odin the General. A true believer of mythology will really wrap their minds around this one.

Rain brings new beginnings

My oh my, I just finished The Day of Tears today and I must say it was quite wonderful. The book was written in diaglogue and was a touching story of many different individuals that were slaves. The people in the story were such strong personalities and I found myself becoming very emotional in many different parts of the book. One of the parts that touched me the most is one a young girl named Emma was sold to a woman who lived in Kentucky and she was not allowed to say goodbye to her mother and for the rest of her life she never saw her mother or father again. I highly recommend this book to young adults to read. It is a wonderful display of literature and I wouldn't be surprised if it won the California Young Reader Medal.

The new job is going really well. I will be doing my first booktalk tomorrow and I am excited and a bit nervous as I always am when embarking on new challenges. The theme I am presenting is love, so it should be fun for the students. I am also doing more booktalks next week on historical fiction and biographies/autobiographies.

Got to be real

In Rules, by Cynthia Lord, Catherine is a twelve year old girl who thinks that she must have rules for her brother David who has autism so he will not embarrass her in front of people. This story has so many heart- tugging moments such as when she strikes up a friendship with a boy who can’t talk and volunteers to write picture cards with words for his communication book. Catherine is a deep and thoughtful girl who learns a lot from her new friend Jason. Read this book to find out if Catherine will rewrite her rules or completely throw them out to start a new way of thinking and living all together.

King Arthur is the bomb diggity

Jane Yolen’s Sword of the Rightful King is an imaginative reinvention of the old legend of King Arthur. The book includes familiar character such as Arthur, Merlin, Morgause, and Gawaine. There are also elements of the traditional story, which include the trusty sword in the stone Caliburn and Thomas Malory’s wonderful phrase "He so pulleth the sword from the stone" is mentioned as well. Yolen manages to revise this legend and turn it into an original that works for a younger audience without any silliness or modern day slang. Read this book and you will experience a bit of magic, treachery, and romance, and you will also find out who pulls the sword from the stone this time.