Electric Currents are Running Through "Hourglass"

The second book from the YALSA Top Ten list I just finished reading is Hourglass by Myra McEntire. In this book, 17 year old Emerson Cole just wants a normal life but she knows that will never happens because ever since she was 13 years old she has been seeing ghosts. When she meets Michael a young man who is an associate for an organization called Hourglass, things begin to change for Emerson as she learns the truth about her ability and realizes that what she is really seeing is not actually supernatural, but something entirely different that has to do with space & time. Hourglass was a great read, not too long with a bit of mystery, sci-fi, and romance mixed together.

Pages Come to Life

In support of the YALSA Teen's Top Ten this year I'm going to try to read all of the nominees. The first book I read off the list is Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge. Paige Turner is a normal everyday average teen girl with an amazing artistic talent. She moves from Virginia to New York and has the hardest time dealing with all of the thoughts and movement in her head. With no one to talk to all of her pain, sorrow, and feelings of inadequacy come out in her drawings. I think this book is incredible and teens will be moved by how easily they can see Paige's thoughts on each and every page of this graphic novel. One of the most striking pages in the book is of Paige with her eyes closed and she says, "I think I was born with my eyes facing the wrong way. Because they are always looking in the back into my head rather than looking out." This is truly an amazing book and so easy to read that you'll probably forget you are reading a book!

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

Some Clarity Did Me Good on a Sunday Afternoon

Perception a Clarity Novel was a great book to read on a Sunday when I was trying to relax! It began interesting and continued to keep me interested through the whole story. I actually read this book in a few hours because I wanted to know what happened to Clare. The story of Clare and her family did remind me a little bit of the Lilydale series, but all in all it was a great book. I like the way that Harrington writes - well developed characters and descriptions that helped to understand their personalities and looks. I highly recommend this book to those that love mysteries with supernatural qualities! Here's a review of the book - Happy Reading to you all!! PERCEPTION (Clarity #2)Scholastic/Point, March 1, 2012, Age 14+ When you can see things others can't, what do you do when someone's watching you? Everybody knows about Clarity "Clare" Fern. She's the psychic girl in school, the one who can place her hands on something and see hidden visions from the past. Only Clare would rather not be a celebrity. She prefers hanging back, observing. Her gift is not a game to her. But then someone starts playing with her head . . . and heart. Messages and gifts from a secret admirer crop up everywhere Clare turns. Could they be from Gabriel, the gorgeous boy who gets Clare's pulse racing? Or from Justin, Clare's hopeful ex-boyfriend who'd do anything to win her back? One thing is certain. Clare needs to solve this mystery, and soon. Because the messages are becoming sinister, and a girl in town has suddenly disappeared.

Magic, Mystery & Cons

Black Heart by Holly Black Cassel Sharpe is at his same old game of cons in the third installment of the Curse Worker's series Black Heart. The love of his life Lila hates him, his best friend Sam is on the edge of flipping out, his brother Barron has lies upon lies piling up, and a new issue has arisen with a mysterious and secretive girl named Mina Lang. Cassel is up to his ears and over his head with the federal government acting as an agent in training and he knows he can't trust anyone anymore. And frankly sometimes he can't even trust himself to do the right thing. Black Heart proves to be another excellent addition to this magical mobster series. Holly Black brings magic, mystery, love, and cons together seamlessly in this book. It seems like Black Heart may be the end of this series, but the end may truly just be the beginning for Cassel Sharpe! I recommend reading this entire series. It is truly an exciting and funny adventure of a family that is entrenched in the world of magical mobsters and shows the strength of one young man only 17 years old - the Cassel Sharpe - who can rise above the menagerie of obstacles that keep getting in his way to having a normal teenage life. Yes start with White Cat and then read Red Glove and finish with Black Heart! Happily ever after reading to you all ♥

Embracing the Dark Side

DARKNESS by Lord Byron “I had a dream, which was not all a dream. The bright sun was extinguish’d, and the stars Did wander darkling in the eternal space, Rayless, and pathless, and the icy earth Swung blind and blackening in the moonless air; Morn came and went—and came, and brought no day, And men forgot their passions in the dread Of this their desolation; and all hearts Were chill’d into a selfish prayer for light.” The most flamboyant and notorious of the major Romantics, George Gordon, Lord Byron, was likewise the most fashionable poet of the day. He created an immensely popular Romantic hero—defiant, melancholy, haunted by secret guilt—for which, to many, he seemed to be the perfect model for. Hmmm wonder if he was the moody emo type??

Hex Hall X 3 = Awesome

Spell Bound (Hex Hall #3) by Rachel Hawkins Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident. Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late? If you haven't read this series yet you are definitely missing out! Check out the first book in the series called Hex Hall and you will be as hooked on Sophie Mercer and her adorably sweet witchy charm. Her love interest Archer Cross has a little something special going on too. I recommend this whole series if you are interested in Harry Potter but would like something on the little lighter side. Happy Reading to you!!

Not Just Another Cyborg Story!

Debut author Marissa Meyer retells the classic story of Cinderella in a modern dystopian love story. It follows a teenage cyborg named Cinder and her unexpected romance with a human prince. Check out this review from Kidzworld:

The Epidemic

"Cinder, a teenage cyborg, remembers nothing about her life before age 11. Now she lives with her evil stepmother and two stepsisters who blame her for their father’s death. A plague has swept the city of New Beijing, and being a mechanic, Cinder works right in the heart of the city.
A Royal Sacrifice

The beloved Prince Kai - adored by all the young ladies in the country - is next in line for the throne. And now that his father has contracted the plague, it looks like his role as leader will begin prematurely. Unfortunately, his father is in the middle of negotiations with the Lunar Queen in the hopes of preventing a war. Now the negotiations way heavily on Kai’s shoulder as he must decide whether to marry the awful Queen, or face an impending war against the moon.
A Forbidden Love

Cinder and Prince Kai’s lives intertwine when the prince brings his broken android to her shop to be fixed. Her aloofness intrigues him and the more they interact, the more he finds himself falling for her. Unfortunately, he doesn’t know her secret: that she’s a cyborg. If Kai knew the truth, he’d be disgusted by his own advances.
Finding the Cure

As the plague rages on, Cinder discovers that she’s immune and hopes she can help Dr. Erland discover a cure in time to save her stepsister - the only member of her family who loves her.

The Bottom Line

Cinder by Marissa Meyer is an amazing story about love that comes in mysterious packages. It is so much more than just a Cinderella story. All of the characters are lovable and unforgettable."

readergirlz: Rock the Drop, 2012!

This is so Awesome!  I wish I had organized something like this in the West County - well maybe next year:)

readergirlz: Rock the Drop, 2012!: Happy Support Teen Literature Day, readergirlz! How are you rocking the drop? Which book are you leaving for another to find? Post your...

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!!

Teen Tech Week 2012

Check out this video I made for Teen Tech Week 2012! I hope you enjoy it!!

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!

Your Best & Worst Night Ever!

"I Love You Beth Cooper" by Larry Doyle 2007

This book is funny in a strange sadistic sort of way. It gives hope to those who go after what they really want and basically don't mind getting smacked in the eye, falling out of a window, almost ran over by a Hummer, losing their pants, and being bitten by a thousand mosquitoes just to be near the one that they adore. I would recommend this book to older teens 16+ that don't mind a few obscenities here and there. Doyle's writing is seriously hilarious and will have you laughing and snickering when some things are inappropriate, yet somehow still funny. I love this book because I can just hear sci fi nerds all over saying hurray for Denis Cooverman! Check out the movie on DVD too it's not too different than the book.