Look Out All You Fairy Tale Drop Outs!

This week Mrs. Librarian Lady is featuring the new release of Flunked: Fairy Tale Reform School by Jen Calonita!


WOULD YOU SEND A VILLAIN TO DO A HERO'S JOB?

Gilly wouldn't call herself wicked, exactly... but when you have five little brothers and sisters and live in a run-down boot, you have to get creative to make ends meet. Gilly's a pretty good thief(if she does say so herself).

Until she gets caught.

Gilly is sentenced to three months at Fairy Tale Reform School - where all of the teachers are former (super-scary) villains like the Big Bad Wolf, the Evil Queen, and Cinderella's Wicked Stepmother. Harsh. But when she meets fellow students Jax and Kayla, she learns there's more to this school than its heroic mission.

There's a battle brewing and Gilly has to wonder just how good these bad guys are.

Ok, so I bet you are pumped up now to find out about how this awesome twisted mash up of fairy tales plays out. I can tell you that Flunked is clever, cute and adventurous all in one! When Gilly gets busted for stealing a fancy hair clip her whole life goes haywire. She is sent to the Fairy Tale Reform School(FTRS, which seems to have a good mission, but as we get further into the story we find that maybe this reform school might have some major flaws. "Our mission: To turn wicked delinquents and former villains into future heroes." And then we meet Flora, the infamous and so called "formerly wicked stepmother" of Cinderella. Calonita's description of Flora is hilarious. She calls her "stepmonster" which sounds pretty scary to me! Although she does admit that she doesn't have "devil's horns poking out of her head," but rather that she is thin, pointy nosed, with two-tone colored hair.

You'll also love the Happily Ever After Scrolls that frequent the pages of this book. One of my favorites is "Why We Fear Apples: Meet FRTRS's Psychologist, Professor Harlow" which features Harlow the (formerly) evil queen from Snow White and how she has changed and oh yes how she loves fashion and "doesn't terrorize people" anymore. You might also like to know that she like being pretty and extremely dislikes rudeness. And LOL she doesn't have a love life because she is too busy looking at herself in the mirror. Seriously, this is some funny stuff!

I love Gilly because she is such a spirited character and it's so much fun to follow her on her journey in a school of fairy tale misfits. FTRS shows how strong bonds can become when friendships are made, and how sometimes a band of misfits can result in a team working together for the greater good. Enough said, I don't want to give away the ending, which you will never guess who ends up being the most notorious delinquent of all.

Happy reading! I hope you enjoy Flunked by Jen Calonita!

Librarians Getting Ready to Read with the Rhythm » Public Libraries Online

Librarians Getting Ready to Read with the Rhythm » Public Libraries Online

Mixed Feelings & Lost Love - Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher

I checked out "Almost Perfect" by Brian Katcher almost by accident last week. I saw the book sitting on a cart and thought hmmmm this looks interesting. And it was interesting to say the least. My initial reaction after finishing the book was WOW! It was really amazing and very intense relationship wise. Here's a little tidbit to get you interested in this book. Logan is bummed that his girlfriend of three years cheated on him until he meets a new girl at school. Sage is fun, zany, and cute, but she has a very big secret. Sage finally tells Logan her secret, which is... that she is transgender, a boy transitioning to a girl. It may tear apart their budding romance, but it also may tear apart their true friendship forever unless Logan can overcome his guilt and fear. This is a really good book to read, but has a kind of sad ending. I won't give it away to you because I want you to read it for yourself! Go to your library and check out "Almost Perfect" and see for yourself.

Happy reading to you!

Mrs. Librarian Lady

Take a Chance - Read Between the Lines - Samantha van Leer

February Book of the Month!


Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer

In this delightful companion novel to Off the Page, #1 New York Times bestselling authors Jodi Picoult and her daughter and cowriter, Samantha van Leer, present the YA novel that started it all! Filled with romance, adventure, and humor, the magic jumps off the page (literally) in a story you’ll never forget.

What happens when happily ever after…isn’t?

Delilah is a bit of a loner who prefers spending her time in the school library with her head in a book—one book in particular. Between the Lines may be a fairy tale, but it feels real. Prince Oliver is brave, adventurous, and loving. He really speaks to Delilah.

And then one day Oliver actually speaks to her. Turns out, Oliver is more than a one-dimensional storybook prince. He’s a restless teen who feels trapped by his literary existence and hates that his entire life is predetermined. He’s sure there’s more for him out there in the real world, and Delilah might just be his key to freedom.

A romantic and charming story, this companion novel to Off the Page will make every reader believe in the fantastical power of fairy tales. Book-lovers have been escaping into a good book for ever and ever. Have you ever wondered if when you closed the cover of a book that the characters you loved might stop acting out their designated roles like they were in a play?

Between the Lines will have you guessing to the very end and devouring each page at great speed. With gorgeous illustrations dotted around the pages, it is the kind of book you can escape into, just like Delilah. A delight!

Happy reading to you!!
Mrs. Librarian Lady

If You Are A John Green Fan You Will Love These Books!

If You Are A John Green Fan You Will Love These Books!

Augustus Waters might be one of a kind, but there are other books besides your tearstained copy of The Fault in Our Stars that you will love. Whether it is heartbreaking teen sagas or charismatic verse-quoting sweethearts that have you turning page after page, these five books will satisfy your yearning until the movie comes out on June 6th. Just try not to cry too hard.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman
For fans of: Crying your eyes out
Mia has the coolest parents and an adorable little brother. She’s an amazing cellist, her best friend always has her back and her boyfriend loves to rock. She has no idea her life is about to change and there is nothing she can do to stop it. After a life shattering accident Mia must decide whether there is anything left in her life to make her wake up. If you're looking for a really good cry, this is the book for you. Awesome news! Chloë Grace Moretz stars in the film adaptation that is coming out this August!

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
For fans of: Honest first love
If Augustus and Hazel taught us anything in The Fault In Our Stars, it's that falling in love can be crazy and heartbreaking at the same time—but for some reason it’s all worth it. Eleanor and Park share a similarly star-crossed fate as two misfit teenagers who love comic books, punk rock, and each other after a meet-cute on the school bus in 1986. This novel, which will make you see magic in music and proves that even handholding can be a revolutionary act of love, has garnered praise from John Green himself.

Every Day by David Levithan
For fans of: Universal love affairs
The only thing consistent about A's days is that he always wakes up in a new body and a new life. This makes forming any lasting bonds or commitments seemingly impossible—until he meets Rhiannon, who changes everything. He falls so head over heels that he'll do anything to stay with her, even if it means that he can't continue to be himself. With this novel, David Levithan, a guru of over the top narratives like Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist and Will Grayson, Will Grayson (which he co-wrote with John Green), has pushed romance in a wild and out direction that makes you think that maybe just maybe this could really happen.

Paper Towns by John Green
For fans of: The One & Only John Green
I couldn't end this list without recommending another novel from the amazing John Green. He's the head honcho of pairing up introverted teens with outlandish friends prone to having grandious personalities. In Paper Towns, enter Margo Roth Spiegelman, an infamous prankster. She ropes in her quiet neighbor Quentin (who'll be played by Nat Wolff in the upcoming film adaptation!) to commit her last ultimate prank and then she suddenly disappears into thin air. Quentin has the clues to find Margo, but will he find her in time? The amazing process that he goes through to find his one and only true love and partner in crime is worth every turn of the page.

Happy Holiday Reading!

I See Dead People - Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

Name of the Star: Shades of London series by Maureen Johnson

The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.

Ok, so I’ve been hanging out in London lately, well not really in London, but in my mind London for a whole entire month while reading the Shades of London series by Maureen Johnson. I am completely hooked on this series and I feel like Rory Deveaux is a character that I could totally be friends with. She's very brave, is funny in her own right of mind, she talks a lot and has great stories that I could just hear over and over and she has good values and can tell what is right and what is wrong.

Rory's life is by far anything but normal, she moved to London to attend an elite school called Wexford and upon chance ends up having to deal with a new found gift called “the sight” that allows her to see other beings that most people can’t see. If you like ghosts and secret ghost hunting societies that form a special bond with each other you will love Name of the Star. I first decided to read this book because it totally name drops Jack the Ripper in the summary, but after getting into the story I found that there is much more going on here than on a reality t.v. show!! Rory becomes friends with Stephen, Callum and Boo a dynamic trio with special ghost hunting operational forces. Facing new missions and mysteries around all kinds of ghosts, the four grow together and form an unbeatable team. I love this kind of teamwork especially since it deals with the paranormal and the dark and dangerous streets of London.

This is more than just a ghostly read, this is definitely an intriguing mystery that taps into the paranormal and beyond. The dialogue is perfect, the scenery described wonderfully, and the plot captivating. The ending is just enough of a tease that you'll immediately want to read the second book in the series The Madness Underneath (which is exactly what I did!). But... If you love this series as much as I do, I’m sorry to say that you’ll have to wait patiently for the third book The Shadow Cabinet to come out in February 2015!

"Fear can't hurt you. When it washes over you, give it no power. It's a snake with no venom. Remember that. That knowledge can save you." Jo ~World War II ghost lady

Happy Holidays & Happy Reading!