Saga by Conor Kostick - ADVISABLE

Kostick, Conor Saga, 367 p. Viking (Penguin), 2008. 

MS, HS – ADVISABLE 

Welcome back to the world of Epic. The game has been shut down on Erik’s world, but a new game has taken its place. What Erik and his friends don’t know, however, is that this new gaming world is populated by self-actualized electronic intelligences, controlled by a Dark Queen who is determined to enslaved a world of fleshy bodies to do her bidding. To her surprise, however, the character Cindella, left over from Epic, is more than happy to thwart her plans. 

Most of the point of view is from the computerized characters’ perspective, especially Ghost, a young street punk who survives by breaking rules. She and her gang of friends are key to the solution of Saga. You can tell that Kostick knows video games, especially role-playing games, whether medieval or modern. Gaming fans will have a great time, but so will others.

Cindy, Library-Teacher

Itch by Michelle Kwasney - OPTIONAL

Kwasney, Michelle D. Itch, 236 p. Henry Holt, 2008. 

EL, MS – OPTIONAL

Itch is all out of sorts. Her beloved grandfather has died and now her grandmother has moved has household from sunny Florida to a trailer park in frozen Ohio. Plus, Gram has decided to sell Gramps car; Itch isn’t sure she can take much more. She meets a popular girl at her new school who seems friendly enough, but soon realizes that everything is not right in Gwendolyn’s life, either.      In fact, her problems may be so big that Itch is afraid to say a word to anyone who might be able to help. 

While this book deals with death and loss, it also covers the idea of taking a chance and asking an adult for help when you know that something is wrong. Younger students who are fans of Frances O’Roark Dowell or Betsy Byars should enjoy this selection. 

 Reviewer: Cindy, Library-Teacher.

Frostbite by Richelle Mead - ADVISABLE

Mead, Richelle Frostbite (Vampire Academy #2), 327 p. Penguin, 2008. 

MS – OPTIONAL, HS – ADVISABLE. 

Lissa and her guardian Rose have returned to St. Vladimir’s after their time on the run, but that doesn’t make life any easier. Rose has too many feelings for her much older tutor, Dmitri, the kinds of feelings that would interfere with her life’s work. She also has jealousy issues when the sister of Lissa’s beau appears and offers Dmitri a seemingly irresistible offer. Feelings aside, danger also lurks; when the usually singular Strigoi orchestrate a mass assassination of a family of Moroi and their Guardians the entire Moroi society is put on high alert. Rose and here group may be young, but they may also have vital skills and the intuition to help avert a greater tragedy. 

While Frostbite and its predecessor Vampire Academy are probably right up the alley of Twilight fans, be aware that there are almost 50 swears (one “f”). The romance and action don’t quite make up for that. 

Cindy

Off to ALA

Thanks goodness Allison is holding down the fort! I have been between vacations and packing for all of my family to go in different directions. I'm still reading, but I have massive amounts of reviews to catch up on! Well, my computer is going with me, so maybe I will have some down time?! Ha!

I'll be back the second week of July - with, of course, lots of great things to say about my trip to Anaheim!

Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott - ESSENTIAL

Scott, Elizabeth Stealing Heaven, pgs.307 Harper Collins-Harper Teen.

Language~PG-13, Sexual Content~PG; Violence~G;

MS/HS –ESSENTIAL.

Before readers get to turn the first page, Scott grabs your interest with this sentence. “My name is Danielle. I’m eighteen. I’ve been stealing things for as long as I can remember.” Danielle’s mother became involved in burglary as a young woman and when her partner is arrested, she waits until Danielle is old enough and they become a team. They move from town to town, city to city. Leaving soon after a job is completed. Up next for the pair is Heaven. Heaven is a beach front community full of ‘old’ money. Danielle and her mother settle in a rental beach house and begin to scan Heaven for possible targets. What Danielle doesn’t expect to find in Heaven is a friend. She also finds herself involved with Greg, a cop no less! She knows that if people get too close, she will lose her ability to remain nameless and unknown. As the date for the job approaches Danielle begins to have second thoughts; is this really what she wants to do for the rest of her life?

Stealing Heaven is a wonderful novel about a young woman deciding what she wants from life. Deciding whether or not she can leave all she has ever known behind for a different kind of life. There are brief references to sex, but no descriptive passages. The ‘f’ word is used 2-3 times but other than that the swearing is almost non-existent.

Allison Madsen~Teen Librarian-SJO Public Library

The King of Attolia by Megan Whelan Turner - ESSENTIAL

Turner, Megan Whelan The King of Attolia, pgs.387 Harper Collins-Eos.

Language~PG, Sexual Content~G; Violence~PG;

MS, HS –ESSENTIAL

Eugenides has surprised all of Attolia and Eddis and has married the woman who cut off his hand, becoming Attolia’s supreme ruler. The young thief faces ruling a country that doesn’t respect or like him. Regardless of the title most of the story is told from the perspective of a young member of the Queen’s guard, Cortis. You meet Cortis as he is awaiting punishment for assaulting the King. As his punishment, instead of the death he fears, Cortis is assigned to be the King’s personal guard. Through his eyes we come to know the role that Eugendies fills in the Queen’s court and also the resentment of the guard and its leaders toward the would be king.

Readers will become impossibly entangled in this story of castle politics and treachery. Masterfully crafted, this latest novel in Turner’s Attolia series will leave readers yearning for more when the last page is turned.

Allison Madsen~Teen Librarian-SJO Public Library

Circle of Blood by Alane Ferguson - ADVISABLE

Fergusson, Alane Circle of Blood, pgs.238 Viking Juvenile.

Language~PG, Sexual Content~G; Violence~PG-13;

MS, HS –ADVISABLE

In the third title of her forensic mystery series, Fergusson plunges her readers back into the gore and science of forensic detective work. The book begins at the scene of a car accident where the driver, not wearing his seatbelt, has been decapitated. Ferguson picks up the story of Cameryn Mahoney where she left off in Angel of Death.

This book focuses more on the sudden appearance of Cameryn’s mother who until recently, she thought was dead, and a girl named Mariah who suddenly turns up dead after being seen with Cameryn’s mom. The autopsy scenes while graphic are intriguing, but may be too much for those reader’s with weak stomachs. Ferguson leaves the reader dangling, leaving readers begging that her next installment come sooner rather than later.

Allison Madsen~Teen Librarian-SJO Public Library

The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner - ESSENTIAL

Turner, Megan Whelan The Queen of Attolia, pgs.362 HarperCollins-Eos.

Language~PG, Sexual Content~G; Violence~PG

MS, HS – ESSENTIAL

This is the second book in a trilogy by Turner. Eugenides, thief to the queen of Eddis, is finally caught after months of secretly spying and stalking the Queen of neighboring Attolia. Once caught, the queen takes her revenge and cuts off Eugenides’ right hand. For a professional thief nothing could be worse. This begins a 3 way war between Sounis, Eddis, and Attolia.

Turner brilliantly weaves a story of betrayal, loyalty, and love in the world she has created. There are some that say that readers do not need to be familiar with the first title in this series, but I am not one of them. This story has unexpected twists and turns that keep the reader guessing. This is a must read.

Allison Madsen~Teen Librarian-SJO Public Library

Undone by Brooke Taylor - NO

Taylor, Brooke Undone, 320 p (app.). Walker (Bloomsbury), August 2008.

NOT RECOMMENDED

Serena isn't sure why bad girl Kori befriended her that day in eighth grade, but the two have been inseparable since. She knows that Kori has secrets and issues, and a drinking problem, but Serena has never been one to pry. Now, however, Serena is only left with questions and grabs onto the idea of fulfilling one of Kori's English assignments - a list of 5 ways in which Kori wanted to tempt fate - as a way to connect with her friend and hopefully find some closure. As with most secrets, however, the answers Serena finds may not be anything that she actually wants to hear.

For all the interesting dark potential this book had, it is all wasted, at least for school libraries, on massive amounts of swearing (23 'f" and more than 50 other swears) and sexual references.

 Cindy, Library Teacher

Poison Ink by Chris Golden - NO

Golden, Chris Poison Ink, 288 p. Delacorte (Random House) July 2008.

NOT RECOMMENDED

Late one night, five best friends hatch a crazy plan to cement their bond by getting matching tattoos. Being underage, they have to find someone willing to ink them without their parents' approval. At the last minute, one of the friends chickens out. Now she watches in horror as her former friends start behaving more and more outrageously and dangerously. She is stunned by their brutal behavior towards her and the community until she sees that the original tattoo itself has grown and evolved and Sammi begins to think that the impossible may be actually possible. Someone is controlling her friends trough the tattoos.

From at interesting idea to a very faulty execution. Usually I can just lay back and enjoy the ride, but this all I could think was - what's the motivation??? The details about Sammi and her friends are all there and the over-described enactments of her friend's descents are there, including the brutal fights and slutty actions, but we learn virtually nothing about the puppetmaster and his part in the whole thing, making the book, for me, very flat and unappealing. Call this a potential horror book gone bad. Oh and the overdescribed sexiness and violence, too. Toss in a few swears.

CINDY

Fashionistas: The Interns by Chloe Walsh - NO

Walsh, Chloe Fashionistas: The Interns, 320 p. Harper, May 2008.

NO

Meet the promising photographer, the wallflower copywriter, the aspiring designer and the socialite forced to take a summer job. These four compromise the latest foray into the life of an intern at the hottest fashion magazine. All four seem hell-bent on destroying themselves and each other as the claw their way to whatever type of fun, prestige or status it is that they want.

The opening blurb for chapter 14 beings with this quote "I loathe narcissism, but I approve of vanity" and then proceeds to a fake blog rant about name-dropping. All of this I find exquisitely ironic from a book that prides itself on how many names it can drop. This is book is as superficial as they come, has close to 100 swears (surprisingly, no "f") and paints four girls on mutually self-destructive courses. Someone please find me a point in all of this!! Whoops - no point to be found here.

CINDY

Making a Splash by Jade Parker #1 and #2 - ADVISABLE

Parker, Jade Making a Splash: Robyn (256 p.) and Caitlin (240 p.). Scholastic, 2008.

MS - ADVISABLE

Best friends Robyn and Caitlyn have secured jobs at their favorite hangout spot - the local waterpark. Caitlyn has the hot job, watching the wave pool with all its bronzed bodies, while Robyn is stuck watching the kiddie pool and babysitting the new girl, Whitney, whose only dedication to work is to work on her tan. And Caitlyn's supervisor is Sean, Robyn's older brother - who, until this year, has always just been there. But now, suddenly, Caitlyn is beginning to see him in a too too new light.

In #2, Robyn has been burned once already by a summer romance. Now handsome Michael Romeo is in the picture, but so is Jasmine, Robyn's original rival. Circumstances keep throwing them together, but Robyn keeps trying to resist. If you have a need for light summer fun, this trilogy (Whitney's story is forthcoming) perfectly fits the bill. As sweet and safe as you could possibly ask for!


CINDY

Atherton: River of Fire by Patrick Carman - OPTIONAL

Carman, Patrick Atherton Rivers of Fire, pgs.303 Little Brown and Company. 

Language~PG, Sexual Content~G; Violence~PG; 

MS, HS – OPTIONAL. 

In this sequel to Atherton: The House of Power, Carman resumes the story where he left off. The Highlands is continuing to sink and the Cleaners are coming ever closer to Tabletop. 

This book did not grab me as strongly as the first one did. I felt it dragged in places and was confusing in parts. I would recommend it to any who liked the first Atherton, since this book completes the story. However, I wouldn’t recommend it as a stand alone novel. 

Allison Madsen~Teen Librarian-SJO Public Library

The Floods: Good Neighbors by Colin Thompson - OPTIONAL

Thompson, Colin The Floods: Good Neighbors, pgs. 210. HarperCollins.


Language~PG; Mature Content~G; Violence~PG 

EL, MS – OPTIONAL

This is the first book in a new series. This family’s story is a mix between The Series of Unfortunate Events and the Adam’s Family. The Floods are almost the exact copy of the Adam’s Family. The family consists of a beautiful dark haired mother, a slightly dumb father, and several weird children one of which is completely covered in hair like Thing.

Opposite of what the title suggests, the Floods are not good neighbors. Their neighbors begin to bother them so much that they come up with creative ways to get rid of them. This book is full of gruesome dark humor and the Flood’s neighbors have such terrible manners and treat each other horifically. This book will be enjoyed by those who can set aside reality and ethics and can just enjoy the dark humor. 

Allison Madsen~Teen Librarian-SJO Public Library

Colonial Voices by Kay Winters - ADVISABLE

Winters, Kay Colonial Voices: Hear Them Speak, illustrated by Larry Day. Dutton (Penguin), 2008. PICTURE BOOK. 

 EL, MS - ADVISABLE

Through the voices of a variety of townspeople, Ms. Winters gives us a collage of the nights before the Boston Tea Party. Not all of the voices are of patriots; loyalists are also represented. It is at once a look at life in the colonies and at the variety of opinions surrounding the rebellion. This is, however, not a first person account; the vignettes are instead composites based on a huge amount of historical research. The illustrations are complimentary, without being distracting. This picture book could be used in many ways by a clever teacher at any level. 

CINDY

Soroity 101 by Kate Harmon - ADVISABLE

Harmon, Kate Sorority 101: Zeta or Omega?, 257p. Penguin Group

Language: PG-13 (couple of "f" and a few assorted, Sexual Content: G, Violence: G

MS, HS- ADVISABLE. 

Roni, Lora-Leigh, and Jenna thought college was not going to be fun. Each one didn't know that they would soon be best friends. They start going to sorority meetings to find out which one they liked best of all. Scared that they may be rejected, they figure out that it was also the thrill of their lives. But Roni, Lora-Leigh, Jenna are in a tight spot, Omega or Zeta? This book was very cute! I loved how it made you wonder what was going to happen next. It makes you want to be excited for college life. Student Reviewer: CW
Harmon, Kate Sorority 101: The New Sisters, 256p. Penguin Group- 

Language: PG-13 (couple of "f" and a few assorted), Sexual Content: G, Violence: G- 

MS, HS- ADVISABLE. 

Roni, Lora-Leigh, and Jenna have just found out that they are new Zeta Zeta Tau sisters. They are ecstatic about it, yet all of them have other things to deal with. Jenna has to control her Diabetes and balance her schedule. Roni has to let go of her parents dislike towards her choices in life. Finally, Lora-Leigh has to settle the argument with her mother. Can they do that and Zeta Zeta Tau? A great sequel to the first. You couldn't stop reading because you wanted to know what happened. The book was like a drug to me that I couldn't let go of. 

Student Reviewer: CW

Forever Rose by Hilary McKay - ADVISABLE

McKay, Hilary Forever Rose, 291p. McElderry Books, 

Language: G, Sexual Content: G, Violence: G- 

MS, HS- ADVISABLE 

Rose Casson has the strangest family. Her father is in London; Caddy, her sister, is in her hometown, but won't come home. All she really wants is her family to be back together. All she has to comfort her now is her friends. But when they make her do something stupid, she doesn't know what to do. Will her family start leading a normal life? 

This book was really cute and charming. The way the Casson's are so odd made this a book one that I just had to read. The last book in the Casson Series. 

Student Reviewer: CW

Triple Shot Betty by Jody German - ADVISABLE

Gehrman, Jody Triple Shot Betty, 255, Dial Books, 

Language: PG (no "f"); Violence: PG; Sexual Content: PG 13; 

HS - ADVISABLE

Geena has the summer all to herself with her two best friends, Amber and her cousin, Hero. They have never met each other but Geena counts on them hitting it off right away. The problem is they don't. A love triangle appears the second Hero gets to town. Amber loves John, while John wants Hero, and Hero loves Claudio. In a summer as eventful as this one, if all three girls don't unite they will have to face impending consequences. There are a few sexual references and actually this is the first book to almost have an actual fight that I have reviewed so far. I really liked it! 

Student Reviewer: AA

Oh. My. Gods. by Tera Lynn Childs - ESSENTIAL

Childs, Tera Lynn Oh. My. Gods. 264 p. Dutton (penguin), 2008. 

MS - ESSENTIAL

Phoebe's life is pretty great until the day her mom and new fiancée and move to a remote island in Greece. Kicking and screaming all the way, Phoebe survives the trip to the island, only to discover that the exclusive private school her new "dad" is the headmaster for is totally populated by the mortal children of the Greek gods and goddesses - mortal, but with magical powers of their own. Now her evil stepsister hates her and has the power to make it matter, plus most of the other students resent a "nothos", or non-god-descendant being at thir school, including the members of the cross-country team, Phoebe's only source of solace. The nine months of Phoebe's senior year isn't a life time, it may only feel like it! 

Totally cute and totally great. While a reader may not gain an in-depth understanding of the Greek gods from this read, they still will have had a fun read that will keep their attention. 

CINDY

Sovay by Celia Rees - NO

Rees, Celia Sovay, pgs.416 Bloomsbury USA Children's Books.

Language~PG-13, Sexual Content~PG-13; Violence~PG-13;

HS – NO.

Sovay is not your average young lady especially in 1783 England. In order to seek revenge against her former fiancé, Sovay dresses up as a highway man and begins to hold up carriages and travelers. The story segues into the more important battle going on in France. This is the time of the French revolution and Sovay’s brother and father are in France, and haven’t been heard from.

This book’s cover is extremely attractive, but that is the best part of the package. The story is disjointed and stagnant in spots. While this is a time of violence and darkness in Europe’s history, the presence of a of child prostitution, Madame, and one of the boys involved seems out of place in a book aimed at teens. This title is not one I will be recommending, even with its stunning cover.

Allison Madsen~Teen Librarian-SJO Public Library