Dark Eden / Patrick Carman

TITLE: Dark Eden
AUTHOR: Patrick Carman
OWNED BY CCLS? On order.

Seven teenagers, including Will Besting (the fifteen year-old narrator) have irrational fears that have caused them to be sent away to Fort Eden to be cured.

One by one they go into a secret room to be cured. When they come out of the room they not only feel different, but they also experience new ailments like stiff joints, headaches, and dizziness. Will Fort Eden, nicknamed Dark Eden, hold the cure that these teens so desperately need or will Dark Eden simply scare them to death?

M's Verdict: MUST READ!!!! Patrick Carman (also the author of the Skeleton Creek series, some of the 39 Clues books, and The Land of Elyon series) wrote a real winner in Dark Eden.

I read this book about a month ago and have been waiting to post this review. Dark Eden is a gripping read that I flew through because it was sooo good. It reminded me of a great movie--it was action packed, full of suspense and kept you guessing.

If you're not into suspense and don't like to be kept on the edge of your seat, definitely skip this book. But, if you're looking for a real thrill--go check it out. It was so intense, it actually gave me nightmares! I would definitely read another of his books. So, to sum it up... Carman's Dark Eden is a great horror fiction book filled with suspense, that is unpredictable, creepy and fascinating...a MUST read!

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer / Michelle Hodkin

I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT I FORGOT TO POST THIS EARLIER! I read this book during the summer and saved the post in anticipation of its publication (in late September) and it totally slipped my mind! My apologies for the lateness, but here's my take...

TITLE: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
AUTHOR: Michelle Hodkin
OWNED by CCLS? On order.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin is a haunting read. Although it's 400+ pages, it is guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat and wanting to know.... what, how, and really? I was fortunate enough to be able to read an uncorrected proof of this particular novel and it was worth it! Here's the story...

TUOMD is Hodkin's first novel. It is a story (some truth to it possibly??) of a seventeen year old girl named Mara Dyer who wakes up in a hospital bed with no memory of the tragic event that led to the death of her best friend, her boyfriend, and a friend of her BFF. It is this tragedy that causes her whole family to move from Rhode Island to Florida in order to allow Mara to start over. With the help of her lawyer father, her psychologist mother and her two brothers (one older and one younger), will Mara be able to move on and come to grips with the accident that may or may not have been her fault?

Read TUOMD if you're looking for something that is sure to keep you guessing. It's a twisty mystery with suspense, intrigue, romance, murder, and more....

M's Verdict: Whoa...what a story! Although it may be 400+ pages, I guarantee (no money back though;) that you won't be able to put this book down! It's gripping and has such a crazy premise that you will want to know what's coming next. What the description doesn't mention is that Mara seems to have some slight psychological issues that she needs to come to grips with. I definitely see a sequel in Hodkin's future. We'll have to stay posted for that one!

Check it out and let me know what you think.

Shadoweyes / Ross Campbell

I just finished a GREAT, but truly creepy fiction novel, however, I have to wait to post my review because the book isn't due to be published until November! Stay tuned for that one, it's a CAN'T MISS! ...

Instead of making you wait until November for a review, here's an update on the graphic novels in my "to read pile."

Batman R. I. P. / Grant Morrison
I started it and let's just say I got bored, wasn't wowed and therefore decided to cut my losses and move on to something that would hopefully retain my interest and be a bit more... interesting. [In case you haven't noticed from my reviews, if I start reading something and it really doesn't grab me and I don't have a huge incentive to read it, I will stop reading. There are soooo many books either in my "to read pile" or about to go into my "to read pile," that I feel that I cannot waste precious time on a stinker of a book; that's just my own personal theory.]

The Griff / Christopher Moore
Dare I say it, I was all ready for a good graphic novel, after not being sucked into the above GN. Unfortunately, even though I tried and almost succeeded in getting all the way through Moore's The Griff, I felt like the pay off would not be great... and ... I ... yup, cut my losses and ended the pain. I must say that the foreword and afterword were interesting and very insightful in regards to the creators--rather cynical and bitter individuals they must be. However, the GN as a whole was not put together well. The story line was weird and disconnected and the illustrations weren't anything spectacular. So, I'd say--skip it--unless you already checked it out and you've got no other GNs in the house.

Shadoweyes / Ross Campbell
My saving GN grace in my pile--Shadoweyes! Black and white illustrations with an interesting story line (both done by Ross Campbell) are just what I was looking for!

Scout Montana is a teen living in a futuristic society in a city called Dranac. Crime runs rampant and Scout is determined to help rid the city of evil-doers by becoming a superhero. In her first attempt to aid a neighborhood victim, Scout is hit in the head with a brick. Although many would think this would put a kibosh to any future heroism on Scout's behalf, the incident actually has a morphing affect on Scout. She shape shifts into a blue creature that has superhuman powers--Shadoweyes. Can Shadoweyes help Scout to fight Dranac crime or will Shadoweyes, like many superheroes, be feared by locals just as much as the criminals?

If you're just starting to read graphic novels or are interested and not quite sure what to read, try Shadoweyes. It's a bit sci-fi, realistic, romantic, adventurous, urban fictitious (yup, totally made that one up) and truly entertaining. I will certainly be reading the second book in the series: Shadoweyes in Love.

AP Study Guides

Teen Input Needed!

Some teens recommended that we purchase some AP study books for the Teen Collection. Since there are soooo many subjects that one could take an AP test for, I need to know WHAT AP subjects you are taking/most interested in/will be taking a test for.

Danke. (Thank you.)