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.)

It's Not Summer Without You / Jenny Han

Okay, I'm not quite ready to write another book review, but I just had to post this:

Last week I read Jenny Han's The Summer I Turned Pretty.

This week I finished the second book in her Summer series, It's Not Summer Without You. I am not much for series, but I couldn't help myself! I breezed through both books and enjoyed every minute! You know you're reading a good book when you look forward to reading it and make a point of taking reading breaks throughout the day or at least once a day (because sometimes there just isn't enough time in the day).

There's one last book in Han's Summer series called We'll Always Have Summer and I am going to try to wait until next summer to read it. I feel that it's only appropriate that I save the finale for actual summer-time. It'll be a definite good read that I can look forward to.

For now here are the books that are in my possibly next pile:

An Abundance of Katherines / John Green
Batman: R.I.P. / Grant Morrison
New Ultimates: Thor Reborn / Jeph Loeb
Wolverine, Weapon X Vol. 2, Insane in the Brain / Jason Aaron

Book Sale @ Fredricksen

Friends of Fredricksen Library
Book & Media Sale

Thursday, September 29 from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm –Special Preview Sale!

Friday, September 30 from 9:00 am to 8:30 pm
Saturday, Oct. 1 from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Sunday, Oct. 2 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm – BAG SALE!

Banned Books Week

BANNED BOOKS WEEK
is September 24-October 1, 2011

For more information, check out : www.ala.org/bbw

Help celebrate your right to read what you want! Check out the website above or the list below for a great, and often controversial, read.


Top 10 Banned Books of 2010:

1) And Tango Makes Three, by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson;

2) The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie;

3) Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley;

4) Crank, by Ellen Hopkins;

5) The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins;

6) Lush, by Natasha Friend;

7) What My Mother Doesn't Know, by Sonya Sones;

8) Nickel and Dimed, by Barbara Ehrenreich;
(challenged @ Easton, Penn. School District in 2010)

9) Revolutionary Voices, edited by Amy Sonnie;

10) Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer

The Summer I Turned Pretty / Jenny Han

TITLE: The Summer I Turned Pretty
AUTHOR: Jenny Han
OWNED BY CCLS? Yes.

Belly, her older brother Steven, and her mother have been spending their summers at Cousins Beach ever since she can remember. They stay at Susannah's house (her mother's best friend) along with Susannah's two sons Conrad and Jeremiah. Every summer the boys go out and do fun things while Belly is often left at the house to hang out by herself. As Belly gets older she vies for Conrad's attention and is miffed when he not only does not give it to her, but goes out of his way to ignore her. The Summer I Turned Pretty is a great summer read about unrequited love, summer romance, and everything that a teen (or adult) could want in a summer. This book is sure to keep you counting down 'til summer break and looking forward to Belly & Conrad & Jeremiah's next summer @ Cousins Beach.

M's Verdict: Great read! If you're looking for something to read by the beach (or in the fall while pretending it's still summer) this is a great book for you. If you like Sarah Dessen and need something new--try out Jenny--it's well worth it and I guarantee that if you read this book, you'll go on to read book #2 and 3 in the series (#2--It's Not Summer Without You, #3--We'll Always Have Summer).

For biographical information or to stay posted on Jenny Han's upcoming books, check out her website:

http://www.dearjennyhan.com/

Guantanamo Boy

TITLE: Guantanamo Boy
AUTHOR: Anna Perera
OWNED by CCLS? On order.

Guantanamo Boy is a fictional tale of a 15 year old boy named Khalid who is kidnapped while on vacation with his family in Pakistan and sent to Guantanamo Bay. For two years Khalid is held without being charged (considered to be an enemy combatant) and forced to endure torture, interrogations, and less than humane conditions, despite the fact that he is a juvenile, has not been charged with a crime, and is innocent of any terrorist thoughts or acts.

M's Verdict: Whoa! I recommend this book to someone looking for a great tale of overcoming extreme obstacles despite having all of the odds stacked against you. Similar to Markus Zusak's Book Thief, this book took me a while to read due to the intense topic. Although the topic was rather intense and moving, a fictional tale of such a serious and relevant topic is a great way for teen audiences to get involved in current events and become aware of the human rights violations. It would be a great choice if you're looking for something new that has a male teen as the main character and is relevant historical fiction. It will appeal to both guys & girls and is sure to provide a great bridge to other nonfiction titles relating to Guantamo Bay, the Geneva Convention, human rights, the Iraq War, Iraq, Afghanistan, England, and the muslim culture. I have a feeling this book will be used in schools as a teaching tool before too long. Long story short--check it out @ FRE--I recommend it.

Some additional comments on Guantanamo Boy by Anna Perera:

"An important work that deserves a wide audience."--Guardian UK Shortlisted for the Costa Children's Book Award (UK)

"This powerful book shows that hatred is never an answer."--Sunday Times (UK), Children's Book of the Week

Check out the book's Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/GuantanamoBoy#!/GuantanamoBoy

As well as the author's page: (not exactly what one would expect from someone who wrote Guantanamo Boy)
http://annaperera.com/books.php

SEPTEMBER TEEN EVENTS @ FRE

Sunday, September 11, 2011 @ 2PM

Book Purses

You will WOW your friends with the purse you made from a BOOK! Instructors will guide you through the process of making this hip craft project. Program fee covers half the material cost for the project. Registration required starting August 20th with a $5 fee. For teens in grades 6 – 12. Sponsored by the Friends of Fredricksen.REGISTER ONLINE August 20

Sunday, September 18, 2011 @ 2PM

Pizza & a Movie

Join us for an afternoon movie and pizza at the library! We will be showing a Touchstone Pictures/Dreamworks production. This movie is PG-13. Extraordinary teen John Smith (Pettyfer) is a fugitive on the run from ruthless enemies sent to destroy him. Changing his identity, moving from town to town with his guardian Henri (Olyphant), John is always the new kid with no ties to his past. In the small Ohio town he now calls home, John encounters unexpected, life-changing events-his first love (Agron), powerful new abilities and a connection to the others who share his incredible destiny. Sponsored by the Friends of Fredricksen. REGISTER ONLINE SEPTEMBER 1