Beyond the Deepwoods by Paul Steward and Chris Riddell (The Edge Chronicles, Book 1)

Twig is a bit of a failure as a woodtroll ... he doesn't fit in with any of the other trolls his age, he's not very coordinated, or very big. He doesn't have any friends, and most of the other trolls his age pick on him. When his mother tells him of the true story of how he came to live with them, he almost feels relieved. It's as if a part of him knew he wasn't a wood troll all along. He's less relieved when she tells him he must leave the safety of the only home he's ever known to escape the Sky Pirates. All he has to do is follow the path, like any good wood troll would. And beware the Gloamglozer!

But he isn't really a woodtroll, is he? His first experience straying from the path leads him to come to the aid of a Slaughterer (not nearly as violent as he sounds). The boy's family is so greatful, they gift him with what becomes a truly treasured possession, his hammelhorn waistcoat. His next adventure includes witnessing the birth of a Caterbird. His travels are far from over. He encounters a wicked Blood Oak which tries to consume him, then he must escape a pack of Gyle Goblins and their Grossmother. It seems the Deepwoods are destined to create nothing but hardship for Twig, until he meets the Banderbear, who becomes his true companion after Twig saves him from a toothache.

His adventure isn't done yet, however, as he is taken as a pet by a termagant trog girl-in-training. Barely escaping with his life, Twig meets a wanderer who shows him his destiny (although he doesn't understand it at the time). It isn't until the great storm, and the crash of a sky ship that Twig realizes his dream to join the Sky Pirates. Or does he? The dangers of the deepwoods seem on a crash course to find Twig.

The first in a prolific series, it is a quintessential Tolkein-esque adventure fantasy. Recommended for 3-6 graders, and anyone interested in this type of book.

"‘That’s right,’ said Spelda, laughing. ‘Out you came with it, just like that. Twig! The first word you ever spoke. And then Taghair said, ‘You must look after him well, for the boy is special.’ Not different, but special! It was the one fact that had kept him going when the other woodtroll children had picked on him so mercilessly," (Stewart and Riddell pg. 24, 2008).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:

Stormchaser by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell Edge Chronicles, Book 2
The Fairy Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley Sisters Grimm, Book 1
The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan Ranger's Apprentice, Book 1

Stewart and Riddell. (2008). Beyond the Deepwoods. Oxford, UK: David Fickling Books.

The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith

Jack screwed up. He knows it. He shouldn't have left the party like that, he was drunk and confused. When someone stopped to offer him a ride, he should have said no - it's your own fault, Jack. He never expected Freddie Horvath to do what he did, never expected things to go so wrong. Freddie did something to his brain. But Jack escapes, and everything is going to be fine. But it isn't fine, and his best friend Connor knows it. He insists that Jack take his revenge. If he won't tell the police, then at least he needs to face up to this guy. Then they'll go away to England for the summer like they planned, and get away from all the drama. But everything goes wrong ...

Jack goes to England first, with Connor set to follow a few days later. On his arrival, he first meets Henry - the one with the glasses. There is something strange in the lenses. Did he see? No, it couldn't be. It's just Jack's messed up brain. Freddie did something. When Henry makes a gift of the glasses, he says something strange. He tells Jack that he knows him. Looking through the lenses, Jack takes his first trip to Marbury.

It's so unlike everything he knows. He and a few other boys are on the run from the Hunters and Harvesters (a barbarian horde, and flesh-eating beetles, respectively) in a wasteland of death and decay. Jack starts to remember things about this place, and the boys don't seem surprised to see him. He actually seems to be the leader of this motley bunch. He's responsible for Griff and Ben, he has to take care of them.

Suddenly arriving back in England, Jack gets sick. What is going on? Was that other place real? Is this just more crap that is happening because of Freddie? You brought this on yourself. The longer he stays away from Marbury, the sicker he gets. It's an addiction. He's lost time ... hours, sometimes days pass. He met a girl while he was gone, and she actually likes him. He has to get it together. Connor is meeting him soon, he won't be able to pull this crap for much longer.

Recommended for older teens due to the graphic, sometimes gory nature of the story. There is a good deal of cursing (although it feels very authentic to me, as I spend a good deal of time with actual teens), some drinking, and some sex. Very imaginative story, love the fact that his life keeps going while he's "on the other side," and it explores some ideas about male friendship that I liked.

"'It's Thursday, Jack. We just got back from St. Atticus School. Thursday.' He held the end of his tie up between two fingers. I remembered Wynn insisting we wear ties when we visited his old school. 'We were going to change out of these things and go out.'
Three days.
I didn't look up.
What the fuck happened to three days?
'Something's wrong with me, Con.'
The nausea. I stood up, ran past Connor. I dropped to my knees at the toilet and began puking my guts out.
Freddie Horvath did something to my brain.
There's nothing I can do about it.
I don't want to do anything about it.
Fuck you, Jack," (Smith pg. 162, 2010).

*Library Link*

If you like this, check out:
Ghost Machine by Andrew Smith
Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride
Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King

Smith, Andrew. (2010). The Marbury Lens. New York, NY: Feiwel and Friends.

How to Build a House by Dana Reinhardt

Harper can't wait to leave for her summer trip. She can't wait to get away from her family drama, boy confusion, sisters who aren't really sisters ... she can't wait to get to Tennessee and start helping people. Helping others will distract her from all the other stuff that is bouncing around in her head.

Tennessee is where she has chosen to go to escape from everything for a while. She's joining a group of other teenagers to build a house for a family that lost theirs in a recent tornado. Even though Harper doesn't know the first thing about house building, she is determined to lose herself in the process, and hopefully do something good with her time. From the start everyone starts to pair off, but she's not interested in all that. She is interested in the family they are helping. The Wright family has been instrumental in helping others who have suffered from the recent disaster, and everyone in town agrees that it's time they are repaid for their kindness. Living in a funky motel, the teens work together (some better than others) toward creating something out of the chaos.

Little by little Harper begins to get closer to Teddy. It's his family they are building the house for, and he has a vested interest in the outcome. Maybe that is why he takes it so seriously, but Harper sees a maturity in him that the other kids don't seem to have. It's surviving what has come before, and continuing to grow that has given him this advantage ... that, and his amazing family standing behind him. The Wrights' are nothing like her family.

As hard as she tries, she can't quite run away from her broken family. Harper is still dealing with the recent divorce of her father and her step-mother, the only mother she has ever known. Even harder is the distance that has grown between her and her step-sister Tess. Almost overnight they went from being sisters to strangers, and Harper doesn't understand why. She is mad at everyone, angry and sad and broken.

Still, Tennessee is good. Hard, hot, sweaty, confusing ... and more fun than she expected. It's possible that Teddy even has deeper feelings for her. She begins to suspect after the "Pie Night", because seriously, only an amazing guy would bringing her a pie. (Dating tip: most girls appreciate baked goods, just like you)

"What I really want to say is that nothing lasts forever, no matter how solid it seems. I know this. I've always known this. This knowledge is with me like a smooth stone in my pocket. There are days I worry my fingers over the stone's surface at every waking moment and some days I forget that the stone is there at all.
Today, the stone weighs forty pounds .... Linus closes his eyes and puts his arms out at his sides. 'Look to this day. For it is life. The very life of life .... In its brief course lie all the verities and realities of your existence. The splendor of beauty, the bliss of growth, the glory of action. Today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness, and every tomorrow a vision of hope.' He opens his eyes and looks at me. 'It's an ancient Sufi text.' He smiles. 'My mantra,'" (Reinhardt pg. 170, 2008).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:
A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life by Dana Reinhardt
If I Stay by Gayle Forman
Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr

Reinhardt, Dana. (2008). How to Build a House. New York, NY: Wendy Lamb Books.

Gone by Michael Grant

June is Catching Up

As a librarian, and general bibliophile, there is a never ending list of books I want to read. The titles from this month are all books that I have been recommending (and wanting) to read for a while. In some cases, I am embarrassed to admit that ... no, I still haven't read "Insert YA Book that everyone loves" *shame*

So I'm catching up ... better late than never :) 

It's been a pretty typical day so far, until about 10 am ... when in mid sentence Sam's teacher disappears. *Poof* Magic show style ... and it's alarming, but not nearly as alarming as what comes next. All of the adults have gone, in fact, everyone aged 15+ seems to have disappeared. After the initial panic, Sam and his best friend Quinn, and braniac Astrid assess the situation, and try to decide what to do. Someone needs to do something. What are all the little kids doing without supervision? Where did everyone go? Is it happening everywhere, or just at the school? Most importantly ... where are the loved ones of everyone left behind?

With too many questions, and not enough answers, the trio set off to take stock (and try to find their parents and siblings). The bad news is it looks like everyone who was 15 or older are gone without a trace. There seems to be an invisible barrier around the town, too. The good news? No school? It's hard to decide what good could come out of a situation like this. Astrid finds her brother (who has autism) safe and sound - sitting next to the nuclear reactor - and as they arrive back in town they come upon a situation. There is a building on fire with someone trapped inside ... not to mention that the building is next door to the daycare. There's no question that someone needs to step up and start making decisions. Everyone looks to Sam to be their leader, so he does. He runs into the burning building, desperately attempting to find the trapped child and put out the fire. Far from wanting the attention that such behavior warrents, Sam wishes everyone would just shut up about it.

When Caine and the other Coates Academy kids show up in their Hummer, most of the kids just accept them as the natural leaders. It seems to Sam that the whole thing has been discussed and rehearsed, there is a definite theatrical element to their arrival. Frankly, Sam's not really ready to be a leader anyway ... he'll follow Caine, and hope for the best. He's assigned to Fire Chief duty, along with a few of his friends. Some kind of leadership needs to be established if they are going to survive, how bad could it be?

Apparently, really bad. The Coates Academy kids seem to have something special, like powers, and they aren't exactly using them for good. Sam thought that the local bully Orc was bad, until he met Caine's muscled sidekick Drake. More and more kids are starting to exhibit signs of coming into their own special powers as well. What is going on? Is this all the result of the nuclear reactor that resides in their town? Welcome to the FAYZ, Fallout Alley Youth Zone, where no one over 15 seems to exist, people are developing magical powers, and something really crazy is going on.

"'No one knows. All of a sudden every single person over the age of fourteen disappears and there's this barrier and people ... animals ...'
Lana slowly absorbed this new information. 'You mean all the adults? They're gone?'
'Poof,' Quinn said. 'They ditched. They blinked out. They vacated. They took the off-ramp. They cut a hole. They emigrated. Adults and teenagers. Nothing left but kids," (Grant pg. 370, 2008).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:
Hunger by Michael Grant (Gone Series, Book 2)
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

Grant, Michael. (2008). Gone. New York, NY: HarperTeen.

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

Jessica can't wait to start her senior year. She's thinned down over the summer, tamed her wild curls into a semblance of order, and she's been putting in her time chatting with Jake - the hottie that lives the next farm over, and who spent the whole summer outside baling hay (read: tan + muscles). Everything is going swimmingly, until she sees some creepy guy in a cape on her way to the bus. Maybe she imagined it?

She's almost convinced herself until he shows up in her English class, too! Apparently he's some exchange student from Romania named Lucius Vladescu (what kind of a name is that?), and he announces to the class that he's staying with HER! Something weird is definitely going on ... not to mention Lucius called her Antanasia (her old Romanian name). Did I mention Jessica's a Romanian orphan who was adopted by the people she knows as her parents? It's starting to get weirder, right?

Back at home with Lucius, Jessica has some serious questions. Her parents don't seem nearly as concerned about his presence as they should be. Apparently, her parents have forgotten to mention that she has been betrothed to Lucius since she was an infant. As you can imagine, Jessica is totally freaking out...it's a lot to take in, not to mention she wants nothing to do with this spoiled Romanian VAMPIRE prince as he keeps calling himself. As if things weren't complicated enough, Lucius produces a document, that Jessica's parents signed all those years ago, proving that there is a pact pledging their eventual marriage. What century is this? Did he say vampire? She isn't even sure what to make of that last part ...

He turns on the charm full blast, trying to convince her to honor the pact. There are even times that she almost thinks he's not horrid, like when they go shopping and he finds a dress he wants her to try. Putting it on, she feels transformed into a real Romanian princess! How did he know? Not to mention, things with Jake aren't exactly as she had planned. He's nice, but as Lucius so rudely points out ... "you're so nice" isn't exactly what anyone wants to hear from their girlfriend. Just when she starts to come around, Lucius suddenly loses interest ... and starts dating someone else. Boys! What is Jessica going to do? She's starting to think that maybe Lucius isn't as crazy as she thought ...

"With a deep sigh, Lucius resumed pacing. 'Honestly, I can't stand this going around anymore. The story is quite simple. You, Antanasia, are the last of a long line of powerful vampires. The Dragomirs. Vampire royalty.'

Now that made me laugh, a squeaky, kind of hysterical laugh. 'Vampire royalty. Right.'

'Yes. Royalty. And that is the last part of the story, which your parents still seem reluctant to relate.' Lucius leaned over the table across from me, bracing his arms, staring me down. 'You are a vampire princess—the heir to the Dragomir leadership. I am a vampire prince. The heir to an equally powerful clan, the Vladescus. More powerful, I would say, but that's not the point. We were pledged to each other in an engagement ceremony shortly after our births.'" (Fantasky, 2009).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:
Jessica Rules the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey (January 2012)
Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCollough
Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel

Fantaskey, Beth. (2009). Jessica's guide to dating on the dark side. New York: Graphia Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Among the Hidden by Margaret Haddix Peterson (Shadow Children series, book 1)

Luke is a third. He cannot leave the house, can't play in the yard, doesn't even get to eat at the table, doesn't have any friends ... all because he was born third. In the world that Luke knows, the government has outlawed all families from having more than two children. He must stay hidden to be safe.

It didn't used to be so bad. Sometimes at night he could go out in the yard, or even in the forest surrounding his house. He and his brothers could play, and feel the breeze on his face. The government put a stop to that when they reclaimed the forest, cut down the trees, and built fancy houses for the Barons to move into ... it's so unfair!

With the neighbors now in such close proximity, Luke's movements become even more restricted than before. His father is increasingly paranoid that one of them will notice if the blinds are down, and call the Population Police. He doesn't know about Luke's hiding spots around the house, he doesn't know that Luke saw another third, at a Baron's house!

Summoning all his courage, Luke plans for a day when he will confront this other third child. In his haste, he forgets to anticipate actually arriving at the house. Now what does he do? He's out in the open. Anyone could see him, and kill him on the spot. Frantically ripping at the screen door, he cuts his hand ... only to discover the face of a girl on the other side of the door. Jen is cool, calm, collected, and seemingly has her finger on the pulse of the next third revolution. She is like no one he has ever met.

She talks to other third children online, planning a rally to show the government that they exist. She gives him books and articles to read about the Population Laws, and how it all went wrong. She talks to him ... and in a lot of ways, that's enough. He looks forward to his visits, and learning about the Baron way of life. She sneaks him junk food (illegal), and talks about the future, a time when all the third children will be free to live their lives in the open. No more hiding. Could it possibly work?

“'Sure, you can be a coward and hope someone else changes the world for you. You can hide up in that attic of yours until someone knocks on the door and says, "Oh, hey, they freed the hidden. Want to come out?" Is that what you want?'
Luke didn't answer.
'You've got to come, Luke, or you'll hate yourself the rest of your life. When you don't have to hide anymore, even years from now, there'll always be some small part of you whispering, "I don't deserve this. I didn't fight for it. I'm not worth it." And you are, Luke, you are. You're smart and funny and nice, and you should be living life, instead of being buried alive in that old house of yours,'” (Peterson, 1998).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:
Among the Imposters by Margaret Haddix Peterson (Shadow Children, book 2)
The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
The Giver by Lois Lowry

Peterson, Margaret Haddix. (1998). Among the Hidden. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson

Mikael Bloomqvist is an investigative journalist. He works for Millenium, a magazine of which he is co-owner and publisher, that focuses on the economic and financial industry. His recent media attention, and subsequent scandal, centers around the Wennerstrom affair. In part, he was a victim of his own excitement ... but a guilty verdict of libel is hardly a vote of confidence for the magazine's followers. Not to mention that he will actually have to spend time in prison for writing a story that intially checked out. For now, he will just have to lick his wounds and distance himself from Millenium.

Immediately following the trial, he received a mysterious offer. Henrik Vanger, former CEO of the Vanger Corporation, is interested in hiring him to write a family history ... and something more. The family mystery he is truly hired to investigate revolves around Harriet Vanger, niece to Henrik, and her unexplained disappearance over 40 years previously.

It happened on a day filled with chaos. Children's Day 1966: she was photographed attending the parade. She came back to the house, asked to talk to Henrik, and was never seen again. Simultaneously, there was a terrible accident on the bridge blocking all traffic. The only way on or off the island was via a fireboat. No one had seen her leave, in fact, no one had seen her since 3 pm that afternoon.

An extensive search of the island over many weeks, stretching into months and years, turned up no trace of her. What they did find was a cryptic list of names and phone numbers, which no one has been able to crack, and a series of events which fail to account for her whereabouts. Vanger is convinced that someone killed her, but every year on his birthday someone delivers a pressed flower in a frame to his home. A reminder that they got away with it? He doesn't know, but he thinks it's a clue. Mikael is intrigued, and begins work on a case that is 44 years cold.

Meanwhile, we learn about Lisbeth Salander, a goth-punk tattooed and pierced 24 year old who first learns of Mikael when she is asked to do a background investigation on him. Her hacking skills are so advanced that she easily gains access to his computer. Over the course of his own digging, he learns of her report on him. It's so thorough and well-researched, he decides to hire her to help him. Will they uncover new evidence pointing to one of the Vanger family member as Harriet's killer? What is the mystery behind the phone numbers? What could the significance behind the pressed flowers be?

Technically, this is not a YA title. It's a good crossover for older teens, and does include some sexual violence (so be warned). This international best seller (originally written in Swedish, and translated) sucks you in and doesn't let go. The mystery is so intricate, and the characters are so interesting, it's easy to see why everyone loves it. Larsson submitted all three manuscripts to his publisher, with the promise of a 10 book series, but sadly passed away before the books were even published.

"Salander felt that her composure was barely skin-deep and that she really wasn't in complete control of her nerves. This totally unlooked-for visit had shaken her in a way that she had never experienced in connection with her work. Her bread and butter was spying on people. In fact she had never thought of what she did for Armansky as a real job; she thought of it more as a complicated pastime, a sort of hobby.
    The truth was that she enjoyed digging into the lives of other people and exposing secrets they were trying to hide. She had been doing it, in one form or another, for as long as she could remember. And she was still doing it today, not only when Armansky gave her an assignment, but sometimes for the sheer fun of it. It gave her a kick. It was like a complicated computer game, except that it dealt with real live people. And now one of her hobbies was sitting right here in her kitchen, feeding her bagels. It was totally absurd," (Larsson pg. 264, 2008).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:

The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson
Smila's Sense of Snow by Peter Hoeg
The Angel Experiment by James Patterson (Book 1, Maximum Ride series)

Larsson, S., & Keeland, R. (2008). The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.