Jennifer Brown. HATE LIST

"A breeze gusted right at that moment and swept down the collar of my shirt, billowing the front of it. I shuddered, my spine suddenly getting really cold." 

Valerie and her boyfriend, Nick, compiled a "hate list" of people who bullied them and they often spoke about how much better off they'd be if those people weren't around. Valerie thought they were just joking. Nick didn't. Nick took it all very seriously. In fact, one morning shortly after entering the school commons, he began shooting at people. A shocked Valerie did what she could to stop him, even getting herself shot, before Nick turned the gun on himself.

This school shooting novel is unique because it focuses on the aftermath of the incident. It's also unique in that has a character in Valerie that makes people conflicted. The other students mostly still hate her, because they think she was in on the plan. But a few realize that she actually stopped him and saved lives. A few even think that she was a hero.

Her parents are also conflicted about Valerie. You assume that good parents will stand behind you no matter what. You assume that when everyone else has deserted you - your parents will still be there. But Valerie's parents are confused, hurt, and mad. They think she caused this tragedy and they refuse to listen to her explanations. However, she doesn't talk much in the aftermath either, so she isn't helping herself at first.

I was glued to the page until I finished the book. I really loved it. The characters were smartly drawn, as frustrating as they were at times. I got impatient with Valerie, and I was disappointed by her mom, but I was infuriated by her dad. But again, it's a credit to the writing that I got so passionate about the characters.

Original Cover

Another great characteristic of the writing is how the story is simultaneously told in two timelines until they weave seamlessly into one. The first is the aftermath and how Valerie is managing. The other is flashbacks of the story that builds up to the shooting. It sounds like it would be confusing, but it makes perfect sense and works brilliantly. I'm not sure it would have worked at all, if it had been told in one straight storyline. It worked so well, because Jennifer Brown is a wonderful writer!

Overall, it's a moving, emotional, excruciatingly truthful book. You won't forget it.

Visit her website here. She has another book out now and another on the horizon. She's definitely a great new author to watch!  Check out the gripping trailer below:

Harlan Coben. SHELTER

You may know Harlen Coben from his adult thriller novels. In fact, Mickey Bolitar, our main character in SHELTER, was introduced in the latest Myron Bolitar novel LIVE WIRE. I didn't realize this until after reading the book. I knew Coben wrote adult novels, but I didn't realize that Mickey was in another of his book. I love it when characters show up in different storylines like that, so now, I'll want to read that book next...

Back to the novel at hand. SHELTER is Coben's first young adult novel and it's great! Mickey Bolitar and his parents had just settled into a new life. Previously, Mickey's parents did charity work around the world, so he lived all over. His parents decided to settle down and give Mickey a "normal" life for the remainder of high school. Ironically, tragedy struck shortly thereafter. After choosing a "safe" life, Mickey's father gets killed in a car accident.

His mother doesn't take it well and ends up in rehab, so Mickey moves in with his uncle Myron. He begins adjusting to high school life somewhat. Meeting pretty Ashley, also new to the school, helps a lot. They become close and he even begins to think of her as his girlfriend. But one day, she vanishes without a trace.

Mickey can't help but investigate and ask questions about what happened to her. But he's also piqued by another mystery. The neighborhood crazy, everyone calls her "Bat Lady," makes a rare appearance outside her house one day. She tells Mickey that his father isn't dead before rushing back in her house. He goes after her, but can't get her to respond to his questions.

Having two mysteries to solve takes a help. Mickey ends up with a few unlikely friends. Spoon is a geeky guy that gets picked on by all, except Mickey. Spoon has a few technical skills that come in handy. Ema is girl who had no friends until Mickey. She's sharp, funny and a great asset to Mickey.

I loved this fast moving mystery. It ends up more complicated than you think it'll be. I loved the varying threads of history woven throughout. Finally, I have to say - thank God there is a sequel! The ending leaves you hanging and you will be dying to read the next book! I highly recommend SHELTER!

Check out the website for the book here and the trailer below:

Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler. THE FUTURE OF US

It's 1996 and Emma gets her first computer. Her friend, Josh, brings over an AOL CD-Rom, so she can check out the Internet. After setting up her password and logging on, something strange happens. Emma sees something called Facebook. It shows a picture of someone looking eerily like her, but a little older. She begins reading the text underneath her name and is freaked out.

Emma and Josh investigate and deduce that they must be looking into the future - 15 years to be exact. They look at both of their future selves, and while Josh is thrilled to be married to the Sydney Mills, a gorgeous girl he's had a crush on for years, Emma is depressed about her future.

Emma begins to try to change things with her future. She begins looking at the Facebook page every day to see how her little changes affect her future. Josh worries that even looking at the future will change things in a negative way. (Easy for him to say, since he's the one with the sunny future.) Will they be able to forget about their future selves enough to focus on enjoying the here and now?

This is one of those books that had me at the premise. I was highly curious to see how the authors would handle this concept. At first, I was a little annoyed by the constant 90's references. We got Discman, Friends, Alanis Morissette, Seinfeld, the brick wall screensaver, Windows 95 all in practically one chapter. I felt a little hit over the head with "it's 1996! it's 1996!" But, that passed quickly, and there was nary a mention of the late 90's again in the book. Perhaps, I'm the only one bothered by that? I'm not sure how teens will react. As I see my students reading the book, I'll get a feel whether they noticed that aspect or not. They probably won't.

Otherwise, I enjoyed the book. I think the concept was executed smoothly. If you're a techie, you need to suspend your disbelief about how the computer was able to connect to Facebook (think of it as science fiction). Then you'll enjoy it. The idea of the little decisions you make today affecting the rest of your life has always fascinated me. So, I enjoyed seeing how it played out for Emma and Josh.

This is a fun read! You know Jay Asher from THIRTEEN REASONS WHY and Carolyn Mackler from many great books including THE EARTH, MY BUTT AND OTHER BIG ROUND THINGS.

Check out the trailer below:

Steve Hamilton. THE LOCK ARTIST

We join Michael in prison. He begins explaining his story with a few lingering mysteries. Something tragic happened to him as a child that was so bad, he was called the Miracle Boy for having survived. Also, he doesn’t say why he’s in prison. Although, as he tells his story, we’re able to figure out or at least made some educated guesses about how he ended up in prison. As for the other mystery, you just have to be patient.

After Michael’s tragedy, his uncle takes him in. His uncle isn’t really the fatherly type, but he does take him to various specialist to try to help him, since he stopped speaking after the tragedy. As a teen, Michael begins taking apart and studying how locks work. He becomes really good at picking locks. This talent gets inadvertently observed at school, so some bullies rope him into breaking into a house. Michael ends up being the only one left when the owner of the home, Mr. Marsh, shows up. Mr. Marsh arranges to be the administer of Michael’s punishmennt. He forces Michael to do hard labor at his house. But gradually, he forces him into criminal activities by blackmailing him.

Michael tells his story in two time periods simultaneously. In one, we watch Michael gradually become immersed in the criminal life, while the other we see him leading that life with confidence. At first, I wasn’t sure if I would like going back and forth. But the author executed the plot flawlessly. Plus, you have that mystery of what happened to Michael hovering over the entire plot. You wonder what happened to make him so damaged that he hasn’t spoken in almost a decade.

I loved it! It was suspenseful, and I liked the charcters. I also became really interested in lock-picking and the art of safecracking. (don’t worry, I won’t become a criminal or anything)  I highly recommend it. It's an experience I won't soon forget.

The book is an adult book recommended for older teens. It was awarded the Edgar Allan Poe award for best novel, as well as the ALA's Alex Award.

Montgomery County Teen Book Festival

Mark your calendars - The Teen Book Festival is just around the corner! Gayle Forman, Cinda Williams Chima, and Kristin Cast are a few of the authors on the schedule. Check out the festival website below to learn more. We hope to see you there!

Eighth Annual Montgomery County Teen Book Festival Saturday, January 21, 2012 via kwout

Hunger Games Official Movie Trailer!

In case you haven't seen it yet, here is the new trailer for THE HUNGER GAMES movie!

Kim Harrington. CLARITY

Clarity (Clare) Fern has a unique family. Her mother reads minds, her bother talks to ghosts, and Clare is psychic. The three of them together run a business out of their house conducting readings for people. They live in a beach town in Cape Cod, so the summer tourist business is pretty good.

However, this summer their small town has a scare when a tourist winds up dead in a motel room. Right away, Clare's mother is worried that the tourist business will dissolve as the scared tourists leave town. But that fear is nothing compared to what Clare feels after her brother tells her that he was with the victim the night she was killed. Clare worries that if the cops find out, he'll be the prime suspect.

Clare is asked to help the police with the murder to see if she can sense anything helpful. The new detective in town is suspicious of her talents, so she really wants to prove herself. But she's also hoping to keep the knowledge of her brother's contact with the victim a secret. The detective makes her work with his apprentice son on the case. He has the same suspicious attitude about psychics, and he seems to hate her. She's dubious of their partnership.  Unfortunately, he's so cute, it's distracting to her.

Will she be able to keep her brother out of the investigation? Hopefully she'll be able to solve the murder fast enough to keep her brother out of it.

This is a fun, supernatural mystery. The writing is good, and I really enjoyed spending time with Clare and her family. In fact, I kind of felt like there's another story is in there. And, lo and behold...a sequel is on the horizon!

It's called PERCEPTION and it's coming out in March, so yay!

For now, check out the book trailer below for CLARITY:

And the author's website is here.

Robison Wells. VARIANT

Benson Fisher has been tossed around for years from foster home to foster home. He’s never stayed anywhere long enough to make friends. He longs to go to a good school. So, when he’s accepted to Maxfield Academy on a scholarship for orphans, he’s thrilled. He thinks he’ll finally get the education he wants. Since it’s a boarding school, he’ll be able to settle in and make friends.

When he arrives at Maxfield, he realizes that it’s not exactly as the brochure promised. Right after the driver drops him off, the strangeness begins. Two of the students run out of the school and chase the car out to the gate. Later he learns that the two students were punished for running after the car. Then his orientation is lead by a student close to his own age, named Becky. You can imagine his surprise when Becky explains to him that all the classes are taught by students. In fact, the whole place is run by students. There are no adults in the building at all. But that doesn't mean they get the run of the place. Cameras are everywhere. Rule-breaking is still punished.

Benson asks to leave, but it’s too late. He isn’t allowed to leave. All the other students explain to him that no one ever escapes, and if they try, they die. Parents and family members aren’t an issue, since all of the kids are orphans and have no one to come looking for them. It gets worse as Benson realizes that he seems to be the only one who cares about escaping. But if his choice is attempting to escape and possibly dying or staying in the prison-like school, Benson feels he has no choice but to try.

What a chilling, marvelous ride! Every time I put this book down, I couldn’t wait to get back to it. Literally you’ll want to read this in one sitting. The suspense builds slowly throughout each page until the end where you will be SHOCKED!

Benson is a great character, and you'll definitely root for him. The surrounding characters are surprising, but curious. You'll wonder about them. The action is well paced and exciting.

Check out the author here. This is is first YA book.

eBooks & eReaders - Check 'em out!

Check out our new eBooks LibGuide to see all of the different eBook options we have for you:

Home - Nooks & eBooks - LibGuides at The John Cooper Upper School Library via kwout

Maureen Johnson. THE NAME OF THE STAR

I love, love, love Maureen Johnson's books, so I didn't need any convincing to read this one. Although, at first, I somehow thought it was historical fiction, because of the cover. And that felt odd, coming from MJ. So, anyway, it's not historical fiction at all. It's a murder mystery and sooo much more! (although it does have history in it.)

Aurora, or Rory as she likes to be called, is from New Orleans. Her parents are professors, so she gets to go to England with them for a year. Her parents go to Bristol, while Rory gets to go spend the year at a proper British boarding school called Wexford.

Rory is doing her best to fit in and learn British terminology and important stuff like how the United Kingdom and Britain are not the same thing. Also that the English will play hockey in any weather. (not ice hockey - field hockey). However, rather than fitting in, Rory ends up standing out when she is a witness in a murder investigation.

All of London is on the edge when a string of murders replicate Jack the Ripper murders from over a century ago. Police think Rory is the only witness to the murders, so they get close to her and learn all they can about why this man is interested in her.

I don't want to give too much away, because the story has so many delicious discoveries. But I will say that this book has all of the wit, humor and sheer awesomeness that all of MJ's books have. If you've read her, you don't need my convincing to read this one. If you haven't read any of her books, then this is a fabulous one to start with. My reviews of some of her other books are here.

This is the beginning of a series called SHADES OF LONDON. I will be reading the next one as soon as I can get my hands on it! Check out Maureen Johnson's website here.

Check out the trailer here:

New Books!

We have a TON of new books. Here is a sampling of our new fiction:

Here is a sampling of our new graphic novels:

Take a look at our Books & Reading LibGuide for more!

Will Allison. LONG DRIVE HOME

Have you ever had a day where everything was going wrong and you got so frustrated that you made a poor decision because you were angry? Maybe you lashed out at someone unnecessarily and had to apologize later? Hopefully all that happened was saying something mean. But what if you were having that kind of day and someone lost their life because you became short tempered and angry?

Glen Bauer was taking his daughter home from school and he witnessed several incidents that ruined his mood. He decided to put a little scare into a kid that was driving reckless. But the little scare ended in dire consequences. Even though the scare only took a few seconds, the repercussions reverberated throughout Glen's life for years. After the accident, piece by piece, Glen's family was torn apart. His wife lost faith in him, and his daughter lost her family.

Once I began this book, I couldn't put it down. I was devastated along with Glen to watch how one moment in time can change your whole life. If there was ever a time when you wish you could go back and have a "do-over," this was it for Glen. But unfortunately, life's not like that.

You will not be able to put this one down. You will be on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next. You will wish you could talk some sense into some of the characters. Most of all, you will root for Glen and his daughter.

This is an adult book, but appropriate for older teens.

Check out Will Allison here.  LONG DRIVE HOME is his second book, but he's written short stories, as well. I think he's a bright new star in the publishing world!

Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl. Beautiful Creatures

Ethan lives in uncomplicated, boring Gatlin County, South Carolina. Things haven't changed much since the Civil War, or as the locals call it the "War between the States." Ethan figures things there will never be any surprises, and he can't wait to get out of there after graduation.
However, as he puts it,

"Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.
I never even saw it coming."

Now how could you not be intrigued with a beginning like that?
I was immediately drawn in by this multi-layered story. Ethan lives in a town with a rich history. People know their lineage back to the Civil War, some even know theirs back to the Revolutionary War. Ethan begins having mysterious dreams of a girl and an intense desire to save her but not being able to. He feels a strong connection to her, even though he has no idea who the girl is.

When a Lena moves into town, people aren't exactly welcoming. She's the niece of the neighborhood recluse. No one is fond of old Macon Ravenwood. They think he's crazy. So, in this small, close knit town, if you aren't just like everyone else, if you are a little different, you are not welcome.

However, Ethan is drawn to Lena. He isn't sure why until he begins to realize that she is the girl in his dreams. They have a connection. He begins to spend time with her even though his friends give him a hard time. The more he gets to know her, the more he realizes that she has some pretty big secrets. The secrets involve her family, his family and the history of the town.

I loved this book. The characters are rich, the setting is thick with texture, and the plot is quick and delightful! It literally kept me up many nights! There is a sequel and third book out too!
Check out the trailer:

The Nooks Are Here!

We have 10 Nooks for check out! Each Nook has about 20 different books to choose from! Come see us to check one out!

Also, check out our LibGuide on eBooks to see the list of books available. You'll need to sign the Nook Agreement Form before checking one out for the first time. Feel free to give us recommendations of books you'd like to see  see on the Nooks.

Barbara Hall. THE NOAH CONFESSIONS

Lynnie attends Hillsboro School for girls, where everyone gets a car on their sixteenth birthday. So, when Lynnie's father gives her an old charm bracelet with birds on it for her birthday, she's disappointed and confused. Her father tells her that it belonged to her mother, who passed away when she was little. That consoles her somewhat.

Then her father gives her another present. A letter from her mom. Lynnie learns a lot about her mother's life growing up, as well as the story of how her mother and father met. But she also learns some scary secrets about her mother's family. She wonders if her image of her mother has been correct. She wonders how this will affect her relationship with her father. Finally, she wonders how this will affect her image of herself.

This was an intriguing story. Barbara Hall is an amazing storyteller. The story kept getting deeper and more interesting the more I read. The story ended up being pretty complex, yet the author pulls it off seamlessly. I really enjoyed the fully formed characters and the story!

This book came out several years back. I'm not really sure how I stumbled across it, but I'm glad I did. When I researched the author, I found out that she's written several books, but she also writes for TV. She wrote for several successful shows, including Joan of Arcadia, Judging Amy, Army Wives, and Northern Exposure. I'm not too surprised, since she has a gift for storytelling.

I'll have to keep an eye out for more books by Barbara Hall in the future!

Elizabeth Scott. AS I WAKE

I've read almost all of Elizabeth Scott's books, and lately I've noticed she's branching off into some unusual territory. (Check out my other reviews here.) This one reminds me of GRACE, because it's so inventive.

Ava wakes up with no memory of who she is, where she is, or anything about her past. Her "mom" tells her that she was in an accident and has lost her memory. But when Ava goes to sleep, she dreams of another place - a place that seems more real that where she is now. After she is re-acquainted with her "friends," she begins dreaming of them in this other world. She wakes up in one place, then wakes up in another. Which world is real? Who is the real Ava? And why does she have this heavy sense of fear while everyone else seems so carefree. The mystery really gets complicated when a boy called Morgan finds her one day and tells her that he knew they would find each other again.

This is one of those books that brings up way more questions than it answers. I'm not saying that the plot isn't resolved, because it is for the most part. But I'm saying that all these other questions come up while exploring this plot.
For example, what if there are multiple worlds and therefore multiple people exactly like us in these worlds. I begin to wonder things like...

• Would you have different personalities in other worlds?
• How would you survive in different worlds, within different societal challenges?
• Would you be drawn to he same people? 
• Would you love the same?
• Would your ambitions and desires be the same?
• and the mother of all questions - Would your fate be the same? Would you die in the same manner, at the same age?

Anyway, Elizabeth Scott continues to impress! The book is a combination thriller, science fiction, and love story all at once, believe it or not! Click below to read a little about the story behind the story and this idea of modal realism from her website:

Elizabeth Scott via kwout

Veronica Roth. DIVERGENT

Wow! I love being blown away by an intriguing, well-written book! At first, this will seems similar to HUNGER GAMES, but it turns our to be very much its own thrilling tale.

In a futuristic dystopian Chicago, the society is divided up into five factions. Each society is founded on a particular virtue - Abnegation (selflessness), Dauntless (bravery), Candor (honesty), Amity (kindness), Erudite (knowledge). At sixteen, teens must choose which faction to align with. First, they take an aptitude test to see which faction they most belong in, then they can decide to follow those results or choose another faction. If they leave their home faction, they never see their family again.

Beatrice Prior gets some unusual results at her aptitude test. The test proctor tells her that her results are inconclusive - that she is part Abnegation, part Dauntless, but really neither. The proctor whispers that she is "Divergent," and she should not tell anyone. It's dangerous. So the proctor deletes the results and enters the results manually as "Abnegation." Beatrice tries to get more information, but she's shushed out of the room and told to be very careful.

After much thought and boredom with her home faction of Abnegation, Beatrice decides to leave Abnegation. She has never really felt like she belonged in her home faction. The strict selflessness, which includes bland food, bland clothing, and lack of excitement, has driven her to the wild looking Dauntless faction. She has watched the kids from Dauntless as they laughingly jump on and off moving trains. Even if their life seems foolish, constantly displaying wild acts of courage, it has an excitement that she craves.

The new recruits to Dauntless must undergo a stringent initiation process. It's brutal and forces Beatrice to face fears she didn't even know she had. Plus, the recruits are in competition with each other, which brings out the cruelty in people. Beatrice must fight others and compete with herself to get through initiation to become a full Dauntless faction member.

This is thrilling, suspenseful, gritty, and thoughtful. It's a roller coaster ride, and I was so sad for it to end! The writing is impeccable. The characters are amazing! You will NOT be able to put it down.

I'm thrilled to hear that it has a sequel. It's going to be a trilogy. In fact, the cover for the sequel was just revealed. Check it out:

And you probably don't need more convincing, but just in case, check out the trailer below:

Garth Stein. THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN

Wow, what a brilliantly written, lovely, moving story! If you have a dog, you'll love this, period. You don't even need to keep reading. Done. But...be polite and read anyway.

We join Enzo on the night before his death. He's telling us a little about his life and then he flashes back to the beginning when his owner, Denny picked him out of the litter. Oh - Enzo's a dog, by the way.

Enzo is lovable right from the start. He is learning all that he can because he believes he will be a man in his next life. (He learned that from television special about Mongolia.) Denny is a race car driver. Enzo watches videos of his races and loves racing just as much as Denny. He and Denny become the best of friends. They understand each other.

Then when Denny brings home Eve, his new wife, the balance changes a little. Enzo isn't the only one Denny loves. Eve doesn't trust or love Enzo yet. However, by the time their baby is born, Enzo is able to win over Eve by vowing to protect Zoe, which he does faithfully throughout the book.

Remember, this is from Enzo's point of view. That may sound strange at first, but the author pulls it off brilliantly. We feel Enzo's struggle to communicate through gestures alone. We feel his love for his family. Most of all, we feel the strong bond between Denny and Enzo - a man and his dog.

The story is dramatic and heart-wrenching. But the writing is what really shines. I have so many post-it note pages that I can't even choose one to share here, like I normally would. There are too many wonderful parts. You must read it for yourself to understand. You will love it! If you're like me, you've often pondered what your dog might be thinking or if he understands you. Well, after this book, you may never look at your dog the way same again.

While reading it, I couldn't help thinking how it would be such an amazing movie. Well, lo and behold, a movie is in development. I'm so excited! Patrick Dempsey is said to be the lead, which is perfect casting, since he races cars in real life. I hope they cast the Enzo narration perfectly too. (Morgan Freeman would be my choice).

One final note - this is an adult book. It's on many of those lists of "adult books for older teens," and teens will love it. But it is an adult book. I just want to be clear.

There is another adapted version of the story for younger readers.

But you'll notice that the title is slightly different, which keeps you from confusing the two. I'm not sure how much is changed in this younger version, although the reviews say that the themes may still be too mature. Younger readers may not enjoy it as much as older readers. I'm sure the demand will be high though, especially after the movie.


If you'd like to see what other books Garth Stein has written, check him out here.

Jacquelyn Mitchard. ALL WE KNOW OF HEAVEN

Bridget and Maureen have been best friends forever. One icy night while driving back from a cheerleading competition, their car swerves and hits an oncoming truck. Both girls are so badly hurt that it's difficult to identify them. The paramedics make an identification based on which girl was driving. Maureen dies and Bridget is badly hurt and left in a coma.

Friends and family mourn Maureen and hold vigil by Bridget's bedside. Danny, Bridget's boyfriend, visits Bridget almost daily to talk and sing to her. Several weeks later, everyone is thrilled when Bridget wakes up. The doctors begin a physical therapy program for her and say that it will be a long road, but that she will begin to get better. All Bridget can say at first is a few syllables. One day when one of her doctors looks at her teeth to begin reconstruction on her jaw, he notices that her dental records don't match her mouth. After putting a few pieces of the puzzle together, including a DNA test, the doctors realize a huge mistake was made. Maureen didn't die - Bridget did.

Both parents are understandably confused, horrified and shocked. The fallout makes for an amazing story. But that's really only the beginning. Maureen's struggle to re-learn how to speak and do basic tasks like grab a glass of water is the real meat of the story. Not only does she have much to overcome physically, but she also struggles emotionally. She feels like people see her as the girl who should've died. She feels like Bridget was the girl everyone loved and she was only the shadow following her. To complicate things further, Danny is spending a lot of time with her. Maureen wonders if he is only trying to stay close to Bridget or if he really likes her. Will she be able to overcome her physical and emotional obstacles and begin to live a normal life again?

The author is incredibly talented to be able to move between so many points of view so easily. I could really feel the emotions behind all of the characters. So many people were affected by the events in the story. Each family was thrown into a tailspin by the accident, and then again when told about the mistaken identity. You can imagine the roller coaster of emotions. The reactions of the family, as well as the entire town were brilliantly written. Maureen is an amazing character. She displayed the frustration you would expect, along with the determination and courage to persevere. Her added sass at the end definitely made her my hero!

This is a moving book that you won't soon forget!
Click here for more young adult novels by Jacquelyn Mitchard.


Also, click below to check out the cool trailer from the author's website: 

David Macinnis Gill. SOUL ENCHILADA

I'm not sure if I've ever read a book with a more curious combination of characters and events. Eunice "Bug" Smoot is an eighteen-year-old living on her own and making a modest living delivering pizzas in El Paso, Texas. We join her at a time when her biggest problem is finding a new job after being fired.

But that problem seems minor shortly thereafter when she finds a demon sitting next in the passenger seat of her car. She discovers that her late grandfather, Papa C, made a deal with the devil for that classic Cadillac she now drives. It seems that Papa C was supposed to give his soul to this demon when he died. But Papa C gave him the slip, so now the demon, called Beals, is there to take the Cadillac instead - oh, and her soul too.

Bug is not alone in dealing with this quandary. Her friend Pesto works for demon immigration, so he knows a thing or two that may help her. Pesto's mom is helpful with seances and other non-traditional solutions. Finally, we have the attorney, E. Figg, who represents Bug when dealing with Beals and another more well known demon, Lucifer. Between all of them, surely someone can work something out to save Bug's soul.

This was a barrel of fun. It's a modern, hysterical twist on the "making a deal with the devil" theme. The characters really bring it to life. I dare say that Bug may be the feistiest female I've come across in a long time. The El Paso setting brought a richness to the book. I felt like I was there with Bug and Pesto walking the streets during the Día de los Muertos celebration.

Read more about David Macinnis Gill here. This is is first YA novel. He has another one out now called BLACK HOLE SUN. I've heard great things about it!
To get a feel for the book, enjoy out the trailer for SOUL ENCHILADA:

Alex Flinn. CLOAKED

I'm really impressed by the diversity of genres that Alex Flinn writes in, as well as the quality of writing in all of those different areas. Her more serious books, like FADE TO BLACK and BREATHING UNDERWATER are memorable years after reading them. But the more lighthearted books are just as memorable. BEASTLY was the first book she wrote with a fairy tale inspiration. Then A KISS IN TIME followed.

CLOAKED is an adventurous, joy ride! Johnny is an average shoe repair guy working in his family's shop in the lobby of a South Beach resort. His father was a shoe repair guy, and his grandfather was a shoe repair guy. Pretty exciting, right? Yeah, that's what Johnny thinks too. When the Alorian princess comes to stay at the resort, Johnny hopes to get a glance of her to add a little adventure to his life.

But, Johnny gets way more than glimpse of Victoriana. His wish of adventure is granted when she asks him to save her brother who's been abducted. The only catch is that her brother will be difficult to locate, since he was turned into a frog. And he's somewhere in Miami. But, if he's able to bring her brother back, then Victoriana will marry him and he'll be rich beyond his wildest dreams. Johnny decides to go on the quest armed with a magical cloak that Victoriana claims will transport him anywhere he wishes.

Surprises abound in this adventure! Johnny discovers secrets about witches, giants and animals who used to be human. He also gets quite a shock to learn that his best friend was keeping a magical secret from him.

I loved the combination of new ideas coupled with classics that felt familiar, such as The Frog Prince and The Elves and the Shoemaker. Plus, there are some more obscure fairy tales that intrigued me enough to want to know more. Luckily, the Author's Note in the back answered my questions. The quotes at the beginning of each chapter that referenced a particular fairly tale were a nice touch and gave you a little foreshadowing at times. You will enjoy the ride in CLOAKED!

By the way, I was able to get Alex Flinn's autograph at ALA in June, so I couldn't help but show off the picture of us. I've wanted to meet her for years, so that's while my smile is so big that my face can barely contain it!

Also, check out the book trailer for CLOAKED:
And her newly designed website for all of her other great books!

Sarah Mlynowski. TEN THINGS WE DID (and probably shouldn't have)

This is one of those books that feels like a girls night out. It feels like you're hanging out with some girlfriends and you're all telling funny stories and enjoying yourself immensely. I really had a great time reading it! It also took me back to high school and some of the things that I did and shouldn't have, which I'll refrain from posting here to the public domain to protect the innocent. :)

The story begins with April becoming the luckiest teen on the planet. Her mom lives in Paris with her new husband and April's brother. April lives with her dad and his new wife. However, her dad gets a job promotion in Ohio. April doesn't want to move to Ohio in the middle of her junior year. She has a lot of friends and a great boyfriend. So, she begs her father to let her stay with her long-time friend, Vi. After some tricky negotiations, her father reluctantly agrees. Little does he know that Vi's mom will be traveling for a few months starring in the play version of Mary Poppins. So...that leaves Vi and April living alone as teens.

Here are a few highlights of the "ten things" they did and probably shouldn't have:

#4 Bought a hot tub
#8 Threw a crazy party
#9 Hosted the Mr Teen Universe contest

As you can imagine, they have a lot of fun. But they also learn a lot. April realizes that Vi has been dealing with a lot more adult responsibilities than a teen should. Does April want to take that stuff on? Or does she wish she could just live with her parents again an enjoy being a teen a while longer? In the meantime, they adopt an adorable cat, hang out in a hot tub called Hula and have a few parties.

This is laugh out loud funny, a little bittersweet, and has a ton of memorable characters! You won't want to miss this one.

I wasn't too surprised that I would have so much fun reading this when I realized what other books I had read by Sarah Mlynowski. Click here to see them. She has a knack for coming up with unique ideas. GIMME A CALL was completely unique and brilliant, while HOW TO BE BAD is one of my all-time fun-fests!
Check out more about this fabulous author here.

Rebecca Lim. MERCY

Mercy is an angel, but she doesn't know it. She has no memory of her life before her current situation. She wakes up in a different person's body every so often and she isn't sure why or how. She does what she can to improve that person's life and then she moves on with little memory of the details.

However, this time it's different. She wakes up as Carmen, a soprano singer on a bus traveling to a neighboring town to rehearse with a group of schools. She's staying with a family who is dealing with life after a tragedy. The daughter was kidnapped two years before. The parents are still deeply sad, but are trying to move past the incident. The brother, Ryan, is still searching for his sister, Lauren. He insists he can still feel her presence. She is not dead; she is calling to him for help.

Mercy believes Ryan. She feels like Lauren is still alive too. Mercy wonders if she was sent there to help Ryan find this missing girl. Then when another girl goes missing, she feels even more certain that she was sent there to help. Another interesting aspect of the story is that Mercy discovers Carmen is a remarkable singer. Everyone is stunned at her angelic quality. Mercy realizes that the other two kidnapped girls were also sopranos with unmatched talent. What is the connection? Is Mercy herself in danger?

This intriguing novel is part mystery, part supernatural, and part romance. I was immediately drawn in to the story. I want to read more about Mercy and the mysterious boy she dreams about. Fortunately, more books are coming. It was released already in Australia as a trilogy, and the second book should be coming out here in the U.S. soon. For more on the series, go to the Facebook page here.
Also, check out the trailer:




Don't be confused if you go looking for the book and see several different covers!

The Australian cover is on the left. There is another US cover that looks like the one on the right!

Fortunately, they are all beautiful.

Author Interview: Cat Patick

I was able to snag an interview with debut author, Cat Patrick! I was excited to interview her because FORGOTTEN was such an unforgettable book. The concept of waking up everyday with a wiped clean memory is fascinating. And if you haven't read the book yet, get right on that! So without further delay, the interview:

We'll begin with a little biographical information. Tell us a little about yourself.

I was born and raised in Wyoming, and have lived in Boston, San Francisco, and now outside Seattle. My husband and I have twin preschoolers. I love to write, travel, do crafts with my girls, go to movies and drink good wine; I’m afraid of flying and zombies…and flying zombies.

I'm totally with you on the zombies. 

Have you always wanted to be a writer when you grew up?

YES! I wrote my first “book” when I was about seven. It was about a dolphin and was self-illustrated (drawing is not my forte). My mom had it laminated and bound; I was so proud.

That's awesome! I hope you still have it. It would be great to show kids at school visits. 

Did you hold other less glamorous jobs while waiting to be published?

I worked in public relations for 13 years, so I spent a lot of time promoting other people’s successes while waiting for my own.

I hear many times that the first book published by an author isn’t the first book they wrote. Tell us about your first book.

The first book I wrote was an awful fiction novel that will never see the light of day. That said, it was a necessary experience for me. When I got the idea for FORGOTTEN, I never questioned that I could do it. I just wrote.

People always want to know about the writer lifestyle. How much do you write each day?

It really depends. As my girls have gotten older, my writing time has diminished. I usually have about two hours before Hubby goes to work and another two at naptime. Usually, I work Saturdays when he’s home and can hang out with the girls. I also have help one or two mornings a week. I never write in the evening. I’m worthless after about 4 p.m.

Now let’s jump into the book:
How did you come up with the idea for London’s memory issue? Is it a real condition or fictional?

It’s completely fictional. My daughters were five months old when I came up with the idea: I was incredibly sleep deprived. I was doing something in the kitchen and forgot what I was doing in the middle of the activity. My brain wandered to thoughts of amnesia…and thoughts of amnesia in high school. Then the idea of “remembering” forward instead of backward just struck me. FORGOTTEN was born.

It seems like it would be hard to keep up with some of the events London remembered and some that she didn't. Like London, did you have a lot of notes too while writing this?

Definitely. I made timeline after timeline. That said, often when writing a scene that started on a new day, I’d deliberately not read my notes so that I forgot what happened last in an attempt to try to walk in London’s shoes. I think those passages were better for my not knowing.

I get a kick out of those outtakes on DVD releases of movies. Were there some interesting scenes that you liked, but had to take out during the editing process? 

I’m a fairly drastic editor so there are too many deleted scenes to count. Nothing stands out, which I guess is why those scenes were cut. :)

Where did the name London come from? 

I believe it came from my baby name book. Naming characters is such a big deal to me: I obsess over it and can’t start writing until the main characters’ names feel right. I wanted something unique but not over the top, and felt that London fit the bill. More than that, it fit her: the character coming to life in my brain.

Australian Cover - love the tag line
(click to read it)

I agree. It totally fit her. 
I’m so blown away by the concept of this book that I can’t wait to read your next book! Can you give us a little teaser about the plot? 

I wish! I’m dying to share news about my second book because it’s finished, but alas, I can’t…yet. Please stay tuned on Facebook/Twitter and my site as I’ll announce details as soon as my publisher gives the green light. I can say that it’ll be out June 2012, and it’s also about a teen girl in a normal town with an abnormal life.

Finally, I won’t ask your favorite book, because I know how tough that can be. But tell us who some of your favorite authors are.
I have so many favorites! Here are just a few: Neil Gaiman, John Green, Suzanne Collins, Jay Asher, Lisa McMann and Carolyn Mackler. I’ve also read nearly every book by Harlan Coben and Michael Connelly. I love crime novels!

Thank you so much. Congratulations on your success! My readers and I look forward to your next book. :)

Thank you for the opportunity. Very best to you and your readers!

For more on Cat Patrick, check out her website.

Mike Mullin. ASHFALL

This apocalyptic book brought to mind another one of my absolute favorites, LIFE AS WE KNEW IT. I read it about four years ago, but I will always remember the atmosphere that Pfeffer brought to that book. It was so real. Mullin is equally talented in creating an atmosphere and characters that will stick with me long after today.

Fifteen-year-old Alex was so excited to get to stay home alone while his parents and sister went to visit their uncles farm in Warren, IL. Lately he and his mom had been fighting constantly and the idea of vacationing with them on a farm was to much to bear. He would regret that decision.

The rumbling began three hours later while he played World of Warcraft. It sounded like an earthquake. Then his house fell right on top of him and caught on fire. After climbing his way out, he meets up with some neighbors who take him in for the night. They deal with with strange occurrences all night: noises so loud they have to wear headphones, no electricity, no water. Then the ashfall begins. The sky is dark and the air begins to cool. They are able to figure out what happened from snippets on the battery powered radio. The supervolcano beneath Yellowstone has erupted.

After several incidents of violence and panic, Alex decides to go find his parents in Warren. Traveling is dangerous and difficult. People along the way are distraught and desperate. There is no way to know what's going on in other areas. The sky is dark with ash cover. The roads are thick with ash, making it slow to walk. Alex was creative enough to grab his dad's cross country skis to help him travel.  No vehicles can travel across the ash. After grabbing what food and water he can fit in his backpack, Alex sets out to reach his family. He will do whatever it takes to be able to have the luxury of fighting with his mom once more.

While reading LIFE AS WE KNEW IT, I felt compelled to check our pantry for can foods. While nearing the end of this book, I felt the need to go outside and feel the sunshine and warmth. I looked up at the sun  to revel in the lack of ash in the air. Mullin created such a realistic world that my mind had a hard time leaving it behind. The gripping suspense and action-packed plot kept me reading way past my bedtime. You will be tempted to read it all in one sitting. But then you'll be sad it's over. Fortunately, I found out that there is a sequel due out next year! I'm so glad! I'm anxious to see what's happening with Alex in the next book.

For more on Mike Mullin go here for his website.
This book is due out in October. Put it on your "to read" list. You won't regret it!

Jessica Martinez. VIRTUOSITY

Carmen Bianchi is a seventeen-year-old violin prodigy. Her life has consisted of practicing, going to lessons and winning competitions. The only "normal" part is her friendship with her tutor, Heidi. This suits Carmen fine, since the biggest competition of her life is coming soon and if she wins it, she'll be set for life. Winning the Guarneri would garner prestige, a world tour, and money, but it would also successfully push her past child-prodigy status to successful career violinist.

A few weeks before the semifinals, Jessica decides to spy on her toughest competitor, Jeremy King. She waits outside of the the symphony hall to get a glimpse of him after rehearsal. When he comes out, she's shocked to see that he no longer resembles his publicity photos in the least. He's grown up. Annoyingly, she finds herself attracted to him. He notices her too.

They begin emailing each other and then go on a date. Carmen is torn. He's her competition. She's supposed to hate him. They're supposed to hate each other. Only one person can win the Guarneri. If they continue to see each other, how would it feel afterwards she wins? But she is drawn to him. They are so much alike and no one understands her like he does. Then her mom tells her that Jeremy doesn't really like her at all. He's trying to mess with her mind. Carmen ends the relationship. But not before Jeremy asks her a difficult question that messes with her desire to win.

The pressure from her mom, the pressure from Jeremy, the expectations she puts on herself all build up until Carmen isn't sure she knows who she is anymore.

I loved this! The moody, longing atmosphere kept me coming back. Whenever I put it down, I couldn't wait to get back to it. I love the connection between Carmen and Jeremy. I loved the insights into the mind of a violinist. I could feel the pressure and expectations on Carmen, as much as if they were on myself.

This is the first novel from Jessica Martinez. What an exciting new YA author! While reading this, I had to wonder if she was a musician, since the knowledge seemed authentic. Lo and behold, she was! You can find out more about her here!

My copy is an advance copy. The book is due out in October. Put it on your "to read" list. You won't regret it!

Cat Patrick. FORGOTTEN

Imagine going to sleep at night and waking up the next morning not remembering the day before. At all. Zero. And imagine this happening to you every day. London Lane has this problem. Although, she does have forward memory. So, she remembers things like where her calculus class is located at school because she goes there in the future too. Plus, she knows events that will happen to her best friends in the coming months. Bizarre, right?

London's dad left her and her mother when she was six. Her and her dad had been in a terrible car crash where London died and was brought back to life at 4:33 am. This is the reason they assume her memory resets itself every morning at that time. London has never been able to remember her past. As a coping mechanism, she writes down all the important details of each day, so when she wakes up she can read her notes and function like a normal person.

Then she begins dating Luke. She's surprised each morning by how handsome he is, since she doesn't remember meeting him. Even with having her notes to remind her, it still feels like meeting him all over again. Even stranger, she doesn't remember him in her future. This makes her curious. If he's not in her future then what happens to them. Around the same time she met Luke, she begins having a memory of a funeral. Someone will die, but who?

Here is a section that really brings home what it feels like to remember forward, rather than backward.

    "I remember forward.
     I remember forward, and forget backward.
     My memories, bad, boring, or good, haven't happened yet.
     So like it or not - and like it I don't - I will remember standing in the fresh-cut grass with the black-clad figures durrounded by stone until I do it for real. I will remember the funeral until it happens - until someone dies.
     And after that, it will be forgotten."

The concept is fascinating and the reason I picked up the book. But the writing kept me reading. It's mysterious, psychologically fascinating and suspenseful! You'll love it! It really made me think! I wonder if this type of memory problem really exists or did the author make it up? Also, I love the selective-ness of it. If London decides she doesn't want to remember something, she just doesn't write it in her notes. How powerful is that? You can choose only the good stuff. And what do you do with knowledge of the future? It's all so fascinating.

This is a stunning debut by Cat Patrick. For more about her click here for her website. I cannot wait to see what she writes next!

Louise Rennison. WITHERING TIGHTS

The best way to describe this is what a HOOT!! (No pun intended with the owl on the cover!) You've probably heard of Louise Rennison and her Georgia Nicholson books, with ANGUS, THONGS AND FULL-FRONTAL SNOGGING being the first one, and a Printz Honor Book!
 
This new character created by Rennison is hysterical! Although, she's really not trying to be. The story is set in Yorkshire, England where Tallulah Casey is attending summer drama school to avoid camping with her brother. She  is hoping to discover her artistic abilities, meet some new friends and maybe even have a go at romance (or at the very least, experience her first kiss.)


This is a witty, laugh out loud story about Tallulah and a quirky cast of characters that you won't soon forget! The setting is completely new to me. The school is located in the English countryside. I mean - country! There is a funny scene on Tallulah's first day when she tells the local girl, Ruby, that she's going to check out the shops. Well, she returns in about five minutes, because there are no shops. It's literally a one-horse town! But Ruby didn't say anything, she just sent her off on her way.

Another thing new for me was the Yorkshire dialect that the local people used. I could hear the British accent and inflection the entire time, but sometimes the dialect of the locals confused me. But normally, I was fine. I love the airy, breezy inflection in most of the speech. For example, doesn't "I'll pop around after school"  sound so much more fun than "I'll meet you after school." And doesn't "Oh, just give it a go" make anything sound way easier than it probably is? Finally, my favorite has to be, "Do you fancy a ride in my car?"

Overall, the dialogue and story is hysterically funny! I ask you - where else would a character break into Irish Dancing when she's nervous?? Nowhere else but in a Louise Rennison novel.

You will enjoy this, but be warned. Don't be in a quiet place, because you will giggle loudly!

Deb Caletti. STAY

This is only the second book I've read by Deb Caletti, and I already love her! I just looked over my review of THE FORTUNES OF INDIGO SKYE and I wasn't surprised to see that I had used quotes from the book, because I'm going to do that again here. Deb Caletti's writing is so spectacular that it's difficult to write the review without sharing some gems with you.

 "I realized that fear and guilt were both cheap and easy emotions, ready and always available, the salt and pepper to the more exotic herbs that took more effort to gather, like courage or determination or regret."

The funny thing is - that quote sums up the book better than I could. After reading the book, go back and read it. You'll see.

Clara knew when she met Christian that it was going to be a turning point in her life. He was "the one." They instantly had a powerful attraction to each other. The fact that he was so impressed with her gave Clara a powerful feeling. So, when things start going downhill, she begins to feel responsible. He begins getting jealous at the drop of a hat, possessive and controlling about where she goes and how she spends her time. Clara rationalizes his behavior and even begins to start believing some things she says about her. She finally decides to break up with him. But Christian will have none of that. He refuses to let her go. Clara and her father move out of town for the summer to get away from him. Will he finally leave her alone? Will she be able to find herself again and heal?

"Empathy took the edge off, and the truth is, we need our edge. Our edge is trying to speak to us, and we are too, too good at shutting it up."

The novel is told in two time periods that meet up together near the end. If that sounds strange, it is. And not too many authors could've pulled it off so smoothly. As we live through Clara meeting Christian and developing their relationship, we are also living through Clara's new life and wondering how the relationship ended. To make the plot even more layered, Clara's father is hiding something from her. Interestingly enough, they are able to help each other in the end.

You will love this! It's deep, moving, complex, suspenseful and brilliantly written! I can't wait to read more from her! For more about Deb Caletti, check her out here. 

By the way, this is one of those books that I think all teenage girls should read, so they know the difference between someone who is good for you and someone who is BAD for you.

Elizabeth Woods. CHOKER

Wow, wow, wow!! I couldn't put this one down. It is so suspenseful that I nearly had to physically force myself not to skip ahead to see what happens next! This is the first book by Elizabeth Woods and I cannot wait to see what she writes next. Now for the summary:

Cara is not having the greatest time in high school. She seems pretty normal by all accounts, but she's bullied by the popular girls. The first glimpse we get into their cruel behavior is when Cara nearly chokes to death on a carrot at lunch. Ethan, the cute guy that Cara has been watching lately, appears behind her in time to do the Heimlich on her to rescue her. This type of event (almost dying) would seem to garner sympathy from most kids. However, the mean girls use this to taunt her for days afterwords by making choking noises and calling her Choker.

Cara begins reminiscing back to fifth grade before she moved away from her best friend Zoe. They did everything together and had so much fun. If only Zoe could be here now to help her through her trouble in school. Later that day Cara is shocked to find Zoe in her bedroom when she gets home. Zoe has run away from home and wants to hide out in Cara's room for a few days. Cara is thrilled and agrees to hide her best friend. After reconnecting with Zoe for a few days, things begin to look up for Cara. She summons more courage to be herself at school and finds her confidence again. She's being invited to parties and flirting with cute boy, Ethan. But just as everything is looking bright for Cara, her enemies start having trouble. Her neighbor, mean girl #2, drowns in her pool. Then another girl goes missing. Surely the arrival of Zoe has nothing to do with all of this, right?

This is suspenseful,  gripping and creepy! You WILL NOT be able to put it down! Elizabeth Woods has written a brilliant first novel. I looked for her website to find out more about her, but she doesn't seem to have one, yet. I will certainly be looking forward to whatever she writes next!

Lauren Myracle. SHINE

I'm amazed at the diversity of books that Lauren Myracle writes. You have the TTYL friendship series, the BLISS & RHYMES WITH WITCHES horror type books and the adorable ELEVEN series. SHINE is absolutely like none of those. It's special all on it's own.

If you're wanting a light summer read. This is NOT it. If, however, you're wanting something real, disturbing, thoughtful and gritty. This is your book.

The talented Lauren Myracle brings you into the small town of Black Creek, North Carolina. Cat's best friend, Patrick, has just been beaten into a coma. It's assumed to be a hate crime, since he's gay. In the small town of Black Creek, it's insinuated that he had it coming. The local police follow what little clues they have but don't seem that determined to do any real investigation. So Cat sets out to find out who did this to her best friend.

After being violated herself a few years before, Cat pulled away from Patrick and her friends. This slows her investigation down a little because she has to re-establish some relationships. Her eyes open wider as she delves deeper and deeper into her friends' lives over the past few years. As she slowly learns what happened to Patrick, she begins the process of healing herself.

I can't say that I enjoyed being in this world particularly, as I have with other books. But I did root for Cat and enjoyed reading it. The mystery sucks you in completely from page one. It's beautifully written. Lauren Myracle did a spectacular job in bringing this world to life. I walked the woods and climbed the rocks right alongside Cat. The book will resonate with many for a wide variety of reasons. But get ready to be shocked and saddened. Although, just as the title suggests - it's not a completely sad story!

Go visit Ms. Myracle's adorable website! I don't know when she redesigned it, but it's super adorable!! <3