Where is Amanda Valentino?

Ever since Amanda moved to Orion and singled out Callie to be her guide, she made Callie feel special.  Far from the prying eyes of her ‘friends’ the I-girls, she could be her true self and enjoy the attention of fascinating, eccentric Amanda.  But Amanda Valentino was a master of being exactly who she wasn’t.  When she suddenly disappears, Callie can’t help but be confused, worried, then angry when she finds out that she wasn’t Amanda’s only guide after all.  

This book is one of those where everything could be a clue, so I don’t want to tell you too much, but here’s my take on the book: 

Invisible I was intriguing to say the least.  Every little clue, every note or drawing Amanda left behind takes on extreme importance in your mind as you try to figure out why she left and who she REALLY was.  Who else in town knew Amanda, but knew her as a completely different person? 

The book was very well done, but I’ll wait until the next book to judge the series as a whole.  This series has a planned EIGHT books and I don’t know if I can take that.  You know the TV show Lost?  Everyone I know who watched it got so frustrated because there were a jillion questions and clues, but for the longest time you never found out anything that mattered.  I really hope The Amanda Project series can avoid becoming just a series of clues without ever getting anywhere before book eight.  I need answers!  Hope you’ll read the book and tell me what you think. 

In the meantime, check out www.theamandaproject.com  where you can become part of the community, check out other people’s theories about what happened to Amanda, and post your own ideas.

The Amanda Project Book 1: Invisible I by Stella Lennon is now available at the library.

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

Monstrumology: the study of life forms generally malevolent to humans; the hunting of such creatures.

Apprentice monstrumologist Will Henry cannot escape his creeping dread each time there’s a midnight knock on the door of the home of Dr. Pellinore Warthrop.  Although no one in the town of New Jerusalem speaks of it, they all know the special area of study which consumes the doctor’s life, a study none of them would voluntarily undertake.  Unless, like Erasmus Gray, they happened upon an abomination like the one he found one night while engaged in the ghoulish task of graverobbing. 

There, curled around the dead body of a girl was a monster out of myth, which had died while sating it’s hunger for human flesh: an Anthropophagi.  It’s hideous, headless form housed two black eyes and a gaping mouth filled with teeth meant to rip open humans.  The doctor knows that where there is one Anthropophagi, there are many, so he enlists his assistant, orphan Will Henry, to aid him in ridding New Jerusalem of the menace brought to their doorstep.

Lovers of horror, the gruesome and the grotesque, this is the book for you.  Each Anthropophagi attack is described with grim realism down to the shattered skulls and dripping gore.  Will Henry’s observations made me cringe and want to turn away even as I couldn’t put this book down.  As the two become closer to finding out the origins of the Anthropophagi in New Jerusalem, the suspense grows as you find out just what brought the monsters to America’s shores.

But beyond the dread and death, it’s worth reading this book just for the fascinating  Warthrop and Will Henry.  Warthrop’s intensity and complete dedication to his work have an all too human cause, and Will Henry’s determination, doubts and turmoil helped make him a realistic young man thrust into a strange new world upon his parents’ death.  

I highly recommend this book.  Seriously, what are you waiting for???  The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey is now available at the library.

Katie

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Grace has never been afraid of the wolves that roam the woods behind her house.  When she was younger, she was pulled off her tire swing and dragged into the woods, but even the sensation of being prodded and bitten was overshadowed by the protection of one yellow-eyed wolf who refused to join the pack as they attacked her.   

Six years after being pulled from her swing, another animal attack sends the town into a panic, determined to hunt down the wolves and kill them. Grace knows that she is the only chance her wolf has to survive.   She had always suspected her wolf was more than just another animal, and she was about to find out how close to the truth she was.  

Sam had tried to force himself to be human before, just so he could be closer to Grace, closer to his true self, but he had no choice.  Every year, as summer turned to fall and the temperature dropped, he changed into a wolf, and now he’s worried that this might be the last year he has left before the change becomes permanent. 

Told from the alternating points of view of Sam and Grace, the book also alternates beautifully between their despair at the thought of Sam changing forever, and the joy that they could finally be together.  The language of the book is striking at times, like Sam’s feelings when he kisses Grace for the first time: “I was wild and tame and pulled into shreds and crushed into being all at once.”

If you like romance of the star-crossed lovers variety, need something to read after Twilight, or just have a thing for wolves, I highly recommend Shiver.  I really enjoyed the book, though the ending was a little rushed for my taste – I wanted more! 

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater is now available at the library, and will soon be available as a Playaway audio book.

I Can’t Keep My Own Secrets

Quick! Describe your life in only six words.  It’s harder than it seems, but the results are fascinating 100% of the time. 

Now available at the library is “I Can’t Keep My Own Secrets: Six-Word Memoirs by Teens Famous and Obscure.”   Open it up to any page and you’ll find a tantalizing glimpse into the mind and heart of someone who only had six words in which to give you an important piece of themselves.  Hundreds of authors, hundreds of autobiographies, and hundreds of stories to choose from. 

In the book, Sarah R. says she’s “Now always thinking in six-word phrases,” and after reading this book I was too.  I loved the book, but there’s just too much to tell in only one phrase!  Here are two of mine:

Recommend studying abroad; changed my self-perception.

Unexpectedly enjoying being a teen librarian.

And here’s a classic quote by librarian Betty Rosenberg, which just happens to be six words, but they are words to live by:

Never apologize for your reading tastes.

Check out the book now, and comment me with your own six word memoir.   Be sure to go to www.smithteens.com to add your memoir to their project.

Food, girls, and other things Andy can’t have

306.4 pounds.  NOT 307.  That’s how much Andy Zansky weighs on the first day of his sophomore year.  He expects it to be pretty much a repeat of his freshman experience: hanging with his best friend Eytan doing Model UN, having luck with no girls whatsoever, and trying to avoid being abused by a jerk named Ugo. 

But then, the weekend before school starts, he meets beautiful April at a wedding being catered by his mother, a specialist in creating mini-food for any special occasion.  When April shows up as a new student at school, Andy’s focus becomes getting her to notice him, and maybe even fall in love at second sight.  Unfortunately, a gym-class incident involving Andy, a misplaced soccer kick and his size XXXL underwear pretty much puts an end to that dream.  Until football tryouts.

Will being a member of the team finally give Andy a chance to be popular?  Can football notoriety erase April’s memory of the underwear incident?  Will Andy fall victim to the deliciousness of his mother’s mini-pies?

This book is a consistently funny, quick read that I recommend if you want a good laugh.  Check out Food, girls, and other things I can’t have by Allen Zadoff, now available a the library.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

I just got done with Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins’ sequel to The Hunger Games, and I can’t believe I have to wait another year to find out what happens next! 

Katniss could never have predicted the consequences of  her actions at the end of last year’s Hunger Games, when the threat of her and Peeta’s suicide in the arena led to the Capitol allowing them both to live.  Nor could she know how much her ‘undying love’ for Peeta would affect her relationships back home in District 12, especially with Gale, the friend-with-the-possibility-of more she had to leave behind. 

There’s SO much going on in the book, and I would not want to deprive you of all the moments that left me gasping in shock.  Expect trouble in the Districts, an appearance from the odious President Snow, and a shocking twist to the rules of the Games.  So surprising that I believe I yelled out “WHAT?!”  Suzanne Collins, I love you yet I curse your name – now that’s what I call a good writer.

The unrelenting grip of the Capitol and the misery that hangs over the daily lives of those in the Districts sometimes made me long for a good action scene in the arena just to get away from it.  But Katniss’ ability to appreciate the small pleasures in her expected-to-be-brief life helped turn it around.  I detested the Capitol’s treachery, envied Katniss’ bravery, and laughed at least one time at Peeta’s complete audacity.

I hope you like Catching Fire as much as I did.  Put your name on hold for the book now at the library.

Book Review: Right Behind You

Jamika C. reviewed Right Behind You by Gail Giles and gave it 4 out of 5 stars.  Careful, there are spoilers in this review!

“This book was about a little boy having problems in his life that caused him to get in trouble all the time.  He moves into a hospital-like prison and tries to get better, but ends up being worse.  He moves back in with his dad and dad’s new wife and they end up having to move two times because of all the hatred.  They change their name and move and try to keep Kip/Wade’s life a secret, but Wade falls in love and tells the girl everything.  I like the ending because Wade thought he had to move again, but the girl stayed by his side.”

Book Review: Parties and Potions

“This book was about a witch trying to fit in with both communities.  I liked how it grabbed you in with an interesting polt and the characters had defined personalities.  I hated that it was the last book in the series because I read it first.”

Marissa A. read Parties and Potions by Sarah Mlynowski and gave it 4 out of 5 stars.   And don’t worry, we have the entire series at the library!

Book Reviews: Crank and Glass

Lauren M. reviewed Crank and Glass by Ellen Hopkins and gave both books 5 out of 5 stars.

“This book is about how a girl’s life can change drastically after her first encounter with the “monster” commonly known as meth.  I love this book mainly because it seems so real.  Also I absolutely love how it is written in verse.  As I was reading, I just could not put the book down.  I totally just got sucked into the story and did not want to stop reading.”

 
“This book is the sequel to the book Crank. It basically is a continuation of how the main character Kristina’s encounter with meth keeps digging her farther and farther into a hole that she can’t get out of.  This is such a great book because it shows both sides of what drugs can do to you.  At first drugs can be fun, but as you get hooked, it starts to take over and soon you stop being  yourself anymore.”

Book Review: The Hunter’s Moon

“This book was about a girl named Gwin trying to save her cousin Findabhair from the fairies who are planning on sacrificing her or her cousin to the Crom Cruac.  I loved reading this book since it has a good blend of fantasy and reality. ”

Kayleigh P. reviewed this book and gave it 5 out of 5 stars.

Book Review: Impulse

Well, it’s the last day to turn in your book reviews for extra summer reading tickets.  Today, Monday the 20th, is the end of summer reading – can you believe 6 weeks have already gone by? 

Here’s Lauren M.’s review of Impulse by Ellen Hopkins.

“This book is told from the point of view of 3 different people.  These 3 people, Tony, Vanessa & Connor, all meet in a facility that they all were sent to after they tried to kill themselves.  This book is the story of their journey to getting better.  I loved this book because it seemed so real.  The author did a very good job at imitating how a suicidal person would act and think.”

Lauren M. gave Impulse 5 out of 5 stars.

Book Review: Runner

This summer, you can submit book reviews during our Summer Reading Program and earn an extra grand prize ticket.

Carl Deuker’s Runner may be on your school’s summer reading list.  Here’s a review by Maureen H.  Warning, some spoilers!

“This book was about Chance Taylor and how he and his father are living poorly in Seattle and Chance gets a job delivering packages.  He doesn’t know what’s in the packages, but he and his father find out they’re plastic explosives.  When he comes to legal authorities, they figure it is a terrorist attack and use him to stop it.  Chance loses his father, but saves many more.”

Maureen H. gives Runner 5 out of 5 stars.

Book Review: Along for the Ride

This summer, you can submit book reviews during our Summer Reading Program and earn an extra grand prize ticket.

Stephanie L. just read the new Sarah Dessen book, Along for the Ride.

“A teenage girl headed for college in the fall chooses to spend the summer with her father and his new wife in a beach town.  During her stay, she learns to embrace life and childhood through new friends and a beau. This book is a definite summer favorite, if a bit predictable.”

Stephanie L. gave Along for the Ride 4 out of 5 stars.

Book Review: Eagle Strike

This summer, you can submit book reviews during our Summer Reading Program and earn an extra grand prize ticket.

Here’s Steven Z.’s review of Eagle Strike by Anthony Horowitz:

“This book was about a M-I6 spy agent who investigates a millionaire, Damian Cray, after he was suspected of killing/blowing up his friend’s dad.  I loved it because it ade me want to keep reading because it was full of suspense and jam packed with action.”

Steven Z. gave Eagle Strike 5 out of 5 stars.

The Comet’s Curse

If you believe the movies, the only reason to worry about a comet is when it’s on a trajectory to collide with Earth.  But in The Comet’s Curse by Dom Testa, it’s not the comet itself that is dangerous, it’s what it’s carrying: a plague.  Within nine months of Comet Bhaktul passing Earth, it seemed certain that anyone over the age of 18 would soon contract Bhaktul disease and die. 

There is no known cure for the disease, and only one solution: find a group of the smartest, most adaptable, most physically fit teens and train them for a five-year space travel mission to settle Eos, a planet which seems able to support human life.  Sound crazy?  Maybe it is, but it could be humanity’s only chance of survival.

I have to say, this book sucked me in!  As I was reading, I could completely envision this book as a TV series.  There are great characters, a mystery, and flashbacks to the crew members’ lives before joining the Galahad. 

If you’re smart but not a people person, you’ll feel for Bon, the 15-year-old Head of Agriculture, but if you’re the ultimate people person with a cheery disposition, you’ll like Channy, the Activities Director. Maybe you’re like Triana, the reserved 16-year-old Captain of the Galahad, who must shoulder the burdens of command.  Or Gap, the Head of Engineering, who must deal with the technical problems a 5 year space mission will encounter (not to mention a crush on another crew member).  And I can’t forget Roc, the ship’s computer, which was programmed with the personality of its creator.

The Comet’s Curse was a quick read and a satisfying story, but it left plenty of questions for sequels.  Can Roc really be trusted?  Will the entire crew make it to Eos, and what will the planet be like? What are the mystery items locked away in the Storage Section, and will the crew really be able to resist looking inside? Will those left behind on Earth ever find a cure for Bhaktul disease?

Check out The Comet’s Curse by Dom Testa, now available at the library, and try reading Triana’s journal, at the Club Galahad website.

Katie

Book Reviews

This summer, you can submit book reviews during our Summer Reading Program and earn an extra grand prize ticket.

Here’s a review of Tamora Pierce’s “The Will of the Empress” by Kayleigh P.

“This book is about Sandry, Briar, Daja, and Tris.  Four young mages who get trapped in Sandry’s cousin’s, who is an empress, country.  It is a very exciting sequel to a very exciting series.”

Kayleigh P. gave “The Will of the Empress” 4 out of 5 stars.

 

Maureen H. reviewed Gabrielle Zevin’s “Elsewhere.”

“It was about a 15 year old girl named Liz who died and is now living in the afterlife called Elsewhere.  She meets her deceased Grandmother who is about the same age as her mother now because of the aging backwards in Elsewhere.  At first, Liz is really upset that she died, but after falling in love and meeting new friends, she learns ‘a life lived in reverse is no different from a life lived forward.’”

Maureen H. gave “Elsewhere” 5 out of 5 stars.

The Reformed Vampire Support Group

When I say vampires, what comes to mind?  Super strength, super speed, romance and glamour?  If only that were true!  Australian teen Nina Harrison knows all too well that being a vampire is not all it’s cracked up to be in the movies. 

Ever since 1973, when she was bitten at age 15, Nina’s been stuck living at home with her mom, relying on other vampires for rides (since she’ll never turn 16 and can’t get a driver’s license), and seeing the same old vampires week after week at her Tuesday night reformed vampire support group meeting. 

When one of the group members is discovered dead, with nothing but a pile of ash and a single silver bullet found in the coffin he sleeps in, Nina and the other reformed vamps know that they’ve all been put in danger.  His death means that someone found out he was a vampire, hunted him down, and killed him, leaving Nina and the others with no choice but to find the murderer and stop him. 

Will they find him?  I can tell you that they find criminals, kidnappers and werewolves along the way, but to see if they ever find that vampire hunter, you’ll have to read the book. 

If you like reading about vampires and don’t mind having everything you’ve heard about them turned upside down, you’ll enjoy this book.  Even if you don’t like vampire books you’ll enjoy the weirdness of some the characters.  The book has humor, sarcasm, suspense, and even a few pretty gross moments, so there’s something for everyone.    

What I liked most were the little details about life as a vampire.  Did you know that a guinea pig a day keeps that craving for human blood away?  Have you ever thought about how a vampire can take a road trip without being exposed to sunlight?  And why can’t vamps take cab rides? 

The Reformed Vampire Support Group is by Catherine Jinks, who also wrote Evil Genius and Genius Squad, so if you read and liked those, you should give this book a try. 

The Reformed Vampire Support Group is on the shelf now.

Katie

Book Review: PrettyTough by Liz Tigelaar

This summer, you can submit book reviews during our Summer Reading Program and earn an extra grand prize ticket. 

 Here’s a review of Liz Tigelaar’s PrettyTough by Marisa A.

“This book was about two sisters that absolutely hated each other.  One was a soccer star in high school while the other had no friends and was a surfer.  When the new soccer coach recruits both sisters, rivalry takes over which they have to overcome to win the games. 

I loved this book because it grabbed you in and I have a twin brother, so there’s a lot of sibling rivalry in our house.”

Marisa A. gives PrettyTough 5 out of 5 stars.

Teens’ Top Ten

More than 8,000 teens voted on the best books that were put out between January 2007 and April 2008, and here’s what they ranked as the top ten:

1. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling
3. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney 
4. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
5. Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports by James Patterson
6. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
7. The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray 
8. Extras by Scott Westerfeld 
9. Before I Die by Jenny Downham 
10. Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson 

Do you agree?  What are your top ten picks? 

Katie

The Hunger Games

Finally, the day you’ve all been waiting for is here! The 74th annual Hunger Games are about to begin. 

All citizens of districts 1-12 must send one girl and one boy between the age of 12 and 18 to compete for the entertainment of the Capitol.  So you may have to kill your enemies, friends, even the boy who loves you?  It’s all for the glory of Panem (formerly North America), so do your best, and remember, it’s kill or be killed. 

Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor!

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is now available on the library’s new young adult book shelves. 

If you want a book that will keep you reading even though the next page might bring death, if you want a book that puts you in the shoes of someone desperate but strong, if you want a book that will make you angry and make you think, give The Hunger Games a try. 

Katie