Just One Day by Gayle Forman

Allyson Healey isn’t very spontaneous. She generally follows the rules and done what is expected of her. On the European tour that was a graduation gift from her parents, she’s one of her tour guide’s favorite students. But a few days before she’s due to fly back home, she is convinced to skip out on seeing a professional Shakespeare production and instead attends an underground version of Twelfth Night. She is immediately intrigued by actor Willem (and, frankly, so are we). She’s even more intrigued when he invites her to go to Paris, just for a day. And that day winds up changing absolutely everything for Allyson. She has the most exceptional 24 hours that she has ever dreamed of having. But just as suddenly, Willem leaves her without word, and everything comes crashing down. Her adventure is over and she flies home to her family, her friends, and her own life . . . and she is completely alone. The kind of alone that prevents you from being with other people without hurting.

So, ultimately, she makes a choice. She returns to Europe and she is determined to find Willem and uncover some answers. Or maybe, she’s off to find herself.

This is a romance that goes far beyond tradition. It is hopeful and terrifying, and completely fulfilling. Keep your eye out for the sequel, Just One Year, available in October 2013.

UnWholly by Neal Shusterman

I don't typically used this blog to mention books that are part of a series (unless it's the first book), but this sequel to the cult favorite, Unwind, is certainly worthy of that mention, especially since there are five years between the two publications.

UnWholly picks up right where Unwind left off, with Connor running the AWOL Graveyard, where Risa is serving as the primary medic. Lev is under house arrest, allowed out only under the supervision of his brother Marcus or Pastor Dan. Readers also become acquainted with Starkey, as stork with a major chip on his shoulder who is brought to the Graveyard, and with Cam, the culmination of parts pieced together from a total 99 unwinds.

A network of twists, turns, and uncovered mysteries are revealed in this bridge from the original Unwind to the forthcoming and much anticipated Book Three, UnSold, due out in October 2013. In the meantime, take a peak at Lev's untold story, UnStrung, available digitally. Buy it for Kindle, Nook, and Apple.

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Amy isn't sure that she agrees with her parents' decision to be frozen for 300 years in order to board a spaceship that is venturing out to colonize a new planet. Her mom's expertise with genetic biology and Dad's military background make them "essential" to the future colony's success. Amy has been given special clearance to accompany her parents as "nonessential cargo." And though she doesn't necessarily agree with the decision, she can't imagine NOT going with her parents . . .

But 250 years later, aboard Godspeed, Amy is woken unexpectedly, prematurely, and perhaps accidentally. Now she's on a spaceship that isn't even going to land for another 50 years, and she feels completely alone. She's frustrated by the weird structure of the population aboard the ship, especially the unbalanced dictatorship of the Eldest. But little-by-little, she learns a bit about the life of those whose entire existence is breathing recycled air, never setting foot on real soil or seeing real stars. And little-by-little she is even more convinced that this life just isn't right.

Across the Universe is the first in a trilogy, completed with A Million Suns and Shades of Earth.
Reviewed by kate the librarian.

Bad Island by Doug TenNapel

The absolute last thing that Reese wants to do is go on this family boating trip that his father is super enthusiastic about. Reese insists that he's responsible enough to stay home alone, and his father insists that this is a FAMILY activity.

So, they embark on the boat trip only to be shipwrecked on an abandoned island. When creepy things start to happen, Reese, his parents, and his little sister must figure out where they are and how to survive long enough in order to get back home. In a Lost-esque atmosphere, there is certainly a lot to learn about the island itself, as well as it's dangerous creatures who seem to be out to get them. But Reese and his family figure out a way to defeat the bad that seems to be part of the island's very groundwork?

Recommended to middle grade boys, with maybe a few exceptions

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Equal parts creepy and wonderfully mystical, this tale of peculiarities will surely take hold of any reader.

Jacob grew up listening to his grandfather's stories: of how he lost his family to the war, of when he took refuge from Poland in a children's home in Wales, of how he battled monsters, and of the wonderful special friends he made during his childhood. Of course, at sixteen years old, Jacob had long grown out of believing his grandfather's tales of his childhood friends who could levitate, become invisible, or grow fire from bare hands. And he had long grown out of believing that the monsters his grandfather supposedly battled were real.

But when Jacob finds his grandfather following some kind of mysterious vicious attack, and they share secret last words, his becomes determined to uncover his history, and to find what truth their might be behind the stories. With a trip to an isolated island of Wales, he uncovers more than any dreams are made of . . .

Recommended to all with a flair for the "different," the quirky, and the paranormal, for both children and adults.

Reviewed by kate the librarian. 

Book trailer from Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/gp/mpd/permalink/m1DU2ULOKGGNSS/ref=ent_fb_link

And there's more on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/MissPeregrine

The Apothecary by Maile Meloy

The ideal selection for all middle grade readers excited about spies, magic, and science:

Sharks and Boys by Kristen Tracy

Enid THINKS she has problems. Her parents are in counseling because her father is a cheater, and Enid is having a lot of trouble forgiving him his indiscretions. She and her brother don't have nearly the kind of close connection as the others in their Twin Study Group. And her handsome, smart, and funny boyfriend wants a "break" from her. She feels like her world is spinning out of control and she's trying desperately to reel it back in to a place of calm and comfort.

But when she follows her brother, her boyfriend, and their friends to another state to spy on a party to find out if her boyfriend is cheating on her, she finds anything but calm. She finds herself on a sinking boat as a stowaway in the middle of a storm . . . in the middle of the ocean.This story is full of turmoil, and the group of friends must figure out a way to survive. They won't all be able to make it. And for those of them who do make it to the next day, what comes next?

Recommended to all middle grade and high school ages, though the fluffy title and cover might not prepare readers for the worst.

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

Blink & Caution by Tim Wynne-Jones

Blink got his name because he blinks uncontrollably. He's on the run from a weak mother and a stepfather who is too strong for his own good. Over the past six months of living on the streets, he thinks he's gotten pretty good at finding clothes and food, but one day that gets him into trouble.

Caution named herself. Caution: Contents May Be Hot. Cation: Poison. She's running away from a tragedy for which she just can't forgive herself. She thinks she deserves nothing and has gotten mixed up with a dangerous drug dealer, hoping that he will be her salvation -- her death.

Blink and Caution cross paths before she steals his money, but they never notices each other before meeting at the train station, headed for Kingston. This meeting propels them on a journey that neither could have even invented from their dreams, and ultimately leads to precious forgiveness and friendship. Hopefully they can survive long enough to enjoy the life they never imagined.

This is some seriously good teen noir crime suspense. Reviewed by kate the librarian.

Hawksmaid by Kathryn Lasky

Matty is the daughter of Nottingham's most famous falconer.  After her mother is brutally murdered by Prince John's men, her father teaches her many things to help her not only survive, but thrive as well.  It turns out that Matty is exceptional at falconry in her own right, at times it seems as though she is almost part bird, and she certainly is able to communicate with them through sound and feeling.  As Matty grows up, Prince John becomes more powerful and when the good King Richard is captured and held for ransom, she and her friends decide that they must do something to help their country.  So Matty becomes Maid Marion to secure a place working in the castle, and her friends form into a band of Merry Men: Robin Hood, Little John, Rich, and Will Scarlet.  Together they must find their own power, strength, and ability to ensure that good wins over evil.

This retelling of the legendary Robin Hood is in the capable hands of Kathryn Lasky, and middle grade and middle school readers who like adventure stories, historical fiction, and action will enjoy this read.  Though it's a relatively quick read, it's packed with death, destruction, and a little bit of a love story.

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

The Toymaker by Jeremy de Quidt

Very often I opt not to review books when I can't figure out to whom they might be recommended, but since this title is up for consideration for a Garden State Teen Book Award nomination, I figure I might as well jot some thoughts down.

The Toymaker is a creepy story, with lots of unsettling bumps along the way, and filled to the brim with a super haunting atmosphere.  Mathias has spent his whole short life traveling with his grandfather, Gustav the conjurer, as part of a circus troop.  When his grandfather dies, he is taken away by Dr. Leiter and brought to an inn in a small village.  But this is no safe and ordinary rescue; Dr. Leiter knows that Gustav has been hiding a secret and he wants to make sure that this particular secret is never uncovered.  Dr. Leiter and his "partner," an incredibly violent and unfeeling dwarf named Valder, are willing to go to great lengths to discover what Mathias knows, or destroy him in the process.  But a young girl working at the inn named Katta rescues Mathias and propels them both into a whirlwind chase filled with death, fear, pain, and only the smallest chance of survival.

There is little to like about this story or many of the characters.  Koening, the Burner who ultimately becomes friend and caregiver to the young ones, has the biggest heart, but the reader is never quite sure of his motive.  Stefan, Koenig's brother and companion, and Katta are never without a violent thought for the other.  And Mathias is being dragged along through so much of the trip due to injuries and sickness, that the reader never truly comes to know him.  Part action/adventure, part fantasy, part mystery, this story blurs lines and take the reader along for quite the ride. 

"The Toymaker will touch your heart and haunt you forever." . . . And that's not necessarily a good thing.

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

Reckless by Cornelia Funke

Jacob Reckless was just a child when he first found the entrance in his father's study.  Once John Reckless went missing, Jacob felt close to him by being around his things, and one day he simply came to realize the meaning of the inscription on the mirror in the study: The Mirror Will Open Only for He Who Cannot See Himself.

Now it's been twelve years of adventures in a world where Jacob goes treasure hunting for things like gold, invisibility potions, or a strand of Rapunzel's hair, and along the way making friends with shape-shifters, doing business with Dwarfs, and fighting (with or against) powerful Fairies.  Jacob first was just curious about this new world, but soon he found escape from reality and began to crossover more and more until he was hardly ever "home."  One day, when he was in a rush to enter through the mirror, his younger brother Will slipped in after him.  Now Will has been hurt and is transforming slowly (but not slowly enough to save him) into a powerful, unfeeling Goyl -- a being built of stone and driven by violence and loyalty to the king.  What is worse is that it  becomes clear that Will is the legendary Jade Goyl, and is being hunted by the Dark Fairy.

Jacob has long detached himself emotionally, striving only to learn more about the man he lost to this world many years ago, but now he must fight and risk his life to save the only family he has left. This compelling story is recommended to readers of all ages with an interest in fantasy, adventures, fairy tales, or survival.  This is a planned series!

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

Heist Society by Ally Carter

Katrina Bishop has grown up involved in the family business, especially around art museums - stealing from them, to be exact. She maneuvers her way into a fancy prep school only to find herself getting kicked out a few months later because she's caught in an exceptional prank. Only she knows that she didn't commit the offense, as creative and elaborate as it was. When W.W. Hale, an old friend, an ongoing flame, and a co-conspirator in the business, shows up, she's pretty sure she's being sucked back into a life that she still isn't sure she wants to be a part of. But when it's her dad who is in trouble, the job becomes personal and Kat is more determined than ever to set things right.

First I was reminded of Frankie Landau-Banks, and then I thought I might be running through a series of adventures in 39 Clues, but soon enough Kat, Hale, Simon, Gabrielle, and the Bagshaw brothers claim their rightful place as six of the most successful teenage adventurers, pranksters, and art thieves - ever. Well-done! This swift-moving read is recommended to all middle and high school readers. 

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

He knows that his name is "Thomas," but he can't remember much else to tell you.  He arrived through the Box same as all the other teenage boys, one a month for two years, all with no memories of life before and all feeling pretty rough around the edges.

Thomas quickly learns the ropes of life in the Glade, knowing immediately -- though he doesn't really know why -- that he wants to be a Runner.  The Runners spend all day, every day out in the Maze that surrounds the Glade, methodically mapping out the maze and searching for exits or clues to figure out a way of escape.  Each day they have to return before the doors of the Glade close and the deathly Grievers come out to play, otherwise they'll be trapped out in the Maze all night, a sure death sentence.  Those who even just get a taste of the Grievers' claws or spikes must be given a serum, and even then suffer through the Changing, a horribly painful process that none will talk about, but those who have been through it are never the same.

The day after Thomas arrives, a girl is dropped off in the Box.  From that moment on, nothing is the same.  Will the Gladers be able to figure out the Maze, or will they give up all hope of survival and getting back to whatever unknown life they were forced to leave behind?

Recommended to all, but especially older middle school and high school boys.  Fans of The Hunger Games will surely eat up The Maze Runner series!

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

CHEW: Volume 1: Taster's Choice by John Layman, illustrated by Rob Guillory

This graphic novel is certainly out of the ordinary.  Tony Chu is one of the few cibopaths of the world -- he gets psychic impressions from whatever he eats -- and his work as a detective often gets him into sticky, not-so-tasty situations.  When he's employed by the Special Crimes Division of the FDA, his world only gets more and more complicated, and dangerous.  If you can't trust your brother, but want to save his life, or your partner, who ends up saving yours, what's a guy to do?  If you're Tony, you take a bite out of a vacuum-packed dead dog and try to solve the case!

There's much more to follow this first volume of CHEW, and likely each situation is going to be more disgusting than the next.  Recommended to comic book readers with a taste (-ahem-) for the unusual.

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

39 Clues series by various authors

These books may not be long, but they contain great adventures. They're more Harry Potter with a scavenger hunt. The 2 main characters, Dan and Amy, travel around the world with their au pair (babysitter) to compete for $1,000,000. I would have to give this book a 4 out of 5 stars, because whenever they are in a death situation, it's kind of obvious they will live, because there are other books to the series.

Reviewed by Jonathan.

Numbers by Rachel Ward

Jem's had it pretty rough.  She was only six years old when she found her mother dead from a heroin overdose.  She had always known that her mother's addiction was more important than love and family, but it was only this moment that Jem learned something new: She could see the date of her mother's death in her eyes.  She has always seen a string of 8 numbers when she looks at people, and for a while, she thought that everyone could.  Now she knows that she must keep the numbers a secret.

Until she meets and gets close to Spider.  After living the last of her 16 years in and out of foster situations, Spider is the first person she allows herself to connect with.  Spider is laid back, adventurous, thoughtful, and just as damaged in a lot of ways as she is.  Spider also only has three months left to live.  When an unpredictable event takes place and Spider and Jem are accused of being involved with a terrorist attack, they decide that the only way to live their lives is to escape to a better place.  But, as Jem knows, the outcomes of their lives can't always be controlled.

Recommended to all adventurous readers, and in particular to those intrigued by mystery, romance, and the unknown.  The sequel, Numbers: The Chaos, is available, and coming soon is the third in the series, Numbers: Infinity.

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan

The Percy Jackson series is a really fun series to read. It incorporates the fun of Greek mythology with a coming of age novel. It is interesting to read as the main characters Percy, Annabeth, and Grover go off on their own quests. As Percy is growing, the Titans, who were defeated before, continue to get stronger and alliances are made. It all leads to the Great Prophecy which is ultimately for a child of the Big Three to fulfill and so far it is meant for Percy. This series is full of thrill and adventure. I would recommend it to everyone.

Reviewed by Neha.

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

Libba Bray is either an unconquerable genius or a total loony-toon.  Either way, she's hilarious.  Beauty Queens is a must-read, and if you can get it on audio (read by the author!), all the better.  Think the television series Lost, the movie Miss Congeniality, and throw in some Lord of the Flies and your favorite chick lit to the mix . . .

While believing that they were on their way to a super fun beach vacation, fifty contestants for the Miss Teen Dream beauty pageant have been stranded on a desert island with no communication and no chaperones.  Miss New Mexico is left with an airline serving tray stuck in her forehead, Miss Texas AKA Taylor Rene Krystal Hawkins is the official leader of the bunch (until she goes completely mad), and Miss Rhode Island is actually a boy.  They have to figure out how to work together to survive and try to get themselves rescued, while navigating the unforeseen complications presented by a group of sexy pirates . . . and, of course, ultimately avoiding being killed at the hands of the Corporation.

This novel is complete satire, and it's completely hilarious.  At times it seems to be overdone, parts are predictable, and it's absolutely berating pop culture and politics - but then it turns around and convinces the reader that that was the whole point all along.  This should be a joy to listen to for any high school reader!

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

P. S. Does anyone else think that LadyBird Hope sounds exactly like Sarah Palin?!  Beautiful!

Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen

Cordelia Grey wants much more out of life than to be married young and stuck in her hometown of Union, Ohio with a whole bunch of babies and unfulfilled dreams.  She wants to go to New York City and be somebody.  So that plan is that she and her best friend, Letty Haubstadt, will hop on a train immediately following Cordelia's wedding, a ceremony that the two parties were being forced into, though one of them was a much more willing participant than the other.  And, no doubt about it, the very next day, Letty and Cordelia step off that train onto the streets New York City.

It is 1929.  Neither girl knows a soul in the big city, but both are looking for something very special.  Letty wants to be a star . . . has always wanted to be a star.  In her family of four other siblings, Letty was always the invisible one, despite her obvious talents for singing and performing.  She's convinced that NYC can offer her all the opportunity she'll need in order to shine.  Cordelia -- under the cover of simply wanting a bigger and better life for herself -- is desperately looking for her father, with whom she has never had any contact.  Astrid Donal is from a wealthy Long Island family, NYC-born, raised, and cultured.  She's currently dating Charlie Grey, the son of a big city mobster, and she takes an immediate and lasting liking to Cordelia when the daring young woman sneaks into Mr. Grey's birthday party at the guarded White Cove estate.

There is a different fate in store for each of these three young women, each finding her own way in a tricky big city world, and the author certainly has a knack for keeping the reader wanting to know what happens next to each of them.  With a plethora of romance, adventure, and history, this series opener is recommended most to high school girls.

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

Trapped by Michael Northrop

It started out like another average day.  There was a basketball game that night and maybe a pop quiz on Friday.  And even when the snow started to come down, it wasn't really a big deal.  Scotty and Pete even let Jason talk them into staying at the school after the early dismissal to work on his go-kart project in the shop classroom.  Even though there wouldn't be any late buses that day because of the weather, Jason knew that his dad would be okay with picking them all up on his way home from work later that day.

Unfortunately, no one came even close to the school later that day.  Or for many of the days that followed.  Scotty, Pete, Jason, and four other kids were stuck at school, during what was really truly the blizzard to beat out all blizzards.  Once the power and the heat went out, the seven bundled up in whatever they had, and felt their way through the cafeteria so that they wouldn't starve to death.  They slept when they could, the saved whatever battery power they could find, and they prayed.  But they knew that no one could save their lives.

Recommended for all middle school and high school readers looking for an adventure and ultimate survival story.  

Call number: YA NORTHROP (Teen Room)

Reviewed by kate the librarian.