Invisibility by Andrea Cremer & David Levithan

Stephen is invisible. In his 16 years, he has never not been invisible. No one has ever been able to see him - not his mom before she died, not his dad who moved away and started a new life, not the doorman to his building, not anyone. He's never been to school, and he's never had a real friend. He's been an observer in a world that doesn't know he exists. . . . Until someone does know. He doesn't know how and he doesn't know why, but Elizabeth can see him. And soon, they both become determined to find out both how and why. Against all odds, Stephen and Elizabeth take on the world that they soon discover is more dangerous than anything they've ever encountered. 

I'll admit, David Levithan, an author I respect and enjoy deeply, disappointed me with this publication. (The co-author, Andrea Cremer, is the author of the Nightshade series.) The story is just "good enough" and the writing quality is lacking, making it all-in-all not at the top of my recommended reads. But it fits the bill for light, quick fare for those who enjoy magic and fantasy and a fluffy, dramatic romance. It's a quick read, so - if only for the sake of an author who almost always gets it right - give it a try!

The Space Between by Brenna Yovanoff

Daphne is the daughter of Lucifer. Yup, that Lucifer. 

Life in Hell isn't truly as bad as it might seem, but Daphne's brother Obie has fallen in love with a human girl on earth and decides that he cannot stay in Hell, even if living on earth full-time is absolutely forbidden. When he leaves Hell - for good - Daphne knows that his life is in danger and vows to go to (and stay in) earth until she can make sure he's safe. But she doesn't know exactly where he is, and her only clue is a young man named Truman Flynn. 

Since his mother's death, Truman has been desolate, depressed, and self-destructive. It was Daphne's brother who saved his life, despite his own efforts to end it. But it is for Daphne, not her brother, that Truman ultimately agrees to help find Obie. Perhaps because of, rather than in spite of, the twists and turns of the demon world, both Daphne and Truman begin to wonder if love can overpower cruelty, and if hope can exist in a world full of pain and sadness.

Recommended to all readers, though the topics of suicide, sacrifices, and torture might limit to readers who can reflect maturely about both life and death.
Reviewed by kate the librarian.

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

Jack the Ripper is one of the -- if not THE -- most famous serial killers of all time in London. And it appears that there might be a copycat, but officials can't seem to grasp hold of any leads whatsoever.

Rory has just come from New Orleans to attend boarding school in London while her parents are working in Bristol. In the wake of a string of murders, the school decides that students are safest on campus, so there they remain. Things start to get pretty creepy when one of the murders takes place on school grounds -- on the same evening that Rory meets a strange man while sneaking back into her dorm. This strange man might lead to the killer, except no one else can see him.

Recommended to all high school readers, mystery lovers and general fiction readers alike.

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

Mr. Monster by Dan Wells

I don't often review sequels or books that aren't the first in a series, but I think that there are some readers to whom this book will appeal . . . but be warned: it's certainly not for everyone.

Mr. Monster is the second book in a horrifying series that starts with I Am Not a Serial Killer. John Wayne Cleaver is obsessed with serial killers, and he's also a diagnosed teen-aged sociopath. He already took care of one demon killer in Clayton County, though no one really knows the whole story (like the fact that the killer really was an actual demon, or the fact that John's the one that destroyed him). Now there is a new serial killer in town, and John craves details to help answer some of the essential questions: Are the two killers related? Who is the new killer? Why is he killing? Before long, many of John's questions are answered, but it may be too late. How can he hold onto his "John the Brave" reputation if he can't figure out how to NOT to die.

John lives in a mortuary -- which feeds, and also calms, his obsession with death -- and this series contains very graphic descriptions of embalming, along with murder, torture, and death. These books are meant for those with strong stomachs, but beyond the gross, the storytelling richly combines the genres of thriller, horror, and fantasy into a mystery at which you can't quite stop staring, long after each page is turned. As each professional and reader review points out, adult and teen fans of the TV series Dexter will love this.

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.

Foiled by Jane Yolen

Aliera Carstairs is not really all that cool, at least not according to her super-girly high school classmates.  But to her fencing opponents, Aliera is magic (though perhaps still not liked for it).  When a new boy at school, Avery Castle, seems to be paying attention to Aliera, she's flustered and confused, but since he's the nicest looking boy she's ever seen, she pushes aside his quirky weirdness and tries not to second-guess his intentions towards her.  She's thrilled -- and terrified! -- when he asks her out on a Saturday night.  Most of Aliera's Saturday nights consist of role-playing with her younger cousin Caroline AKA Queen Furby.  

Typically, Avery is late for their date and Aliera spends quite a while people-watching in Grand Central Station.  Here, she meets a beautiful winged woman.  And then a troll.  And something evil existing within a dark cloud.  And she discovers that she's supposed to be the Defender . . . of someone or something else's world.  

Aliera learns that not everything is as it appears, and that sometimes you can only see clearly with a focus, or a purpose.  She also discovers that the world often doesn't care whether or not you're ready to exert your power when it asks you to do so.  Aliera must always defend her heart, but be willing to talk risks to propel herself further along.  Recommended to all middle grade fantasy readers.  The illustrations in this graphic novel are wonderful!

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

Return of the Dapper Men by Jim McCann, illustrated by Janet Lee

Wowza.  If the first couple of scenes of Return of the Dapper Men alone don't blow your mind, then you need to return immediately to your childhood and dig around to see if you can find where you lost your imagination, your thrill-seeking sense of adventure, and your appreciation for all things fun and glorious and entertaining . . . for this artistic masterpiece surely incorporates all of those things.  Anorev is a land full of children and machines, until one day 314 dapper men come floating down from the sky and they bring with them something mysterious and a little bit terrifying: Time.  And with time comes growth and discover, and it also brings choice and desire, none of which the children of Anorev have remembered in the timeless years gone by.  The story is thought-provoking and the artwork is simply breathtaking.

Recommended to all ages (physically and otherwise).  "To anyone who ever fell down a rabbit hole, walked to the sidewalk's end, danced a wild rumpus, or followed the second star to the right, may you find adventure, wonder, and a little something from which dreams are made in these pages."

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

Zombies vs. Unicorns edited by Holly Black & Justine Larbalestier

Justine and Holly, the editors of this anthology, are engaged in a heated, friendly argument about which is cooler: zombies or unicorns?  Justine is all about zombies; they are obviously much, much cooler.  But Holly insists that beneath their glittery charm, unicorns are just as dangerous and unrelentingly cool as some people think zombies are.  In between each short story -- a collection of titles by authors like Scott Westerfeld, Meg Cabot, Libba Bray, and Garth Nix -- Justine and Holly add their own snark to the mix, each making a case for their team.  It's up to you in the end, based on the material as it's presented to you, to choose which side you're on. 

Like most anthologies, there is a mix of quality on these pages, but in this case it's really a matter of good vs. great.  (I listened to the audio version and love Justine's Australian accent.  I definitely turned out to be on Team Zombie, and my favorite story was one about some special little kids . . .)

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

With a promo by John Green. :) www.youtube.com/watch?v=avhOcKHWb-Y

Evermore by Alyson Noel

The book Evermore is part of the Immortals series. It takes a new spin on immortality. Ever was in a car accident where she nearly died and ever since, her life has been different. She can see people's auras and read their thoughts. It is very overwhelming. However, once Damen, a new guy in town, comes, she hears nothing. This spirals into a romantic love story that has been going on for about 600 years but Ever did not know it. It goes beyond love; action is involved, but in few parts. It is a really good book for girls who like romances!

Reviewed by Neha.

Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta

Following the "five days of the unspeakable," Finnikin holds onto the memories of afternoons spent with his friend Prince Balthazar and Balthazar's cousin, Lucian . . . friends who have been lost to him in the destruction of their country.  But when Finnikin is summoned to meet with Evanjalin, a young woman who claims that Balthazar is still alive and that Finnikin must travel with her to get to him, he's both afraid and drawn to this adventure.  Finnikin doesn't know if he can believe that his homeland can be put back together, fearing that disappointment would destroy him too.  And yet, the belief in the survival of the Prince disallows him to refuse the journey.

Evanjalin turns out to not be who Finnikin believes her to be -- but will she lead him to destruction or to a new level of life?  There is a lot to this story and the plot moves slowly, deliberately, and solidly for the majority of the book; it is not until the end where the pace picks up rapidly, unceasingly, and unrelentingly, making for a heart-pounding and ultimately extraordinarily successful story.  By the end of this one, you'll know the characters almost as well as they might know themselves.

Melina Marchetta is a Printz Award-winning author, so of course she's worth checking out.  This is her first fantasy novel.  Recommended to high school readers looking for a good solid book and who are willing to put in the time it takes to get to the fantastic finish.

Call number: YA MARCHETTA; YA CD MARCHETTA (Teen Room)

Reviewed by kate the librarian

The Hotel Under the Sand by Kage Baker

Ship-wrecked and alone, Emma finds a young man - a ghost - named Winston who tells her the story of his life as a Bell Captain at the Grand Wenlocke Hotel.  This was a very special hotel, erected by a very special wealthy family of Wenlockes, inside of which time stopped for its guests.  A four-day stay in real time could truly become a four-month vacation, so the guests were always very happy.  But one day, the Storm of the Equinox set upon the island and buried the entire Grand Wenlocke deep in sand.  As the fates would have it, the Storm of the Equinox came again that very night, uncovering the Grand Wenlocke for Emma and Winston to re-discover!  The re-Grand Opening of the Hotel drew the attention of many strange characters, including a sailor (looking very much like a pirate) called Captain Jack Doubloon, who is in possession of a slip of paper, passed down from his grandfather, which told of a treasure within the Grand Wenlocke.  The unlikely assortment of young Emma, Winston, Mrs. Beet,  and Captain Doubloon set out to solve the riddles necessary to uncover the treasure, and along the way they run into Masterman Wentlocke, a very young runaway, as well as the evil uncle chasing after him.

Treasure or no treasure, Emma and Winston and their crew uncover just how extraordinary the Grand Wenlocke is, especially when filled with friendship and family.  This unique story is recommended to most young readers -- its originality is refreshing without being confusing, and moments of tenderness are made all the more touching as they are balanced out by swashbuckling adventure.

Call number: YA BAKER (Teen Room)

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

Out of Sight, Out of Mind by Marilyn Kaye

Amanda Beeson isn't an average teenager.  As far as she's concerned, She's WAY better than average.  She's the "it girl" at Meadowbrook Middle School, with the most stylish clothes, parents who bow to her every whim, and a circle of girlfriends that everyone obviously wants to be part of.  And Amanda certainly doesn't jeopardize her popularity status by being nice.  She's "mean girl" extraordinaire, more often than not going out of her way to say something negative about her classmates.  The twist is . . . Amanda is mean as a way to protect herself.  Literally.  Once Amanda starts to feel pity (oh no!) for someone, she momentarily winds up in their body, living their experiences, feeling their emotions.  It's terrifying and it's painful, and Amanda will avoid it at all costs.

When she wakes up one morning as classmate Tracey Devon -- a loser -- she truly discovers that she has no control over her "gift."  She doesn't know how to stop being Tracey.  There's no way uber-cool Amanda can live like this!  What if someone finds out who she really is?!  Amanda's interest is peeked by Tracey's "gifted classes," a small class of students who seemingly have nothing in common.  But the more Amanda learns about them, the more horrified she becomes -- how crazy are these special kids?  How crazy is Tracey?  And -- ohmygoodness -- how crazy is she?!

Recommended for pre-teen and teen girls looking for some drama with their mystery.

Call number: YA KAYE (Series) (Teen Room)

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm by Nancy Farmer

Three children are growing up within the confines of their mansion. They aren't allowed out into the town or interaction with many other people, but they do have a Mellower who helps train them in fighting, tells them stories about history and fantasy, and provides them with comfort daily. When the oldest decide that they want to venture into town to earn their Scout Exploration Badges, the very thing happens that their very powerful and intimidating father had been trying to protect them from -- they are kidnapped in moments.

The parents of the three children are overwhelmed with distress and guilt that they weren't able to protect their children from harm and they hire The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm Detective Agency to find them. The three sleuths were all born with mutations following nuclear exposure: Ear has super hearing; Eye has super vision; and Arm is sensitive to touch and also has psychic tendencies where he can feel the emotions of others.

Altogether -- though separately in their quests -- they must survive a variety of adventures, evil powers, old world ideals, and powerful technologies. This complicated and exciting story is recommended to those interested in adventures with subtle discussions of religion and politics amid an atmosphere of fantasy and magic.
Call number: YA FARMER (Teen Room)

Reviewed by kate the librarian.

Sylvie and the Songman by Tim Binding

The book Sylvie and the Songman is a whirling story about a silent Earth. A man called the Songman is learning to sing all of the animals' songs, from lions to birds. Using mysterious bottles called SongGlasses, he is silencing and enslaving every last animal to gain complete control over the world. Only one girl with a legendary Mark can stop him. Her name is Sylvie, and her father has been captured by the Songman. Accompanied by a faithful dog named Mr. Jackson, a wild fox, and a nerdy boy, she will attempt to end the Songman's rule over the world and rescue her father. However, she will discover that sometimes, people aren't always who she thinks they are.

Call number: YA BINDING (Teen Room)

Reviewed by Alon.

The Sight by David Clement-Davies

The book The Sight by the renowned Clement-Davies is a stunning starter to a saga. Written as a breathtaking masterpiece of animal fantasy, this book is intricately designed to mirror the life of an everyday wolf...with a twist. In this book, the tyrant of wolves in Transylvania, Morgra, has the power of the Sight. She can see through the eyes of birds and call upon the dead. When a pack of wolves decides to fight against her, they find that magic can come from within. They also find that fear is the best weapon, and they learn to never dismiss the fact that one of your children may have the Sight as well. A Mona Lisa of literature, this book can be widely accepted as one of the best animal books this world has ever experienced.

Call number: YA CLEMENT-DAVIES (Teen Room)

Reviewed by Alon.

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (and series) by Rick Riordan

LOVED THIS SERIES!!! Rick Riordan really outdid himself on this. It's about a boy Percy who is the son of Poseidon and goes on quests to save his friends and help his father.

Call number: YA RIORDAN (Teen Room)

Reviewed by Jonathan.

The Lost Years of Merlin by T. A. Barron

The book The Lost Years of Merlin is a must read for everyone. There isn't a single person that hasn't heard of Merlin the magician, but does everyone know about his "lost years" when he was just a child? NO! This book is a real eye-opener to the start of an epic saga. There are five books in all. Read them all to find out what Merlin started out from...and what he endured and destroyed. Is Merlin really all good? Read this book to find out.

Call number: YA BARRON (Teen Room)

Reviewed by Alon.

Bayou : Volume One by Jeremy Love

This graphic novel tells the story of a poor black girl who is betrayed by her white best friend and now has to save her wrongly-accused daddy. This is a pretty sterotypical reproduction of the idea of the "poor black girl" and the "rich young lady," but the storytelling and imagery is absolutely magical. When the writer and artist draws in fantastical elements and talking animals, the result is even more enthralling. This is the first in a series of published comics that first appeared online at ZUDACOMICS.COM. Like lots of graphic novels, this is a super quick read that will stay with you long after your finished looking at it. It's certainly worth it. (Barnes and Noble lists a publication date of January 2011 for Volume 2.)

Recommended to all ages.

Call number: YA GRAPHIC LOVE (Teen Room)

Reviewed by kate the librarian.