Friday, November 30, 2012

Zombie Makers: True Stories of Nature's Undead

This books is so awesome and disgusting!  Zombie Makers includes information on five creatures that use other animals and insects to reproduce.

Each chapter includes a story about how an animals or insect might become infected and a description of what happens after infection.  With large photographs and cool graphics this book is a horrendous pleasure to read!

For example, there's a fungus that grows inside a fly until it kills the fly and fills it with spores.  Then the spores explode out of the dead fly to infect others.  Gross!

Several chapters also include information about scientists who discovered or study the parasites.  This book includes a glossary, source notes, and suggestions for further reading/viewing.  I highly recommend Rebecca Johnson's latest book! 

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Are You Totally Adorkable?




City of Bones Movie Trailer!

You'll have to wait until August for this movie, but that gives you plenty of time to read the books!  We have all four in the library plus the new series.  I highly recommend them for my romantic fantasy fans!


Beautiful Creatures Movie Trailer!

I am so excited for this!  I hope the movie is good.  If you haven't read the books yet, it's not too late.  The movie doesn't come out until February.  It's a wonderfully juicy southern gothic paranormal romance! 


Warrior Heir

Jack is living a normal life in Trinity, Ohio, with his mother.  He just has to remember to take his medicine everyday; that's no big deal since the heart surgery he had as a baby saved his life.  Jack never forgets his medicine until one morning; he knows how important it is, but one day he does forget.  That day his reflexes seem faster and his muscles more powerful.

This is the day Jack learns he is actually a warrior, a person with magical gifts that can help him in battle.  All of this may be new to Jack, but there are powerful wizards who know just how valuable a warrior can be, and they will stop at nothing to get Jack on their side.  The white rose and the red rose are determined to use Jack as a pawn in a centuries old conflict that could end his life.

I am glad I finally got around to reading this series!  It is action-packed and modern while still bringing in the traditional sword and sorcery feel.  This is a great read for action and fantasy fans.  I am already on book two.

Monday, November 26, 2012

Almost Home

Sugar Mae Cole lives with her beloved mother, Reba, a woman who knows about sweetness in the little house they bought with her recently deceased grandfather, King Cole.  She loves her sixth grade language arts teacher, Mr. B, who encourages her to write and to think.  All in all, life is pretty good.

But now that Reba's lost her job, and all their saving are gone, the bank is sending scary letters and phone messages.  Reba thinks Sugar's father, Mr. Leeland, will finally come through and support his family instead of just showing up when he needs money.  Sugar isn't so sure.  The day they are evicted is the worst day of Sugar's life.  She can't believe this is happening, and she can't believe Reba won't act like the grown up and figure out what to do.

But Sugar has her positive attitude, words of wisdom from King Cole's autobiography, and her dog, Shush, to keep her going.  Even though she is far away, she even has Mr. B who continues to send her encouraging emails.

As Sugar quickly learns what is means to be homeless, she also learns about her gifts and strengths.  And while some people, like Mr. Leeland, may always try to bring her down, there are many others who will support and encourage her.

Joan Bauer's latest book is heartbreaking and uplifting.  She is one of my favorite authors, and Almost Home is another great read!

Monday, November 19, 2012

Ungifted

I was really excited when I saw Gordon Korman's new book, and now that I've read it, I think it's my favorite of all his books!

When Donovan Curtis pulls a small prank with unexpectedly huge consequences, he starts a chain of events that will take him from Hardcastle Middle School to the Academy of Scholastic Distinction.  His placement at the Academy is definitely a mistake, but he figures it's the perfect place to hide out from a school superintendent bent on revenge.

At first Donovan doesn't get along with the Academy kids at all.  He resents the gifted kids' new school filled with great equipment compared to the outdated and crumbling school for the normal kids.  Plus, these kids are more than a little strange and reject him as "ungifted" right from the start, but it doesn't take long until Donovan is making his mark in robotics.  No, he has no idea how to do any of the work on the robot, but without even trying, he seems to humanize the robot and unify the team. 

Donovan's presence at the Academy is causing all kinds of ripples, some good and some bad, but he is desperate to stay in, not only to save himself but to give his family something good in a see of problems.  With a pregnant sister whose husband is in Afghanistan, a sick dog, and financial troubles, Donovan doesn't see how telling the truth can possible make things better.

While Donovan is giving the gifted kids a glimpse of normal life, they might just be changing his perspective, too.  This book is funny and unexpected, a must read!

Burn Mark

Take everything you know about the witch trials and hunts of the past, and apply it to the modern world.  Burn Mark is set in a modern day London where the Inquisition hunts, monitors, and sometimes burns witches.

Glory has been waiting for her fae all her life.  She is part of the Cooper Street Coven, a gang of petty criminals led by her great aunt Angelina.  Angelina isn't a powerful witch, but she reminds Cooper Street that they are the legacy of her powerful twin sisters, the Starlings, who lived a glamorous life fueled by witchcraft and crime.  Now the Starling twins are long dead, and Cooper Street is nothing but a small piece of Charlie Morgan's empire.

Lucas's father is the chief prosecutor of the Inquisition.  It has been his life's work to identify and bridle witches as well as prosecute those who live outside the law.  Lucas is destined to follow in his father's footsteps.  His future is assured until the unthinkable happens.  Lucas develops fae powers.  Fae does run in families, but it is unpredictable, and even a kid like Lucas with a certified witch-free pedigree can turn fae.

All of Lucas's hopes and plans are now destroyed, but he can still protect his country.  He goes undercover to find the witches responsible for a string of violent attacks and becomes an unlikely member of the Cooper Street Coven where Angelina has her own reasons to spy on her own family.  Now Glory and Lucas have formed a strange alliance that makes them uniquely able to uncover the truth, but will they be in time to save witchkind, the nation, and themselves.

I really liked the concept for Laura Powell's new book.  It gets off to a slow start, but there are plenty of twists and turns at the end!  I wanted this book to be really great, but I ended up disappointed; however, several students have read and enjoyed it, so you'll just have to read it and draw your own conclusions. :)


Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Messenger

This book begins several years after the end of Gathering Blue, and Matty is living in Village with Kira's father, now called Seer.  Village has always been the wonderful place filled with kind people that saved Seer when his own village left him for dead, but things are changing.

People are attending Trade Mart to trade for things they want.  Some are tangible things like new furniture or a gaming machine, but some things are less obvious and more frightening.  What is most frightening of all is what these people may to trading to get what they want.

Matty is also troubled by a strange new gift he has developed.  He has the power to heal, but he is left weakened by each experience.  As things grow worse in his community, Matty continues to test his gift.

Village has always welcomed all newcomers, but now the people want to close the borders, and Matty must make one final journey through forest to bring Kira home to her father.  But Forest is changing, too.  It is becoming a dark and threatening place that kills and maims, and this will be a dangerous journey for Matty and Kira.

I can't tell you my real feelings about this book because I don't want to spoil the ending.  Just know that I love it, and you should read it!

The Spindlers

OK, I am cheating a little bit on this one because this book isn't actually in the library yet.  It's on that big order list that I told you about.  I promise the books are coming; the order is just bogged down in the approval process.  Now you will have something to look forward to because I really enjoyed this one.

Liza knows the boys sitting across from her at the breakfast table isn't her brother, Patrick.  He looks and sounds like Patrick, but he's just wrong.  Liza quickly realizes the Spindlers have stolen her brother's soul and left this sinister imitation in his place.  Of course, no one believes her.  Her insistence just frustrated her already worried parents who are dealing money problems and other stresses.

To save her brother, Liza journeys to the world below.  It is a world filled with beautiful and deadly creatures, and Liza will need all her courage to save Patrick.  Guided by a rat named Mirabella, she will navigate this new world, but things are not always what they seem.  Who and what can Liza trust?

I really enjoy a good creepy fantasy, and this book has a strong creepy factor plus humor!  Visit Lauren Oliver's website to learn more about the author and her books.

Check out this video of the author talking about her inspiration for the story: