tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42301260324171894162024-03-04T23:38:28.289-08:00Wood Library Teen Scenekelleylibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05321684318964815142noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230126032417189416.post-44306259102468893092014-12-19T10:28:00.003-08:002014-12-19T10:31:06.624-08:00Quick Pick: To All the Boys I've Loved Before<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>What's a Quick Pick? A book I just finished reading, really liked, but am too lazy/busy to write a full scale review on. Enjoy!</i></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15749186-to-all-the-boys-i-ve-loved-before" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px; text-align: justify;"><img alt="To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #1)" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1372086100m/15749186.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15749186-to-all-the-boys-i-ve-loved-before"></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15749186-to-all-the-boys-i-ve-loved-before">To All the Boys I've Loved Before</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/151371.Jenny_Han">Jenny Han</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1110261097">4 of 5 stars</a></div>
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I really, really enjoyed <em>To All the Boys I've Loved Before</em>. It was lighthearted and sweet, and very deftly written. Han gives us great story about a middle sister finally getting the chance to become herself. The romantic relationships in the book are very realistic, warts and all. I think that anyone who dated in high school will easily relate, especially if you were a late bloomer! A much needed dose of realistic high school life to brighten up my normally gloomy reading tastes. It looks like this is the first in a <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20698530-p-s-i-still-love-you">series</a>... I will for sure read the next one.
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-Kelley (Your) Teen Services Librarian</div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/7481835-kelley">View all my reviews</a>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230126032417189416.post-8117959720559927562014-12-11T10:14:00.001-08:002014-12-11T10:34:12.229-08:00Lucky 7: My Top Teen Books of 2014<div style="text-align: justify;">
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Human nature loves list-making, and this time of year is the list-iest. With the new year approaching, I too like to look back on my year-in-reading and shine a special light on those books that were especially awesome. Below are my top 7 works of teen fiction published in 2014, appearing in alphabetical order by author. Note that many of these titles appear on other, more reputable year-end best lists, as if you needed any further proof of my good taste. Here's hoping your 2014 was just as full of fabulous fiction. -Kelley, (Your) Teen Services Librarian</div>
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<b>1. <a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/476743" target="_blank"><i>The Impossible Knife of Memory</i></a> by Laurie Halse Anderson</b><br />
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<i>For the past five years, Hayley Kincain and her father, Andy, have been on the road, never staying long in one place as he struggles to escape the demons that have tortured him since his return from Iraq. Now they are back in the town where he grew up so Hayley can attend school. Perhaps, for the first time, Hayley can have a normal life, put aside her own painful memories, even have a relationship with Finn, the hot guy who obviously likes her but is hiding secrets of his own.</i> </div>
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<b>My review:</b> Many have told me that Laurie Halse Anderson is the master of YA fiction, and this book left me in complete agreement. I am only ashamed to admit that this was my first LHA book--may there be many more.<br />
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<i>The Impossible Knife of Memory</i> is a beautiful, sad, and tender novel. It looks closely at an issue that many teens must grapple with (a veteran parent with PTSD), but that so rarely appears in contemporary fiction. Hayley is so full of palpable fear, which is difficult to experience, because you feel like she's a friend you can’t do anything to help, and she probably wouldn't take your help, anyway. The armor she uses to hide her stress and insecurities is an amazing suit of snark, providing moments of necessary (and LOL) levity. (When taking a math test she's not at all prepared for: "All of my answers were drawings of armored unicorns".) The realistic romance between Haley and Finn also allows some relief and just the right amount of hope. </div>
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<b>File under: </b>Realistic Fiction, Awesomeness<br />
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<b>2. <i><a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/484702" target="_blank">We Were Liars</a></i> by E. Lockhart</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780375989940/MC.JPG&client=pioneerlibsys" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780375989940/MC.JPG&client=pioneerlibsys" /></a></div>
<i>A beautiful and distinguished family.</i><br />
<i>A private island.</i><br />
<i>A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.</i><br />
<i>A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.</i><br />
<i>A revolution. An accident. A secret.</i><br />
<i>Lies upon lies.</i><br />
<i>True love.</i><br />
<i>The truth.</i><br />
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<b>My review: </b>Brilliant, slim, harrowing, heartbreaking. E. Lockhart writes YA fiction that is a cut above the most. Even though I knew fairly early on what was "happening" here, the pleasure (mixed with a fair amount of wincing) is in the complex unfolding. This book has been checked out of my library since it hit the shelves in May, and there are many good reasons why. I finished it in September, and it's still haunting me.<br />
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<b>File under: </b>Realistic Fiction, Mystery, Tragedy<br />
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<b>3. <i><a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/478500" target="_blank">Cress</a></i> by Marissa Meyer</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780312642976/MC.JPG&client=pioneerlibsys" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780312642976/MC.JPG&client=pioneerlibsys" /></a></div>
<i>In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army. </i><br />
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<i>Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.</i><br />
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<b>My review: </b>If this series continues to get any better my brain might explode. Seriously. <i>Cinder</i> was really good, <i>Scarlet</i> was amazing, and then <i>Cress</i> came along and swept me off my feet. Oh, the romance! The adventure! All mixed together with spaceships and moonscapes. And for those of you who love yourself an evil queen, there is none better than Levana. She eats other evil queens for breakfast.<br />
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<i>Cress</i> wins the extra special distinction of being the one book I read this year that I literally could not put down. This book kept me up at night and had me waking up early in the morning to finish it. A sure sign of quality.<br />
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<b>Read first: </b><i><a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/424208" target="_blank">Cinder</a></i>, <i><a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/453297" target="_blank">Scarlet</a></i><br />
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<b>File under: </b>Fairytale Re-telling, Science Fiction, Series Addiction<br />
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<b>4. <i><a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/480472" target="_blank">Panic</a></i> by Lauren Oliver</b><br />
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<i>Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.</i><br />
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<i>Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher.</i><br />
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<i>Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he's sure of it.</i><br />
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<i>For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.</i><br />
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<b>My review:</b> This book had me hooked by the end of page 1, and I held on tight all the way through; mostly because I was so terrified, but also because I truly cared about the fully realistic main characters.<br />
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Welcome to Panic. If you think the Hunger Games are a horrible post-apocalyptic nightmare from a future far away, this book will make you stop and think about the dangerous risks and thrills that contemporary, everyday teens go looking for (especially when they're bored or desperate). Panic is another terrifying, dangerous game, put on for the amusement of the spectators, and the potential profit of the contestants. And just so you know: people have died playing Panic.<br />
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Again, I loved how realistic the setting and characters were. Lauren Oliver skillfully brings both Heather and Dodge's complex personalities and back-stories to full life. Her nuanced, damaged characters make it so much harder to sit through the stages of Panic, because you know that both of them have so much more at stake than thrills, money or pride. Oliver also throws in a few serious communication flaws and adolescent insecurities, making everyone in the game extra untrustworthy.<br />
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If you're looking for a breathtaking, exhilarating read about teens who could easily be your classmates, this one is for you. Also, save the tigers (spoilers!).<br />
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<b>File under: </b>Dueling Narrators, Realistic Fiction, Suspense<br />
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<b>5. <a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/473082" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">The Living</a> by Matt de la Peña</b><br />
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<i><span style="background-color: orange;">Disclaimer: I just realized that this book was NOT published in 2014, but this list would be lacking without it, so it stays.</span></i><br />
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<a href="http://www.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780375989919/MC.JPG&client=pioneerlibsys" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=9780375989919/MC.JPG&client=pioneerlibsys" /></a></div>
<i>Shy took the summer job to make some money. In a few months on a luxury cruise liner, he'll rake in the tips and be able to help his mom and sister out with the bills. And how bad can it be? Bikinis, free food, maybe even a girl or two—every cruise has different passengers, after all.</i><br />
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<i>But everything changes when the Big One hits. Shy's only weeks out at sea when an earthquake more massive than ever before recorded hits California, and his life is forever changed.</i><br />
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<i>The earthquake is only the first disaster. Suddenly it's a fight to survive for those left living.</i><br />
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<b>My review:</b> I am not a disaster girl. I don't like watching disaster movies, and I don't like reading disaster books. And did I mention I HATE diseases? Call me a little too sensitive to human suffering. BUT… I really wanted to read something by Matt de la Peña, <a href="http://www.teenbookfestival.org/" target="_blank">Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival</a> alum and all around amazing person. So here we are.<br />
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I ended up really enjoying this book, and it's one I've recommended many times ever since I finished it. I appreciated how unflinching and raw the disasters and aftermath were depicted.<br />
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There is so much more to this book than horror and thrills (which are abundant, believe me). Amid all the bodies (and sharks!), you'll find opportunity to ponder socio-economic inequality and race relations. If you're into government/big cooperation conspiracy theories, there's something here for you as well. Lastly, there are some natural, unforced romantic tensions that I think older teen boys will easily relate to. I think all of these elements are part of what makes the book so good, but they don’t slow down the action at all (in case you were worried about that).<br />
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Shy is faced with some very tough choices, and it is edifying to watch him weigh his options, at times with only a few seconds to spare. I think this is a great book that prompts teens to ask themselves, "What would I do in this situation?" You'll be asking yourself that question many times along the way of this heart-pounding ride.<br />
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<b>File under: </b>Disasters (Natural and Otherwise), Suspense, Survival<br />
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<b>6. <i><a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/479790" target="_blank">Grasshopper Jungle</a></i> by Andrew Smith</b><br />
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<i>Sixteen-year-old Austin Szerba interweaves the story of his Polish legacy with the story of how he and his best friend, Robby, brought about the end of humanity and the rise of an army of unstoppable, six-foot tall praying mantises in small-town Iowa.</i><br />
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<b>My review: </b>Austin Szreba has a healthy preoccupation with the intersection of histories. He believes that the roads of coincidence cross back and forth across time, right in front of us. As a self-made historian, he writes these observations down. Grasshopper Jungle is Austin's recording of the end of the world. While the world is ending, our narrator is also authentically struggling to separate hormones from love and friendship, and human stupidity from beauty. It happens like this...<br />
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A gang of total oafs beat the crap out of Austin and his best friend, Robby, in the nowhere town of Ealing, Iowa, in an alleyway affectionately referred to as the "Grasshopper Jungle". Later that night, the same gang of total oafs breaks into the office of Austin's boss, an office that Austin and Robby have also just broken into. Inside they have discovered the most messed up treasure trove of Cold War era stuffs ever seen. While Austin and Robby are smart enough to stand in fear and awe of the glowing blue orb of "Contained MI Plague Strain 412E", the total oafs decide it would be fun to take it for a stroll...<br />
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It was not a good idea. You know what I mean.<br />
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The joy of the rest of this book is in letting Austin tie all the ends together while hell breaks loose in Ealing. In his own meandering, often gross, and truly funny way, Austin discovers what MI Plague Strain 412E is, what it does (bad stuff), and where it came from (totally bizarre). While he's figuring this all out, he has the unfortunate fate of being a teenage boy made horny by nearly everything, which is inconvenient when the world is ending. Incessant male teenage arousal can also be inconvenient when you're trying to figure out your feelings for your girlfriend and possibly your best friend, too. Female characters, like Shann, seem a big thinly drawn, but that may be appropriate considering the narrator, who happens to be preoccupied by unstoppable, giant mantises bent on devouring the entire human race. And other stuff.<br />
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This book is anticlimactic (in a good way!), hilarious, and somber all at once. It is certainly the most unique end-of-the-world fiction I have read in maybe ever.<br />
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<b>File under: </b>Gross, Hilarious, Science Fiction<br />
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<b>7. <i><a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/496272" target="_blank">Blue Lily, Lily Blue</a></i> by Maggie Stiefvater</b><br />
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<i>There is danger in dreaming. But there is even more danger in waking up.</i><br />
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<i>Blue Sargent has found things. For the first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems have become hers, and her problems have become theirs.</i><br />
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<i>The trick with found things though, is how easily they can be lost.</i><br />
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<b>My review:</b> Many fellow Raven Boys fans were down on this book. Yes, it’s a "bridge book", and it's slimmer than the previous two volumes, but I don't at all believe that Stiefvater is slopping out mere filler before the final installment in this quartet. This book is oh so careful and delicate. There are rich developments here, especially in the relationships between characters; a new bad guy is introduced, along with his equally deplorable wife; and the author's fantastical creativity is on full display. Also, there is a character named Jesse Dittley who is THE BEST.<br />
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If you haven't read <i>The Raven Boys</i> and its sequel, <i>The Dream Thieves</i>, never fear! You have three amazing books to devour before book #4 comes out sometime in 2015.<br />
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This is probably my favorite young adult series of the past few years.<br />
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<b>Read first: </b><a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/442294" target="_blank"><i>The Raven Boys</i></a>, <i><a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/468959" target="_blank">The Dream Thieves</a></i><br />
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<b>File under: </b>Fantasy, Series Addiction, Supernatural</div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230126032417189416.post-10959830702970603502014-10-25T13:24:00.000-07:002014-10-25T13:40:12.145-07:00Things That Make You Go "Ewww!"<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you asked me what genres I prefer to read I would never think to include <i>Horror</i>. But as I was putting together my annual scary book display in the Teen Scene for ye ol' Halloween, it occurred to me that, in fact, I have read quite a few books recently that have kept me up at night and/or made me want to puke. And isn't that what horror is all about?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, consider this a guide for "Readers Who Think They Don't Like Horror But Secretly Do". OWWL friends, click on the title to find a copy at a library near you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/443051" target="_blank">The Hunt</a> by Andrew Fukuda</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you're one of those people who still thinks vampires are sexy, you will be cured by this book, which is straight-up gross. From a very drawn-out scene of melting flesh to a disturbing ritual that involves elbows, you will not be able to hold back your exclamations of disgust... nor your lunch, for that matter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Imagine a world where human beings are so rare that they're a delicacy. Vampires make up 99.9% of the population and they are tripping over themselves for a piece of man flesh. Plus, they slobber. This is Gene's world, and Gene is a hardcore survivor. His entire existence consists of rituals to make himself undetectable, and he's very good at it. Can you imagine how stressful that is? Well, it's about to get worse. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our hero is selected by lottery to participate in the yearly "hunt", where a few very lucky vamps get to chase down humans for sport. If you think the Hunger Games are messed up, wait until you see this. Can Gene keep the vampires fooled when he is expected to hunt down and eat fellow humans?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I really enjoyed the premise of this book and I would compare reading it watching a car crash in slow motion that you just can't seem to look away from... for hundreds of pages. This is probably one of the creepiest and grossest books I've read. (Read my original review on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/557371134" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/468208" target="_blank">The Coldest Girl in Coldtown</a> by Holly Black</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Again, if you think vampires are cool or alluring, this book will not only disabuse you, it will mock you (okay, okay: there is <i>one</i> pretty hot vampire in this book, but he's supposed to be an exception). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tana wakes up in a bathtub after a night of hard partying. If you think that's bad, you should see everyone else from the party. They've been drained of blood, and we feel the same shock and horror that Tana feels as she takes in the scene. Now, what's that noise coming from the bedroom, and who's that guy in a garbage bag?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like Gene in <i>The Hunt</i>, Tana lives in a world where vampires are a norm (so it was really stupid of someone at that party to leave a window open at night). Vampires can drain a human, but they can also infect a human, which turns them "cold". When you turn cold, you have two options: try to beat out the sickness that follows in total isolation, or give up and head to Coldtown for your first sip of O negative. Through a series of circumstances, Coldtown is where Tana is heading, but not for the same reasons that everyone else is.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've talked to people that didn't like this book but I truly enjoyed it. Tana is a really strong character and I admired her determination, convictions, and street smarts. There's an underlying critique of viral media and those who are lured in by it. And there are plenty of of sickening, blood drenched moments. One of my favorite elements may be the ending, which is satisfyingly atypical for the genre. You'll have to read it to find out. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/442450" target="_blank">The Diviners</a> by Libba Bray</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is one of my favorite YA titles of the past few years and I am eagerly awaiting its sequel (release date TBD). <i>The Diviners</i> kept me up late into the night as it flowed back and forth between its young characters, all of whom find themselves falling under the shadow of an impending doom in 1920's New York City. The writing is rich and detailed, and though it follows several characters throughout, all of their storylines are equally strong and compelling.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why is it scary? Because it features a dead serial killer still killing people! In gruesome ways! This ghost is THE WORST. The <i>Diviner's</i> also features a haunted house you <u>do not</u> want to wander into, a pretty nasty cult, old ladies who cut cats open, teenagers with emerging occult powers, and one heck of a cliffhanger. That the novel is lavishly set in romantic Jazz Age New York is just an added bonus.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I use the phrase "page turner" very rarely, but this is one book that has truly earned it. I had goosebumps throughout. (Read my original review on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/436835466" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/416956" target="_blank">The Name of the Star</a> by Maureen Johnson</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Speaking of dead serial killers: <i>The Name of the Star</i> features us a copycat killer obsessed with Jack the Ripper. Someone in modern-day London is replicating the Ripper's notorious crimes down to the last detail, so it's a perfect time for American Rory <span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; text-align: left;">Deveaux</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"> to be dropped off at a new boarding school in the heart of London. Just like the real Ripper, this killer is a master at eluding the police. When Rory claims to have seen the prime suspect, is it a break in the case or is she just going crazy? </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">This book is probably the least scary/ewww of my choices, but it's still a thrilling, fast-paced read with plenty of haunting twists and a few harrowing escapes. The last quarter of the book takes off in a completely unexpected direction, setting us up for the sequel, <i>The Madness Underneath</i>. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/479790" target="_blank">Grasshopper Jungle</a> by Andrew Smith</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Okay, so this book isn't horror <i>per se</i>, but it is <i>horrifying</i> and extremely disgusting. It's also one of the funniest books I've ever read. When best friends Austin and Robbie stumble into some <u>very</u> weird stuff in Austin's boss's office, they decide it's best to back away slowly and leave it alone. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for a group of meat-heads practicing their breaking-and-entering skills. Think a single action can't change the world? Think again. Long story short: the world is about to end and it is <u>not</u> going to be pretty. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, this book features a swarm of giant mantises that are as fast and deadly as the Terminator, but it also has a heart beneath all the snark and goo. Plus, the pages are yellow! (Read my original review on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/948599346" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That's all I've got. What are some of your most terrifying reads? -Kelley (Your) Teen Services Librarian</span></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230126032417189416.post-49840513523897722032014-10-22T08:08:00.002-07:002014-10-22T08:08:26.596-07:00Re-blog Alert: TBF Teen Reads<div style="text-align: justify;">
I'm re-blogging today, calling your attention to a Wood Library/Canandaigua Academy teen who is blogging for the Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival. This review has all my favorite elements: a teen I know and a book I love. Take it away, Victoria!</div>
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<a href="http://tbflive.blogspot.com/2014/10/book-review-please-ignore-vera-dietz-by.html?spref=bl">TBF Teens Read: Book Review: Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King...</a>: Hi, everyone! I got to read Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King. Here’s the summary, if you haven’t had a chance to see or read this awesome book... <a href="http://tbflive.blogspot.com/2014/10/book-review-please-ignore-vera-dietz-by.html">read more</a></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230126032417189416.post-70682093541743736052014-08-22T06:33:00.001-07:002014-08-22T06:33:05.505-07:00Book Report: Wildwood Dancing<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13929.Wildwood_Dancing" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Wildwood Dancing (Wildwood, #1)" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1393127105m/13929.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13929.Wildwood_Dancing">Wildwood Dancing</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8649.Juliet_Marillier">Juliet Marillier</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1013192514">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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I don't know when this happened, but I've suddenly found myself addicted to fairy tale retells. <em>Wildwood Dancing</em> was recommended to me by one of my library teens, an honorary fairy tale princess who considers this one of her <a href="http://woodlibraryteenscene.blogspot.com/2014/07/11-overlooked-books.html" rel="nofollow">11 Most Overlooked Books</a>. When I read her description, I knew I had to read this, since <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twelve_Dancing_Princesses" rel="nofollow">The Twelve Dancing Princesses</a> is one of my favorite fairy tales from childhood.</div>
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For me, a perfect fairy tale retelling makes you <em>work</em> to identify the original tale, and it also weaves in elements of other tales and traditions. Marissa Meyer's <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/62018-the-lunar-chronicles">Lunar Chronicles</a> are a shining example of this, and <em>Wildwood Dancing</em> also delivers (in a much more traditional way). Instead of 12 sisters imprisoned in their castle (sometimes only distinguishable by the color of their gowns), Marillier gives us 5 distinct sisters who begin the tale with relative independence that is gradually and painfully stripped away from them by an overbearing male cousin with some serious insecurity/youngest son issues. The puzzle of <em>how</em> the sisters are allowed to cross over to the Other Kingdom every full moon is one that takes almost the entire book to solve. In between, there are adolescent struggles on both sides of the boundary: balancing family loyalty and duty with personal desires, the highs and lows of true love, a young woman's fight for independence, and a bevy of trust issues. At times, the two eldest sisters are painfully stubborn and blind, but, hey, THEY'RE TEENAGERS. It all works. </div>
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I loved the setting of rural Transylvania, a place riddled with vampire stereotypes that the author cleverly avoids and replaces with the vague and mysterious "Night People". That she visited and did research here really shows in the details and the overall mood (love: glossary and pronunciation guides in the back). The woods of both our world and the Other Kingdom are haunting and dark, but we learn time and again that <em>respect</em> of the wood and its ancient culture will keep you (relatively) out of peril.</div>
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The romance in the book is sweet and painful; sigh-worthy and as realistic as is appropriate within context. I'm glad I discovered this author (thanks Paige!), and can't wait to read more from her.
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-Kelley, (Your) Teen Services Librarian</div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/7481835-kelley">View all my reviews</a>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230126032417189416.post-21252729726836991292014-07-08T18:42:00.001-07:002014-07-09T08:36:52.891-07:0011 OVERLOOKED BOOKS<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 125%;">I
love reading books, suggesting books, talking about books, having books
suggested to me- you name it. But for some reason, some of my favorite books have
gotten lost along the way. My fellow readers seem to have heard little of these
books (or not at all!) and/or are not interested in reading them. Well, NO
MORE! These books deserve, nay, DEMAND to be read, and are worthy of your time.
Maybe these books aren't truly overlooked. Maybe they are. But they definitely
deserve your notice! Here they are- </span></div>
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<i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 125%;">(Hint: click on the <u>title</u> of the book to find your copy in the OWWL catalog)</i></div>
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1. <i><a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/288808" target="_blank">Wildwood Dancing</a></i> by Juliet Mariller</div>
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<i>Wildwood Dancing</i> is a wonderful, beautifully descriptive retelling of the Brother Grimm's <i>The Twelve Dancing Princesses</i>. This is also possibly one of my favorite fairytale retellings (And I read a lot of them!). This story fallows the second eldest of five sisters Jena who spends her time exploring the Transylvanian woods with her constant companion: the unusual frog Gorgu. Every full moon, the sisters alone travel to the enchanted world of the Other Kingdom to dance the night away with the fey creatures of the realm. But trouble arises when their father falls ill and their cousin takes over the estate. Meanwhile her sister falls in love with a dangerous creature from the Other Kingdom- this forbidden union Jena must stop. Soon Jena is tested in ways she never thought imaginable. Tests of trust, strength, and true love. At stake is everything she cherishes: her family, her home, and the Other Kingdom she has come to love. Find out what happens…. By reading it!</div>
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2. <i><a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/322132" target="_blank">Airhead</a></i> by Meg Cabot</div>
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Any book by Meg Cabot is overshadowed by the ever popular <i>Princess Dairies</i> series. I personally loved this trilogy just as much as the expansive saga that is Princess Dairies. This series is a little more dark and mysterious, but if you love the witty, snarky and a little bit awkward heroines Meg Cabot writes about, you are sure to love Airhead, no problem. This book definitely is underrated and shows Cabot's versatility as a writer. Plus Airhead just has a great story! When tomboy Em Watts has bizarre accident she wakes up no longer herself. Literally. Em Watts finds herself in the body of the teen supermodel, and party girl Nikki Howard. Problem is, everyone thinks Em is dead and Nikki is alive. Read the amusing, and often time humorous experience of Em coping, navigating this foreign life, and finding out what really happened that life changing day. No doubt worth your time.</div>
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3. <a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/408522" target="_blank"><i>Beauty Queens</i></a> by Libba Bray</div>
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I cannot stop raving about this book. This book is pretty much equal parts <i>Lost</i> and <i>Miss Congeniality</i>. This book is a splendid satirical take on the world of pop and consumer culture. It's just so darn funny! And don't get me started on the hilarious footnotes! When an airplane of fifty pageant constants crashes on a deserted island, things gets real. As the teens try to survive, or continue to practice for the pageant they still intend to win once they're saved, there is adventure, mystery, and a tad of romance. There are also key messages here about survival, friendship, beauty, acceptance, independence, and what it means to be a woman. Hilarious and empowering, this book is defiantly worth a read!</div>
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4. <i><a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/393892" target="_blank">Revolution</a></i> by Jennifer Donnelly</div>
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I really enjoyed this book. It is multi-layered and really well written. The story is about the suicidal Andi's trip to Paris over winter break. She's not likable at first, but that's sort of the point. Stick with it! When she discovers a diary from a girl from over two centuries earlier, Andi feels connected to the girls words and is moved to the point obsession. As she reads the diary, Andi goes on a journey of discovery about her future and about France's past. There is history, fantasy and some romance which makes for an all-around good read. I don't want to give too much away because there is mystery in this novel, but it defiantly deserves to be checked out!</div>
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5. <i><a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/262828" target="_blank">True Confessions of a Hollywood Starlet</a></i> by Lola Douglas</div>
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I can't really say this book is truly overlooked because it was made into a TV movie (which did not do it justice, of course!), but still not many people seem to have heard of it! If you like the glamour of Lauren Conrad's <i><a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/352410" target="_blank">L.A. Candy</a></i> and you like Meg Cabot's different perspective and writing style, with no doubt you will love <i>True Confessions of a Hollywood Starlet</i>. A la Lindsey Lohan, this teen star is fresh out of rehab and is about to take a really big step. And it's not back into the spotlight like she believes! Meghan Carter is sent to rural Indiana undercover to recover. This means a serious lifestyle adjustment for this teen star. Her plan is to write all her experiences down in the diary (that is the book we’re reading) and then publish it as a tell-it-all book to make the perfect comeback. But she didn't see coming how her life would change and she would start to enjoy a "normal" life out of the spotlight.</div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 125%;">6. <i><a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/256120" target="_blank">Poison Study</a></i> by Maria V. Snyder</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 125%;">I love this book and its series! Yelena, the main character, just gets better and stronger as the book goes on. She is determined, stubborn and I love her. The book opens with Yelena in prison about to be executed for murder. But Yelena is offered a way out. She is offered fine meals, rooms in the palace- but to have this she must be a food taster for the Commander of Ixia, testing his food for poison from assassins. As Yelena tries to escape her new situation, calamities continue to rise. There is the threat of rebels seizing Ixia, the constant danger upon Yelena's life, and Yelena also develops magical powers she can’t control. Now Yelena is faced with life altering decisions and her future is as unclear. The world Snyder created is so lush in this series, so much so, if you didn't read it you'd be missing out. There are so many high points to this novel: friendship, romance, </span><span style="line-height: 20px;">assassins</span><span style="line-height: 125%;">, fire festivals, and a kick-a** heroine! You have to read it!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 125%;">7. <i><a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/260672" target="_blank">Kingdom Keepers</a></i> by Ridley Pearson</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 20px;">I love Disney with a fierce passion so naturally I was drawn to this book. It </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">defiantly is geared towards a middle-school audience, but don't let that deter you! I'm in high school and I am still enjoying this series! If you love Disney and/or its theme parks, you're bound to enjoy it. This book is a fantastic representation of the Disney World with a darker side. Five teens are each given the opportunity of a life time to become a DHI, or Disney Host Interactive, a hologram guide for guests in the parks. But once they fall asleep after the becoming DHIs, they wake up in their hologram bodies in Disney World after the park closed. The five teens find out that they have been chosen for a mission to save the park from the Overtakers, a group of once-harmless Park characters ranging from the dolls on "It's a Small World After All" to Maleficent, who have taken on an evil power and are intent on spreading their it outside of the borders of Disney World. This book is fantastical at the same time it's suspenseful and it masterly blends science with the magic of Disney. Get reading!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 125%;">8. <i><a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/297397" target="_blank">Austenland</a></i> by Shannon Hale</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">This is for any girl that has ever fantasized about Mr. Darcy. For Jane Hayes, border–line spinster, ONLY Mr. Darcy will do. When a wealthy relative bequeaths her an all expensive paid trip to a English resort that caters to Austen-Addicts such as Jane. Donning an empire-waist gown, Jane struggles to master Regency-era etiquette while flirting with the gardeners and the gentlemen… or maybe the actors who are playing them. It's quite a game, Jane knows, and as her fourteen day vacation draws to a close, the more Jane wonders: is she able to kick her Austen obsession for good? Or could her dreams of finding her own Mr. Darcy become a reality? It's a super light read (only 197 pages) and is a perfect romance. This book may not be truly overlooked (it just was made into an independent movie. Of course the book is wayyyyyy better!). But, <i>Austenland</i> is so short and fantastic what excuse do you have NOT to read it?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">9. <i><a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/424496" target="_blank">Darker Still</a></i> by Leanna Renee Hieber</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">This Dorian Gray-ish, gothic paranormal romance is quite different from anything you find on the Dystopian laden shelves that fill the Young Adult section. That is one of the reasons I believe it has been wrongly overlooked. Different is good! Refreshing even! I devoured this book in a matter of hours. Needless to say, I really enjoyed it. In <i>Darker Still</i>, Natalie Stewart future looks grim due to the fact she was rendered mute after witnessing her mother's death at a young age. When working in the acquisitions department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art she comes across a supposedly haunted portrait of the missing Lord Denbury. Mystery, romance, and intrigue ensue after Natalie falls into the painting. This book is a definite page turner that appeals to the reader's sense of drama and controversy. It may even inspire you to read the Gothic classics it was inspired by!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">10. <i><a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/462253" target="_blank">Fairest of All</a></i> by Serena Valentino</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">This is possibly the most overlooked book of all. NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD OF IT. WHY????????? As mentioned before, I'm a Disney-phile. </span><i style="line-height: 20px;">Fairest of All</i><span style="line-height: 20px;"> tackles the unknown back story of the Evil Queen from <i>Snow White</i>. This is literally the ultimate fan fiction. THE COVER'S SO GOOD. IT WAS SO GOOD! This book is one of the few books I have ever read in one sitting. I LITERALLY COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. Valentino perfectly portrayed the characters from Disney's adaptation of <i>Snow White</i> and wrote a wicked good story. If you love fairytales, Disney, and/or a good old-fashioned misunderstood villain, this is for you. If my writing in all caps has not swayed you to run out and read this book yet--READ IT.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">11. <i><a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/432202" target="_blank">Kill Me Softly</a></i> by Laura Cross</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">I know, I know. Another story about fairytales. Sensing a theme yet? But this one is more edgy. I read this on a recommendation and wasn't disappointed. This isn't your average fairytale retelling. It’s based on the original fairytales of the Brothers Grimm, so it is darker. Nearly-sixteen Mirabelle decides to take her fate into her own hands by running away to the town of Beau Rivage--and gets more than she bargained for. In the town of Beau Rivage, people are cursed with a fairytale. They have to live with knowing their fate before it happens. Such as, but not limited to, coughing up jewels, falling into an enchanted sleep, biting a poisoned apple... you name it. It’s original and frankly addicting. If you love fairytale retellings like me, or are just looking for something original, this is the book for you.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 125%;">If
you have read these books or will, please let me know!!!! Maybe I'm just
talking into the void, but I would love to discuss them! Leave a comment below
(If you can. How does one internet?)!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 125%;">Happy
Reading!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17412998779101170710noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230126032417189416.post-255642733462978232014-07-08T17:20:00.000-07:002014-07-08T17:22:44.937-07:00Book Report: The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender <img alt="The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender" height="320" id="coverImage" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1397110326l/18166936.jpg" width="208" /><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18166936-the-strange-and-beautiful-sorrows-of-ava-lavender?ac=1" target="_blank">The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender </a>by Leslye Walton<br />
My Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars<br />
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To be perfectly honest, this book was one I got only after I
couldn't get one that I actually wanted. I had low expectations before
and after reading the synopsis and fully expected it to be a mediocre
read, one I would forget about soon after I had finished. It pleases me
to say, however, that my low expectations were easily met and surpassed
as this book quickly became one of my all time favorites.</div>
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The book is narrated by Ava Lavender, a girl born in 1944
with wings like a bird. Aside from the wings, Ava is a completely
normal girl. Ava starts the book by telling of her grandmother's story,
starting when she was a little girl and finishing when she was a young
mother. Next, Ava proceeds to tell her mother's story before she
finally reaches her own. As far as a plot beyond that I can't say
much. There is no single conflict with rising and falling action.
There is no set goal a character is working toward throughout the entire
book. There is no mold that the events of this book could fit into.
Despite all this, the story line still manages to draw you in and keep
you enticed until the very end.</div>
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Rather than base the book on a set plot, the book relies
heavily on recurring themes. Themes like love, loss, pain, and sorrow
that are intricately woven throughout the story. This book has been
categorized as "magical realism" which fits the story perfectly. It
takes place in the same world we live in with the same natural laws and
everything. The magic and seemingly impossible portions of this book
were presented in such a casual way that I accepted most of them without
thought, which gave the book an overall more true and organic feel.
This isn't to say that most of said magical portions weren't totally
weird. They were. They definitely were. But rather than being weird to
the point where you either put the book down or started treating it like
a comedy, the magical weirdness added to the beauty of the book and
gave you a new appreciation for the writing. </div>
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I can't say enough good things about the
writing of this book. It was absolutely stunning. The poetic feel of
this book introduced you to new settings and characters in such a
lyrical and flowing way that you couldn't help but slip into the story.
The places of the story, whether it be the house at the end of Pinnacle
Lane or the little French bakery, were presented with such fantastic
imagery that I feel like I know exactly what each one looks like; I feel
like I've been there myself. The characters were so real and raw I
felt I knew them personally. Each one was new and different with their
own unique back story that enabled you to delve deeper into their
character and increase your understanding. </div>
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Ultimately, I absolutely loved this book. It was
beautiful yet slightly haunting and even now that I've finished it I
can't get it out of my head. Leslye Walton's debut novel will not
disappoint, and I would recommend it to just about everyone.<br />
<br />
Sherman Jefferson <br />
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<br />Audrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09274224058649109389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230126032417189416.post-21501263825625968182014-06-13T10:02:00.002-07:002014-06-13T10:02:58.428-07:00Book Report: Plus One<div style="text-align: justify;">
Today's Book Report comes to us from Paige the (former) Page, a member of Wood Library's Teen Advisory Board. Paige is just wrapping up her Junior year, and I'm looking forward to hearing her sing along to <i><a href="http://woodlibrary.org/events/teen-pizza-movie-night-3/" target="_blank">Les Misérables</a></i> later this month.</div>
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Without further ado, here's Paige's review of Elizabeth Fama's new novel <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17934493-plus-one" target="_blank">Plus One</a></i>.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17934493" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank">Plus One</a><span style="text-align: justify;"> By Elizabeth Fama</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">My rating: 4 out of 5 stars </span></div>
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What first enthralled me about this book was the cover. I mean, isn't it absolutely beautiful? When I saw it, I knew I need to know what was inside. I know, I know. Don’t judge a book by its cover, but I had to recognize its beauty before I begin the proper review. Halfway through the book though, to my surprise, I had read a book by Elizabeth Fama, and hadn't particularly enjoyed it. Last year I read Monstrous Beauty hoping to find a good, clean mermaid young adult romance. I wasn't asking for much, right? Sadly, I was left confused and not particularly satisfied. In some ways, Plus One, left me wanting more and a tad confused, but I liked it a whole lot more than Fama's <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12971662" target="_blank">last book</a>!</div>
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The book has a very interesting premise. Following the Flu Pandemic of 1918, society is divided into people that live either during the day, Rays, or those who live during the night, Smudges. This story is all set against the back ground of this dystopic Chicago. The Rays are allowed outside only during the day, while the Smudges only during the night. The Rays are exalted, while the Smudges are seen as inferior. This book tackles issues such as discrimination through this division of the Smudges and the Rays. Obvious a relationship between a Smudge and a Ray would be seen as taboo, forbidden even, which makes for a good romance.<br />
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I loved the main characters. Sol, a Smudge, was real and impulsive. She had real motives and deep loyalties that blinded her at times. She wasn’t perfect for once. And I liked that. On the other hand, D'Arcy, a Ray, was perfect (in a swoon worthy way!) which I was okay with because Rays are supposed to “better.” They’re polar opposites.... almost like night and day. </div>
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Our main character firsts meet when Sol purposely injures herself so she can get into the hospital to steal her estranged Ray brother’s baby so her dying grandfather, Poppu, can hold her one time. Sol falls under a Ray medical apprentice’s care while she is in the hospital: D'Arcy. Soon he is entangled in her mischief and they are swept up in an adventure as they unearth a conspiracy that will rock their whole world.<br />
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This book was overall an enjoyable read, but it is not without its flaws. If you go into this book expecting romance of the bat, you will be disappointed. The romance doesn't start until about three-quarters of the way through, but you won’t be disappointed! It’s sizzling! But there are intercalary/flashback chapters that some times threw off the flow of the book for me. Fama's writing also at times tries to hard to be poetic than switches to frank, plain statements. This book is a little choppy. Also, everyone speaks French? But it’s set in Chicago? That really confused me. In addition, the tech talk and the medical talk was nonsense to me. It wasn’t needed. I also wished the ending gave me more. I loved these characters and felt a tad robbed.</div>
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I feel though the good outweighed the bad I have mentioned thus far in <i>Plus One</i>. This book is worth the read and deserves a chance. </div>
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Happy Reading!<br />
PG</div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230126032417189416.post-66530678263345475222014-06-06T10:22:00.006-07:002014-06-06T10:22:52.519-07:00The 2014 Middle School Summer Reading List is Alive!<div style="text-align: justify;">
Happy Friday. For the 2nd year in a row, an ambitious (and charming) public librarian and a brilliant (and noble) school librarian have come together to bring you the ultimate Summer Reading list for grades 6-8 (and beyond). Behold:</div>
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<a href="http://www.canandaiguaschools.org/webpages/mdyroff/files/2014%20summer%20reading%20suggestions.pdf" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank"><b>The Great Canandaigua Middle School Summer Reading List</b></a></div>
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Here is the lists' logic: organized alphabetically by <i>genre</i>, then by <i>author</i>, all the way from Adventure to Steampunk. We strive to pick new books, published in 2013-2014, so that each year's list is always <i>fraîche</i>. </div>
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Find these books at your local library. All. Summer. Long.</div>
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<a href="mailto:kblue@pls-net.org" target="_blank">Kelley Blue</a>, Teen Services Librarian @ Wood Library, Canandaigua</div>
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<a href="mailto:dyroffm@canandaiguaschools.org" target="_blank">Melanie Dyroff</a>, School Library Media Specialist @ Canandaigua Middle School Library</div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230126032417189416.post-2939377310183866182014-06-03T09:50:00.000-07:002014-06-03T10:09:21.111-07:00Book Report: Grasshopper Jungle<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18079719-grasshopper-jungle" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px; text-align: justify;"><img alt="Grasshopper Jungle" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1373059909m/18079719.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18079719-grasshopper-jungle"></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18079719-grasshopper-jungle">Grasshopper Jungle</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1383409.Andrew_Smith">Andrew Smith</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/948599346">4 of 5 stars</a></div>
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Like, wow.</div>
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"All good books are about everything, abbreviated" (<em>Grasshopper Jungle</em>, p.332).</div>
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Austin Szreba has a healthy preoccupation with the intersection of histories. He believes that the roads of coincidence cross back and forth across time, right in front of us. As a self-made historian, he writes these observations down. <em>Grasshopper Jungle</em> is Austin's recording of the end of the world. While the world is ending, our narrator is also authentically struggling to separate hormones from love and friendship, and human stupidity from beauty. It happens like this...</div>
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A gang of total oafs beat the crap out of Austin and his best friend, Robby, in the nowhere town of Ealing, Iowa, in an alleyway affectionately referred to as the "Grasshopper Jungle". Later that night, the same gang of total oafs breaks into the office of Austin's boss, an office that Austin and Robby have also just broken into. Inside they have discovered the most messed up treasure trove of Cold War era stuffs ever seen. While Austin and Robby are smart enough to stand in fear and awe of the glowing blue orb of "Contained MI Plague Strain 412E", the total oafs decide it would be fun to take it for a stroll...</div>
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It was not a good idea. <em>You know what I mean.</em></div>
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The joy of the rest of this book is in letting Austin tie all the ends together while hell breaks loose in Ealing. In his own meandering, often gross, and truly funny way, Austin discovers what MI Plague Strain 412E <u>is</u>, what it <u>does</u> (bad stuff), and where it <u>came from</u> (totally bizarre). While he's figuring this all out, he has the unfortunate fate of being a teenage boy made horny by nearly everything, which is inconvenient when the world is ending. Incessant male teenage arousal can also be inconvenient when you're trying to figure out your feelings for your girlfriend and possibly your best friend, too. Female characters, like Shann, seem a big thinly drawn, but that may be appropriate considering the narrator, who happens to be preoccupied by unstoppable, giant mantises bent on devouring the entire human race. And other stuff.</div>
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This book is anticlimactic (in a good way!), hilarious, and somber all at once. It is certainly the most unique end-of-the-world fiction I have read in maybe ever. -Kelley, (Your) Teen Services Librarian</div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/7481835-kelley">View all my reviews</a></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230126032417189416.post-32991882334676817162014-02-17T12:33:00.002-08:002014-02-17T12:40:02.511-08:00Don't Drink the Tea! (Book Report: Midwinterblood)<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15792870-midwinterblood" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px; text-align: justify;"><img alt="Midwinterblood" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1374670451m/15792870.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15792870-midwinterblood"></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15792870-midwinterblood">Midwinterblood</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/110234.Marcus_Sedgwick">Marcus Sedgwick</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/845914349">4 of 5 stars</a></div>
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I'm seeing the phrase, "I don't get it" out there when it comes to this book. It's not that I don't get <em>it</em>, I just don't get why <em>it</em> is YA. (<em>Midwinterblood</em>, as many may know, won the Printz this year for excellence in young adult fiction.) </div>
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I hope I am not selling teen readers short, but this book will be "just right" for only the rarest of porridge eaters. When I tried to explain the plot to one of my most avid and adventurous teen readers, she just smiled and nodded at me politely. Now, maybe that's my fault, but the entire time I was reading <em>Midwinterblood</em>, my Teen Librarian brain kept asking, "where's the teen appeal here?" (Also, it is false advertising to throw "vampires" and "vikings" around when talking up this book, because that's not what's really going on here.)</div>
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That said, I believe <em>Midwinterblood</em> is a rewarding read for that right reader. The chapters are broken up into pithy, digestible bites that make it a quick read. There are seven interrelated vignettes going back in time sequentially; so, we begin in 2073 and end before recorded time. Starting in 2073 was a good choice for me; Sedgwick's version of the future coupled with the creepy, timeless qualities of Blessed Island really pulled me in. (Also, screaming "just stop drinking the tea!" got me engaged with the first story in a very active way.)</div>
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The sections are interrelated by just a few elements, and picking up the threads of <i>how</i> is the real pleasure of this book. I often found myself going back to a previous vignette when I realized a connection. Man, this book is smart! The threads are woven masterfully. For example, not each element appears in each story; rather, they are peppered, and sometimes so different that you don't immediately catch them.</div>
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I can't delve too much further because I would give away all the lovely weirdness. I said this book didn't have immediate teen appeal, but I think it would make for an excellent discussion with older teens about the concept of self (Are we more than just this? Are we greater than ourselves? Is there such a thing as destiny? Do we have any control over it?). Deceptively simple, there is a lot to ponder here. Or just leave it be and enjoy this haunting Ouroboros of a novel.</div>
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<strong>Bonus factor?</strong> This book got me to use "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouroboros" target="_blank">Ouroboros</a>" in a sentence.</div>
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<strong>Second bonus factor?</strong> This book was partially inspired by <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/64/Midvinterblot.jpeg" rel="nofollow">this crazy painting</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/7481835-kelley">View all my reviews</a>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230126032417189416.post-25944047007348255532013-10-25T09:52:00.002-07:002013-10-25T10:22:50.956-07:00Facebook, Time Machine, Pop-Tarts<div style="text-align: justify;">
Hey all. I'm very excited to announce that the Wood Library Teen Scene has finally taken a time machine to 5 years ago and established its very own Facebook page. While the library has had its own FB page for a while now, I was feeling kind of guilty for flooding it with teen stuff all the time. So, I've struck out on my own. Check it:</div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/woodlibraryteen" target="_blank">Wood Library Teen Scene</a></div>
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Give us a like if you, like me, love to read posts about YA reads, movies, fandom, geekdom, pop-culture, cats in people clothing, and pop-tarts. Or any combination thereof. -Kelley (Your) Teen Services Librarian</div>
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kelleylibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05321684318964815142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230126032417189416.post-81937338109781375342013-10-14T10:56:00.000-07:002013-10-14T10:56:48.503-07:00List Love: Teen Read Week<div style="text-align: justify;">
Happy Teen Read Week, everybody! </div>
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The purpose of TRW is to e-specially single out teens and get them excited about reading and libraries. As if reading and libraries weren't already exciting to all the teens in the world, right??? This week is just for you, and the theme is "Seek the Unknown"... via sci-fi, fantasy, adventure, or any combination thereof. <i>How tantalizing.</i></div>
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Here's a quick list of suggested, YA-friendly titles that will help you celebrate Teen Read Week, for all your unknown-seeking-needs. Apologies that this list leans heavily sci-fi. Books marked with a * are some of my personal favorites.<br />
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<a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/426687" target="_blank">Pure (Pure Trilogy #1)</a> by Julianna Baggott*</div>
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In a post-apocalyptic world where those undamaged by the cataclysmic events are kept safely inside the Dome, a young girl on the outside teams up with a boy on the inside to search for his missing mother. </div>
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<a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/431443" target="_blank">Losers in Space</a> by John Barnes</div>
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In 2029, hoping to bypass the exams and training that might lead to a comfortable life, Susan, her almost-boyfriend Derlock, and seven fellow students stow away on a ship to Mars, unaware that Derlock is a sociopath with bigger plans.</div>
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<a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/413775" target="_blank">Ready Player One</a> by Ernst Cline*</div>
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Immersing himself in a mid-twenty-first-century technological virtual utopia to escape an ugly real world of famine, poverty, and disease, Wade Watts joins an increasingly violent effort to solve a series of puzzles by the virtual world's creator.</div>
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<a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/459223" target="_blank">The Reluctant Assassin (W.A.R.P. #1)</a> by Eoin Colfer</div>
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In Victorian London, Albert Garrick, an assassin-for-hire, and his reluctant young apprentice, Riley, are transported via wormhole to modern London, where Riley teams up with a young FBI agent to stop Garrick from returning to his own time and using his newly acquired scientific knowledge and power to change the world forever.</div>
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<a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/379325" target="_blank">For the Win</a> by Cory Doctorow</div>
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In a future where poor children and teenagers work for corrupt bosses as gold farmers, finding valuable items inside massively-multiplayer online games, a small group of teenagers work to unionize and escape this near-slavery.</div>
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<a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/445724" target="_blank">Eve & Adam</a> by Michael Grant</div>
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After being in a car accident, a patient recovering in her mother's research facility is given the task of creating the perfect boy using detailed simulation technologies.</div>
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<a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/438726" target="_blank">Insignia (Insignia #1)</a> by S.J. Kincaid</div>
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Tom, a fourteen-year-old genius at virtual reality games, is recruited by the United States Military to begin training at the Pentagon Spire as a Combatant in World War III, controlling the mechanized drones that do the actual fighting off-planet.</div>
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<a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/429283" target="_blank">Planesrunner (Everness #1)</a> by Ian McDonald</div>
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When fourteen-year-old Everett Singh's scientist father is kidnapped from the streets of London, he leaves a mysterious app on Everett's computer giving him access to the Infundibulum--a map of parallel earths--which is being sought by technologically advanced dark powers that Everett must somehow elude while he tries to rescue his father.</div>
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<a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/468494" target="_blank">Itch: The Explosive Adventures of an Element Hunter</a> by Simon Mayo</div>
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When fourteen-year-old Itchingham "Itch" Lofte discovers a new radioactive element, he must use all of his wits and scientific knowledge to stop a top-secret government agency, his greedy teacher, and an evil corporation from getting hold of it.</div>
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<a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/424208" target="_blank">Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1)</a> by Marissa Meyer*</div>
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As plague ravages the overcrowded Earth, observed by a ruthless lunar people, Cinder, a gifted mechanic and cyborg, becomes involved with handsome Prince Kai and must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect the world in this futuristic take on the Cinderella story. </div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/321930" target="_blank">The Adoration of Jenna Fox (Jenna Fox Chronicles #1)</a> by Mary Pearson</span></div>
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In the not-too-distant future, when biotechnological advances have made synthetic bodies and brains possible but illegal, a seventeen-year-old girl, recovering from a serious accident and suffering from memory lapses, learns a startling secret about her existence.</div>
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<a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/432023" target="_blank">Starters</a> by Lissa Price</div>
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To support herself and her younger brother in a future Beverly Hills, sixteen-year-old Callie hires her body out to seniors who want to experience being young again, and she lives a fairy-tale life until she learns that her body will commit murder, unless her mind can stop it.</div>
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<a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/435260" target="_blank">Redshirts</a> by John Scalzi</div>
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Enjoying his assignment with the xenobiology lab on board the prestigious Intrepid, ensign Andrew Dahl worries about casualties suffered by low-ranking officers during away missions before making a shocking discovery about the starship's actual purpose</div>
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<a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/312261" target="_blank">Unwind (Unwind Trilogy #1)</a> by Neal Shusterman</div>
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In a future world where those between the ages of thirteen and eighteen can have their lives "unwound" and their body parts harvested for use by others, three teens go to extreme lengths to uphold their beliefs--and, perhaps, save their own lives.</div>
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<a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/458267" target="_blank">Stung</a> by Bethany Wiggins</div>
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When a vaccine to save endangered bees causes their sting to turn children into ferocious killer beasts, the uninfected build a wall to keep the beasts out, but Fiona wakes up on the wrong side of the wall.</div>
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Happy seeking! -Kelley, (Your) Teen Services Librarian</div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230126032417189416.post-27138991614372592002013-09-13T08:17:00.002-07:002013-09-13T08:17:38.905-07:00The Internet Don't Lie<div style="font-size: 8pt;">
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Dude, I knew I would end up being a stupid Hufflepuff. For the record, I was one point away from Ravenclaw. </div>
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<a href="http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Reviews/HarryPotter/Docs/Quiz-House.html" style="font-size: 8pt;"><img src="http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Reviews/HarryPotter/Docs/Quizzes/HP-Hufflepuff.jpg" style="border: none; width: 256px;" title="Hufflepuff" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Reviews/HarryPotter/Docs/Quiz-House.html"></a><a href="http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Reviews/HarryPotter/Docs/Quiz-House.html" style="font-size: 8pt;">Which Hogwarts house will you be sorted into?</a></div>
kelleylibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05321684318964815142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230126032417189416.post-49213845872765896542013-09-06T09:29:00.001-07:002013-09-06T09:41:52.075-07:00Borrowing from the Blog-o-sphere: TLT's YA Fiction for Sherlock Fans!<div style="text-align: justify;">
You may or may not be surprised to learn that librarians like me are all over the internet fanning out. And thank goodness for that, because these people are full of fabulous ideas and inspiration. Case in point: Teen Librarian Toolbox's <a href="http://www.teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2013/09/take-5-its-elementary-ya-fiction-for.html?spref=bl" target="_blank">Take 5: It's Elementary (YA Fiction for fans of Sherlock Fans)</a>. A list like this <u>so</u> needs to exist. Click on the link for their awesome suggestions.</div>
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I've read 2 of the suggested titles, <i><a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/416956" target="_blank">The Name of the Star</a></i> and <i><a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/434963" target="_blank">Code Name Verity</a></i>, and really enjoyed both of them. <i>The Name of the Star</i> has boarding school, London, secret organizations AND Jack the Ripper's ghost, so how could you <u>not</u> want to read that? I wouldn't have thought of recommending <i>Code Name...</i> to Sherlock fans, though it is an epic read, full of intricate details that you gradually begin to realize you are piecing together into one shocking whole (kind of like a Sherlock episode). Plus, it's got lady spies, and lady pilots, and complex villains. The <a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/456354" target="_blank">audiobook</a> was phenomenal, especially if, like me, you're super into UK accents. </div>
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Happy reading, Sherlock fans:</div>
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-Kelley, (Your) Teen Services Librarian</div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230126032417189416.post-2297398795017783432013-08-01T09:43:00.001-07:002013-08-01T09:43:44.103-07:00Teen Takeover: NEW Guest Blogger Feature<div style="text-align: justify;">
Though I wish I could, I can't read or review everything. Also, hearing myself speak about books gets lonesome sometimes, and so I introduce you to a new feature: <i>Guest Teen Blogger!</i></div>
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This week, Victoria, otherwise known as "teen blogger extraordinaire", reviews <a href="http://libbabray.com/the-gemma-doyle-trilogy" target="_blank">The Gemma Doyle Trilogy</a> by one of my all-time favorite YA authors, <a href="http://libbabray.com/" target="_blank">Libba Bray</a>. Take it away, Victoria:</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Get all three books at the library! Click <a href="http://evergreen.owwl.org/eg/opac/record/207762?query=great%20and%20terrible%20beauty%20bray;qtype=keyword;loc=1" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</td></tr>
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"Libba Bray wrote this thrilling historical fiction trilogy. It starts with <i>A Great and Terrible Beauty</i>, next comes <i>Rebel Angels</i>, and finally the last book is <i>A Sweet Far Thing</i>. It follows sixteen year old Gemma Doyle. Gemma has just lost her mother, is gaining strange powers, moving from India to England for boarding school, being watched by a mysterious stranger that she may or may not be attracted to, and creates friendships with three very unique girls. The four girls stumble upon The Realms, a magical land where the dead come to crossover the river to go beyond. Only select women from The Order have this power that Gemma possesses, and, whether she wants it or not, Gemma is now the one holding this power and must decide who to trust, who to fight, and, most importantly, what to do.</div>
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The first book, I felt, got off to a slow start. Once its momentum got going, though, I was hooked and couldn't put the book down. I found the second book extremely hard to work through. It didn't seem up to par with the first book [Insert from Kelley the Librarian: I TOTALLY AGREE!]. It started off in another person’s point-of-view without anyone knowing before just switching to Gemma’s with no warning. It made me very confused. I was hesitant to pick up the third book after the second, but I did anyway. Best choice ever! The third book blew me away. I think I liked it better than the first one. There is tons of action and the book never seems to slow its pace. The ending was a love-hate one. I loved it, but I still wanted it to be different--if that makes any sense to anyone.</div>
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I believe there is at least one character in the books that everyone will like. It may not be the same person, but they are all so unique and different that I think it’s only a matter of personality preference. The characters certainly have personality and are well developed into the story line. I highly recommend these books even though I didn't like the second one. The trilogy is a great read. I’d skip dessert to read them!"</div>
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~Victoria, Guest Blogger Extraordinaire!!! </div>
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<i>Do YOU want to be a guest teen blogger? It's as simple as sending me an email: <a href="mailto:kblue@pls-net.org">kblue@pls-net.org</a>. (Guest teen bloggers must live in Canandaigua or Ontario County-abouts, and they must be <u>teens</u>, obvs)</i></div>
kelleylibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05321684318964815142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230126032417189416.post-7061980442107967402013-07-23T10:35:00.000-07:002014-06-03T10:08:50.536-07:00Book Report: Shadow and Bone (The Grisha)<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10194157-shadow-and-bone" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px; text-align: justify;"><img alt="Shadow and Bone (The Grisha, #1)" border="0" src="http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1339533695m/10194157.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10194157-shadow-and-bone"></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10194157-shadow-and-bone">Shadow and Bone</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4575289.Leigh_Bardugo">Leigh Bardugo</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/629500353">5 of 5 stars</a></div>
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Why is writing a review of a book you love so much harder than writing about one you... loved not so much?</div>
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I indulged myself by reading <em>Shadow and Bone</em> and its sequel, <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/edit/14061955">Siege and Storm</a>, back-to-back. What a luxury it was! Things started a bit slow for me... I even doubted for a few chapters whether I would dig this series. <em>But then! Oh my!</em> I was swept off my feet. How? Why? Because Alina Starkov's life goes from 0 to 120 in a matter of pages, and the pace, the magic and the sensuality don't really slow from there. </div>
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The best type of heroine, Alina starts from nothing and must quickly come to grips with a tremendous power she never knew she had. This is an archetype I never really get tired of, especially when it's done as well as Bardugo does it. When we first meet Alina, she's a orphaned teen apprenticing cartography in the First Army of Ravka (peep a map at the front of both books for a geography lesson; #yeahbookmaps). An important thing you need to know about Ravka is that it has literally been torn in two by a swath of physical darkness known as the Shadow Fold (it's just "the Fold" for short, ya'll). The Fold is full of some really nasty creatures that will eat you, and the Fold may be growing. It's, like, a huge problem and plays a central role in the politics of the book. But now, back to our heroine: </div>
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By her own accounts (and she may be a tiny bit hard on herself), Alina's not much more than average in all departments, until one day a life-and-death situation while crossing the Fold forces her dormant powers to the surface, and she is thrust into the world of the Grisha.</div>
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The Grisha are people born with special abilities like summoning and controlling wind or squeezing the life out of a person's heart. In neighboring countries, they're hunted down and burned as witches, but in Ravka they are enlisted into the powerful Second Army, led by a dead-sexy character known as the Darkling.</div>
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When Alina's power is discovered, she is "taken under the wing" of the Darkling more or less by force, whisked off to the royal capital in the hopes that her powers can be harnessed and used to fight the Fold. Alina is also separated from her one and only friend/childhood companion, Mal, who she has serious unexplored romantic feelings for. Remember when I said the book swept me off my feet? This is about where it happened.</div>
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While the adventure moves along quickly, we also get some wonderful character development and growth, especially moving into <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14061955-siege-and-storm">book 2</a>. I read a lot of YA, and I read a lot of YA series, but this series is at the top of my list right now, alongside Marissa Meyer's <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11235712-cinder">Lunar Chronicles</a>. I will eagerly await the third book in both of these series, and gush about the first two books to anyone who will listen until then.
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/7481835-kelley">View all my reviews</a>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230126032417189416.post-30680210483263812632013-06-14T13:49:00.000-07:002013-06-14T13:49:08.779-07:00Hot Off the Presses! Middle School Summer Reads<div style="text-align: justify;">
I am very excited to officially release this list of <i>suggested</i> summer reads for my middle school students out there. I know you guys in the Canandaigua area have to read 2 books this summer (at least!), so we're here to help with hand-picked books, just for you. </div>
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Who's "we"? This list was a collaborative effort of Yours Truly and Melanie Dyroff, School Library Media Specialist at Canandaigua Middle School. And, you know, double the librarian equals double the awesome. </div>
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<a href="http://memecrunch.com/meme/MUF1/double-awesome/image.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://memecrunch.com/meme/MUF1/double-awesome/image.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.canandaiguaschools.org/webpages/mdyroff/files/2013%20middle%20school%20summer%20reading%20suggestions.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Click here for the full list</span></a></div>
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<b>Technical details:</b> Stop by <a href="http://woodlibrary.org/" target="_blank">Wood Library</a> and browse a print copy of the list in the Teen Scene or at the Reference Desk. All of these titles are available for check-out this summer at Wood Library and through the Pioneer Library System. Many of the titles are also available as eBooks or audiobooks in <a href="http://owwl2go.owwl.org/" target="_blank">OWWL2Go</a>. -Kelley, (Your) Teen Services Librarian</div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230126032417189416.post-9762233314309621092013-06-11T08:58:00.001-07:002014-06-03T10:09:05.701-07:00Book Report: How to Lead a Life of Crime<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15715844-how-to-lead-a-life-of-crime" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px; text-align: justify;"><img alt="How to Lead a Life of Crime" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1351217641m/15715844.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15715844-how-to-lead-a-life-of-crime"></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15715844-how-to-lead-a-life-of-crime">How to Lead a Life of Crime</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/109354.Kirsten_Miller">Kirsten Miller</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/597185971">4 of 5 stars</a></div>
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Like, wow. I'm not much a "true crime" reader, but I <u>do</u> have a bit of a thing for secret schools and societies, so reviews of this book hooked me. And I'm so glad they did. </div>
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The deal: our narrator, Flick, seems awfully young to be so hardened by life, but this is a book where we see on many levels how awful life can be to even the very young. That's right: life-suckieness does not discriminate here. </div>
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It just so happens that hardened youth such as Flick are exactly what the prestigious Mandel Academy is looking for. This elite New York preparatory school has a reputation for turning hopeless lives around... but not by any of the educational means you're most likely familiar with.</div>
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Some things about Flick's very troubled past we learn right away; he tells us. Other facts are skillfully and gradually teased out through his interactions with the novel's other characters (all fascinating and meaty... Bravo, Kristin Miller!) Most of these characters are living, but we also get to know Flick through his interactions with the apparition of his dead younger brother, Jude, who comes in and out of Flick's alone time dressed in full Peter Pan regalia. <em>I know</em>: but it so works. </div>
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Flick's been living on the streets of New York by choice. He's an excellent pick-pocket and one heck of a thug. But underneath the tough exterior, he also has a tender relationship smoldering with Joi, a young woman who runs a make shift orphanage for runaways in an abandoned building on the Lower East Side. Flick's criminal activities and severed family ties attract the attention of the Mandel Academy's headmaster, Lucian Mandel. He offers Flick a place at the school, but, more importantly, he offers Flick the chance to avenge Jude's death. Flick convinces himself that revenge is the only thing that matters to him, and so he accepts. Fortunately for us readers, Flick has only an inkling of what he's getting himself into. And when Joi gets pulled into the hornet's nest as well, Flick discovers that he does care about something else other than revenge. </div>
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What lengths is Flick willing to go to for what matters most to him? What will or won't he do in order to survive Mandel? That question is at the heart of both the narrative and the themes of this page-turning novel. So good!</div>
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I see that other reviewers have pointed out the violence. Yes: the explicit is shocking, and the implicit is haunting. That said, I don't think that any of the violence was unnecessary or unexpected; I think it was artfully woven in and always within character. (Is it so wrong that I was appalled <u>and</u> delighted by the way in which a certain character's head is dispatched from his body?) Plus, this book is never anything but up-front about what's contained in its pages: "A meth dealer. A prostitute. A serial killer.... Anywhere else, they’d be vermin. At the Mandel Academy, they’re called prodigies." You get the picture. </div>
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As a librarian, I would for sure steer this into the hands of my older high-school readers. It's just not the right book for a younger crowd, not just because of the violence, but for the complex themes and questions this book grapples with as well. </div>
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All in all, this book is awesome. I've never read Miller's Kiki Strike series, but now I certainly will.
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/7481835-kelley">View all my reviews</a></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230126032417189416.post-4030180382326279442013-05-30T08:42:00.002-07:002013-05-30T08:42:27.164-07:00SYNC YA Listening Summer 2013 Launches Today!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.audiobooksync.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/cropped-SYNC-header980w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="81" src="http://www.audiobooksync.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/cropped-SYNC-header980w.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>May 30-August 15, 2013</b></div>
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YOU GUYS this truly is really cool. Each week this summer, starting <b>today</b>, you can download <b>two free audiobooks</b> to listen to on your computer or mobile device. I'll keep you posted throughout the summer on the weekly titles. There will always be one contemporary YA title and one related YA "classic".</div>
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<b>Bonus factors:</b></div>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">If you already use <a href="http://owwl2go.owwl.org/" target="_blank">OWWL2Go</a> to download library eBooks, you should already have the OverDrive app needed to download these audiobooks;</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Unlike library eBooks, these title don't need to be "returned". That's right: you can keep them. <i>What?</i></li>
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Download the 1st free YA Novel & Summer Reading Classic pair from SYNC <a href="http://www.audiobooksync.com/free-sync-downloads">here</a>. Or, you could just keep reading for a sneak preview of this week's titles, followed by some easy to follow instructions. Your choice.</div>
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<b>This Week's Audiobooks:</b> </div>
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Available to download free May 30 – June 5, 2013</div>
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<a href="http://www.audiobooksync.com/sync-young-adult-titles/of-poseidon" target="_blank">Of Poseidon</a> By Anna Banks</div>
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Read by Rebecca Gibel</div>
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Published by AudioGO</div>
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<i>Galen, prince of the Syrena, is sent to land to find a girl he's heard can communicate with fish and after several encounters with her Galen becomes convinced Emma holds the key to his kingdom.</i></div>
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<a href="http://www.audiobooksync.com/sync-classic-titles/the-tempest" target="_blank">The Tempest</a> By William Shakespeare</div>
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Performed by a Full Cast</div>
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Published by AudioGO/ BBC Radio</div>
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<i>A storm rages. Prospero and his daughter watch from their desert island as a ship carrying the royal family is wrecked. Miraculously, all on board survive. Plotting, mistaken identities, and bewitching love follow as the travelers explore the strange place of spirits and monsters.</i></div>
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Thank you to <a href="http://www.audiogo.com/" target="_blank">AudioGO</a> for generously providing this week's titles.</div>
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<b>Available for a Limited Time:</b></div>
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Remember--grab these titles before they are replaced by a new pairing on June 6! While the title availability is time-limited, your listening time is not. Once you have downloaded the MP3 files, the audiobook is yours to listen to at your leisure.</div>
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<b>Downloading Tips:</b></div>
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The OverDrive Media Console will deliver SYNC summer audiobooks to you via Overdrive Media Software installed on your computer (compatible with Windows and Mac) or through an Overdrive App on your mobile device (compatible with iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone 7). Visit the <a href="http://www.overdrive.com/software/omc/" target="_blank">OverDrive website</a> to download the App or Software.</div>
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Don't miss the remaining summer season of SYNC audiobook downloads! Click <a href="http://www.audiobooksync.com/2013/04/13/sync-2013-titles-revealed" target="_blank">here</a> for the full schedule.</div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230126032417189416.post-5249319327100285572013-05-08T14:18:00.000-07:002013-05-08T14:18:13.581-07:00Book Report: How I Live Now<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/161426.How_I_Live_Now" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px; text-align: justify;"><img alt="How I Live Now" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327870252m/161426.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/161426.How_I_Live_Now"></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/161426.How_I_Live_Now">How I Live Now</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/93575.Meg_Rosoff">Meg Rosoff</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/606025703">5 of 5 stars</a></div>
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I will try to say as little about this book as possible, because I get speechless about things that affect me this much. I love it and I don't want to spoil it with my stupid words! I <em>will</em> say that it's breathtakingly beautiful; that I read it cover to cover; and that I sobbed during the last 10 pages. Maybe you don't like sobbing over a well told tale, <u>but I do</u>, so I consider this an achievement on the author's part.</div>
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I ordered this for my library by chance when I saw it on a Novelist read-a-like list for <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2767052-the-hunger-games">The Hunger Games</a>. I read the description and reviews and thought, "we should own this!" It won the Printz award in 2006, which in the world of YA librarians is a big deal. P.S. apparently the <a href="http://www.megrosoff.co.uk/tag/how-i-live-now-movie" rel="nofollow">movie adaptation</a> is in post production. And it looks achingly lovely. Bonus, and fingers crossed.</div>
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The deal: Upper West Side teen Daisy is packed-off to relatives in the English countryside by her Dad's new-ish trophy wife. Through the cracks in her narrative armor, we learn that: her mother died in childbirth; she's no stranger to trouble; and she gains a sort of peace or power from not eating. She's NYC-Tough with an attitude to match, which makes her cousins' idyllic life-style completely foreign and overwhelming to her. It's as if she's walked into a fairy tale, and she gives herself over to it almost completely. </div>
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When alarming yet vague news of "the war" comes, Daisy and her cousins at first have the luxury of ignoring it. Through circumstance, they are left on their own with no adult supervision, and their fairy tale days reaches a dizzying height. But they can't stay that way.</div>
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If I found any flaw in <em>How I Live Now</em>, it was the style of Daisy's narration being a bit much, with her lack of quotations and trains of thought. But when I got near the end of the book I realized <em>why</em>, and I realized it was perfect. So, scratch that.</div>
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This is a slim little volume that packs a wallop of emotions and sensations. Rosoff gives us a terrifying present that could very easily be our own, and a narrator that could very easily be the teen you. Highly recommended, a personal classic, though not for the faint of heart. Loved. --Kelley, (Your) Teen Librarian</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/7481835-kelley">View all my reviews</a>
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kelleylibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05321684318964815142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230126032417189416.post-79108491366887994082013-04-30T13:01:00.002-07:002013-04-30T13:16:55.631-07:00Book Report: The Hunt<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10913887-the-hunt" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px; text-align: justify;"><img alt="The Hunt (The Hunt, #1)" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1344174064m/10913887.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10913887-the-hunt"></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10913887-the-hunt">The Hunt</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5307635.Andrew_Fukuda">Andrew Fukuda</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/557371134">3 of 5 stars</a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f1c232;">Pre-Review Note: Andrew Fukuda is one of 33 awesome authors appearing at the <a href="http://www.tbflive.org/" target="_blank">Rochester Teen Book Festival</a> on May 18!!! Pick up this book and its sequel from the Wood Library Teen Scene.</span><br />
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I was mucho excited for this book. Dang, the premise of this book <em>still</em> thrills me! How cool is this (?): Our narrator is truly a one-of-a-kind guy. He's the only human he knows in a world populated by blood drinking, flesh eating, upside-down sleeping "normal people". Gene once had a family, but now he's on his own, using all the tricks his father taught him to blend in and survive. But his charade, already life consuming, becomes increasingly difficult when he is randomly selected to participate in a government sponsored hunt for his own kind.</div>
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I devoured the first part of this book, fascinated by the methods Gene uses to hide his true nature, as well as by the traits of the "people" (how they laugh, eat, or even make-out is particularly unsettling). And there's a really interesting question at the center of the novel: what makes a civilized person, and what makes a savage animal? Is it just majority rule that decides? If "people" somehow evolved to hunt and eat flesh, and humans are now near extinct, are the flesh eaters the more evolved/sophisticated species? Was it evolution at all?</div>
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And so, I <u>really wanted</u> to love this all the way through. But there were just too many instances of implausible plot twists and character developments. I get it that you have the wonderful right to create a completely fictional world, but that world has to behave in a logical way for me to go along with it. Especially irksome to me is when a character acts out of character, does something that even under the most difficult circumstances is not in the nature the author has thus far created for them. </div>
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I always want to give a full disclaimer that I listened to the audiobook version of <em>The Hunt</em>, and format <u>can</u> make a huge difference. My biggest complaint? Gene is supposed to be a smoking hot teen loner, but the narrator came off as a whiny and strained. I get that Gene's life is beyond stressful, but his voice shouldn't sound like he's passing kidney stones AND chewing on marshmallows for 300 pages straight. So, maybe I need to give the print version a quick re-visit.</div>
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Still, this was a thrilling and at times horrifying read (in a good way). The set-up and world building are truly fascinating and unique. The sequel, <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14740456-the-prey">Prey</a>, is out - will I pick it up? 50/50. If you enjoy survival tales and vampires that are <u>scary</u>, not sexy, then you should give this a shot.
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/7481835-kelley">View all my reviews</a>
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kelleylibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05321684318964815142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230126032417189416.post-67246672393387923132013-04-30T10:42:00.000-07:002013-04-30T11:58:36.131-07:00Book Report: Cryer's Cross<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8543252-cryer-s-cross" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px; text-align: justify;"><img alt="Cryer's Cross" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327922257m/8543252.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8543252-cryer-s-cross"></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8543252-cryer-s-cross">Cryer's Cross</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/767547.Lisa_McMann">Lisa McMann</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/587708904">3 of 5 stars</a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f1c232;">Pre-Review Note: Lisa McMann is one of 33 awesome authors appearing at the <a href="http://tbflive.org/" target="_blank">Rochester Teen Book Festival</a> on May 18!!! Pick up her books from the Wood Library Teen Scene.</span></div>
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Review Note: This review contains one big spoiler that is going to happen... NOW: haunted talking desk! </div>
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If you were to tell me a week ago that I would make it through an entire book that centers around the idea of a talking desk possessed by ghosts, I wouldn't have believed you. "Oh, come on! That's too much," may have been my jaded response. But somehow, Lisa McMann pulls it off. At least, I think she pulls it off until we actually get to the talking desk in the last 1/4 of the book. Then I really had to strain to suspend my disbelief of haunted talking desks. (Shall we call them "HTD" from now on?)</div>
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The first 3/4 of the book are equal parts realistic, high school fiction and truly creepy thriller. McMann really does attain a nice balance between the two. Kendall, our teen protagonist, suffers from above average OCD. I haven't met too many fictional characters who admit to their OCD, so it was interesting for me to look in on Kendall's habits and coping mechanisms. I kind of enjoyed how most of the book was about her mental struggle, and I for sure enjoyed the unexpected, budding romance between Kendall and the new kid in a town of, like, 2 people. But wait: her best friend has mysteriously disappeared, her soccer team has dissolved, she probably won't get into Juilliard, and, oh by the way, A DESK IS TALKING TO HER! Is she going crazy? What are the voices trying to tell her? And is her BF Nico ever coming back?<br />
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I would recommend this to a reluctant reader in a heartbeat. The creepy is ever present and weirdly mysterious, and the narrative moves along at a clip. Nothing earth shattering for me, but I liked. -Kelley, (Your) Teen Services Librarian</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/7481835-kelley">View all my reviews</a>
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kelleylibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05321684318964815142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230126032417189416.post-45174954993631824412013-03-19T07:29:00.001-07:002013-03-19T07:29:13.466-07:00Book Report: Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2)<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13206760-scarlet" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px; text-align: justify;"><img alt="Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles, #2)" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1342485529m/13206760.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13206760-scarlet"></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13206760-scarlet">Scarlet</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4684322.Marissa_Meyer">Marissa Meyer</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/404964354">5 of 5 stars</a></div>
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I really enjoyed <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11235712-cinder">Cinder</a>, the first book in the Lunar Chronicles, but WOW: this book! Marissa Meyer has done such a wonderful job integrating new, complex characters and plot lines while still seamlessly continuing what she started in <em>Cinder</em>. <em>Scarlet</em> is a satisfying, rich read, full of thrills both horrifying and romantic; terror, adventure and swoon. The sci-fi world Meyer has created is unique and air tight. (Rare! I am a tough customer when it comes to YA world building... so many worlds, too many holes). Again, I love how she interprets classic tales (this time around, Red Riding Hood) with such a light, clever hand. I truly can't wait for the third book in this series. Bravo! </div>
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<span style="background-color: orange;"><b>Shame-free TBF Promotion:</b></span> Marissa Meyer is one of 33 YA authors appearing at the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_265268675"></span>Rochester Teen Book Festival<span id="goog_265268676"></span></a> on May 18!</div>
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And, for those of you who have not read Cinder, here's my original review of that book from way-back-when. (Note, Dear Reader: you will need to read <i>Cinder</i> before jumping into <i>Scarlet</i>. And that's not a bad thing!)</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11235712-cinder" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px; text-align: justify;"><img alt="Cinder (Lunar Chronicles, #1)" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1317794278m/11235712.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11235712-cinder"></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11235712-cinder">Cinder</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4684322.Marissa_Meyer">Marissa Meyer</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/393295213">4 of 5 stars</a></div>
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I avoided this book for a bit because I'm a bit tired of YA fairy-tale/myth retelling/re-imagining. Though you can describe <i>Cinder</i> as a retake on Cinderella, that meager description doesn't do the book justice. It's great fun to imagine as you're reading how the author is going to incorporate the elements of Cinderella into her tale and she doesn't disappoint in her creativity or subtlety. I would describe this as very accessible yet classic sci-fi, loosely based on the Cinderella tale, with a kick-ass heroine and a satisfying tease of teenage romantic longing. Great character development, great intrigue, and a brisk, building action that will send you catapulting into a can't-wait sequel.</div>
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<span style="background-color: orange;">I recommend this series to readers who enjoy any of the following: science fiction, fairy-tale retelling, strong female leads, adventure, a perfect dose of romance-amid-action, page turners and series. Did I forget anything?</span> -Kelley, (Your) Teen Services Librarian</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/7481835-kelley">View all my reviews</a>
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kelleylibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05321684318964815142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4230126032417189416.post-86668811853735210922013-03-11T11:30:00.002-07:002013-03-11T11:30:57.503-07:00Calling All Teen Volunteers!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFCZ6JQgr2jU9Va30OFn6qFKBmVEn3psNqqb2W1vNLvUQvfjDiqXYsHQ8f7imbIjsyr73vB994KQr1qiSpOACm7lcTsOp-_h2esbYIN-HjldnM86yNmbAriuRaz_REBGPjp3TYt2aHpiLF/s1600/tbfcolorlogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFCZ6JQgr2jU9Va30OFn6qFKBmVEn3psNqqb2W1vNLvUQvfjDiqXYsHQ8f7imbIjsyr73vB994KQr1qiSpOACm7lcTsOp-_h2esbYIN-HjldnM86yNmbAriuRaz_REBGPjp3TYt2aHpiLF/s320/tbfcolorlogo.jpg" width="204" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Over the
next several weeks, I will do my best to bombard you with information about this year’s
<a href="http://www.teenbookfestival.org/">Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival</a>,
which takes place on May 18<sup> </sup>from 9am-5pm at Nazareth College in
Rochester. Otherwise known as TBF.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Why? Because
you should go. Why? TBF is an annual event that provides great opportunities
for teens to interact with their favorite YA authors and discover new
favorties. It is a day of fun, entertainment and fanning-out, and IT IS FREE.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of teens and lovers of YA books will be in
attendance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 16.5pt;">Now,
yours truly happens to be on the TBF Volunteer Committee, and I am here to tell
you that volunteering at TBF is an amazing way to experience the festival!
Available all day? Sign up to be an “author handler”; you'll get to hang with
an author or a panel of authors all day, helping them get around and
introducing them to their audiences. There are all sorts of assignments </span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 16.5pt;">for those of you who are only available part of the day as well. <b><span style="color: red;">We
love having teen volunteers</span></b>, but we’re also looking for some adults to help the
day run smoothly. If you’re interested, you can fill out an online volunteer
form </span></span><a href="http://www.naz.edu/education/language-literacy-technology/teen-book-festival-volunteer-registration" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 16.5pt;"><b>HERE</b></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 16.5pt;">. Do it! Do it soon! Volunteer registration ends on March 25!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 16.5pt;">For a full list of this year's authors, their books, and just about everything else you need to know about TBF, visit the website: <a href="http://www.teenbookfestival.org/">http://www.teenbookfestival.org</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 16.5pt;">Hope to see you there! -Kelley, (Your) Teen Services Librarian</span></div>
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kelleylibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05321684318964815142noreply@blogger.com0