Rebel of the Sands

Rebel of the Sands  by Alwyn Hamilton

Amani has great plans to get out and away:  out of Dustwalk, away from the mines.  Out of the desert and away from the bullies.  Out of her uncle's reach, away from a husband who might be chosen for her.

Nothing goes according to Amani's plan, and the adventure begins: a windswept mixture of Arabian Nights and the Wild Wild West, with secret heroes, a train robbery, desert horses made from sand and magic, and a concealed oasis.

All this, and romance too, with a strong-willed main character and a colorful cast of supporting folks including the Rebel Prince, shape-shifting twins, and many hidden secrets.

First in a series--but the story does not stop on a cliffhanger, which is nice.

Recommended for ages 12 to adult; no cussing, some blood, a few kisses, no sex (yet).

All Our Yesterdays

All Our Yesterdays  by Cristin Terrill

Em awakens (again) in a prison cell, and can't stop thinking about the tiny drain in the floor.  She makes a tool from a stolen spoon, and pries up the drain cover...and finds, hidden inside, a list of fourteen items.  Thirteen have already been crossed off.  At the bottom, in her own handwriting, Em reads the final line:  You have to kill him.

In another place, in another time, Marina is quietly in love with her next-door-neighbor, James.  James is gorgeous, brilliant...and about to make a discovery that will change everything.  And everything is just about to become much, much worse.

All the loops and potential paradoxes of time travel, plus suspenseful chasing around in the dark, romance, betrayal, torture, and a very thin hope for redemption.  This fast-moving narrative kept me up way past my bedtime.

Recommended for ages 12 to adult.  

I Kill the Mockingbird

I Kill the Mockingbird  by Paul Acampora

Inspired by Fat Bob the English teacher, eighth graders Lucy, Elena and Michael decide that not nearly enough people read and enjoy Fat Bob's favorite book, To Kill a Mockingbird. 

To motivate more people to read the book, the teens make the book...disappear: they mis-shelve copies in bookstores and libraries, and they create a website, a Facebook page, and a Tumblr account to give the appearance of a conspiracy to keep people from reading Mockingbird. 

Soon, bookstores and libraries all over the country are reporting that their copies of the book are missing...and readers all over the country are discovering that they actually do want to spend their summer reading about Scout, Jem, Dill, and the elusive Boo Radley.

If you've ever dreamed of a literary conspiracy, here's your book.  Fast, funny, and full of quotable one-liners that readers will love to share with friends. 

Recommended for ages 14 to adult; two sweet kisses, no cussing, no bloodshed, and no mockingbirds are harmed.

Ice Dogs

Ice Dogs by Terry Lynn Johnson

14-year-old champion musher Victoria Secord has always loved racing her sled dogs through the Alaskan bush...and, after her dad dies in a trail accident, the sport is Victoria's lasting connection to him.  He taught her how to be independent, self-reliant, and an expert at surviving in the wilderness.  But when she and her dogs encounter first an injured "city boy" and later a blizzard, Victoria's skills are put to the ultimate test: life and death.

This fast-paced adventure, written by an experienced musher, features lots of stuff I like in a book: realistic action, suspense, and a convincing touch of romance between the two main characters.  The events are entirely plausible, and Victoria's response to them makes sense.  Her relationship with her dogs is wonderful--she knows them as individuals, and identifies their strengths within the team.  Plus, she is a smart, awesome protagonist in a sport that is mostly dominated by men.  Victoria doesn't dwell on her "minority" status, but she acknowledges that being a girl (and not a very large one) gives her both advantages and disadvantages in competition, and she is smart enough to use whatever edge it takes to win...and to survive.

With two modern main characters, this book may appeal more broadly than Gary Paulsen'sDogsong, which also tells the story of a dogsled journey.  Pair Ice Dogs with Julie of the Wolves and Hatchet for lovers of survival fiction.

Highly recommended for readers ages 10 to adult.  

Between Two Worlds

Between Two Worlds  by Katherine Kirkpatrick
Eqariusaq has had an almost life-long association with polar explorer Robert Peary and his family.  When she was very young, the family renamed Eqariusaq "Billie Bah" and brought her to spend a year in America with the Peary family, where she spoke English, wore "civilized" clothing, and was the first of her people to see the modern world filled with trees, horse-drawn carriages, trees, museums, and more.  Billie Bah successfully returned to her people, but she thinks that her journey inspired others to go with the Pearys, and none of these have ever returned.  All save one died of disease...including Billie Bah's own parents.

Now 16 years old, Billie Bah must face changes in her life.  She loves her husband, but she also grows to love one of the sailors she is "traded" to (temporarily) in exchange for guns and ammunition.  She discovers the truth about her parents' death, and she tries to sort out her feelings for Peary and his family and find her own place in the world.

The real Billie Bah with Robert Peary

Woven into the story are fascinating details of life in this tiny Greenlandic community.  Tribal customs and expectations, vocabulary, and descriptions of building fox traps, auk snares, and  rock igloos are described with meticulous detail that never becomes didactic or boring.  Extensive author notes identify factual (and fictional) aspects of the story.

Recommended for readers ages 14 to adult.  An excellent choice for historical fiction or diversity assignments.

Alcohol, death, ghosts, grieving, guys, multi-ethnic, recommended, religious beliefs, sexual situations, star trek sex.

Spirit and Dust

Spirit and Dust  by Rosemary Clement-Moore

Teen psychic Daisy Goodnight works with local police and the FBI to solve murder cases.  Her talent for speaking with the dead is deemed "useful" even if the evidence she uncovers is not admissible in court.  But when the dead bodyguard she interviews gives her more questions and no answers, and the trail to a kidnapped girl leads to the Egyptology exhibit Chicago's Field Museum, Daisy learns that being a kick-ass psychic detective might be a lot more dangerous than she originally thought.

Ghosts, witches, magic, a jackel-headed god, and a tyrannosaurus rex, plus a hot young FBI agent and a good-looking son of the Mob, combined with fast-talking, smirky dialogue. Think "The Mummy" meets "Indiana Jones" and you won't be far off.

Action, adventure, some bloodshed, some death, and a few steamy kisses.  Although this is a sequel to Texas Gothic, the story stands alone well--and begs for a sequel!

Recommended for readers ages 14 to adult.

Boston Jacky

Boston Jacky: being an account of the further adventures of Jacky Faber, taking care of business   by L.A. Meyer

audiobook read by Katherine Kellgren

That rascal Jacky Faber is back in town--Boston-town, that is.  Her shipping business is nearly broke, her Irish friends are unwelcome, and her true love Jaimy still hasn't returned from an extended stay in the Orient.  Undeterred, Jacky buys the Pig and Whistle Inn to save it from bankruptcy and this raises the ire of the Women's Temperance Union...and her own dearest friend.  

Can Jacky's impulsive nature be tamed before she ends up back in Judge Thwackham's court?

Maybe.  Maybe not.

I'll only give one spoiler: the thing with Jaimy is definitely not untangled in this book.  For more details, you'll have to read it yourself.

Recommended for fans of the series, ages 14 to adult.  Some cussing, some violence (mostly off-page).  As always, the audiobook edition read by Katherine Kellgren is superb.

Code Name Verity

Code Name Verity  by Elizabeth Wein

audiobook read by Lucy Gaskell and Morven Christie

The spy known officially as "Verity" begins her story by confessing that she has always pretended to be heroic.  Yet, when captured by the Gestapo behind enemy lines, the narrator freely admits that she, under pressure of captivity and torture, promptly betrayed wireless codes, details about Great Britain's homeland security and airfield defenses, and more.

In bits and pieces, scribbled away on scraps of paper, a story emerges.  But the story is not the one that the Nazis thought they were getting.

Code Name Verity isn't just blazingly fabulous historical fiction for teens, featuring two strong and capable girls.  There is also action, suspense, and plenty of twists in the unreliable narrative.  This is a story of friendship, choices, and--no matter what Verity says--this is a story of courage.  

Descriptions of violence, treachery, and torture are intense but not graphic--much is left to the imagination of the reader.  

Very highly recommended for readers ages 12 to adult.  

And yes:  there's no sex in this book.  No romance at all, in fact (although the companion book forthcoming in September 2013 promises a bit of romance).  However, Code Name Verity is bound to be controversial, so we're including it on the list as a book our readers will want to know and share.

The Wells Bequest

The Wells Bequest  by Polly Shulman

The New York Circulating Materials Repository is back!  This library doesn't just lend out books.  It also lends out significant (and sometimes magical) objects found in books and stories.  In The Grimm Legacy (2010), we learned that the Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm collected more than just fairy tales--they also collected magic carpets, talking mirrors, and many other objects found inside the stories.  

Now, NYCMR head library page Jaya and new-hire Leo explore the contents of the Wells collection: powerful objects straight out of classic science fiction novels.  These include robots, rockets, submarines, a shrink ray and, of course, a time machine.  When another library page threatens to destroy New York with Nicola Tesla's death ray, Leo and Jaya must use the time machine and their own wits (and knowledge of literature) to preserve history.

Delightful, fluffy fiction for book lovers and library geeks.  No sex, cussing, or bloodshed.  A few kisses, a little bit of romance, and a lot of fun.  

Recommended for readers ages 12 to adult.

Keeping the Castle

Keeping the Castle  by Patrice Kindl

17-year-old Althea needs to marry for money. 

She knows that the fate of her noble-but-impoverished family as well as the fate of the family castle depends on her ability to make a successful--i.e. a wealthy--marriage match.  At first, Althea is willing to marry anybody who is rich enough to pay the bills and repair the dilapadated ancestral home, but gradually she realizes that she would prefer to marry someone who is not only rich, but also well-bred, well-educated, well-mannered, good-looking, and smart enough to recognize those virtues in Althea herself.

Fans of Jane Austen's literary world will adore Althea and her eccentric family, and astute readers will immediately identify the character she should marry, even when Althea seems impossibly blind to his fine qualities.  This quick, charming book can also be a stepping stone to the world of Regency romance made so popular by Downton Abbey.

No sex or cussing (heavens forbid!); the sweet and funny romances in this story will mostly appeal to gently reared female readers ages 12 to adult. 

Name of the Wind

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
The innkeeper is younger than he appears, and he chooses to be called "Kote."  It's not his real name.  He has reasons not to tell his new neighbors that he is really Kvothe--a man known in legend and song as a magician, a musician, a hero and a few other things.

Now, the Chronicler has tracked him down and Kvothe tells the entire story of his life for the first time.  The story will take three days to tell.  The Name of the Wind is the narrative of the first day.  The second day's narrative is told in Book #2 of the Kingkiller Chronicles: The Wise Man's Fear.  

Epic fantasy with magic, adventures, love and hate, and battles between good and evil.  Nick Podehl narrates the audiobooks beautifully, keeping the narrative line tense and engaging.

Recommended for readers and listeners ages 12 to adult.  Violence is mostly (but not entirely) off-page.  Book #1 has no sex or nudity, but Book #2 has much more (mostly off-page) of both, including Kvothe's account of a several-month's-long-tryst in the land of the Fae. 

Read the series slowly--Book #3, tentatively called The Doors of Stone, is not yet scheduled for release!

ULTIMATE Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook

The Ultimate Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook by David Borgenicht, Joshua Piven and Ben H. Winters

At last, all of the accumlated survival wisdom from the 13 Worst Case Survival books is compiled into one gigantic volume of preparedness.  Everything from "How to Wrestle Free from an Alligator" to "How to Survive an Alien Abduction," from "How to Remove Stains from Carpet" to "How to Jump from a Building into a Dumpster,"  and from "How to Treat a Severed Limb" to "How to Survive Nuclear Fall Out" -- it's all here, plus much more. 

 

With important points emphasized in red print, and line drawings to illustrate important concepts, the information is presented clearly, concisely, and with characteristic humor.  You may never need to know "How to Stop a Car With No Brakes," but there's no telling when you might need to know "How to Detect a Letter Bomb" or "How to Survive a Zombie Attack." 

The information is great, and the book is easy--and fun--to read.  I wish the authors had cited their source material.  They say that their material has been derived from "experts in the subjects at hand, as recorded by accomplished journalists and writers."  The Table of Contents is useful, but there is no index, making the book more of a browsing favorite than an actual survival resource.

The book contains descriptions of bloody situations (plane crashes, bear attacks, and accidental dismemberments), and sexual situations (including fake sexual situations, as in "How to Fake an Orgasm"), as well as descriptions of unwise activities (sword fights, crossing buildings on a wire, and breaking into cars).  The humor diffuses most of the situations that some readers may find offensive.

Recommended for recreational readers and survival wonks, ages 12 to adult. 

Viva Jacquelina!

Viva Jacquelina! by L.A. Meyer

 

The irrepressible Jacky Faber is pressed into service yet again for British Intelligence...this time, in Spain and Portugal.  She charms her way into the household of the artist Francisco Goya, participates in the running of the bulls, and collects secret information during trips to the palace in Madrid. 

 

But when the Spanish Inquisition shows up (who expected THAT?!), Jacky hits the road again, cavorting with Romani (gypsies) as she heads towards the relative safety of the harbor in Gibralter.  And from there...well, that will be the next book!

 

Fans of the series will love Jacky's typical madcap adventures as she rubs shoulders with famous figures from history and literature.  Some cussing, some bloodshed, and a few sexual close-calls.  I look forward to hearing the audiobook version, recorded as always by Katherine Kellgren.   Recommended ages 13 to adult. 

Between

Between  by Jessica Warman

When pretty, popular, wealthy Elizabeth Valchar wakes up on the morning of her 18th birthday, she's dead.

Nobody knows exactly what happened, including Liz herself, who is stuck "between" life and death, haunting her hometown, her friends and her family, seeking answers.  The only person who can see Liz is Alex...and he's dead too.

The narrative gradually unwinds clue after tiny clue, drawing the reader deeper into the complex life of a pretty girl who apparently had it all.  Liz is not a sympathetic character, especially at first.  Yet, as the story delves deeper into the past, Liz  learns that her life was not as perfect as she thought it was...and that her accidental death on the family yacht might not have been an accident.

The mystery is not perfect--astute readers will figure out the connection between Liz and Alex long before Liz understands it--and there are a few plot holes.  However, the storytelling itself is entrancing.  

Mild cussing, sexual situations, underage drinking and drug use.  Recommended for readers 14 to adult. 

This is Aarene's review.  To review Mary Jo's review of Between, click HERE.

For the Win

For the Win  by Cory Doctorow

audiobook read by George Newbern

 

All over the world, kids play video games...for money.  

They don't make much money, of course.  Their bosses make most of the money, selling virtual treasure--magic swords, talking mushrooms, and virtual gold--to rich gamers who are too lazy to play the games and earn treasure for themselves.  Virtual economies are big business...which is why the mysterious woman called Big Sister Nor is determined to organize the sweatshop virtual workers of the world into a real-life union.

 

Doctorow has written about an uninteresting topic with such riveting action that I found myself deeply immersed in the tale.  Embedded in the story of the Webblies are mini-lectures about economics, politics, and massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), which somehow, miraculously, are fascinating rather than boring. 

 

The audiobook read by George Newbern was so captivating that I found myself volunteering to drive anywhere, preferably somewhere far away, so that I could spend more time in my truck with the characters in the book.

 

Highly recommended to readers who love gaming...and also to readers who don't love gaming but do love a good story.  Ages 12 to adult; off-page sex, some violence, some cussing (in several languages). 

 

The Pregnancy Project

The Pregnancy Project : a memoir  by Gaby Rodriguez with Jenna Glatzer

Gaby Rodreguez' mother got pregnant for the first time when she was 14 years old.  Her older sisters were pregnant in high school; her older brothers were fathers before they turned 21 years old.  Although she was a straight-A student and a member of the leadership class at school, and often lectured her peers about the need for safe sex, Gaby was often told by family, friends, teachers, and others that she would very likely end up as a teen mother.  In 2011, 18-year-old Gaby decided to study what being a pregnant teen was really like--by pretending to be pregnant, and taking notes on how other people responded to her. 

This book is an excellent quick-read for students and adults interested in the topic.  Interspersed with the narration are plenty of statistics about teens, pregnancy, and education, and the description of life for teens Toppenish, WA is spot-on. Recommended.

After the Golden Age

After the Golden Age  by Carrie Vaughn

Forensic accountant Celia West is the daughter of superheroes Captain Olympus and Spark, but her only "talent" seems to be a gift for getting kidnapped and held for ransom.  When the insane supervillian Simon Sito (aka The Destructor) is captured and prosecuted for tax evasion, Celia finds her chance to help bring evil to justice.  However, her investigation uncovers a conspiracy that might be the key to the origin of Commerce City's superheroes...and more.

Fast action, excellent writing, great characters, a unique setting, a little romance, and some tactful off-page sexual situations.  This book is written and published for adults, but it will be welcomed by teen readers of superhero fiction. 

Highly recommended for ages 14 and up.

Before I Fall

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Pretty, popular high school senior Samantha Kingston loves Cupid Day--the day when she will get tons of roses from her friends and admirers, party with her friends, and finally (maybe) have sex with her boyfriend. Instead, she dies in a car wreck after the party.

She is (justifiably) surprised to wake up the next morning...only to discover that she has awakened on the morning of the previous day, before the roses, before the party, and before the accident. In seven "Groundhog Day do-overs" of her last day, Sam learns more about her friends, her boyfriend, her teachers, her family, and herself. What will happen when she learns everything she needs to know?

Sam's gradual transformation from a shallow "popular girl" to a real person worth caring about is gracefully executed, and results in a couldn't-put-it-down book. The story references sexual situations, drug use, and teen drinking.

Highly recommended for ages 14 and up. This is Aarene's review. To read Mary Jo's review of this book, click here.