TATAL Online: Teens at the Arlington Library

Radio Week: Shake it Out- Florence and the Machines

2012-02-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

Today's Radio Week Post comes from Katie:

This song is best enjoyed with the volume turned way up on a day when it feels like you can’t catch a break. Florence understands that “it’s hard to dance with the devil on your back” and highly recommends that you shake it out. It’s also pretty good advice for the three leading ladies in these books. They are all familiar with dark moments and regrets and need to learn to count on their friends, their family, and themselves to shake it out.

Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta
Francesca is at a new school, a former all boys school to be precise. And if making new friends and fighting sexism isn’t enough for one girl, she also has to deal with her mother’s depression at home and her own personal demons. With her home life falling apart, Francesca finds solace and hope in the most unexpected places with the last people she expects. This is one of my absolute favorite books about overcoming the dark times and shaking it out.

Hold Still by Nina LaCour
Caitlin has spent a summer trying to come to terms with her best friend’s suicide. It’s only when she finds Ingrid’s journal under her bed that she’s able to start understanding her friend and come to terms with life after Ingrid. It is only then that she can begin to make new friends, find love, and embrace her own unique qualities and strengths. A beautiful book about finding strength in numbers when you feel alone.

(video bonus: our trailer for Hold Still)

Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder
And finally, a gorgeous book written in verse about overcoming the loss of a boyfriend and a brother. Brooklyn is still coping with the loss of her boyfriend when her friend Gabe is found dead of an overdose. Now Gabe is haunting Brooklyn’s dreams and it’s up to her ex-boyfriend Lucca to get his brother, Nico, to help her to rediscover the good in life. Brooklyn finds support not only from Nico, her friends, and her family, but also from within as she challenges herself to venture outside her comfort zone.

Each of these books takes familiar plot lines and reinterprets them with new voices and beautiful language. While each is unique, they each serve as a reminder that it is the people we surround ourselves with and our own engagement in life that ultimately helps us shake it out. Dancing to the radio doesn’t hurt either.

Radio Week: Dessa and Strings Attached by Judy Blundell

2012-01-31T08:00:00.000-05:00

Kady's Radio week entry is fantastically retro...
The song:
Dixon'sGirl by Dessa

The book:
Strings Attached by Judy Blundell

Dixon's Girl is about a female musician, married to a much more successful andfamous singer, who uses his fame to hide the fact that he's abusive to hiswife. The narrator of the song finds out one night while the two are strandedat a club after performing and uses this song as a kind of encouragement to hernew friend. "You're stronger than he is, you're more talented than he is,you'll come through on top despite his connections and the way things lookright now."

In Strings Attached, Kit escapes to New York to follow her dream of becoming adancer and Broadway star during the early 50s. After struggling for a while shereluctantly accepts help from her ex-boyfriend's father, a rich and kinda shadybusinessman. He sets her up in her own apartment and with a highly sought afterjob, dancing in a mob operated nightclub. And all he asks in return are certainfavors. They may seem harmless at first, but Kit quickly realizes that she's inover her head and completely uncomfortable with the way her life is beginningto go.

Both Dixon's Girl and Strings Attached are about young women struggling tobecome independent of their more influential male partners. While appearing tothe world as weak and malleable, both women are fighters and will probably beable to break free when they decide to stand up for themselves.

The music video for Dixon's Girl goes even farther to link these two stories.Dessa evokes an old school glamor noir feel for her video that I've come toassociate with Judy Blundell's work (see also: What I Saw and How I Lied). Eventhe first shot of Dessa as a singer with her hair curled up in victory rolls,standing in front of an old microphone is pretty reminiscent of the cover ofStrings Attached.

Radio Week: Jonsi - Gathering Stories

2012-01-30T12:00:00.000-05:00

Our first radio week entry is one that brings the adventure (and a great orchestral build too!)

Jonsi- Gathering Stories (from the "We Bought a Zoo" Soundtrack)

This song sounds like going on an adventure. Jonsi, the lead singer for the band, Sigur Rós is from Iceland, so it's not really a surprise that his music sounds like somewhere far-away and exciting. Also, the idea of living life by gathering stories, is pretty irresistible. Here are a few books that also promote a life of gathering stories, looking for the next great adventure. Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard (see our full review here)Bria is on her own for the first time, after breaking away from a less than adventurous tour group. She's now in the company of the gorgeous and well traveled Starling and her brother Rowan. Bria is just looking for a break from her everyday, but will she discover more on her trip to South America then she was looking for?

bonus video: Our trailer for Wanderlove

To Timbuktu: nine countries, two people, one true story by Casey Scieszka and Steven Weinberg (see full review here)
After college Casey and Steven decided against entry level jobs and internships. Instead they decided to try something a little more global and headed out to try teaching English in China. This is the first step in an adventure (our theme) that would lead them across continents and oceans (and to nine countries!). Travel along with them as you read Casey's words and look at Steven's drawings, by the time it's done, you'll find yourself suddenly checking the expiration date on your passport and looking at airfares. It will be hard to resist the travel bug when you're done.

It's Radio Week: Books to Rock Out to.

2012-01-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

So, we mentioned quickly last week that Nina LaCour is going to be visiting us on Friday!

Her new book, The Disenchantments (which you can read our rave of here) is about 4 teens on a rock tour. So, to get ready for her visit, we're throwing another edition of RADIO WEEK!

That means all week, up until our interview on Friday, we're going to be bringing you posts with song and book match-ups. Books that immediately make us hum songs and songs that when we listen to them bring lines to books to mind.

Got a pair of your own? Let us know your titles and songs in the comments. Check back all week and get ready to add to both your holds list and your Itunes download lists!

Friday Lit Spotlight: New Trilogies

2012-01-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

After all those award books, Katie brings us back to some new releases. Here's a trio of trilogies.

For better or worse, trilogies seem to be around to stay in the YA Lit World. So rather than fight the trend, we may as well embrace it, by celebrating the beginning, middle, and end of some excellent three book sets.

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
The newest addition to the rapidly growing dystopian lit genre, this is one book that is not to be missed. The story is told in the alternating voices of Aria, who grew up in a world where nearly all interaction was virtual and there was no pain or suffering, and Perry, who grew up on the “outside” where it seems that pain and suffering are a constant companion. When Aria is cast out of her community under suspicious circumstances, she must join with Perry if she has any hope of survival, and meanwhile, Perry must offer her his protection if he ever hopes to see his nephew again. They are supported by a strong cast of characters in a richly realized futuristic world that is both different and similar to our own. This book has all the requisite plot twists, mystery, imagination, and romance that we’ve come to expect from this genre. Check it out.

A Million Suns by Beth Revis
Book two of a trilogy is a tricky thing, it has to act as a bridge between all the rising action of the first book and the rousing conclusion of the third book without sacrificing any of the pace or plot. Luckily, Beth Revis is a master of both pace and plot and A Million Suns hits the ground running from where Across the Universe ended and never lets up. Elder is now in charge of the ship, Godspeed. Amy wants to accept his leadership, but she was raised in a society where it was okay to question authority, especially when it doesn’t align with your own interests. And so Amy is swept away on a mission of her own to decide the fate of the Godspeed, but there may not be a ship to save if Elder cannot restore order and find his way as a leader. This is a truly compelling and unforgettable series.

The Jade Notebook by Laura Resau
And finally, a bit of conclusion for us all--a book 3 of 3! For those of us who have followed the adventures of Zeeta and Wendell to this point, we know we can expect exotic settings, mysterious happenings, internal struggles, and profound insights from their stories. The Jade Notebook brings our intrepid heroes to Mexico, where they may have finally found a home and an end to Zeeta’s 17 years of wandering. But the jaguars, poachers, and strangers lurking in the jungle might have something to say about that. This book transcends travel or mystery to instead be a book about growing up, learning to trust and let go, and finding belonging within a family and a community. A fitting end to this unique trilogy.

The Morris Award: We Love the New Kids on the Block

2012-01-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

Here at TATAL we are big fans of the Morris Award. Started in 2009, this award honors a book by a debut author.

Here's what the officials say about it:

The William C. Morris YA Debut Award celebrates the achievement of a previously unpublished author, or authors, who have made a strong literary debut in writing for young adult readers.

One of the reasons why we love the award so much is that we think it's so cool to bring attention to writers who are new to the lit world. It's pretty amazing to get to know more about these first time folks.

Also, they tend to be amazingly nice people as well. We were lucky enough to get to interview the 2010 winner, L.K. Madigan, which you can check out here.She was so kind and lovely, that we have had a soft spot for the award ever since. (see more about L.K. Madigan here)

SECRET ANNOUNCEMENT: We will be interviewing the fantastic Morris Award Honor recipient Nina LaCour on TATAL next Friday, February 3! If you'd like to know more about what it's like to recieve this honor, check back then !

Alright, let's get on with this year's winners:

First up, the honor books:

The Girl of Fire and Thorns written by Rae Carson (see our full review here)

A fearful sixteen-year-old princess discovers her heroic destiny after being married off to the king of a neighboring country in turmoil and pursued by enemies seething with dark magic.

Paper Covers Rock written by Jenny Hubbard
"The author is already a poet and a playwright. I liked it, it's about a kid in a boarding school in the early 80s and his friend dies and he was there. He writes in a journal that he hides in a copy of Moby Dick- it's got lots of references to the book and how he doesn't like it. I liked the writing and you could definitely tell that she is a poet." (review from High School Tab student)

Under the Mesquite written by Guadalupe Garcia McCall

Throughout her high school years, as her mother battles cancer, Lupita takes on more responsibility for her house and seven younger siblings, while finding refuge in acting and writing poetry.

Between Shades of Gray written by Ruta Sepetys (see longer review here)
In 1941, fifteen-year-old Lina, her mother, and brother are pulled from their Lithuanian home by Soviet guards and sent to Siberia, where her father is sentenced to death in a prison camp while she fights for her life, vowing to honor her family and the thousands like hers by burying her story in a jar on Lithuanian soil.

And who is the winner?

used with author's permission!

Wait, wait, wait.... is that John Corey Whaley with his book, Where Things Come Back, which we already know won the Printz award??? Why yes, yes it is! For the first time since it started, an author has snagged BOTH the Printz AND the Morris! How cool is that?! We think it's pretty awesome.

We can't wait to see what will be next from Mr. Whaley (as well as from all the other honorees). Another wonderful thing about the Morris award winners, they give you a bunch of new authors to watch for in the future!

Alex Awards- Taking Back the Adult Shelves

2012-01-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

Another award that was given out on Monday was the Alex Award. You can check out some of our guesses for what would win this award here, unfortunately, we didn't do too well. But, that only means there are ten brand new to you adult titles that ALA believes teens might be interested in.

Or, to use their words, "The Alex Awards are given to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18"

This year's crop looks pretty amazing, take a look:

Big Girl Small by Rachel DeWoskin
With a singing voice that can shake an auditorium, Judy should be the star of Darcy Academy, the local performing arts high school. So why is a girl this promising hiding out in a seedy motel room on the edge of town? A scathingly funny and moving book about dreams and reality, at once light on its feet and profound.

Inzanesville by Jo Ann Beard

With dry wit and piercing observation, Beard writes about the relationship between two teenage girls in the 1970s--misfits whose friendship is tested by their families' claims on them, by a clique of popular girls, and by the first startling, subversive intimations of womanhood.

The Lover's Dictionary by David LevithanYA author Levithan (Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist) enters the adult market with a novel posing as a dictionary. Written from the perspective of a man in an unnamed couple, each entry, from "aberrant" to "zenith," defines a word within the context of their relationship. The entries follow the couple from their online meeting forward into cohabitation.

The New Kids : big dreams and brave journeys at a high school for immigrant teens by Brooke Hauser
Freelance writer Hauser tracks the staff and students at the International High School at Prospect Heights in Brooklyn, N.Y., providing their personal histories as well as their day-to-day experiences.Some walked across deserts and mountains to get here. Others flew in on planes. One arrived after escaping in a suitcase. And some won't say how they got here. These are "the new kids:" new to America and all the routines and rituals of an American high school, from lonely first days to prom.

The Night Circus by Erin MorgensternThe circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des R'ves, and it is only open at night. But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway:a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Young Wade Watts takes refuge in the OASIS, the "globally networked virtual reality" that nearly all of humanity relies on. It's 2044, the year before the Singularity futurist Ray Kurzweil predicts will inextricably unite humans and computers. Life on earth is bleak and sinister, thanks to failure to avert global warming and the oil crisis. An orphan, Wade lives in the Stacks, a vast slum comprising trailers piled in precarious towers, but keeps to his hideout, where he attends school online, plays video games, and sends his avatar, Parzival, to visit with Aech, his only friend.

Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson

In the near future, at a moment that no one will notice, all the dazzling technology that runs our world will unite and turn against us. "Robopocalypse" is a brilliantly conceived action-filled epic, a terrifying story with heart-stopping implications for the real technology all around us

Salvage The Bones by Jesmyn Ward
A big-hearted novel about familial love and community against all odds and a wrenching look at the lonesome, brutal, and restrictive realities of rural poverty, "Salvage the Bones" is revelatory, real, and muscled with poetry

Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt by Caroline Preston
For her graduation from high school in 1920, Frankie Pratt receives a scrapbook and her father's old Corona typewriter. Despite Frankie's dreams of becoming a writer, she must forgo a college scholarship to help her widowed mother. But when a mysterious Captain James sweeps her off her feet, her mother finds a way to protect Frankie from the less-than-noble intentions of her unsuitable beau. Through a kaleidoscopic array of vintage postcards, letters, magazine ads, ticket stubs, catalog pages, fabric swatches, candy wrappers, fashion spreads, menus, and more, we meet and follow Frankie on her journey in search of success and love

The Talk-Funny Girl by Roland Merullo

Raised by parents so intentionally isolated that they speak their own hybrid dialect, abused youth Marjorie witnesses her parents' submission to a sadistic cult leader before she is rescued by another abuse survivor who teaches her stoneworking skills

Printz Award: Who won?

2012-01-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

So.... What won?? Yesterday we threw our guesses up on the wall and saw how they stuck.

We didn't do all that well, BUT we're giving a shout out to Librarian M who managed to get almost all of the winners in her best of 2011 picks. We're happy she's our YA collection specialist!

First up: The Honor Books

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler ; art by Maira Kalman Sixteen-year-old Min Green writes a letter to Ed Slaterton in which she breaks up with him, documenting their relationship and how items in the accompanying box, from bottle caps to a cookbook, foretell the end.

The Returning by by Christine Hinwood
When the twelve-year war between the Uplanders and Downlanders is over and Cam returns home to his village, questions dog him, from how he lost an arm to why he was the only one of his fellow soldiers to survive, such that he must leave until his own suspicions are resolved.

Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey (more on this title)
Charlie Bucktin, a bookish thirteen year old, is startled one summer night by an urgent knock on his bedroom window. His visitor is Jasper Jones, an outcast in their small mining town, and he has come to ask for Charlie's help. Terribly afraid but desperate to impress, Charlie follows him into the night. Jasper takes him to his secret glade, where Charlie witnesses Jasper's horrible discovery. In the simmering summer where everything changes, Charlie learns why the truth of things is so hard to know, and even harder to hold in his heart.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (see our full review)
Nineteen-year-old returning champion Sean Kendrick competes against Puck Connolly, the first girl ever to ride in the annual Scorpio Races, both trying to keep hold of their dangerous water horses long enough to make it to the finish line
** This one was the number one pick of TATAL for 2011.

AND NOW... THE PRINTZ AWARD GOES TO...

Where Things Come Back by John Corey Waley
Seventeen-year-old Cullen's summer in Lily, Arkansas, is marked by his cousin's death by overdose, an alleged spotting of a woodpecker thought to be extinct, failed romances, and his younger brother's sudden disappearance.

Have you read any of these? What do you think?

This week we'll be digging a little deeper into the rest of the winners for 2011!

Quick Guesses for the ALA Awards

2012-01-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

TODAY is a big day in the world of Libraries. It's the day of the American Library Association's Youth Media Awards. They'll be announcing the winners in the big categories like Caldecott, Newbery Award and of course, The Printz.

The Printz Award is awarded every year to a book that "exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature." It's definitely like the Oscars for the young adult lit world. This year, the announcements were at 8:30 am on Monday and librarians/ book sellers/authors across the world were tuned in to their computers to see what was awarded the prizes.

Since we're blogging before the announcement comes out, we thought we'd throw some of our picks to win the Printz.

Pat:
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (see our full reviews here and here)
What the catalog says:
Seventeen-year-old Karou, a lovely, enigmatic art student in a Prague boarding school, carries a sketchbook of hideous, frightening monsters--the chimaerae who form the only family she has ever known
What she says:
I think it's going to win because I think it's an excellent book, it was well written and it was also well received. Also the author is a National Book Award winner and I think she'll pick up another prize here.

Nico:

The Monster Calls by Tim Ness (based on an idea by Siobhan Dowd) (more on this title)
What the catalog says:
Thirteen-year-old Conor awakens one night to find a monster outside his bedroom window, but not the one from the recurring nightmare that began when his mother became ill--an ancient, wild creature that wants him to face truth and loss.
What she says:
This one leaves everyone in tears and in awe of the writing and illustrations. I think it'll be a hard act to beat.

Our guesses for honors:
Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King (see our full review)
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (see our full review)
Life: An Exploded Diagram by Mal Peet
Chime by Frannie Billingsly

TUNE IN TOMORROW for our announcements of the winners! (see how wrong/right we are!)

Top 5: Freezing Your Face Off Books

2012-01-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

Up until recently, it hasn't been that cold this year, but we want to feel like it's actually winter. These books should get you remembering what winter ought to feel like (this post brought you by your friendly former New Englander librarian). Grab one of these titles and prepare to feel the chill.

*descriptions from the catalog

Trapped by Michael Northrup (see full review here)

Seven high school students are stranded at their New England high school during a week-long blizzard that shuts down the power and heat, freezes the pipes, and leaves them wondering if they will survive.

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World by Jennifer Armstrong (see full review here)

Describes the events of the 1914 Shackleton Antarctic expedition when, after being trapped in a frozen sea for nine months, their ship, Endurance, was finally crushed, forcing Shackleton and his men to make a very long and perilous journey across ice and stormy seas to reach inhabited land.

Icefall by Matthew Kirby
Princess Solveig and her siblings are trapped in a hidden fortress tucked between towering mountains and a frozen fjord, along with her best friend and an army of restless soldiers, all awaiting news of the king's victory in battle, but as they wait for winter's end and the all-encompassing ice to break, acts of treachery make it clear that a traitor lurks in their midst.

Fracture by Megan Miranda
After falling through the ice of a frozen lake and being resuscitated by her best friend Decker, seventeen-year-old Delaney begins experiencing a strange affinity for the dead and wonders whether she is predicting death or causing it.

Blizzard: The Storm that Changed America by Jim Murphy
On March 10, 1888, the weather on the eastern coast of the U.S. was so pleasant that families were picnicking. By Monday morning, however, a huge, destructive blizzard--actually two storms--stretched from Delaware north to Maine and as far west as the Mississippi River. New York City had 21 inches of drifting snow; Troy, New York, was blanketed under 55 inches. Supplies of fuel, food, and milk dwindled; power lines snapped; trains were trapped; nearly 200 ships were lost at sea; and an estimated 800 people died in New York City alone. No wonder some called the storm "The Great White Hurricane."

Looking for a job? Teen Network Board has ideas!

2012-01-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

The post-holidays blues is upon us. Looking for away to recoup some of the money you spent on presents this year? Want to save up for spending money at college? Arlington's Teen Network Board has a great job resource page to check out.

For more job resources, you can check out our topic guide here.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

2012-01-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Fault in Our Stars
John Green

Hazel enjoys America's Next top Model, she has a good relationship with her parents and a crush on a boy. That should be the extent of what's important for you to know, but unfortunately, there's more. Hazel has cancer, the kind that you can hold off for a while, possibly a long while, but not cure.

This is a book about falling in love and about going on a fantastic and life changing trip and it's about recognizing the small things in life. In a word, this book should be: Cheesy. But, though this is a book that needs a SERIOUS crying-while-on-the-metro warning, there is not one page of cheese. And for that you have Mr. Green to thank.

There is a reason he is so well loved by both teens and librarians (he's already won a Printz and a Printz honor award for some of his previous titles). He is a writer who delivers characters who are people that you recognize and who speak in dialogue that sounds both like it could be overheard walking past any group of teens AND at the same time like you want to write it all down on post-it notes and put it around your room. It's a feat.

This is a library blog, so our job is to make sure you are aware of titles. We aren't going to give away plot points or tell you our favorite parts. But, we will tell you that this is a book that we read on metro rides and that we stayed up till 3 in the morning reading. It's a book that we sat at the reference desk and pointed out bits to each other. And it's a book that left us red-eyed but ready to push on to everyone.

There's no doubt you'll be seeing this title again on best-of-lists all over the place, but we'd suggest getting your hands on it before you know too much about it. For more on this title, check out this review, (from the ever-fantastic blog, Reading Rants) which had the great advice to "Read it soon–just not too fast." We couldn't agree more.

If you want to know more about our long standing author crush on John Green, check out previous posts here.

Alex Award Watch: The Good Girl’s Guide to Getting Lost by Rachel Friedman

2012-01-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

Katie has her eye on an adult book with teen appeal-- just the sort of thing that the Alex award committee is always on the lookout for.

The Good Girl’s Guide to Getting Lost by Rachel Friedman

Rachel is 20 years old, in the midst of her college career, and doesn’t know what she wants to be when she grows up. Maybe you can relate to at least part of this (if not keep reading anyway, especially if you like to travel). So in an attempt to shake things up she saves up her pennies and decides to spend a summer in Ireland. Turns out Ireland may not hold the answers to her future but it does give her two things: an Australian friend named Carly and the travel bug. The next thing she knows, our intrepid heroine is getting up before dawn in Sydney, backpacking through the Outback, wandering around Buenos Aires, mountain biking down Death Road, hiking in the Amazon, paragliding in the Andes, and contemplating her place in the world. In other words, this book is an adventure story wrapped in a story about growing up.

The Good Girl’s Guide... gives you the opportunity to explore three different continents, contemplate the all important “What next?” question that we all face going in and coming out of college, and maybe even commiserate about the external pressure to choose a lucrative and powerful career rather than following your own path (unless of course your path is a lucrative and powerful career). Rachel moves effortlessly between discussing the highs and lows of living in hostels, the experience being an American abroad, the variety of people one meets on the road, and deeper questions of what makes us happy and what we’re each here to do.

Even if you’ve just started high school and haven’t even begun to contemplate where life might take you next, you’ll love following Rachel around the world. This is the perfect book to kick off 2012 for those of you who thought To Timbuktu was one of the best books of 2011.

Read This, Watch That: Ice Skating Edition

2012-01-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

It's not a winter Olympics year, but if you've been watching The World Juniors, getting caught up on the Capitals or just taking a few laps around the rink, we've got a Read This, Watch That for you!

READ THIS

Playing Hurt by Holly Schindler
Chelsea has had her eye on a basketball scholarship for years, she's put in the time and the work and she's got the talent. Everything seems to be on track until one horrific fall on the court completely knocks her options out from under her. All of the sudden she's nothing special.

Clint Morgan used be the guy everyone thought was most likely to go pro in hockey. He was unstoppable on the ice. But those days are behind him now and all he wants to do is focus on his job at the lake resort (and his other two jobs). He can take the tourists hiking and fishing; work at his parent's restaurant and get back to college in the fall.

When Chelsea's dad hires Clint to help her get back in shape this summer, they are immediately at odds-- two people who would rather give up than play hurt, but each determined to change the other's mind.

Used under Wikipedia's guidelines

The Cutting Edge
(summary from Katie)
The ultimate movie about opposites attracting. On ice. Doug Dorsey was NHL bound until an injury brought his hockey career to an abrupt end. His options appear limited until one last coach shows up to invite him to a tryout. It just happens to be a figure skating tryout.

Kate Mosley is everything Doug is not--rich, classy, and a figure skater. But she is a pairs skater in desperate need of a partner. Desperate enough to try to convert a hockey player to her sport if she wants to achieve her dream of an Olympic gold medal.

Their partnership, begun with a sort of reluctant desperation, quickly evolves into uneasy friendship fraught with romantic tension and fueled by their competitive natures. One of my all time favorites--this is a classic romantic comedy that you'll want to watch every year--Olympics or no.

Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King

2012-01-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

I loved Please Ignore Vera Dietz (review here) by A. S. King. It was even on my top 10 list for 2010. I loved the smart, well-developed main character, the fully-dimensional secondary characters and the engaging, quirky storyline. And I loved the writing--King is a very, very good writer who respects her audience.

But for some reason, I hesitated to pick up Everybody Sees the Ants, I think probably because I knew it had something to do with bullying and I was maybe afraid it would either be too hard to read or too didactic rather than just a good story. Well, please don't you make the same mistake I did. Read this book. Now.

Fifteen-year-old Lucky Linderman has to deal with way too much stuff. He's been relentlessly bullied by Nader McMillan since grade school. The adults around don't help much. Lucky's father (the turtle) never really got over his own father going M.I.A. during the Vietnam war and deals with life by not dealing. Lucky's mother (the squid) is an obsessive swimmer, racking up lap after lap in the local pool--that's her way of (not) dealing. The thing about his Granddad Harry being missing in Laos is a big deal to Lucky, too. He regularly dreams about finding and rescuing him in the jungle. After a particularly brutal encounter with Nader, Lucky and his mom go to Arizona, where he makes friends with a girl named Ginny and starts looking at life differently.

So that's the bare bones of the book. It's everything in between that will blow you away. Seriously. Check out the trailer and then get your hands on this book.

New Year, Old Books

2012-01-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

Katie joins us today with some leftovers... the best kind, books from last year that she's definitely going to be checking out in 2012.

I mentioned in my “Best of 2011” post that it wasn’t really a Best of.... In large part that’s because there were some major titles that I just didn’t get to before the end of December. No matter how many people told me I should. So before we get too lost in all the fantastic new 2012 titles, here are a few books that I really, really need to read (and you should, too, if you haven’t already):

Legend by Marie Lu
Picked up an advanced reading copy of this one in New York, gave it to Nico, and didn’t give it another thought until all the amazing reviews started rolling in. This is a title for those of us waiting for the sequels to Delirium and Divergent or who just enjoy a good dystopia read.

Where She Went by Gayle Foreman
Actually, I need to start with If I Stay. I know, I know. Maybe there are a few others of you out there who like me just haven’t gotten around to these books? Who live under a rock? These books that everyone just RAVES about. If you’re out there, please raise your hands. It will make me feel better. And then we can read these together.

Life: An Exploded Diagram by Mal Peet
I haven’t seen many reviews of this one, but the ones that are out there have me chomping at the bit to get my hands on it. Boy narrator? Yes! Historical fiction? Um, please. Romance? Check. Potential nuclear war drama? That happens to be one of my favorite sorts of drama.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stievater
This was pretty much on everyone else’s best of 2011 lists, so I feel a little sheepish for not having cracked the spine yet. I avoided it for a long time because after a middle school binge on Saddle Club Books, I’ve never really gotten back into horse books. I really need to get over my book prejudices. Did 2011 teach me nothing? This is one of my top must reads for 2012.

Anyone else already have a list of 2011 titles they want to catch up on in the New Year?

Okay John Green, We're Ready for You

2012-01-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Fault in Our Stars releases today. A lot of you have probably pre-ordered but you can also get your copy from the library (in print or digital copy of course).

We (the librarians/bloggers of TATAL) are very excited about the book. Though also a little scared about the content-- when a book is about cancer patients and written by someone who you know you love and respect as a writer, you can't help but be worried about HOW MANY TEARS YOU WILL SHED.

We want to know what you think! Tell us in the comments when you finish (though be careful with spoilers, everyone reads at a different pace, so we don't want to ruin anything for anyone).

You can get ready by watching this trailer:

and downloading the song featured in it: Permafrost by Laurena Segura FREE from Penguin, Mr. Green's publisher.

If you want to know more about our long standing author crush on John Green, check out previous posts here.

Up and Coming: Girl meets Boy - edited by Kelly Miner Halls

2012-01-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

Girl Meets Boy edited by Kelly Miner Halls

When you read a romance, normally you get one side of the story. Often that's what makes it romantic- one very rose colored view of the story.

What happens if you knew what the other person was thinking?

Maybe it wouldn't be quite such a swoon-fest, especially if the other person's intentions aren't quite so true. Or maybe, it turns something that seems pretty light weight into something a bit deeper.

In Girl Meets Boy a bunch of YA authors have paired up to give you a peek behind the eyes of both people involved in the relationship. And these include some pretty big name authors as well: Chris Crutcher, Rita Williams Garcia, Ellen Wittlinger and James Howe (just to name a few).

It's an anthology, so of course there are his and lows, but what made this book stick out for me is that each story had an interesting hook that could easily have been spun into its own book.

There's the hog farmer's daughter who is dating a beautiful Indian boy who doesn't eat pork, or is that the Indian transplant who is trying to make everyone happy but just wants to make out with his girlfriend and come home and go on runs with his dog? Either way, I loved it and wanted to read way more.

Then there's the skinny guy who is trying to harness his inner kung fu power while being distracted by goddess on the basketball team that uses the gym after his group finishes... or is that the tall girl who battles on the court and off it, but has an eye out for the somewhat shrimpy guy with the big voice who always cheers at her games?

Having both sides of the story lets the reader be a fly on the wall. By the end of Girl Meets Boy you'll be one fly with a whole lot of interesting stories to tell.

What's On Your Hold List?

2012-01-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

It's the new year! Time to get a jump on new books for 2012!

What's on your hold list? What are the books you are chomping at the bit to read?

Here's a few that we're waiting on:
(all descriptions from the catalog records)

Nico:

Pink Smog by Francesca Lia Block
First of all: IT'S A WEETZIE BAT PREQUEL! This is enough of a reason for me to check it out.
"When Weetzie Bat is a 13-year-old junior high school outcast, mourning the life her family lost when their cottage in the Los Angeles hills burned down, her father leaves her alcoholic mother without telling either of them where he is going, and Weetzie learns how to stand up for herself and to find beauty in even the most difficult situations."

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
After falling in love, Lena and Alex flee their oppressive society where love is outlawed and everyone must receive "the cure"--an operation that makes them immune to the delirium of love--but Lena alone manages to find her way to a community of resistance fighters, and although she is bereft without the boy she loves, her struggles seem to be leading her toward a new love.

The Edumacation of Jay Baker by Jay Clarke

A few random bullet points about Jay:

He is stupidly in love with his best friend, cheerleading dynamo Cameo "Appearance" Parnell.
He is also trying to score (points) with earthbound tennis-playing goddess Caroline Richardson.
He is fighting a losing battle with Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Root for Jay as he exchanges ego-blows with his mortal enemy, gets awkward around his dream girl(s), loses his marbles in a Bermudian love triangle, watches his parents' relationship implode, and, finally, learns to keep it real and be himself(ish).

Kady:

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
For three years, seventeen-year-old Cas Lowood has carried on his father's work of dispatching the murderous dead, traveling with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat, but everything changes when he meets Anna, a girl unlike any ghost he has faced before.

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler
Sixteen-year-old Min Green writes a letter to Ed Slaterton in which she breaks up with him, documenting their relationship and how items in the accompanying box, from bottle caps to a cookbook, foretell the end.

My Name is Not Easy by Debby Dahl Edwardson
Alaskans Luke, Chickie, Sonny, Donna, and Amiq relate their experiences in the early 1960s when they are forced to attend a Catholic boarding school where, despite different tribal affiliations, they come to find a sort of family and home.

Katie:

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
Since she’d been on the outside, she’d survived an Aether storm, she’d had a knife held to her throat, and she’d seen men murdered. This was worse.
Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland—known as The Death Shop—are slim. If the cannibals don’t get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She’s been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He’s wild—a savage—and her only hope of staying alive.

A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile—everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria’s help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

There is No Dog by Meg Rosoff
What if God were a teenaged boy? In the beginning, Bob created the heavens and the earth and the beasts of the field and the creatures of the sea, and twenty-five million other species (including lots of cute girls). But mostly he prefers eating junk food and leaving his dirty clothes in a heap at the side of his bed. Every time he falls in love, Earth erupts in natural disasters, and it's usually Bob's beleaguered assistant, Mr. B., who is left cleaning up the mess. So humankind is going to be very sorry indeed that Bob ever ran into a beautiful, completely irresistible girl called Lucy . . .

Riding Out the Storm by Sis Deans

Zach is riding the Greyhound bus through a snowstorm to visit his older brother Derek, whom he hasn't seen in seven months. That's when their parents finally went broke paying Derek's doctor's bills and had to give him up as a ward of the state. Nothing, not drawing in his sketchbook, not basketball lets Zach forget that his brother is living in a mental institution five states away. But surprisingly, sitting next to a talkative teenage girl he nicknames Purplehead starts to take the edge off Zach's pain.

Prompted by a chain of unpredictable events and by the people he meets along the way, Zach's cynical humor gives us a poignant look at medical insurance and health care systems for the mentally ill, and at the everyday fears, joys, and revelations of adolescence.

Librarian M:

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
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.

Partials by Dan Wells
The human race is all but extinct after a war with Partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by RM, a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island while the Partials have mysteriously retreated. The threat of the Partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to RM in more than a decade. Our time is running out.

Kira, a sixteen-year-old medic-in-training, is on the front lines of this battle, seeing RM ravage the community while mandatory pregnancy laws have pushed what's left of humanity to the brink of civil war, and she's not content to stand by and watch. But as she makes a desperate decision to save the last of her race, she will find that the survival of humans and Partials alike rests in her attempts to uncover the connections between them—connections that humanity has forgotten, or perhaps never even knew were there.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.

Up and Coming: Graffiti Awesomeness

2012-01-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

Ooh Katie, I love these books too! Check out Katie's first two Up and Coming Books of 2012. These are two that you are going to kick yourself if you miss out on.

There are two soon-to-be-released books in the library catalog that you really should place on hold now--Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley and The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour. Go ahead, I can wait. Or you can just wait until a year from now when I put them on my Best of 2012 list. Your decision.

So now that you’ve placed your holds, let’s discuss.

Graffiti Moon is a he said-she said book, in the winning tradition of Nick & Norah and Lily & Dash. And it very much deserves to be in the company of these excellent titles. Lucy knows exactly how she wants to celebrate her last night of high school--finding the street artist Shadow. She’s seen Shadow’s work and knows that the artist behind it is someone real, someone she could love. Unfortunately, it looks like the first night of the rest of Lucy’s life isn’t going to involve Shadow or love, because she’s stuck with Ed. But Ed could maybe lead her to Shadow. As we all know it’s more often about the journey than the destination, and Ed and Lucy (and a couple of really fantastic friends) have quite the journey in store for them over the course of the night.

The Disenchantments is the story of an actual journey, as four friends--the all girl singing group, The Disenchantments and their friend Colby--take to the road in a VW bus for The Disenchantments final tour of dingy bars along the West Coast before starting life after high school. Told from Colby’s point of view, we see him struggle with questions about the future and doubts about the past as his post-graduation pact with best friend (and long time crush) Bev crumbles. As is to be expected when you put three girls and a guy and send them on a road trip, there is plenty of drama, but each character is so unique and vibrant that nothing about this story seems cliche. What begins as a last hurrah, quickly becomes a crash course in friendship, families, and life. It also is a book with an incredible soundtrack.

So if you have early onset senioritis or love books about artistic and creative people or maybe you just have a thing for really smart, delightful reads, then you should add these to your 2012 reading list. Cath Crowley and Nina LaCour have written the perfect books for anyone who has ever wondered “What’s next?” or simply wanted to grab a spray can, take to the streets, and create art.

Remembering the Year at the Library (part 2)

2012-01-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

We're excited to see what 2012 has in store for us. But, before we move on, here are our top 5 things that happened online and in person at APL in 2011:

5. Allen Zadoff stopped by the blog for a chat.
For theater week, we happened to be lucky enough to have the PERFECT author for the week stop by. Mr. Zadoff shared some inside stories of his own time in theater and also gave us a lot of behind-the-scenes info for his fantastic book, My Life, The Theater and Other Tragedies. If you ever were a techie, an actor or have attended a play in your lifetime-- you'll want to take a look at both Mr. Zadoff's book and his interview with us!

4. We had a Flashmob and helped out a library in need.

This summer you guys helped us go all out. You helped us kick off our summer of programming with an awesome flash mob! Thanks to the instructors at Bowen McCauley Dance and the hard work of everyone who turned out to dance, we were able to surprise the library patrons and get the summer started on the right foot.

Not only that, but this summer you helped us to raise money for our new sister library in Petit Goave Haiti! For every 4 books that you read, our Friends of the Library donated fifty cents to help rebuild the library there that was destroyed in 2010's earth quake. Because of the children and teens of APL who participated in summer reading this year, we were able to send $2,000 to our friends in Petit Goave!

3. Gayle Forman Appreciation Week
Oh Ms. Forman, we just think you are the best. You make us cry, you make us swoon, you make us check the catalog all the time to see if there's anything by you that we might have somehow missed. And this year you were all over our blog, you appeared at the Teen Author Carnival, your books were on our top tens and our teens' top ten lists, you gave us Team Adam buttons! Most exciting of all, you appeared on our blog for an interview in March!

If you didn't have the chance to check out Ms. Forman's books in 2011... well, it's officially not our fault that you missed out!

2. Sara Lewis Holmes visited all TAB day
This was the tenth anniversary of the attacks on September 11, 2001 and our Arlington Reads theme this year had to do with soldiers and those they leave at home. Ms. Holmes was the perfect person to talk to middle school TAB this year and combine these two themes. She opened with a story about her daughter waiting to hear if her dad, who worked in the Pentagon on September 11 was okay. The middle school TAB students got to hear exactly what inspired her novel, Operation Yes. We left feeling inspired and committed to saying YES!

1. April Lindner and Jon Skovron starred in our author panel.
We were already big fans of both of these authors here on the blog (you can check out our posts on Mr. Skovron, the author of Misfit and Struts and Frets here and you can also see our posts about Ms. Lindner, the author of Jane ,the modern retelling of Jane Eyre, right here.). But that affection turned into LOVE when they came and visited us in early October! They traveled from out of town and came to speak to our High School TAB group (and anyone else who wanted to come) all out of the goodness of their hearts.

They told us about characters, what we can expect from them next, how they keep motivated, and much more. It was a night to remember for sure!

Happy New Year from the folks at TATAL!
We hope that 2012 brings many more awesome things and that you'll join us for all of them!

Best of 2011: Remembering the Year at the Library (part 1)

2012-01-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

Give a cheer for 2011 at the library!

We're still getting used to the new year. And we'll probably be writing the old year by mistake for a good week or so... BUT before 2011 gets completely away from us, we wanted to look back at all the great things that happened both online and in the library at APL this year.

Lets take a look at some of our favorite things (eleven of them- to be exact)!

11:We found our new mascots!
So, technically this happened in 2010 but, this was the year where our cardboard men really found their true voice. And they were joined by Legolas. It's a trio that can't be beat and we hope they provide us with many more years of entertainment.

10. Teens Tell it Like it Is:
This is one that we hope will be on our list every year. We were lucky this year to have a few teens who were happy to share their true feelings about what they read. Sure it's our job as librarians to read and read and tell you what we liked and what we think you might like, but it's much more awesome when we hear it straight from you. Thanks to Jordan, CJ, Mairead and Libby for taking the time to share your opinions with us!

9. Read This, Watch That Took Off:
This might be our favorite category ever. Is there anything better than a good book/movie pairing? Okay there might be... but it's still pretty awesome.

8. Banned Books at the Library 2011:
This year the library really got into embracing the freedom to read. We had several displays, video book talks, a QR project and more. Did you read a banned book in 2011?

7. An International Summer
This may have been a summer to staycation. But it was our summer of travel! Every week we talked reviewed books from a different part of the world. One of our bloggers even traveled to Iceland just to find the best YA lit about that country... okay, so maybe it was more cause she wanted to go there, but still! If you wanted to travel to another part of the world without printing a boarding pass, this was the way to do it.

6. Saying Goodbye to Harry
The last book may have come out in 2007, but we held on to the trio as long as we could. This year marked the premiere of the last part of the last movie. We honored the departure of our favorite series with a week of coverage. We like to think that Harry would have enjoyed it.

Best of 2011: Breakin' it Down

2011-12-30T12:00:00.000-05:00

It's been a pretty incredible year in YA. There's been tons and tons of books and what became clear from doing these top ten lists is that, although 2011 may be over, there are still TONS of books from this year that we will be checking out next year! We hope we've added many new titles to your have-to-read lists as well!

Of the close to 60 titles that received a mention in one of our top tens, only 20 of them were mentioned more than once. Our top pick for the year was Maggie Stiefvater's The Scorpio Races with a grand total of 4 picks. It's definitely not a year where one book had a land slide win.

So, what was your favorite YA of the this year? Let us know in the comments!

Best Of 2011: Nico Turns It Up to 11

2011-12-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

This was a strange year, at half time when I made my top 5 so far, it felt like I was on top of what was new and awesome. But by December I had been buried in so many great titles, I couldn't keep my head above water- it's a very happy problem to have, but left me with an intense top 10 guilt. I never got to Blink and Caution, I have yet to read The Running Dream or Winter Town or Everybody Sees the Ants, so none of those can possibly make it on my list- but I'm still going to read them! Take that guilt! Take that Book Lists!

Okay on with the list of what I loved that I read this year. And there are eleven titles, because that's how I roll... with a lot of love for books.

Past Perfect by Leila Sales (See our review here)
Leila Sales is hilarious. She and Louise Rennison are the queens of comedy writing for teen girls (not that this book wouldn't be hysterical if you were a boy, because it would be). How many YA books take on the hilarious subject of historical re-enactments? Not enough! And this book takes on historical re-enactments from two different time periods and puts them across the street from each other. You do not understand how funny this can be until you read about the great cell phone prank and also the amazingness of the Fourth of July when you are dressed up as a colonist.

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins (see our full review/fan girl episode here). It seems like everyone I talk to wants to send a big pile of Valentines to Ms. Perkins and I am no exception. Lola is a spunky heroine with great style and sense of self and I was so happy to immerse myself in her world. Ms. Perkins' heroines are girls that would make good friends. Lola's journey to figure out what she wants from her life is charming, funny and totally all-consumable. This is the type of book you're going to want to set aside a big chunk of time to read all in one goal.

Bunheads by Sophie Flack (see our full review here)
Hannah's story is a down and dirty look behind the scenes at life in a ballet company. It's an insider's look because the author, Ms. Flack is a pretty famous former ballet dancer and that's what gives this book such a feeling of authenticity. But besides all the details, this book makes my list because it's got a great plot and characters that you care about. I also think it makes a fantastic gift book.

Every You, Every Me by David Levithan (see our full review)
Mr. Levithan is a pretty singular talent in YA. Every time he has something new out I am anxious to check it out. This thriller really grabbed me and would not let me go. I was so worried about the main character, Evan, who has been finding pictures of himself on his walk home. I stayed up WAY late on a work night to find out how everything played out. It's a book that is finely crafted, the photographs and the crossed out words all add to the sense of claustrophobia and time running out. It's a stand-alone with a satisfying ending and it was one of the most unique books I read this year.

Au Revoir Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber (see our review)
This book is the Die Hard of YA lit. It is an action movie shoved into a YA novel and it is just awesome. It may not win a high literary prize, but it was seriously one of the most fun novels I put my hands on this year. A prom date turns international assassin caper paired with a bunch of college application essays. It is fast moving, funny, exciting and way cinematic. The movie rights have been picked up and there's a sequel coming- can't wait for both!

Misfit by Jon Skovron (see reviews here and here and author interview)
Jael is one kick-butt heroine. Misfit is the type of book I want to pass on to freshmen girls and remind them that they do not have to wait for their sparkly heroes to arrive and rescue them. Jael is trying to balance her normal life at a pretty strict Catholic school with the fact that she's JUST found out that she's half-demon and her very straight-laced dad used to be a world class demon fighting monk. But if anyone is up to the task, it's Jael- she's brave, funny and tough. If I'm pulling together a world-saving team, I want her on mine.

Red Glove by Holly Black (see our review here)
I had never read a Holly Black book before this year, fantasy tends to be my YA blind spot and I'm sorry to admit that if it wasn't for a conference that said I had to read White Cat, I might have totally missed one of my favorite reads of the year. In the world where Cassel Sharpe lives, a certain portion of the population has been born with the ability to deliver curses with the touch of their hand. This is, of course, illegal and the government would like to think that they have a handle on the "problem." But they don't. Mob families make the most of the situation and use curse workers as enforcers. Cassel Sharpe happens to be the youngest son of a family who has long made their money working as just this type of muscle. Anything more and I'll be spoiling it for you. But man, is this a gritty world where things are not what they seem. Cassel Sharpe is THE PERFECT narrator for this series (read my review for more on that) and I am beyond happy that Ms. Black allows us to have him as our guide through the entire series and does not switch to one of Cassel's brothers or the love interest.

Basically I want Cassel to narrate my life, I feel he would make a lot more sense out of it than I do.

Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson (see full review here)
I don't know why I thought I had trepidations about this book. I've loved everything my Maureen Johnson that I've read. Maybe I was worried that it was going to be too scary for me. It was scary, that's true- but the frightening parts are so well folded into the story that it's never a cheap, gotcha kind of scary. Rory's semester in England during a Jack-the-Ripper copy cat killer hysteria was the perfect mystery with atmosphere. I also loved that the chapters were almost like CSI or Castle episodes, you got to spend a few moments at the crime scenes before heading back to the main characters. Really interesting, really inventive and really shouldn't be missed.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (see reviews here & here)
This is the big book of the year and I wanted to not like it. I wanted to be cooler than all the cool kids. "I don't read books about angels", I tried to tell people. "What does Entertainment Weekly even know about YA?" I thought to myself. Clearly I was a fool. This book is huge for a reason and that reason is that it's amazing. Karou's world is so detailed and intricate that I just want to stop and read about every little piece of it again and again.

Where She Went by Gayle Forman (see our review and author interview) Sometimes you just feel "gotten" by a book. This is my book. If I Stay is a pretty unforgettable book and it contains the kind of gut wrenching sadness that normally comes from real life incidents, not written ones. With Where She Went , Ms. Forman created a companion novel that really gave us readers something we didn't know we wanted. It answers the "what happens next" question in a way that is SO satisfying that it completely stands up to book one.

Then there's the fact that this is an up all night book, with a narrator who is charismatic as all get out (and also broken and broody, if you're into that). And it's a rock and roll book- (can something be a headphones book? 'cause I want to declare this a headphones book). It's just pretty much fantastic.

Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (see our full review here)
This is the book that I'm giving to everyone who has yet to try YA. To everyone who might have been turned off from the whole thing by certain articles that painted the entire genre as being dark and disturbing.

"Wait Nico," you're going to say, "a book about ferocious horses who are born in the water and the riders who try and tame them? That's your pick for the questioning?" Yes. Unequivocally yes. Maggie Stiefvater has created a finely crafted novel that has real and deep characters that you care for and also one of the best senses of place in any novel I've read recently. Which is saying something because she's created this island of cliffs and yet it completely seems like a place you should be able to find on a map. It reads like a classic and there is so much care taken on each page, you can tell that this was a passion project for Stievfater. It's the type of book that you want to own a really nice edition and then also a paperback that you can PUSH on all your friends. Friends of Nico, consider yourself warned.

Other Books that deserve some love:

Saving June by Hannah Harrington (see full review here)
Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore (see bigger review here)
Trapped by Micheal Northrop (see full review here)
Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez (see full review here)
My Beating Teenage Heart by C.K. Kelly Martin (see full review here)

Best of 2011: The Ten Best Books Fantastic Teen Reader Libby Read in 2011*

2011-12-28T12:00:00.000-05:00

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Katniss! No!! Now I just want to hug you. =(

A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend byEmily Horner (see our review and video)

Romance, tragedy, adventure, and a musical aboutninjas. What's not to love?

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green andDavid Levithan (see full review and video)

"The kind of book where the reader turns the last page,and says to herself "Now that book did not suffer from a shortage ofmusical numbers.""-John Green

Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchettand Neil Gaiman

Anangel and a demon off to stop the apocalypse. Also, TERRY PRATCHETT ANDNEIL GAIMAN IN ONE BOOK.

Airborn by Kenneth Oppel

Ilove flying and adventure, and this book has both. I also really really likeKenneth Oppel's writing style.

Numbers by Rachel Ward

Weirdsci-fi powers, conspiracies, explosions, and a rather bizzarre on-the-lamromance? Sounds good!

Liar by Justine Larbalestier

Micah is a compulsive liar who pulls fact, fiction, andillusion into one, or rather several, versions of the truth. I'm still not surewhat to believe.

Gabby by Mark Kelley and Gabby Giffords withAlison Hanson

This book made me laugh, cry, and smile alternately. Itgoes into not just Rep. Giffords' injury, but her life and her story. Read it.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson

Fast-paced, smart, well written, and disturbingSwedish thriller. It left me thinking, which is always a good sign.

The entire Harry Potter series by JK Rowling (see our Harry Potter Weeks here)

These books are my childhood. I read all of them again overthe summer to get ready for HP7 part 2. No list of books would be completewithout them. <3

*Arenot all from 2011

Best of 2011: Katie's Super Year-End Superlatives

2011-12-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

YA Class of 2011 Superlatives

I’ve decided to give you my end of the year picks in superlative form once again. In part, because it’s fun for me. And in part because I hate calling this a Best of List because I never get to all the books I want to read, and there may be something best-ier out there that I just haven’t picked up yet. So here are some of my favorite books and why from the 2011 YA Class:

Most Likely to Succeed: Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
Lina is an ordinary 15 year old girl, until circumstances take her from her home, over the vast Siberian wilderness, and across the Arctic Circle to one of Stalin’s labor camps in the 1940s. Suddenly, being ordinary is not enough, and Lina must look deep within herself to find the extraordinary if she is to survive--and keep her family healthy and find her father and fall in love. Lina’s story is based on real events and is so vividly retold that Lina’s success and survival seems almost vital to our own.

Most Likely to Get Married: Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins (see our full review/fan girl episode here)
Lola and Cricket. If these two crazy kids don’t get (fictionally) married, then I’ll never write another superlative. Capturing love and romance in a way that seems both completely real and very much like a fairy tale is no easy feat, and yet Stephanie Perkins proves once again that it can be done and doesn’t even require a Parisian backdrop to make it work. A book to read and then read again.

Favorite Exchange Student: Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey
This Aussie import only popped up on my radar when I was hunting down historical fiction books with male leads. How has this book flown so far under the radar? It’s completely brilliant--filled with mystery and suspense, racial and socioeconomic tension, hilarious dialogue, heartbreaking revelations, and more smarts than almost any other book I picked up this year.

Most Creative: Delirium by Lauren Oliver (see full review here)

Dystopian trilogies are popular right now. And as it was with wizards and vampires, trendy concepts often begin to quickly feel overdone. Enter Lauren Oliver. Delirium is the first book in a dystopian trilogy, and while many of the usual suspects are there (repressive government, restricted travel), it sets itself apart by also creating a world where love (and heartbreak) have been removed from the equation. The human experience has been completely altered and somehow Oliver manages to imagine the unimaginable and take us along for the ride.

Most Magical: The Apothecary by Maile Meloy (see full review)
No matter how old I get, books oozing with magic and imagination will always pull me in. That includes middle grade titles set in 1950s London. In fact, this book may be one of the best combinations of magic, history, and science that I’ve ever come across. And did I mention the Russian spies? I feel like I should. Because some of you may be sort of “eh” about magic but have a soft spot for spy books, so it’s important you know that they’re there too. Or maybe you just love compelling characters, and Janie Scott and Benjamin Burrows definitely fit into that category. In sum, this book is lovely, with a little bit of everything, and just writing about it makes me want to curl up on my couch with a mug of hot chocolate on a rainy day and disappear into its pages.

Biggest Surprise: The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson (see full review here)

Perhaps you’ve heard my rant... I mean Reading Rules: “No suicide books, no vampires, and no Jack the Ripper stories.” All three of these topics give me the heebie jeebies, and I’m not the type of reader who enjoys the heebie jeebies. But I really enjoyed this book. Jack the Ripper story line and all. Maybe because it surprised me with its endearing characters or clever premise or impressive historical research. I haven’t been able to pinpoint the exact Cause of Like thus far (although good sense says its a combination of all three), but I think the lesson we can all take away from this is that it’s always a good idea to listen to your librarian and push the boundaries of what you think you might like. Thanks, Nico.

Most Likely to be (In)Famous: All These Things I’ve Done by Gabrielle Zevin (see full review here)

I used this category last year from Ally Carter’s Heist Society (and Uncommon Criminals was this year’s very worthy follow-up, which you should also read), but I didn’t expect it to be an annual thing. Until I met Anya Balachine, daughter of mafia boss who has all the makings of a great leader herself. Except she doesn’t want to see it. The problem is, she may not be given a choice if she is to protect the people she loves. This is a mob story wrapped up in a dystopian novel wrapped up in a love story. And it turns out that’s a pretty awesome combination.

Most Artistic: Okay For Now by Gary Schmidt (see full review here)

Every once in a while as a reader, you come across one of those books that has all the trappings of a classic coming-of-age story, the sort of story that we’ve all been reading since Mark Twain first introduced us to Huck Finn. That’s how I felt when I met Doug Swieteck and watched him fall in love with Audubon’s Birds of America, learn to draw, make new friends, battle his father, and adapt to his brother’s return from Vietnam. So much happens in this book, that calling it a book about art is really not doing it justice. It’s a book about growing up and learning that life isn’t always easy or fair. And it’s a book about learning to smile and connect with people in spite of that. In other words, it’s one of the best sort of books.

Best Sense of Humor: Past Perfect by Leila Sales (See our review here)
Has anyone ever told you that history can be funny? Like laugh out loud on the metro funny? Because it can, as Leila Sales proves in Past Perfect. This contemporary tale is set against the backdrop of two historical reenactment parks and a war that has been waging every year between high school summer employees of the two staffs. Chelsea has her own problems with the past--namely a coworker and ex-boyfriend--but she also has a hilarious best friend and a wit all of her own, that take this quirky premise and make it a must read.

Most Attractive: Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick (see full review here)
I’m not advocating that we all start judging books by their covers, but it’s hard to resist a bit of drooling over Brian Selznick’s Wonderstruck. What’s really fabulous, though, is how much substance there is underneath this book’s good looks and gorgeous illustrations. Bringing together museums and deaf history and a cross-generational mystery, Selznick has once again outdone himself with a stunning story filled with words and pictures unlike anything else on the shelves.

Best of 2011: The Real 10 Best (from Pat)

2011-12-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

Just saying...

Flip by Martyn Bedford
Fourteen-year-old Alex wakes up one morning and comes to the extremely strange realization that he's not in his own bed, or even in his own house. And the person calling him down to breakfast? Well that is not his mother. Whose mother is it then? And who is this Flip person that she keeps calling to? Alex remembers crashing his bike and hitting his head on the way home from David's the night before. That must explain everything. Or does it? If you've ever asked questions about the mysteries of life and identity, like "what makes you who you are?" or "what is the soul? or "who am I, really?" then read this amazing book. You'll be hooked on the first page, guaranteed.

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray (see our full review here)
I read this early in 2011 and it's still my favorite YA book of the year. Here's from my previous review and I stand by it: "What can I say? A bevy of beauty queens falls from the sky. Onto a deserted (or is it?) tropical island. There is mystery, terror, irony, self-realization, pirates—very hot pirates, romance (see pirates), a pinch or so of politics, and mostly hilarity. Read it and weep. From laughter, mostly."

If you enjoy audio books, listen to this one, just to hear Libba Bray do Miss Texas. She totally nails it, being from Texas and all, y'all.

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson (see full review here)
On the very day that Rory Deveaux arrives at the London boarding school where she will spend the year, the first in a series of grisly murders occurs--murders that mimic exactly those of Jack the Ripper. As the gruesome events unfold, the police have no leads. That is until Rory sees a strange man near the scene of one of the murders. Even stranger, Rory's roommate who is right there with her doesn't see the man. What's that about? Is the strange man the murderer? Is he after Rory?
I'm not sure how she does it, but Maureen Johnson weaves together a murder mystery with romance, humor, and the supernatural and somehow it works--brilliantly. Once you start, you will be turning the pages compulsively.

This Dark Endeavor: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein by Kenneth Oppel
This book was born when Kenneth Oppel reread Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and began wondering what a teenaged Victor Frankenstein would have been like. In this gripping, Gothic imagining, Victor Frankenstein and his twin brother Conrad are inseparable. They, along with the beautiful Elizabeth, grow up in an enlightened, well-off household, their lives filled with adventure. One day they discover a strange library filled with books about dark arts, to which their father forbids them to return. But when Conrad falls ill, Victor believes the only way to save him is to obtain the three ingredients for the Elixir of Life, something he saw in one of the dark books. I will leave it to you to see where this dark trail leads. It may indeed keep you up at night, turning one page after another.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
The strange photograph on the cover is only one of many scattered throughout this wonderfully odd, evocative book. Jacob's grandfather used to tell him stories about the orphan children in the photos and how he grew up on a faraway island safe from the monsters chasing him. As he got older, Jacob, of course, began doubting those stories. But when his grandfather's dying words send Jacob on a quest to an island off the coast of Wales, all bets are off. What he encounters will creep you out, scare you, and totally engage you. But don't take my word for it--read it yourself!

Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt
Doug Swietick is starting eighth grade in a new school in a new town (stupid Maryville, to be precise). He wants it to be different, but when you've got an abusive, alcoholic father, one abusive older brother who is a major jerk, another brother fighting in Vietnam, and a mother who is overwhelmed by it all, well, things are pretty stacked against you going in. He's accused of just about everything that goes wrong in stupid Maryville. Here's the thing, though--you will be rooting for this kid. You get the sense that he just needs a small break, maybe a couple of allies, to find out what he's made of. And luckily, he finds them, and much more. This book blew me away. If you like exquisite writing, captivating characters, and a fabulous story, Gary Schmidt is an author you'll want to check out.

To Timbuktu by Casey Scieszka (words) and Steven Weinberg (art) (see full review here)
The subtitle of this book is "Nine Countries, Two People, One True Story" and it is indeed the true story Casey and Steven and their travels from China through southeast Asia and on to Africa. They met studying abroad in Morocco during their junior year in college, maintained a long-distance relationship, and then set off together on their post-graduate pursuits--travel, art, and being together. The result is this wonderfully unique travelogue. If you're a teen who has an itch to see the world, this will scratch it til you can get out there yourself!

The Misfit by Jon Skovron (see reviews here and here and author interview)
So this (half) demon girl walks into a Catholic school and...what else do you need to know? OK, maybe just a little more--Jael is a 16-year-old girl in Seattle just trying to blend into her super strict school while learning the extent of her newly discovered powers. She's got a big time scary demon seeking revenge against her family. But she's also got a super cute skater boyfriend. The Misfit mixes mythology and religion, the underworld and the ordinary world--all the hallmarks of an epic tale. All that and a kick-butt awesome heroine who, in the end, only really wants what we all want--to find her place in the world where she can just be herself.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (see our full review here)
A girl has never, ever competed in the Scorpio Races. Kate Connelly, known as Puck, not only plans to race, but to ride Dove, her beloved island horse against the wild, dangerous water horses.The same kinds of horses responsible for her parents' deaths. And riders will die in the race. But Puck has no choice as she needs the prize money to save her small home. She must win. But she'll have to beat four-time winner Sean Kendrick, who is this amazing water horse whisperer guy. This book just pulled me in and held me--I didn't want to do anything but read it once I started. Action, danger, romance, intrigue, but mostly characters who I fell in love with and needed to accompany to the riveting, exciting, amazing end.

Blink & Caution by Tim Wynne-Jones
Blink gets by on the streets of Toronto by stealing food from trays left outside fancy hotel rooms. Caution is on the run from her abusive, drug-dealing boyfriend with a big wad of cash she stole from him to get away. Their paths cross after Blink witnesses what seems to be a staged kidnapping of a wealthy businessman. Trying to solve a mystery that puts them in real danger also presents an opportunity for redemption for two kids that both have a lot of rough past between them. This hard-hitting, gritty novel stayed with me for a long time because I cared so much about both Blink & Caution. I think you will, too.

Holiday Greetings from the Boys...

2011-12-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

Edward: Since the library is closed today, I wanted to give you guys a little something special. A traditional undead holiday song.

Jacob: STOP! Stop it right there! No one wants to hear your sparkly pretty boy vocals. Let a real man step in and do the job. Also, what was with that depressing emo music choice? Let's get some real holiday music up in here.

Edward and Legolas: *shocked silence*

Happy holidays from Lego, Ed, Jake and all of us at APL

Quick List: Commenter Claire T

2011-12-23T12:00:00.000-05:00

Yay! We love hearing from YOU! Here's 7 quick picks from blog commenter Claire T.

My top 7 for 2011:
1. Across the Universe by Beth Revis
2. The Night Circus by Erin Morganstern
3. Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick(see full review here)
4. I am Half Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley
5. Now is the Time for Running by Michael Williams
6. Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly(full review here)
7. Iceberg Right Ahead! The Tragedy of the Titanic by Stephanie Sammartino McPherson

Thanks Claire!!!

-- What's in your Top 10??

Let us know in the comments!

Best of 2011: Librarian M Strikes Again

2011-12-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

The best:

Jasper Jones- by Craig Silvey
On the surface this book is about a boy who getsdragged into a murder mystery by a local outcast kid, but it's about so muchmore than that. Charlie faces the racism his best friend endures, the crumblingof his parents' marriage, and a family's horrible secret.

A Monster Calls -by Patrick Ness
A beautiful story about a boy dealing withhis mother's terminal illness.

I Don't Want to Kill You- by Dan Wells
The third book in the John Cleaver series. It's about asociopathic guy who kills demons. Why wouldn't I like this book?

The best of the rest:

Daughter of Smoke and Bone- by Laini Taylor (see reviews here & here)
Exciting settings, awesomemagic, and a romance that didn't make me want to retch.

Why We Broke Up- by Daniel Handler
An entertaining melodrama about the end ofa relationship.

Chime- by Franny Billingsley
The self-deprecating and sarcastic sense of humor of the heroineis reason enough to read this book.

Where Things Come Back- by John Corey Whaley
The main story is about thedisappearance of Cullen's brother Gabriel, but the seemingly unrelated parallelstories are just as compelling and all plots are woven together gracefully inthe end.

Rotters- by Daniel Kraus
Joey'smom dies and he has to go live with his father- who turns out to rob graves fora living. This book takes the exploration of a father-son relationship to newlevels.

Burnout-by Adrienne Maria Vrettos
Harrowing portrayal of drug and alcohol addictionand a girl's efforts to remember what she did the night before when she wakes upalone on the subway.

Ashes-by Isla J. Bick
Fast-paced survival fiction, with zombies!

Best of 2011: Kady's Excellent Top Ten Adventure

2011-12-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

10. Ten Miles Past Normal, Frances O'Roark Dowell
Things I love: Farms (check plus), Awkward Ugly Ducklings Who Don't Realize They're Already Swans (check), Civil Rights Movement Knowledge Bomb (check), Music, specifically bass guitar (check), and Hootenannys (check plus). This book is just a bunch of checks and check pluses in my ledger.

9. Paradise, Jill S. Alexander (see full review here and here)
Nico wants cowboys to be the next vampire like trend in the YA world and I totally agree that I would not mind reading about more cowboys like Paradise. He's cocky and attractive and he plays the accordion with swagger. Throw in mom issues, sisterly bonding, unrequited love (just a little bit and from an unlikely and totally awesome source), crop duster planes and a drum kit and I was sold on Paradise.

8. All These Things I've Done, Gabrielle Zevin (See our full review here)
This was a slow burn but a long linger. I didn't initially love it like I loved Zevin's first YA novel Elsewhere, but in a year filled with teenage heroine's in a dystopic future (I blame Suzanne Collins 100%) this is the book that kept creeping back into my mind. It's even set in a recognizable world, which I really appreciated. Sure, chocolate being illegal is a bit of a stretch, but the parallels drawn between this future world and the past world of prohibition, gangsters, dames and gritty New York noir places it firmly in the realm of enjoyable escapism.

7. Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have), Sarah Mylnowski
Is this book pure fluff? YES. Is it a completely unrealistic teenage fantasy? TOTALLY. Is it worth every single second you spend reading it? OH MOST DEFINITELY. And hidden in between the living without parents, hot tub renting, awesome party throwing escapades are some great insights into relationships (between friends, between boys and girls, between parents and children) that I wish I had been privy to at 16. When I was living with my best friend completely unsupervised by adults. That's a lie, I was very supervised.

6. The Probability of Miracles, Wendy Wunder (see our full review here)
I'm a crier. This has been known about me since my junior year of high school when I straight up bawled through an amateur production of Children of Eden and terrified the stuffing out of the poor kid I was babysitting. It's not something I'm proud of, or something I like to do too often, so I normally avoid books about things like incurable cancer at all costs. But man am I glad that I picked up this book. I cried, and it was an ugly cry, but I laughed a lot too and I got totally sucked into this story about a Disney hula dancer and her family who escape to a tiny town in Maine as they prepare to say goodbye and learn to let go.

5. Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Lani Taylor (see reviews here & here)
This book is going to show up on a lot of other top ten lists and I'm not going to be able to add a lot new to the discussion. Yeah, it's fantastical in the best sense of the word. Yeah, that thing with wishes as beads on a bracelet are cool and yeah, I like the market scenes and all the crazy traders Karou outwits in her dealings. But here's all you really need to know: A street performance with an actual ballerina pretending to be controlled by a giant reverse marionette puppeteer. Never have I wanted to go to art school in Prague so badly.

4. Past Perfect, Leila Sales (See our review here)
Dan Malkin is the single swooniest boy I read about all year.* That alone would have earned Past Perfect a place on my top ten list- swoon is very important to me- but it got there in other ways too. Like with rival historical reenactment villages, the search for ice cream perfection, territory wars and did I mention HISTORICAL REENACTMENT VILLAGES?

3. Five Flavors of Dumb, Antony John (see our review and our interview with the author)

Fine, this one came out in 2010. But LATE 2010. And in the middle of exams. So I couldn't possibly have been expected to read it then. I read it in January. And again in September. And it was just as good the second time around. Nico helped this book about the deaf manager of a high school rock band get all the way to the finals of Nerds Heart YA and it makes me really want to dive back into the Nirvana (and Jimi Hendrix) catalog. Oh, and learn sign language. Anyone else with me?

There was a pretty big gap for me between my top 2 favorite books of the year and the other 8 I've already talked about. It's not that the first 8 aren't worthy (they made my top ten list and I am very, very picky) but the top two are books I have a feeling I'll be buying soon. And y'all, I work in a library. I do not, as a rule, buy books. Without further ado:

2. The Scorpio Races, Maggie Stiefvater (see our full review here)
A complete and absolute 100% stand out from 2011. And I don't even care about the horse races. It's a world I want to live in, or at least visit, since I think the people of Thisby would probably chew me up and spit me out. I want to be stoic like Sean, I want to be tough like Puck, I want a love that doesn't need flashy declarations or overwrought pining, just a simple loaf of bread. And I get to have all that when I read and reread and eventually fall asleep with my head on a copy of Scorpio Races.

1. Piper's Son, Melina Marchetta (see full reviews here and here)
I don't know what else to say about this book; it's just so freaking beautiful. I've heard Melina Marchetta is hard to get into (I don't get that personally) but I swear, if you give it 50 pages you'll be in an entirely new world that you'll never want to leave. Luckily, Piper's Son features characters from two of her other, also amazing books Saving Francesca and Jellicoe Road. So you can keep hanging out with your new friends for a little longer. Froi of the Exiles, the second in Marchetta's fantasy series, is coming out next year and I'm already calling it for my best of 2013 list.

Best of 2011: Lisa’s Thoughtful and Terrific Top Ten

2011-12-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

My themes of the year seem to be “Death, disability and despair, with a little humor for good luck.”

1. The Piper’s Son, Melina Marchetta (see full reviews here and here):
Although it takes work to get into this book about a family in freefall, it’s work well-worth doing. Marchetta weaves a sublime story of humor and hope that intricately interlaces death, love, betrayal, deep friendship and family loyalty.

2. The Running Dream, Wendelin Van Draanen:
A must-read for all runners! Jessica’s running career is interrupted when she loses part of her leg. Her grief, rage, and grit along with the support of family and friends, enable her to recreate her life.

3. Between Shades of Gray, Ruta Septys :
This raw story of a Lithuanian family’s endurance of displacement by the Soviets will open your eyes to events in history not often portrayed in YA fiction. An important book.

4. A Monster Calls, Patrick Ness:
Conor grapples with a monster as he rages and grieves over his mother’s impending death. An honest look at loss and guilt.

5. 12 Things to Do before You Crash and Burn, (see our full review here) James Proimos:
After his father dies Hercules is given 12 tasks to do during his visit in Baltimore. Finally, a book featuring death that’s laugh-out-loud funny!

6. Dead End in Norvelt, Jack Gantos:
In 1962 Jack’s summer is life-changing when he helps his elderly neighbor write obituaries for the rash of dying old ladies in town. Full of humor and history and a bit of a mystery.

7. Okay for Now , Gary D. Schmidt (see our full review here):
Doug’s abusive dad moves the family to upstate NY. Copies of the bird portraits by John James Audubon in the local library change Doug’s life. An unusual blend of art, abuse and humor make this a special book.

8. Sparrow Road, Sheila O’Connor:
When Raine’s mother suddenly moves them away from their familiar Milwaukee home to a former orphanage turned art colony, Raine encounters mysteries, eccentric artists, and secrets revealed. Interesting characters and a haunting setting make this a lovely story.

9.    The Apothecary, Maile Meloy (see our full review here):
Mix historical fiction set in the Cold War with romance, adventure and magic to dispense this unique and engaging fantasy.

10.    Chime, Franny Billingsley:
It was slow to engage me, but beautiful lyrical language kept me reading this tale of 17-year-old Briony who is convinced she’s a witch and the cause of both her stepmother’s death and her sister’s disability. The swampy setting is so vividly brought to life you’ll want to wear your Wellingtons while reading this romantic fantasy.

**Bonus Books of the Year**
11.    Beauty Queens, Libba Bray (see our full review here)
12.    Jersey Tomatoes are the Best, Maria Padin
13.    Ten Miles Past Normal, Frances O’Roark Dowell

Best of 2011: CJ, Our Teen Reviewer, Shines a Light on her Faves

2011-12-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

1) Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins (see CJ's letter to Ms. Perkins here)

Need I say more? Once again Stephanie Perkins has made my life one great big ball of awesome. I loved following Lola and her love life with Max and Cricket, all while she was dressed in awesome outfits.

2) Where She Went by Gayle Forman (see our review and author interview)
TEAM ADAM all the way. Yes the band name is cheesy, yes it has the falling apart at the seams rock star, and yes there is the tragic accident in which family dies. What makes this book so great is the fact that there is a Cello player. The Cello Player and the rock star. How this works I have no idea but it does.

3) Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith (see full review here)

Nico- please don’t hate me. I know this book comes out in January, but really this is probably one of my favorite books that you have recommended to me.

4) Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson (see our full review here)

Alright I will admit I am a sucker for books with playlists, and books where the characters remind me of my friends. This book really made me happy that there is still a sense of adventure even in the most unlikely places.

5) To Timbuktu by Casey Scieszka & Steven Weinberg (see our full review here)
After meeting the authors, I fell even more in love with this book. While I don’t really read a lot of non-fiction, I will sometimes find one that makes me appreciate the genre even more. This was one of those books.

6) Pink by Lili Wilkinson (see our full review here)
I found this book, and decided to read it because John Green had a quote on the cover, and it is rare for me to find a book with him endorsing anything. I fell in love because the whole premise of the novel is finding out about what really matters.

7) Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (see our full review here)
I like books with alternating perspectives, and this was no exception. Told from the two main characters, a boy and a girl, the story was effortless and each view point blended in to the next.

8) The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore
This is the sequel to I Am Number Four, and I am pretty sure I read this in a day. My brother and I pre-ordered it, and by the time we both finished it was all we could talk about for like two weeks.

9) Beauty Queens by Libba Bray (see our full review here)
Miss America meets Lord of the Flies. Both happen to be things I can’t stand but somehow I must once again bow down to the all mighty Libba Bray. Even if the two things mentioned above aren’t your cup of tea, you should definitely check this out.

10) Across The Universe by Beth Revis
I am not a huge sci-fi kind of person, but this was an easy read, and just right to fill that empty area in my brain.

Best of 2011: Kathrine Rounds Out her Rockin Top 10

2011-12-19T12:00:00.000-05:00

In July I posted my Top 5 Books of 2011--Shine, Orchards, The Running Dream, Trapped, and Across the Universe.

Here's another five books Icouldn't put down:

Bad Taste In Boys by CarrieHarris -- The football team is taking steroids, but "OMG!!!!" insteadof just beefing up they're becoming zombies!! Football playing flesh-eatingzombies!! AHHHH!!! Good thing our protagonist is a science geek and futurephysician who has been doing lab experiments with her super awesome scienceteacher… which makes her totally qualified to take down this zombie epidemic!

The Dark and Hollow Places byCarrie Ryan -- I'm a little late to the game on this series. This is the thirdin the Forest of Hands and Teeth trilogy. Zombies? Check! Evil government?Check! Love triangle? Check! If you love those three things together, this bookis for you!

The Last Little Blue Envelope byMaureen Johnson (see our full review here)-- Totally fun mystery/travel narrative. You might not rememberwhat happened at the end, but you will have a lot of fun along the way!Fantastic vacation read.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ranson Riggs -- This book is filled with photographs ofthe bizarre and unusual. I didn't think the author could possibly integratethem into the story. But he did! This book is awesome! Wonderful story about ateen traversing time and space to unlock the mysteries of his grandfather'syouth.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness-- This is my pick for the Printz Award.The pictures in this book make it look horrifying, but this is really a storyabout a boy facing his inner demons as his mother's health deteriorates. Youwill cry!

Happy2012! May the books be even awesomer in the new year!

End of the Year Lists... We Meet Again

2011-12-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

SO MANY BOOKS!

2011, you were a year when a lot of YA books were published. SO many, in fact, that there is no way you have read all the good ones even though you've had more than 300 days to do it.

Lucky for you we have assembled a collection of best of the year lists from your friendly YA librarians, some of our favorite teen bloggers and even some extra YA fans that we've guilted into writing us lists.

Do you have a top 10 list? Put it in the comments and we'll turn it into your very own guest blog post. We want to know! And we want to share!

So dear blog readers for the rest of the month stay tuned for a barrage, an onslaught, an AVALANCHE of awesome titles from 2011. Hope you enjoy!

All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

2011-12-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

We're running out of time before our top tens start running, but Katie has one more review to sneak in!

All These Things I’ve Done by Gabrielle Zevin

The year is 2083 and caffeinated substances (e.g., chocolate, coffee) are illegal. It is a new era of prohibition and self-denial. As with the original Prohibition, such limitations lead to an influx in illegal activities and powerful mafia families making their mark. Anya is a member of one such family, but she wants nothing to do with the family business. She has already lost her mother and father to their livelihood, and she’s not going to put either of her siblings in harm’s way. She simply wants to fly under the radar and maybe go to college someday. But the likelihood of her achieving this goal begins to dwindle when her ex-boyfriend is poisoned by chocolate and intrigue begins to swirl all around her...

First things first. Someone should tell you that All These Things I’ve Done is the first book in a... wait for it... dystopian trilogy. Shock! That I thought this might be a stand alone work should be chalked up to my own naivete.

Once you know this critical fact, I think All These Things I’ve Done is a much easier book to enjoy. I spent much of the book waiting for that one major climatic moment where the suspense breaks and all is revealed. That never comes in Book 1. Zevin instead spends her time constructing a very real future world, complex family and friend dynamics, a forbidden romance, and plot twist after plot twist. Setting her dystopian world in a not-so-distant time plagued by the scarcity of such resources such as water and paper, Zevin has created an incredibly believable dystopian future that will give the reader a lot to think about.

But in the end it is the compelling character of Anya that truly carries this story and moves this series to an elite group of Must Read As Soon As They Come Out Sequels for me. Publisher’s Weekly describes Anya as a “reluctant Godfather-in-the-making” which is brilliant in its apt succinctness. As Anya navigates the tangled webs of family, friendships, relationships, and actual politics, her talent as a leader is undeniable and her rise to power is truly compelling even in its earliest stages. I have no doubt Zevin has much more in store for us in books 2 and 3 of the Birthright Trilogy.

12 Days of YA Lit (Part 4)

2011-12-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

Thanks for coming along with us on our review of 12 trends from this past year!

You can check out the rest of the list here (part 1 part 2 part 3)

We're down to the wire now:

Day 3: Three Books from Mission Control

Across the Universe; Skyship Academy; Glow

This is ground control to Major Tom, we've got these books to send your way. We hope they will make you feel better about floating in space, so far away from the little blue planet we call home. These are three books that take place outside the earth's atmosphere. Get ready to see the stars up close.

Day 2: Two Books that Should Stay Away from Snakes

Cleopatra's Moon; Cleopatra Confesses

Two books about one of the most famous queens ever. Though Cleopatra's Moon is about her daughter- so really these two are just a great pairing. You'll get two generations of royal intrigue in a very different kind of palace. Just how is mother like daughter?

Day 1: One Unique, Blue-Haired Heroine

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

It's fun every year to pick out the book that is hardest to put with others. Although I guess you might call Daughter of Smoke & Bone a supernatural romance, but the world is so weird and wonderful, and Karou is such an individual-- she's earned a place at the top of our trend list. She's our 2011 one and only. (see our full reviews of DOSAB here and here)

See last year's list here.

So there you have it, our list of 12! What trends did we miss? Which ones are your favorites? We want to know in the comments!

12 Days of YA Lit (part 3)

2011-12-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

Today we're continuing our trip through the 12 Days of YA Lit.
Part 1 Part 2

Here comes Part 3:

Day 6: Six Books with Fins

May: Daughters of the Sea; Fins are Forever; Lost Voices

Ripple; Between the Sea and Sky; Tempest Rising

Make a splash with these mermaid books. If your choice of fantasy character is one with scales, then this was the year for you. Aquatic adventures abound if you are interested. This is not Ariel's under-the-sea. Hold your breath and dive in (we have more puns, but we figure you've got the point).

Day 5: Five Books Where the Ghosts are Waiting for You

Queen of the Dead; The Poisoned House; Anna Dressed in Blood

Haunting Violet; From Bad to Cursed

October is not the only time when we want to be scared. There's plenty of room in the rest of the year for a good ghost story. Here are five to give you goose bumps. Last year we had plenty of books about people who could see the dead (and there's lots more this year, but we wanted to give you new categories), so it makes sense that we've got lots of ghosts this year who can see the living.

Where I Belong; Texas Gothic

Paradise; Love Story

We had to include this one, as it was the trend we kept trying to make happen. Chalk one up for the classic American career-- the cowboys are back. Here are a few books that are ready for any riding on the range that you can throw at them. Inside you'll find rodeos; race horses; cattle drives; boots and absolutely NO sparkling. What more can you ask for?

12 Days of YA Lit 2011 (part 2)

2011-12-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

Check out our first installment here.

Let's get rolling:

Day 9: Nine Books That Ask, "What's Next?"

Following Christopher Creed; We'll Always Have Summer; Vicious Little Darlings; To TImbuktu; The Piper's Son

What Can(t) Wait; The Ivy: Secrets; Blood on the Moon; Where She Went

In library land, they tell us that the new thing is going to be "new adult" instead of young adult-- books for people 18-25. I don't know if that will catch on, but I do know that there are more and more books about teens who are done with high school completely. Now they have to decide what to do next, college? Traveling around the world? Finding a job? There's a lot to think about and a lot of drama to deal with as well, all of which makes for some pretty excellent reading.

Day 8: Eight Books for Band Members

Virtuosity; Brooklyn Burning; Mind Blind; My Misadventures as a Teenage Rock Star
Four Seasons; Notes from an Accidental Band Geek; My Favorite Band Does Not Exist; Amplified

A perennial favorite with authors and readers, characters who can carry a tune/strum a guitar/master an instrument just seem to be the perfect tortured souls to build a YA novel around. Plug in your amp and turn these books up to eleven.

Day 7:Seven Books Against the World

Beauty Queens; Trapped; Sharks and Boys; Ashfall

Lost in the River of Grass; Are You Going to Kiss Me Now?; Desert Angel

Sometimes you find yourself alone on an island... or a lifeboat... or a snowdrift. In those times, it's good to know that the good people of YA have already got a book to prepare you for just this kind of circumstance. If you like books where the main antagonist is mother nature these books have plenty of elements for you to battle.

It's That Time of Year! 12 Days of YA Lit! (part 1)

2011-12-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

In the very end of 2009 we were inspired by this fabulous librarian's blog post to put use a certain favorite holiday song as a way of organizing what we think are some of the biggest trends in YA lit this year. You can see our 2009 edition here and last year's here, here and here.

So, without any further ado, let's get going with our trend-watching YA lit song.

On Day 12: Twelve Books with International Narrators (and Plots)

This Thing Called the Future; Dreams of Significant Girls; Out of the Shadows; Subway Girl
Now is the Time for Running; Anya's War; Jasper Jones; The Visconti House

The Blue-Eyed Aborigine; How I Stole Johnny Depp's Alien Girlfriend; Ruby Red; The Chaos

Maybe it was the international theme we had on the blog this year. Maybe it was our summer reading theme. But whatever the reason, we can't get enough of books that were set in other countries. It's great to get a glimpse at the world around us and reading a book with a foreign narrator is a great way to see the world through someone else's eyes. There were definitely more than just these twelve and we hope next year there will be even more!

On Day 11: Eleven Books in Verse/ Of Course

Karma; Perfect; Exposed; Displacement;

Addie on the Inside; The Day Before; Audition; Planet Middle School

Unlocked; The Watch That Ends the Night; Orchards

We might not be poets
But when something is a trend, we hope to know it
Here are books written not in prose but verse
Eleven here all available in the library, waiting to disperse.

On Day 10: Mythical Retellings

The Son of Neptune; Dark of the Moon; The Cupid War; Pandora Gets Angry; Sweet Venom;

Abandon; Fury; Sirenz; Siren's Storm; The Goddess Test

Not only was this a big publishing trend this year, it was a hugely popular trend in reading! Do you think we should thank Rick Riordan for re-starting our love of all things myth or was it just time to rediscover all the excellent stories and creatures? Whatever the reason, there are some supremely cool titles in this category and if you like this sort of book you have a ton of choices to take you into next year!

Read This, Watch That: Jane Austen Edition

2011-12-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

Katie brings us our last Read This, Watch That of the year and it's on a subject near and dear to her heart...

Those of you who regularly read this blog have probably noticed that I have an almost obsessive love of a good romance and a happy ending. Unsurprisingly, this translates to a deep adoration of the godmother of all great romances--Jane Austen. So as Nico’s request, I’ve put together a list of All Things Jane. (Speaking of all things Jane, a new biography just hit shelves Jane Austen: A Life Revealed. Check it out.)

Unsurprisingly, the best place to start an All Things Jane list is with Ms. Austen’s books themselves. My two personal favorites are Pride & Prejudice and Emma.

For those of you who have been there and done that and wouldn’t mind doing that again, you’re in luck. This year saw the release of two fantastic Pride & Prejudice retellings: Prom & Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg (see earlier review) and Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik. These two books move the age old story of Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett from England across the ocean to East Coast and West Coast American high schools, respectively. Please don’t make me choose between them, too much wonderfulness. Just read them both.

While a great retelling of Emma has yet to end up on my bookshelf, we can all thank Hollywood for the movie Clueless, which is one of my all time favorite modernized adaptations of any literary classic. Cher’s ill-fated matchmaking attempts and own quest for happiness are a relatable today as they were in Jane’s time.

If you prefer the Dashwoods to the Bennetts, take heart, you haven’t been forgotten. Sass & Serendipity by Jennifer Ziegler is the story of two sisters--the ever realistic Gabby and the ever romantic Daphne. Following them as they balance the pitfalls of sisterhood, high school, and relationships, isn’t terribly unlike the world of Austen’s 19th-century England.
Finally, for those of you who would prefer to spend the holidays taking a break from books every once and a while, the BBC has made a name for themselves in putting together epically long and epically awesome Austen miniseries: Pride and Prejudice (the mother of all miniseries classics), Emma (the newest and loveliest), and Sense and Sensibility (I haven’t seen this one yet either, so you’ll have to compete with me on the hold list this season).

I promise to give some love to Northanger Abby and Persuasion in the near future. Maybe the new year will have a few modern retellings of these classics in store for us. Fingers crossed.

Red Glove by Holly Black

2011-12-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

Red Glove by Holly Black

This is the sequel to the awesome urban fantasy novel, White Cat, which you can check out our review for here.

Things do not come easily for Cassel Sharpe. The girl of his dreams only looks twice at him when she's under the influence of a curse that Cassel would do anything to undo. His family can only seem to come together when they want to con someone, which they are way too good at. Oh and then there's school full of people who think he's crazy after last year's rooftop incident. This was already too much for Cassel to juggle before he got on the radar of the Feds. Would working for them mean he was betraying his curse-working family? Does he have any other choice?

This summary sounds confusing, but it's only because I am trying so hard to be NON-SPOILERY. The best things about these book are the twists and turns that they take. If you immerse yourself in the world where Cassel lives, you will quickly understand this version of the U.S., where everyone wears gloves to protect themselves from the anonymous among us who have the power to curse you with the touch of a hand. It's scary, gritty, interesting stuff.

What really makes these novels special though is Cassel as your narrator. I want to nominate him for best narrator of the year. He is SMART, quick thinking and very suspicious- three things which separate him from a lot of mystery novel protagonists. This is not a book that waits for you to figure out the clues, Cassel is putting things together and he's doing it fast, fast, fast- if you can't keep up, don't worry, he'll bring you along for the ride.

And what a wild ride it is too. Part mafia novel part urban fantasy and part boarding school drama, this series gets its mix just right. We are counting down the days until Black Heart comes out on April 3.

Bonus video for readers of this series- What to do if you think you've been "worked":

Mangaman by Barry Lyga and Colleen Doran

2011-12-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

Mangaman by Barry Lyga and Colleen Doran

One night, while the citizens of Castleton slept in their beds, the deep sleep of normal American families, a stranger appeared in their town. He was ripped through the sky from another land and now, in their midst-- in their very high school, this stranger walks amongst them... The stranger is... MANGAMAN.

For Ryoko, on the otherhand, things seem a little different. He's been torn from the pages of his own hometown and now he's forced to live in a land that goes left to right. The townspeople of Castleton are wary of him at best and who knows if he'll ever be able to return to the life he's always known (especially if opening the rift would risk something creepy from Ryoko's world coming through as well) It's hard enough to be a teenager without having to worry about what's going on in the white space around the panels of your life.

I was a bit worried about this book because I am not a big manga reader (not because I don't like them, just because I am new to the format) and I was worried that I would not be in on the jokes. This was so not the case! This is the classic story of culture clash, except in this case it's the clash of two different styles of art. Doran has drawn for classic western comics like Superman, while Lyga brings us the manga side of things.

This is also a bit of a Romeo and Juliet story as Ryoko is definitely considered from the wrong side of the tracks (in fact they are not really sure if he should be counted as a human) and when he falls for the eccentric dressing Marissa no one is happy. Except the two of them.

This book is fun to look at, fun to read all while being poignant, thoughtful and very funny.

Giving and Getting: Our Lists of Holiday Gift Books!

2011-12-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

Used under creative comments license from Muffet

If you are making your lists, and checking them twice, we have some books that you're not going to want to forget!

We've put together our list of the year's biggest gift books. Take a look here. And don't say we never did anything nice for you :)

Middle School Monday: Block Buster Titles

2011-12-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since we rolled one of these out, since it is getting to be the time of year for gift-giving (more on that tomorrow) we thought we'd highlight two books that you'll definitely want to put on your list if you haven't had a chance to read them yet.

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
Mr. Selznick has had quite the year, his Caldecott winning book, The Invention of Hugo Cabret was turned into a major 3-D motion picture and he wasn't done there. He also published Wonderstruck!

What's so cool about Wonderstruck is that it also uses art (as Hugo did) but it tells two stories, one entirely in pictures and one in words. How the two combine is so unexpected it's almost magic.

Ben lives by a lake in Minnesota with his aunt and uncle. He was born deaf in one ear and his cousin enjoys using that fact to play tricks on him. Ben wishes more than anything that he could return to the way life used to be, when his mom was alive and they would talk about the stories behind the stars.

In the story in pictures, we follow a young girl, Rose, in the 1920's who seems all alone in life. Living in a big house with no one to talk to and pasting pictures of her favorite movie star in her scrap book.

Ben's story takes place in 1977 and Rose's is almost 50 years ago. You will read and read and read to find out how these stories are going to intersect. Also prepare to be blown away by the gorgeous illustrations--- you won't find any other book that looks like this. Take a look for yourself.

Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan

Are you a Percy Jackson fan? We think that the Percy is a series that is nearly as popular with people under the age of 20 as Potter or Twilight, but that what makes it different is that not so many adults check it out. We don't understand this, but whatever, it's their loss, because Mr. Riordan keeps us coming back with adventures and characters that are way more fun than we can find anywhere else.

This is the second book in the Heroes of Olympus series and it's the one that many of us have been waiting for because Percy is back. In the previous books we had learn that Percy had gone missing from Camp Half Blood. In this book we find him waking up with no memory of his life before, except for remembering Annabeth (ahh! If only we could pass him the five excellent books we have over here on the shelf about him). In no time he finds that he's been basically dropped off by the gods outside of a very strange camp for the children of gods. Sounds like Percy is going home, right? That's where you'd be wrong.

Instead of Camp Halfblood, the camp for kids of Greek Gods and Humans, Percy is outside of Camp Jupiter (a Roman camp) and about to be seriously smote if not for the help of two Roman campers who happen to be on guard. These campers are our future other narrators, Hazel and Frank- demigods who will soon join Percy on a quest.

These are all things we've done before (the questing, the fighting monsters, the learning of prophecies) but Riordan spices things up with the Roman angle and the new characters are so interesting and likable that you will be carried quickly along with the plot. And then you'll be like us, impatiently awaiting book 3 in the series, The Mark of Athena which won't be out until Fall 2012.

Katie's Top 5 Historical fiction for the Holiday Season

2011-12-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

Now that we have had our first “official” snow of the season (crazy!), it seems only appropriate to reprise our cool weather historical fiction feature as we go through November and the holiday season. In keeping with the “world travel” theme we’ve had on TATAL this year, I give you a round up of some great books from far flung places and past times.

Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey

Australia 1960s

Described as the Australian To Kill a Mockingbird, this new release owes much to the works of Harper Lee and Mark Twain. We meet Charlie Bucktin on a summer night when Jasper Jones, resident bad boy and town scapegoat, appears at his bedroom window seeking help. What follows is a recounting of the summer that Charlie loses his innocence in so many ways--discovering a town’s prejudices, the dark nature of humanity, the imperfection of families, and the joy of first love. Beautifully balanced by its suspensful tone and laugh-out-loud witty dialogue, Jasper Jones is not only the best historical fiction book I’ve read recently, but also one of the best books in general that I’ve picked up in quite some time.

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Septys

Soviet Union 1940s

Every once in a while a book comes along that is so heartbreaking in its honesty that any attempt to review it seems almost inadequate. Between Shades of Gray is that sort of book. I just want to shove copies into strangers hands and plead with them to read it. Lina’s story is not an easy one (to read or to tell), but it is an important one. We follow her from the arrest of her family in Lithuania by Soviet forces, across vast stretches of countryside, to their eventual exile in Siberia. This book doesn’t sugarcoat the plight of Stalin’s victims who were sent to the middle of nowhere to suffer and just as often to die, but through Lina’s strength and fighting spirit, Ruta Sepetys reminds us that hope can survive in the most hopeless of circumstances.

The Queen of Hearts by Martha Brooks

Canada 1940s

Marie-Claire is the oldest of her siblings. And the strongest. And the most independent. (And one may also argue the most stubborn.) She is used to having her freedom and being in control. But after taking these things for granted for 15 years, they are abruptly torn from her--along with her parents and siblings--when she is diagnosed with tuberculosis. Set against the backdrop of the Canadian plains in 1942, most of the action in this book takes place in the sanatorium near Marie-Claire’s hometown, where TB patients come to either get healthy or die. In a time when TB was often a death sentence and a war was waging across the ocean, we follow Marie-Claire as she struggles to regain her health, save her family, forge friendships, and fall in love. This book is achingly lovely in its simplicity and truly unique in its subject matter. It’s a quick read that will stay with you long after the final page is turned.

Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey
England 1870s
This book is for those of you who love your historical fiction with a side of the paranormal. Spiritualism and communicating with spirits of the dead was a popular activity of the Victorian era, with a medium often providing evening entertainment at social gatherings. Set in 1870s England, we meet Violet, the daughter of a spiritual medium who is much in demand among the upper class, which is how Violet and her mother end up at the country party of an earl. But when Violet ends up being the one who can actually see dead people and those dead people include a girl who mysteriously drowned on the earl’s estate the year before.... well, you can bet things are about to get a bit more interesting than your average Victorian garden party.

Wrapped by Jennifer Bradbury

England 1810s

Let’s take a moment to admire the cover of this book--gorgeous, right? Different is good sometimes. Set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, Wrapped is a mystery, a trip to Regency London, an adventure, history lesson, and a love story all wrapped up (pun intended) in one book. Agnes--our plucky heroine--starts quoting Jane Austen on page 2, which pretty much secured my kinship with her forever (and gives you a good idea what sort of book this is). On the cusp of her first season, the multilingual Agnes isn’t quite sure where she fits into society--future society wife or adventurer extraordinaire? When a mummy unwrapping party goes horribly wrong, it’s up to Agnes with the help of an assistant from the Egyptology section of the British Museum to get to the bottom of things and maybe help defeat Napoleon in the process. A fun, light read, especially for fans of Sarah MacLean’s The Season.

12 Things to Do Before you Crash and Burn by James Proimos

2011-12-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

12 Things to Do Before you Crash and Burn
by James Proimos

America loves James (Hercules) Martino's dad. He was the type of self help guru who you might catch hawking his advice on the home shopping network at 4 am. But his advice was never all that helpful to James. Now his dad is dead and James seems to be less sad than the people who keep offering him condolences every where he goes.

This is not a tear jerker. Instead it's a book that you'd expect to find wedged in the backseat of any high school guys car. It's fast, funny and talks the way an actual member of the high school male species might. If that sounds like your kind of thing-- check out 12 Things ASAP.

James heads off for two weeks with his uncle in Baltimore. His uncle gives him a list of 12 tasks to keep him occupied. Under normal circumstances James would be totally uninterested in completing any of the tasks, but the list seems to lead him in the path of beautiful (if unattainable) women and adventure. Which is a little better than lying around and watching daytime tv while his uncle is at work.

There are run ins with dogs, Winnie the Pooh, horses, a pizza girl and more. It's fourteen days of action and a bit of philosophy packed into this slim little volume. It will make you crack up and also perhaps consider completing James' uncle's 12 things for yourself. After all, Baltimore is not that far away and the pizza sounds really good....

Spread the Holiday Cheer: Crafts for Sick Children

2011-11-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

This season is the perfect time to do something nice for someone in need. We have a tiny way to make somebody's day:

On Thursday, December 8 from 4-5 at Central Youth Services, come and join us to make a reindeer pin for yourself and then one to send to a child at Children's Hospital.

We hope you will come and spread some cheer!

To see more of our teen events, check out the calendar here.

Read This, Watch That: Texas Forever Edition

2011-11-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

Kady stops by with an excellent Read This, Watch That recommendation. Perfect if you like are in the mood for YA from the Lone Star state:

I'm going to switch things around for this edition of Read This, Watch That and talk about the movie first. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, book before movie always. But in this case I'd seen the movie first and it was constantly running through my mind while reading the book so it only makes sense to talk about them in this order.

Watch That: Whip It!
Bliss Cavendar does not fit in in Bodeen, Texas. She is not a beauty queen, no matter how hard her mother tries to push her. She is quiet, almost meek, at her waitressing job at a local diner, and she only really has one friend- a girl who also understands exactly what it feels like to wish you were from someplace else. All of this changes when Bliss discovers a roller derby league in nearby Austin, TX. Roller derby is fast, often violent, full of girl power and something that Bliss is surprisingly good at. It's not long before she's lying to her mother (who would so totally not understand) and blowing off her best friend in favor of spending more and more time with her new derby friends. When she gets caught (of course she does), Bliss has to decide what's important to her and if it's worth finally standing up for herself. This is an awesome coming of age story- first love, first heartbreak, fights with friends, standing up to parents- but it's also a GREAT sports movie. It's an action-y, underdog story with a pretty good soundtrack to boot.

Read This: Paradise by Jill S. Alexander
Whip It! the movie is based on a book, a pretty good one, by Shauna Cross. Go read that too. Paradise, however, is a total soul sister for Whip It! (both the movie and the book).

Like Bliss Cavendar, Paisley Tillery has a ridiculous name, a stage mom, a passive dad and a passion she has to keep secret. Paisley is a drummer, the only girl in her tiny Texas town's high school rock band. Her mom doesn't understand why she likes to drum, and she certainly wouldn't let her daughter spend all that time with the types of boys who are in rock bands, so Paisley is forced to lie to her mom about how she spends her after school hours. Paisley and her band are practicing for Texapalooza, a battle of the bands type competition in Austin, that will get them all one step closer to getting out of their town and doing what they love for real. The band actually stands a chance now that they've recruited a new lead singer and renegade accordion player from even tinier Paradise, Texas. Paradise is as good as he is cocky and even though his prima dona attitude soon threatens to drive the band apart, Paisley finds herself drawn to him (of course she is).

Whip It! and Paradise are tied together by so many themes and commonalities that it's almost like they're the same story being told two ways. If you're in the market for a spunky heroine yearning to get out of her nothing town for a shot at the big time in Austin, TX, do yourself a favor and Read This, Watch That.

Catching Up with TATAL

2011-11-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

So, sometimes I go through phases where I don't read new things, I re-read older things that I already know I love. Comfort food reading is sometimes the best thing in the world. But, when I do that, I fall behind in my new releases and the other bloggers on TATAL (Katie, Kady and Michelle especially) sometimes beat me to the punch on the reviews. So, here are a few books I read that have already been reviewed, but which I couldn't pass up the opportunity to throw my two cents in on as well.

The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler (See Katie's review)
First of all, it's 1996. It's easy to forget how different some parts of our lives were just 15 years ago because it's just a blip on any sort of time line. BUT revisiting 1996 in The Future of Us was a huge reminder! Only a few people had cell phones (some teens had beepers!) and people were only just starting to have email addresses. No Twitter, no status updates, no Flickr, no Instagram, no You-Tube, none of it. That's the world that Emma and Josh are smack in the middle of.

When Emma gets a personal computer from her dad, her neighbor Josh brings over a copy of AOL that his mom had gotten in the mail. But when it loads up, (slowly, over dial up--- side note: I'd forgotten about the fact that your parents used to get mad at you for tying up the phone line when you checked your email) there is a surprise there. Another program is bundled with the AOL service. Something called "The Facebook." When Emma loads it up, there is a picture of a woman with her name, as she looks closer she realizes that she's staring at a picture of herself- 15 years in the future. She and Josh have suddenly been gifted with a window into their own futures.

What I loved about this was how Asher and Mackler mix these MAJOR questions with regular high school life. I also like that Emma and Josh react exactly like any one normal would- they start messing around with it. Emma sees that her future self is unhappy living where she is, so she makes a promise to her future self that she will NEVER move there and *boom* refresh* future Emma isn't living there anymore.... but as you can probably guess, one change leads to many. But, what if they're the wrong changes? What if they are unalterably changing the way their lives were supposed to go? And, should they be tampering with the future lives of their friends?

If you want to explore the idea of the future being changable and get a bit of a 90s flashback at the same time, you will enjoy the very fun, very thought-provoking The Future of Us.

The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (See Katie's review)
If your best friend told you stories about the creatures she hung out with on the weekend; ladies who were half-snake and half human, a wishmonger who would trade you wishes for teeth and her journeys half-way around the world and back to run the wishmonger's errands. You would think your friend was an amazing story-teller with a strangely secretive past. If she accompanied these stories with gorgeous drawings, you would chalk it all up to amazing artistic talent and an overactive imagination... but what if it was all true?

Karou tells everyone in her life the truth: that her hair grows azure blue out of her head, that she was in Marrakesh last weekend and Tokyo on Thursday, running errands for her guardian, Brimstone, the wishmonger. But, she does it all with a wry smile and so no one questions her sanity or looks into her stories too closely.Which is good because she needs to keep her life at art school in Prague separate from the crazy adventures she has while working for Brimstone.

There is a SERIOUS reason why everyone (Entertainment Weekly, Amazon, the NYTimes, everyone) is talking about this book- and it's the world that Ms. Taylor has built. You open the book and without even thinking twice you are swept up into Karou's world, where a wish might give your ex's girlfriend eyebrows that won't stop growing and traders all over the world know the value of an incisor. It;'s gorgeous writing.

Oh, and there's a guy. Akiva. A guy who will ruin you for all other winged creature guys, Fallen Angel, Seraphim or otherwise. He's gorgeous, tortured and fiercely loyal to those he loves. Taylor was not fooling around when she created this guy. I think he will challenge the field of fictional fantasy guys.

My only complaint is that I want more. This book ends with a cliff hanger like you wouldn't believe and I just want one big tome so that I can sit and read all of Karou and Akiva's story from beginning to end. If you can deal with a "To Be Continued" that will leave you scrawling crazed twitter messages to Taylor about release dates for book 2, then I'd say you better get on the hold list for this book stat.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

used with permission from creative commons license from congvo.

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at TATAL!

We're taking the day off to spend with our family and we hope you are as well.

While you're digesting your second helping of pie, here are a few tasty links from our past to check out:

Who'd We'd Invite to a YA Dinner Party

The Ongoing Twilight on TATAL Saga

All of our video book trailers