Avery Hood is now an orphan. Her parents were brutally murdered at their home; a murder that Avery witnessed. But all she can [...]]]> Rating/Conclusion: Buy It
Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release Date: Sept 2010
Pages: 192 pgs. (ARC)
Source: ALA
Buy from (affil. links): Amazon, Powell’s, Indie Bound

Avery Hood is now an orphan. Her parents were brutally murdered at their home; a murder that Avery witnessed. But all she can remember is flashes of silver moving inhumanly fast, and lots of blood. What exactly happened and who did it remains out of her grasp.

While nothing will ever be the same again, Avery tries to keep things semi-together by returning to school. A place where she is completely friendless–that is until Ben arrives. The new boy in town–one with a dark secret and one that she is utterly drawn to. But when she learns that Ben is a werewolf with inhuman silver eyes and no memory of the night her parents died, she doubts everything she knows about him. Could he be the mysterious killer they’re looking for? Or is it all just a case of odd coincidences? Avery holds the key to the truth…if she could just unlock her memories before time runs out.

The Short of It: So, I kind of knew I’d love this one before even starting. The author has rarely let me down and definitely did not disappoint this time. The only thing I wish is that it has been a little longer.

Plot: I’m trying to be careful about the plot without ruining anything. As far as paranormals go, this was something I hadn’t really seen before. Okay, yes, werewolves are nothing new, but it was the additional elements that Devlin added in that I enjoyed. For example, the connection that Avery has to the forest? Kind of love it. And I can say that I kept switching my vote on who killed her parents. I will admit that I didn’t guess the right person, but I was so very close! There is still a lot of unanswered questions by the end of the book, especially about her grandma. I certainly hope that a sequel is in the works because I would love to see where the story leads.

Characters: Avery. I’m not sure what to really say about her. Her upbringing made her a bit different from any other YA character I’ve read before. I mean, after all, you don’t see too many main characters who have grown up secluded. Yes, I know they did go into town, but she didn’t have many friends. And being home-schooled just made her seem more isolated from her peers. However, she really acted like a normal teenager would. She was kind of down to earth and had her head on straight. And considering her parents were just murdered, that is saying quite a lot. I just wish she would have been a bit more cautious at certain times and had learned to trust the right people a little more.

Romance: This is the one spot I felt was a little weak. I would have liked to see a bit more relationship building when it came to Ben and Avery. I know that Devlin explains why they have an instant connection–especially Ben, but I would have liked to see more. I know I’m being kind of vague, but I don’t want to ruin the paranormal parts of their relationship. I will say that it has been done before, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless.

Writing: No complaints here. Devlin’s story kept me entertained throughout. I will say there were a couple of spots that I would have liked to be fleshed out more. I don’t mind being kept in the dark sometimes, and I get that’s where the mystery/suspense part comes in, but there were some parts I just wanted to know MORE. Again, I assume there is to be a sequel, but I really wish there had been just a little bit more answered in this book.

Librarian-Mode: This one will go easily with the paranormal lovers. It can be grouped easily with Shiver, Dark Divine, and the like. Although, I think those who like mystery/suspense will eat this one up as well, as long as they’re not totally turned off by paranormal.

So, now it’s your turn…have you read Low Red Moon? If so, be sure to let me know what you thought.

Things I Know about Love by Kate Le Vann Publisher: EgmontUSA Release Date: June 2010 Pages: 160 pgs. Source: ALA Buy from (affil. links): Amazon, Powell’s, Indie Bound

Livia Stowe hasn’t had the best luck when it comes to boys. She’s come across those who have lied and those who have [...]]]> Rating/Conclusion: Borrow it

Things I Know about Love by Kate Le Vann
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Release Date: June 2010
Pages: 160 pgs.
Source: ALA
Buy from (affil. links): Amazon, Powell’s, Indie Bound

Livia Stowe hasn’t had the best luck when it comes to boys. She’s come across those who have lied and those who have left her broken hearted when she needed them the most. But this is the summer where she hopes everything will change. After finally beating her battle with cancer, she has convinced her mom to let her spend the summer with her brother in the States. This was to be the summer about inner reflection and figuring out the things she has known about love through her private blog. And while she is endlessly talking about love, she never thought that a holiday love would happen to her. Not until Adam that is. If she can just grab his attention, this may become the best holiday ever. If only Livia can move beyond writing about love and risk the chance to experience it…

The Short of It: I adored this book…until the end. Really, honestly, until the last 20 pages or so. I kind of suspected it was going to end the way it did, but I had high hopes that I was wrong. When I figured out I was right, I literally threw the book across the room and left it there for a while. I did end up finishing it, but the ending really did disappoint me. And although I didn’t cry, I would recommend having some tissues close on hand.

Plot: I liked the plot. Really I did. Or at least I did until the last 20 pages or so. I love the idea of a girl truly reflecting on love and taking it seriously. It’s not about bad boys or quick, unrealistic or unhealthy love. It was still a bit quick, but she had met him before and sometimes first impressions can be very strong. She learned from her past mistakes, no matter how small they were, and took them into account as she moved forward. I will admit, that most seventeen girls do not think this way, but I wish they would! This book has one of the more healthier messages I’ve seen in YA in regards to romance.

Now, I really wish she had been wiser when it came to the rest of her life. She should have ignored the things that she did. As a cancer survivor, I think she would have planned things just a bit more safe. However, I do understand as a young girl tasting her first chance at freedom in years would get carried away. I only wish Le Vann wouldn’t have felt it necessary to end it as she had. I’m sure some of my opinion on this area is that I’m a sap for happily-ever-afters, but the larger part of me felt like it was a ill-fit. She could have done so many other things and the ending just felt too fast, a tad forced, and unrealistic.

Characters: Livia is a very likable character. I was reminded of my own seventeen year old self and could easy relate to her. (Ok, so my twenty-something self can as well.) I was right with her as she tried to figure out something that is completely illogical and irrational…love. Her stories were ones that any normal girl could see herself in. Haven’t we all had a boy twist the truth to make himself look more favorable? Or leave us when we least expected it? Even her lists and final conclusions were honest and raw. Her view on a possible holiday romance was refreshing and I truly enjoyed my journey with her.

Romance: The moment Adam entered the picture, I knew he would be perfect for Livia. Normally, I’m not sure I would approve of the age gap for someone that young, but it really didn’t bother me in this case. Perhaps it was because I was excited to see a truly realistic boy for once. One that was incredibly sweet and kind, but that wasn’t sure of his footing. It was refreshing to see a boy’s doubts as he worries about missed chances, perfect dates, and falling in love. It was cute how their thoughts echoed each other almost perfectly. And even if the romance didn’t last forever, it was a nice reminder that love can hit without any warning when you least expect it.

Writing: I really enjoyed the blog style that Le Vann chose to use. It gave it a more personal, story-telling effect without feeling overwhelming. Yes, there wasn’t necessarily a lot of dialogue, but it worked well in this case. After all, the story was more about Livia and what she has learned about love than an actual love story. It’s her personal thoughts and reflections on the things she has already experienced in order to help with what she will someday experience. This book was her facts and no one else’s, so a blog seemed the perfect way to go. I am glad, though, that Le Vann decided to have Adam do a blog as well. It was nice to see his perspective and his voice added quite a bit to the story, in more ways than one. His thoughts truly made the story richer and may just be the reason that the blog style really worked in this book. I never felt like I needed more or that I was missing pieces of the story/inner thoughts of someone else. And while I may have hated the ending of this book, I would love to read something else by her.

Librarian-Mode: Hands down I think this book will fit the best with those who love Lurlene McDaniel. You may also try recommending it to those who enjoyed Sing Me To Sleep as well. Simply put, those who love those sappy, tear-jerker endings will adore this one.

So, now it’s your turn…have you read Things I Know About Love? If so, be sure to let me know what you thought.

My summer [...]]]> Hello, my lovely blog people. Can you believe it’s August already? I can’t! I feel like every year my summers disappear in a blink of an eye. Of course, working in a public library means I do summer reading–which literally sucks up all of my time and energy. But–OH!–how I love it!

My summer reading was quite successful this year! I had 162 teens in my program who read 376, 978 pages! So while I was down about 20 teens, they read 20+k more pages than last year. While I would have love for more kids to participate, I’m very pleased with the outcome.

We moved our system completely online this year. I absolutely adored the online factor, but the system we used wasn’t the best. The interface was highly confusing and non-user friendly. Sadly, I think this was the reason some kids decided not to participate. My plan next year is to switch to another company and possibly build in a paper option. But enough about that…

Let’s get back to the real fun–Lock-Ins and crazy stuff I do for teens.

So, crazy thing #1: putting blue streaks in my hair. Ok, I’ll admit I’ve kind of always wanted to do this. And I love how it turned out. I’m even going to see if my boss/powers that be will allow me to continue doing it. The kids loved it and it helps me stand out from the other staff.

Crazy-thing #2: allowing a pie to be thrown in my face. So, okay, maybe this wasn’t completely allowed. I may have sort of kind of been dragged by 20-odd kids and trapped, but whatever. I still claim I’ll have my revenge….(HEAR THAT JESS?!) At least the teens loved it—and something they’ll likely not forget for a while.

Crazy-thing #3: Lock-in. My teens ADORE these. This was are third one in a year, and boy, I’d have to say one of the best. I made them earn it this time by reading 1600 pages. This may have been the smartest thing I’ve ever done. It cut down so much on the cliques and the teens really mixed it up and bonded this time. I’ll even admit I get a little giddy when I see them trading numbers and adding each other on Facebook. But that’s not even the best part. At the end of the night, about 6 of them decided to preform a Reader’s Theater to Snow White, which was utterly adorable and all their idea. They even want to start a regular one this fall and I’m completely excited to see where it’ll go!

So, there was my summer in a nutshell! I won’t apologize for not posting because, well, life happens and I’ll always put my teens first! However, now that things are slowly down, I’m hoping to catch up on reviews and posting on a regular basis. Just bare with me a little longer…..

So, first things first, [...]]]> Ok, I’ll admit it I’ve been pretty quiet in the blogging area lately. I’ve been reading I promise and even have a few reviews lined up…but mainly I’ve been completely and utterly swamped by life! Both personal and professional! But let me catch you up on what I’ve been doing….

So, first things first, I got to go to BEA in May. Can I just say I LOVE New York?! I would have totally stayed there if I could have! I had such a fabulous time there and loved every moment I spent with Jess and Pam aka my little ducklings. I also got to hang out with other fabulous bloggers like Katie, Susan, Monica, Michelle and so many more. The whole trip was such a whirlwind of activities. I won’t got into all of it, but my highlights had to be meeting Heather Brewer, meeting Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson, Cocktails with Cornelia Funke, leaving with my must haves, and all the crazy quotes that got thrown around (ask me about these sometimes, a lot of them are a hoot!) I failed at the whole site-seeing thing, but that’s what next year is for, right?!

Another awesome event I got to go to was the Supernatural Tour in Naperville. Okay, so I’ll kind of admit that I didn’t really care much about the tour itself. I had already met Kim Harrison and I haven’t read any of the other authors yet. So why did I go, you ask? Because it meant that I finally got to meet Sara from the Hiding Spot! I’ve been talking to her forever and while (& not to mention running a tour site together) but had never gotten the opportunity to meet her in person. I had so much fun with her, her friend, and Kristen at lunch and after the signing. I can’t wait until she comes back in September for the Girls Kick It Tour!!

Now, let’s talk about the real reason why I’ve basically fallen off the face of the blogosphere. Two words. Summer Reading. This is my second year running the Teen Summer Reading and I’m having a blast. We did some changes this year and moved everything online. There have been a few glitches along the way, but all in all it’s been a positive experience so far. Three weeks in and I’m only about 70 or so teens shy of my total participants from last year! And get this, in those three weeks they’ve already managed to read 125,000 pages! I think they may actually reach our goal of 500,000 pages. This both excites and scares me…since I promised they could do/make me do something crazy. (So far, it looks like I’ll either get pies in the face or have to put blue streaks in my hair. Please, please, please be blue streaks!)

And as I get ready to post this, I realize that it’s almost midnight, which means I leave for ALA in just one day! I’m can’t believe that it’s already here! I have lots of events planned that will be keeping me busy during my week stay. Not only will I be attending meeting for my Fabulous Films for Young Adult Committee, but I’ll also be gearing up for Library Advocacy Day and Congressional Meetings. Eep! I’m a little nervous about the meetings, only because I know what I say can make a difference. Libraries are facing such hard times right now and I can only hope the government will still supply us with the money we need! I hate hearing about all the doors that have had to close and the people who have lost their jobs. I’m living my dream right now and have no idea what I would do if I had to give it up. My only hope is I can express all of that in the right way!!

One more thing before I end this post. You will soon notice a change in my rating. I decided the five-star system was getting harder and harder for me to do. Instead I’ll be going to the following rating/conclusion:

Buy It: this would be my normal 4 or 5 star books, the ones proudly displayed on my shelves
Borrow It: this would be the 3 or 4 star books, the ones I think are good but not buyable. Checking them out from the library would be your best bet.
Forget It: this would be the 1 or 2 star books, the ones I really didn’t like and would have trouble recommending.

I may still play with it as I work with it more, but for the time being I think it accurate reflects how I think when recommending books.

The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade Publisher: Hyperion Release Date: July 2010 Pages: 281 pgs. Source: ALA Buy from (affil. links): Amazon, Powell’s, Indie Bound

Will has one goal each day: don’t talk back to the dead. Burden with an unwanted gift to see and communicate [...]]]> Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade
Publisher: Hyperion
Release Date: July 2010
Pages: 281 pgs.
Source: ALA
Buy from (affil. links): Amazon, Powell’s, Indie Bound

Will has one goal each day: don’t talk back to the dead. Burden with an unwanted gift to see and communicate with the dead, Will does everything he can to avoid their notice. Most don’t even know he can see them. But everything changes when Miss Popularity Alona Dare is hit by a bus. One smirk and sarcastic comment later and Will finds that he is no longer ghost free. Alona is desperate for those bright white lights and is certain Will can help; after all why else would he be the only one who can see her? And while Will’s life has just gone from bad to worse, he may be surprised that Alona is the answer to his prayers. Can they look past their mutual hate to work together? Or will they be stuck in their nightmares forever?

The Short of It: Interesting concept that held my attention throughout the entire book. There were times that it moved a little slow, but this was mainly when Kade was getting important/relevant background info in. I was pretty excited to learn there will be more books with these two and cannot wait to see their story develop more.

Plot: So, this brings “I see dead people” to a whole new level. Poor Will. While I love to go “ghost hunting”, I can safely say that I would never want his ability. I mean, to hear all those people talking around you whenever you’re in public. How could you honestly NOT go crazy? And of course, he can’t really tell anyone for fear they’ll think he really should be in a mental ward. I have no idea how he made it as long as he did and still stayed reasonably sane. Like I understand his little tricks worked, but how was he ever able to concentrate on school and not hear what was being said? I enjoyed how Alona was able to come in and basically save the day. I figured she would be important, but I never guessed how important she would be. Of course, I don’t think they knew either. After all, Will had spent his whole life avoiding the dead and all Alona wanted was the bright lights. I’m anxious to see how their roles will continue to develop as the series progresses.

Characters: Poor, poor Will. I really did feel sorry for him. Most people thought he was a freak of nature, well, ok maybe he is a little. After all, he can see dead people. However, he isn’t just some goth kid who enjoys wearing black and talking about death. Honestly, he’s just misunderstood. Yes, he’s sarcastic and aloof, but that’s his defense mechanism. As long as people generally leave him alone, he doesn’t care what they think. His main goal is to survive high school and move to where there are less people and less of the dead. It was heartwarming to see how he cared and his few friends and his mom, especially his mom. He would bend over backwards to make his mom happy and on several occasions resisted a fight because he can see how much it wears on his mom. And once you got down to who Will really was, he was a pretty cool guy, one I would easily love to have in my life.

Oh, Alona. Make way for another misunderstood character. Yes, she may be miss popular and look like everything is perfect, but it truly isn’t. Once you learn what her life is really like, you can’t help but have a little sympathy for her. After all, no teen should have to deal with the home life she had. But that’s when she was alive. I’m not sure that death has been all that much kinder to her. I mean, being hit by a bus…ouch! Not to mention, she got to see people’s true colors once they thought she was gone. And the comments she heard and actions she witnessed were probably things that no one would want to hear or see. However, death and Will acted as a small wake-up for her. She was used to being blunt and even mean, but the problem was she didn’t see it that way. When she told someone their sweater was ugly, she was trying to help by getting them to care more. Good intentions, but totally wrong way to do it. In death, she has to learn to say nicer things. (There is a reason but I won’t say why.) She learns how to be honest in more gentle fashion. I also enjoyed that she wasn’t just some dumb blonde. Alona proved time and time again how strong and intelligent she was. It was fun to see Alona grow into someone with much more character and I am excited to see how she continues to transform as their story continues.

Romance: This one is a little…odd. I don’t know how else to describe it. After all, Alona is dead. And while the dead do have a solid substance when they’re near Will so that they can touch and what not, but um still dead. Yet, despite all that I still kind of rooted for something to develop between them. After all, Will has been crushing on her since they were in the sixth grade and, well, being the only living being to see her kind of gives him the advantage. In all seriousness, while there are some sparks flying, at this point it was more about a friendship and getting beyond their old stereotypes to the point of actually caring about each other.

Writing: Another alternating view point book. I’ve read TONS of these lately and I’m discovering that I really like them. I enjoy being able to step into both main characters’ points of view. Adds a whole new depth to what is happening, especially when they’re not together. And the alternating chapters keeps the story from jumping all over the place. Of course, it does annoy me a little. There were times I had wanted to stay with Alona or Will a bit longer and was instead thrown into the other POV.

On the story telling front, Kade does an excellent job. I had this book for months before reading it because initially hadn’t caught my attention. And, honestly, I may have passed it up all together had it not been for some of the buzz going around. I was pulled into the story within the first few chapters and had a hard time putting it down on occasion. In fact, I had a temptation to skip an author event to finish up the book…or at the very least read the whole way there and ignore the person driving. (I promise I did neither!) All in all, this one ended up a very pleasant surprise indeed.

Librarian-Mode: Hmmm, I think one is going to go well with the paranormal readers. Yes, it’s not your typical werewolves or vampires, but ghosts are just as much fun! I would say that those who liked Once Dead, Twice Shy or Shiver would enjoy this one as well. There are still romantic undertones in this one (as with any good paranormal read), but it isn’t your straight out romance. I think the romance-crazed readers will like it as well, but it may be a harder sell for them.

So, now it’s your turn…have you read The Ghost and the Goth? If so, be sure to let me know what you thought.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars The Rise of Renegade X by Chelsea Campbell Publisher: EgmontUSA Release Date: May 2010 Pages: 346 pgs. Source: ALA Buy from (affil. links): Amazon, Powell’s, Indie Bound

Damien’s 16th birthday was supposed to be a happy occasion. It should have been the day that he finally got [...]]]>

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
The Rise of Renegade X by Chelsea Campbell
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Release Date: May 2010
Pages: 346 pgs.
Source: ALA
Buy from (affil. links): Amazon, Powell’s, Indie Bound

Damien’s 16th birthday was supposed to be a happy occasion. It should have been the day that he finally got his V and head onto Vilmore to become the supervillain. But imagine his surprise when instead of the V an X appears on his thumb, an undeniable sign that his villain mother had hooked up with a superhero. And if that weren’t bad enough, when he learns which superhero is his father, Damien is forced to go live with him and his superhero family. Given six weeks to prove to his father that there’s not an ounce of superhero in him, Damien will do anything to get back to the life he knew. But along the way he may just find that each decision leads him down a road he could have never expected.  Will Damien find himself slipping into the superhero lifestyle? Or will he be able to prove once and for all that he is all villain and turn that X into a V?

The Short of It: Adored it. I’ve been wanting to read this book since I first saw the cover/heard the description last year and I’m kicking myself for waiting so long to do so. I can’t say enough good things about this one. And can I mention that Campbell throws in some of the best lines ever? I’ve been going around quoting my favorite one-liners since finishing (and probably will be for some time!)

Plot: I don’t think I’ve read anything quite like The Rise of Renegade X. I mean, sure, we’ve all sort of grown up on superhero comics/cartoons/movies, but this one is a little different. I felt like Campbell managed to pull a true sense to humanity to these larger than life characters, especially the supervillains. I enjoyed Damien’s struggle between becoming the villain he feels he was meant to be and doing what he believed was right. Of course, doing what he believed was right was not always about doing good or being a hero. It was about what his convictions led him to and proved how many shades of gray there really is in this world. But I also liked the message that one incident doesn’t define who you are. Just because you save the world doesn’t mean you’ll be a hero. Yes, it may put you one step (ok LEAP) closer, but there will be many more forks in the road and choices down the line that can change or redeem you.

Okay, I just realized I made this plot sound a lot more serious than it truly is. Yes, all this issue is touched upon a lot as Damien is struggling with his future, but there is TONS of fun and laughter mixed in. In fact, I’m betting you’ll notice the quirky girl, the dancing flower, and funny quips more than you will the other stuff. Okay, that may be a slight overstatement, but Campbell really does do an excellent job with mixing it all together.

Characters: Ah, Damien. There are moments where I wanted to shake the boy senseless, but most of the time I just wanted to give him a hug. I mean, one very small letter on his thumb literally changed his life upside down. Had it only gone the way it was supposed to and he would be on his way to becoming a supervillain at Vilmore. Instead, he got ripped from everything he knew and thrown into a new goody-good family. Yet, perhaps that was the best thing that happened to him, especially when you see how his home life really was. His mom wouldn’t exactly be winning any mother-of-the-year awards. Every time he went home I just wanted to give him cookies with milk and tell him it’d be ok.

On the other hand, Damien proves often enough that he doesn’t need that. He may be feeling lonely and unwanted, but he still knows who he is. He’s not afraid to risk his life for those he loves…and sometimes those he may not even know. Sure, maybe he won’t be the big, awful supervillain but I’m not sure he was ever meant to be. He always had this line that he couldn’t cross and no amount of training would have changed that. I was glad to see that sense of his right and wrong didn’t change through all he had to go through. He may have learned it wasn’t his mother’s or father’s right or wrongs, but they were his and that was enough.

Romance: Honestly, this is the hardest part for me to write about. There was romance, but there wasn’t. Does that make sense? What he has with Sarah isn’t really a relationship, even if they do produce some of the best lines. I think they both felt something for each other, but it never would have truly made it. She saw him as something he wasn’t. However, when it comes to Kat, well, that is where Damien’s heart belonged. And oddly enough, though she wasn’t in the a lot of the book, I found myself routing for a hot make-out session leading to undying love between them. Do I know why? No clue, but there’s was something about them that I loved almost instantaneously, even if she did kind of screw things up before. Maybe it was just how well she truly seemed to know him and was willing to admit the horrible mistake she made. Or maybe I’m just a sap for second chances. Either way kudos to Campbell for making me love unsafe, kind of in the background romance.

Writing: I really enjoyed Campbell’s style. I know I’ve mentioned the quotable one-liners, but it deserves yet another mention. Of course, I’m an odd girl and some of the ones I found funny others may not. As a D&D girl, there was a tabletop game reference that had me rolling. Beyond that, Campbell knows how to spin a good story. There were a couple of spots that the pacing felt a tad bit off, but it’s hardly worth mentioning. I can’t wait to see Campbell’s future work. I have a feeling she’ll just get better and better.

Librarian-Mode: So, this is definitely one I’ll be recommending to my teens this summer. In fact, it’s already on my recommended book list for High Schoolers that will be viewed by all my summer reading participants. However, I’m kind of stumped on what to pair it with. I’ve been pondering a couple different pairings like John Green or the Looking Glass Wars but I’m not quite sure they’re quite right. I can’t even think of any other superhero books beyond Hero by Perry Moore. And while they have some similar themes, I’m really don’t think they would work together. If you all have any good read-a-like suggestions I would love to hear them.

So, now it’s your turn…have you read The Rise of Renegade X? If so, be sure to let me know what you thought.