The Eye of Minds by James Dashner

A book review by Madeline Soucie

          

If you read and liked the Maze Runner or are reading it then I recommend you either put this book on your list or start reading it. By the same author, The Eye of Minds takes place in the future and the virtual gaming world -- the VirtNet -- is a huge part of human life.

   

Like everyone else, Michael is an avid gamer and spends most of his time on the VirtNet paying virtual games that feel real thanks to the stimulations and technology that it uses. He can do just about anything -- hang with friends, play fantasy worlds -- the possibilities are endless, especially if you're a hacker and can get around the rules like Michael and his friends.

   

Rules that are there for a reason, as Michael soon finds out when he is recruited by VirtNet Security. They want him on their side to catch a hacker who has figured out how to blur the line between reality and games and is using it to his advantage. 

Book 1 of the Mortality Doctrine series.

Find it in APL TEEN Fiction YA FIC Dashner, J.

Hungry by H.A. Swain

A book review by Madeline Soucie

In the future, there is no food. Only special medication that hides the feeling of hunger. Thalia's parents helped developed the system that ended hunger and fighting, so as a result they are living pretty well off. Until one day Thalia starts feeling these pangs in her stomach that no one else feels.  Then she meets a poor boy working with an underground resistance who opens her eyes to the world.

   

Together the two work to discover real food -- the only thing that will quell their hunger -- and embark on a journey that will reveal new worlds to them.

Find it in APL TEEN New Books YA FIC Swain, H.

Death Sworn by Leah Cypess

A book review by Madeline Soucie


Ileni used to be one of the most powerful sorceresses of her age. Now she is
slowly losing her magic, her status, her life, and her home.  Ileni is forced into exile and must teach magic to assassins hidden in the mountains.

She is sent, and expected never to return, to follow the fate of her successors, both of whom were killed within weeks of each other. Ileni is determined to find the truth behind their deaths before she follows their fate. This may not be easy if the mystery doesn't want to be uncovered and her only friend and ally can only protect her so much.

Read more about how Ileni will risk everything in Death Sworn.


Find it in APL TEEN New Books YA FIC Cypess, L.

A Creature of Moonlight by Rebecca Hahn

A book review by Madeline Soucie


Marni is the heir to the throne of the kingdom, but lives in exile with her grandfather on the edge of the woods as the flower girl -- the girl with the green thumb who everyone visits. She lives at the edge of the woods so she hears its calls often.  You see, the woods are alive with creatures and critters that whisper and beckon to young girls wishing for freedom. Just as they called out to her mother, they call out to Marni, but she ignores them until they become too loud to be ignored.

Now Marni must choose between her birth rite to live at the castle with her uncle, the king, or choose the woods and the father she never knew.



Find it in APL TEEN New Books YA FIC Hahn, R.

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

A book review by Madeline Soucie



Amy Gump is a normal girl living in Kansas. She goes to school where she tries to stay out of trouble and then goes home to take care of her mother and dreams of getting out of this town. Little does she know how soon her dream will come true...

Just like Dorothy, Amy is swept away in her house by a tornado and left in Oz, only it's not the Oz she heard about in the story. Oz is dead, the magic sucked out of most parts, and there are no happy munchkins. What happened you ask? Dorothy happened.

Yes, Dorothy. After she left Oz, Dorothy came back and took over. She became power hungry and wanted more. Now Amy must train with the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked to kill Dorothy.

This is not your average story; this is not the Wizard of Oz you grew up with. This is war.


Find it in APL TEEN New Books YA FIC Paige, D.

This Wicked Game by Michelle Zink

A book review by Madeline Soucie


Claire Kincaid's family lives in New Orleans and is part of a secret society of
voodoo practitioners. Her family is one part of the International Guild of High Priests and Priestesses and runs one of the underground voodoo supply stores. 

Though Claire doesn't believe in any of this, she goes along with it for her parents' sake until she can escape to college and put this all behind her.  
That is, until a mysterious order is put in at Claire's parents' store for a black market item that raises everyone's alarms. Claire soon finds out that she doesn't know everything that's going on in the voodoo world, and if she wants to know, she'll have to find out for herself. So Claire teams up with her boyfriend Xander and the other firstborns and discover an enemy that just might kill them all.



Find it in APL TEEN New Books YA FIC Zink, M.

New Books!

Stop by today to take a peek at some of our newest arrivals ...

If you are a teen, like to read and are interested in writing book reviews for this blog, contact Donna at dwallace@auburnpubliclibrary.org or by calling 333-6640, ext. 2009.

Glass Houses by Rachel Caine

A book review by Madeline Soucie

Claire is super smart. As in the girl who graduated high school and is starting college at sixteen. She could have gone to schools like MIT or Caltech, that type of thing. Instead she is attending Texas Prairie University, a small school in a small town that everyone either transfers out of or disappears from. She didn't want to go here, but her parents were against her going far away at such a young age. 

From the beginning Claire had it rough, but it only got worse when she accidentally got on the wrong side of the mean queen bee of school.  Now Claire is looking for a place to live off campus and finds the Glass House and its tenants Shane, Eve, and Michael. Though they are hesitant to take her in, after seeing how she is attacked at school, they let her in and her world soon turns upsidedown.

To start, the town is run by vampires. Secondly, there is more to her new

roommates than meets the eye. Lastly, Claire just signed on to a ride with no end without even realizing it.

Glass Houses is the first book in the Morganville Vampire series. The books are

short and quick, but really good, especially if you like vampire/supernatural stories. This series takes a new turn on the vampire legend.

Find it in APL TEEN Fiction YA FIC Caine, R.

Proxy by Alex London

A book review by Madeline Soucie


Knox is a wealthy boy in one of the wealthiest families of the Upper City. He has everything he could ever want or need. If he gets into trouble, well, he has a proxy who can take the blame -- that's what they're there for.

Syd is a proxy -- Knox's proxy to be exact. His whole life has been about taking punishments for his patron's crimes. He lives in the Lower City, just barely scraping by.  When Knox crashes into a car, killing one of his friends, Syd is sentenced to death.  When the boys meet and realize the consequences, they make a run for it hoping to make it to a secret society across the country. If they succeed, it could reset society and make everyone equal. But as the boys later find out, not all debts can be repaid.

This book is set in the future and is a really good sci fi for anyone who likes this genre. This book was interesting in how it took on servitude and a futuristic society gone wrong. 

For those who read and like Proxy try it's sequel Guardian.


Find it in APL TEEN New Books YA FIC London, A.

The Night She Disappeared by April Henry

A book review by Madeline Soucie


Gabie and Kayla work together at Pete's Pizza. Gabie drives a Mini Cooper. One night when Kayla and Gabie switch shifts, Kayla borrows Gabie's car, goes out on a delivery, and never comes back.  Now Gabie is convinced that she was the one who was supposed to be kidnapped. She would have been if she hadn't agreed to switch shifts.

Gabie teams up with her fellow worker, Drew, to do some investigating of their own -- before it's too late.

This is a quick read and a good mystery for anyone who likes mysteries which involve kidnapping. And if you like The Night She Disappeared, try some of April Henry's other books! 


Find it in APL TEEN Fiction YA FIC Henry, A.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

A book review by Madeline Soucie


The Book Thief is told by Death about a girl living in Nazi Germany during World War 2. 

Having Death as a narrator gave this book an interesting point of view. Though his view makes everything confusing at first, Death turned out to be a good narrator.


Liesel Meminger moved to Germany to live with her foster parents during the reign of Hitler, not the easiest time to live in. To make matters worse, Liesel soon learns she loves to read and has a knack for stealing books.  While her father teaches her to read and her parents struggle through hard times, Max -- the wild card -- comes into the picture. Now the family must hide a Jew in their basement and hope to make it through the war alive.



Find it in APL TEEN Fiction YA FIC Zusak, M.

Otherbound by Corinne Duyvis

A book review by Madeline Soucie


Amara is a servant forced to protect a princess while on the run to save their lives. Her purpose is simple -- do whatever it takes to keep the princess safe, even at the cost of her own life. To add to her stress, Amara is always being watched by a boy from another world. 

In comes Nolan. As long as he can remember, Nolan has been getting flashes of a girl from another world. "Hallucinations" or "seizures" everyone says -- if only they knew. Nolan tries hard to cover up his flashes and makes it seem like he's okay, but he hasn't had much luck.

That is, until one day when he learns to control them.  Then Amara is alerted to her mental visitor, and the two of them have to figure out their connection -- and fast. Their lives depend on it.

Corrine Duyvis takes a new spin on dystopian fiction, combining two unlikely worlds.


Find it in APL TEEN New Books YA FIC Duyvis, C.

Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon

 A book review by Madeline Soucie

Nick Gautier is a street smart and tough kid trying to survive high school at the private school his mom insisted he attend. Then Nick is almost killed by his friends and saved by a mysterious warrior who brings Nick into a world he never knew existed. One where many of his fellow students aren't who they seem to be and others are being turned into zombies. Now Nick must stop whoever is behind the zombies while trying not to get grounded by his mother.

Series: Chronicles of Nick, book 1

Find it in APL TEEN Fiction YA FIC Kenyon, S.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

A book review by Madeline Soucie

Love is a disease. It kills and drives people crazy. In order to prevent this, all citizens -- at the age of eighteen -- must undergo the cure, a process that prevents this disease.

This is the society that seventeen-year-old Lena is growing up in and used to believe in until recently. Now, everything has changed -- that's what love does to a person. Love changes people, only it's amazing, not bad like society says it is.

Find it in APL TEEN Fiction YA FIC Oliver, L.

The Christopher Killer by Alane Ferguson

A book review by Madeline Soucie

       

A forensic mystery for anyone who likes forensic or murder mysteries.

   

Cameryn Mahoney is finally going to work with her dad, the town's only coroner, as his assistant to get some hands on experience. This way she'll be ready when she goes into the field as a professional.  But this isn't what she expected. Cameryn's second case with her father is a victim of a serial killer- a friend of hers. 

Cameryn has to watch her back before she becomes the next victim of The Christopher Killer.

Find it in APL TEEN Fiction YA FIC Ferguson, A.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

A book review by Madeline Soucie

We Were Liars is a mystery in its own way, unwound by a girl as she regains her memories after a traumatic event from two years ago. And, of course, everyone is not as they seem.

I cannot tell you anymore, least I ruin the story for you. But I will say this; The Sinclairs are a rich family who spends their summers on a private island off the coast of Massachusetts, and they are liars.

Find it in APL TEEN New Books YA FIC Lockhart, E.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

A book review by Madeline Soucie               

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is told in both words and pictures, making the story more realistic.

After his grandfather dies, Jacob is left wondering about his grandfather's last words and starts looking into his old stories. What Jacob finds leads him to an island -- more specifically an old abandoned orphanage hoping to find answers.

As Jacob explores Miss Peregrine's abandoned home it becomes clear that not only were his grandfather's stories true, but so were the children in them. He also learns that the children were all kept there for a reason. They might have been more than just peculiar -- they might have been dangerous -- and still alive.

   

Read this interesting book to learn more about Miss Peregrine and her peculiar children.

Find it in APL TEEN Fiction YA FIC Riggs, R.

The Eternity Cure by Julia Kagawa

A book review by Madeline Soucie

This is the second book in the Blood of Eden series, the first being The Immortal Rules.

Allison Sekemoto was turned into a vampire as a last resort to dying. Now her life is threatened again as a new strain of the Red Lung -- a disease that almost wiped out the human race once before -- has been released.

    

Allison must also hunt down the psychotic vampire Sarren who is torturing her sire in hopes of finding a cure for the virus before time runs out. But while looking for Kanin, Allie runs into some trouble and people she didn't expect to see.

    

In the Eternity Cure all the rules Allison learned in the first book are enforced like she never knew they could be and she learns just how blood calls to blood.

Find it in APL TEEN New Books YA FIC Kagawa, J.

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

A book review by Madeline Soucie

               

   

A good summer book for summer.

    

Taylor Edwards used to spend her summers with her family at their old lake house until five years ago when their lives became too busy. Taylor never thought they'd be back until her father received some bad news and the family goes up to spend one last summer together on the lake.

    

Up at the lake, Taylor is confronted by memories and people from her past like her former best friend and first crush, who she ran away from before leaving for five years.

    

Taylor soon finds that this summer is all about second chances to fix mistakes and make things right with her old friends and family before its too late.

Find it in APL TEEN Fiction YA FIC Matson, M.

The Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey

A book review by Madeline Soucie

                 

The first wave knocked out all the lights and electronics. The second wave brought in tsunamis that wiped out the coasts. The third wave brought in disease. In the fourth wave they killed. Now the fifth wave is coming and very few are left.

    

Trust no one. That's what the alien invasion has taught sixteen year old Cassie. The aliens look like humans, so one can't be sure who's alien and who's human. What's left of the world is in chaos. Over seven billion are dead and the survivors are struggling. Cassie is one of those on the run from place to place trying to find some temporary place to rest, always looking over her shoulder.

    

Then she meets Evan Walker -- a mysterious boy who she befriends against her better judgment. Evan may just be the key to finding Cassie's brother.

    

This was a really good page-turner about an alien invasion of a different kind and humanity's fight to overcome the intruders.

Find it in APL TEEN Fiction YA FIC Yancey, R.

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

A book review by Madeline Soucie

Samantha Kinston has it all -- she's popular and has great friends, a great boyfriend, and she is at the top of the school social ladder. 

February 12th is just another day to go to school with her friends and enjoy life. Or so Sam thought. Then she dies and wakes up to a second chance at life. Then another and another; seven chances actually. Seven redo days, no one else knows about, to change her life and death and to realize little things she never noticed.

Read this page-turning book to find out how Sam chooses to change her life and, in doing so, realizes how much the little things really mean. 

Find it in APL TEEN Fiction YA FIC Oliver, L.

Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira

A book review by Madeline Soucie

Laurel is just starting high school and her first English assignment is to write a letter to a dead person. She ends up writing to a lot of people- Kurt Cobain, Amy Winehouse, Amelia Earhart, and more. She tells them about high school and her life growing up. How her sister died, and the trouble she has been having with her divorced parents. New friends and crushes and such.

   

As Laurel writes her letters and the year progresses, she slowly starts to come to terms with what happened to her. As she comes to terms, she can finally accept her sister's death. Laurel also accepts that she's not mad at her sister, and can move on and find her own path to discover who she is.

   

In this nice and sweet story the reader is introduced to Laurel through her letters. This is a good book for anyone who liked The Fault in our Stars.

Find it in APL TEEN New Books YA FIC Dellaira, A.

Sleepless by Thomas Fahy

A book review by Madeline Soucie

This is a quick read for anyone who likes horror.

   

Students of Saint Oppurtuna High have been turning up dead lately.  Emma Montgomery has been having nightmares, as has her group of friends. And to make matters worse, no one wakes up where they should be; they've been sleepwalking. On top of that, the bodies only turn up when Emma or her friends were sleepwalking the night before.

   

Emma and her friends must team up to keep each other from sleeping until they can figure out what it is that's making them kill. 

Find it in APL TEEN Fiction YA FIC Fahy, T.

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

A book review by Madeline Soucie                           

Jasper just wants to be normal -- hang out with his girlfriend and survive high school -- but can't because he is held back by his father's past. Jasper's father was one of the world's most notorious serial killers, whose murders numbered in the triple digits. Not to mention he took Jasper along with him sometimes and showed Jasper the ropes.

Now, four years later, Jasper is still looked at as his father's son and feels like the town is waiting for him to turn into his father. Sometimes, Jasper himself feels like he is going to crack. It isn't exactly easy having your serial killer father to raise you to be the next best serial killer.

Recently, bodies have been showing up in Jasper's small town. Jasper believes it could be a serial killer, but the police aren't sure at first. As the bodies pile up, Jasper is determined to find and stop the killer -- whether the police ask for his help or not. It's a test of faith on whether a son can overcome his father's legacy.

This is a good series for anyone who likes horror stories and doesn't mind a bit of blood. Nothing too graphic, though.

Find it in: APL Teen Fiction YA FIC Lyga, B.

The Enchanter Heir by Cinda Williams Chima

A book review by Madeline Soucie                      

The Enchanter Heir is the fourth book in the Heir chronicles series. In this book the reader is introduced to Jonah Kinlock and Emma Greenwood. Both are survivors of the Thorn Hill Massacre -- the brutal killing of a peaceful Weir (magically gifted) community.

Jonah grew up in the magical world and works/lives in a home for survivors of the Thorn Hill Massacre. Like many of the survivors, Jonah wasn't left unscratched -- he was cursed with the ability to kill anyone or anything he touches.

    

Emma grew up in the normal, but musical world of Memphis, Tennessee with her grandfather making guitars for a living. Growing up in Memphis, music is what Emma knows until she finds her grandfather dying, clutching a note telling her to run. Run Emma does -- into Jonah's life. The two meet unexpectedly and under unusual circumstances.

    

As wizards are being killed off, Jonah and Emma must work together to find out the truth about Thorn Hill and who's behind the murders.

    

This is a great new installment in the Heir Chronicles and a great summer read. The first three books are in order: The Warrior Heir, The Wizard Heir, and The Dragon Heir.

Find it in: APL Teen New Books YA FIC Chima, C.

The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

A book review by Kat Seevers

(Book 2 of The Maze Runner series)

Thrown into the action right from page one, The Scorch Trials is far better than The Maze runner. The main character, Thomas, can’t catch a break even when he thinks he’s safe. Although this book reads more like a zombie story with the ‘Flare‘ disease, I enjoyed the action after the slow, easy pace of life in the Maze.  

This book kept me reading with its constant danger and lack of conveniences, which was something that had really annoyed me in the first book.

Find it in APL TEEN Fiction YA FIC Dashner, J.

The Lost Code by Kevin Emerson

A book review by Madeline Soucie

It is years into the future and the ozone layer that protects humans from the sun is slowly breaking down. Domes have been built to help block radiation, though they are few and fewer live in them -- mainly those who are privileged enough. No one can go out without protective lotion to help battle the awful effects of the radiation.

This was all caused by an ancient civilization who used their technology for what they thought was good and nearly destroyed the earth and its human population. They sacrificed three to stop their mistakes and save humanity. Those three left a legacy behind so that if someone ever found the technology to destroy the earth and its population again, three would be chosen to save the world. The time is quickly coming. Owen is one of the three, though he doesn't know it yet. Owen who seems least capable for the job, must unlock the code in his genes to unravel the hidden history.

Kevin Emerson writes a different and new spin on an ancient myth everybody knows and weaves it into a dystopian futuristic society that isn't what it says it is.    

Find it in APL TEEN Fiction YA FIC Emerson, K.

The Knife Of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

A book review by Kat Seevers

Ultimately, this book is like a study of gender through a science fiction point of view. 

Todd's fight with Viola forces him to rethink everything he has learned about women, as well as what it means to be a man. The knife of the title also plays a key role in Todd's journey as he tries to defend Viola from villainous townspeople. His conversations with her about faith, hope, and growing up will surprise anyone expecting a plain, old story of "good vs. evil." 

A great book for expanding horizons.

This is book one of the Chaos Walking series.

Find it in APL TEEN Fiction YA FIC Ness, P.

Ghost Hawk by Susan Cooper

A book review by Madeline Soucie


Little Hawk is a young Native American boy living in his tribe in Massachusetts in the 1600s during the time that the first settlers came over to America. His tribe has not really had any problems with the white colonists nor have they had much interaction with them. Little Hawk hears stories though, and wonders about the white men sometimes. Mostly he focuses on his tribe and the fact that he will soon have to venture on a three month journey into the wild with nothing but his tomahawk and knife in the dead of winter. This journey is something all boys must go on as it is the journey into manhood.
Little Hawk does not realize how big of a deal the white men will be in his life or how it will be changed by them. 

Read Ghost Hawk to find out what happens to Little Hawk on his journey and about the white men encroaching on his land. It is a good historical fiction book about what happened to the Natives when the colonists first came to America.

Find it in APL TEEN New Books YA FIC Cooper, S.

I Am Number Four by Piticus Lore

A book review by Kat Seevers

My favorite thing about this book was John. This novel was particularly good at creating a male that was both authentic and likable. Through his perspective we got to see how earth compared to his home planet. I liked that he didn't back down to bullying but was also sweet and devoted to Sarah. The combination of a sense of responsibility and his willingness to be a kid really made his character pop. 

I Am Number Four is stuffed with originality from the different type of legacies, the way the charms work, how the deaths are burned into their legs to the evil races hunting down the Numbers. This was definitely a page turner for me!

This is the first book in the Lorien Legacies.

Find it in APL Teen Fiction YA FIC Lore, P.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

A book review by Madeline Soucie


Hazel is a sixteen year old girl fighting cancer. She's had cancer for most of her life -- it's what she knows. She doesn't have many friends because when you miss as much school as she does, it's hard to keep up with friends and have a social life. Her main friends are her parents and her favorite book. Her oxygen tank is also something that never changes. She's used to it.

Augustus Waters is a cancer survivor. He used to play basketball before the cancer hit him, now he doesn't. He's a bright star with a big heart. 

One day while going to support group for cancer kids with his friend Isaac, he meets Hazel.  The friendship is almost instant and soon turns into more as the two hang out more and more. The one thing holding Hazel back is that she believes she is a grenade, about to go off at any time and doesn't want to hurt anyone she can avoid hurting. Augustus shows her differently and the pair struggle to overcome the cancer looming around their shoulders and enjoy living now. 

This is an exceptionally good book that will tug at your heart strings, but is a great read nonetheless.


With the movie's release on June 6, the book is currently in high demand.  To place it on hold, click here.

The Giver by Lois Lowry

A book review by Kat Seevers

Not what I expected. Not just for kids and teens, adults could learn a thing or two from this book. Its meaning goes way beyond the surface of a nice, easy-to-read story. 

The people in the community choose one of their own to absorb all their memories and pain. In doing so they create a false utopia for themselves, barren of everything – even color! The one chosen becomes 'The Giver'. The Giver's duty is to provide the people with wisdom. What actually happens is that The Giver takes all the pain and emotion away from society. I see it as ironic that The Giver is actually a 'taker' of sorts. Still, I find this to be a great read.

Find it in APL TEEN Fiction YA FIC Lowry, L.

Poison Princess by Kresley Cole

A book review by Madeline Soucie



Poison Princess is the first book in The Arcana Chronicles. 







Evangeline or "Evie" as her friends call her, is a normal girl living in Louisiana. Her mother owns one of the oldest houses and farms in the state, she has a great boyfriend, is a cheerleader, and one of the most popular girls in school. What is she hiding?

The previous year, Evie starting having nightmares and seeing apocalypse scenes so her mother sent her to a corrective facility over the summer. Only one problem -- getting help didn't help because Evie isn't crazy, she's having visions of the end of the world -- the Flash -- something her grandmother warned her about. Evie's mother put her grandmother away eight years
ago and told Evie her grandmother was crazy. 

The only one that knows her secrets is a Cajun transfer and trouble maker Jackson Daniels.  Evie is part of a group of teenagers who each represent a different card in a tarot deck and are part of an ancient game. Not everyone knows who they are though, something very dangerous.

The Flash kills almost everyone, and those who survive find food and resources extremely scarce and water almost extinct. Evie and Jack find themselves running for their lives for food and from their enemies. While on the run, Evie is trying to find the source of her visions and her grandmother in hopes that either one will explain her powers and why they have them. The only problems -- whether or not Evie will survive and whether or not she'll learn about her powers the hard way, and of course what she'll do with Jack.


Find it in APL TEEN New Books YA FIC Cole, K.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

A book review by Kat Seevers

I absolutely loved The Maze Runner! 

The maturity of the characters despite their age and circumstances is astounding. They were organized and worked together to create a mini society in the middle of the Maze where they're trapped. Complete with a farm, canteen, and designated jobs, they still manage to keep searching for a way out. Why were the boys put in the Maze in the first place? Who created it? Is there an escape? Why just boys? 

The pace of the story is very slow at first but speeds up in some places, giving it a real-time quality. This suited me just fine as I’m not fond of stories with constant action that doesn’t give you time to really become aware of the situation and the setting. The pace gave me the time to ‘get to know’  the main characters and my way around the maze extremely well. There was, of course, added twists, which were generally unpredictable and unexpected. 

Overall, a great book!

Find it in APL Teen Fiction YA FIC Dashner, J.

All the Truth That's In Me by Julie Berry

A book review by Madeline Soucie


Judith lives in Roswell Station as an outcast. Four years ago, she and her friend were taken, days apart. Her friend was killed. Judith was held captive, but released after two years, and returned to her home with her tongue cut out. She could talk, but her words were garbled and near impossible to understand. Because of this, her mother told Judith not to speak, ever. Her mother was too ashamed to want Judith to speak, and so she became the mute outcast of the town; everyone knew she existed, but refused to acknowledge her.

Life went on like this for two years until ships were spotted downstream, coming to invade Roswell Station. Judith is now faced with a choice -- keep silent and let people die and her town be taken over, or speak up and face her old captor, the only person who knows how to save the town and more importantly, Judith's family and the boy she loves.

This book is captivating from page one, and I hated having to put it down. It is unlike the historical fiction I have read before and is such a good read! I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a good book to read.

Find it in APL TEEN New Books YA FIC Berry, J.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

A book review by Kat Seevers

This is one of the most entertaining young adult books I’ve read in awhile. It’s fast paced, funny,  romantic, and there’s a lot happening. Cinder is a fascinating character with enough smarts and spunk to carry the story. The affection between her and Kai is real, even amidst secrets and betrayal. 

(This is book 1 of The Lunar Chronicles trilogy.  Look for book 2 -- Scarlett -- and book 3 -- Cress.)

Find it in APL Teen Fiction YA FIC Meyer, M.

The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin Wasserman

A book review by Kat Seevers

The Book of Blood and Shadow really surprised me in a good way. It’s a little bit murder mystery with some historical fiction. It began slow. We followed Nora as she began going to a new school, met some new people, and became a teacher’s aide. The teacher had an obsession with an ancient manuscript. It was Nora's and her friend’s job to translate and decipher it, only after a while strange things start to happen. The only thing Nora can think is that it all has something to do with what’s in the manuscript, and Nora is determined to figure out the secrets hidden in it. It takes her on a journey deep into Prague where she uncovers secrets that others would prefer to be left undiscovered. Uncovering those secrets

may just get her killed.

Find it in APL Teen New Books YA FIC Wasserman, R.

Frost by Marianna Baer

A book review by Madeline Soucie



Leena Thomas is starting her senior year at her boarding school, and everything should be great. She and her best friends are staying in the very cute Victorian dorm, Frost House. But Leena finds out last minute that she and her friends have an unexpected roommate, Celeste Lazar. Celeste isn't Leena's first choice for a roommate, but it's just one semester right? Besides, Celeste has a brother that's perfect for Leena. 


As her senior year starts, Leena finds out its not all it's cracked up to be. She soon has to play peacemaker between her friends and Celeste, which could cost her. Not to mention the strange happenings in Frost House -- falling pictures, locking doors, and trashed rooms behind locked doors. Leena finds herself struggling to keep the peace with her housemates -- and within her own mind -- as Frost House might become Haunted House.


Find it in APL Teen Fiction YA FIC Baer, M.

The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen

A book review by Kat Seevers

The Moon and More doesn’t contain that much romance. It’s more about change, family relationships, and figuring out who you are in the midst of all of that.  As a general rule, Emaline doesn’t like change, but she’s forced to deal with it over and over again.  I really enjoyed her character because while she’s struggling, she’s still very focused and true to herself.  She’s trying to balance her mom holding on to her -- and not wanting her to make the same mistakes she did -- along with new friendships and her biological father visiting for the summer.  Emaline's character stood out in different ways depending on who she was dealing with.  She’s patient with her mom and sisters, she’s pretty strong with her biological father, she’s tough around Ivy, and she’s trying out a different version of Emaline with Theo.  All of it connects and changes as the story progresses.

Find it in APL Teen New Fiction YA FIC Dessen, S.