Clubbing, By Andi Watson & Josh Howard

By: Andi Watson & Josh Howard

Publisher: Minx Books

Publish Date: July 11, 2007

ISBN: 1401203701

Page #: 176

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Graphic Novels

Age Level: Older Teens

Series Titles: n/a

Subjects: Nightlife, Friendship, Mystery

Reader's Annotation: After getting caught with a fake I.D., Lottie is sent to her grandparents for a summer as punishment.

Synopsis: Lottie is spoiled and wild and lives for the London nightlife. But when she gets caught with a fake ID, her parents send her (as punishment) to her grandparents high-end resort club. Golf, ladies with tea, and the boring elite consume her rebellious spirit. But as a twist, a modern Nancy-Drew murder mystery change Lottie's summer experience into something more wild then her wild nights in London. Perhaps her boring summer punishment may turn out to be one very adventuresome summer! And, as much as she tries to avoid it, she may fall in love in the process.

One of the best parts of Clubbing is the never-ending British slang Lottie uses throughout the book. The back of the book provides a "Lottie's Lexicon" to help the reader decipher her tongue. But beware, you my start saying speaking in "Lottie."

Notes: CLUBBING is written by the Eisner- and Harvey-nominated indie sensation Andi Watson (Geisha, Paris, Skeleton Key) and illustrated by Josh Howard (Dead @ 17), Wizard magazine's pick as the #1 independent book to watch in 2005. 

Stars: 5

Extras: Free Preview Online http://www.dccomics.com/media/excerpts/7503_x.pdf

Author Website: http://www.andiwatson.biz/

Illustrator Website (Warning: Adult/Graphic Images): http://joshhoward.typepad.com/

Marked (House of Night, Book 1) Vol. 1., By: P.C. Cast & Kirsten Cast

By: P.C. Cast & Kirsten Cast
Publisher: New York, New York:
St. Martin's Griffin, A Division of Macmillan.
Publish Date: 2007
ISBN: 0312360266
Page #: 320
Classification: Fiction
Genre: Fantasy
Age Level: Older Teen
Series Title: House of Night Series
Four more books follow
Marked: Chosen, Betrayed, Untamed, and Hunted.
Subjects: Fantasy, Vampire

Reader's Annotation: Zoey is marked. In her world vampyres are not fiction AND they are permitted by society. vampyres have a "mark" that identifies them at which point they go to the House of Night school where they become vampyres themselves or they fail to make the change, they cease to exist.

Synopsis: In P.C. Casts new Vampire series, she pens it along with her teenage daughter Kirsten. Marked is marked by the fact that it has actual input from a teen. As a result the series sets itself in a league of its own. Vampires in this narrative are normal until puberty at which point they become selected, by chance, as a candidate for the change. If a teen is selected a group is set out to find them and mark them. The mark is a crescent moon on the forehead (which seasoned fantasy readers will recognize from The Mists of Avalon, and therefore connect the goddess references). Upon receiving their mark, soon to be, but not fully changed vampires get sent to a special school for the training of the undead. The scary part is, if you body doesn’t accept the change you die. And, a special sign has marked Zoey. One that is rare for a vampire so young.

Notes: Speckled with less then clean language and some sexual encounters, the book should be for the older teen. Four more books follow it: Chosen, Betrayed, Untamed, and Hunted.
Stars: 4
Extras: http://www.houseofnightseries.com/
You simply must visit the House of Night's Website.
It's Beautiful and a fan of the series will be in interweb heaven. You can create your own "mark" on this website an explore a "yearbook"  for the House of Night vampyre school!

Uglies, By Scott Westerfeld

By: Scott Westerfeld

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Publish Date: February 8, 2005

ISBN: 0689865384

Page #: 448

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Science-Fiction

Age Level: Older Teen

Subjects:

Plastic Surgery, Fitting In, Beauty, Adventure, Dystopia

Series Title: The Uglies Series: Uglies, Pretties, Specials, Extras

Reader's Annotation: Tally Youngblood is 15 and can't wait to be pretty like her best friend Peris. While waiting to become "Pretty," she meets and befriends another another "Ugly" named Shay and together they wait to become 16 when everything we become perfect, or will it?

Synopsis: In all the books I read over the past year, this series sticks out the most. Why? Although it's simply written, the ideas are penetrating. The notion that most of us feel on display, varying degrees of ugly, and/or constantly striving to be like someone else, can not possibly be new to any of you. Today's society is obsessive with beauty and face forward. Meet Tally Youngblood, a teenage girl in a not so distant, dystopian future where everyone gets a "pretty" operation when they turn 16. They grind, shave, replace, and manipulate your body until you wake up a new, beautiful, perfect you. In the Uglies, after you complete the change, you are officially a "Pretty." You then get to move into a new world where being pretty is your new and only job. Partying, having everything you need, being popular is the perfect existence right? But, what if comes with a price? Does anyone ever NOT want to become a pretty?

Notes: Books Two and Three follow Tally and the Crims through their twisted fates against the powers that be. All three a mindful feast, but a simple, zippy read. You just can't not read these books. Cut out a day or two. It might make you re-think that rhinoplasty.

Stars: 5

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Extras: Westerfeld Heaven (Are you a bubble head?)

• The Extras, an unexpected fourth book in the series. Meet Aya and find out what her world is like post-Tally. In her world it's all about fame and nobody wants to be the "extra!"

• There is currently a guidebook called From Bogus to Bubbly available. This companion is a spoiler if you have yet to finish the series.

• Mind-Rain:Your Favorite Authors on Scott Westerfeld's Uglies Series (Paperback) DUE JUNE 1st!

• Westerblog: http://scottwesterfeld.com/blog

• Uglies discussion questions for your book group: http://scottwesterfeld.com/blog/?page_id=172

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Below are some Fan Made Youtubes that caught my attention as being rather well done! Enjoy!

Eclipse (The Twilight Saga, Book 3), By Stephenie Meyer

By: Stephenie Meyer

Publisher: Little, Brown
Publish Date: 2007
ISBN: 0316160202
Page #: 640
Classification: Fiction
Genre: Fantasy
Age Level: Older Teen
Series Title: 

The Twilight Saga: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn

Subjects: Love, Fantasy, Friendship, Vampires, Shapeshifters, Temptation

Reader's Annotation: The saga continues between Bella Swan, Edward Cullen and the newly monstrous Jacob Black. In love with Bella, Jacob tapes into his beastly nature to fight for his beliefs while a vampire war is broiling their backyard.

Synopsis: Book three in the Twilight Saga, Meyers continues the story of the star-crossed love of Edward and Bella, and the triangle that was formed with Jacob, Bella’s best friend. Faced with impending attacks by outside non-vegetarian vampires, Jacob & Edward clash for Bella’s affection, but join forces to protect her. The ongoing fate of Bella choice to become part of the Cullen family of undead creates further tension in the love triangle. Meyer doesn’t fail to deliver buddy icon worthy love lives, and the dilemma of where Jacob fits in created a teen craze of Team Jacob & Team Edward, Not to mention extended itself to the rest of the community. (Can anybody say Team anything without thinking of Meyer these days?) Fans of Meyer’s first two books will no doubt adore the third installment. Those who despise it should probably not start here.

Notes: BBYA

Twilight (The highest grossing film on opening weekend for a female director: Catherine Hardwicke) was made into a film and released in 2008, New Moon (Director: Chris Weitz) the second film is due for release in November 2009. Eclipse (Director: David Slade) is in Pre-production, and Breaking Dawn is optioned but unannounced.

Stars: 5

Extras: Author Webpage http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/

Pretties (Uglies Trilogy, Book 2), By Scott Westerfeld

By: Scott Westerfeld

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Simon Pulse
• Publishing Date: November 1, 2005
• ISBN-10: 0439891612

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Science-Fiction
Series Title: Uglies Trilogy

Series Title: The Uglies Series: Uglies, Pretties, Specials, Extras
Subjects: beauty, dystopian society, fitting in, science-fiction, love, friendship

Reader's Annotation: Tally Youngblood is finally Pretty but nothing is what she thought it would be. Now she has a new adventure ahead of her.

Synopsis: In the sequel to Uglies, Tally Youngblood is finally a "Pretty" although she can't fully remember how it all happened. New Pretty Town is her new home and she is raging and popular. Accepted into her new clique The Crims (short for criminal), she meets Zane and her world is exploded once again! As memories of the events in the first book, Uglies start to come back to her she begins to realize what being a Pretty really means. Now its up to her to figure out how to deal with her new world and everything that happened in the past.

Notes: By far my favorite of the series, Pretties explores many of the same themes that began in the Uglies but never fully came to light. As an outsider in Uglies, now Tally is on the inside. Dealing with issues of love, betrayal, beauty, and authority, Pretties is the finest example of what great Young Adult Literature is all about.

Stars: 5

Extras:

Dead Is The New Black, By Marlene Perez

By:  Marlene Perez

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Paperbacks; 1 edition 
• Publishing Date: September 1, 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152064087
• Classification: Fiction
  

Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal/Mystery 

Age Level: Young Adult

Series Title:

Dead Is The New Black

Dead Is So Last Year

Dead Is a State of Mind

Subjects: Popularity, Death, Mystery, Psychic Abilities, Sisters

Reader's Annotation: The cheerleader in Daisy’s high school (not to mention her ex-best friend) is setting a trend, but instead of her usual sun tanned glow, she is sporting a pale-skinned, kiss of death look, cleavage, and stiletto heals!

Synopsis: In city of Nightshade, the novel’s main characters are the two Giordano sisters who hold a psychic power that tunes them into the other side of things. And when bodies start turning up the sisters start tuning into what could be causing it. Is it a vampire? Is it the cheerleader? With her mother a psychic  (working for the police station), the sisters find themselves trying to figure out what has their mom stumped. Humor abounds in this modern commentary of all things trendy. From cheerleading squads to zombified-trend setting, readers will be confused (in all the right ways) by the plot until the very last page.

Stars: 4

Extras: Marlene Perez is the author of Unexpected Development, which was named the ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. 

Author Website: http://www.marleneperez.com/

New Moon, By Stephenie Meyer

By: Stephenie Meyer
Publisher: Little, Brown 
Publish Date: 2006
ISBN: 0316160199
Page #: 608
Classification: Fiction
Genre: Fantasy, Horror
Age Level: Older Teen
Series Title: The Twilight Saga

Twilight

New Moon

Eclipse

Breaking Dawn
Subjects: Romance, Heartbreak, Vampires, Shapeshifters, Native Americans

Reader's Annotation: The saga continues in the second installment of  Twilight but the romantic idealism of Twilight is gone. Bella Swan finds herself severely depressed after Edward dumps her, but her best friend Jacob, gives her hope until he has to face his own porblems (leaving Bella more broken then ever).

Synopsis: Meyer’s saga continues in the second installment of the Twilight series. After Edward leaves Bella, she is faced with an overcoming zombie-like depression. In a desperate attempt to challenge her mortality and in the hopes of provoking the lost, protective voice of Edwards, Bella reconnects with her childhood pal Jacob. Jacob, more reckless then Edward, falls hard for Bella while Bella still mourns the loss of Edward. With Jacob as her new best friend, Bella begins to feel happy again. Jacob wants more and he has some secrets of his own. Unfortunately for Jacob, Edward may not be gone forever unless he has anything to do with it.
The most depressing of the four novels, New Moon is a stunning break from the first book. However, Jacob is enduring in a monstrous way, and Edward retains your affections. While Bella just keeps falling down.

Notes: As the sequel to Twilight, the film currently in production to be released November 2009. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1259571/

Stars: 5

Yalsa's BBYA

Extras: Author's web page for New Moon: http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/newmoon.html

The immensely popular fan site for film & book: http://www.newmoonmovie.org/

Posted by Coco at 11:31 PM 0 comments
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The Angel Experiment (Maximum Ride, Book 1), By James Patterson

By: James Patterson

Publisher: Little, Brown

Publish Date: April 11, 2005

ISBN: 031615556X

Page #: 432

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Science-Fiction, Fantasy

Age Level: Teen

Series Titles: Maximum Ride

• The Angel Experiment
• School's Out - Forever
• Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports
• The Final Warning
• MAX: A Maximum Ride Novel

Subjects: Thriller, Adventure, Mutants

Reader's Annotation: A group of kids who are the product of genetic mutation have to rescue one of their winged "family" memebers from another group of mutants called erasers.

Synopsis: Maximum Ride (or Max as her mutant family calls her) is one of a small group of kids that survived and escaped an ongoing lab experiment that leaves them into 98% human and 2% bird. They range from child to teen, and though not actually related, live as a family of mutants. Along with wings they have other special gifts that come with the 2% avian DNA that was forced upon them. The thriller starts of fast and thrilling as the youngest of the flock is stolen back to the lab by another cross-mutated group called the erasers. The erasers are designed to hunt and kill with wolf and human DNA. After the youngest is taken Max and her family set out to confront their makers, their prison, and the dreaded erasers. The Angel Experiment is the beginning of the popular series which kids, teens, and adults alike rave about. Patterson creates a world in the tradition of the X-Men that is sure to hook you in from beginning to end. This is a series that gives the imagination "wings."

Notes:  The audio book of The Angel Experiment is read by Evan Rachel Wood. Having read the book and heard the audio which is exceptionally performed, I can say that either is recommended. Great to listen to as a family since its benign nature is ok for the younger kids as well. However, the audio book is abridged.

Manga: The series has been adapted into Manga (official website link): http://www.max-dan-wiz.com/page/excerpts-maximum-ride-manga

Stars: 5

Extras: Series Website: http://www.maximum-x.com/page/max-a-maximum-ride-novel

This just in! http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0825283/ 

'Twilight' director Catherine Hardwicke may direct 'Maximum Ride'

Categories: Books, Film, Twilight Three months after Summit Entertainment announced that Catherine Hardwicke will not be filming the Twilight sequel, the director is in talks to helm an adaptation of another young-adult fantasy series, Maximum Ride. Ride is a five-volume series by perennial best-seller list chart-topper James Patterson that follows six genetically altered teenagers known as "the Flock." (The teens are half human, half bird). According to The Hollywood Reporter, Patterson will executive produce the film while screenwriter Don Payne is signed on to pen the script.

Original Unlibrarian Fan Trailer, Little Brother

Little Brother, By Cory Doctorow

The Unlibrarian has created a Book Trailer for Little Brother just for YOU! We hope it inspires you to read the book. Hands down the best read you'll have all year! Check your libraries for available copies, or visit this link:





For a direct link to Little Brother on Indie Bound Cut and Paste the link below:

http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780765319852

Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy, Book 1), By Richelle Mead

By: Richelle Mead

Publisher: Razorbill

Publish Date: 2007

ISBN: 159514174X

Page #: 336

Classification: Fiction

Genre: Fantasy

Age Level: Older Teen

Series Titles: Vampire Academy, Frostbite, Shadow's Kiss, Blood Promise

Subjects: Vampire, Romance, Friendship

Reader's Annotation: Rose and Lissa share an fantastic friendship, even by vampire standards. Now, after two years on the run, they have been returned to Saint Vladimir's Academy, the learning facility from which they ran away only to face judgement, teasing, testing, lessons, and danger. 

Synopsis: School has never been this much fun! In Vampire Academy, Mead create new world of vampirism. Rose is the half-vampire, half-mortal best friend and protector to the Orphaned Lissa, a Vampire Princess. Hoping to leave their Vampire Academy and live out on their own, the book begins as the two try to escape an ambush. But the ambush isn’t the immortal vampire enemies the Academy trains it’s student to defend them selves from. It’s the Academy and they have come to take them back. Mead writes to a teen audience that can handle the intricacies of teenage life. Sex and Cursing abound but don’t overshadow the deeper issues that many teenagers feel: abandonment, insecurity, forbidden romance, & social ranking. Only, in the Vampire Academy, we get the added sense of royalty & reverie. Mead’s Vampire Academy is the first in a series. The following tales are titled, Frostbite and Shadow’s Kiss. The Vampire Academy is published in New York, by Razorbill Publishing.

Stars: 4

Notes: Swearing and a harsh nature appear in this thriller that is frankly a lot darker then most YA. But by the same token it is easily digestible. Parental discretion is advised.

Extras:http://www.richellemead.com/vampireacademy.htm