VaASL 2012 Conference

I just got home from the VaASL conference in Hampton, VA.  What a great, inspiring conference.  I left convinced that I must make time for professional activities like blogging for my library.  On the ride home I decided to change the focus of this blog.  I am going to borrow Christi the Teen Librarian's idea of super short reviews to post information about books I read and enjoy, and I will also use this forum to post what is happening in the LBHS library.

A few items on my "things to do" list from the conference:

1. Revamp library orientation using QR codes.
2. Check out Edmodo as a possible source for summer reading and/or the book club
3. Spend more time on library advocacy-- create and share a monthly newsletter (through this blog I think) with administration, staff, parents, kids, anyone I can get to look at it!
4. Read up on the Teacher Eval standards-- great suggestions from Audrey Church
5. Learn how to make screen casts and create some
6. Work on my Destiny account-- get the MARC records for all my e content into the catalog for one stop searching for my students.
7. and much more....

This list was from the top of my head-- I really need to look back at all the notes I took at the conference to make sure I don't forget anything.

So, thanks for reading and I will be around more and in a different way.

Currently reading...

Insignia- awesome so far!

Book I am most looking forward to reading next-- Book 4 in the Beautiful Creatures series.  I saw it at Target the other night and can't wait to get my hands on it!!

Author I recently met- Gordon Korman!  While he is not an author with a huge presence in a high school library he has a few great YA books.  (Pop for one)  My own kids really like this author and I am excited to have some signed books to give them.  Gordon Korman gave a great speech at the VaASL Author Banquet- I really enjoyed it

Slide by Jill Hathaway

2012 DAC

ARC courtesy of Net Galley

From Good Reads:


Vee Bell is certain of one irrefutable truth—her sister’s friend Sophie didn’t kill herself. She was murdered. 

Vee knows this because she was there. Everyone believes Vee is narcoleptic, but she doesn’t actually fall asleep during these episodes: When she passes out, she slides into somebody else’s mind and experiences the world through that person’s eyes. She’s slid into her sister as she cheated on a math test, into a teacher sneaking a drink before class. She learned the worst about a supposed “friend” when she slid into her during a school dance. But nothing could have prepared Vee for what happens one October night when she slides into the mind of someone holding a bloody knife, standing over Sophie’s slashed body. 

Vee desperately wishes she could share her secret, but who would believe her? It sounds so crazy that she can’t bring herself to tell her best friend, Rollins, let alone the police. Even if she could confide in Rollins, he has been acting off lately, more distant, especially now that she’s been spending more time with Zane. 

Enmeshed in a terrifying web of secrets, lies, and danger and with no one to turn to, Vee must find a way to unmask the killer before he or she strikes again.


My thoughts:


I really enjoyed this book!  The concept was interesting and the story line was suspenseful and unpredictable.  Vee's ability to slide into other people's minds is both horrifying and fascinating.  


The pacing and plot of the book are well done.  Vee's gift/curse is explained  in the opening chapters of the book and the reader learns important information about Vee's sister and social scene at their high school.  Vee's  relationship with Zane, the new boy, and Rollins, her best friend, is also well developed.  This is not a romance book yet the small amount of relationship angst works well with the plot.  What I liked mostly about the book is trying to figure out who the murderer was, and the killer's true identity and motive is well hidden to the very end of the book.  


Overall, a great debut and one that I will enjoy recommending to my students.  

Pregnant Pause by Han Nolan

From Good Reads:
Nobody gets away with telling Eleanor Crowe what to do. But as a pregnant sixteen-year-old, her options are limited: move to Kenya with her missionary parents or marry the baby’s father and work at his family’s summer camp for overweight kids. 

Despite her initial reluctance to help out, Elly is surprised that she actually enjoys working with the campers. But a tragedy on the very day her baby is born starts a series of events that overwhelms Elly with unexpected emotions and difficult choices. Somehow, she must turn her usual obstinance in a direction that can ensure a future for herself—and for the new life she has created.

My thoughts:
Open this book with the cute name and cute cover and discover a moving story about sixteen year old Eleanor Crowe,who is indeed pregnant.  Unsure about whether the baby with just be a pause in her life or if the baby will forever change her life, Elly has a lot of decisions to make and growing up to do.

I really liked a lot of different aspects of this novel.  I really liked Elly to begin with.  She is honest and real and has flaws that really bring her character to life.  Elly knows she has made a lot of mistakes in her life, and even as she makes some positive changes for the baby's sake she is still an immature, child/woman who does not know what to do. Elly does not have a strong support system and that made me feel empathy for her character.  Elly's immaturity, especially with relationships, made me feel exasperated with her at times.  Finally Elly's compassion for the campers and her baby made me love her.

This story does not glamorize teen pregnancy in any way and I really liked that.  It is clear that Elly's life is forever changed, no matter what she decides to do with her baby.

While this book tackles a hard topic and does have references to sex, drug and alcohol use, it does so tactfully and in a way that I think will make people NOT want to engage in these types of behaviors.

The conclusion to this book contains several unexpected, an emotional, twists. I enjoyed the story and the find the outcome very thought provoking. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes edgy realistic fiction.

Fracture by Megan Miranda

2012 DAC 

From Good Reads:


Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it? 

Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening? 

For fans of best-sellers like Before I Fall and If I Stay, this is a fascinating and heart-rending story about love and friendship and the fine line between life and death.


My thoughts:


Fracture is a great debut novel!  I found the story to be quite a page turner and I really liked the author's writing style.    Delaney's story is very interesting- from the fracture in the ice to understanding how Delaney has been changed by her accident.  


In addition to the supernatural elements of Delaney's strange ability to predict death, the story has a nice amount of relationship and family dynamic issues.  For example, Delaney feelings for her best friend and neighbor, Decker.  I also enjoyed knowing a little of how  Delaney's parent's felt about the accident and the changes to their daughter.  

The cover art on this novel is great!  I found myself studying the cover some as I read the book.  I also think the cover will entice students to pick this book up off the shelf.  I know people say to never judge a book by its cover but as a high school librarian I know that students do judge books by their covers!  

I highly recommend this title and look forward to talking it up at school!

Dead to You by Lisa McMann

From Good Reads:

Ethan was abducted from his front yard when he was just seven years old. Now, at sixteen, he has returned to his family. It's a miracle... at first. Then the tensions start to build. His reintroduction to his old life isn't going smoothly, and his family is tearing apart all over again. If only Ethan could remember something, anything, about his life before, he'd be able to put the pieces back together. But there's something that's keeping his memory blocked. Something unspeakable...

My thoughts:

I just finished reading this book in one afternoon-- it is the type of story that grabs you and you can't put the book down until you know what happens. I don't want to put spoilers in my write up so all I will say is that hours later I am still pondering the ending. This would be a great book to discuss! This one is going to be popular with my student patrons!

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

2012 Debut

From Good Reads:


Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one girl... Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future.


My thoughts:

The start to another great series!!  Cinder, a loose retelling of the Cinderella story, is set sometime in the future in a place called New Beijing.  Cinder lives with her step mother and two step sisters and desperately would love to go to the festival ball... but can't because she is a cyborg and is not allowed by her step mother.  While all of this sounds familiar to the fairy tale there is a LOT more to this story.  The population of New Beijing is in danger due to a terrible plague that is killing so many.  There is also danger of potential war if an agreement is not worked out with the Luna population that live on the moon.  Cinder, a gifted mechanic, meet Prince Kai who needs her help to repair an android who just may have information that will save New Beijing.

Cinder is a fast paced, interesting, and well written novel.  I loved the cover art with the picture of a leg in a red high heel with the metal cyborg part showing.  I anticipate this will be a very popular book with my students.  I definitely have the rest of the series on my TBR pile as the books release.  While it is hard to wait, the conclusion to Cinder is satisfactory- a must for me in series books.  Highly recommended.

First Date

2012 DAC

From Good Reads:


The orphaned daughter of missionaries, Addy Davidson discovers God's unexpected plans for her life when a reality TV show turns her quiet existence on its head.




My thoughts:
The premise behind "First Date" is really cute- a reality tv show for teenage girls all trying to win a prom date with the President's son.  The main character, Addy, is encouraged to participate in the contest by her guardian/uncle and her school principal but she really does not want all the attention the show brings.  Many aspects of this novel are a bit unrealistic, but that did not detract from the appeal of the story for me.  I found this book to be thoroughly enjoyable.  In fact I felt a few moments of panic when it seemed the E Galley had only downloaded half the book to my Nook! Thank goodness I got the problem resolved and was able to read the rest of the book!

Addy is a very like-able girl and I really liked her dedication to her principles and religion.  I also liked the fact that she was not made to seem perfect.  Addy is a devout Christian but she struggles with how to share her beliefs with the reality show she is on.  First Date is a very refreshing  read about a teenager with strong values and a sense of purpose in her life that is not tied up in a boy for happiness.  The fact that the teenager finds a nice boy just makes the story romantic and delightful! 

Author website:

http://www.kristamcgee.org/

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

From Good Reads:
This is an extraordinarily moving novel about coming to terms with loss. The monster showed up just after midnight. As they do. But it isn’t the monster Conor’s been expecting. He’s been expecting the one from his nightmare, the nightmare he’s had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments, the one with the darkness and the wind and the screaming. . . .

This monster, though, is something different. Something ancient, something wild. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor.
It wants the truth.

Patrick Ness spins a tale from the final story idea of Siobhan Dowd, whose premature death from cancer prevented her from writing it herself. Darkly mischievous and painfully funny, A Monster Calls is an extraordinarily moving novel about coming to terms with loss from two of our finest writers for young adults.

My thoughts:


A Monster Calls is a masterpiece. I was captivated by the story behind this book- that Siobhan Dowd had the idea but was not able to write the novel before dying from cancer. I LOVED the author forward where Patrick Ness explained why he was at first hesitant to write someone else's story and why he ultimately did. I am so happy that I loved the actual book as much as I loved the backstory to the book. 

The emotion in this book is so powerful and the black and white illustrations are magnificent. It is pretty unusual to have illustrations in a YA novel and they really help to capture the horror and hope of this story. 

I am anxious to see what my student readers think of this book. I suspect they will really like it, although for different reasons than me. As a mother I found myself relating to how Conor's mother must feel. You hear about adult titles that appeal to a YA market, well I think this is a YA title that will also appeal to an adult market. 

As I said at the start of this review-- it is a masterpiece.

Top Ten Tuesday 1

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  This week's topic is the Top Ten Books That Would Make Great Book Club Picks.  This is actually my very first time posting a Top Ten Tuesday and I happen to be in a unique position to address this particular topic.  I am lucky enough to run a book club at my high school with the awesome blogger at Indie's Book Shelf  and we decided to co-post a top ten list this week.  We actually posed a similar question to our students in our club, and they, along with the two of us, compiled this list.  In no particular order.  

Top Ten (or at least Ten Really Good) Book Club Book Picks:

1.  Unwind by Neal Shusterman:

There is plenty to discuss with this book, it appeals to boys and girls, and it is extremely exciting and well-written.  Lots of fun to be had by a book club!

  

2.  Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King:

We've been mulling this book over as it deals with a timely topic for high schoolers:  bullying.  Again, the appeal for both male and female readers, as well as the multiple discussion opportunities, makes this a good choice for our kids.

3.  After by Amy Efaw:

Dealing with a very controversial issue is exactly what books are for, and having a supportive group in which to discuss these topics makes that experience even more valuable.  This novel deals with a teenager who is put into juvenile detention for abandoning her newborn baby in a Dumpster.  Though it is gruesome, the ending leaves a LOT to be discussed - we had many students who enjoyed reading this over the summer as part of the Virginia Reader's Choice list.

  

4.  Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon:

This one was a student pick.  Though sometimes series can be tough to do with a club, the high level of action and suspense would make it a fun group read.  I haven't read this book yet, but a high school vampire slayer sounds right up my alley!

5.  The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson:

Ok, haven't read this one either... pretty sure it was our girlies' answer to Infinity. Again, though, the summary on Goodreads and on the book jacket have put it in my TBR pile.  Romance, revolution, and a mysterious prophecy - sign me up!

6.  Not as Crazy as I Seem by George Harrar:

Another student pick, one that deals with Devon Brown and his struggle to fit into high school with OCD.  Again, I haven't read the book, but I admire the students' sensitivity in selecting this one.  Tolerance and compassion are excellent lessons, and two our school is focusing on this school year.  Discussing both the plot as well as learning about something new would be a great way to meet as a club.

7.  Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

This book won the 2010 Printz Award is absolutely fantastic.  While I have a little bit of a hard time selling this book to kids, no one who has read it dislikes it.  I really enjoyed the writing in this dystopian thriller.  The fact that there is a strong male protagonist in this novel is a real strength as well.  

8.  The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin:

This is a great psychological thriller that I know kids will have fun discussing.  The ending of this book is unreal too- it really lends itself to a great book club discussion of what we think may come next.  Knowing that book two is coming in the fall sets the club up to read and discuss the sequel too!

9.  Divergent by Veronica Roth:

Our book club actually read and discussed this novel as a group.  We enjoyed talking about how this society came to be, what faction we would be in if we had to choose, and what we think will happen in the next book, Insurgent.

10.The Bitter End and/or The Hate List by Jennifer Brown

Both of the fabulous realistic fiction novels by Jennifer Brown are prime for discussion!  The Hate List deals with the aftermath of a high school shooting and The Bitter End is about a teenage girl who finds herself in an abusive relationship with her boyfriend.  


What tips and tricks do people have for running a YA book club?  We are in our first year, and any help would be welcome!

Lola and the Boy Next Door

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
338 pages
Published: 9/29/2011
Publisher: Dutton Books

From Good Reads:


Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood. 

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.


My thoughts:


LOVED IT! This was even better than Anna and the French Kiss, which I also loved. Stephanie Perkins really has a knack for creating a character on paper who seems real. The premise behind this story is not original, but Lola makes the story unique. I loved her confidence and all her cool costumes. I also loved her insecurity and indecision that made her such as authentic character. Although this is a romantic girl falls for the boy next door book, it is also so much more. I found myself thinking of parental love and what makes good parents as I read about Lola's Dads and all their rules. I thought of sibling love and how important the sibling bond can be as I read about Calliope and Cricket's relationship. The book also made me think about forgiveness and how important it to be accepting and tolerant of the people in your life as I read about Lola's birth mother, Nora. This simple story has many, fun, layers. 

I read Anna and the Boy Next Door in one sitting into the wee hours of the morning and I just did the same thing with Lola. These books consumed me and I did not want to put them down until I reached the end. It was also fun to read about characters from Anna and the French Kiss  (Anna and St Claire) in Lola and the Boy Next Door. 

A five star review for me! I anxiously await Stephanie Perkins next book!

Stand Alone Reading Challenge

The bloggers at Icey Books and I Like These Books are hosting a Stand Alone Reading Challenge that I have decided to participate in.  I personally love to read a series but I really need some good, new titles to booktalk to library patrons who want a standalone.  I looking forward to reading:

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith 

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green 

Fracture by Megan Miranda 

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard 

Don't Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala 

The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour 

The Story of Us by Deb Caletti 

Try Not to Breathe by Jennifer R. Hubbard 

Dead to You by Lisa McMann

Love? Maybe by Heather Hepler 

Cracked by K.M. Walton 

Double by Jenny Valentine

Where it Began by Ann Stampler

Someone Else’s Life by Katie Dale 

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
Series: Shades of London, Book 1
Pages: 372 pages
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Date of Publication: Sept. 29, 2011
Format: Library Book






From Good Reads:
The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon "Rippermania" takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.

My thoughts:

I absolutely LOVED this book.  Truly, it is my new favorite!  I always enjoy a great mystery story and this is a mystery with opps, I can't say it without giving away too much!  :)

The novel opens with the discovery of the first murder in a string of Jack the Ripper copy cat killings.  Soon after the discovery of the first body, Aurora "Rory" Deveaux arrives in London for her senior year abroad.  Rory comes from a small  town near New Orleans and I loved "seeing" and learning about London through her eyes.  Johnson did a great job of writing this novel.  I found Rory's voice to be very believable and likeable.  Her experiences as the new foreign student at Wexford, her boarding school,  were believable as well.  

Just as Rory arrives at her new school, the Jack the Ripper style killings begin and Wexford is smack in the middle of the Ripper killing zone. Rory and her new friends are soon caught up in the "Rippermania" that has grabbed London.    Rory gets way more involved than she wants when she sees the suspect.  But why didn't her roommate see him too?  

I could not read fast enough to find out what was going to happen as Rory, and the rest of London, waited for each day that the original Jack the Ripper killed his victims.  Would the new Ripper strike too?  What was he going to do about Rory, the witness?

The Name of the Star is Book One in the Shades of London series.  I can't wait until book two is out in September 2012! This was my first Maureen Johnson book, I plan  to read more!

Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King

Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King

336 pages

Published: October 12th 2010 

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers

Format: Library copy

 Summary from Good Reads:

Vera’s spent her whole life secretly in love with her best friend, Charlie Kahn. And over the years she’s kept a lot of his secrets. Even after he betrayed her. Even after he ruined everything.

So when Charlie dies in dark circumstances, Vera knows a lot more than anyone—the kids at school, his family, even the police. But will she emerge to clear his name? Does she even want to?

Edgy and gripping, Please Ignore Vera Dietz is an unforgettable novel: smart, funny, dramatic, and always surprising

My thoughts:

I waited a long time to read Please Ignore Vera Dietz but I am so glad I  finally gave it a try!  This mystery/supernatural/ and sorta realistic fiction novel is a quick and satisfying read.  Although Vera is the primary narrator, the alternating point of view between Vera, Charlie, Ken Dietz, and the Pagoda, is really cool.  Yes, that's right, a placed called the Pagoda  talks to us in this novel too!  I also liked the use of flashbacks that provide insight into the Vera-Charlie relationship.  

One  real strength of Please Ignore Vera Dietz is how author A.S. King says so much without a lot of description.  In an era where "too much information" is so common, I found the lack of detailed description of John and Charlie's relationship, for example, to be just as horrifying- maybe even more so because it was left to my imagination.  

The cover art of this book did not really appeal to me initially but I have to say that I like it now that I have read the book.  The lighter, the title, the to do list- they are all meaningful to the story and I found myself pondering the cover art long after finishing the book.

Please Ignore Vera Dietz was a Printz Honor Book for 2011 and a title that I highly recommend.

The Sweetest Thing by Christina Mandelski
352 pages
Published May10, 2011
Publisher: EgmontUSA

Format: ebook from NetGalley

From Good Reads:

In the world of Sheridan Wells, life is perfect when she’s decorating a cake. Unfortunately, everything else is a complete mess: her mom ran off years ago, her dad is more interested in his restaurant, and the idea of a boyfriend is laughable. 
But Sheridan is convinced finding her mom will solve all her problems—only her dad’s about to get a cooking show in New York, which means her dream of a perfect family will be dashed. 

Using just the right amount of romance, family drama, and cute boys,The Sweetest Thing will entice fans with its perfect mixture of girl-friendly ingredients.


My thoughts:

What a sweet book! This realistic fiction title will do GREAT in my school's library where a good romantic novel is always a hit. I found The Sweetest Thing to not only be a romantic, fun story, but also well written with fully developed characters that I cared about. I liked the relationship between the different members of Sheridan's family- especially Sheridan's relationship with her grandmother. My heart ached for Sheridan as she tried to learn more about her mother, and I cheered for Sheridan for being such as rock star cake decorator. 

Sheridan's father is a bit of a rock star himself, as a chef in the resturarnt he owns. As his dream of moving to NY and starring in a reality cooking show begins to come true, Sheridan's dreams seem to be unraveling. As the story unfolds Sheridan and her father are forced to confront the past in order to reconnect and move forward.

Stupid Fast by Geoff Herbach

From Good Reads: Fifteen-year-old Felton Reinstein has always been on the smallish side, but in his sophomore year he starts growing...and growing. During gym one day he smokes the football jocks in a 600-yard race. Felton has never been interested in sports, but there's no doubt-he is "stupid fast." As he juggles his newfound athletic prowess, his mom's sudden depression, an annoying little brother, and his first love, he discovers a shocking secret about his past which explains why he's turning out the way he is.

My thoughts: WOW! This is an incredible book! To start with, I love the title and the cover-- the football player in front of the bank of lockers is very appealing to guy readers, a demographic I am always happy to find a new title for. This is not just a football book though... this is a book about growing up physically and emotionally. Fifteen year old Felton has just gone through an amazing growth spurt. Seemly overnight Felton is over 6 feet tall and has become, as he puts it, "stupid fast". These physical changes bring positive and welcome opportunities to Felton in the form of sports, friends and a girlfriend. These same physical changes bring confusing and upsetting changes at home, however. As Felton grows up it seems his mother is changing too-- and in a way that makes Felton and his younger brother question her sanity. As Felton nears his 16th birthday it becomes clear that his family needs help and that he needs to learn more about his father, who committed suicide when Felton was only 5 years old. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a great realistic fiction story about family dynamics and coming of age. While this is a great sports book , it is also so much more! Run "stupid fast" to your library or bookstore to get a copy of this book- you won't be disappointed!

Rafflecopter Give Away

To celebrate their official launch, Rafflecopter is running a giveaway--you can win an iPad2 or one of two Kindle Fires! You can learn more about Rafflecopter at: http://blog.rafflecopter.com/2012/01/rafflecopter-launch-party/ You can also click on the giveaway below to get your entries in! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Without Tess by Marcella Pixley

Without Tess by Marcella Pixley

Hardcover, 224 pages

Published October 11th 2011 

Summary from Good Reads:
Tess and Lizzie are sisters, sisters as close as can be, who share a secret world filled with selkies, flying horses, and a girl who can transform into a wolf  in the middle of the night. But when Lizzie is ready to grow up, Tess clings to their fantasies. As Tess sinks deeper and deeper into her delusions, she decides that she can’t live in the real world any longer and leaves Lizzie and her family forever. Now, years later, Lizzie is in high school and struggling to understand what happened to her sister. With the help of a school psychologist and Tess’s battered journal, Lizzie searches for a way to finally let Tess go.


My thoughts:
Great book! I enjoyed the suspensful element of wondering what happened to Tess. I also enjoyed how the author slowly made the reader aware of Tess's mental illness- it slowly dawned on me just as I imagine it slowly dawned on Tess's parents that she was not ok. The story is told from Tess's little sister's, Lizzie, point of view and it is clear that Tess's mental illness hurt Lizzie in many ways. 

Very thought provoking!

Happy New Year and Reading Resolutions! :)

Happy New Year!

This past year I participated in the 2011 Debut Author Challenge. I really enjoyed this challenge and read a LOT of debut books. I did not, however, review all of these debuts. :( I will try to do better this year.

This year I plan to complete, meaning read and review, at least the required books for the 2012 Debut Author Challenge. I also plan to participate in the Sophomore Reading Challenge. I read so many debuts this year that I see this challenge as a must do-- so I can follow up on so many good series I started!

For information about the Debut Author Challenge:

http://www.thestorysiren.com/

For information about the Sophomore Reading Challenge:

http://chickloveslit.com/2011/11/sophomore-reading-challenge.html

Here is my list for the Sophomore Reading Challenge:

1. Insurgent by Veronica Roth
2. Hallowed by Cynthia Hand
3. Timekeeper by Alexandra Monir
4. Perception by Kim Harrington
5. Fever by Lauren DeStefano
6. The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour
7. Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter
8. In Honor by Jessica Kirby
9. Revived by Cat Patrick
10. Rebel Heart by Moira Young