Keplerʼs youth team is made up of people who are passionate about books, especially about teen literature. We are dedicated to helping you find that perfect next book. We are also enthusiastic about teen events so check out our Website, our Myspace, or our FaceBook, for our upcoming events.
Once is a while a book comes along that is SO good that you want to talk about it to everyone. It's not out until the end of the month but I wanted to tell you to look for it. I was hooked from page 1 because it really is a remarkable book -- part gladiator-like adventure, part romance, part survival story, part political commentary. It asks the question: How far would you really go to survive?
16-year-old Katniss lives in District 12 of Panem and is chosen to represent her district in the Hunger Games, a televised reality show where two representatives from the 12 districts, ages 12-18, fight to the death. But survival at what cost? What do you have to give up? And what do you do when a contestant claims to have been in love with you since you were 5 years old? The only trouble will be waiting for the sequel!
If you came to our Breaking Dawn party you will know that Edward Cullen was our guest of honor (yes, really). He was fabulous (of course) and you can find out so much more about him by listening to our interview below (you can't see much, it was VERY dark by the time we interviewed him). We've also posted photos from the event in a slideshow (see right). part 1
Did you come to our Breaking Dawn party? It really was so much fun. Here's our Facebook contest winner, Stephanie, with Edward and her friends. Stephanie got to escort Edward at the party, all evening! What did you enjoy best about the event?
Thinking about it, I wanted to talk about what I think is the best book of the summer--Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
Can you imagine what would happen if terrorists blew up the Bay Bridge? Then imagine being a teenager who has skipped school with some friends that day to hunt for clues for an on-line game but who ends up right where the bomb was set. Your friend gets hurt, you flag down a van to get help, but you are in the wrong place at the wrong time and men from the Department of Homeland Security put a bag over your head and take you off for questioning. For five days. When they release you they tell you to tell no one about it (even though one of your friends does not come back). But San Francisco has changed in those five days. And the question is, would you keep quiet and go back to life as usual, despite all the new security measures in place, or do you do something about it? What is freedom worth to you? How much are you willing to give up for security?
This is an amazing book, a page-turner that is almost impossible to put down. I read it in a day. This is Orwell’s 1984 for our time. This is a book for every book group because you really want to talk about the issues it brings up when you’re done. It will make you look at things from a different point of view. Really, if you only read one book this summer, this should be the book. Then let me know what you think!
Not too many books do I really get a feel for every single character, and not too many books do I finish and skip everything else on my list to read the sequel. But this book, written in diary entries by a teenager named Miranda, has done all that and more. The book shows in literature what would happen to Earth if a major disaster happened, who would be affected, and how the earth would change. I would recommend this book to anyone I know and I can't wait to read the sequel.
As I mentioned yesterday, Melissa Marr, one of our favorite authors, was also at the store. And she brought t-shirts for two lucky fans who just happened to be browsing in the store while she was there! If you haven't read Wicked Lovely, try it. About a girl, Aishlinn, who had followed the rules all her life: don’t stare at invisible faeries, don’t speak to invisible faeries, and don’t ever attract the faeries’ attention. And it has kept her safe although she can most certainly see the invisible faeries. But suddenly one of the faeries starts to follow her and somehow the rules don’t seem to apply anymore.
This is a dark fantasy about a feisty girl who may hold the key to a faery curse. I read it in a gulp. Ask yourself, what would you risk for your freedom, your future, for love itself? Would you be brave enough?
Ink Exchange followed. Even better. Set in the same world as Wicked Lovely, with many of the characters playing minor roles here, the story revolves around Leslie, one of Aislinn's school friends, Irael, king of the Dark Court, and Niall, part of the Summer Court.
Leslie's life is difficult -- her mother has run away, her father drinks too much, and her brother sells drugs. She is looking for something to help her feel independent and decides to get a tattoo -- one from a special book of designs. She has no idea that this tattoo will REALLY change her.
This is a darker story than Wicked Lovely and ponders a lot of questions. What is a king willing to do for his court? What are we willing to give up for love? What will we trade for the absence of fear? And are any of us strong enough to survive all that fate throws at us?
At its heart, this is a book about survival, addiction, temptation, and about the choices we make. I couldn't put it down.
Melissa made a short video book talk about her books for us.
Last week was very busy but we were lucky enough to have Kelley Armstrong stop off at the store with Melissa Marr. I've just read her new book, The Summoning, and it's fabulous. About a girl called Chloe who has seen ghosts since she was a child but was told they were imaginary friends. As she hits puberty, they visit her again, scaring her so completely that she is taken away to a home for troubled teens to get "better". But the ghosts follow her, forcing her to believe she is actually a necromancer. And the teens at Lyle House are all somewhat special themselves. Who are they? Why are they there? And what happens to the teens who leave?
This paranormal adventure starts with teen worries and speeds toward an action-packed ending, leaving you wondering how quickly Kelley Armstrong can write the second in this trilogy. You really should take a look at it.
Kelley also left a short video book talk about The Summoning for us.
Ally Carter, author of I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have To Kill You and Cross My Heart And Hope To Spy was at Kepler's today. She was fabulous and we all can't wait to read the next in the series (and no, she wouldn't tell us the title!) Here is some footage of her answering questions from the audience if you couldn't make it to the store to hear her yourself. Part one
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