TheBookBind

Cinder By Marissa Meyer - Review

2012-01-30T10:51:00.000-08:00

We all know the story of Cinderella – now imagine her as a cyborg in a world ravaged by a plague, set after World War IV in New Beijing. She still has an evil stepmother/guardian, two step-sisters, but one of them develops symptoms of the illness and Cinder is blamed for her exposure. This Cinder is a mechanic and meets the young Prince Kai in the marketplace when he brings his android to be fixed. And of course there is a ball, which her stepmother does not want her to attend.

Add to this mix a Lunar Queen who visits unexpectedly after the Emperor dies, wanting to marry the Prince and ultimately rule Earth, a missing princess, and experiments to cure this plague and you get a very different Cinderella story.

I love fractured fairy tales and I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It retains most of the traditional elements but is also a completely different story. This is the first of a quartet, it’s unusual, fun, and leaves you wanting the second installment NOW.

Daughter of the Centaurs by KK Ross - Review

2012-01-26T17:11:00.000-08:00

Here's Antonia's review of Daughter of the Centaurs. Looks great

Malora was young when she witnessed her father and his hunters attacked and killed by great winged beasts from the sky. In the months that followed Malora's village was decimated by the same creatures. Sent away by her mother as her only hope of survival, Malora spends years on the plains with her herd of horses before she is captured by a strange group of people long thought mythical - the Centaurs.

Treated almost as a pet by these vain, proud creatures, Malora must learn their ways in order to not only survive - but thrive. With unexpected allies in this hostile realm Malora faces her future as the last of her kind.

Different, exciting and fun, this first book in The Centauriad Trilogy left me eager for more.

YALSA's 2012 Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults

2012-01-26T09:57:00.000-08:00

Here's YALSA's top ten list for best fictions for young adults. If you want the whole list you can go here

Carson, Rae. The Girl of Fire and Thorns.
Cohen, Joshua C. Leverage.
King, A.S. Everybody Sees the Ants.
McCall, Guadalupe Garcia. Under the Mesquite.
Myracle, Lauren. Shine.
Ness, Patrick. A Monster Calls. Illus by Jim Kay.
Sepetys, Ruta. Between Shades of Gray.
Stiefvater, Maggie. The Scorpio Races.
Taylor, Laini. Daughter of Smoke and Bone.
Zarr, Sara. How to Save a Life.

Hm, do you agree? I have only read 4 on this list (but shh, don't tell anyone!) 3 others are on my TBR pile. Sigh.

Lauren Myracle

2012-01-24T15:50:00.000-08:00

I had the great pleasure of hosting Lauren Myracle at Kepler’s yesterday. What a lovely person - so thoughtful and fun. Bit of background: She’s the author of numerous young adult novels and holds an MA in English and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults. She has written many novels, including the New York Times bestselling IM books, ttyl, ttfn, and l8r, g8r.

But did you know that her first novel, Kissing Kate, was selected as one of ALA's "Best Books for Young Adults" for 2004, was named by Booklist as one of the "Top Ten Youth Romances" of the year, as well as one of the "Top Ten Books by New Writers." She went on to write the middle grade series Eleven, Twelve, etc , the Flower Power Series as well as Peace Love and Baby Ducks, Bliss, How to Be Bad, and Rhymes with Witches.

According to the ALA Lauren’s books were one of the most challenged books of 2009 and continue to be challenged. And then there was the firestorm with the National Book Foundation and Shine. I’ll just say that Lauren handled it all with grace and maturity and the book is fantastic and deserved its place on the shortlist. And, as she tells it, she learned a lot, and got the National Book Foundation to donate $5000 to the Matthew Shepard Foundation. I hope the National Book Foundation judges learned from this too.

Lauren has an easy and open style, she sat perched on a stool and chatted about her writing, her inspiration, her path to publication, and her books, how she works at Starbucks and listens to all the conversations around her - and was so supportive and interested in her audience. They had great questions. If you get a chance, go and hear her. It's well worth it.

And, by the way, these photos were taken by Nancy aka the Ravenous Reader because my camera died. Thank you Nancy.

Lauren Myracle - TONIGHT

2012-01-23T10:57:00.000-08:00

Lauren Myracle is in the Bay Area this week and is touring local schools today to talk about her new Flower Power book, Ooopsy Daisy, and will be at Kepler's tonight (Jan 23) at 7.00 to talk about her wonderful book, Shine.

Join us!

Want to know more about the book?

When her best guy friend falls victim to a vicious hate crime, sixteen-year-old Cat sets out to discover who in her small town did it. This daring mystery mines the secrets of a tightly knit Southern community and examines the strength of will it takes to go against everyone you know in the name of justice.

Against a backdrop of poverty, clannishness, drugs, and intolerance, New York Times bestselling author Lauren Myracle has crafted a harrowing coming-of-age tale couched in a deeply intelligent mystery. Smart, fearless, and compassionate, this is an unforgettable work from a beloved author.

ALA winners

2012-01-23T10:35:00.001-08:00

So - it appears all my picks were incorrect but I did guess a few. And now I've got even more books added to my TBR pile...What did you think of this list? Did you do a happy dance when you saw this? Did they include your favorites? And what books did they overlook?

John Newbery Medal
“Dead End in Norvelt,” written by Jack Gantos
Honor Books: "Inside Out & Back Again," written by Thanhha Lai and
"Breaking Stalin’s Nose,”

Randolph Caldecott Medal :
“A Ball for Daisy," illustrated and written by Chris Raschka
Honor Books: “Blackout,” illustrated and written by John Rocco,
"Grandpa Green" illustrated and written by Lane Smith, and
“Me … Jane,” illustrated and written by Patrick McDonnell

Michael L. Printz Award:
“Where Things Come Back,” written by John Corey Whaley
Honor books : “Why We Broke Up,” written by Daniel Handler, art by Maira Kalman,
“The Returning,” written by Christine Hinwood and
“The Scorpio Races,” written by Maggie Stiefvater

Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award:
Kadir Nelson, author and illustrator of “Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans,”
.
William C. Morris Award :
“Where Things Come Back,” written by John Corey Whaley .
Finalists: “Girl of Fire and Thorns,” written by Rae Carson,
“Paper Covers Rock,” written by Jenny Hubbard, ,
“Under the Mesquite,” written by Guadalupe Garcia McCall, and
“Between Shades of Gray,” written by Ruta Sepetys,

Schneider Family Book Award:
“Close to famous,” written by Joan Bauer and
“Wonderstruck: A Novel in Words and Pictures,” written by Brian Selznick .
“The Running Dream,” written by Wendelin Van Dranen

Alex Awards for the 10 best adult books that appeal to teen audiences:
•“Big Girl Small,” by Rachel DeWoskin
•“In Zanesville,” by Jo Ann Beard
•“The Lover’s Dictionary,” by David Levithan
•“The New Kids: Big Dreams and Brave Journeys at a High School for Immigrant Teens,” by Brooke Hauser
•“The Night Circus,” by Erin Morgenstern
•“Ready Player One,” by Ernest Cline
•“Robopocalypse: A Novel,” by Daniel H. Wilson
•“Salvage the Bones,” by Jesmyn Ward
•“The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt: A Novel in Pictures
•“The Talk-Funny Girl,” by Roland Merullo

So, I guess, when I'm finished Under the Never Sky (which is SO very good) I'm going to turn to Where Things Come Back!

Upcoming Events

2012-01-19T18:36:00.000-08:00

Oh we have such great events coming up. Just want to recap for you (so I've included all ages from picture books to teen events). Hope to see any of you who live in teh Bay Area at many of these events. SO excited.

Lauren Myracle
Monday, January 23, 7:00 p.m.
Shine

When her best guy friend falls victim to a vicious hate crime, sixteen-year-old Cat sets out to discover who in her small town did it. This daring mystery mines the secrets of a tightly knit Southern community and examines the strength of will it takes to go against everyone you know in the name of justice.

Against a backdrop of poverty, clannishness, drugs, and intolerance, New York Times bestselling author Lauren Myracle has crafted a harrowing coming-of-age tale couched in a deeply intelligent mystery. Smart, fearless, and compassionate, this is an unforgettable work from a beloved author.

John Green
Friday, January 27, 7:00 p.m.
The Fault in Our Stars
Fox Theatre, 2215 Broadway St., Redwood City

John Green is coming to the Fox Theatre on January 27 to celebrate his new book with his brother, Hank. Be prepared for a night of music, readings, comedy, free posters, fancy programs, and vlogbrother mayhem! This will be unlike any other reading or booksigning. Come and be entertained.

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten. Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is John Green's most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.

This is a ticketed event; we are sold out.

Daniel Handler (Lemony Snicket) and Maira Kalman
Thursday, February 2, 7:00 p.m.
Why We Broke Up
Menlo Park Council Chambers, 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park

Have you ever had your heart broken?

Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship. Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped.

We can’t tell you how excited we are for this event. And you can imagine how long the signing line will be. The good news is that we are giving out signing line tickets with every copy of the book you buy from Kepler’s. And these tickets will be numbered. So the earlier you buy the book, the less time you will spend in line waiting to meet and get your book signed by Daniel and Maira. Can’t get better than that!

Love Maia
Thursday, February 9, 6:00 p.m.
DJ Rising

The first thing I hear is music. The first thing I've always heard is music. Meet Marley, an unassuming high school junior who breathes in music like oxygen. In between caring for his heroin-addicted mother, and keeping his scholarship at a fancy prep school, he dreams of becoming a professional DJ. When chance lands Marley his first real DJ job, his career as "DJ Ice" suddenly skyrockets. But when heart-rending disaster at home brings Marley crashing back down to earth, he is torn between obligation and following his dreams.

Love Maia share Marley's passion for music and his belief in dreaming big. She loves the freeing energy of the club world, as well as pizza, kickboxing, butterflies, death metal, and underground hip-hop. When not writing, Love can be found playing drums in an alternative rock band in and around San Francisco.

Meg Rosoff
Thursday, February 16, 7:00 p.m.
There Is No Dog

What if God were a teenaged boy? In the beginning, Bob created the heavens and the earth and the beasts of the field and the creatures of the sea, and twenty-five million other species (including lots of cute girls). But mostly he prefers eating junk food and leaving his dirty clothes in a heap at the side of his bed. Every time he falls in love, Earth erupts in natural disasters, and it's usually Bob's beleaguered assistant, Mr. B., who is left cleaning up the mess. So humankind is going to be very sorry indeed that Bob ever ran into a beautiful, completely irresistible girl called Lucy...

Meg Rosoff's debut novel, How I Live Now, won the Michael L. Printz Award and was an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. Just in Case won the 2007 CILIP Carnegie Medal and was an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. What I Was was shortlisted for the 2008 CILIP Carnegie Medal.

Story Time with Jennifer Fosberry
Sunday, February 19, 11:30 a.m.
Isabella: Girl on the Go

Jennifer Fosberry takes us on a new imaginative journey featuring everyone's favorite purple-haired, little girl. Previously, Isabella discovered her favorite heroes in My Name Is Not Isabella. Now she travels around the world experiencing its greatest wonders without ever leaving her own backyard.

Story Time with Alexandra Day
Sunday, February 26, 11:30 a.m.
The Fairy Dogfather

Alexandra Day is a legendary storyteller who has a knack for surprising juxtapositions. She is the creator of the rottweiler named Carl who gently tends to an infant in a series of books that began in 1985. Now comes The Fairy Dogfather.

Hector has trouble differentiating the letters D and G. Thus when he writes a request for a fairy godfather, the Fairy Dogfather arrives instead wearing a fedora and smoking a cigar. He isn’t what Hector had in mind at all. He uses big words, and instead of simply granting Hector’s wishes, like a regular fairy godmother, he is a rather demanding visitor. And Hector needs a present for his Mom’s birthday right away. Can the Fairy Dogfather help grant his wishes?

Free the Children presents Spencer West
Friday, March 9, 7:00 p.m.
Standing Tall: My Journey

Spencer West is many things. Accomplished speaker. University graduate. Natural prankster. Former cheerleader. And a young man without legs - something that has never held him back. Spencer was born without the use of his legs. When he was five, doctors decided to amputate below his pelvis to better help him get around. It didn't bother him; he was Superman and nothing would ever get in his way. Or so he thought.

Navigating through life on his hands, Spencer has always lived with purpose. But he wanted more out of life than just a paycheck and material possessions. He wanted to make an impact but wasn't always sure how. That was until he had the epiphany: He was different for a reason. Infused with humour and humility, Spencer has never lost the hope or courage he needed to tackle personal obstacles-bullying, isolation, failure, or pride. His secret? Always standing tall.

Ally Carter
Wednesday, March 21, 7:00 p.m.
Out of Sight, Out of Time

With more than a million Gallagher Girls books sold, a legion of fans have fallen in love with the New York Times best-selling spy-girl series, and the fifth book delivers the most nerve-wracking, high-stakes adventure yet.

The last thing Cammie Morgan remembers is leaving the Gallagher Academy to protect her friends and family. But when Cammie wakes up in an alpine convent and discovers months have passed, her memory is a black hole. The only traces left of Cammie's summer vacation are the bruises on her body and dirt under her nails. All she wants is to go home. But even the Gallagher Academy now holds more questions than answers as Cammie and her friends face their most difficult challenge yet. With only their training and a few clues to guide them, the girls go in search of answers on the other side of the world. But the Circle is hot on their trail and will stop at nothing to prevent Cammie from remembering what she did last summer.

Tiger's Curse series by Colleen Houck

2012-01-19T10:41:00.000-08:00

Another of Marilyn's fabulous reviews, this time for Tiger's Curse series by Colleen Houck. Must. read. faster.

Who wouldn't want adventure in exotic lands hunting for mythic relics with exciting gorgeous guys? Every girl does and Kelsey's no different. But she's in for some big surprises! The circus' white tiger she's tasked to care for is being moved to a preserve in India. Kels feels great loss by the news of the tiger's departure but is pleased to learn she'll be helping the tiger in transit to India. Imagine her surprise to discover the white tiger is actually an Indian prince trapped in the tiger's body!

Kels is now on a whole new life path tracking ancient evil to free Ren and his brother from their tiger curse. This series has it all - romance, intrigue, crazy adventure with awesome princes! Read it - you'll be glad you do!

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight By Jennifer Smith - Review

2012-01-11T11:16:00.000-08:00

Marilyn just read this and LOVED it. OK, another one onto my pile. (I'm reading Cinder right now...review soon). Here's Marilyn's review

Finally it's the day to fly to London for her dad's wedding and Hadley dreads it, as she has for the past six months. It seems only a minute since her parents' divorce and though both her mom and dad have moved on, Hadley is still angry and hurt. So of course, a pile of little things makes her late for her flight by four minutes. FOUR MINUTES!!! Could this weekend get worse for her?

As her anger stews and brews to new levels a very cute guy helps her with her bag and actually makes her smile and joke. As luck would have it, Oliver (that cute guy) is her seat mate on the next flight to London. During their long flight they talk like they've known each other for years when Oliver asks Hadley what she thinks the statistical probability of falling in love on first sight is....hmmmm... This story is a fun romp of just missed opportunities and happy surprises - maybe there IS a chance of love at first sight...

The Iron King By Julie Kagawa - Review

2012-01-08T19:20:00.000-08:00

Things have not been straightforward for Meghan Chase since her father disappeared when she was six. But her world gets even stranger on her 16th birthday: her brother disappears leaving a changeling in his place and her best friend admits that he is actually Robin Greenfellow (better known as Puck - yes, THAT Puck from Midsummer Night's Dream). He tells her that to rescue her brother she has to find him in the Never Never (faeryland). Not exactly the birthday she had hoped for.

It gets stranger. Once there she discovers she is actually the daughter of Oberon, king of the Seelie Court. And Meghan has to find out what that means and how far she will go to save her brother. She is attacked by goblins and trolls, nixies and satyrs. There's a talking cat, a handsome prince, a very real edge of danger, an enemy that could endanger the entire fey world, and a lot of nonstop action that makes this a must-read.

This is the first of the Iron Fey Series and is followed by The Iron Daughter, The Iron Queen, and The Iron Knight. SO many people have told me to read this series - I have no idea why I waited so long. They were all right. It's addictive. I'm turning to The Iron Daughter RIGHT NOW!

Why We Broke Up

2012-01-04T19:27:00.000-08:00

Did you hear? We're hosting Daniel Handler (Lemony Snicket) and Maira Kalman on February 2nd at 7.00 pm for their new book, WHY WE BROKE UP.
It'll be at the Menlo Park Council Chambers, 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park which is an awesome venue, really comfortable, and can hold a lot of people

For those of you who don't know anything about the book, here's back cover copy:
Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship. Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped.

We can’t tell you how excited we are for this event. And you can imagine how long the signing line will be. The good news is that we are giving out signing line tickets with every copy of the book you buy from Kepler’s. And these tickets will be numbered. So the earlier you buy the book, the less time you will spend in line waiting to meet and get your book signed by Daniel and Maira. Can’t get better than that!

If you want to order onine click here

And click here to go to Entertainment Weekly to watch a video of Daniel at Grand Central Station interviewing people about their own breakups. It's hilarious.

Finally we have a bulletin board in the store filling up with postcards on which people have written their own break up stories. I'll take a photo later this week and post it. If you would like to add yours story to our bulletin board either come in to the store and fill out a postcard, or add your story to the comments beneath and I can fill it out for you! Let your story be heard!

Cybils Finalists

2012-01-02T12:23:00.000-08:00

The Cybils have announced their finalists. Great choices

FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

1. Angelfall by Susan Ee

2. Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

3. Blood Red Road by Moira Young

4. Misfit by Jon Skovrom

5. Red Glove by Holly Black

6. The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

7. The Shattering by Karen Healey

Tough to choose but I'm rooting for Anna Dressed in Blood (although Red Glove and Blood Red Road were awesome too).

YA FICTION

1. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

2. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

3. Bunheads by Sophie Flack

4. Everyone Sees the Ants by AS King

5. Frost by Marianna Baer

6. Leverage by Joshua Cohen

7. Stupid Fast by Geoff Herbach

Some I have to check out but I loved both Between Shades of Gray and Everyone Sees the Ants.

Which are your picks?

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - Review

2012-01-01T11:37:00.001-08:00

Wishing everyone a very happy 2012. This is my first review of the year. One of my favorite holiday gifts. And it really is a fabulous book

The night circus arrives without warning. One day it is simply there, when yesterday it was not.

Take two illusionists who have been entered into a competition they know very little about. They are bound to compete but only one can walk away. And their arena is the circus. But Celia and Marco like to think they work together rather than against each other to make the circus ever more fantastic.

But it’s the circus itself that captured me from the start, with its black and white stripes, astounding clock, cloud maze, ice room, and acrobats - a place where the magic is real not an illusion. It travels constantly and we, like the reveurs, simply long to travel with it, wearing a red scarf, utterly besotted.

I lingered over every description, read it as though moving through the tents myself, pondering on the ideas of ability versus effort, and the simple magic of love. Mesmerizing, elegant, dark, and utterly addictive this is one of my favorites of 2011.

Book Blogger Holiday Swap Update

2011-12-30T17:20:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had a good Holidays. I went to Vegas, which was so much fun, and why you haven't heard from me for a week. Now that I'm back, I want to tell you all about the fabulous gifts I received from the Book Blogger Holiday Swap. So fabulous that it caused a happy dance, or two.

I got The Night Circus (which I read almost immediately and simply adored - what a debut) and The Iron King by Julie Kagawa that I have been meaning to read for such a long time (and will read just as soon as I finish The Fault In Our Stars by John Green - yes, I have a manuscript but I did have to sign a non disclosure form to get it...). And a cool book mark. And some chocolate. Perfect gift. Can't say nice enough things about it. Thank you so much Joli.

On top of all that wonderfulness, I got introduced to two new bloggers and their blogs - Joli of Actin' Up with Books (who sent me all the wonderfulness above) and Julie of My Book Retreat to whom I sent a gift. This was such a lovely idea. So glad I participated.

Best of 2011 - Megan's List

2011-12-23T16:49:00.000-08:00

Megan writes Kepler's other blog, The Book Flap, runs our YA book group, dances, and always picks incredible books. I always love her suggestions. So here's her best of list of 2011.

Older Readers
The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman by Meg Wolitzer
Powerless by Matthew Cody
Wildwood by Colin Meloy

High School
The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
Red Glove by Holly Black
Pink by Lili Wilkinson
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

Crossover
The Radleys by Matt Haig
Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal

Best of 2011 - Marilyn's Picks

2011-12-21T10:06:00.000-08:00

Continuing with our best of lists - here's Marilyn's. And she always chooses such wonderful titles.

Picture books
Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner
Grandpa Green by Lane Smith
Stars by Mary Lin Ray
Press Here by Herve Tullet
The Conductor by Laetitia Devernay
The Umbrella by Ingrid Schubert
11 Experiments that Failed by Jenny Offill

Older Fiction
The Orphan of Awkward Falls by Keith Graves
The Crowfield Curse by Pat Walsh
The Inquisitors Apprentice by Chris Moriarty
Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu
Wonder Struck by Brian Selznick

Middle School
Uncommon Criminals (Heist Society #2) by Ally Carter

High School
Ashes by Ilsa Bick
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
Power of Six by Pitticus Lore
Au Revoir Crazy European Chick by Joel Schrieber
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Crossover
Miss Peregrin's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Best of 2011 - Amanda's list

2011-12-19T09:45:00.000-08:00

Still posting our best of 2011 lits. Now it's Amanda's turn and she always picks such wonderful books.

Amanda's Picks

Picture books even adults will enjoy:
Will You be My Friend by Peter Brown
Have You Seen My Hat by J. Klassen
13 Words by Daniel Handler (Lemony Snicket) and Maira Kalman

Fun Graphic Novels:
Bad Island by Doug Tennapel
Bake Sale by Sara Varon

Must-Read Award Winners:
Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

If You Ever Wanted to Live in Narnia. . .
Wildwood -by Colin Meloy
The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens
Darwin Arkwright and the Peregrine Pact by AJ Hartley

For Animal Lovers;
Unlikely Friendships by Jennifer Holland
Friends: True Stories of Animal Friendships by Catherine Thimmesh

Best of 2011 - Antonia's List

2011-12-15T11:32:00.000-08:00

I did say that I would post all our lists, not just mine! Here is Antonia's - Kepler's children's and YA book buyer. Her lists are always awesome.

Picture Books
Wiener Wolf by Jeff Crosby
If You Give a Dog a Donut by Laura Numeroff
Should I Share My Ice-Cream by Mo Willems
Huck Runs Amuck by Sean Taylor
Gilbert Goldfish Wants a Pet by Kelly DiPucchio
Skippyjon Jones Class Action by Judy Schachner
Man in the Moon by William Joyce
Bippolo Seed by Dr Seuss
Clink by Kelly DiPucchio
Press Here by Herve Tullet
Everything on It by Shel Silverstein
Zombie in Love by Kelly DiPucchio

Younger and Older Readers
Trouble with Chickens by Doreen Cronin
Apothecary by Maile Meloy
Wildwood by Colin Meloy
Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver
Unwanteds by Lisa McMann
Emerald Atlas by John Stephens
Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu
Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan
Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan

Middle School
The Dead (The Enemy #2) by Charlie Higson
Scorpia Rising by Anthony Horowitz
Death Cure by James Dashner
Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch
The Girl who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of her own Making by Catherynne Valente
Goliath by Scott Westerfeld
Uncommon Criminals (heist society #2) by Ally Carter
Subject 7 by James A Moore

High school
Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
Shatter Me by Tahareh Mafi
Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
Legend by Marie Lu
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
Department 19 by Will Hill
Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler
Across the Universe (now in paperback) by Beth Revis
Scorpio Races by Maggie Steifvater
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Best of 2011 - Angela's List

2011-12-13T20:09:00.000-08:00

December - and time to make our best of lists for the year. I'm going to post everyone in the department's lists and today I'll start with mine. I loved them all. And I've included all ages from picture books to crossover titles.

Picture Books
Stars by Mary Lin Ray
I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen
Press Here by Herve Tullet
Me...Jane by Patrick McDonnell
11 Experiments that Failed by Jenny Offill
Stuck by Oliver Jeffers
Wiener Wolf by Jeff Crosby
Skippyjon Jones: Class Action by Judy Schachner

Older Readers
The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente
Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

Middle School
The Warlock by Michael Scott
Scorpia Rising by Anthony Horowitz
Demonglass (Hex Hall #2) by Rachel Hawkins
The Death Cure by James dashner

High School
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
Between Shades of Grey by Ruta Sepetys
Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
Wither by Lauren deStafano
Divergent by Veronica Roth
The Scorpia Races by Maggie Steifvater
Legend by Marie Lu

Crossover
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
The Magician King by Lev Grossman
Graveminder by Melissa Marr
House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz
Room by Emma Donoghue (now in pb)
Luka and the Fire of Life by Salman Rushdie (now in pb)

Given this list, let me know what you think I should read next!

Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver - Review

2011-12-09T16:32:00.001-08:00

Here's Antonia review of Liesl and Po. I thought Before I Fall was so very good, and Amanda loved Delirium. Another to add to my brimming TBR pile!

Locked in the attic by her wicked stepmother, Liesl is desperate to escape, to run away to the last place she was happy when her parents were still alive. She is helped in this endeavor by Po, a boy (maybe, it's hard to tell and these things don't really matter) from The Other Side.

Apprenticed to an evil alchemist, Will is forced to escape after a delivery mix-up. Hunted by the alchemist and the lady premiere and a man with a hat (really) Will meets up with Liesl and the two of them (along with Po) set off to return color to the world.

Beautifully written, this is part Cinderella, part Hansel & Gretel, and storytelling at it's best. A fantastic and fantastical adventure.

Reasons to Be Happy - Upcoming Events!

2011-12-08T14:47:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to give you a heads up about the events I've just booked and to share our enthusiasm.

First, on January 27th, at the Fox Theatre in Redwood City, JOHN GREEN with his brother, Hank will be talking about THE FAULT IN OUR STARS. There will be music and entertainment and JOHN GREEN. Can you tell how excited I am about this? We are all such huge fans. Tickets are already on sale.

On February 2nd, at the Menlo Park Council Chambers, DANIEL HANDLER (AKA LEMONY SNICKET) with MAIRA KALMAN, will be talking about WHY WE BROKE UP. Another very exciting event, another fabulous book. And if you haven't already seen it, you should go and see their web page, the Why We Broke Up project.
http://whywebrokeupproject.tumblr.com/
I guarantee you'll spend endless time there.

On February 9th, at the store, we are launching LOVE MAIA'S book, DJ RISING.

And on March 21st,at the store, ALLY CARTER will be talking about her latest Gallagher Girl novel, OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF TIME. We love Ally, and all her books, and simply can't wait.

Write them on your calendar. Buy a John Green ticket for a friend for the holidays or add said ticket to your own holiday wish list. And join us in our excitement and at the events.

House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz - Review

2011-12-07T10:57:00.000-08:00

A mystery too disturbing to tell preys on Watson's mind and once again he sets pencil to paper to describe one last portrait of Sherlock Holmes at work, and then seals it up for a hundred years.

A man appears at 221B Baker Street, en route to the opera, and asks for help. It appears that he is being followed by stranger wearing a flat cap, who may have followed him from America. And the game is again afoot. There is a robbery and a murder but all is not as it seems. One case leads to another, a circuitous route into the underworld of opium dens, dastardly deeds, and a creepy conspiracy. There are chases and prison escapes, robberies, conundrums, and the House of Silk itself.

Horowitz has written a perfect Holmsian adventure. He hits all the right notes - foggy London streets, Hansom cabs, dodgy criminals, corrupt officials, brilliant deductions, Lestrade, Moriarty, and the Baker Street Irregulars. The adventur's a little more modern, a little darker, with a little more social commentary as befits an older Watson writing from a retirement home. The voice seems authentically Watson's, with maybe a hint of pathos, and the mystery superb. This is another success for the multi-talented Mr Horowitz. May it be the first of many.

John Green!

2011-12-05T21:10:00.000-08:00

Yes! John Green is coming to the Bay Area and will be at the Fox Theatre on January 27th to celebrate his new book, The Fault in Our Stars, with his brother, Hank. Be prepared for a night of music, readings, comedy, free posters, fancy programs, and vlogbrother mayhem! This will be unlike any other reading or booksigning. Come and be entertained.

This is a ticketed event and you can pre-order today! It will make a great gift. Just click here. Every person attending must have a ticket. Please note that a preordered book from another retailer does not count toward your ticket price.

To whet your appetite, you can take a peek at the first two chapters. Just click here. We are SO excited!

Prized by Caragh O'Brien - Review

2011-12-04T20:10:00.000-08:00

Birth Marked was one of my favorite reads of last year. The harsh environment of the Enclave stayed with me for a long time as did Gaia, the girl who stood against the authorities. Well, In Prized, she flees into the wasteland with her baby sister but without Leon, looking for the village rumor said her grandmother found. But she runs out of supplies and her sister is near death when she is captured and taken to Sylum, a community run by women with a very strict set of rules. Men, who outnumber the women, have little rights. And here fewer and fewer girls are being born here and no one knows why or what to do about it. They take her sister away and force her to submit if she wants to see her again. Yet whereas she was overlooked in the Enclave because of her scar here she is valued, vied for.

Gaia is such a wonderful heroine, strong, stubborn, with a profound sense of justice. You know she will do the right thing, whatever the consequences. This new society is so different and yet so perplexing to her: How can it be a crime for someone to kiss her if she agreed to it? How can it be OK for only some to have the vote? How can a woman be won as a prize? And, more importantly, if the rules are unfair, why is no one trying to change them?

I liked Prized just as much as Birth Marked, maybe even more. The world building is just as complex, and the storyline just as intense. And O'Brien, like Gaia, never takes the easy path. If this is the year of dystopian novels, this one stands out for me. Try it.

Video of our Launch of Operation Marriage

2011-12-02T12:14:00.000-08:00

Cynthia Chin-Lee wrote the book. Operation Marriage, after hearing how children at her church convinced their two mothers to marry, which was briefly supported in California. The video includes the illustrator and some of the models she used for the book. It was a great event of an important book.

Shades of Gray wins Best Novel for Young People in French literary magazine, Lire

2011-12-01T21:16:00.000-08:00

Did you read Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys? It's on my top 10 of this year (published later this week)and tells the story of Stalin's deportation of Lithuanians to Siberia. Just read in Publishers Weekly that the French literary magazine LIRE has selected it as "Ce qu'ils n'ont pas pu nous prendre"— Best Novel for Young People 2011. It is the first time the prestigious French prize has been awarded to an American in the children's category. Well deserved too.

Anthony Horowitz

2011-12-01T18:27:00.000-08:00

We had the great pleasure of hosting Anthony Horowitz last week for The House of Silk. Yes, he was chosen by the Conan Doyle Estate to write this new Sherlock Holmes novel and it is fabulous.

A little background: Anthony Horowitz's life might have been copied from the pages of the Brothers Grimm. Anthony’s father was "a fixer for the British prime minister, Harold Wilson" and a very secretive man. When threatened with bankruptcy, he withdrew all his money and deposited it in under a false name. When he died, he had told no one so the money was never found. That shaped Anthony's view of things. At boarding school he told stories of revenge to entertain his peers and found solace in the escapism of the James Bond films. And for his 13th birthday his mother gave him a human skull.

Explains a lot, doesn’t it. Anthony has been writing professionally since the age of 20. In addition to the Alex Rider books, the Power of 5 series, The Diamond Brothers series, and the Horowitz horror books, he also writes for TV (Foyle’s War anyone?)
So what did he tell us? That he set himself some rules while writing a Holmes mystery. No lovers, no famous walk-ons (like Jack the Ripper, or Freud, or Queen Victoria), and it was to be narrated by Watson in the same kind goodhearted, admiring tone of the originals. He himself was never going to be seen in a deerstalker hat and pipe. He wanted to write something a little more shocking and dark, a little more modern, with a little tristesse that befits Watson writing from a retirement home. He wanted it to be a little more analytical as befits the times – so there is a discussion of child poverty for example.

The multi-talented Anthony Horowitz seems to excel at everything he touches. He is one of the most charming authors I’ve ever met and it is always a pleasure to hear him discuss his projects. He says he would like to do more Foyle’s War episodes but not in peace time, so maybe a prequel. And he’s unlikely to write more Sherlock Holmes mysteries sadly. Says maybe he’ll turn to another 19th century thriller next but wouldn’t give us a clue. As you can see, I’m such a fan girl!

Finally, here's video of Anthony talking about The House of Silk.

The Future of Us Book Trailer

2011-11-28T23:43:00.000-08:00

I really enjoyed this book - what a great concept. So I thought I'd post the book trailer to whet your appetites:

Have any of you read it yet?

Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes - Review

2011-11-25T18:52:00.000-08:00

Meet Kali, a regular 16 year old …every other day. But Kali lives in a world where preternatural creatures roam. And every second day, she hunts and kills demons and other supernatural creatures. Every second day she is not human, and very hard to kill.

Trouble starts when she notices a tattoo on one of the cheerleaders. Kali knows this means the cheerleader was bitten by a chupacabra, and she’ll be dead in 24 hours. She wants to help, and lures the chupacabra into herself assuming she will easily get rid of it once she is no longer human. But she assumed the chupacabra will work on her like any other human, which it doesn’t. And to make it worse, the chupacabra starts to talk to her. Even has a name…

Reminiscent of Buffy, this is an all-action adventure that I could no put down. The interactions between the characters are as funny, the twists interesting, and the ending unpredictable. Loved it!

Ransom Riggs

2011-11-21T19:52:00.000-08:00

I know, I've talked his book a lot recently. It is certainly one of my favorite reads of the year. But the event was fabulous, Ransom was so very interesting, and if you get a chance to listen to him, GO.

What can I tell you about him? He grew up writing stories and making videos in his backyard with friends. He attended the University of Virginia’s Young Writer’s Workshop, went to Kenyon College to study English, then to film school at the University of Southern California. He makes movies, writes screenplays, blogs for mentalfloss.com, and of course writes books. What else? He says that Tim Burton is interested in making a movie of the book (what a perfect choice), that he collected the photos first, that there will be a sequel (yay!), and that Ransom Riggs is his real name, not the pseudonym I thought it to be. And that the grandfather’s character was based very loosely on his wife’s grandfather .

You can see video of Ransom reading here:

And again, you can read my review here

http://thebookbind.blogspot.com/2011/11/miss-peregrines-home-for-peculiar_15.html

Really unusual, really good, haunting, creepy, and rather poignant. Can't wait for the sequel.

Dark Eden by Patrick Carman - Review

2011-11-19T19:55:00.000-08:00

Here's Julie's review of Dark Eden. Looks great.Have just finished House of Silk (fabulous- didn't see the twist coming) and am now mid way through both Prized by Caragh O'Brien (LOVED Birthmarked and this, so far, is better) and Discovery of Witches, I think Dark Eden will be next!

Seven teens are sent to a remote "camp," an institution equipped to cure them of their profound fears. Fort Eden, however, is no summer camp. It is an isolated bunker, run by a prickly caretaker and the elusive program leader, Rainsford. One teen, Will Besting, knows there is more going on here than traditional treatment. Will must face his own demons and survive if he is to help the others. But can any of them truly overcome their fears?

Dark Eden, as the title implies, is a dark, disturbing book. The reader, along with Will, acquires snippets of information about what is really going on. The story is richly woven and hauntingly intriguing. You will want to know what is going on in that basement, even as you realize that knowing comes at a great cost. As with many horror movies, you will want to yell at Will and tell him, "Don't open that door!" But, of course, he does. And therein lies the thrill. Dark Eden is a must read title for fans of the psychological thriller.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs - Review

2011-11-15T11:29:00.000-08:00

Instead of lullabies, Jacob grew up with his grandfather’s stories of monsters and an orphanage on an island off the Welsh coast that saved him. As he a child, he believed it all. Later he saw it as a way for his grandfather to keep him entertained. But when his grandfather dies Jacob thinks he sees a monster in the woods. His father explains that his grandfather was a Jew in Poland under Nazi rule so the monsters were simply metaphors. But his grandfather’s dying words were to find the bird, in the loop, get to the island, tell them what happened, and there he would be safe. And the psychiatrist his parents insist he sees thinks it would be good for Jacob to go and find the orphanage and put it all to rest. But it turns out a bomb hit the orphanage in 1940 and all that remains is a shell, decaying and scary. So how did his grandfather have a letter from them sent 15 years ago? Is it possible that they survived? Jacob, of course, has to know and thus his path of self-discovery and adventure begins.

I can’t tell you much more without giving too much away. I loved this book – it kept me up having to know what would happen. It’s a haunting, creepy, thoroughly disturbing read that is also poignant and achingly beautiful. It reminded me, in some ways, of the movie Big Fish. And the unforgettable vintage photos work with the text, making this book stand out in a sea of look-alikes. This is one of the best I’ve read this year.

AND (drum roll please)
Ransom Riggs will be at Kepler's TONIGHT at 7.00
Don't miss this opportunity to meet him
I have so many questions...

Hunger Games Trailer

2011-11-14T15:04:00.000-08:00

I have no words. WOW.

100 Most Popular YA Books

2011-11-14T13:47:00.000-08:00

I saw this on Debbie's World of Books. She saw it at The Cozy Reader. I really have no idea who compiled this list, but it's an interesting list, this is the time for lists, and I always think it's fun to see how many I've read from a list.

Tell me what you've read. What I should read that I haven't. What you think shouldn't be there. What is missing. That sort of thing.

Books in BOLD I’ve read. Books I own but haven’t read are in itals.

Alex Finn – Beastly
Alice Sebold – The Lovely Bones
Ally Carter – Gallagher Girls (1, 2, 3, 4)
Ally Condie – Matched
Alyson Noel – The Immortals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
Anastasia Hopcus – Shadow Hills
Angie Sage – Septimus Heap (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
Ann Brashares – The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (1, 2, 3, 4)
Anna Godbersen – Luxe (1, 2, 3, 4)
Anthony Horowitz – Alex Rider (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
Aprilynne Pike – Wings (1, 2, 3)
Becca Fitzpatrick – Hush, Hush (1, 2, 3)
Brandon Mull – Fablehaven (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
Brian Selznick – The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Cassandra Clare – The Mortal Instruments (1, 2, 3, 4)
Carrie Jones – Need (1, 2, 3)
Carrie Ryan – The Forest of Hands and Teeth (1, 2, 3, 4)
Christopher Paolini – Inheritance (1, 2, 3, 4)
Cinda Williams Chima – The Heir Chronicles (1, 2, 3)
Colleen Houck – Tigers Saga (1, 2)
Cornelia Funke – Inkheart (1, 2, 3)
Ellen Hopkins – Impulse
Eoin Colfer – Artemis Fowl (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
Faraaz Kazi – Truly, Madly, Deeply
Frank Beddor – The Looking Glass Wars (1, 2, 3)
Gabrielle Zevin – Elsewhere
Gail Carson Levine – Fairest
Holly Black – Tithe (1, 2, 3)
J.K. Rowling – Harry Potter (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
James Dashner – The Maze Runner (1, 2, 3)
James Patterson – Maximum Ride (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
Jay Asher – Thirteen Reasons Why
Jeanne DuPrau – Books of Ember (1, 2, 3, 4)
Jeff Kinney – Diary of a Wimpy Kid (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
John Boyne – The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
John Green – An Abundance of Katherines
John Green – Looking for Alaska
John Green – Paper Towns
Jonathan Stroud – Bartimaeus (1, 2, 3, 4)
Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl – Caster Chronicles (1, 2, 3)
Kelley Armstrong – Darkest Powers (1, 2, 3)
Kristin Cashore – The Seven Kingdoms (1, 2)
Lauren Kate – Fallen (1, 2, 3)
Lemony Snicket – Series of Unfortunate Events (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
Libba Bray – Gemma Doyle (1, 2, 3)
Lisa McMann – Dream Catcher (1, 2, 3)
Louise Rennison – Confessions of Georgia Nicolson (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
M.T. Anderson – Feed
Maggie Stiefvater – The Wolves of Mercy Falls (1, 2, 3)
Margaret Peterson Haddix – Shadow Children (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
Maria V. Snyder – Study (1, 2, 3)
Markus Zusak – The Book Thief
Markus Zusak – I am the Messenger
Mark Haddon – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
Mary Ting – Crossroads
Maureen Johnson – Little Blue Envelope (1, 2)
Meg Cabot – All-American Girl (1, 2)
Meg Cabot – The Mediator (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
Meg Cabot – The Princess Diaries (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
Meg Rosoff – How I live now
Megan McCafferty – Jessica Darling (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
Megan Whalen Turner – The Queen’s Thief (1, 2, 3, 4)
Melina Marchetta – On the Jellicoe Road
Melissa de la Cruz – Blue Bloods (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
Melissa Marr – Wicked Lovely (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
Michael Grant – Gone (1, 2, 3, 4)
Nancy Farmer – The House of the Scorpion
Neal Shusterman – Unwind
Neil Gaiman – Coraline
Neil Gaiman – Stardust
Neil Gaiman – The Graveyard Book
P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast – House of Night (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 )
Philip Pullman – His Dark Materials (1, 2, 3)
Rachel Caine – The Morganville Vampires (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
Rachel Cohn & David Levithan – Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist
Richelle Mead – Vampire Academy (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
Rick Riordan – Percy Jackson and the Olympians (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
Rom LcO’Feer – Somewhere carnal over 40 winks
S.L. Naeole – Grace (1, 2, 3, 4)
Sabrina Bryan and Julia DeVillers – Princess of Gossip
Sarah Dessen – Along for the Ride
Sarah Dessen – Lock and Key
Sarah Dessen – The Truth about Forever
Sara Shepard – Pretty Little Liars (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
Scott Westerfeld – Leviathan (1, 2, 3)
Scott Westerfeld – Uglies (1, 2, 3, 4)
Shannon Hale – Books of a Thousand Days
Shannon Hale – Princess Academy
Shannon Hale – The Books of Bayern (1, 2, 3, 4)
Sherman Alexie – The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Simone Elkeles – Perfect Chemistry (1, 2, 3)
Stephanie Meyer – The Host
Stephanie Meyer – Twilight Saga (1, 2, 3, 4)
Sue Monk Kidd – The Secret Life of Bees
Susan Beth Pfeffer – Last Survivors (1, 2, 3)
Suzanne Collins – Hunger Games (1, 2, 3)
Suzanne Collins – Underland Chronicles (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
Terry Pratchett – Tiffany Aching (1, 2, 3, 4)
Tonya Hurley – Ghost Girl (1, 2, 3)
Wendelin Van Draanen – Flipped

As you can see, I often start but don't finish series.

My favorites from this list? The Book Thief, Looking for Alaska, The Hunger games trilogy, the last Survivors trilogy. Harry Potter 3 and Alex Rider for younger readers, How I Live Now, Stardust. Yes, I loved many of them.

But where is Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly or Dust of 100 Dogs by AS King or Divergent or Wither or Eyes Like Stars or Ash or Birthmarked or Miss peregrine's House for Peculiar Children? Or Beauty Queens? Or Knife of Never Letting Go.

Thst said, which of the books I haven't read on this list do you think I should drop everything and read NOW?

The House of Silk

2011-11-12T18:24:00.000-08:00

I'll admit it - I am such a fan of Anthony Horowitz's work - from the Alex Rider series to Foyle's War. So it is with great delight that I picked up The House of Silk, his new Sherlock Holmes mystery. And he'll be at Kepler's on Friday November 18th at 7.00. Don't miss this opportunity to come and hear all about this new glimpse into Sherlock Holmes' world.

Want to know more about it? Here's Anthony reading from the preface:

THE GAME'S AFOOT....

It is November 1890 and London is gripped by a merciless winter. Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson are enjoying tea by the fire when an agitated gentleman arrives unannounced at 221b Baker Street. He begs Holmes for help, telling the unnerving story of a scar-faced man with piercing eyes who has stalked him in recent weeks.

Intrigued by the man's tale, Holmes and Watson find themselves swiftly drawn into a series of puzzling and sinister events, stretching from the gas-lit streets of London to the teeming criminal underworld of Boston. As the pair delve deeper into the case, they stumble across a whispered phrase 'the House of Silk': a mysterious entity and foe more deadly than any Holmes has encountered, and a conspiracy that threatens to tear apart the very fabric of society itself...

With devilish plotting and excellent characterisation, this is a first-rate Sherlock Holmes mystery for a modern readership, remaining utterly true to the spirit of the original Conan Doyle books. Sherlock Holmes is back with all the nuance, pace and powers of deduction that make him the world's greatest and most celebrated detective.

Breadcrumbs by Anna Ursu - Review

2011-11-11T14:35:00.001-08:00

PW included it as one of the best of the year (and we agree!) so here's Marilyn's review

Maybe the changes began with a perfect snowfall of brilliant snowflakes. Or perhaps when a magic mirror breaks, hurling shards to earth changing those it touches. Hazel knows her best friend Jack changed suddenly and has followed the white witch into the woods on her wintery sleigh. Hazel must find him and follows him into the woods.

Enchanted tendrils of fairytales subtly wrap around Hazel offering her magical secrets and riches that are hard to resist but Hazel's quest is to find and steal back Jack from the white witch. Enjoy this perfect book of enchantment, adventure, and friendship.

PWs list of best children's books for 2011

2011-11-10T11:45:00.000-08:00

PW announced its list of best children's books for 2011. I've listed only the fiction titles here. I'm in the process of making mine. How many have you read? What did they leave off that you loved? I have read - and loved - Variant, Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland, Breadcrumbs, Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Scorio Races, Between Shades of Grey, Wonderstruck, Divergent, Legend, Beauty Queens, and The Future of Us. And of course I would have added Anna Dressed in Blood. And The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. And Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs, which I am currently reading adn really enjoying.

The Future of Us
Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler (Razorbill)

These collaborators use a surprising and inventive premise—teens in 1996 gaining access to their future Facebook pages by way of an AOL disk—to explore the connections between the present and the future, and the consequences of our actions. Underneath the fantastical conceit and the fun is an authentic story that asks important questions.

Chime
Franny Billingsley (Dial)

Billingsley’s sharp-tongued, self-hating Briony is easily one of the year’s most memorable narrators, as she struggles to come to terms with guilt over family tragedies, while living in a town in which new 20th-century technologies threaten supernatural beings of old. It’s a rich and layered fantasy that grabs readers tight—not unlike the bogs of Briony’s Swampsea.

Small Persons with Wings
Ellen Booraem (Dial)

Call them Parvi Pennati, call them Small Persons with Wings, just don’t call them fairies. Booraem’s middle-grade novel, in which an outcast girl comes into her own, is frequently sad, but those moments are perfectly balanced with humor and hope. The result is a deeply believable and human story—one that also has room for vainglorious fairies, talking mannequins, and other wonders.

Beauty Queens
Libba Bray (Scholastic Press)

Few books are as unabashedly outrageous and fun as Bray’s story of a plane full of teenage beauty queen contestants that crashes on a deserted island. But the riotous “Survivor meets Miss America” premise is a vehicle for some sharp observations about our image-obsessed, media-driven culture. Somebody get this book a tiara!

Missing on Superstition Mountain
Elise Broach, illus. by Antonio Javier Caparo (Holt/Ottaviano)

Bursting with action and (real-life) mystery, Broach’s middle-grade novel updates classic adventure novel and thriller tropes to launch a series with broad appeal. As three brothers investigate mysterious deaths and disappearances in an Arizona mountain range, Broach’s tight storytelling and chilling details will keep readers riveted.

Where She Went
Gayle Forman (Dutton)

Forman pushes beyond the tragic events of her 2010 novel If I Stay to uncover their broader consequences in this knockout of a sequel, told from the perspective of Adam, the former boyfriend of the first book’s protagonist, Mia. Love, heartache, abandonment, and music intertwine as Adam and Mia try to find their way back to each other, three years after their relationship was ripped apart.

Dead End in Norvelt
Jack Gantos (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

Set in 1962 in Norvelt, Pa., Gantos’s freewheeling, semi-but-thankfully-not-entirely-autobiographical novel is the story of a summer almost beyond belief, filled with geyserlike nosebleeds, the demise of one elderly resident after another, the arrival of the Hells Angels, and a real estate scheme that threatens the town’s existence. Suffice it to say, it’s a roller-coaster ride from start to finish.

Inside Out and Back Again
Thanhha Lai (Harper)

Lai’s debut middle-grade novel, written in free-verse poems, draws from her own memories of moving to the U.S. from Vietnam as a child and offers a poignant account of an immigrant’s experience. Ten-year-old Hà’s journey is confidence-shaking and full of hard decisions, yet her strong voice and resilient nature are testament to the human ability to conquer obstacles.

Legend
Marie Lu (Putnam)

Set in a grim, futuristic Los Angeles, Lu’s debut novel sets up an exciting dichotomy between her protagonists, Day and June, who are both brilliant and capable, but on opposite sides of the law. A gritty and thrilling dystopian novel, with expertly handled character development and world-building.

The Apothecary
Maile Meloy, illus. by Ian Schoenherr (Putnam)

Meloy’s first book for young readers is a wonderfully imagined alternate history, set as cold war tensions between the U.S. and Russia are reaching critical mass, and a secretive group of apothecaries conspires to protect the planet from all-out destruction. With magic, history, adventure, romance, and smart writing, it’s truly a story with something for everyone.

A Monster Calls
Patrick Ness, illus. by Jim Kay (Candlewick)

Building on a foundation laid by the late Siobhan Dowd, Ness delivers a singular story that looks death squarely in the eye, unblinking, as Conor, a boy with an ailing mother, is visited nightly by a primeval monster, which tries to prepare him for the road ahead. Blurring fantasy and reality, Kay’s haunting illustrations fade in and out, guiding readers—and Conor—toward the book’s final, inevitable truth.

The Flint Heart
Katherine Paterson and John Paterson, illus. by John Rocco (Candlewick)

The Patersons’ loving adaptation of Eden Philpott’s 1910 novel of the same name is as deliciously whimsical, funny, and, well, original as the original, while streamlining and freshening it for a 21st-century audience. It’s a story of nonstop novelty, with cavemen, a talking water bottle, and imps and fairies aplenty, told in an effervescent narrative voice ideal for fireside family reading.

Divergent
Veronica Roth (HarperCollins/Tegen)

Roth’s first novel lands near the front of the current crop of dark, action-laden dystopian novels. With a volatile futuristic setting, tight storytelling, heart-stopping action, and tentative romance, it’s a thrill-ride that speaks to teenagers’ desire to determine the course of their own lives.

Wonderstruck
Brian Selznick (Scholastic Press)

In a story that’s both cinematic and personal, Selznick builds and improves upon the graphic/prose hybrid narrative style he first used in The Invention of Hugo Cabret with a story about human connections that span miles and decades. The book shines a spotlight on Deaf culture, the theme of silence a brilliant fit with the illustrated sections of the narrative.

Between Shades of Gray
Ruta Sepetys (Philomel)

Sometimes, sadly, reality proves far more devastating than the latest dystopian premise of the moment. That’s certainly the case with Sepetys’s brutal account of Lithuanians deported to Siberian work camps during WWII. Every step of 15-year-old Lina’s journey is brought vividly to life, with no detail spared or punch pulled. The novel stands as a reminder of humanity’s capacity for cruelty, but also resiliency.

The Scorpio Races
Maggie Stiefvater (Scholastic Press)

Stiefvater creates a startlingly original mythology in this captivating novel set on an island that has an uneasy relationship with the vicious horses that rule its beaches and waters. Just as these fairy creatures are no ordinary horses, neither is this an ordinary horse novel; rather, it’s an atmospheric fantasy about a girl working to control not just her mount but her family and her life’s direction.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Laini Taylor (Little, Brown)

Taylor has a gift for creating spellbinding fantasies that feel wholly novel and utterly real. This one is the story of Karou, a 17-year-old art student in Prague, raised by demons and caught in an escalating war with angels. Taylor takes star-crossed romance, wonderfully complex characters, and a fascinating mythology and spins a magical, heartbreaking story.

Breadcrumbs
Anne Ursu, illus. by Erin McGuire (HarperCollins/Walden Pond)

Fairy tales are an evergreen source of inspiration for authors, and Ursu works some serious magic with “The Snow Queen” in this frequently somber but entirely beautiful story of an adopted fifth-grader from India pursuing her lost friend into a mysterious Minnesota forest. Sly references to other fairy tales and classics of children’s literature only sweeten the deal.

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making
Catherynne M. Valente, illus. by Ana Juan (Feiwel and Friends)

Valente’s glittering fantasy playground began as an offhand mention in one of her other novels, turned into a crowd-funded e-book, and finally became a print book with artwork that matches the wonderfully surreal story of a girl’s journey from Omaha into Fairyland. With literary allusions scattered throughout, the book holds delights for readers of any age.

The Chronicles of Harris Burdick: Fourteen Amazing Authors Tell the Tales
Chris Van Allsburg et al. (Houghton Mifflin)

Some might dismiss the idea of creating stories for the enigmatic illustrations in Van Allsburg’s The Mysteries of Harris Burdick as literary heresy. But really, that sort of imaginative extrapolation is the whole point of the earlier book, an exercise formalized in this volume with creepy, funny, and provocative entries from the likes of Sherman Alexie, Kate DiCamillo, Gregory Maguire, and Van Allsburg himself.

Variant
Robison Wells (HarperTeen)

Wells’s first novel is a blisteringly fast-paced thriller, set at a boarding school where students are trapped, divided into factions, and unable to escape. Wells keeps readers—not to mention his characters—on their toes, engineering twist after twist in a story that brings elements of boarding school and survivalist novels into grim, futuristic territory.

Where Things Come Back
John Corey Whaley (S&S/Atheneum)

This smart, darkly funny, and multilayered debut novel juxtaposes the disappearance of a 15-year-old boy with the possible reappearance of a woodpecker thought to be extinct. Whaley weaves numerous story lines and themes together with the confidence of a seasoned writer, resulting in a thought-provoking story about media, faith, and family.

Blink & Caution
Tim Wynne-Jones (Candlewick)

An unlikely premise—two homeless teens stumble into a faked kidnapping with major implications—forms the basis for a thrilling yet compassionate story that skillfully explores themes of social, environmental, and racial justice. Blink and Caution are unforgettable characters, working just as hard to find themselves as they do to unravel the ever-widening mystery.

How to Save a Life
Sara Zarr (Little, Brown)

Life and death, grief and joy are closely linked in this story of a family in flux. Deftly handling such emotionally turbulent subjects as the death of a parent, teen pregnancy, abusive relationships, and adoption, Zarr delivers a moving, funny, and emotionally honest story about three women whose understanding of family, and of themselves, shifts in profound ways.

Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday - Review

2011-11-09T12:18:00.001-08:00

Here's Julie's review of a book that I've been meaning to read for a while. Always like when there are local references.

High school student, Hartley Featherstone, is having a rotten day. Not only does she discover that her super-cute boyfriend is cheating on her, but everyone in the whole school knows the details except her. When her weasel of a boyfriend doesn't answer her texts, she storms his house. He's not home, but Hartley makes a grim discovery. The uber-popular, Color Guard Girl that Josh has been cheating with just fell out of said boyfriend's closet and she's dead; strangled with her iPod ear buds.

Josh convinces Hartley that while he did cheat on her, he's innocent of murder and elicits Hartley's help in finding the real culprit. She teams up with her best friend, Sam, and Mr. Tall-dark-and-handsome, Chase Erikson, to find out who really killed the queen of the Chastity Club and the illustrious leader of the Color Guard Girls.

Deadly Cool is set in the Silicon Valley, making it a particularly fun read for Northern California teens. This is a smart, hip, tightly woven mystery. The author's dry wit and snappy dialogue will grab you immediately; you'll enjoy the ride with Hartley and her friends as they solve their classmate's murder.

Book Blooger Holiday Swap

2011-11-08T11:33:00.000-08:00

The holidays are coming and there's nothing that I love more than giving books as gifts! Which is one of the reasons I've decided to participate in the Book Blogger Holiday Swap this year. Because I really love to share my love of books with people who also love them. And I've always enjoyed secret santas. I look forward to being introduced to new books and new blogs. If you want to take part click here and hurry -sign ups for the swap close on Friday, November 11!

Tamora Pierce

2011-11-08T10:55:00.000-08:00

I have long been a fan of Tamora Pierce's work. All those strong kick-ass heroines. Lots of action. Beautifully written. And so was absolutely delighted to host her at Kepler's for her newest book Mastiff (and have an excuse to turn back to reread the series). And she really is an amazing speaker, as you'd expect. Full os news and enthusiasm. 175 packed the store - they drove from far and wide - some arrived as early as 4 o'clock for a 7 o'clock event!

We had asked a bunch of local students to form an honor guard, to come and meet with Tammy early, ask a few questions, get their books signed, and escort her in. See photo. Very impressive as they walked in. And such fun.

She has an interesting way to start out (I won't give it away but it is, shall we say, unusual)...there were so many questions, we did have to cut them off to make sure everyone could get their books signed. People brought piles of books. All wanted photos. And Tammy had a kind word and time for everyone. Review of Mastiff soon - promise.

The Future of Us By Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler - Review

2011-11-07T11:19:00.000-08:00

It’s 1996, a time when very few people had access to the internet. When AOL were sending out free CD-ROMs so people could try out what it was like to surf the internet. Emma has just got a computer. Josh lives next door and has a disk. They decide to try it out, log in, register, and are asked to log in again. And when they do, they find themselves logged into something called facebook, fifteen years in the future.

Once they realize what they are looking at (and it takes some time to work this out), the question is: do they peek into their future? After all, they can see which colleges they go to, where they choose to live, what jobs they get, whether they get married. And then can they resist checking on their friends futures? But what happens if you didn’t like your future? Would you try to change it? And by changing it, would you change the future for others too? We know that of course the things we do now will change the future but yet we act so casually. And we all know people who reveal far too much on facebook. Full of references, both from the 90s and current, this is a hard book to resist.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

2011-11-06T19:17:00.000-08:00

Oh, I've just seen this video book trailer and it is amazing...I've just started this book because Ransom Riggs will be at Kepler's on 15th of November at 7.00. So excited!

Hunger Games Poster

2011-11-06T18:32:00.001-08:00

Did you see this?
Fabulous!
Just. Can't Wait.

Ashes by Ilsa Bick - Review

2011-11-06T17:48:00.000-08:00

Both Marilyn and Antonia both loved this book and it will most certainly be my next read. Here's Marilyn's review

Ellie has a monster in her head, a growing tumor that is stealing her life. It's hiding but Ellie knows it will be back and she needs to make this trip for her parents before she no longer can. She sets off alone, heading north into Michigan wilderness with food, supplies, and her parents ashes to scatter while she still can move and walk and function.

Her solitude is startled when an elderly grandfather and granddaughter stumble into her campsite and take a break to share coffee with Ellie. Their quiet morning is smashed by shattering jolts of energy throwing them to the ground in explosive pain. Terrified animals stampede past, escaping something unseen and deadly. Ella and the little girl are stunned, bruised and bleeding but the old man doesn't move at all, he's dead.

Ella's one thought is to move fast, to get away from whatever force or thing has struck them. She needs to survive and get north. Ella and her companions move through the new landscape, never sure they can trust any survivors they meet but with winter approaching and food dwindles, she'll have to trust her instinct and skills to survive. Ashes is a high-octane fueled book, perfect for action fans with plenty of plot twists and wicked surprises.

Anna Dressed in Blood - Review

2011-10-31T15:46:00.001-07:00

Cassio Lowood walks where most people fear to tread. He hunts and kills the dead, as his father did before him, using his father's magical athame. He moves from town to town, following the dead, trying to stop them from killing again. He stays for such a short time he makes no friends and puts down no roots. His mother (a witch) and his ghost-sniffing cat are his only points of contact.

Anna should have been no different, but she's more powerful than any ghost he's come across. In fact she's terrifying. She wears the pretty little dress she was killed in, dripping with blood, and has viciously killed anyone who has tried to step inside her house - except Cas. She is a puzzle, takes on two very different personalities; both victim and murderer and Cas doesn't know what to do. Where does she get her power? Why did she spare him? Will he be able to kill her? Does he want to?

I loved this book. I could not put it down. At times downright scary, this is a tale full of haunting images tinged with sadness. Beautifully written, full of witches and curses, and voodoo (oh my!), this is a story to savor - but with the lights on!

Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson - Review

2011-10-26T15:29:00.000-07:00

Here's Antonia's review of The Name of the Star. Heard her book talk this yesterday and decided to push it to the top of my TBR pile and start it as soon as I finish There is No Dog (which is, so far, brilliant)

When Rory Devereaux' parents are relocated from Louisiana to England she is thrilled to attend boarding school in White Chapel, despite the uniform! What she doesn't expect, when she moves to the hunting grounds of Jack the Ripper is that mysterious murders will occur while she is there. Very mysterious murders: caught on CCTV with the victims in plain sight being butchered, but no perpetrator.

Settling into a new school in the midst of the most terrifying murder spree London has seen since Victorian times is not what she anticipated, but when she talks to a strange man, a man only she can see, and then hooks up with the Ghost Police, things get a whole lot weirder. And a whole lot more dangerous.

Creepy, suspenseful, and at times, downright terrifying, this book is a fabulous read for teen and adult ripperologists and mystery lovers.

Au Revoir Crazy European Chick - Review

2011-10-23T21:30:00.000-07:00

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick
By Joe Schrieber

If you are looking for different, look no further than Au Revoir Crazy European Chick. It is a book like no other. Think La Femme Nikita meets Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist.

Start with a boy, Perry, who is working on his college applications, and is also in a band. His mom wants him to take Gobi, the geeky foreign exchange student living in his house, to the prom on the same night as his band has their first real paid gig. He thinks his life can't get any worse than this. Cue the maniacal background laughter.

Oh, the evening gets so much worse. It turns out Gobi is really an assassin, and she strong-arms Perry to be her chauffeur and aide - in his father's jaguar, in their prom clothes. Yes, this is a night in Manhattan Perry will remember for a long, long time - if he survives the night that is.

This book was so much fun. It's brimming with action sequences, mobsters, car chases, bear fights, blood, family drama, and a standoff with an overpowering parent. And the chapter openers - college application questions - are a stroke of genius.

Breaking Dawn - a video

2011-10-14T15:15:00.000-07:00

"I heard that you settled down. That you found a vampire… and you're married now."

It's 35 days apparently until Breaking Dawn comes to the cinema. And I watched this video, laughed so hard I fell off my seat, and of course had to repost.

What do you think?

James Dashner and The Death Cure Trailer

2011-10-13T10:51:00.001-07:00

James Dashner, one of my favorite authors, will be at kepler's this Friday October 14th at 7.00 to talk about The Death Cure, the book that finalizes the Maze Runner story. And it is SO good (yes, I've read it, yes, it's good, and yes, review coming soon). You shouldn't miss it. Nor him.

And to whet your appetite, here's the fabulous book trailer

Good that.

See you Friday.

Becca Fitzpatrick and Michelle Hodkin Oct 9th at 3.00

2011-10-08T22:12:00.000-07:00

So excited. I LOVE these authors. Loved the Hush Hush series. Can't wait to read Silence and see how it all ends. And I LOVED Mara Dyer.
So remember -
October 9th, Sunday (TOMORROW!)3.00 pm
Becca Fitzpatrick, Silence
and Michelle Hodkin, the Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

Becca Fitzpatrick is returning to Kepler's with Silence, the final installment of the Hush, Hush trilogy. She is joined by Michelle Hodkin with her debut novel, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer.

Silence: The noise between Patch and Nora is gone. They've overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past...bridged two irreconcilable worlds...faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty, and trust...and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for — and their love — forever.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer: Mara Dyer doesn't believe life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there. It can.
She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her strangely unharmed. There is.
She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love. She's wrong.

Bitterblue

2011-10-06T13:18:00.000-07:00

From Publishers Weekly:

The cover to Kristin Cashore’s eagerly awaited third novel is royal blue – fitting since the title character has blue in her name and is the king’s daughter. But, oooh. What’s with those keys: one gold, one silver, one bronze?

“I was thrilled when I saw the keys and that they look a little like weapons,” Cashore told PW in a phone interview. “It’s absolutely the best icon for this book, although I better not say more about that. I love all the covers but this one is my favorite.”

Bitterblue, a companion to Graceling and Fire will be published on May 1, 2012. Can't wait!

For more, click here for the full article

Fox To Adap The Magicians

2011-10-06T10:39:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm a bit obsessed with these books at the moment (they really are good)so wanted to share this article that I just read in deadline.com.

Just announced: Fox has preemptively bought The Magicians, a drama series adaptation of Lev Grossman’s popular fantasy novel, with a script commitment plus penalty. It will be written by X-Men: First Class and Thor co-writers Ashley Miller & Zack Stentz and produced by Michael London (Milk), Shawn Levy and Michael Adelstein. Based on Grossman’s book, which is described as Harry Potter for grown-ups, the one-hour drama follows a group of 20-somethings in New York who study magic and have access to a magical world. London had optioned the novel, which was published in 2009, while 21 Laps/Adelstein had a deal with Miller and Stentz, who have extensive TV background having worked on such series as Fringe and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.

Will be interesting to see what they do with this. It's a very visual book. But Fox?

Heather Brewer, in the store, tomorrow, Oct 5th

2011-10-04T12:17:00.000-07:00

Calling all of Heather's minions!

Tomorrow, Oct 5, 7.00 Heather Brewer will be at Kepler's to talk about the new book in her new series The Slayer Chronicles: First Kill

Here's video to whet your appetite

If you are in the Bay Area, don't miss this!

Chaos Walking at Lionsgate

2011-10-04T10:44:00.000-07:00

Just heard that Lionsgate has obtained worldwide rights to develop, produce, and distribute films based on the "Chaos Walking" trilogy by Patrick Ness. Yay.

"Although these stories are set in a critical time in the future, they speak volumes about what is happening all over the world today, and about the power of young people to challenge the status quo and change the course of our future," said Alli Shearmur, Lionsgate's President of Motion Picture Production and Development, who will be overseeing the production for the studio. "We feel privileged to be bringing these powerful and exquisite books to cinematic life."

Critics have hailed the trilogy as "one of the outstanding literary achievements of the present century," (The Irish Times). It's VERY good. And The Wall Street Journal says "With its dark tone, violence, and readerly fanaticism, the book belongs firmly beside Suzanne Collins's work." And yes, Lionsgate is the studio behind THE HUNGER GAMES movie. Joe Drake, Lionsgate's COO and Motion Picture Group President Joe Drake said, "These are books, much like 'The Hunger Games,' that we feel truly beg to be brought to life on screen."

Can't wait!

This week at Kepler's

2011-10-03T11:33:00.000-07:00

We have an amazing group of authors coming to Kepler's this week:

Tuesday - Wendy Mass. With her new book 13 Gifts. (And yes, there will be cake!)

Wednesday - Heather Brewer - for The Slayer Chronicles: First Kill

Thursday : Doreen Cronin - for MOM (Mom Operating Manual)

Friday - Neal Stephenson - for Readme

Join us if you are in the Bay Area.

The Scorpia races by maggie Stiefvater - review

2011-10-03T11:30:00.000-07:00

The Scorpio races bring crowds of people to Thisby every year to see if the riders can stay on their water horses and finish the race. It is a dangerous and wild race and some don't survive. Sean Kendrick has won the race for the last four years and plans to win again - especially as this year there is much more at stake. Puck Connelly hasn't raced before but decides to enter as a last ditch effort to keep her older brother on the island. But will the other riders let a girl ride in this traditionally all male race? Will she ride a water horse or her own horse Dove? She has no idea if it's worth the risk but she knows what she can lose.

This is a very different book for Maggie Stiefvater. Told in alternating voices, she builds quite a full mythology for these water horses, to the point where you almost believe - OK, want to believe - they are real. The island, the cliffs, the horses, the call of the ocean, seep into your pores as you read, and left me all nerves as they race for their futures. It is bloody and dramatic, yet achingly beautiful. Another winner for the wonderful Maggie Stiefvater.

Darth paper, Origami Yoda, and Tom Angelberger Tonight at 7.00

2011-09-30T12:54:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are or know anyone who is a Star Wars fan, an origami fan, or a Wimpy Kid reader, come and meet Tom Angleberger tonight at 7.00. He will be talking about his new book, Darth paper Strikes Back, which is hilarious.

In this funny, uncannily wise portrait of the dynamics of a sixth-grade class and of the greatness that sometimes comes in unlikely packages, Dwight, a loser, talks to his classmates via an origami finger puppet of Yoda. If that werent strange enough, the puppet is uncannily wise and prescient. Origami Yoda predicts the date of a pop quiz, guesses who stole the classroom Shakespeare bust, and saves a classmate from popularity-crushing embarrassment with some well-timed advice. Dwights classmate Tommy wonders how Yoda can be so smart when Dwight himself is so clueless. With contributions from his puzzled classmates, he assembles the case file that forms this novel.

Here's video of how to make the origami puppets:

The Magicians by Lev Grossman - review

2011-09-28T20:25:00.000-07:00

Here's Megan's review of The Magicians. I'll post my review of The Magician King very soon. But it was this review that made read Lev Grossman in the first place.

A young man walking with his friends performs a coin trick inside his pocket where nobody can see it. And there it is: a brilliant, perfect introduction to Quentin Coldwater, who is a genius, unhappy, and about to discover that magic is absolutely real, just hidden where most people can’t see it.

The bones of the story might be familiar: a boy discovers that he has a talent for magic and goes off to boarding school to learn it. He makes friends and discovers a magical world straight from his beloved books. The details though (and the book is crammed with details, strange and extravagant, disturbing and scary ones) make this book fresh and thoroughly grown up. As this intelligent story races past enchanted buttons and evil beasts, alcohol drenched parties and caustic affairs, it ends up describing how difficult it is to grow up, and how it’s sometimes wonderful and sometimes painful to long for the extraordinary to appear.

Lev Grossman

2011-09-26T23:17:00.000-07:00

Lev Grossman, author of the wonderful books, The Magicians and The Magician King came to Kepler's in August and can be seen here reading from The Magician King. Oh, I so enjoyed this book. Review soon.

TONIGHT! Cinda Williams Chima

2011-09-22T14:33:00.001-07:00

Just wanted to remind you that Cinda Williams Chima will be at the Menlo Park Library tonight at 7.00 to talk about her newest book in the seven realms series, The Grey Wolf Throne.

Background: Cinda grew up with talking animals and kick-butt Barbies. She began writing poetry and stories in third grade, and novels in junior high school.
Chima’s books have received starred reviews in Kirkus and VOYA, among others. They have been named Booksense and Indie Next picks, an International Reading Association Young Adult Choice, a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age, to the Kirkus Best YA list, and the VOYA Editors’ Choice, Best Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror, and Perfect Tens lists. Her books also appear on numerous state awards lists. Both series are New York Times bestsellers.
Chima was a recipient of the 2008 Lit Award for Fiction from the Cleveland Lit and was named a Cleveland Magazine Interesting Person 2009.

And the books are very very good. Join me!

Hunger Games Movie Is Finished Filming!

2011-09-15T11:58:00.000-07:00

And...it's a wrap! The Hunger Games has officially finished filming.

There are 189 days until it hits theaters, but who's counting?

Can't wait.

http://lionsgatepublicity.com/

100 Books List

2011-09-13T20:10:00.000-07:00

So I've been seeing this list of 100 YA books in various places. First at YA Bibliophile and then on Bookalicious and of course I felt the need to do this too.

Bold I read it, Italics I own it but haven’t read it.

1. Alex Finn – Beastly
2. Alice Sebold – The Lovely Bones
3. Ally Carter – Callagher Girls (1, 2, 3, 4)
4. Ally Condie – Matched
5. Alyson Noel – The Immortals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
6. Anastasia Hopcus – Shadow Hills
7. Angie Sage – Septimus Heap (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
8. Ann Brashares – The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (1, 2, 3, 4)
9. Anna Godbersen – Luxe (1, 2, 3, 4)
10. Anthony Horowitz – Alex Rider (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
11. Aprilynne Pike – Wings (1, 2, 3)
12. Becca Fitzpatrick – Hush, Hush (1, 2)
13. Brandon Mull – Fablehaven (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
14. Brian Selznick – The Invention of Hugo Cabret
15. Cassandra Clare – The Mortal Instruments (1, 2, 3, 4)
16. Carrie Jones – Need (1, 2, 3)
17. Carrie Ryan – The Forest of Hands and Teeth (1, 2, 3)
18. Christopher Paolini - Inheritance (1, 2, 3, 4)
19. Cinda Williams Chima – The Heir Chronicles (1, 2, 3)
20. Colleen Houck – Tigers Saga (1, 2)
21. Cornelia Funke – Inkheart (1, 2, 3)
22. Ellen Hopkins – Impulse
23. Eoin Colfer – Artemis Fowl (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
24. Faraaz Kazi – Truly, Madly, Deeply
25. Frank Beddor – The Looking Glass Wars (1, 2, 3)
26. Gabrielle Zevin – Elsewhere
27. Gail Carson Levine – Fairest
28. Holly Black – Tithe (1, 2, 3)
29. J.K. Rowling – Harry Potter (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
30. James Dashner – The Maze Runner (1, 2)
31. James Patterson – Maximum Ride (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
32. Jay Asher – Thirteen Reasons Why
33. Jeanne DuPrau – Books of Ember (1, 2, 3, 4)
34. Jeff Kinney – Diary of a Wimpy Kid (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
35. John Boyne – The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
36. John Green – An Abundance of Katherines
37. John Green – Looking for Alaska
38. John Green – Paper Towns
39. Jonathan Stroud – Bartimaeus (1, 2, 3, 4)
40. Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl – Caster Chronicles (1, 2)
41. Kelley Armstrong – Darkest Powers (1, 2, 3)
42. Kristin Cashore – The Seven Kingdoms (1, 2)
43. Lauren Kate – Fallen (1, 2, 3)
44. Lemony Snicket - Series of Unfortunate Events (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
45. Libba Bray – Gemma Doyle (1, 2, 3)
46. Lisa McMann – Dream Catcher (1, 2, 3)
47. Louise Rennison – Confessions of Georgia Nicolson (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
48. M.T. Anderson – Feed
49. Maggie Stiefvater – The Wolves of Mercy Falls (1, 2, 3)
50. Margaret Peterson Haddix – Shadow Children (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
51. Maria V. Snyder – Study (1, 2, 3)
52. Markus Zusak - The Book Thief
53. Markus Zusak – I am the Messenger
54. Mark Haddon – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
55. Mary Ting – Crossroads
56. Maureen Johnson – Little Blue Envelope (1, 2)
57. Meg Cabot – All-American Girl (1, 2)
58. Meg Cabot – The Mediator (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
59. Meg Cabot – The Princess Diaries (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
60. Meg Rosoff – How I live now
61. Megan McCafferty – Jessica Darling (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
62. Megan Whalen Turner – The Queen’s Thief (1, 2, 3, 4)
63. Melina Marchetta – On the Jellicoe Road
64. Melissa de la Cruz – Blue Bloods (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
65. Melissa Marr – Wicked Lovely (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
66. Michael Grant – Gone (1, 2, 3, 4)
67. Nancy Farmer – The House of the Scorpion
68. Neal Shusterman – Unwind
69. Neil Gaiman – Coraline
70. Neil Gaiman – Stardust
71. Neil Gaiman – The Graveyard Book
72. P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast – House of Night (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 )
73. Philip Pullman – His Dark Materials (1, 2, 3)
74. Rachel Caine – The Morganville Vampires (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
75. Rachel Cohn & David Levithan – Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist
76. Richelle Mead – Vampire Academy (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
77. Rick Riordan – Percy Jackson and the Olympians (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
78. Rom LcO’Feer – Somewhere carnal over 40 winks
79. S.L. Naeole – Grace (1, 2, 3, 4)
80. Sabrina Bryan & Julia DeVillers – Princess of Gossip
81. Sarah Dessen – Along for the Ride
82. Sarah Dessen – Lock and Key
83. Sarah Dessen – The Truth about Forever
84. Sara Shepard – Pretty Little Liars (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
85. Scott Westerfeld - Leviathan (1, 2)
86. Scott Westerfeld - Uglies (1, 2, 3)
87. Shannon Hale – Books of a Thousand Days
88. Shannon Hale – Princess Academy
89. Shannon Hale – The Books of Bayern (1, 2, 3, 4)
90. Sherman Alexie & Ellen Forney – The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
91. Simone Elkeles – Perfect Chemistry (1, 2, 3)
92. Stephanie Meyer – The Host
93. Stephanie Meyer – Twilight Saga (1, 2, 3, 4)
94. Sue Monk Kidd – The Secret Life of Bees
95. Susan Beth Pfeffer – Last Survivors (1, 2, 3)
96. Suzanne Collins – Hunger Games (1, 2, 3)
97. Suzanne Collins – Underland Chronicles (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
98. Terry Pratchett – Tiffany Aching (1, 2, 3, 4)
99. Tonya Hurley – Ghost Girl (1, 2, 3)
100. Wendelin Van Draanen – Flipped

Makes me realize how many series I haven't yet finished!
Did you make your own list?
Which one should I read next?

The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore - Review

2011-09-12T10:54:00.000-07:00

Here's Marilyn's great review of The Power of Six. I read it straight after reading this. In a day. Of course I did.

Once Marina's name was simply, Seven.

For 11 years, Marina's lived a school girl's life in a remote Spanish convent; the perfect hiding place. Seeing breaking news about American John Smith; fugitive and possible terrorist, is exciting and terrifying for Marina for she knows he's number four and Mogadorians are closing in on the remaining Garde. Marina's growing alarm is brushed off by her Cepan who seems perfectly settled into devout convent life.

Now nighttime brings vivid, dreadful, death-dreams, urging her to flee. Marina feels utterly alone, though she has a caring, earnest friend named Ella who wants nothing more than to help her. Marina and Ella make a desperate escape, barely evading deadly Mogadorians as they destroy the convent into rubble and death.

Meanwhile John, Sam and Six are now official fugitives trying to stay alive. Their only hope is to get into the Mogadorian mountain stronghold. As the remaining Garde locate each other and strengthen their legacies so do the numbers and strength of Mogadorians. Both sides are playing to the death, building to a terrifying battle that threatens the world. The Power of Six, is even more action packed and exciting than I Am Number Four – you must read it!

Blood Wounds by Susan Beth Pfeffer

2011-09-09T14:51:00.000-07:00

Tolstoy said that all happy families are alike, but Jack, Willa's stepdad, disagrees. He thinks all happy families come in their own shapes and varieties, the same as unhappy ones. Willa lives with her mom, stepdad, and two stepsisters. Her mom is back in school, one sister is a tennis player, the other plays lacrosse and competes in equestrian competitions, and Willa sings in the school choir. They are busy. But everything changes when they learn that her biological dad, who she hasn't seen in years, murdered his new wife and children and is on his way to her and her mother.

This book is about what happens after such a tragedy. How people react around Willa, what she does, and what she finds out. She journeys back to her childhood, and finds out so much about herself, her mother, and what family really means. This is a leap from Life As We Knew It, certainly, but it is vivid, expertly written, and emotionally intense. I read this in one sitting, wanting to know how it would resolve. You will too.

Available Sept 13

Young Adult Gets A Teaser One-Sheet!

2011-09-06T21:01:00.000-07:00

Did you see this?

The Jason Reitman directed, Charlize Theron starring, dramedy called Young Adult has just dropped its first official one-sheet. (For more information, click here)

Here's the synopsis: Theron plays an alcoholic writer of young-adult novels who decides to return to the small town that she left behind years ago to aggressively pursue her ex-boyfriend from high school (Patrick Wilson) — only, now he is happily married and the father of a young child, which certainly complicates matters, and leads her to another high school classmate (Patton Oswalt), and no shortage of trouble.

What do you think?

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson - Review

2011-09-02T14:01:00.000-07:00

Here's Hilary's review of The Girl of Fire and Thorns. Looks so good. Think this will be my weekend read

Sixteen years old and destined to be married for the sake of the kingdom. Elisa, devout and a princess (but not the pretty one), is however, the bearer of the Godstone. Thus begins the epic journey of a young girl into womanhood and the fulfillment of her destiny. But what must she do to get there? As she gradually learns about the powers bestowed upon her by being the "chosen one," Elisa doubts she will know what to do to prove her worth. Many others have tried and failed. However, through many twists of fate and love, she discovers her power and the meaning of the Godstone. Her journey takes her into the heart of a revolution-one that she must lead to victory or to her death.

At times nail-biting and heart-wrenching, this book barrels towards an ending which presumes another beginning. I can not wait to read the second book in this new trilogy. The real journey has just begun.

Little Women as you've never seen it before!

2011-08-26T21:35:00.000-07:00

Here's Meg Cabot's version of Little Women - hilarious!

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - review

2011-08-26T17:37:00.000-07:00

It starts with a birthday, an Ouija board, and a risky night spent in an abandoned asylum. Then Mara wakes up from a coma, her friends are dead, and she has no memory of anything that happened that night. She has flashbacks, hallucinations, nightmares and ultimately her family moves to Miami, Florida to help her move on. But she’s falling apart.

The question is: how do you move on when you see your dead best friend when you look in the mirror? Or relive parts of that night every night? What is wrong with Mara? Is she going mad? She has no explanation, no one to turn to, and disaster seems to follow her. On top of everything, her father is defending a man accused of murdering a young girl.

This is a thrilling, keep you on the edge of your seat kind of book, more horror story than anything else. It twists and it turns and although you can guess at much of it, it still takes you by surprise The heroine is troubled, yes, but feisty and capable. This is by turns edgy, scary, and curl your toes romantic. There is a secret, well many secrets. And there is Noah Shaw, a wonderful counterpoint to Mara. And oh, the ending. I can’t tell you more but you need to read this.

Best of all, she's coming to Kepler's on sunday October 9th (with the ever-wonderful Becca Fitzpatrick) so all readers in the Bay Area can come and meet her.

Legend by Marie Lu - Review

2011-08-18T10:31:00.000-07:00

If he hadn’t tried to break into a hospital, and hadn’t shot a young soldier in the shoulder, Day would never have met June. But when the young soldier is found dead his sister, June, is determined to track down his killer. June is from an elite family, scored perfectly in her trial, and now is a star in the military academy. All evidence seems to lead to Day, a notorious criminal who failed his trial, ran away, and has disrupted the Republic whenever possible. But when the plague reaches Day’s family he risks everything to help.

Told alternately by Day and June, this new series is full of political intrigue and unnecessary cruelty, intense chases, daring escapes, and even a little romance. It seems to have everything from street fighting, mysterious illnesses, repressive government action, heartbreak, and of course – a secret. But who will believe the word of the Republic’s most notorious criminal? This is for adrenaline junkies everywhere. Loved it!

Waiting on Wednesday

2011-08-17T12:38:00.000-07:00

Well, this is something I haven't done in a while. A long while. But I was reading through blogs and writing my spring proposals and saw much talk about Rachel Hawkins third book in the Hex Hall series. And that inspired me to write a WoW.

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme started and hosted by Breaking the Spine and lets us talk about the books we are waiting for, in fact can't wait to get our hands on. And that book, for me, is

Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins

because I loved Hex Hall and Demonglass and Rachel Hawkins herself

Here's the back cover copy:

Hailed as “impossible to put down,” the Hex Hall series has both critics and teens cheering. With a winning combination of romance, action, magic and humor, this third volume will leave readers enchanted.

Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.

Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?

Due to be published March 13th, oh the wait will be hard.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone video trailer

2011-08-15T21:31:00.001-07:00

Just posted my review, so you know that I LOVE this book. One of the best I've read this year. Here's the trailer. Can't wait for it to come out.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Laini Taylor - Review

2011-08-15T21:07:00.000-07:00

Karou is a blue-haired art student in Prague who fills notebook after notebook with drawings of fantastical creatures and disappears from time to time on mysterious “errands”. What no one knows is that she can pass through hidden doorways to an office where these fantastical creatures not only exist but brought her up. And her errands revolve around collecting teeth. She is a girl with secrets.

But one day handprints appear etched in these doorways around the world and soon they are on fire. The doors burn down and Karou no longer has a way through. .All this after sneaking through a door she should not have touched, and meeting a seraph in Marrakesh who tries at first to kill her and then asks, “who are you?”. Her world will never be the same, she needs to find a way back, and then the seraph reappears in Prague. So many questions: Why is he following her? What does he want? Who is he? Why is he familiar? And , more importantly, who is she? The angel seems to have answers, but will she regret finding them out?

Once in a while you read a book that stands out, that is different, and that you can’t stop thinking about. You want to shower it in superlatives - and here are mine. I loved this book. I could not put it down. I loved Prague, the mythology with the teeth, Akiva himself, Brimstone, the romance, the mystery, her friend Zuzana – everything. It is dark and edgy, powerful and imaginative, unsettling and different. Full of mystery and oh, such a sizzling romance. It is vivid, beautiful, and written with such craft. It should not be missed. Please, Ms Taylor, can you write the sequel REALLY fast?

Upcoming Events

2011-08-12T12:02:00.000-07:00

Here's the list of all our upcoming events, from story times to teen events. So excited! Hope to see you there.

Pajama Storytime with Judy Schachner
Skippyjon Jones: Class Action
Friday, September 9, 6:00 p.m.

September 19 2011, 6.00 pm
Jacqueline Preiss Weitzman, Superhero Joe
and Robin Preiss Glasser, Fancy Nancy

Cinda Williams Chima, The Gray Wolf Throne: A Seven Realms Novel
Thursday September 22 2011, 7.00 pm
Location: Menlo Park Library

Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, The Bridge to Never Land
September 26, 7.00 pm

September 28th, 7.00
Scott Westerfeld, Goliath

Friday, September 30
Tom Angleberger, Darth Paper Strikes Back

October 5 2011 7.00pm
Heather Brewer, The Slayer Chronicles: First Kill

Mom and Me Event: Doreen Cronin
Thursday, October 6, 6:00 p.m.
M.O.M. (MOM OPERATING MANUAL)

Saturday October 10, 3.00 pm
Peter Brown, You Will Be My Friend

Becca Fitzpatrick, Silence
and Michelle Hodkin, the Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
Sunday, October 9, 3:00 p.m.

James Dashner, The Death Cure
Friday, October 14, 7:00 p.m.

Tues October 25, 7.00 pm
Emily Jenkins and Paul Zelinsky, Toys Come Home

Brian Selznick, Wonderstruck
Thursday, October 27, 7:00 p.m.
Menlo Park Council Chambers, 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park

October 30
Marla Frazee Storytime
Marla Frazee, Stars

November 17th, 6.00
Oliver Jeffers Pyjama StoryTime
Stuck

Shatter Me by Tahareh Mafi - Review

2011-08-10T11:33:00.000-07:00

Not out until November, here's Julie's review of Shatter Me, which looks so so good. And yes, after reading this review it's moved right to the top of my TBR pile

Juliette has been locked in solitary confinement for 264 days. What’s left of her dystopian world is a cruel reality beyond her reach, observed through a square of unbreakable glass. She isn’t sure if she is crazy…or if she truly is a monster capable of killing someone simply by touching them. Enter Adam. He seems so familiar to Juliette, but she’s just not sure what’s real anymore and what her mind has created to fill the endless void of her hopeless existence.

Shatter Me is a hauntingly intense and compelling page-turner. The reader is drawn into Juliette’s barren and desperate world and will long for her release, even though the “real world” is a less than optimal alternative fraught with people who wish to use her. As the relationship between Adam and Juliette intensifies, so does her understanding of herself, her inherent human value, and her real power. The power to change the world, show compassion, and make a difference to the future of all humanity.

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead - review

2011-08-08T21:12:00.000-07:00

If you are a fan of the Vampire Academy series, you will have been anxiously awaiting this spin off series that takes place a little after the events of Last Sacrifice. Sydney Sage is now center stage, but mistrusted by the alchemists after helping Rose. We learn that Jill Dragomir has been attacked and is being sent to a human boarding school in Palm Springs to keep her hidden, and Sydney is sent along with Adrian and Eddie to keep her safe. And ah, Adrian, still the same, by far the most interesting character in the series, and still as funny. He's bitter about his breakup with Rose, but protective of Jill and trying to move on.

Sydney is an interesting choice of character - bright, always eager to please, especially those in authority, and oh so socially awkward. We come to see how hard it is for her not to respond, and how much self-control she really has. And she's slowly getting over her revulsion to anything that hints of magic and vampires in general. Keeping Jill safe is harder than she thinks, especially with Jill's growing relationships with Michah and Lee, Clarence's insistence that there is a band of vampire hunters, and there's also those mysterious tattoos so many students are getting. Yes - Bloodlines is just as addictive as the Vampire Academy series.

The Death Catchers by Jennifer Ann Kogler - Review

2011-08-06T23:18:00.000-07:00

Sorry, I've been away in Tahoe so haven't posted for a while. Have just finished Legend by Marie Lu (fabulous) and have just started The Death Cure by James Dashner (so excited - he's coming back to Keplers in the Fall BTW - Friday October 14th. Write it in your calendars.)

Here's Julie's review of The Death Catchers by Jennifer Ann Kogler. Doesn't it sound fantastic?

Lizzy Mortimer is just an average teen, living in a small, coastal California town until the day she discovers that she is destined for greatness. She learns from her grandmother that they are descended from the Seven Sisters of Avalon and their lives are intertwined with the legend of King Arthur. Lizzy and her off beat grandmother are direct descendants of Morgan le Faye; they are "Hands of Fate," who are tasked with saving others from untimely deaths. Can Lizzy save the lives of those she cares about before the sands of time run out?

"The Death Catchers" is a wonderfully refreshing and unique book, told in the form of a letter to Lizzy's English teacher. This book will appeal to both readers familiar with Arthurian legend, and those who are new to the timeless tale. With enough paranormal activity to keep the reader on the edge of her seat, this story explores how one family's "gift" can empower a young woman and allow her to see the fearless heroine she really is, as she learns to embrace her family's legacy.

John Green's new book

2011-07-28T15:51:00.000-07:00

Just read this - John Green has announced that he would sign all preordered copies of his forthcoming novel, The Fault in Our Stars. All of them! To make sure that every copy gets signed, apparently he's going to sign the entire first print run — all 150,000 copies!

Dutton has announced that it has moved up the book’s pub date from May 2012 to January 10. John Green announced the book title and his plan to sign the pre-orders in an online video and will document the signing process too.

Time to preorder a copy NOW

Men of the Hunger Games

2011-07-27T15:40:00.001-07:00

Of course I had to post this.

Apparently Entertainment Weekly sat down with Josh Hutcherson, the 18-year-old actor whom director Gary Ross cast as Peeta, in Asheville, N.C., where The Hunger Games shoot was mid-way through filming. His hair was dyed blonde; his newly pumped-up biceps could believably belong to that of a baker’s son. And he wants to assure you that Lawrence (Katniss) will not tower over him on screen. “Jennifer’s not two feet taller than me!” he says with his easy laugh. “If anything, maybe she’s a half inch taller.” And Ross assures us that 21-year-old Liam Hemsworth, who plays Gale, "is a phenomenally subtle actor.”

What do you think?

Scored by Lauren McLaughlin - Review

2011-07-22T23:09:00.000-07:00

We don’t seem able to escape talking about testing these days. How much is too much? Does it help or hinder? Now imagine what life would be like if we bought into an experiment that scored kids all the time. Not just your grades, but how you act. Ubiquitous cameras would watch how you walk, how you react, who you hang out with, have lunch with, flirt with. Everything. And all this would be scored. Then think about what it would mean if that score was your destiny – whether you could go to college, who you should befriend, what job you could have. So if you are 90 or above you get a college scholarship and the chance of any job you want. But if your grades slip, watch out. And if your friends’ scores slip, dump them fast or your score will slip too. But of course this only matters if you need a scholarship to go to college.

Imani LeMonde is a 92 when we meet her. She’s smart and determined and has never questioned the score and the system – it works for her. But her best friend begins to date an unscored and thus her score plummets. And because Imani doesn’t distance herself soon enough, her score plummets too. She tries to work out a way to bring her score back up and in doing so, is forced to look at the score a lot more closely. Who really benefits from this system? Does it really bring about an upward mobility for the poor? Has it really leveled the playing field? Is it really OK to place your score and your future above all else – friendship, family, love?

This book hit home for me. Scary because it’s just not too far from reality. You should read it too. Then look in the mirror.

JK Rowling's 800 Word Harry Potter Prequel Now Online

2011-07-18T14:13:00.000-07:00

The 800 word Harry Potter Prequel that JK Rowling wrote for the Waterstone’s “What’s Your Story?” Charity benefit is now online. It's handwritten online but here's a typed version that is easier to read!

*****************************************************

The speeding motorcycle took the sharp corner so fast in the darkness that both policemen in the pursuing car shouted,”Whoa!” Sergeant Fisher slammed his large foot on the brake, thinking that the boy who was riding pillion was sure to be flung under his wheels; however, the motorbike made the turn without seating either of its riders, and with a wink of its red tail lights, vanished up the narrow side street.

“We’ve got ‘em now!” cried PC Anderson excitedly. “That’s a dead end!”

Leaning hard on the steering wheel and crashing his gears, Fisher scraped half the paint off the flank of the car as he forced it up the alleyway in pursuit.There in the headlights sat their quarry, stationary at last after a quarter of an hour’s chase. The two riders were trapped between a towering brick wall and the police car, which was now crawling towards them like some growling luminous-eyes predator.

There was so little space between the car doors and the walls of the alley that Fisher and Anderson had difficulty extricating themselves from the vehicle. It injured their dignity to have to inch, crab-like,towards the miscreants. Fisher dragged his generous belly along the wall,tearing buttons off his shirt as he went, and finally snapping off the wing mirror with his backside.

“Get off the bike!” he bellowed at the smirking youths, who sat basking in the flashing blue light as though enjoying it.

They did as they were told, finally pulling free from the broken wing mirror, Fisher glared at them. They seemed to be in their late teens. The one who had been driving had long black hair, his insolent good looks reminded Fisher unpleasantly of his daughter’s guitar-playing, layabout boyfriend. The second boy also had black hair, though his was short and stuck up in all directions; he wore glasses and a broad grin. Both were dressed in t-shirts emblazoned with a large golden bird; the emblem, no doubt, of some deafening, tuneless rock band.

“No helmet!” Fisher yelled, pointing from one uncovered head to the other. “Exceeding the speed limit by-by a considerable amount!” (In fact, the speed registered had been greater than Fisher was prepared to accept that any motorcycle could travel.) “Failure to stop for the police!”

“We’d have loved to stop for a chat,” said the boy in glasses,”only we were trying-”

“Don’t get smart-you two are in a heap of trouble!” snarled Anderson. “Names!”

“Names?” repeated the long-haired driver.”Er-Well, let’s see. There’s Wilberforce…Bathsheba…Elvendork…”

“And what’s nice about that one is, you can use it for a boy OR a girl,” said the boy in glasses.

“Oh, our names, did you mean?” asked the first, as Anderson spluttered with rage.”You should’ve said! This here is James Potter, and I’m Sirius Black!”

“Things’ll be seriously black for you in a minute, you cheek little-”

But neither James nor Sirius was paying attention. They were suddenly as alert as gundogs, staying past Fisher and Anderson, over the roof of the police car, at the dark mouth of the alley. Then, with identical, fluid movements, they reached into their back pockets.

For the space of a heartbeat both policemen imagined guns gleaming at them, but a second later they saw that the motorcyclists had drawn nothing more than-

“Drumsticks?” jeered Anderson. “Right pair of jokers, aren’t you? Right, we’re arresting you on a charge of–”

But Anderson never got to name the charge. James and Sirius had shouted something incomprehensible, and the beams from the headlights had moved.

The policemen wheeled around, then staggered backwards. Three men were flying-actually flying- up the alley on broomsticks-and at the same moment,the police car was rearing up on its back wheels.

Fisher’s knee bucked; as he sat down hard; Anderson tripped over Fisher’s legs and fell on top of him, as flump-bang-crunch- they heard the men on brooms slam into the suspended car and fall, apparently insensible, to the ground, while broken bits of broomstick clattered down around them.

The motorbike had roared into life again. His mouth hanging open, Fisher mustered the strength to look back at the two teenagers.

“Thanks very much!” called Sirius over the throb of the engine.”We owe you one!”

“Yeah, nice meeting you!” said James. “And don’t forget: Elvendork! It’s unisex!”

There was an earth-shaking crash, and Fisher and Anderson threw their arms around each other in fright; their car had just fallen back to the ground. Now it was the motorcycle’s turn to rear. Before the policemen’s disbelieving eyes, it took off into thin air: James and Sirius zoomed away into the night sky, their tail light twinkling behind them like a vanishing ruby.

From the prequel I am not working on-but that was fun! J.K. Rowling.2008

Harry Poter Cakes

2011-07-18T13:58:00.000-07:00

It's Harry Potter week. Did you see Harry Potter 7 part 2 yet? Did you cry? I sobbed, especially in the forest as he walks in alone. "Does it hurt?" he asks and I swear there was not a dry eye anywhere. And yes, it made me want to come straight home and reread all the books once last time to say goodbye.

Did you see the cake wrecks Harry Potter cakes? Awesome. Click here to see them all. I especially liked the one on the left. And the sorting hat! Thoughts for future parties dance in front of my eyes...

Hereafter by Tara Hudson - Review

2011-07-12T12:32:00.000-07:00

Another of Amanda's picks. Another book I'm just pining to get to. Read her review below

Hereafter by Tara Hudson

Amelia awakes as she always does from the nightmare; opening her mouth to breathe in the dark, icy river water that caused her to die the first time. Now as a ghost, it is only the memory of her death that's painful, her body numb to the river's terror. Now that terror is someone else's as she watches helplessly as it tries to claim the life of a boy, Joshua, unconscious in the water. When her scream startles him awake and he is able to struggle to shore, she realizes that things are changed forever. He actually saw her! He is hers -- their connection forged in that place between life and death. Together Amelia and Joshua start to unravel the mystery of her past and discover that dark secrets lay hidden in the bridge and the dark waters below.

A true paranormal romance, this story is eerily lovely. Amelia and Joshua have an unearthly and electric chemistry, making you yearn for a happily hereafter. . .

More Deathly Hallows

2011-07-09T14:13:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 premiered in London yesterday and The Hollywood Reporter unveiled eight new video clips from the movie (click here), which will be released in the U.S. next week.

Here's one of the video clips:

BBC News reported that J.K. Rowling thanked the actors for "the amazing things they did for my favorite characters" and said to her fans: "Thank you for queuing up for the books for all those years, for camping out in a wet Trafalgar Square."

Can't wait!

Deathly Hallows Countdown

2011-07-08T18:21:00.000-07:00

Are you eagerly awaiting the last Potter movie? As they keep saying, "It all ends" for the Harry Potter series. So how do you think Deathly Hallows will measure up to the other films? A grand and suitable finale? Oh I hope so. It's too soon to know, but the few early reviews on Rotten Tomatoes look good. "This is an exciting and, to put it mildly, massively eventful finale that will grip and greatly please anyone who has been at all a fan of the series up to now," wrote Todd McCarthy of the Hollywood Reporter. "If ever there was a sure thing commercially, this stout farewell is it."

And Philip Womack of London's Telegraph says, "This is monumental cinema, awash with gorgeous tones, and carrying an ultimate message that will resonate with every viewer, young or old: there is darkness in all of us, but we can overcome it."

However, in his mostly positive review, Variety's Justin Chang wrote that "more than a few viewers may be left wondering: Why the rush? The series' shortest entry at 131 minutes, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II surges ahead with tremendous urgency, superb spectacle and powerful, even overwhelming emotion, only to falter with a hasty sendoff that seems to buckle under the weight of audience expectations."

I admit, I love the series. Both the books and the movies. I read them to both my kids. I've watched the actors grow up on screen. And I was so glad that they cut Books 4 and 5 because they so needed it. I love the pantheon of actors who parade through the films. Some of the cameos are perfect. Which was your favorite film? book? character? Do the movies make you want to go back to the books as they do for me? And, oh, I so hope they don't include the epilogue in this movie -- please, please, please.

Thoughts?

Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer - Review

2011-07-05T11:00:00.000-07:00

Amanda's just finished Wolfsbane - and yes, it will be stores at the end of the month after such a long wait! Here's what she thought (can't wait to get to it myself!)

Calla has grown up with one destiny. As the young alpha wolf of the Nightshade pack, she was promised to Ren, young alpha of the Bane pack. Together, they would protect the Keepers from the Searchers. That was who she was: a Guardian. But Shay changed everything, and now Calla's future is uncertain and her history in question. When she finally wakes from the nightmare of that terrible night, she finds herself alone and at the mercy of her captors. Are they who they claim to be? What of her pack, of Shay, or Ren? With the war between the Keepers and Searchers escalating, Calla must choose which side to believe, and redefine what alpha means without a pack. She must also answer the question hammering at her heart - Shay or Ren? The second in the Nightshade novels, Wolfsbane continues the saga of Calla's world, keeping the reader captive with the suspense and romance of this wolf pack. It is time for Jacob to step aside.

In My Mailbox

2011-07-02T22:31:00.000-07:00

Ah, a wonderfully slow summer week, a long weekend, and LOTS OF BOOKS! Finished Daughter of Smoke and Bone (best book I've read for so long) and Bloodlines (thank you Nancy)

Thanks as ever to Story Siren for hosting the meme. And to the many people who gave me these books.

1. Wildwood by Colin Meloy
A forbidden wilderness. An epic journey. A new classic.
By the guitarist from the Decemberists.

2, Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver
Her first middle grade novel. And oh, I loved Delirium.

3. Prized by Caragh O'Brien
sequel to Birthmarked, which I really enjoyed.

4. The Magnolia League by Katie Crouch

5. Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan
A violent battle separates two young lovers on a ship bound for new earth

6. Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
third in the series. Can't wait. Adore this series.

Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan

2011-06-27T16:58:00.000-07:00

It seems I am very bad at posting about our events on time.

The wonderful new events space at Kepler’s was crowded on June 17th, awaiting the arrival of Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan, the voices behind the hilarious Go Fug Yourself.com, a blog devoted to satirizing fashion gossip.

Jessica Morgan and Heather Cocks met when they were working as recappers for the website Television without Pity. They initially created gofugyourself.com to amuse themselves and their friends, but it quickly became popular and well known. It’s clever and very funny, like their debut YA novel, Spoiled, which they were at Kepler’s to discuss. And if you haven't seen it yet, try it because it is hilarious. And Spoiled is perfect summer reading for anyone who loves to dish the dirt on the rich and famous.

Jessica and Heather said they loved reading YA, and so it seemed a logical extension of their blog to write about fashion and life in Hollywood. Apparently there were references in the book that they had to take out. They were joking about Kevin Costner in Robin Hood, for example, and their editors explained that teens would not have seen this. So they told the audience to rent – no, stream – it because it was so funny.

When asked what YA they liked to read they said: Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins , Stephanie Perkins' book Anna and the French Kiss, Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan, Megan McCafferty's Bumped, Maureen Johnson's The Last Little Blue Envelope and Jaclyn Moriarty’s The Year of Secret Assignments and The Murder of Bindy Mackenzie. (Not to self: must read Jaclyn Moriarty. Many people have recommended her books and I've still not tried one.)

They were so much fun, talking about their blog, celebrity fashion in general, how they wrote together, how they were already working on a companion novel to Spoiled, and gave out nail polish to everyone who came to have a book signed. Nice nail polish. Great colors. On my toes now! Their audience loved them, posed for photos, asked tons of questions. And we sold out of their book. Another success for the fabulous Fug girls. Hope they come back with their companion novel.

You can see them talk about Spoiled here

My Summer Reading List

2011-06-24T13:48:00.000-07:00

I posted some author reading lists but didn't remember to post mine. So here are ten sitting at the top of my TBR pile, in no particular order

1. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
It's what I'm reading now and so far it is amazing. One of the best I've read all year.

2. Au revoir Crzy European Chick by Joe Schreiber
Because of the title. Because it sounds different. Because it sounds so me.

3. Forever by Maggie Steifvater
Because I love everything she writes. And I've just finished the wonderful Scorpio Races. And I want to see how the series will end.

4. The Slayer Chronicles by Heather Brewer.
Because I love the Vladimir Tod series and want to see how this new series will read.

5. Hourglass by Myra McEntire
Because everyone tells me how good it is.

6. Jessica Rules the Dark Side - Beth Fantaskey
Because I loved Jessica's Guide to Dating on the dark Side

7. Everybody Sees the Ants by AS King
Because Dust of 100 Dogs is incredible. And so is Vera Dietz. And Pen loved it.

8. Supernaturally by Kiersten White
Because Paranormalcy was so fun

9. Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick
Because it looks fantastic. And I'm a fan of dystopian novels if done well.

10. Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
I can't wait - the Vampire Academy was addicting

What's on your summer reading list?

2011-06-24T13:42:00.001-07:00

School library journal asked several authors what was on their summer reading lists. Here's a few answers

AS King

I have a growing pile of books ready for the summer. First, I'm going to read Shooting the Moon by Frances O'Roark Dowell with my daughter because she's curious about the Vietnam War since our trip to the [memorial] wall this spring. She's also looking forward to Lisa McMann's The Unwanteds. For my youngest: every Mo Willems book ever written. We're loving his "Elephant and Piggy" books right now.

For me, the annual brain-sorbet reread of Kurt Vonnegut's Breakfast of Champions; or, Goodbye Blue Monday! and God Bless You Mr. Rosewater is in the cards as well as Matt de la Peña's I Will Save You and Charlie Price's Edgar Award winner, The Interrogation of Gabriel James. And if I get an extra minute, I want to reread Jitterbug Perfume, my favorite Tom Robbins, because I always found it to be the perfect summer read.

Tom Anglberger

The book I'm dying to read this summer is The White City, the third book of "The Clockwork Dark" series by my friend John Claude Bemis. Bemis has created a fantastical history of America, where the folk hero John Henry was a real-live person...but died. Now, a handful of sideshow performers must defeat the vast and terrible evil that killed Henry and has grown impossibly powerful. After finishing the first two books, I couldn't wait to start Book 3. But it doesn't come out until late August! That'll give those of you who haven't started the "Clockwork Dark" series a chance to read The Nine Pound Hammer and The Wolf Tree.

Rick Riordan

A couple of adult books I'm looking forward to this summer: In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson and Sailing to Sarantium by Guy Gavriel Kay. As for children's books, my family and I are excited about Michael Scott's The Warlock and Neal Shusterman's Everfound.

Veronica Roth

1. If I Stay by Gayle Forman—sometimes I'm in the mood for the complete opposite of what I write. In this case, thoughtful (and highly recommended) contemporary, instead of action-packed dystopian!

2. East by Edith Pattou—recommended to me by my editor, because I needed an example of multiple-but distinct-voices in one book. So you could say that East is part of me furthering my writer education.

3. Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver—my first foray into middle grade. I am a big fan of Lauren Oliver's work, so I would have read it anyway, but it also balances magic with grief, playful with dark, and I find that particularly compelling.

4. Home by Marilynne Robinson—my first writer crush, and this book is a kind of exploration of the story of the prodigal son, so I'm curious to see how Robinson's excellent writing breathes life into that storyline.

And finally,

5. "Harry Potter," Books 1 through 7, by J.K. Rowling. Over the years most of my Harry Potter books have gotten lost, so I recently ordered the paperback box set and I'm excited to experience the series again in its entirety—with less anxiety about how it ends! This time, I intend to pay particular attention to how intricately the details of these books are woven together to lead to the last installment. There is definite genius there.

MaryRose Wood

Then I'll switch to gothic young adult mode to write the conclusion to the "Poison Diaries" trilogy. For that I've stockpiled creepy classics like The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole, The Monk by Matthew G. Lewis, and of course, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.

Pottermore

2011-06-23T17:45:00.000-07:00

Oooooh, just out from Scholastic, news from JK Rowling.
An online reading experience of the Potter Universe (Potterverse?).
It will be open to everyone from October but if you want to be one of the first people to take a look at the site and help shape it "follow the owl"

Here's the video:

Spoiled by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan - Review

2011-06-21T20:04:00.001-07:00

"You say spoiled like it's a bad thing"

16-year-old Molly Dix grew up with her Mom in suburban Indiana. But on her death bed, her Mom confesses to a secret: her biological father is Brick Berlin. THE Brick Berlin, world famous movie star and director. And, of course, her Mom wants her to get to know her father. So, like any good soap opera heroine, off she heads to LA, leaving behind her friends, grandparents, and boyfriend. Yes, she's terrified - and, truth be told, rather excited - about meeting Brick and her step-sister, Brooke.

And thus Molly finds herself in the middle of celebrity life in LA, dealing with new-found fame, the paparazzi, clothes shopping, and Brooke herself. It's hilarious, fun to spot celebrity cameos, and full of fashion, Hollywood glamor, and innuendo. No question, this is The perfect beach read for anyone who loves to dish the dirt on the rich and famous.

And if you haven't checked out their blog, www.gofugyourself.com, it is one of the funniest sites I've read. I LOVE it.

Lauren Kate

2011-06-17T23:22:00.000-07:00

Lauren Kate came to Kepler’s on Tuesday to launch the third in her Fallen series, Passion. Local fans had voted to bring her to the Bay Area and many had driven a long way to see her. One father and daughter had driven two and a half hours to get there (only admitting this when asking for a photo). We had an eager audience of about 50, many arrived early, and all came with questions.

A little background: Lauren grew up in Dallas, went to school in Atlanta, and started writing in New York. Her experience of the “Old South” in the Atlanta area inspired her to set Fallen in a Civil War era academy. Her themes are rooted in theology although Lauren certainly plays around with the idea of what an angel is supposed to be. Much of Torment is set on the mendicino coast and she says it’s close to her heart because she got engaged there. And Passion gives us backstory about our two main characters. She told her audience that Cam is based a little on her husband (and that he reads drafts of her work and says things like, “I wouldn’t do that”) and that she’s seen her next book cover and it is wonderful.

She really was charming and gracious, answering every question, posed for photos with almost everyone in line, and signed all our back stock. AND she gave out nail polish to her readers! Squee! Doesn't get better than this.

Tonight - Lauren Kate

2011-06-14T16:04:00.000-07:00

If you are in the Bay Area, remember that that the incredible Lauren Kate will be at the store at 7.00 to launch her new book, PASSION!

And if that wasn't enough (and oh, it is!) we have freebies to give away.

See you tonight!

Teaser Tuesday

2011-06-14T15:53:00.000-07:00

Haven't done this for ages but I'm reading Spoiled by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan and it is just so much fun. Perfect for these warm sunny days. This meme originated with MizB of Should Be Reading and anyone can play along. Just do the following:

-Grab your current read.
-Open to a random page.
-Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.
-BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others.)
-Share the title & author, too, so that other participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers

Here it is:

People stopped talking and stared, brows furrowed, like they were at the zoo and Molly was an exotic animal they'd never heard of before. Behold, Los Angelenos, the world's only Skittish Hoosier in captivity. it was like a really bad sequel to Saturday night. (arc p127)

OK, I may just have to give you another snippet. Forgive me.

"Heaven. Heaven."
"Seriously, this one is, like, a religious experience."
"I totally just saw God. I'm not even kidding."
Molly wished she could see what the three willowy stylists buzzing around her were talking about, but their light-speed tugging and pulling and tweaking - not to mention their enthusiastic spiritual visions, and the accompanying wild skyward gestures - made it impossible to get a glimpse of herself in the mirror. (arc p 70)

It's that entertaining. And if you'd like to meet them, come to Kepler's on Friday at 7.00 where you can chat about the book, fashion, celebrities, and get a free bottle of nail polish while there! Doesn't get better than that!

In My Mailbox

2011-06-12T19:54:00.000-07:00

Oh this week went so fast. End of the school year for most. Graduations for many. This week I've read The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (SO good) and am half way through Warlock by Michael Scott (I love this series!) And thanks, as ever to Story Siren for hosting the meme.

Next week we're hosting the launch of Lauren Kate's Passion tour (can't wait!) on Tuesday and Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan for their debut novel, Spoiled (these ladies are the voices behind gofugyourself.com, which is hilarious)

As for my books this week:

Daughters of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylot
I've heard a lot about this and it looks fabulous.
Here's the catchline: Once upon a time an angel and a devil fell in love. It did not end well.

Shut Out by Kody Keplinger
Writer of The Duff, this looks like No Talking (Andrew Clement) for teens! Lissa decides to end the rivalry between the football and soccer teams by organizing a hook up strike 9I kid you not).

The Rivals by Daisy Whitney
Sequel to The Mockingbirds. They have a new case - students are using drugs to cheat. I really enjoyed The Mockingbirds so I'm hoping this will be just as good.

So - that was my week. How was yours?

City of Bones casting

2011-06-08T20:07:00.000-07:00

Had to post this. Did you see that they've cast Jace (finally) in the movie version of City of Bones.

Jace will be played by Jamie Bower Campbell.

What do you think? Is this who you wanted for the part? He played Caius in New Moon, BTW, and was in Sweeney Todd.

Personally I'm just glad it's not Alex Pettyfer!

Monstrumologist by Rick Yancy - Review

2011-06-08T19:47:00.001-07:00

Here's Marilyn's review of an older title that she LOVES. Book 3 in the series coming this fall

If you delight in the world of horror and monsters, this is the book for you, The setting is late 19th century New England: the atmosphere is dreary and gloomy, the local townsfolk are suspicious and edgy.

Will Henry is an orphan and apprentice to a doctor with a bizarre specialty, hunting monsters. Hideous, terrifying, nightmare-causing monsters These headless monstrosities with razor sharp claws and teeth hunt down, savage and destroy any breathing creature with a pulse in a hunt-able range. And they seem to be on the loose...Will Henry and Dr. Warthrop must try to find and destroy them and their subterranean nests before more citizens are eaten.

As you read this haunting ghoulish tale, just remember it happened long, long ago so you should be safe enough when you lock your doors, play loud music, and hide in your closet...maybe you'll survive the tale...

In My Mailbox

2011-06-06T13:31:00.000-07:00

Yes - another week has flown by, and again I'm a little late with this post. We hosted Emma Donoghue with her incredible book, Room, and the fabulous Melissa Marr, one of my favorite writers, with her debut adult title, Graveminder.

I finished Zombies vs Unicorns, no idea why it took so long to read, am mid way through The Eleventh Plague, and am reading The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater!

Now to the books of this week:

The Scorpio Races by maggie Stiefvater.
This is the one I wanted. So excited. Killer horses!

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
Yes! Richell's new book, brought back from BEA for me by my wonderful and generous friend nancy. Can't say enough thank yous.Set in the same world as VA, about Sydney and the alchemists.

Ashes by Ilsa Bick
Another dystopia, this one with an army of "changed", this one called to me.

Very very lucky this week! No events this week so I can concentrate on reading. What did you get?

Wicked Lovely News

2011-06-03T15:10:00.000-07:00

OK, so while I'm on a Melissa Marr kick, there is more news.

Do you believe in faeries? Mary Harron certainly does. The director of "American Psycho" and "The Notorious Bettie Page" will soon try her hand at young adult fantasy as she prepares to direct the adaptation of Melissa Marr's novel, "Wicked Lovely," according to Deadline.

I think Melissa's novels will make wonderful movies if done right. They haven't talked about casting yet. Who do you want to see in the movie?

Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong unveil a secret project

2011-06-03T14:37:00.000-07:00

Publishers Weekly just announced that Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong will join forces to write a middle grade trilogy called The Blackwell Pages for Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Both Armstrong and Marr have a strong young adult following and this will be the authors' first foray into middle grade fiction.The Blackwell Pages will tell the story of two 12-year-old boys and one girl, all distant descendants of the Norse gods, who must journey to prevent the impending apocalypse. The first book, Loki's Wolves, is slated for publication in Spring of 2013. Must remember to ask about this tonight (remind me!)