Book Trailer: The Summer I Turned Pretty

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The Sixty-Eight Rooms

The Sixty-Eight Rooms by Marianne Malone

Summary (from book jacket)
Almost everybody who has grown up in Chicago knows about the Thorne Rooms.  Housed deep within the Art Institute of Chicago, they are a collection of sixty-eight exquisite-almost eerily realistic-miniature rooms.  Each of the rooms is designed in the style of a different time and place, and every detail is perfect, from the knobs on the doors to the candles in the candlesticks.  Some might even say the rooms are magical.

Imagine...what if, one a field trip, you discovered a key that allowed you to shrink so that you were small enough to sneak inside and explore the rooms' secrets?  What if you discovered that others had done so before you?  And that someone had left something important behind?

Personal Thoughts
As an avid fan of miniatures and shrinking people in stories, I was looking forward to this book.  I always believed that dollhouses (with their roomfulls of miniature furniture) housed secrets us larger people where never destined to know.  I enjoyed this book.  It wasn't packed full of action or even a lot of mystery, but it was an enjoyable read.  I do have to say that it was a little predictable and left several questions unanswered.  However, despite this, I would recommend this book to anyone who ever wished they could eat off of those pefect, tiny china plates with their dolls.

Beyond Belief

Beyond Belief by Josh Hamilton

Summary
This is Josh Hamilton's autobiography that talks about his baseball career from a young player shagging balls for his older brother's team to a major-leaguer.  He talks frankly about his drug and alcohol addiction and how hard it was to overcome (and stay on the wagon).

Personal Thoughts
I'm not the biggest baseball fan in the universe so I was unsure of this book.  Another teacher had actually requested it and when he returned it (three days later!!) he said that I should read it.  Well, alrighty then.  So I did.  While I wish I could say that it gave me more tolerance for people who make bad choices, I can't.  However, I can say that I understand how an addict can become an addict and the difficulty in turning your life around.  There isn't a lot of strong language or sex in this book, but it should probably only be read by high schoolers.  It's a very frank discussion of drugs and alcohol and what it can do to your life.

13 Little Blue Envelopes

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

Summary (from book jacket)
Inside little blue envelope 1 are $1,000 and instructions to buy a plane ticket.  In envelope 2 are directions to a specific London flat.  The note in envelope 3 tells Ginny: Find a starving artist.

Because of envelope 4, Ginny and her artist, a playwright/thief/bloke-about-town called Keith, go to Scotland together, with somewhat disastrous-though utterly romantic-results.  Ginny isn't sure she'll see Keith again, and definitely doesn't know what to think about him.  Could the answer be in the envelopes?

Ginny doesn't know it, but adventures in Rome and Paris are in envelopes 6 and 8.  The rules are that she has to open one at a time, in order, so perhaps it isn't surprising that she discovers things about her life and love one by one.  Everything about Ginny will change this summer, and it's all because of the 13 little blue envelopes.

Personal Thoughts
I liked this book a lot.  Part of the reason is because I've been to most of the places Ginny traveled to!  It was exciting to think about her standing in front of the Trevi Fountain and knowing that I've been there.  She also traveled to several places I haven't been to but now want to visit...like Denmark.  Ginny's adventure was very personal to me.  I went through some very similar personal transformations when I was traveling, too.  I found out who I was, came out of my shell, and began to see the larger picture or the world and my role within it.  I always suggest a semester abroad for college students and hope they grab life with the same amount of zeal that Ginny has shown.  I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys travel, adventures, and finding out who you really are.

Captivate

Captivate by Carrie Jones

Summary
This book is the sequel to Need...So, in order not to write any spoilers, here's a very vague summary.  Zara and her friends are back to battle more pixies.  The king's desires grow but Zara will still not turn pixie.  As more and more pixies migrate to the area, she, Nick, Issie, and Devyn must continue to be creative in thwarting their ever-growing needs.

Personal Thoughts
I liked this book a lot.  However, it felt as though it was a massive set-up for the third novel.  I like series books that could, if necessary, stand on their own.  This book couldn't.  There were some interesting parts and Zara has to make some really tough decisions that I certainly don't envy.  (My biggest decisions revolve around when to do laundry and which book to read next!)  I'm anxious to see what the third book holds for Zara and her buddies.

Need

Need by Carrie Jones

Summary (adapted from book jacket)
Zara White suspects there's a freaky guy semi-stalking her.  Turns out, he's not a figment of her imagination.  In fact, he is following her and leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust.  There's something not right - not human - in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs point to Zara.

Personal Thoughts
While I liked this novel, it had a definite Twilight-esque feel to it.  Girl moves from warm, sunny place to cold, dreary place.  Finds a couple of good friends and cute guys.  The guys are both into her...yadda, yadda, yadda.  However, at this point, it turns a little different in the fact that she's chasing down pixies as opposed to making out with vampires.  While it wasn't overly dramatic or spine-tingling, I found that it was a good read that I didn't want to abandon.  I'm eager to read the sequel Captivate to see what lies next for Zara.

The Lost Hero

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan
Summary
This book is a spin-off of the Percy Jackson series.  His name is mentioned, but he is no longer the main character.  The main character, Jason, has just been found and given a quest to save the world.  The only problem is he has absolutely no memory of anything before he woke up on a bus at a camp for "bad kids."

Personal Thoughts
I liked this book just like I liked the Percy Jackson series.  (That was a lot of "likes" in one sentence!)  This one required more thinking, though.  The gods are now being presented in both their Greek and Roman forms...sometimes it's a little overwhelming to keep track of.  All-in-all, I found this to be an enjoyable read.

Maximum Ride: Fang

Fang by James Patterson

Summary
Max and her flock are still fighting Dr. Chu in this novel, but this time Fang's life might be in real danger.

Personal Thoughts
Ahhhh, this was a lot more action-packed than the last couple of novels.  It reminded me of the style of the first couple of books.  Action and adventure abound and there's a new guy!  I'm eagerly awaiting the release of Angel in February.

Phantom Tollbooth

Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

Summary (from book jacket)
For Milo, everything's a bore.  When a tollbooth mysteriously appears in his room, he drives through only because he's got nothing better to do.  But on the other side, things seem different.  Milo visits the island of Conclusions (you get there by jumping), learns about time from a ticking watchdog named Tock, and even embarks on a quest to rescue Rhyme and Reason!  Somewhere along the way, Milo realizes something astonishing.  Life is far from dull.  In fact, it's exciting beyond his wildest dreams!

Personal Thoughts
I just couldn't get into it.  A friend of mine recommended it to me a couple of years ago and it sounded like fun so I thought I'd try it out.  Perhaps you'd have better luck with it?  If you like it, leave a comment and tell me why!  Maybe you'll persuade me to pick it up and try it again.

Maximum Ride: The Final Warning & Max

 
Maximum Ride: The Final Warning by James Patterson
Maximum Ride: Max

Summary
Max and her flock are at it again...trying to save the world.  This time they're in Antarctica.  (No more summary info or I'll end up giving it away!)  In Max, the flock is back in the states and helping make people aware of the problems they faced in The Final Warning.  But this time, there's a new bad guy on the scene and is ready to take out the flock.

Personal Thoughts
Of the series so far, The Final Warning has been my least favorite.  It's a little preachy and doesn't move as fast as the other novels.  It's still good, but it just doesn't live up to the action that the 3rd novel had. 

However, Max seemed to pick up the action a bit as the flock is hunted again, but this time by a different person.  I'm interested to see how this bunch of people are associated with the Itex people from the previous novels.  Max doesn't fill us in on that, but perhaps the next novel, Fang, does.  Needless to say, it's in my purse and ready to be read!

Prophecy of the Sisters

Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

Summary (from book jacket)
Twin sisters, Lia and Alice Milthorpe have just become orphans.  They have also become enemies.  As they discover their roles in a prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other, the girls find themselves entangled in a mystery that involves a tattoo-like mark, their parent's deaths, a boy, a book, and a lifetime of secrets.  Lia and Alice don't know whom they can trust.  They just know they can't trust each other.

Personal Thoughts
This book sounded so great on the shelf!  I was looking forward to reading it.  The beginning had a good pace and really snagged me.  However, after about 100 pages, the book just started to drag.  Not only that, the language is a little flowery and sometimes hard to wade through and I felt some of the description was not needed.  I was also very disappointed in the ending.  The book basically just stops in preparation for the sequel...there's no conclusion to the events that took place in this book.  Prophecy of the Sisters is only for the most dedicated of readers and not for the faint of heart.

Gorgeous

Gorgeous by Rachel Vail

Summary (from HIP)
Ninth-grader Allison has always been the least attractive among her sisters, but when she allows the devil to possess her cell phone in exchange for a gorgeous appearance, Allison must confront the power and deceptiveness of appearances.

Personal Thoughts
I needed a break from the Max series, so I decided to finish reading this.  (Yes, I have multiple books started at any one time.)  Okay, so the next "Max" book was checked out, but still...it was a nice break.  I'm normally not into chick-lit, however a student recommended this book so I thought I'd check it out.  I must say, I actually enjoyed it and wanted to know what happened to Allison in the end.  It was a nice story with a good conclusion that didn't feel contrived.  I would recommend this book for sure.

Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports

Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports by James Patterson
Summary
Max and her flock are still trying to save the world.  Who can they trust?  Who will help them?  The end is near...or is it?

Personal Thoughts
Holy cow!  Another excellent installation.  I can't keep talking about it or I'll be a spoiler!  And, I'm not a spoiler.  All I can say is that I LOVE IT!

Maximum Ride: School's Out Forever

Maximum Ride: School's Out Forever by James Patterson

Summary (from Booklist)
Max and her flock are back in this new volume in the Maximum Ride series, a follow-up to The Angel Experiment (2004). In a flying fight with Erasers, Fang is injured so seriously that the flock takes him to a hospital. It's obvious he's not a normal human (having wings and avian DNA), so it isn't long before the FBI shows up. Anne Walker, the lead agent, takes the flock home to her Virginia farm, where she tries to mother the kids and enrolls them in a nearby private school. Living a somewhat normal life for the first time, Max, 14, manages a date and a first kiss, and others in the flock begin the quest to find their birth parents. Then everything falls apart.

Personal Thoughts
I can't stop!  I'm already half-way through the next one.  This series is wonderfully paced, action-packed, and doesn't give a lot away.  There were some twists that I saw coming, but in the end even those twists were twisted! Love it!

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment  by James Patterson

Summary
Max, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, the Gasman, and Angel are six kids who are 98% human and 2% bird.  But otherwise, they're pretty normal.  Raised in a lab like rats in a cage, they're now free thanks to their father-figure Jeb who sprung them from "The School."  Now they are being pursued by Erasers - wicked, wolf like creatures who work for the School.  The flock's missions are to rescue Angel from the School, track down their missing parents, get revenge on a traitor, oh, and save the world.

Personal Thoughts
I picked this book up because it was popular with the kids and I like to know what they're reading.  I was not looking forward to reading it, however.  I delayed and delayed.  I picked it up on Sunday morning and COULDN'T STOP READING!  Wow!  I've read a lot of other James Patterson [adult] books and this outshone them in terms of action and intrigue.  Plus, all of the characters seemed richly developed.  Now I'm invested.  I have to know what happens in the next book. 

*Highly recommended

Pop

Pop by Gordon Korman

Summary (from publisher)
When Marcus moves to a new town in the dead of summer, he doesn't know a soul. While practicing football for impending tryouts, he strikes up an unlikely friendship with an older man. Charlie is a charismatic prankster—and the best football player Marcus has ever seen. He can't believe his good luck when he finds out that Charlie is actually Charlie Popovich, or "the King of Pop," as he had been nicknamed during his career as an NFL linebacker. But that's not all. There is a secret about Charlie that his family is desperate to hide.

When Marcus begins school, he meets the starting quarterback on the team: Troy Popovich. Right from the beginning, Marcus and Troy disagree—about football, about Troy's ex-girlfriend, Alyssa, but most of all about what's good for Charlie. Marcus is betting that he knows what's best for the King of Pop. And he is willing to risk everything to help his friend.

Personal Thoughts
I had to abandon this book.  I just couldn't get into it right now.  I will, however, try again when I'm not so bogged down with other things.  If you have read it and would like to add your personal thoughts, please comment.

The Seance

The Séance by Iain Lawrence

Summary (from HIP)
Thirteen-year-old Scooter King's mother is a medium; his hero is Houdini. When the great escape artist appears at the Orpheum, it is Scooter who finds a dead man in Houdini's Burmese Torture Tank. Certain that the killer meant to get rid of his idol, Scooter is determined to identify the culprit. Then, two more killings occur.  Now Scooter need's Houdini's help to solve the crimes before he ends up in jail.

Personal Thoughts
Eh.   I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it.  I just wasn't overly impressed with this novel.  I had the murderer picked out very early on in the game.  There wasn't a lot of "spooky" involved in this story and I was expecting more with a title including the word séance.  Also, there were lots of characters and that gave little time for deep development.  This book is also filled with a lot of period references and slang which, in my opinion, weighed down the story.  I did like how Lawrence demystified several tricks that mediums use during séances to dupe people into believing their powers.  If you're looking for a quick murder mystery to solve, this would be a good book to read.

Everlost

Everlost by Neil Shusterman
read by Nick Podehl

Summary (from Goodreads.com)
Nick and Allie don't survive the car accident...but their souls don't exactly get where they're supposed to get either. Instead, they're caught halfway between life and death, in a sort of limbo known as Everlost: a shadow of the living world, filled with all the things and places that no longer exist. It's a magical yet dangerous place where bands of lost children run wild and anyone who stands in the same place too long sinks to the center of the Earth.

When they find Mary, the self-proclaimed queen of lost kids, Nick feels like he's found a home. But Allie isn't satisfied spending eternity between worlds. Against all warnings, Allie begins learning the "Criminal Art" of haunting and ventures into dangerous territory, where a monster called the McGill threatens all the souls of Everlost.

Personal Thoughts
This is a very interesting presentation of a purgatory-type existence.  I didn't love the book at first but it started drawing me in.  After awhile, I just had to know what the McGill was and why he was so gross and nasty.  I have to say that part of the draw was the wonderful reading that Nick Podehl did.  He even managed to make the voices different and really draw the characters out of the text.  I ended up listening to five minutes at a time because I couldn't "put it down."  I'm looking forward to the sequel, Everwild, to see what happens to Nick and Allie and how they work to free souls from Everlost.

I, Q: The White House

I, Q: The White House by Roland Smith

Summary (from book jacket)
In Book Two: The White House, readers are taken on another thrilling caper.  But it's going to be even more difficult for Q and Angela to sort out the "good guys" from the "bad guys" when the new playing field is 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Personal Thoughts
I enjoyed this book.  It has a few twists I didn't see coming.  It was a little predictable at times, but I was still guessing at who the moles in the White House were and if they would actually succeed in whatever terrorist attempt they would be making.  It was a great follow up to Book One.  My one complaint is that this felt very much like it was written only as set-up for the third novel.  The ending, while complete for the book, requires a conclusion, which I'm assuming we'll see in the third installment.

Mockingjay

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Summary (taken from Amazon.com)
Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins's groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.

Personal Thoughts
Wow, oh, wow, oh, wow.  I know the library doesn't yet have a copy of this book so I borrowed it from a friend.  (It's on its way, I promise!!)  Several of the people who have already read this and/or reviewed it, said they didn't take away as much from it as the first two books.  Not my opinion.  I really really liked this book.  I thought it wrapped up the trilogy nicely and gave a lot of finality to the series.  It had me cheering, tearing up, and waking up at 1:00 a.m. thinking about it.  At times, Katniss's melancholy bugged me, but it was still a GREAT book.  I'm glad I'm done with it though.  Perhaps now I can get some work done!

Graceling

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Summary

In the land of the Seven Kingdoms, there are those who are Graced.  Perhaps they are Graced with baking, painting, medicines, or even (as in Katsa's case) killing.  After Grandfather Tealiff is kidnapped, Katsa and her Council must work to figure out who did it and why.  Along the journey, many mysteries unfold and Katsa is caught in a fight for her life as well as others'.

Personal Thoughts

Still love it!  This is the second time I've read this novel and I still like it.  In fact, since I read the prequel, Fire also by Kristin Cashore, a lot more things fell into place about the evil king.  It's an exciting book that has fantasy, adventure, love, and intrigue throughout.

Frisco Reads!

Please join us at Frisco Reads 2010!

Tuesday, October 26

4:30 to 6:30

Heritage High School

14040 Eldorado Parkway

Frisco, TX 75035

Celebrate reading and the written word with authors Gordon Korman, Sonya Sones, Anastasia Suen, Jason Henderson and Joseph Hughes.  Special guests include therapy dogs Rosie and Luke.

Four, twenty-minute breakout opportunities include two book fairs, activities for all ages, and sessions of interest to readers and writers.

Students, family members, and friends are welcome to this free, community-wide event. 

All FISD staff members may receive two hours' noncontract professional development credit

(Please register in Eduphoria).

For more information, visit  www.friscoreads.com

Hope to see you there!



I, Q

I, Q by Roland Smith

Summary (from Booklist)
Thirteen-year-old Q (short for Quest) has just gained a stepfather and stepsister—his mother, singer-songwriter Blaze Munoz, has married singer-songwriter Roger Tucker, and their new band, Match, is set to start a yearlong tour. Roger’s 15-year-old daughter, Angela is, like Q, less than thrilled at the speed of their parents’ romance, and both teens have mixed feelings about the prospect of spending a year together on a tour bus. But there’s no time for grousing: the teens discover they are being followed, and given Angela’s mother’s past history as a Secret Service agent, that’s not a good thing. The appearance of Boone, an old roadie friend of their parents, only keeps the mysteries building. Q’s skills as a magician save the teens more than once, while Angela’s knowledge of martial arts and spy games will fascinate readers.

Personal Thoughts
I really enjoyed this book!  It kept me guessing and turning the pages.  I recommend this to anyone who enjoyed Percy Jackson or is looking for a Spy/Detective novel.  I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series, The White House.

High Heat

High Heat by Carl Deuker

Summary (from book jacket)
Like the game of baseball, life is quirky and unpredictable, as Shane Hunter discovers in the spring of his sophomore year.  Suddenly and without warning, his life of privilege is turned upside down.  And just as suddenly, life begins to seem utterly without fairness or purpose to him.  From a star pitcher to being unsure of himself on the mound, Shane has to try to overcome his doubts and try to find redemption through baseball.

Personal Thoughts
I'm a baseball fan, but not a FAN.  I enjoy watching a game on occasion but don't follow it religiously.  In spite of this, I enjoyed this book.  There was some baseball lingo that I just didn't understand and sometimes I felt like the baseball play-by-play was a little long-winded.  However!  If you like baseball and know what a leadoff home run and a DH are you will love this book.  It's easy to read and has a great back story as well.

Incarceron

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

Summary (taken from SLJ)
Finn is a 17-year old prisoner of Incarceron. His memories begin and end there. He knows nothing about his heritage except for vague memories that tease at his mind. The teen is determined to escape the prison fashioned centuries ago as a solution to the chaos created by man. Now Incarceron is self-sustaining and self-perpetuating—prisoners are born there and they die there. Legend claims only one man has ever escaped, Sapphique, and Finn is determined to follow in his steps.

Personal Thoughts
In the beginning, I had a hard time following what was going on.  I felt very confused.  However, after awhile (perhaps about 50 pages), I found myself wrapped up in Finn's world and then Claudia's.  I thought this adventure was well-paced, thought-provoking, and exciting.  I can't wait for the sequel, Sapphique, to come out in December.

Welcome Back!

I know this post is overdue, but I wanted to welcome everyone back to school!  Here at Hunt, we are starting a new year in a new school with new traditions, ideas, and staff.  So far, we have been having a GREAT time!

Here are a few highlights of the library.
1.  Every student who was here the first week of school got to come to the library and get a book.  What a fantastic way to start a year!
2.  We are doing self-checkout this year.  It's been a learning process for everyone, but it looks like it will be a great asset to the library.
3.  I'm the librarian!  Ms. Smith

A little bit about me...
-I LOVE to read!
-I LOVE to travel!  (I've been to England, Ireland, Scotland, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, the Bahamas, all over the U.S.A., El Salvador, Costa Rica, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, and Ecuador.)
-My favorite place was Easter Island.
-I've been dog sledding on a glacier.
-I've jumped out of an airplane.
-I've stood in two hemispheres at once.
-I enjoy playing softball and volleyball.
-I speak enough Spanish to embarrass myself.
-I'm a terrible speller and had to ask how to spell embarrass.
-I LOVE to read!

Stay tuned to the blog for book reviews, pictures of library events, and other library-related news.