Doctor Illuminatus by Martin Booth

Another installment in the Save Us book campaign.  Today we have Doctor Illuminatus by Martin Booth.  If any of you have read the Artemis Fowl series by Eoin (prounounced "Owen" by the way) Colfer, he has a blurb on the front of this book.  What does it say?  "I love this book."  That is a pretty good endorsement.  The Artemis Fowl series is good, so Colfer is no stranger to good books.

I actually really like the cover of this book.

I only just noticed now there is a person in the bottle on the cover.  It makes sense for the story, though.  The inside cover blurb:

Real Magic is Dangerous Magic in this modern-day battle against the dark side of ancient alchemy...

When siblings Pip and Tim move with their parents to an old English country estate and hear a strange knocking from within the walls of the ancient home, they can hardly believe their eyes.  A mysterious boy named Sebastian, the son of a medieval alchemist, emerges and claims that he has been asleep for nearly six hundred years.

Sebastian reveals that they are in danger: His father's bitter enemy, de Loudeac, has also awakened from a centuries-long slumber and is determined to use the secrets of alchemy to evil ends.  Soon, Pip and Tim find themselves entangled in a web of intrigue, sorcery, and horror as they join Sebastian in his quest to foil de Loudeac's villainous scheme.  But can the madman be stopped? 

Alchemists searched for the magical elixir that would bring immortality.  Remember Nicholas Flamel in Harry Potter?  If you were a fan of the Harry Potter series and have been looking for another great magical story, this might be the book for you.  There is a lot of action and suspense..  It is worth checking out. 

Find it on display in the teen section of the library.  Save it before the book sale (which is coming up March 30!!)

Glint by Ann Coburn

Day 3 of the Save Us book campaign features Glint by Ann Coburn.  Unlike the first two books featured here, this book isn't saddled with a completely tragic cover. 

Now, I thought it was just the library copy of the book that made the girl's face look weird, but that is definitely the design.  I don't know if it is part of the story or just a design I don't understand but part of her face looks haunted for sure. 

Here is the summary from the inside jacket flap:

 Ellie and her little brother Danny spend their lonely days making up stories about a young girl in a world of dragons and shapeshifters (Oh!  Maybe her face is weird because she's a shapeshifter!) a girl as brave and cunning as they would like to be.

Five years later, Danny disappears.  The police have no clues.  They fear he is dead, but Ellie knows better.  She also knows that she is the only one who can find him. 
At the same time, in the world Danny and Ellie imagined, a young girl named Argent sets off on a quest of her own to reclaim a stolen dragon hatchling. 

As each girl makes her way closer to her goal, the boundaries between the worlds of fantasy and reality begin to blur (Oh!  Maybe her face is weird because the boundaries between fantasy and reality are blurring!) until it's unclear where one world ends and the other begins. 

If you've even played Make Believe and wondered what would happen if you're imaginary worlds and characters were real, this is a story for you.  There are twists and turns in the plot and great characters you will never forget.

Crabbe by William Bell

It is Day 2 of the Save Us campaign and I urge you to try to save some books from being put into the Used Book Sale.

The feature today is Crabbe by William Bell.  This is another one that isn't winning Book Cover of the Year.

That isn't the clearest image but you get the idea.  If you like the outdoors and have ever felt like running away, this is the book for you.

One night, just before final exams, 18-year-old Franklin Crabbe - smart, rich yet unhappy and a semi-alcoholic - packs his gear and drives away into the woods to disappear completely.  Totally unprepared for bush life, Crabbe nearly perishes until he meets someone else who has her reasons to hide. 

Basically,even though Crabbe seems to have it all, he isn't happy and decides to throw in the towel and bug out.  The problem is, this book was written in 1992 and Crabbe hasn't been watching shows like Surivorman, Man vs. Wild, or Dual Survival.  He has no idea how to survive in the woods.  And probably to his great surprise, he almost dies. 

This is a great story. Aside from being an adventure survivalist story, it is also a story about friendship and dealing with tough issues in life.   It follows Crabbe as he tries to solve his problems in every way imaginable, except actually facing them and dealing with them. 

If you want to give Crabbe a second chance and maybe save it from being sent to the book sale, stop in the teen section where it will be on display and check it out!

Save Us: Homebody by Orson Scott Card

It's almost time for another Woodward Memorial Library Used Book Sale.  This means we're cleaning things out and making space on the shelves.  While "weeding" (as we call it in library world) the teen section, I've come across some great books that have been some what overlooked.  Many of them have terrible covers (yes, the secret is out - people judge books by their covers a lot!) or just look a little bit old.  However, I have picked a few of these titles out with the hopes that someone out there may be willing to give them a try.   I will feature one of these books each day and have them on display in the teen section.  Will you help save them??

The first book on the chopping block is Homebody by Orson Scott Card.  I'm not going the lie, the cover of this book is not going to win it any awards.

There it is.  Let's just take it in for a moment.

Ok.  We agree the cover isn't the best BUT the story sounds really good.  Here is a summary from the book:

A master craftsman, Dan Lark could fix everything except what mattered most, his own soul.  After tragedy claimed the one thing he loved, he began looking for dilapidated houses to buy, renovate, and resell at a profit - giving these empty shells a second chance at a life he denied himself.

Then in a quiet Southern town, Dan finds his biggest challenge: a squalid yet sturdy mansion that has suffered decades of abuse at the hands of greedy landlords and transient tenants.  While two charming old neighbor ladies ply him with delicious cooking, they offer dire warnings about the house's evil past.  But there is something about this building that pushes Dan on, even as its enchantments grow increasingly ominous.  Will finishing the house offer Dan redemption, or unleash the darkest forces of damnation upon him?

If you skimmed that, please allow me to summarize:
Haunted house, murder, danger and threatening supernatural forces.

It has all the elements of a great story.  Orson Scott Card also wrote Ender's Game which is fantastic if you've never read it.  It makes me hopeful that he's been able to recreate some of the magic here in Homeboy.

If you're a Stephen King fan or you like the book (or movie) The Amityville Horror, you should give this book a try.  Stop in WML and see what you think.  It will be on display in the teen section. 

Check out this book and give it a second chance!

What Your Friends Are Reading #3

It's Friday and that means another installment of "What Your Friends Are Reading!"  I missed last week so we have a slew of them today.

Little Blog on the Prairie by Cathleen Davitt Bell
Summary:  Changing from the 21st century to 1890 is hard for 13 year old Genevieve Welsh.  While trying to get used to the new lifestyle, she secretly texts her friends who have written the world's most viewed blog.
Review:  It was a really funny book.  I recommend it to all.





Countdown by Deborah Wiles
Summary:  Frannie is eleven and the Cuban Missile Crisis has started.  This story is accompanied with pages of Cuban Missile Crisis information and photographs.  Journey alongside Frannie as her world turns upside-down during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Review:  This book may be thick, but half of it is actually the story.  The other half is pictures, stories, quotes, and information regarding the Cuban Missile Crisis.  I think this is meant to fill you in on what's going on during the story.  I would recommend this book to almost anyone.  It's just that good.

The List by Siobhan Vivian
Summary:  The List is about 8 high school girls from Mount Washington High School.  Every single year The List comes out before homecoming naming the prettiest and ugliest girl in each grade.  Nobody knows who writes the list either.  This is a great book with every chapter told in each girl's point of view.
Review:  I really enjoyed reading The List.  I liked how the book was told from each girl's point of view which made the book more interesting.  I would definitely recommend this book to others.  This book is completely different from anything I have ever read and other people should read and experience this awesome book!

Chicks with Sticks (It's a Purl Thing) by Elizabeth Lenhard
Summary:  After Scottie's Aunt Roz dies, Scottie finds comfort in the world in the form of...knitting.  Scottie makes friends with a knitter and forms the knitting circle "Chicks with Sticks," in a yarn store called "KnitWit."
Review:  I liked this book because it was about a group of girls that did something that I wasn't that interested in (knitting).  I would recommend this book to people that are willing to read/try new things.


Weekend by Christopher Pike
Summary:  Some teenagers go to spend the weekend at a place in the middle of nowhere.  Bad things happen in the middle of the night.
Review:  I would recommend this to others.  It is a little scary but it is a very good book.  It will make you want to read Christopher Pike's other illustrated books.




A Nest for Celeste by Henry Cole
Summary:  This book is about a mouse trying to find a nest.  But throughout the book, Celeste runs into problems with cars and mean mice.
Review:  I thought this book was very good.  Because there was always a twist so you wouldn't know what would happen next.  I would recommend this book to others because it will make you laugh and you will enjoy it very much.



My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
Summary:  Sam doesn't like living in his apartment in the city.  He runs away to the mountains where he must rely on his wits to stay alive.
Review:  I would recommend this book to people who like adventure stories.  It shows you what living in the woods is like.





Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
Summary:  Nora Grey is a sophomore and her best friend is Vee.  Nora was seated next to the new guy in Biology.  Patch always made her feel uncomfortable in a weird way.  He knew just about everything personal about her.  She played cello, listened to Baroque music even.  She wanted answers from him.  She also feels as if Patch is following her everywhere she goes.  What she doesn't know if that Patch wants to kill her.  If he kills her he will become human finally.  But after getting to know her, Patch falls in love with Nora.  And Nora doesn't know which side to take.
Review:  I liked the suspense in this book.  And how Nora (protagonist) thought Patch was trying to just get the best of her.  What I didn't like about the book is that some parts would just drag out into nothing.  I would recommend this to people who like supernatural books with a touch of mystery and suspense.

Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul II
Summary:  There's a bunch of short stories and poems written by teens and for teens.  It's all about things teens can relate to and learn from.
Review:  I loved this book.  At first I didn't really give it a chance.  One day I read a really sad story in the "Tough Stuff" section and I was hooked.  I would recommend this book to any teen.  You can relate to most of the stuff in the book and if you think your life is tough, you won't think that after some of the stories in this book.

What Your Friends Are Reading #2

It's already time for another installment of What Your Friends Are Reading.  I cannot believe how fast the reviews are coming in!  Hopefully this can become a weekly post on Fridays.  Let's get down to business.

Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff
Summary:  Hollis Woods never knew her family but hopes to one day find one.  Throughout the book she shares her present day foster family's stories and her almost adopted family's story.
Review:  This book definitely puts your emotions over the edge as Hollis experiences ups and downs.  Overall the book is amazing and deserves its Newbery Honor Award.




Fetching by Kiera Stewart
Summary:  Olivia and her friends are sick of the popular crowd at school and especially Brynne.  They decide to train them like dogs but it really doesn't work like they thought.
Review:  This book was good.  I would recommend it to some others.  I would because it has a great moral at the ending.





Vampire's Kiss by Nicholas Adams
Summary:  Susan has a crush on a TV reporter.  When she finds out that there are mysterious deaths, a ghost, and a band of vampires, things get creepy!
Review:  I liked all of the book.  I would recommend this book to people who like horror and vampires.  If you read this book, you will be amazed by how well done this book is.




Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
Summary:  Lia and Cassie have been best friends since the 3rd grade.  When they decide to become wintergirls, competing in a deadly contest to become the thinnest, it takes the life out of Cassie leaving Lia behind to try to figure her out life on her own.
Review:  I loved this book because the author accurately portrays the turmoil of losing a friend and fighting through an addiction that she can't give up.  As you read the book, you cheer on Lia during the good, you cry for her during the bad, and you become attached to her and remember the story of Lia for the rest of your life.

Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott
Summary:  When Alice was 10, Ray took her away from her family, friends, and her life.  She learned that she was now powerless and must endure all pain.  Now Alice is 15 and Ray still has her, but he talks more and more about her death.  He doesn't know that's what she wants most.  She doesn't know that he has something worse than death in mind for her.
Review:  Living Dead Girl is one of the only books that contributes mixed emotions.  Sad and terrifying - these are some of the emotions that Elizabeth Scott worked into this book.  What's more scary that the story it self is that it could happen in real life.  And it does.  That's what I like.  It really makes you think.  I would totally recommend this book to anybody willing to read it because it makes you realize how coldblooded these kidnappers can be.  And it makes you think of how you would handle that situation.  Like the Alice telling the story?  Or the Alice before her, who you will learn about throughout the story.  This is a really awesome book!

Dead Girl Walking by Linda Joy Singleton
Summary:  Amber Borden, 17 years old, has a poor sense of direction.  When she almost dies, she has an out of body experience.  But when on her way to returning to her body, she turns the wrong way and ends up in the body of the most popular girl in school, who just committed suicide.  Talk about an out of body experience!
Review:  The book starts out slow, lasting from the first page to somewhere around the middle, and it got boring for me after a while.  So I took a break and started to read another book.  But I returned to it a little while later and finished it in the same day I picked it up.  I recommend this book to anyone who gives up on a book because it seems  boring, because this book does get better after a while, though it takes time to get there.

What Your Friends Are Reading

The Summer Reading Program Own the Night is underway and reviews are pouring in!  Let's see what every one's been reading...

Estrella's Quinceanera by Marlin Alegria
Summary:  Estrella's mom wants her to have a quinceanera, but she doesn't want one.  She tries everything to stop her mother, but it doesn't help.  Estrella goes to a private school where there are rich girls.  The only reason she made it in is because she earned a scholarship.  Estrella doesn't want her 2 best friends from school to know about her quinceanera.
Review:  I enjoyed this book every much because I could relate to the main character.  This book was funny as well.  In this book they used many Spanish terms.  Some people might not understand the terms used.

Fallen by Lauren Kate
Summary:  Lucinda goes to a reform school because she killed her first love Trevor.  She knows that it was the "shadows" who killed him though.  At her new school she may find who those shadows are.
Review:  This book is the first in a series (Fallen).  This is a truly great book and I would recommend it to any of my friends!  I would because they all like supernatural books like this.



Torment by Lauren Kate
Summary:  The protagonist (Luce) and her fallen angel boyfriend, Daniel are separated for some time.  He takes her to the Shoreline School with no explanation.  When she gets to this school she learns it is full of Nephilim.  They teach her what the shadows are that were following her.  And Luce things Daniel is keeping secrets from her.
Review:  What I liked about this book is how the protagonist (Luce) thinks she is so in love with Daniel.  She would give up everything to be with him.  What I didn't like is how the book always talked about her previous lives but never really explained them.  I would recommend this book to only the people that would like supernatural romance novels.

The Popularity Papers: Research for the Social Improvement and General Betterment of Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang by Amy Ignatow
Summary:  There are two girls named Lydia and Julie and they want to become popular.  But things get in their way that tears their friendship apart.
Review:  I loved this book.  It is written in a type of diary form and it is easy to read.  This book explains a lot about how you shouldn't care about if you are popular or not.  You just need to be who you are.

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Review:  The perfect amount of action, suspense, and sadness.  This book was so good, after I finished it, I immediately started reading it again.  Yes I would recommend this book to others, just because of the first two books.






Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts
Review:  This book was pretty good.  A little boring in the beginning but it gets better.  Yes I would recommend this book to others.







13 Gifts by Wendy Mass
Summary:  When Tara was sent to stay in Willow Falls for the summer, she did not expect what she found.  Two strange kids who communicate with chalkboards.  A boy who sits in the bottom of a hole and sings.  But the strangest person of all is an old woman who Tara has to collect 13 gifts for before her birthday or really bad things will happen.
Review:  I would recommend this book to others who have read the first and second books of this "series" (which I also recommend).  I liked that the book was funny and was not all happy-happy-never-problems.  There were actually problems that really could happen.  For anyone who enjoys funny realistic fiction, 13 Gifts is REALLY good.

Deep Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn
Summary:  13 year old Ali goes on a summer vacation with her aunt and cousin to a lake where Ali finds a surprising event has been haunting her family.
Review:  I loved this book.  I loved the mysterious twists amongst it.  I loved how Mary really detailed each character.





Visit www.woodwardmemoriallibrary.org and check the catalog to see if these great books are on the shelf!  And if you haven't already, sign up for the Summer Reading Program today!