February 04, 2012 - 04:35PM
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New YA Titles
It’s cold outside! Stay warm inside with these new books!
[Fiction]
[Non-Fiction]
[Graphic Novels/Manga]
[Audiobooks]
*book reviews taken from www.amazon.com *
Fiction
The Second Trial by Rosemarie Boll [YA BOL]
Danny's life has been turned upside down in an instant. Or so it seems to him. One night he heard his parents fighting, and when he emerged from his room he found his mother unconscious at the bottom of the stairs. He had no idea that the phone call to 9-1-1 would start a chain of events that would change everything forever. Now he and his mother and little sister are about to start a whole new life, complete with new names and new identities. Danny is furious with his mother for forcing him to leave everything he loves behind and begins to bury himself in bitterness and anger. What will it take for Danny to come to terms with his new life?
The Exorsistah by Claudia Burney [YA BUR]
Ever since her mom went crazy, Emme’s been wary of the gift they share for seeing demons, but she’s not about to let one get to her. So when an ugly beast lurks into Walgreens behind a dude who’s clearly up to no good, Emme tells it exactly where it can go. Problem is, the beautiful guy beside her at the magazine rack just helped her conquer the nasty duo, and now he wants her to join a group of demon-fighters led by an aging exorcist bombarded by requests to deliver people from evil. Shoot, and all she really hoped for was some breakfast.
The Genius Wars by Catherine Jinks [YA JIN]
*this is the final book in the trilogy – read "Evil Genius" and "Genius Squad" before you start this one!*
Boy-genius Cadel Piggot has a new name (Cadel Greenaius), a new family, and a new life. No more illegal hacking, no more false identities, and most of all, no more Prosper English. But when his best friend Sonja is attacked, it's up to him to figure out who was behind it. Before he knows it, Cadel is crossing oceans and continents, barrelling back into the depths of the criminal activity he thought he'd left behind, and coming face to face with Prosper English once again. Can Cadel track down Prosper before it's too late? And what rules will he have to break in the process?
Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce [YA PEA]
For Scarlett and Rosie March, the world is not what it seems. Werewolves, called Fenris, live among them in the form of good-looking men who prey on pretty young girls. When a Fenris attacked the March girls, it killed their grandmother and left them emotionally and, for Scarlett, physically scarred. Since then, they have taken action and revenge. With the help of a friend, Silas, the girls are on a mission—to destroy as many Fenris as they can. Rosie and Scarlett are true heroines; smart, tough, and determined, but their special bond is put to test when Rosie and Silas's relationship becomes more than just friendship.
Happyface by Stephen Edmond [YA SAC]
Happyface is a shy, artistic sophomore, awkwardly coping with life from the sidelines. When horrific tragedy tears his family apart, he finds himself living in a ratty apartment with his newly sober mom and attending a new high school. Bottling up his grief and fear, he pastes a big smile on his face and makes a fresh start as the class clown. It works for a while but, inevitably, the suppressed inner feelings build until Happyface blows up, finally giving him the chance to come clean and make an authentically fresh start without hiding behind a mask. The author tells the story via the teen's illustrated journal, authentically capturing his up-and-down emotions with pencil-and-ink sketches, comics and doodles.
Simply Divine by Jacquelin Thomas [YA THO]
The daughter of two Hollywood superstars, Divine Matthews-Hardison lives the privileged life most fifteen-year-olds only dream of: she's all about designer clothes, awards ceremonies, parties, and having a name that opens doors. Divine could be a model, an actress, anything she wants. But then her family falls apart. Divine is sent to her uncle, a Georgia pastor with a modest country home and a big heart. Divine can't believe she's been sent to live with her mom's family in the sticks. Doing chores, getting an allowance, and church-going are hardly what she's used to. But as the love and faith of a good family take hold in her heart, miraculous changes start to occur.
It’s kind of a funny story by Ned Vizzini [YA VIZ]
*read the book before you see the movie!*
When 15-year-old Craig Gilner is accepted by a prestigious Manhattan high school, the pressure becomes taxing, and he finds himself battling depression. Partying and drugs don't help. As his illness intensifies, he is aided by his supportive family and perceptive therapist. A prescription for Zoloft improves things, until Craig decides that he is better and stops taking it. In a revitalized state of depression, he calls a suicide-prevention hotline and then checks into a hospital, where the only space available is in the adult psychiatric wing. There, he receives the help he needs, discovers his hidden artistic talents, and connects with the quirky patients who have plenty of problems of their own, including Noelle, a girl his own age.
Rucker Park Setup by Paul Volponi [YA VOL]
Rucker Park—a place where basketball’s greatest pro players go up against street legends. Best friends Mackey and J.R. have waited their whole lives to win the basketball tournament here. But when the day of an important game arrives, J.R. is fatally stabbed. While Mackey didn’t wield the knife, he feels responsible. Now he has a score to settle, but the killer is watching his every move. Mackey is determined to finish the final game of the Rucker Park Tournament on his own terms. The question is, can he do it?
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Non-fiction
They Called Themselves the KKK: the birth of an American Terrorist Group by Susan Campbell Bartoletti [YA 322.42097 BAR]
Bartoletti follows multi-award-winning titles such as Hitler Youth (2005) with another standout contribution to youth history shelves. Here, she examines how the Ku Klux Klan formed and grew out of the ashes of the Civil War. Bartoletti writes in admirably clear, accessible language about one of the most complex periods in U.S. history. After the Civil War, the defeated South was a simmering cauldron of political, economic, and social instability. As the federal government struggled to provide law and order and to protect the rights of freed slaves, secret groups of Southern whites banded together to vent their anger over lost property, prosperity, and power. From six men in a law office in Pulaski, TN, KKK dens spread across the South targeting freed blacks and their supporters. Although the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871 was meant to end violence, KKK activity persisted through the 20th century, diminishing in the last 30 years as civil rights became a reality for all Americans. This important title should be required reading for young people as well as the adults in their lives.
Naked Eggs and Flying Potatoes: unforgettable experiments that make science fun by Steve Spangler [YA 507.8 SPA PB]
From the creator of the mentos soda geyser--the viral video sensation--comes a collection of outrageously entertaining science experiments and cool tricks guaranteed to get ooohs and ahhhs! Author, celebrity teacher and science guy Steve Spangler teaches you how to transform the ordinary into the amazing as you make everyday items ooze, bubble, fizz, and pop! Make people wonder . . . How did you do that? From flying toilet paper to trash can smoke rings, erupting soda to exploding sandwich bags, the experiments in Naked Eggs and Flying Potatoes will spark your imagination and totally impress your friends. Learn how to astound kids and kids-at-heart with easy and inexpensive experiments.
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Graphic Novels/Manga
Mobile Suit Gundam Seed, volume 1 by Masatsugu Iwase [YA Graphic IWA PB]
Mobile Suit Gundam Seed, volume 2 by Masatsugu Iwase [YA Graphic IWA PB]
Mobile Suit Gundam Seed, volume 3 by Masatsugu Iwase [YA Graphic IWA PB]
Mobile Suit Gundam Seed, volume 4 by Masatsugu Iwase [YA Graphic IWA PB]
Mobile Suit Gundam Seed, volume 5 by Masatsugu Iwase [YA Graphic IWA PB]
In the world of the Cosmic Era, war rages between the genetically enhanced humans known as Coordinators and those who remain unmodified, the Naturals, who dominate the Earth Alliance. Struggling to catch up with the Coordinators’ superior technology, the Alliance secretly develops its own Gundam mobile suits. But through a twist of fate, a young Coordinator, Kira Yamato, becomes the pilot of the Alliance’s prototype . . . and is forced to fight his own people in order to protect his friends. This thrilling new series features all the best elements of the legendary Gundam saga—and reimagines the gripping story of men, women, and magnificent fighting machines in epic conflict.
Black is for Beginnings by Laurie Faria Stolarz [YA Graphic STO]
The Blue is for Nightmares series that put a spell on more than half a million readers continues – in graphic novel format! Prophetic dreams. Near-brushes with death. Killers pursuing her and her friends. Stacey Brown knows that being a hereditary witch isn't all it's cracked up to be. Stacey's nightmares are back. And all she wants to do is go to Colorado and work things out with Jacob, who hasn't been able to remember her since he lost his memory in his brush with death. But before Stacey and Jacob can have a future, they must face their pasts. Black is for Beginnings reveals the never-before-seen backstory—and what lies ahead—for the young, spellcasting lovers.
Library wars : Love & war, volume 2 by Kiiro Yumi [YA Graphic YUM PB]
In the near future, the federal government creates a committee to rid society of books it deems unsuitable. The libraries vow to protect their collections, and with the help of local governments, form a military group to defend themselves---the Library Forces! When the director of the Kanto Library Base gets sick, a temporary replacement is assigned, according to regulations. But Iku and her roommate Asako discover a trail of missing books that lead back to the temporary Director. Has he betrayed everything the Library Forces stands for and handed books over to the enemy?!
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Audiobooks
Runaway by Meg Cabot [CD YA CAB]
In this final volume in the trilogy, Em Watts is being held captive by Brandon Stark, son of evil billionaire entrepreneur Robert Stark. Thanks to a forced brain transplant, the teen has been living in the body of superstar model Nikki Howard. Em manages to break out of Brandon's place and find her way back to NYC, but of course, it's impossible to hide when you're a world-famous celebrity. With the help of her tech-savvy friend, Felix, she uncovers Robert Stark's top-secret venture, Project Phoenix, and ultimately reveals it to the public. Despite its sci-fi premise, this is pure Cabot. At its essence are discussions of femininity and the premium that society places on beauty and youth, all wrapped up in a surface-level fluffy read full of brand-name-dropping and glamour.
The things a brother knows by Dana Reinhardt [CD YA REI]
In a Boston suburb, Levi’s older brother, Boaz, has just returned from fighting in “some desert country half a world away.” The U.S. Marines say Boaz is “healthy,” but Levi thinks otherwise; Boaz doesn’t want to ride in a car, sleep in a bed, or even come out of his room, and he dives for cover at unpredictable moments. Levi misses Boaz as he remembers him, before he left two years earlier: a high-school hero; a happy, well-adjusted son and grandson; and a difficult but still-wonderful older brother. Reinhardt’s poignant story of a soldier coping with survivor’s guilt and trauma, and his Israeli American family’s struggle to understand and help, is timely and honest. The clever, authentic dialogue beautifully captures the disparate dynamics of the family, friends, and marines in the brothers’ lives.
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