Friday, March 29, 2013

Spring into reading these new books

So many new books to read, so little time.
Humor, apocalypse, Christian fiction, love, loss, mystery, science fiction, friendship, family, action and adventure, teen issues, zombies, superheroes... these new books have something for every reader!

Dancing in the Dark by Robyn Bavati
Passionate about ballet, Ditty Cohen signs up for dance class despite being forbidden to by her Orthodox Jewish parents, then must face the consequences when the two worlds collide after five and a half years of study.

The Look by Sophia Bennett
When she is spotted by a modeling agency and her beautiful sister falls seriously ill, gangly fifteen-year-old Edwina "Ted" Trout must choose between fame and family.

The Sin Eater's Confession by Ilsa Bick
While serving in Afghanistan, Ben writes about incidents from his senior year in a small-town Wisconsin high school, when a neighbor he was trying to help out becomes the victim of an apparent hate crime and Ben falls under suspicion.

Unremembered by Jessica Brody
A girl, estimated to be sixteen, awakens with amnesia in the wreckage of a plane crash she should not have survived and taken into foster care, and the only clue to her identity is a mysterious boy who claims she was part of a top-secret science experiment.

The Prom Queen by Melody Carlson
Life gets more and more complicated for a high school girl who decides to do whatever it takes to be elected as prom queen
Me, Him, Them, and It by Caela Carter
Playing the "bad girl" at school to get back at her feuding parents, sixteen-year-old Evelyn becomes pregnant and faces a difficult decision.
Chasing Jupiter by Rachel Coker
Scarlett Blaine's life in 1960s Georgia isn't always easy, especially given her parents' financial struggles and the fights surrounding her sister Juli's hippie lifestyle. Then there's her brother, Cliff. While Scarlett loves him more than anything, there's no denying his unique behavior leaves Cliff misunderstood and left out. So when he wishes for a rocket to Jupiter, Scarlett agrees to make it happen, no matter how crazy the idea might be. Raising the rocket money means baking pies, and the farmer's son, Frank, agrees to provide the peaches if Scarlett will help him talk to Juli. The problem is, Scarlett really enjoys her time with Frank, and finds herself wondering if, someday, they could be more than friends. Just as she thinks everything might be going her way, Cliff suffers an accident that not only affects the rocket plans, but shakes Scarlett's view of God. As the summer comes to an end, Scarlett must find a way to regain what she's lost, but also fulfill a promise to launch her brother's dream.

Struck by Lightning by Chris Colfer
The story of outcast high school senior Carson Phillips who blackmails the most popular students in his school into contributing to his literary journal to bolster his college application; his goal in life is to get into Northwestern and eventually become the editor of The New Yorker.

The Ruining by Anna Collomore
Still feeling guilty over the death of her little sister leaves eighteen-year-old Annie vulnerable when she takes a nanny job in beautiful Marin County, California, and meets her very controlling employer.



Blaze, Or, Love in the Time of Supervillians by Laurie Boyle Crompton
Treated badly by Mark, on whom she had a crush, seventeen-year-old Blaze posts a comic strip featuring him as a supervillain and Mark retaliates by spreading a "sext" of Blaze, but her little brother and his friends heroically come to her aid.


After: Nineteen Stories of Apocalypse and Dystopia edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling
An anthology of nineteen tales by well-known authors of young adult and adult literature which explore the lives of teens raised after a catastrophe, either in the first few years after the change or in the distant future.

Panic by Sharon Draper
As rehearsals begin for the ballet version of Peter Pan, the teenaged members of an Ohio dance troupe lose their focus when one of their own goes missing.

Hooked by Liz Fichera
Invited to become her varsity golf team's only female member, Fredericka Oday pursues a dream of earning a scholarship only to be challenged by golden boy Ryan Berenger, who resents Fred for replacing his best friend on the team.

The Prey by Andrew Fukuda
With death only a heartbeat away, Gene and the remaining humans must find a way to survive long enough to escape the hungry predators chasing them through the night. But they're not the only things following Gene. He's haunted by Ashley June who he left behind, and his burgeoning feelings for Sissy, the human girl at his side. Their escape takes them to a refuge of humans living high in the mountains. Gene and his friends think they're finally safe, but not everything here is as it seems. And before long, Gene must ask himself if the new world they've entered is just as evil as the one they left behind. As their enemies close in on them and push Gene and Sissy closer, one thing becomes painfully clear: all they have is each other... if they can stay alive. Chilling, inventive, and electrifying, The Prey is the second book in Andrew Fukuda's The Hunt series.

Lemonade Mouth Puckers Up by Mark Peter Hughes
Following their debut at a school talent show, the members of Lemonade Mouth spend the summer working with a music promoter, recording an album, and appearing on a reality television program.

The Twelve-Fingered Boy by John Hornor Jacobs
Fifteen-year-old fast-talking Shreve is thriving in juvenile detention until he is assigned a strangely silent and vulnerable new cellmate, Jack, who just might have superpowers and who attracts the attention both of the cellblock bullies and sinister Mr. Quincrux.

Notes from Ghost Town by Michelle Jaffe
Young artist Olivia Tithe struggles to keep her sanity as she unravels the mystery of her first love's death through his ghostly visits.

The Cadet of Tildor by Alex Lidell
At the Academy of Tildor, the training ground for elite soldiers, Cadet Renee de Winter struggles to keep up with her male peers, but when her mentor is kidnapped to fight in illegal gladiator games, Renee and best friend Alec struggle to do what is right in a world of crime of political intrigue.

Shards & Ashes edited by Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong
Gripping and powerful original stories of dystopian worlds from New York Times bestselling authors

Right Where I Belong by Krista McGee
After her father's third divorce, seventeen-year-old Natalia decides to move with her stepmother, Maureen, from Spain to Florida to learn more of Maureen's faith and to discover who she is away from her father's expectations.


How to Lead a Life of Crime by Kirsten Miller
A teenaged pickpocket, haunted by the ghost of his brother killed by his father, is recruited for Mandel Academy, a school for criminals where only one student survives each semester.

Teeth by Hannah Moskowitz
Rudy's life is flipped upside-down when his family moves to a remote, magical island in a last attempt to save his sick younger brother, Dylan. While Dylan recovers, Rudy sinks deeper and deeper into his loneliness.

Foretold by Jana Oliver
As the ultimate battle between Heaven and Hell begins, Beck reveals his troubled past and grows closer to demon hunter Riley.

Delirium Stories: Hana, Annabel and Raven by Lauren Oliver
This collection of short stories set in the Delirium world centers around Hana Tate, Lena's mother Annabel and the fierce rebel leader of the Wilds Raven. Each story was published originally as a digital novella. This collection also includes an excerpt from Requiem, the final novel in Oliver's New York Times bestselling series.

Out of Nowhere by Maria Padian
Performing community service for pulling a stupid prank against a rival high school, soccer star Tom tutors a Somali refugee with soccer dreams of his own.

The Archived by Victoria Schwab
When an otherworldly library called the Archive is compromised from within, sixteen-year-old Mackenzie Bishop must prevent violent, ghost-like Histories from escaping into our world

Zom-B Underground by Darren Shan
Waking up in a military complex, months after zombies attacked school, B has no memory of the last few months. Life in the UK has turned tough since the outbreak, and B is woven into life- and battle- in the new military regime quickly. But as B learns more about the zombies held in the complex and the scientists keeping them captive, unease settles in. Why exactly was B saved? And is there anyone left in the world to trust?

Orleans by Sherri L. Smith
Set in a futuristic, hostile Orleans landscape, Fen de la Guerre must deliver her tribe leader's baby over the Wall into the Outer States before her blood becomes tainted with Delta Fever.

OCD, the Dude, and Me by Lauren Roedy Vaughn
Danielle Levine stands out even at her alternative high school--in appearance and attitude--but when her scathing and sometimes raunchy English essays land her in a social skills class, she meets Daniel, another social misfit who may break her resolve to keep everyone at arm's length.

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Divergent and TFiOS casting news!



 Theo James is Four in the movie version of Divergent

Author Veronica Roth's response:
"Recently I saw Theo James' screen test with Shailene Woodley, and I was sure within seconds: this was ‘Four,’ no question. Theo is able to capture ‘Four’s’ authority and strength, as well as his depth and sensitivity. He is a perfect match for Shailene’s incredibly strong presence as Tris. I’m thrilled!"
via veronicarothbooks.blogspot.com

Shailene Woodley is Hazel in the movie version of The Fault in Our Stars.

Author John Green's response:
"Shailene Woodley loves The Fault in Our Stars. She really does, and in her audition, she just was Hazel—at least to me... her commitment to the book and deep understanding of Hazel make her the perfect choice."
via fishingboatproceeds.tumblr.com

I don't believe I have seen any of Theo James' other work, so I can only respond to how positive Veronica Roth was about his audition... and I'm excited. ;) I look forward to seeing Shailene in both Divergent (as Tris) and TFiOS. Can't wait to see who will be cast as Augustus.

Because it is impossible for me to stop geeking out about all things Divergent-related, check back for a more in-depth Divergent casting post coming next week!

What are your thoughts about the Divergent and TFiOS movies so far? Will you be first in line for tickets? For other movie and TV adaptations in the works, check out my previous blog post: YA books on the big (and small) screen.

Book Bite: Across the Universe


I stare at the stars. There are so many here, so many more that I can see here than I could see when I stood on Earth’s surface. And even though there are so many more and they look so close together, I know they are light years apart. The glitter in they sky looks as if I could scoop it up in my hands and let the stares swirl and touch one another, but they are so distant, so very far apart, that they cannot feel the warmth of each other, even though they are made of burning. This is the secret of the stars, I tell myself. In the end, we are alone. No matter how close you seem, no one else can touch you.

- Across the Universe by Beth Revis (2011)

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Fan Art Day is Saturday

Do you........


draw?

doodle?

paint?

sketch?

create?

Then come to our Fan Art Day this Saturday, March 23 at 2:30 pm. Paper, drawing utensils, and snacks will be provided. Bring in fan art to share with other teens or bring your creativity and create something new!

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Review "The 5th Wave" by Rick Yancey!


I have an Advance Reader Copy of The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey to give away to one lucky teen (grades 6-12). This post-apocalyptic sci-fi book is due to be released May 7, but you can snag a copy now if you are willing to submit a short review of the book after you read it. I will post the review right here on the Teen Blog to share with other readers. Please contact Danielle Pacini at dpacini[at]frvpld[dot]info with your name and contact information if you are interested!

"Clockwork Princess" and more new releases


Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare
When seventeen-year-old orphaned shapechanger Tessa Gray is kidnapped by the villainous Mortmain in his final bid for power, the London Institute rallies to save her, but is beset by danger and betrayal at every turn. The third book in the Infernal Devices series, following Clockwork Angel and Clockwork Prince.

Fox Forever by Mary E. Pearson
Before he can start a life with Jenna, seventeen-year-old Locke, who was brought back to life in a newly bioengineered body after an accident destroyed his body 260 years ago, must do a favor for the resistance movement opposing the nightmarish medical technology. Third book in the Jenna Fox Chronicles, following The Adoration of Jenna Fox and The Fox Inheritance.

Plus a couple more that were released earlier this month:

Being Henry David by Cal Armistead
Seventeen-year-old "Hank," who can't remember his identity, finds himself in Penn Station with a copy of Thoreau's Walden as his only possession and must figure out where he's from and why he ran away.

Trinkets by Kirsten Smith
When three Lake Oswego High School girls from different social groups, good-girl Elodie, popular Tabitha, and tough Moe, meet in a rehabilitation group, they discover they have much more in common than shoplifting.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Book Bite: Speechless



But even though I know my flaws are many (many many many), and there are always ways I could be better, and I should never stop working for that—I also need to give myself a break. I can cut myself some slack sometimes. Because I’m a work in progress. Because nobody is perfect. At least I acknowledge the mistakes I’ve made, and am making. At least I’m trying. That means something, doesn’t it? 

And just because I have room for improvement doesn’t mean I’m worthless, or that I have nothing to offer to, like, the world.

- Speechless by Hannah Harrington (2012)

Friday, March 8, 2013

YA books on the big (and small) screen

Almost a year ago, The Hunger Games movie was released into theaters and proved that a strong female heroine from YA literature can bring draw a huge audience. In turn, the movie motivated adults and teens alike who had never read the series to get their hands on a copy of The Hunger Games book. The Hunger Games provides just one example of how prevalent YA literature is in popular culture today. The shows Pretty Little Liars, The Lying Game, Gossip Girl, and The Vampire Diaries all started out as YA books before those characters stepped onto our television screens. Even more movies and TV shows based on YA books are in the works and set to be released in 2013 and 2014. Will they find the same success as Harry Potter, Twilight, or The Hunger Games? Check out this list I compiled, and feel free to add any that I overlooked in the Comments section below:


Beautiful Creatures
  • now in theaters
  • Starring Alice Englert (Lena), Alden Ehrenreicht (Ethan), Emmy Rossum (Ridley), Emma Thompson (Mrs. Lincoln), and Jeremy Irons (Macon Ravenwood).
  • Based on the book Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. 
  • Book synopsis: In a small South Carolina town, where it seems little has changed since the Civil War, sixteen-year-old Ethan is powerfully drawn to Lena, a new classmate with whom he shares a psychic connection and whose family hides a dark secret that may be revealed on her sixteenth birthday.
  • More books in the series: Beautiful Darkness, Beautiful Chaos, Beautiful Redemption.

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones 
  • Release date: August 23, 2013
  • Starring Lily Collins (Clary), Jaime Campbell Bower (Jace), Kevin Zegers (Alec), Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Valentine), Aidan Turner (Luke).
  • Based on the book City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. 
  • Book synopsis: Suddenly able to see demons and the Darkhunters who are dedicated to returning them to their own dimension, fifteen-year-old Clary Fray is drawn into this bizarre world when her mother disappears and Clary herself is almost killed by a monster.
  • More in the series: City of Ashes, City of Glass, City of Fallen Angels, and City of Lost Souls.
  • Stay tuned to the blog and the library newsletter for a City of Bones Movie Release Party in August 2013!

Ender’s Game
  • Release date: November 1, 2013
  • Cast: Asa Butterfield (Ender), Abigail Breslin, and Harrison Ford.
  • Based on the books Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card.
  • Synopsis of Ender's Game book: Child hero Ender Wiggin must fight a desperate battle against a deadly alien race if mankind is to survive.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
  • Release date: November 22, 2013
  • Cast: Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss), Josh Hutcherson (Peeta), Liam Hemsworth (Gale), Elizabeth Banks (Effie Trinket), Woody Harrelson (Haymitch Abernathy), Sam Clafin (Finnick Odair), Jena Malone (Johanna Mason), and Phillip Seymour Hoffman (Plutarch Heavensbee) 
  • Based on Catching Fire, the second book in Suzanne Collins' best-selling Hunger Games series.
  • Book synopsis: By winning the annual Hunger Games, District 12 tributes Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark have secured a life of safety and plenty for themselves and their families, but because they won by defying the rules, they unwittingly become the faces of an impending rebellion.
  • Stay tuned to the blog and the library newsletter for a Catching Fire Movie Release Party in November 2013!

Vampire Academy: Blood Sisters
  • Release date: February 14, 2014
  • Based on Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. 
  • Book synopsis: Two years after a horrible incident made them run away, vampire princess Lissa and her guardian-in-training Rose are found and returned to St. Vladimir's Academy, where one focuses on mastering magic, the other on physical training, while both try to avoid the perils of gossip, cliques, gruesome pranks, and sinister plots.
  • Cast:  Zoey Deuth (Rose), Danila Kozlovsky (Dimetri), Lucy Fry (Lissa)
  • More books in the series: Frostbite, Shadow Kiss, Blood Promise, Spirit Bound, Last Sacrifice.

Divergent 
  • Release date: March 1, 2014
  • Cast: Shailene Woodley (Tris), Kate Winslet; rumors everywhere about who will play Four (Alex Pettyfr? Lucas Till? Jeremy Irvine?)
  • Based on the book by Veronica Roth. 
  • Book synopsis: In a future Chicago, sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior must choose among five predetermined factions to define her identity for the rest of her life, a decision made more difficult when she discovers that she is an anomoly who does not fit into any one group, and that the society she lives in is not perfect after all.
  • In February an open casting call was held in Chicago for movie extras. According to the Chicago Tribune the movie will be shot entirely in Chicago. 
  • More books in the series: Insurgent. The third book in the series, jokingly referred to by both Roth and fans as “Detergent,” will be released October 22, 2013.
Delirium 
  • Release date: depends on whether the pilot is picked up by Fox.
  • According to author Lauren Oliver, filming on the pilot for this TV show is set to begin in March.
  • Cast: Emma Roberts (Lena), Jeanine Mason (Hana), Daren Kagasoff (Alex), Greg Sulkin (Julian), Billy Campbell (Thomas Fineman)
  • Based on the Delirium series by Lauren Oliver: Delirium, Pandemonium, and Requiem.
  • Synopsis of the first book in the series: Lena looks forward to receiving the government-mandated cure that prevents the delirium of love and leads to a safe, predictable, and happy life, until ninety-five days before her eighteenth birthday and her treatment, when she falls in love.

And adaptations of these books are also in the works:
I am very excited for Catching Fire, and am already brainstorming crafts and games for a movie release party at the library! I can't wait for Divergent, because I love that book series as well, and think that Shailene Woodley is a great pick to play Tris. How cool is it that the movie will be filmed entirely in Chicago? I'm also interested to see how the Vampire Academy movie turns out. I really enjoyed all the books in that series because Rose is such a strong character. Plus, the awesome supporting characters (Adrian!) are well-written too. I just hope it doesn't suffer from people who are sick of Twilight. This movie has a huge potential for great fight scenes and some swoon-worthy moments.

Which movie/TV adaptation are you most looking forward to seeing? Do you read the books before you see the movies, or the other way around? Are there any books not on this list that you think would make a good movie and/or TV show? My picks are Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkin and the Across the Universe series by Beth Revis.

And lastly, and most importantly, who do *you* think should play Four in Divergent?

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

"Requiem" and more new releases!

Requiem by Lauren Oliver
While Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous Wilds, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland. Final book in the Delirium series, following Delirium and Pandemonium.

Spellcaster by Claudia Gray
When Nadia's family moves to Captive's Sound, she instantly realizes there's more to the place than meets the eye. Descended from witches, Nadia can sense that a spell has been cast over the tiny Rhode Island town--a sickness infecting everyone and everything in it. The magic at work is darker and more powerful than anything she's come across and has sunk its claws most deeply into Mateo . . . her rescuer, her friend, and the guy she yearns to get closer to even as he pushes her away.


The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson
After her near-fatal run-in with the Jack the Ripper copycat, Rory Devereaux is back in London to help solve a new string of inexplicable deaths plaguing the city. Second book in the Shades of London series. (Book #1: The Name of the Star)

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Set over the course of one school year in 1986, this is the story of two star-crossed misfits--smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try.

Bruised by Sarah Skilton
When she freezes during a hold-up at the local diner, sixteen-year-old Imogen, a black belt in Tae Kwan Do, has to rebuild her life, including her relationship with her family and with the boy who was with her during the shoot-out.

Come August, Come Freedom: The Bellows, the Gallows, and the Black General Gabriel
by Gigi Amateau
Imagines the childhood and youth of "Prosser's Gabriel," a courageous and intelligent blacksmith in post-Revolutionary Richmond, Virginia, who roused thousands of African-Americans slaves like himself to rebel.

Nobody by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Fifteen-year-old Claire Ryan has always felt invisible, always lived beyond people's notice, which causes trouble when she instantly connects with seventeen-year-old Nix, who really can become invisible and has been sent to assassinate her.

Dead Cat Bounce by Nic Bennett
When his banker father is blamed for the world's greatest financial crisis, sixteen-year-old Jonah, a financial prodigy, races to uncover the truth and save the world.

Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black
Fifteen-year-old Vanessa follows her sister Margaret to an elite Manhattan ballet school, not only gaining admission but also earning the lead in a production of the Firebird, while trying to uncover why and how Margaret and other lead dancers have disappeared.


The Lives We Lost by Megan Crewe
In the second installment in this dystopian trilogy, the virus has spread beyond Kaelyn's island, and she and her friends must head to the mainland, carrying with them hopes for a cure.

Doomed by Tracy Deebs
Pandora Walker unwittingly unleashes cyber Armageddon on her seventeenth birthday and must play a virtual reality game in order to save the world.

Crash and Burn by Michael Hassan
Steven "Crash" Crashinsky relates his sordid ten-year relationship with David "Burn" Burnett, the boy he stopped from taking their high school hostage at gunpoint.

Crash by Lisa McMann
Sixteen-year-old Jules, whose family owns an Italian restaurant and has a history of mental illness, starts seeing a recurring vision about a rival restaurant, a truck crash, and forbidden love.

Hysteria by Megan Miranda
After stabbing and killing her boyfriend, sixteen-year-old Mallory, who has no memory of the event, is sent away to a boarding school to escape the gossip and threats, but someone or something is following her.

Prophecy by Ellen Oh
A demon slayer, the only female warrior in the King's army, must battle demon soldiers, an evil shaman, and the Demon Lord to find the lost ruby of the Dragon King's prophecy and save her kingdom
Witch and Wizard: The Kiss by James Patterson
For the first time in their lives, Wisty and Whit Allgood find themselves at odds as Wisty is drawn to a mysterious and magical stranger named Heath.

Feral Nights by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Tracking his sister to Austin only to discover that she is a key suspect in a murder case, werecat Yoshi embarks on a search for answers, while werepossum Clyde and Aimee pursue their own investigation in an effort to avenge the killing.

Empty by K.M. Walton
Deeply depressed after her father cheated on and divorced her mother, seventeen-year-old Adele has gained over seventy pounds and is being bullied and abused at school--to the point of being raped and accused of being the aggressor.

Mind Games by Kiersten White
Seventeen-year-old Fia and her sister, Annie, are trapped in a school that uses young female psychics and mind readers as tools for corporate espionage--and if Fia doesn't play by the rules of their deadly game, Annie will be killed