Teen review of "Allegiant" by Veronica Roth

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Here we are. We’ve reached the end. The end of a series is always a somber occasion, but more so when it’s a series like Divergent. I didn’t know what to expect going into Allegiant. I was excited, nervous, and scared to find out all the secrets we’ve been wanting to know since the first book. Also, the feedback from other readers was making me a little wary to know how it was going to end. But I did it. I read it all. And, oh my, where do I start…

I feel like Allegiant was much more political than Divergent and Insurgent. We get to see what is outside the city and we are faced with a whole new set of problems. I kind of missed them being in the city, but we all want to know what was outside the walls, right? So that kind of evened itself out. The situation they get themselves into, as I said, starts to delve into politics, and morals and ethics. Every character seems to be going through some type of existential crisis through it all. We get to know more of Tobias, with the new POV for half of the chapters. I really liked getting into his head and learning all his thoughts. He very closed off and that leads Tris and Tobias to run into some trouble, relationship wise, which I always like. It makes the relationship and the romance real. I feel that sometimes, especially in YA, the romantic leads have the “perfect” relationship, with outside events trying to tear them apart, and not interpersonal problems.

One thing I love about this trilogy is that it’s not just another dystopian story of survival. We get that aspect of it, but it’s all about the people and how they grow and change. Each faction, and their characters, teach us something. Erudite teaches us about how knowledge and it’s containment can be one of the most powerful weapons. Candor teaches us about honesty and admittance of our crimes. Amity teaches us about how to bring about peace, and that sometimes peace does not mean passivity. Dauntless teaches us the true meaning of bravery, as well as Abnegation. Selflessness and bravery are at the heart of this series and Allegiant in particular. It takes a lot of bravery to be truly selfless.

When it comes to the ending of Allegiant, I have mixed feelings. Upon finishing the novel, I locked myself in the car and cried for about ten minutes. But the more I thought about it, the ending really portrays all the themes that have interwoven in each novel, and I understand why Veronica Roth made the decision to write what she did. I’m okay with it. I’ve made my peace with it. And I guess the fact that I reacted how I did is a testament to the writing and the character creation. I don’t want to let go, but I have to. We all have to move on in the end.

- Caroline
Originally posted on The Attic blog.

Attention, tributes! Catching Fire Release Party is Saturday!

The Catching Fire display in the teen area.

This Saturday is our Catching Fire Movie Release Party, which starts at 2:30 p.m. If you have been dying to see the next installment in the Hunger Games series, this is the event for you! Create your own Hunger Games-inspired buttons (or use one of our designs), answer trivia questions, sponsor a tribute, and enter some prize giveaways.

You may register for the event using our online calendar, in person at the library, or by calling 847-428-3361, option 3.

May the odds be ever in your favor, and hope to see you at the release party!

Recent November releases

Champion by Marie Lu	The final book in the Legend series! June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic--and each other--and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. Just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic's border cities.
Cold Spell by Jackson Pearce	When her boyfriend disappears with a mysterious girl, seventeen-year-old Ginny leaves her hometown of Atlanta and fights wolves, escapes thieves, and braves the cold to rescue him.
The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes	Seventeen-year-old Cassie, who has a natural ability to read people, joins an elite group of criminal profilers at the FBI in order to help solve cold cases.
The Trap by Andrew Fukuda	The third and final book in The Hunt trilogy! Now that they know how to reverse the virus, Gene and Sissy have one final chance to save those they love and create a better life for themselves. But as they struggle to get there, Gene's mission sets him on a crash course with Ashley June, his first love . . . and his deadliest enemy.
The Living by Matt de la Pena	After an earthquake destroys California and a tsunami wrecks the luxury cruise ship where he is a summer employee, high schooler Shy confronts another deadly surprise.
The Fiery Heart  by Richelle Mead	This is the fourth book in the Bloodlines series. After making a life-changing decision, Sydney Sage, an Alchemist who serves to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires, must tread a careful path as she harnesses her profound magical ability to undermine the way of life she was raised to defend.

International Games Day is this Saturday!

Gamers of all ages are welcome to attend our International Games Day program at the Dundee Library on Saturday. The event is from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Videogames on the Wii, Xbox 360, and PS3 will be set up in the Meeting Room, plus we will have space for Yu-Gi-Oh and Magic: The Gathering matches. If you are new to Yu-Gi-Oh, I will have starter decks you may use to practice.

At 2 p.m. we will have a Super Smash Bros. Brawl tournament. The top 3 players will win GameStop gift cards!

Board games including Scrabble, Battleship, Connect 4, Chutes and Ladders, Candy Land, and Operation will be available to play in the Craft Room.

Libraries all around the world will be celebrating the popularity and educational value of videogames and board games on International Games Day, November 16. I hope to see you there!

Teen Review of "Unbreakable" by Kami Garcia

Unbreakable by Kami Garcia
*This is a review of an Advanced Readers Copy*

I was quite excited to get a copy of Kami Garcia’s new book. I really like the Caster Chronicles and Beautiful Creatures was one of the first books I read when I just got into the YA universe. I was really interested to see how Kami’s voice differed from that of the Caster Chronicles since she’s a singular author here and not teamed up with Margaret Stohl. And I have to say, I was not disappointed. Unbreakable had a distinct voice from Beautiful Creatures. Most of that of course had to do with the setting and subject matter, but I could tell the difference. But it wasn’t a matter of quality; the writing in both novels are equally as good.

Unbreakable read at a very quick pace, which I really liked. It did not feel like one of those first books that took it’s time setting everything up, and by the time you get to the end,the story is only beginning. It gives us an interesting plot, likeable and intriguing characters, and a main character who is relatable. I really connected with the main character. I found the relationship between her and her mom to be similar to my own and just her overall demeanor to be similar to mine. The relationship between all the characters is really what drives the whole novel, and I think it was very well written.

However, many aspects of the plot were similar to the show Supernatural. It’s probably just because of the subject matter, i.e. hunting down spirits and demons and urban legends. But once I got past my initial questioning of all those similarities, I really enjoyed the plot. The locations they visit are just so creepy and described so well (and I could totally see each location as an episode of Supernatural. Okay, I’ll stop.) I think the storyline is what made it read so quickly. The characters are going on a scavenger hunt of sorts and the constant motion prevented the story from becoming stagnant. But what really got me was the plot twist at the end. IT’S HUGE! Seriously, it changes everything! GAHH!!

Ahem. I’m okay.

That cliffhanger really got me. I did not expect it to happen. The end really sets itself apart from other YA books in ways I can’t really say without spoiling anything. I’m really quite anxious to find out what happens next for the main character, and to see where the rest of this story is going to go.

- Caroline
Originally posted on The Attic blog.

International Games Day is Nov. 16!

Libraries around the world will celebrate the popularity and educational value of board and video games on International Games Day, Saturday, November 16.

Check out this map to see the participating libraries. Libraries are being added every day. Zoom out to see more countries, or zoom all the way in on East Dundee to see our library!



The International Games Day program at the Dundee Library will be held 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. in both the Meeting Room and Craft Room on the lower level. We will have board games in the Craft Room and videogames, Yu-Gi-Oh, and Magic The Gathering going on in the Meeting Room. Plus, we will have a Super Smash Bros. Brawl tournament at 2 p.m.

This drop-in program is for all ages. I hope to see you there!

2013 Teens' Top Ten!

Teens voted for their favorite books of the previous year from August 15 through Teen Read Week, October 13-19, from this list of nominated titles. Here are the winners:

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein	In 1943, a British fighter plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France and the survivor tells a tale of friendship, war, espionage, and great courage as she relates what she must to survive while keeping secret all that she can.
The False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen	Sage was just a young orphan in the kingdom, until a nobleman by the name of Conner chose him to be part of a devious plan. With the kingdom on the brink of civil war, Conner needed something to unite the people, and he found that something in Sage. By making the boy pose as the long-lost son of the king, Conner hopes to use him as a way to avert war. But Sage begins to suspect that Conner's plans may involve more than he is letting on.
Insurgent by Veronica Roth	As war surges in the dystopian society around her, sixteen-year-old Divergent Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves--and herself--while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.
Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry	Rendered a subject of gossip after a traumatic night that left her with terrible scars on her arms, Echo is dumped by her boyfriend and bonds with bad-boy Noah, whose tough attitude hides an understanding nature and difficult secrets.
Poison Princess by Kresley Cole	In the aftermath of a cataclysmic event, sixteen-year-old Evie, from a well-to-do Louisiana family, learns that her terrible visions are actually prophecies and that there are others like herself--embodiments of Tarot cards destined to engage in an epic battle.
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater	Though she is from a family of clairvoyants, Blue Sargent's only gift seems to be that she makes other people's talents stronger, and when she meets Gansey, one of the Raven Boys from the expensive Aglionby Academy, she discovers that he has talents of his own--and that together their talents are a dangerous mix.
Crewel by Gennifer Albin	Gifted with the unusual ability to embroider the very fabric of life, sixteen-year-old Adelice is summoned by Manipulation Services to become a Spinster, a move that will separate her from her beloved family and home forever.
Every Day by David Levithan	Every morning A wakes in a different person's body, in a different person's life, learning over the years to never get too attached, until he wakes up in the body of Justin and falls in love with Justin's girlfriend, Rhiannon.
Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross	When sixteen-year-old Mira runs away to discover her secret past, she finds a place where Grimm's fairy tales come to life, and she cannot avoid her accursed fate.
Butter by Erin Jade Lange	Unable to control his binge eating, a morbidly obese teenager nicknamed Butter decides to make a live webcast of his last meal as he attempts to eat himself to death.

Teen review of "Perfect Ruin" by Lauren DeStefano

Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano
*This is a review of an Advanced Readers Copy*

I had moderately high expectations going into Perfect Ruin. I absolutely loved the Chemical Garden trilogy and since then Lauren DeStefano has become one of my all time favorite authors. So when I had an opportunity to get an ARC of Perfect Ruin, I jumped at it. I have been fangirling over this book before it even had a title. So was I disappointed to any degree upon my completion of the novel? Not at all. There are a few things I absolutely love about Lauren DeStefano’s writing.

Number one: everything is so beautiful and poetic. She has this way of writing that just makes everything sound so lyrical. I especially loved the “excerpts” from a student’s essay at the beginning of each chapter.

Number two: world building. Both Wither and Perfect Ruin start us out in a fully rendered universe and plot that are masterfully crafted. What I loved about the world building in Perfect Ruin was that it was completely different from Wither–almost a complete 180, but you could still see that it was by the same author.

Number three: character creation. Every character she creates has a distinct voice. That can be hard to do. I just marvel at how authors can create so many separate people with different personalities and not falter once. I loved every character in this novel. Really. I did.

I will say it took a little while for everything to get going, but once the ball started rolling, it didn’t stop. There were so many twists in the plot and the story was just so rich and drenched in the made up history of the floating city. The one thing I really loved was the fact that everyone has a betrothed. With Morgan already betrothed to Basil (who I swooned over), it eliminated the whole “mysterious love interest” angle from the plot that so many other YA novels have. I can only take much of those. So instead of having the two of them meet and magically fall in love, they’ve already known each other their whole lives. Instead we get to see them just as their relationship starts to turn into something much more serious.

Perfect Ruin is really something else. It’s wholly original and something I haven’t really seen in YA fiction before. However, I really think this is something that only Lauren DeStefano could have been able to craft, and do so in a way that no one else would be able to attain.

- Caroline

Originally posted on The Attic blog.

New teen books, including several new series

Hereafter  by Kate Brian	This is the second book in Kate Brian's Shadowlands series. After learning the disturbing truth about her new town, Rory fights to protect her family from a mysterious force interfering with life on Juniper Landing.
Perfect Ruin  by Lauren DeStefano	The first book in a new series, from the author of The Chemical Garden Trilogy (Wither, Fever, Sever). Sixteen-year-old Morgan Stockhour lives in Internment, a floating city utopia. But when a murder occurs, everything she knows starts to unravel.
Season of the Witch  by Mariah Fredericks	A girl who is bullied experiments with witchcraft in order to get revenge on her attackers.
Unbreakable  by Kami Garcia	A new series from one of the authors of Beautiful Creatures ! Seventeen-year-old Kennedy Waters discovers she is a member of an ancient secret society formed to protect the world from a powerful demon determined to find a way out of his dimension and into ours. She joins the Legion on a mission to find a weapon that can defeat the demon.
BZRK Reloaded  by Michael Grant	The second book in Michael Grant's BZRK series! The struggle for control between the Armstrong twins and the group known as BZRK continues with the stakes higher than ever.
The Darkest Path  by Jeff Hirsch	Since he was captured by the Glorious Path, a militant religion based on the teachings of a former soldier, fifteen-year-old Cal has served the Path in its brutal war with the remains of the United States government, and tried to survive and protect his younger brother but when he kills an officer to protect a stray dog, Cal is forced take his brother and the dog and run.
Alex Rider: Russian Roulette: The Story of an Assassin  by Anthony Horowitz	A companion book to the Alex Rider series. Presented with an unexpected assignment, Alex Rider's greatest nemesis, Yassen Gregoravich, recalls his life and the path that led him to become an assassin while his one-time friend, Alex's uncle, became a spy.
Sick by Tom Leveen	Brian and his friends are not part of the cool crowd. They're the misfits, the troublemakers--the ones who jump their high school's electrified fence to skip school regularly. So when the virus breaks out, they're the only ones with a chance of surviving.
Just Like Fate  by Cat Patrick and Suzanne Young	With her grandmother dying, Caroline is given a choice to either stay by her gram's side or go to the biggest party of the year. The story is told through alternating chapters, revealing what happens if Caroline stays or goes.
The Beginning of Everything  by Robyn Schneider	Star athlete and prom king Ezra Faulkner's life is irreparably transformed by a tragic accident and the arrival of eccentric new girl Cassidy Thorpe.
Time After Time  by Tamara Ireland Stone	This is the second book in the Time After Time series, following Time Between Us. Told from his point of view, continues the love story of Bennett, a time traveler from 2012 San Francisco, and Anna, sixteen, of 1995 Evanston, Illinois, as they try to make their relationship work despite his fear that it is not meant to be.
Black Out  by Robison Wells	A mysterious virus is spreading through America, infecting teenagers with incredible powers--and a group of four teens are about to find their lives intertwined in a web of danger and catastrophic destruction.
Starry Nights  by Daisy Whitney	Seventeen-year-old Julien falls in love with the muse, Clio, as he tries to save her and the Musée D'Orsay's collection of Impressionist art after learning the paintings are reacting to a curse set by Renoir that trapped Clio in his painting.
The Final Descent  by Rick Yancey	This is the conclusion to the Monstrumologist series. When Dr. Warthrop begins to doubt fourteen-year-old Will Henry's loyalty, he sets him against one of the most horrific creatures in the Monstrumarium unaware that Will's life and his own fate will lie in the balance.

Veronica Roth book signing at the Tivoli Theatre

Anderson's Bookshop brought author Veronica Roth to the historic Tivoli Theatre in Downers Grove for a book signing of Allegiant this past Saturday, October 26. October 26 was even declared "Veronica Roth Day" in Illinois by Governor Quinn!

Fans gathered in the theatre to wait for the start of the Q&A. Movie concessions were available, too! Organist David Rhodes provided music.

A very blurry photo of David Rhodes playing the organ.

I did not get any good photos of Veronica when she came out on stage. Sorry! HarperCollins editor Margot Wood asked Veronica questions submitted by fans to EpicReads. Then questions were opened up to fans in the audience. The Q&A was also filmed and live streamed on the EpicReads site. Watch the interview here:



Here are some interesting facts gleaned from the Q&A:

• Veronica does fangirl over books -- she's a Potterhead, and can't wait to see what happens in the third book in Leah Bardugo's Grisha Trilogy.
• She writes on a treadmill desk!
• To pick one character from the Divergent series to help survive the zombie apocalypse, she chose Four, because of his combat experience. The interviewer thought Eric would be a better choice. Veronica's response: "But he would straight up kill you!"
• She would not want to co-write a book because she has to be alone in her own world during the writing process.
• Challenges to writing as a job include listening to the voice of the story while thinking of the  fans interpreting and reacting to the books. "How will I ever make this good enough for them?"
• Short stories about Four (out in February 2014) were written after the movie version of Divergent had been cast. Asked about envisioning actor Theo James while writing, Veronica responded that it was somewhat awkward, as she thought to herself while working on the stories: "I feel like I'm puppeteering Theo James right now."
• Veronica will stick to writing YA, but probably wouldn't write a mystery. She did not talk about her future project.
• Advice for teens who want to be writers: "Write when you want to write and when you don't want to write" and find people who will make thoughtful critiques of your work.

At the end of the Q&A, Veronica was joined onstage by her brother, Karl Roth, to perform his original song "The Mark," about the choice Tris makes in Divergent. You can watch the performance on the Epic Reads site here.

When the autograph signing portion began, the first group of 50 fans were called. Each fan was allowed to receive a personalized autograph on one book (no posed photos) to keep the line moving. I was #242!

The remaining fans waiting in the theater watched Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, which was Veronica's choice.

When it was my turn in the signing line I told Veronica that I am a fan of her blog, and enjoy reading her posts about her writing and revision process. Even though this was a packed event, she took the time to listen to and talk with each fan in line.

Overall it was a fun day. Old movie theater + live organ + YA lit + YA lit fans + Harry Potter = Pure awesomeness! I am excited to read Allegiant (I've avoided spoilers, for the most part, so far) and even more excited for the movie Divergent in March.