To all of my viewers, I thank you for reading along. The twenty books I have recommended are twenty books that have a special place in the literary world for young adults such as yourselves. If you have time, are looking for good books for your classes, or desire something for recreation, please take these books into consideration. Remember, there is no limitation to the literary world. As well as the books I recommended, you may want to look at other works of the author. Many of the books I recommended are a part of their own respective series, some ongoing, some completed. Many of these books can be found in your local library, purchased at your local book story, or read to you through various social media including audiobook and other electronic sources. Try out the various forms for yourself. In addition, read the various genres, look at the many sub genres. Try a different genre once in a while. You will never know what you may enjoy reading until you try it out for yourself.
I hope you all enjoyed this blog as much as I enjoyed writing it for all of you. Thank you all, and enjoy the literary world.
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Genre Pick "The Obsidean Blade" by Peter Hautman
Hautman, Pete. Klaatu Diskos: The
Obsidian Blade. Somerville, Mass: Candlewick Press, 2012. Print; ISBN:
978-0-7636-5403-0; Hardcopy Price: $16.99.
Annotation
One day, Tucker discovers a mysterious disk shaped light on
the roof of his house. Little does he known this light, known as “diskos” is an
invention of a group called the “Klaatu,” and soon he will go on a journey
which will test his endurance, faith, and will introduce knew views on how the
world works.
Awards
- This book has not won any awards as of yet.
Book Talk
The first part of a three part book series deals with
several questions of destiny, religion, and A
young man named Tucker has become the newest form of entertainment for these
ghost like beings as he is introduced to various elements and is forced to
travel from one time period to another to search for his missing parents. In
this story, Tucker’s endurance, faith, relationships, and courage will all be
tested as he encounters the various horrors of the time stream as he combats a
vicious cult and learns of upcoming disasters that will force him to shape his
own path.humanity’s place in the universe. The Klaatu have set up the diskos, a time portal that leads from one period to another, as a form of entertainment.
Author talking about his book
Monday, September 1, 2014
Genre Pick "A Confusion of Princes" by Garth Nix
Nix, Garth. A
Confusion of Princes. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2012. Print; ISBN: 978-0-06-009694-6; Hardcopy Price: $17.99.
Annotation
A war between “princes” occurs to claim the title of
Emperor. Prince Khemri is one of millions of optional successors
vying for the throne to gain control of the galaxy.
Awards
- Was one of many titled to receive the 2013 Best fiction for young adults by the YALSA.
Book Talk
Assignations, war, mysterious powers, and millions of
Princes fighting to be the “Emperor” of galactic empire. What more can you
ask in this exciting space drama? Prince Khemri is one of these many princes
facing off in a competition where only one prince can win. Truly this story
will include a A
Confusion of Princes.
Book Trailer
Genre Pick "The Here and Now" by Ann Brashares
Brashares,
Ann. The Here and Now. New York: Delacorte Press, 2014. Print; ISBN: 978-0-385-73680-0; Hardcopy Price $18.99.
Annotation
In order for their society to survive, the
immigrants from the future must abide by several rules and limit their
interaction with the times’ people. Prenna, one of these immigrants finds
following this rule difficult when she catches the attention of a young man
named Ethan.
Awards
- No Awards won
Book Talk
The future is bleak. A plague has wiped out most of
humanity, and the survivors decide to travel back in time to escape their
troubles. These refugees begin to blend in with the past people with strict
rules and codes not too intermingle too much. One of the biggest rules is to
not have “intimate relationships with anyone outside the community.” Refugee
girl Prenna begins to wonder her place in the community as she gets close to a
boy named Ethan who she appears to have a past connection with, as the following
passage (page 35) outlines:
“Ethan was the first person who talked to me the day I
started ninth grade. It was the strangest thing. He was sitting in front of me
in math class, and he turned around and looked at me like he knew me, like we
were old friends. With serious business between us, like he expected me to know
him too. Two years later, I am still trying to figure out that look.”
The author of The
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants has created a story of intrigue and
romance, outlining the relationship between the two characters as well as the
obstacles they face in regards to responsibility and their own emotions. As the
story progresses, they will know what the future holds as well as understand The Here and Now.
Author Interview
Friday, August 29, 2014
Genre Pick "Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25" by Richard Evans
Evans, Richard P. Michael Vey: The
Prisoner of Cell 25. New York: Mercury Ink/Simon Pulse, 2011. Print; ISBN: 978-1-4516-5650-3; Hardcopy Price: $17.99.
Annotation
Michael Vey is a young man with the extraordinary power to
generate electricity. With this power comes the price of being hunted down by
Elgen who is after children just like him.
Awards
- Was rewarded the Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students in 2012 by the NSTA for the “physical science” category.
Book Talk
Ever wanted the power to control electricity? Michael Vey
has that power. A young man with Tourettes, he has always been an outcast among
his peers. The power that he must keep hidden from everyone further complicates
things. After meeting with a girl named Taylor who has a similar power, they
form a clubs with his genius friend Ostin to form “The Electro Clan.”
Little does Michael know, things will get more complicated.
Dr. Hatch from Elgen seeks to collect children like Michael called “Glows” and
use them for his own purposes. After kidnapping Taylor and Michael’s mother, Michael
is forced to track down Elgen and rescue them. Little does Michael know, Hatch
is waiting for him and hopes to gain his allegiance through any methods
necessary, including the use of Cell 25.
How will Michael fair against an enemy that is prepared for him? What will
happen when Michael Vey becomes The
Prisoner of Cell 25?
Book Trailer
Genre Pick "The Eye of Minds" by James Dashner
Dashner,
James. The Eye of Minds. New
York: Delacorte Press, 2013. Print; ISBN: 978-0-385-74139-2; Hardcopy Price: $18.99.
Annotation
Michael was an ordinary gamer/hacker in a virtual reality
world living his life on the web. Everything changed when he soon finds himself
playing a fatal game with the cyber terrorist, Kaine.
Awards
- No Awards won as of yet.
Book Talk
What is real, and what is imaginary? The Eye of Minds is a constant twist and turn as the reader tries to understand this virtual world. The characters themselves appear just as
confused.
Michael seemed like he knew what the virtual world is. He
played there, hacked, and lived his life on the web. When a cyber terrorist
named Kaine makes his move, he has been tasked by the government to track him
down and retrieve something called the Morality
Doctrine. Michael soon find out that what he thought was real turned out to
be something else entirely. What will become of Michael has he tries to come to
grips within The Eye of Minds?
Book Trailer
Genre Pick "Virals" by Kathy Reichs
Reichs,
Kathy. Virals. New York:
Razorbill, 2010. Print; ISBN: 978-1-595-14426-3; Paperback Price: $8.99.
Annotation
While looking for the owner of old dog tags, Tory and her
three friends come across a secret decades
old that could endanger all their lives. What they are unaware of is that in their quest, they will gain new and strange abilities on the way as they rescue a wolf-dog pup affected by a scientifically mutated strand of the parvovirus.
old that could endanger all their lives. What they are unaware of is that in their quest, they will gain new and strange abilities on the way as they rescue a wolf-dog pup affected by a scientifically mutated strand of the parvovirus.
Awards
- Was nominated for the Agatha Award for the Children/Young Adults category.
Book Talk
Being a 14-year-old girl in a group of outcasts if tough.
Tory’s life begins to get tougher the day she finds some old dog tags in the
woods. She and her three friends track the dog tags back to an old murder that
someone is willing to kill to keep hidden.
Things get easier however when they get their powers. After
rescuing a wolf-dog pup from a research facility, Tory and her friends found
themselves changed. They will soon discover that the pup was infected with a
mutated parvovirus that changed them genetically, giving them dog like
characteristics including super senses, speed, strength, and stamina. The group
then decides to use their new powers to find out the truth behind the murder.
Thus, their pack is formed… the Virals
are formed.
Book Trailer
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Genre Pick "Planet Theives" by Dan Krokos
Krokos, Dan. The
Planet Thieves. New York: Starscape, 2013.
Print; ISBN: 978-0-7653-3428-2; Hardcopy Price: $15.99.
Annotation
The space battle ship, the SS Egypt, is under attack by the
feared Termist alien race. Now it is up to young cadet Mason and his friends to do their part in combating this threat for the sake of their ship, and their home planet.
Awards
- No Awards won as of yet.
Book Talk
A hostile alien race called the Termists has invaded Earth.
Humans have been at war with them for years and are now preparing for another
assault as the SS Egypt carries a valuable weapon to combat the threat. The
Termists have invaded the SS Egypt and taken its crew hostage, all save for a
few children still hidden within the ship. Mason, one of the children is now in
a race to save everyone on the ship, including the newly appointed captain, his
sister. How will Mason survive this ordeal? What will he learn from these Planet Thieves about them and his role in this war?
Book Trailer
Genre Pick "Dark Life" by Kat Falls
Falls, Kat. Dark Life. New York:
Scholastic Press, 2010. Print; ISBN: 978-0-545-17814-3; Hardcopy Price: $16.99.
Annotation
When the World has become to crowded, people began to become
new pioneers, choosing to make their home in the ocean and grow resources for
the people on the land. Ty is one of these young pioneers, living in the sea
and dealing with all the problems that associate with it, including outlaws who
begin to attack homesteads.
Awards
- Awarded the Juvenile Literary Award by The Friends of American Writers in 2011.
Book Talk
Dark Life… this is the name given to the people who live
under the sea. Ty is one of these people. He is a young man with a special gift
that allows him to stand out from the adults. When a gang of outlaws called the
Seablight gang begins targeting homesteads, the town has been tasked by the
government to catch them or risk their colony’s future. With this vendetta, Ty
has teamed up with a Topsider Gemma who is looking for her brother. Together,
they will track down the Seablight Gang, and discover what about them that
makes them so special. In this part sci-fi, part western fiction that takes
place in the ocean, readers will learn what it means to be, Dark Life.Book Trailer
My Genre Pick: "Science Fiction"
This blog will be completed real soon. To everyone who have followed along for these past few weeks, thank you. I will complete this blog by doing book talks on eight books that are apart of my favorite genre, Science Fiction. Follow along with my blog as I go over different aspects of the science fiction genre from multiple settings and tropes including time travel, space opera, romance, and other areas of interest. Follow along with my book talks, and click on the "Quotes from Teens" link to see what young adults these days think of science fiction and reading in general.
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Sicence Fiction Genre "Steampunk!: An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories" by Kelly Link and Gavin
Link, Kelly, and Gavin J. Grant. Steampunk!:
An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories. Somerville, Mass:
Candlewick Press, 2011. Print; ISBN 978-0-7636-4843-5; Hardcopy Price $22.99.
Annotation
Collected and edited by fantasy and science fiction writer Kelly Link and editor Galvin J Grant, these tales are the representatives of the steampunk genre which showcases its fantastic, strange, and surreal properties.
Awards
- The novelette “Summer People” by Kelly Link has won the 2011 Shirley Jackson Award.
Book Talk #1
Time traveling watches, automatons, ghosts, thieves, murder,
mystery, romance, and a talking chimpanzee. There is no limit to the
imagination with the steampunk genre. Read more about these subjects an plenty
more in this collection of short stories dedicated to Steampunk. Book Talk #2
What is steampunk? Is it a Victorian fashion sense? Is it
robots and steam machines? Steampunk is a genre all its own. This Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange
Stories will entertain and entice you to get a better look at the genre.
Read the many ideas that may be associated with steampunk, from time traveling
watches, to super genius Chimpanzees. From all points of science and fantasy,
steampunk is not just a genre, fashion sense, or anything associated with it.
So then, what is Steampunk? Can you
come up with your own definition?
Kelly Link interview
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Multicultural Genre "All the Right Stuff" by Walter D. Myers
Myers, Walter D. All the Right Stuff.
New York: Amistad, 2012. Print; IBSN: 978-0-06-196087-1; Hardcopy
Price $17.99.
Annotation
With his father recently passed away and his road to adulthood fast approaching, Paul took to working in a soup kitchen over summer. There, he meets Elijah, a cook with his own views on life, and what is known as "The Social Contract."
Awards
- As the cover of the book shows, it has won the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature.
Book Talk
Paul is a young man trying to figure out
what he wants in life. Volunteering in a soup
kitchen, he meets Elijah who introduces the young to the social contract and
what it is all about. Throughout the book, Paul
becomes introduced to new aspects of the social contract and encounters how it
applies to the people around him, from a street tough named Sly, to a basket
ball playing, teenage mother named Keisha. Elijah
outlined the social contract for Paul in ways of taking another person’s ham
sandwich, and creating soup. How Paul interprets the unorthodox explanations of
this old soup kitchen employee remains to be seen. One thing is certain; Paul
just might learn something about his society and himself in the end.
Interview with the author
Graphic Novel Genre "Attack on Titan, Volume 1" by Hajime Isayama, translated by Sheldon Drzka
Isayama, Hajime, and Sheldon Drzka. Attack
on Titan: Vol.1. New York, N.Y: Kodansha Comics, 2012. Print; ISBN:
978-1612620244; Paperback Price $10.99.
Annotation
Humanity is reduced to hiding behind walls to protect themselves from giant, man-eating, humanoid creatures known as the Titans. When one of the walls protecting them was penetrated by the creatures, humanity must now fight back against the Titans, assembling an army to take back their world.
Awards
- Kodansha Manga Award in 2011 for the Shōnen category.
Book Talk
The Titans have almost wiped out humanity. To escape the giant creatures who appeared without warning,
humans have been reduced to living behind three giant walls circling the areas
where Titans have not yet passed. For one century, they have known safety and
peace. Everything changed that one-day. The day the Colossal Titan came. “On that day,” humanity was “reminded” why
they were behind that wall.
Eren was there that day, when the Colossal Titan
punctured the Wall Maria. At such a young age, he witnessed so much death and
destruction, one death in particular haunts him for years. When old enough, he
joined the military, becoming a member of the 104th Trainee Corp as
the humans begin to make a move. His vengeance against the Titans begins.
Despite being a Shōnen manga, the
violence is more graphic and very detailed then most. The story itself is as
dark as the illustrations show. Isayama allows
readers to see the fear in the faces of the humans as well has get shivers from
the realistically human-like details of the Titans. The manga's illustrations are meant to creep the
reader out and dares anyone with claims of courage to read.
Trailer for the Anime
Friday, August 8, 2014
Chick-Lit Genre "Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-so-Happy Heartbreaker" by Rachael R. Russel with Nikki Russel and Erin Russel
Russell,
Rachel R, Nikki Russell, and Erin Russell. Dork
Diaries: Tales from a Not-so-Happy Heartbreaker. New York:
Aladdin, 2013. Print; ISBN: 978-1442449633;
Hardcopy Price $13.99.
Annotation
With the biggest dance of the year just around the corner, Nikki decided she wants to go with her friend Brandon. Drama and emotions unfold as the dance grows closer, and Nikki worries about whether or not Brandon will agree to go with her.
Awards
- This Book has yet to win any awards.
Book Talk
Nikki is an average, unpopular, unlucky teenage girl who is
interested in a boy named Brandon. With a school dance coming up, she is hoping
to go with Brandon, though there have been plenty of complications that made
her feel as though it is a pipe dream. She outlines in her own words the
confusion and pain of being a teenage girl with a crush and expresses herself
in diary form. Page 40 gives us an example of her desire to reach out to
someone and her (momentary) views on love.
“They’re doing a Miss Know-it-All Crisis Love Advise column,
which means I have the entire month off.
Anyways, here’s my letter…
Dear Miss Know-It-All,
Why is love such a CRUDDY thing?
Help!
A Brokenhearted Dork!”
In this sixth installment of the Dork Diaries series, Nikki
will deal with the stress of love in her usual dramatic over-the-top fashion. She
will experience love, hate, jealousy, rivalry, and a wide spectrum of emotions,
all explored as she tries to make sense of the concept of love. The
reader’s will explore with humor and emotion her love journey leading to the
school dance.
Series Book Trailer (Meet Nikki Maxwell)
Urban Fiction Genre "Upgrade U" by Ni Ni Simone
Simone, Ni-Ni. Upgrade U. New York: Kensington Books, 2011. Print. ISBN:
978-0-7582-4191-7. Paperback; $9.95.
Annotation
Seven has been in a relationship with her boyfriend Joshua for some time now. As Joshua begins to become more obsessed with his dream of being an NBA star, will she begins to have feelings for another man named Zaire who she feels treats her better then Joshua.
Awards
- 2012 Street Lit Book Award Medal Winners
Book Talk
“Don’t try to
twist this around on me. Girls come at me all day every day, but I’m here
trying to upgrade you.”
“Upgrade me? I
know you don’t think I’m on it like that!? I knew you when you had braces and a
head full of naps. Don’t play with me.”
With Joshua’s
pride getting the better of him and Seven having enough, she becomes curious
about another young man named Zaire who has been interested in her for a
while. Seven is now on the edge of her emotional tolerance and is now in
the process of deciding if maybe her relationship with Joshua is not ideal.
Book Trailer
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