This blog reviews a variety literary works. It provides a brief overview of each, a photo, podcast, or video to entice you to find the book and read, read, read-- and often, a short review from your friendly teacher librarian.
Enjoy and read on!
With Fall Break coming up, I'd love to remind you all about Sora! I'm a big fan of Sora and the public library's e-book app, Libby. I'm a big fan of audiobooks and Sora (and Libby) is so convenient, I don't even have to leave my house to check out new titles.
With Sora, it's easy to connect to e-books, graphic novels, and audiobooks from your phone (or tablet, or laptop), and without needing a library card.
I made a little slide showing how to access it and use it. If there's any confusion, please drop in to the library and any one of us library staff would love to help you.
A New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and IndieBoundbestseller!
Balancing epic and intensely personal stakes, bestselling author Adam Silvera’s Infinity Son is a gritty, fast-paced adventure about two brothers caught up in a magical war generations in the making.
Growing up in New York, brothers Emil and Brighton always idolized the Spell Walkers—a vigilante group sworn to rid the world of specters. While the Spell Walkers and other celestials are born with powers, specters take them, violently stealing the essence of endangered magical creatures.
Brighton wishes he had a power so he could join the fray. Emil just wants the fighting to stop. The cycle of violence has taken a toll, making it harder for anyone with a power to live peacefully and openly. In this climate of fear, a gang of specters has been growing bolder by the day.
Then, in a brawl after a protest, Emil manifests a power of his own—one that puts him right at the heart of the conflict and sets him up to be the heroic Spell Walker Brighton always wanted to be.
Brotherhood, love, and loyalty will be put to the test, and no one will escape the fight unscathed.
"With Infinity Son, Adam Silvera has created an immersive, mind-bending world built around a sibling relationship that is both thoughtful and heart-wrenching." — Sabaa Tahir, #1 New York Times bestselling author of An Ember in the Ashes
"Adam Silvera has crafted an urban fantasy so intricate, so woven into our hyperconnected modern world and everyday issues, you'll swear the Spell Walkers of New York are real. A magical joyride with a cast full of heart." — Marie Lu, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Warcross
Norma's Review
First, I would like to put a quick little guide on something that initially had me confused. Like most fantasy/sci-fi worlds, there are in-universe terms and this book is no exception.
Gleamcrafters: ANYONE with magic
Celestials: Born with powers.
Specters: Steal powers form blood of magic creatures.
Spell Walkers: Celestial vigilantes.
Blood Casters: Gang of specters.
Now that that's out of the way, I'm still reading this book and currently about one third of the way through. It takes place in modern day New York where magic and creatures like phoenixes exist. The story changes POVs between the main characters, Emil and Brighton, as well as a few other characters. It's a fun read so far and I'm loving this mash up of a magical world where modern cell phones and Instagram exist. It's not a secret society type of magic either; some of these Celestials are public figures, such as online influencers and up-and-coming politicians!
I can't spoil much myself as I'm still reading it, but I'd definitely say to give this series a try!
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying comes your next obsession. You'll never feel the same about family again.
Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story are cousins, but they barely know each another, and they've never even met their grandmother. Rich and reclusive, she disinherited their parents before they were born. So when they each receive a letter inviting them to work at her island resort for the summer, they're surprised . . . and curious.
Their parents are all clear on one point--not going is not an option. This could be the opportunity to get back into Grandmother's good graces. But when the cousins arrive on the island, it's immediately clear that she has different plans for them. And the longer they stay, the more they realize how mysterious--and dark--their family's past is.
The entire Story family has secrets. Whatever pulled them apart years ago isn't over--and this summer, the cousins will learn everything.
Reviews
“Every twist is gasp-inducing…. Another McManus novel worth pulling an all-nighter for.” —Kirkus Reviews
“A slow-burn, uneasy beginning ultimately makes way for a frantically paced end peppered with twists that genre fans will happily take in stride. . . . Fans of McManus's previous offerings and of mysteries steeped in family dramatics will be eager for this." —Booklist
The Daughters of Ys by M.T. Anderson, Illustrated by Jo Rioux
An Atlantis-like city from Celtic legend is the setting of The Daughters of Ys, a mythical graphic novel fantasy from National Book Award winner M. T. Anderson and artist Jo Rioux.
Ys, city of wealth and wonder, has a history of dark secrets. Queen Malgven used magic to raise the great walls that keep Ys safe from the tumultuous sea. But after the queen's inexplicable death, her daughters drift apart. Rozenn, the heir to the throne, spends her time on the moors communing with wild animals, while Dahut, the youngest, enjoys the splendors of royal life and is eager to take part in palace intrigue.
When Rozenn and Dahut's bond is irrevocably changed, the fate of Ys is sealed, exposing the monsters that lurk in plain view. M. T. Anderson and Jo Rioux reimagine this classic Breton folktale of love, loss, and rebirth, revealing the secrets that lie beneath the surface.
Reviews
"Like [M. T. Anderson's] National Book Award-winning The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, this graphic novel is both accessible to a wide age range and rich with ideas that will intrigue adults... Jo Rioux’s character designs―which reference fifth century Anglo-Saxon art―aren’t just beautiful, they allow her to test the evocative possibilities of minimalist cartooning." ―NPR, from "NPR's Favorite Books Of 2020"
"Anderson’s [lyrical] version of the original lore...draws the reader into the eerie mystical world of Ys. Rioux’s enchanting classical artwork employs rustic pencils in a romantic style that recalls Emily Carroll, and autumnal colors which harken back to Breton culture. Readers keen on Celtic mythology will appreciate this whimsical tale with a dark turn, with crossover for Anderson’s teen fans likely."―Publisher's Weekly
Norma's Personal Review
The first thing that caught my eye was the lovely art by Rioux! The colors and style remind me so much of The Secret of Kells from Studio Cartoon Saloon but in a slightly more grown up style to fit the tone of this story. A retelling of a Celtic story, it gives more complex characterizations and motivations to the two female leads and is just overall such a fantastic read. As someone who loves graphic novels, I would recommend it for the art alone but the story written by Anderson is equally as addicting.
Come into the library and check it out if you're interested!
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER · From the author of How to Survive Your Murder comes a propulsive thriller about two teens who return to Camp Lost Lake, site of an infamous murder case that sealed their fates.
"A must-read for fans of true crime, dark family secrets, and intricate mysteries." —Ryan La Sala, bestselling author of The Honeys
Most people’s births aren’t immortalized in a police report—but Olivia was born during the infamous Camp Lost Lake murders. Seventeen years later, Olivia’s life looks pretty perfect . . . until she discovers the man she calls dad is not her biological father. Now she wants answers about her bloodline, and the only place she knows to look is Camp Lost Lake.
Most people don’t spend their formative years on the run with an alleged murderer—but Reagan did. In the court of public opinion, her mom was found guilty of the deaths at Camp Lost Lake, and both of them have been in hiding ever since. But Reagan believes in her mother’s innocence and is determined to clear her name.
Luckily for Olivia and Reagan, Camp Lost Lake is finally reopening, providing the perfect opportunity to find answers. But someone else is dead set on keeping the past hidden, even if it means committing murder.
Reviews
“This terrifying book reads like a horror movie. No, wait. It has the suspense and shocks and screams of TEN horror movies in one. Great nasty fun!” —R.L. Stine, author of Goosebumps and Fear Street
“Chilling and unpredictable. A meta must-read for horror fans and thrill-seekers.” —Jessica Goodman, NYT bestselling author of They’ll Never Catch Us, They Wish They Were Us and The Counselors
From the bestselling, award-winning creator of Almost American Girl comes an epic new graphic novel fantasy—a queer, feminist reimagining of the Fox Maiden legend from Korean mythology. Perfect for fans of Nimona, Squire, and The Prince and the Dressmaker.
Kai Song dreams of being a warrior. She wants to follow in the footsteps of her beloved father, the commander of the Royal Legion. But while her father believes in Kai and trains her in martial arts, their society isn’t ready for a girl warrior.
Still, Kai is determined. But she is plagued by rumors that she is the granddaughter of Gumiho, the infamous nine-tailed fox demon who was killed by her father years before.
Everything comes crashing down the day Kai learns the deadly secret about her mother’s past. Now she must come to terms with the truth about her identity and take her destiny into her own hands. As Kai desperately searches for a way to escape her fate, she comes to find compassion, and even love, in the most unexpected places.
Set in sixteenth-century Korea and richly infused with Korean folklore, The Fox Maidens is a timeless and powerful story about fighting for your place in the world, even when it seems impossible.
Reviews
“Ha successfully brings to life the wide range of emotions that both tell the story and provide evidence that the comic medium has been a healing force for her and perhaps could be for readers who have walked similar paths.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“Ha effectively uses the comic book format to recall her own memories of dislocation, explore a testy mother-daughter relationship and ultimately chronicle a poignant search for identity.” — San Francisco Chronicle
A teen girl’s attempt to make amends with her former friend group takes a sinister turn during a weekend getaway at an ancestral Irish estate in this atmospheric, literary horror from the author of Those We Drown.
There’s something in the lake at Wren Hall.
At least, that’s what the locals say. Not that Meg cares much about the rumors. When she’s asked to spend Halloween weekend at the Ireland retreat of the wealthy Wren twins, she recognizes the invitation for exactly what it is: her last, and only, chance to save her spot at Greyscott’s, the exclusive British art school she attended on scholarship until last summer. Clever, beautiful, and talented, the twins are the pride of Greyscott’s, and kindhearted Lottie Wren was once Meg’s closest friend. But not anymore.
None of Meg’s old friend group have talked to her since she left school—and they especially don’t talk about the incident that resulted in her suspension. Now, Meg is willing to do whatever it takes to earn their forgiveness.
But Wren Hall turns out to be far from the idyllic country manor Meg was expecting. The house is damp and drafty, the mirrors are all covered, and the weed-choked lake is at the center of legends that haunt the property to this day—a tainted legacy the estate seems unable to shake.
The truth is, people aren’t the only ones who keep secrets. Places can keep them too—and Wren Hall is drowning in them. When the past bleeds into the present and ancient sins rise to the surface, Meg must ask herself how well she really knows her one-time best friends...or whether any of them will survive the weekend.
Reviews
“No one does horror quite like Amy Goldsmith! Our Wicked Histories is an expertly crafted sophomore novel sure to haunt you long after the very last page. Goldsmith paints a chilling scene: a fog-drenched lake, a crumbling manor, and a girl desperate to claw her way back into her estranged friend group. Readers will be left ‘fearing death by water’ and wondering what grisly truth lies hidden in the mist.” —Skyla Arndt, author of Together We Rot
"Goldsmith brings stunning atmosphere to the forefront of this lushly described gothic mystery that features interrogations of class and gender." —Publishers Weekly
