Library Ninja

Superhero Spring Break

2010-03-15T18:57:00.002-05:00

Come to the East Branch Monday through Thursday during spring break from 2-4 PM to watch superhero movies every day! Snacks will be provided!

Just to drive you crazy. . .books we don't have yet. . .but we will!

2010-03-15T16:11:00.003-05:00

Yes. We like to drive you crazy with anticipation for all the great books that are being written, published, and will soon appear on our shelves. Here is a taste of what's to come. And, yes, you can go ahead and place requests on these items.

The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong	The White Cat by Holly Black	Kiss of Death by Rachel Caine
Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr	Lies: a Gone novel by Michael Grant	Salt by Maurice Gee
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins	Love Bites by Ellen Schreiber	Vampire Rising by Jason Henderson

FULL Eclipse Trailer...You've been waiting for it!!!

2010-03-11T10:52:00.002-06:00

Whoa...it looks fantastic! I can't wait, can you? Don't forget we'll be showing the first movie of the Saga for free, outdoors on the lawn of the Levitt Pavilion.

You may have seen it 100 times...but you've never seen it like this! Join us at the Levitt, across the street from the Central Library (parking available) at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 19 for carnival games, prizes, and a biggest fan contest! Get your picture taken with these guys...and the biggest fan winner will get to choose one to take home!:

Plus we have lots more to win! Winners can only be in 7-12th grade and must have a teen library card or MyCard. However, people of all ages will be welcome to play some carnival games and watch the movie! Remember to bring your own blanket. Click here or call us for more details 817-459-6900. And check out our YouTube commercial on the left hand sidebar!

Eclipse 10-second teaser trailer for the trailer

2010-03-10T15:03:00.000-06:00

Okay. I loves me some Twilight. I really, really do. I bought all the books, I own the super-duper special edition of Twilight on DVD. I've even played the New Moon board game (but lost to my sister)! But I am also able to find humor in some of the Twilight mania. Ninja Angela sent me a link to this blog post at NPR's Monkey See blog and it made me laugh out loud.

Summit Entertainment just released a 10-second teaser trailer before they release the full trailer for Eclipse. Tomorrow we can all watch the full trailer, but today they just want to make us pull out our hair with the nearly unbearable anticipation of it all.

The Ninja Reviews...Independence Hall by Roland Smith

2010-03-10T08:00:00.001-06:00

Have you ever wanted to follow a concert tour around the country? Quest "Q" Tucker has no need of such questions. His mother just got married to his stepfather and now they are going on a sold out concert tour in their R.V. Sounds ideal doesn't it? No school, lots of sightseeing. No worries, right?

Well, Q doesn't exactly get his wish. Along with a stepfather comes a new stepsister, Angela, and one impressive homework assignment, to detail their travels with their famous parents. Ok, still doesn't sound too bad, does it?

Along the way, Q gets to know about his new sister's family more than he ever imagined. Oh, by the way, did she forget to mention her mother was a spy for the government. And some international spies are following Angela to determine if she knows some of her mother's secrets. Trapped between famous parents who want to keep their children out of the limelight as much as possible and international spies attempting to discover Angela's past, Q gets more than he bargained for as he avoids the spies and astonishes doctors with a few well placed playing cards.

Independence Hall appeared on the Lone Star Reading List for 2009-2010. It is a raucous ride around the country, exploring some of the world's most terrifying current political atmospheres. On the whole, the book is a quick enjoyable read. However, some aspects of the plot, which would be too much of a spoiler to mention, are a little unbelievable. Yet, at the same time, are some of the most intriguing aspects. Thoroughly confused? Welcome to the world of international espionage! See if you can't figure out who the real villains are.

And if the first in the I, Q series doesn't quench your spy thirst, check out the sequel The White House coming out on June 1st.

The Ninja Reviews. . .Heist Society by Ally Carter

2010-03-06T08:00:00.009-06:00

If you saw my blog about the books I’m most looking forward to in 2010, then you will remember that Heist Society by Ally Carter was right up there at the top of my list. I LOVE Ally Carter’s Gallagher Girl series so I was curious to see what else she had up her writer’s sleeve. Well, my little peeps, I was not disappointed.

Katarina Bishop is a normal fifteen-year-old girl (if you consider being a cat burglar of the first order normal). You see she is part of an elite crime family who has been responsible for some of the most infamous art thefts in history. But she has decided to leave her life of crime behind and run away to an exclusive boarding school on the East coast. Just when she believes her life has become the boring and staid existence she longs for, events beyond her control yank her security out from under her and thrust her head-first back into the life she swore to leave behind.

Kat’s father is accused of stealing four paintings from a private collector, the notoriously evil mob boss, Arturo Taccone. Taccone locates Kat and insists that he will harm her father if she does not find his missing paintings. The problem is his paintings were last seen 60 years ago in Nazi Germany. How is Kat going to steal back stolen paintings? Well, she is going to have to gather her family and friend, Hale (the hunky boy who might or might not be her boyfriend), and plan the scam of the century. Throw in a little betrayal , the Louvre, and Interpol agents and you have the perfect recipe for a brainteasing thriller of a story. Think: a teenage version of Ocean’s Eleven, Twelve and Thirteen!

This is a very fast paced and jet setting novel. I love that the action in the novel takes place during the two-week deadline set by Taccone. Ally has even grouped the chapters in such a way as to show what each day of the countdown to the deadline brings. I also love that Kat and her gang are running all over Europe and the United States trying to put together the perfect operation. I truly appreciate stories with historical significance and Ally does a great job bringing to light the continuous search for family treasures stolen by the Nazis during World War II. Oh, and FYI, the movie rights for Heist Society have already been purchased so read it before you see it.

Review written by Angela

Vampires at the Levitt...March 19th at 7 p.m.

2010-03-05T17:20:00.003-06:00

The Ninja Reviews. . .Gone by Lisa McMann

2010-03-05T11:14:00.001-06:00

!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!
If you have not read the first two books,
be aware that this entry may contain spoilers.
You have been warned!

This is the final - the LAST!! - book in the Wake trilogy by Lisa McMann and she certainly did not disappoint this particular reader!

Janie is not only suffering the aftermath of the her investigation and trial of several of her high school teacher's, but she also with what she must decide conerning her fate as a dream-catcher. She has Cabel to rely on, but is it fair to stay with him, knowing she will make his life harder when she loses both her sight and the use of her hands?

Responding to frantic messages on her cell phone from her best friend and neighbor, Janie and Cabel abruptly end a relaxing vacation to rush to the hospital where Janie's mother has been taken. However, it's not Janie's alcoholic mother who has been hospitalized, but Janie's father, whom she knows absolutely nothing about. While this should be a chance to learn about him, Janie is shocked to hear that he is in some sort of coma and won't last much longer. To make matters more confusing and disturbing, Janie is sucked into her father's nightmare and learns some devastating things about him that only serve to make her final decision about being a dream-catcher even tougher.

I read this book in roughly 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Each book in the series is a really quick read, so they are great if you want something to read on a plane ride or a long car trip. With each book McMann writes, I am always impressed by her unique style. Each chapter starts with a date and time and reads somewhat like a journal, as it is written in short, descriptive bursts that get straight to the point. Despite this fact, there is a lot of character development for Janie and some of the other characters.

While the first two books each follow an actual mystery involving the police, this last book is more about Janie's internal struggle to figure out which path is the right one to follow. Some readers may be disappointed that this third book does not follow the plot format of the others (no mystery involving Janie and Cabe's work with the police). It does read more like a family drama, and the end is 100% concrete. However, if a third book was to be written, I'm not sure how else McMann should have written. I think she did as well as she could have. Some online reviewers have said she should have written another in the exact same vein as the first two, or else just stopped with the second. I'll let you read and decide.

As for other content, there is some harsh language from time to time, as well as an intimate relationship between Janie and Cabel, but all is done tastefully and within the confines of the story itself. Keep in mind that Janie's story is a rather dark one, but there is also a lot of hope because she is ultimately a positive person who will always battle for what is right.

It's difficult to find books very similar to the Wake books, but try these anyway!

Prophecy of the Sisters
by Michelle Zink

Blood and Chocolate
by Annette Curtis Klause

Saturday Anime

2010-02-25T08:00:00.000-06:00

Looking for a way to while away some afternoon hours this saturday?
The Northeast Branch Library is hosting an afternoon of Anime fun. Come join other Anime fans and explore all the action, drama and hilarity of an Anime series. Snacks are welcome!

Saturday Anime
Northeast Branch Library
Fourth Saturday of the Month
1:30-4:30pm.

The Ninja Reviews....The Mytholopedia Series

2010-02-24T15:33:00.001-06:00

Are you crazy for Chronus? Gaga for the Graces? Mad for the Menotaur? Or perhaps you just like a little reality TV style drama? If so then you should check out the newly purchased series on the Greek Gods, Goddesses, Myths, and Monsters. The series, called Mytholopedia, has four titles that specialize in different areas of Greek Mythology. Each is has a colorful and interesting layout and clearly states enemies, relatives, friends, family, etc of each God, Goddess and Demigod.

All in the Family: A Look-it-Up Guide to the In-laws, Outlaws, and Offspring of Mythology by Steven Otfinoski

She's All That!: A Look-it-Up Guide to the Goddesses of Mythology by Megan E. Bryant

What a Beast!: A Look-it-Up Guide to the Monsters and Mutants of Mythology by Sophia Kelly

Oh My Gods!: A Look-it-Up Guide to the Gods of Mythology by Megan E. Bryant

If you love Greek Mythology why don't you check out our Lightning Thief Read-a-Likes page?

The Ninja Reviews...When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

2010-02-19T08:00:00.002-06:00

Miranda is a young girl who, during the 1970s, simply wants to go to school, hang out with friends, and help her mom win big on $20,000 Pyramid. But that doesn't stop the notes from coming.

After a bizarre punching incident, her friend Sal, whom she has walked to and from school with all her life, avoids her. Then one day, even though her mother and herself are absolutely positive neither one of them left the door open, Miranda comes home to an unlocked door. Nothing seems odd at first. Yet, the next morning, she discovered the first note in a library book in her school knapsack. No one out of the ordinary has been in the apartment since she came home. And it is talking about saving her friend's life!

The book is very short, less than a hundred pages. Once I started reading, I couldn't put the book down. The characters intrigued me and I really wanted to know what would happen next. Now, some people may be asking what the $20,000 Pyramid is...Well, the book explains it quite nicely, for those of you who were not around when the show was on TV.

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead has won the Newbery Award for 2010. I can definitely see why the book was chosen. However, there is something that all readers of this book would benefit from. Though it is never explicitly mentioned, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle is referred to quite often. Upon hearing of this book as being one of the best Young Adult novels of 2009 a couple of months ago, I read A Wrinkle in Time in preparation. Yes, I will admit (at least as far as I can remember) I have never read Madeleine L'Engle's classic before this. I would say, for any reader who is going to read When You Reach Me, to read A Wrinkle in Time first. The author chose to infer a lot of the plot by using the references to A Wrinkle in Time. So, if you haven't read either, now's the time.

The Ninja Reviews... Show Off: how to do absolutely everything one step at a time

2010-02-17T11:39:00.001-06:00

Have you ever wanted to turn drink mix into hair dye? Write in invisible ink? Tie Dye a shirt? Locate the North Star? Make your own soda pop? Or run a ninja obstacle course (well I know how to do that...)? Then Show Off : how to do absolutely everything one step at a time is the book for you!

It's a great, step-by-step guide to doing tons of cool stuff. All the pages are illustrated clearly and colorfully. If you're looking for something to do or to get some skills you can show off to your friends, then check this book out!

Third book in the Hunger Games series is revealed

2010-02-11T17:14:00.000-06:00

Are you freaking out right now?? I am!! The cover and title of the third Hunger Games book has been revealed: Mockingjay. What will happen to Katniss, Peeta, and Gale? No one will find out earlier because they will not be releasing any Advanced Reader Copies. I think that's kind of cool because it means we all find out together on August 24th.

What are your thoughts on the title and the cover? Leave us a comment and let us know!

Teen Review by Robb... Storm Front by Jim Butcher

2010-02-09T11:16:00.000-06:00

Storm Front is the first novel of the Dresden Files, by Jim Butcher. In Storm Front, you meet Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden. Harry is a wizard. He is also the only wizard listed in the Chicago phonebook. He works as a "consultant" for the Chicago police. He gets a murder case. He starts investigating, and he learns of some surprising details.

Storm Front is definitely on my "books to buy" list. It has action, magic, crime, and even a little romance. If you like detective, crime, or supernatural novels, Storm Front is the book for you.

Thanks Robb! You've earned yourself a free book. If you want to earn a free book like Robb, then click on the Free Books tab at the top of the page! It's easy and free for all 7-12th graders who use the Arlington Public Library!

The Ninja Reviews. . .North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley

2010-02-08T14:33:00.000-06:00

Seventeen year old Terra Cooper has been hiding behind makeup her whole life. Terra has a port wine stain that covers one side of her face. She has undergone numerous laser treatments in order to remove the birthmark but all have been unsuccessful. As if being physically “scarred” is not enough, her control freak father continually berates her for her imperfections and she lives in constant fear that other people will notice how dysfunctional her family truly is.

Terra has been taught by her family that the definition of beauty is skin deep (Her mother is always on the lookout for the latest laser technology to remove her birthmark and restore her “ruined” face. Her father frequently calls her Jolie laide, which is French for “pretty ugly”. I mean this girl cannot catch a break!) But her core beliefs are challenged when she meets Jacob, a Goth boy from the big city. Jacob has had his share of heartache. He was born in China and given up for adoption because he was born with a cleft pallet. And while his physical deformity has been corrected, his distinctly Asian features mark him an outsider in his own family. However, he is the first person to really SEE Terra--to notice the girl within, to appreciate the inner beauty and talent she possesses, and to understand her actions and reactions to those around her. Through her friendship with Jacob and the encouragement of her art mentors, Terra begins to rediscover herself. She starts developing the self-assurance to take control of her life, to show her identity, and display her inner Iron Goddess to the world.

I LOVED this book!!! Justina Chen Headley has done a wonderful job of melding characters, action, and emotion to create a story that is both relevant and heartfelt. Her writing is poetic and is so filled with “ah ha!” moments that I found myself wanting to read many of the passages over and over again. I really like the way she weaves the story around cartography (map making) and geocaching.

I found myself wanting to look at old maps and search for hidden treasure while reading this book (and since I have a not-so-secret love for Captain Jack Sparrow this should not be surprising). I have recently been introduced to geocaching through the Southwest Area Geocachers, a local group who attended the Share Your Passion Program at the Woodland West Branch Library last month. I cannot wait for the weather to get nicer so that I can go try it out! By the way, North of Beautiful is another shining example of the AWESOME books on the 2010 Lone Star Reading List!

Review by Angela

The Ninja Reviews...Luxe by Anna Godberson

2010-02-04T10:00:00.003-06:00

The Luxe series follows the comings and goings of the Holland family in New York high society during the late 1800s to early 1900s. Sounds stuffy, doesn't?

Oh, this series is far from stuffy. The two Holland girls, Elizabeth and Diana, are anything but conventional in their romantic aspirations. Neither girls is accepting of how their mother wants their lives to be. Mrs. Holland wants her girls to move even further up the rungs of society to help their family overcome some financial difficulties brought about by the recent death of their father. However, Elizabeth has been romantically involved with someone most definitely not of her class for quite a while and is willing to do anything to be with him. Diana, well, she thinks society is just plain boring and longs for an adventure.

For the first three books, it follows a historical romance theme. Will the girls give in to their mother's wishes or will they follow their hearts and the men they love? Don't get me wrong they are written superbly, but the fourth book really astonished me. Oh, how I wish I could go into further detail, how the fourth book elevated the whole series to a new level...but that would take all the fun out of reading it yourself.

So, if you are looking for a book to transport you to a different era of high society and class mingling, this series is for you.

By the way, the covers to all four books are gorgeous. I for the longest time thought most of the dresses for girls pictured were painted. Every one of them is real! The Luxe series is a feast for the eyes as well as the mind. Enjoy!

If you want to comment and let me know if you thought the fourth book was as good as I thought it was, please do so. I will be looking forward to those comments!

Teen Review by Hannah... The Dangerous Days of Daniel X by James Patterson

2010-01-29T11:55:00.001-06:00

I've recently read The Dangerous days of Daniel X by James Patterson and co-author Michael Ledwidge, and I really enjoyed it! It has all the action and thrill of The Maximum Ride series, also by James Patterson.

Daniel X looks like a normal teenager, but actually he's from another planet. Some people on his planet have special abilities such as telekinesis. But Daniel is exceptional, even for his people. He can read people's minds, control people's minds, transform into things from a tiny tick to a woolly mammoth, can make real copies of people appear and vanish at will, and has exceptional speed, intelligence, and strength.

What was he doing on Earth, you say? When he was 3 his parents were on a mission to capture and\or kill the top 20. The top most dangerous aliens, that is. When he was three, his parents were ultimately murdered by #1 on their list: The Prayer. Daniel, being the smart 3 year old that he was, managed to escape, get the list, and follow his parents footsteps in the business of dealing with dangerous aliens.

When he decides to take a shortcut from #16 to #6, his copies of friends and family question the he can do it. Is he ready for it? He finds himself being haunted in his dreams by The Prayer and #6, and he, strangely, finds the urge to go to real school, as #6 told him to do in his dream. Is it all a trap? Are the aliens behind this? Then,at school, Daniel meets the girl of his dreams and is determined to protect her from #6. Will he triumph
over #6? You'll just have to read it to find out.

Thanks Hannah! You earned yourself a free book. If you'd like to earn a book like Hannah did, click on the Free Books link at the top of this page.

Teen Review by Paige... A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

2010-01-28T15:00:00.001-06:00

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray is about 16-year old Gemma Doyle, her mothers tragic death, and a magic like no other. After her mothers death, she is sent to Spence Academy for Young Ladies in England where she befriends Ann Bradshaw, the shy scholarship student, and becomes the enemy of Felicity Worthington (the leader) and Pippa Cross (the second in command).

After an evil trick by Felicity and her gang, Gemma finds herself locked in a dark church after curfew. Here she meets Kartik, a member of the Rakshana and her new guardian. He warns her not to make her visions, which she has had since her mothers death, stop, but she doesn't know how and if she did she doesn't think she WANTS them to stop. Gemma must learn what happened to her mother so it can't happen to her and to that she is going to have to take some scary risks which include an alliance with Felicity and Pippa.

This is a very wonderful book and I hope you will read it and love it like I did. A Great and Terrible Beauty has 2 sequels called Rebel Angels (book 2) and The Sweet Far Thing (book 3).

Other books like this include The Red Necklace and its sequel The Silver Blade.

Thanks Paige! Please contact the Library Ninja at libraryninja@arlingtontx.gov to claim your free book! The email you included with your review did not work. Thanks!

The Ninja Reviews.... Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

2010-01-28T12:38:00.003-06:00

We are chained hand and foot by Protocol, enslaved to a static, empty world where men and women can't read, where the scientific advances of the ages are the preserve of the rich, where artists and poets are doomed to endless repetitions and sterile reworkings of past masterpieces. Nothing is new. New does not exist. Nothing changes, nothing grows, evolves, develops. Time has stopped. Progress is forbidden. -Incarceron

Incarceron is a unique prison experiment started by the Sapienti and leaders of the Outside centuries ago. Instead of barred cells, the inmates live in an unimaginable wilderness of metal forests, grimey caves, and dark gloom. The prison has been sealed for hundreds of years and continues to grow and form, creating an artificial intelligence that cannot be controlled. No one goes out or comes in except, as legend has it, one Sapienti years ago.

Seventeen year old Finn is stuck in the prison but believes with all his heart that he comes from the Outside. He becomes determined to escape the clutches of Incarceron after a horrible event leaves him with a connection to someone who claims to be Outside: a girl named Claudia.

Claudia is the daughter of the Warden of Incarceron and is about to be married off to the oafish son of the Queen. All her life she has been chained to Protocol, the system of correct manners, no technology, and halting of Time. She feels her life is doomed until she finds a link to Finn, whose help she will need to avoid the marriage and the wrath of her father. Escape will take courage and sacrifice. Along the way Claudia and Finn will find out who they truly are and who to trust while constantly battling the jealous and ever present Incarceron.

Incarceron is a magical fantasty book that hooked me from the first chapter. This book is not for readers who like their fantasy straight-forward. The inner-workings of Incarceron and the history of the Outside can get confusing as it is never simply spelled out for the reader but instead is explained through character converstion. Don't let this stop you from reading. From the plot twists to the development of the characters, Incarceron is a fantasy that must be devoured. Readers will be left wondering what happens to Finn and Claudia but they will have to wait for the second installment entitled Sapphique (already out in the United Kingdom).

If you like tales of hardship and escape, try one of these:

The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins

The Maze Runner
by James Dashner

The Knife of Never
Letting Go
by Patrick Ness

This review is based on an advanced copy. Be the first to comment on this entry to win an advanced readers copy of Incarceron!

The Ninja Reviews. . .Tithe, Valiant, and Ironside by Holly Black

2010-01-26T19:58:00.000-06:00

Holly Black is known mostly for co-writing The Spiderwick Chronicles, but I knew her first as an author of young adult books about a very dark version of our world inhabited by faeries.

The first of these books is Tithe (the cover has been re-done a number of times, which I've always found an interesting thing for a publisher to do). Kaye is 16 and has always felt like a freak. She is a blonde-haired Asian, which is strange enough, she grew up in seedy bars because of her rocker-wannabe mom, and she has vague memories of conversing with faeries when she was a little girl. When she ends up back at her Gram's house, she rescues a wounded man who is obviously not of this world. Her faerie friends from childhood reappear to warn her, but Kaye is quickly sucked into the world of faerie.

This is actually a re-telling of the Scottish legend of Tam Lin, but it is incredibly dark, very edgy, and not your typical faery story. In traditional folklore, faeries were not usually beautiful creatures who performed good deeds; They were something to be feared. Holly Black definitely uses this in her novels, and to great effect. I have read some reviews online in which readers have complained about the language and some of the contest in these books. However, it all serves to build the Kaye's character and explain what type of life she has had. If you keep in mind that she's led a really rough life around rough people, you just might come to understand her and her eventual involvement in the macabre world of the fae.

I highly suggest these books to fans of Melissa Marr. If you love her books, then you will certainly enjoy Holly Black's. Here are the two books that follow Tithe:

Valiant by Holly Black

Ironside by Holly Black

The Ninja Reviews... Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

2010-01-21T16:20:00.002-06:00

"There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that's what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave." - Beautiful Creatures

The small town in Gatlin, SC is starting to feel too small to Ethan Wate, who is determined to get out of town as fast as he can. He's tired of having to put on a face to be part of the high school in-crowd. He's tired of watching his dad slowly wither away, shutting himself into his office for days at a time. He's tired of sympathetic looks from townsfolk who don't know what it's like to lose someone close...to lose a mother.

But all that changes when Lena Duchannes moves to town. Decidedly different, Lena is the girl of Ethan's dreams -- literally. She has been part of his vivid nightmares for months now. When she gives Ethan the time of day they both can feel the electricity between them. What is drawing them too each other? What secret is Lena's recluse uncle hiding...the secret that could keep them apart forever?

There has been a lot of hype and reviews about this book, but I'm sad to say that Ninja Jenny did not particularly love this book. Maybe it's because I consider myself a southerner, and a true Texas girl at that. I don't like books that stereotype the South in a cruel way, which is what I felt Beautiful Creatures did. Granted the authors wrote vividly, creating a believable and beautiful atmosphere throughout the book, but I just die a little inside when books set in the here-and-now depict Southerners as crazy, Confederate-flag-carrying, grits-eating, living-in-the-past morons. It makes them Yankees think bad things about us *wink*.

The book is fairly large and has dull moments interspersed between some fantastic action, romance, and mystery solving. The authors have to create not only the world of Gatlin but the world of Casters as well and while it is imaginative and interesting, these parts throughout the book can get a little on the long side.

The story itself and the characters created by the authors are beautifully written and well thought out. Even though many of them are branded with a big, red S for stereotype, each character comes off the page, easily affecting the reader. The plot is original and crafted with care. The last 80 pages of the book will keep you in your seat wondering what will happen next!

All in all I really liked this book, but didn't love it. The stereotyping, length of the book, and occasional dull moments really make it impossible for me to give this book a five star review. However, fans of paranormal romance and Gothic mystery will fall in love with Ethan and Lena and root for them throughout this 576 page mammoth! But beware, the ending is a cliff-hanger! Another novel is anticipated to make this a series.

This review is based on an advanced copy received in November 2009.

If you've already read and enjoyed Beautiful Creatures, try one of these:

Hush, Hush
by Becca Fitzpatrick

Shiver
by Maggie Stiefvater

Ruined: a novel
by Paula Morris

The Ninja Reviews...The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima

2010-01-20T16:00:00.000-06:00

Han travels between the Clans and the Vale in the realm of Fellsmarch, bringing goods back and forth under the eyes of the Queen's Guard. Though he has left behind the ways of the Streetlord of the Raggers to protect his yonger sister, he is still dogged by the rival group, the Southies, who can easily identify him by the permanent silver cuffs around his wrists.

Princess Raisa, heir to the Queenship of Fellsmarch, has recently returned from her stint with her father's Clan. Unused to the frivolity and cosseting of Court, she seeks ways in which to inform herself of the outside world no matter the cost.

For those of you who may have read the Heir Chronicles by Cinda Williams Chima (and if you haven't, you should), her latest The Demon King is a pure fantasy, no mingling fantastical elements with the contemporary world.

This book started slow for me. It took several tries to really get in the swing of things. However, once I got into it, I didn't stop. I finished the book in a single sitting. I think I may have gotten up to eat, but I am not really sure. :) I was so intent on discovering what would happen next. Though the plotline may be a little obvious, I still fell in love with the determined young Princess Raisa and the ever suffering Han. I can't wait for the next in the series, The Exiled Queen.

If you are a fan of Chima's previous work, this one will not disappoint.

Teen review by Alice. . .Graceling by Kristin Cashore

2010-01-17T14:56:00.000-06:00

This truly is an amazing book! It's full everything you'll want to read about; fantasy, mystery, adventure, and romance are on every page of this book.

Read this book and enter the world of Katsa, a girl who was able to kill a man bare-handed since she was eight. She is a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. She's forced to work as the thug of her uncle Randa, king of Middluns, because of her Graced killing skills. When she met Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, her life started to change.

She never expected to become Po's friend. She never expected to disobey Randa's order nor having to leave her homeland behind to help Po search for the kidnapper of his grandfather. As the story unfolds, readers will be captured by the many life-or-death situations Katsa will be facing, and discover many astonishing secrets along with Katsa and Po.

All in all, this is an awesome book, and I'm looking forward to reading the 2nd book, Fire.

Thanks for the great review, Alice! If you would like to write a review and get a free book in return, just email us your review. You must be in 7th to 12th grade.

If you've already read and enjoyed Graceling, try one of these:

>Gifts
by Ursula K. LeGuin

Daughter of the Flames
by Zoe Marriott

Savvy
by Ingrid Law

Anime Afternoons @ the Lake Arlington Branch

2010-01-15T08:00:00.003-06:00

Third Thursday of the month
4:45 - 8:00 p.m.
Lake Arlington Branch Library

Are you an anime addict? Have you heard about a series you’d like to see, but it’s only available on DVD? Are you longing to discuss your favorite series with others? Well, if you’re between the ages of 13 and 17 come to the Lake Arlington Branch Library and join us for an afternoon filled with action-packed anime fun!

Our next meeting is January 21!

Ninja Jennifer's Top 3 Books of 2009

2010-01-12T08:00:00.016-06:00

I am only doing the top 3 books because I can't remember all the books I read this past year and the ones I do remember where all mostly in the same series. I'm also in school, so I unfortunately don't have as much time to read as everybody else and I have a huge stack of books that I can't wait to read. Like Amy, some of mine didn't come out in 2009, but that's when I read them.

Top 3 Books of 2009

3. Truancy by Isamu Fukui

I just reviewed this book last month, so you can kind of read what I said on there. It was very good and there are awesome action scenes in it. I very much enjoyed and am planning to read Truancy: Origins to see how everything in the first book came about. The newest book in the series is called Truancy City and is set to come out sometime later. The progress of the book can actually be monitored on http://thetruancy.com/.

2. The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima

This is the first book in the Heir Chronicles Trilogy. I read the entire trilogy this year, so you know it has to be awesome. I found out today by Ninja Sarah that this is Urban Fantasy and most of it takes place in the modern times but there are Warriors, Wizards, Enchanters, Seers, and Sorcerers.

Jack is a teenage warrior, but doesn’t know it yet. He has been taking “heart medicine” since he was a baby to shield his powers. After one day of forgetting to take it, things completely change. He must train to become a warrior because he is the warrior heir.

1. Evermore by Alyson Noël

Amy reviewed this on the blog and part of her review is actually posted on the Amazon page and in the newest book to the series Shadowland. Evermore is the first book in the Immortals series and probably the best one so far. I couldn’t put it down after I started reading it. It’s about a girl named Ever who moves in with her aunt after her entire family dies in a tragic car accident where she should have died too. After the accident, she becomes psychic and meets her soul mate, Damen, who happens to be an immortal.

This is a supernatural romance and it’s on the “Twilight” read-a-like list if any of you liked that book. This doesn’t have any vampires or werewolves though. The newest book in the series just came out this past November and the next one (Dark Flame) is coming out summer of this year.