The Fixer

High School Fiction

VG/A Barnes, Jennifer Lynn. The Fixer. Bloomsbury, 2015. 372p. 978-1-61963-594-4. 17.99.

Uprooted from her life in Montana when her grandfather becomes too ill to take care of her, Tess Kendrick is forced to move in with her estranged sister in Washington, D.C. After enrolling in the esteemed Hardwicke School, where the children of the nation’s capital elite attend, Tess learns that her sister, Ivy, is a fixer”, someone who fixes the problems of D.C.’s politicians.  Without meaning to, Tess soon develops a reputation for being her high school’s resident fixer, after helping the vice president’s daughter out of a terrible situation.  Her new friend, Vivvie, comes to her, confessing that she overhead her father’s conversation and suspects him of having done something dreadful, connecting him to a Supreme Court justice’s recent death.  In investigating, Tess finds herself embroiled in the machinations of Washington and surrounded by secrets and lies that soon turn dangerous.  Barnes weaves a clever tale of secrets, cover-ups, conspiracies, and political intrigue.  Camille Keo Campos, LAPL, Angeles Mesa Branch   

The Raven King: Raven Cycle Series #4

YA Fiction


E/A. Stiefvater, Maggie. The Raven King: Raven Cycle Series #4. Scholastic, 2016. 439p. 978-0-545-42498-1. 18.99.

The Raven King is the fourth and final installment of Maggie Stiefvater’s amazing and beautifully written Raven Cycle series.  Richard Gansey III has been on a quest for the lost king Owen Glendower for years, and with his friends Adam, Ronin, Noah, and Blue, his search is drawing ever closer to the discovery of Glendower.  However, there is an evil force working against them, unmaking the very essence of Cabeswater, the mystical forest in Henrietta. Even Ronin’s dreams have been corrupted by this mysterious darkness.  Can Blue, Gansey, and the other Raven boys discover a way to save the forest and save Gansey from his foretold fate? Camille Keo Campos, LAPL, Angeles Mesa Branch 

Gemina: The Illuminae Files_02

YA Fiction

E/A. Kaufman, Amie and Jay Kristoff. Gemina: The Illuminae Files_02. Knopf, 2016. 672p. 978-0-533-49915-5. 19.99.

The sequel to Illuminae picks up the action in the aftermath of the Kerenza colony’s destruction. The only survivors on board the Hypatia are making their way to Jump station, Heimdall, a space station that maintains and operates the wormhole leading to core space.  However, BeiTech Industries has sent an assault fleet to intercept and destroy the Hypatia and a second one to secure the Heimdall station.  It is up to Hanna Donnelly, the privileged daughter of the space station’s commander and Niklas Malikov, a convicted criminal from a notorious crime family, to stop the invaders.  With deadly alien parasites on the loose and the impending collapse of the wormhole, they’re in a race to not only save themselves, but also the fate of the universe. A well-crafted, visually captivating book, Gemina is full of fast moving action and mind-blowing plot twists that will keep readers engaged and on the edge of their seats. Camille Keo Campos, LAPL, Angeles Mesa Branch 

Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up in Turkey

High School Graphic Memoir

VG/A  Samanci, Ozge.  Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up in Turkey.  FSG, 2015.  190p.  978-0-374-31698-3.  16.99.

In graphic novel format, Ozge Samanci shares the story of her school days, from childhood to college in Turkey, during a time of great change in that country. While Ozge thinks she wants to follow in her older sister’s footsteps and please her father, she also must be herself and follow her own path. Mixed in with the great drawings are collages and photographs of ephemera, including stamps, buttons and letters. Ozge’s story is filled with funny moments that lighten the much more serious, political turmoil of the time period. Although it is a coming-of-age story, there are references (and drawings) of some violent acts, so this memoir is better suited for high school students. It would be a great addition for libraries where Persepolis is popular. Loren Spector, LAPL, Memorial Branch

Hot Pterodactyl Boyfriend

High School Fiction

F/M  Cumyn, Alan.  Hot Pterodactyl Boyfriend.  Atheneum, 2016.  408p.  978-1-4814-3980-0.  17.99

Student body chair and control freak, Shiels Krane, has her life planned out. Everything changes though, when a new student arrives at Vista View High. He’s the very first interspecies transfer student, a pterodactyl named Pyke. Without speaking a word, Pyke manages to cast his spell over almost everyone, but especially Shiels (even though track star Jocelyne is officially Pyke’s girlfriend). The best word to describe this novel is weird. There is no explanation of who Pyke is and where he comes from, which makes his appeal a mystery. Plus he’s truly a pterodactyl…there is no shape shifting or even speaking (on Pyke’s part). Overall, it’s about a girl losing control and letting loose in order to find herself, but how she gets there is nonsensical. Loren Spector, LAPL, Memorial Branch

ABRACADABRA

MIDDLE SCHOOL NONFICTION

F/A  Newquist, H. P.  Abracadabra.  Holt, 2015.  148p.  978-0-312-59321.  18.99.  For centuries, elements of deception and science have been manipulated to beckon the curious.  People have always enjoyed  being entertained.  Eight step-by-step black and white illustrated tricks plus 2 - 3 pp sub stories (i.e. Tools of the Trade...) are included in this history of magic.  Their placements throughout the book, however, often inhibit a free flow of the main text.  In spite of these faults, this eye catching title will sell itself and serve as an introduction to a popular subject.  E.M. Roublow (ret.)

SALLY RIDE: A PHOTOBIOGRAPHY OF AMERICA'S PIONEERING WOMAN IN SPACE

MIDDLE SCHOOL FICTION

G/A  O'Shaughnessy, Tam.  Sally Ride: A Photobiography of America's Pioneering Woman in Space.  Roaring Brook, 2015.  153p.  978-1-59643-994-8.  19.99.  Multiple vivid, well-labeled photographs (b/w and color) definitely surpass the text in telling Sally Ride's story.  This California native grew up having a strong interest in sports -- especially playing tennis.  Her college years, however, spurred her curiosity and love for science.  Thus, her journey began:  earning a Ph.D in physics, being part of the original female group admitted to NASA's astronaut program, and becoming the first American woman to fly into space.  She went on to become a physics professor at UCSD and -- with friends -- set up the Sally Ride Science Co. to motivate and encourage young people who were interested in science.  Useful for career and/or Women's History month assignments.  E.M. Roublow (ret.)