Wolf Mark

General YA Fiction

G/A Bruchac, Joseph. Wolf Mark. Lee & Low Books, 2011. 392 p. 9781600606618. $17.95

Luke King is special but all he wants to do is blend in, be invisible. Ever since his mom died, he and his dad haven't been quite the same. His dad used to teach him all the tricks he learned in his secret special-ops jobs but now all he does is get drunk, or at least that is how it seems.

When Luke's dad calls him at school with a cryptic message, he realizes it was all for show. Luke's dad has been kidnapped and now Luke must embrace his destiny to save him.

A new take on werewolves, vampires and genetically engineered creatures.

Sarah Mae Harper, CoLAPL- AC Bilbrew Library

Blood Red Road

Young Adult Fiction

VG/A Young, Moira. Blood Red Road. McElderry Books, 2011. 512p. 9781442429987. 17.99.

Saba, her twin brother Lugh and little sister Emmi have lived a secluded life with their father in the desert. Until one day when a group of men arrive, kill her father and kidnap Lugh. With nothing else to loose, Saba and Emmi set off on an epic quest to find and rescue their brother. Along the way Saba is forced to cage fight, meets the handsome Jack and joins forces with a group of women who call themselves the Free Hawks. This fast paced, action packed novel could stand on it’s own, but it is the first of a trilogy (and already optioned for a movie). Fans of Hunger Games, Graceling and Divergent will likely devour and love this series too. Loren Spector, LAPL, Felipe de Neve

Don't Stop Now

High School Fiction

G/A Halpern, Julie. Don’t Stop Now: Friend or Boyfriend? Feiwel and Friends, 2011. 232p. 978-0-312-64346-1. 16.99.

When Lillian’s friend Penny disappears, Lillian knows that she has faked her own kidnapping in order to escape her unhappy life and abusive boyfriend. Since Lillian can’t tell anyone where Penny is, she takes off on a road trip with her best friend (and crush), Josh to Portland, Oregon to find Penny herself. Along the way they stop at many real roadside attractions. By the time they make it to Portland, the trip has turned into a real learning experience for both of them. The road trip itself was fun to read about, but what really stood out was how Halpern managed to realistically portray the emotions of teenage girls on the brink of adulthood. Loren Spector, LAPL, Felipe de Neve

Shelter

High School Fiction

G/A Coben, Harlan. Shelter. Putnam, 2011. 320p. 978-0-399-25650-9. 18.99.

Harlan Coben’s first book for young adults is not so different from his adult books; as usual there are lots of twists and turns and interesting characters. High school sophomore, Mickey Bolitar, is finally settling down in his Uncle’s house, after years of traveling with his parents. Unfortunately though it’s not on good terms, his father recently died in a car accident and his mother is in drug rehab. To make matters worse Ashley, his new girlfriend of 3 weeks has mysteriously disappeared. Along with his two new outcast friends, Mickey tries to find out what happened to Ashley and how his family is connected to the disappearance. Although some of the plot is unbelievable, it’s a quick, fun adventure/mystery read for teens and adults alike. Loren Spector, LAPL, Felipe de Neve.

Hidden

Middle School Novel in Verse

G/A Frost, Helen. Hidden. France Foster Books, 2011. 147 p. 9780374382216. $16.99

At 8-years old Wren is accidentally kidnapped in a robbery gone wrong. Darra's father was that robber and he is sent to prison. 6 years later, Wren and Darra meet face to face at summer camp and start to heal.

This novel is told in verse first from Wren's perspective, then from Darra's and third part alternates between the two. The novel is well-written but the way the girls meet up is a little too coincidental to be believed.

Sarah Mae Harper, CoLAPL- AC Bilbrew Library

The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman

Middle School Fiction

G/A Woltzer, Meg. The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman. Dutton, 2011. 304 p. 9780525423041 $16.99

Three kids are joining hundreds of other hopefuls in the Youth Scrabble Tournament (YST). This is their story.

Duncan Dorfman has a special talent; he can read written words with the fingertips of his left hand. His mom tells him to keep it a secret but he wants to be popular at his new school and this just might be the ticket.

April Blunt doesn’t fit with her family full of jocks. All they care about is sports, all she cares about is Scrabble. Maybe if she wins the YST, her family will see that Scrabble is a “sport” too.

Nate Saviano’s father lost the YST in his final game 26 years ago. Now he has pulled Nate out of school to focus solely on Scrabble. Will Nate live up to his father’s dreams of Scrabble dominance?

Recommended for fans of E.L. Konigsburg

Sarah Mae Harper, CoLAPL- AC Bilbrew Library

Wildwood

Middle School Fiction

F/A Meloy, Colin. Wildwood. Balzer & Bray, 2011. 560p. 978-0-06-202468-8. 16.99.

Colin Meloy, lead singer of the Portland based band, The Decemberists, uses the same magic and whimsy of his song lyrics in his first novel for middle readers. 7^th grader Prue McKeel watches with amazement as her baby brother is kidnapped by a murder of crows. In order to get him back she must venture into the forbidden Impassable Woods. When she gets there, with classmate Curtis in tow, they discover a magical place that the inhabitants call Wildwood. The citizens of Wildwood, which include talking animals, birds and humans, are at war and Prue, her missing brother and Curtis find themselves in the middle of it. While the characters are fun, there are a few too many of them to follow. The vocabulary seems advanced for it’s intended audience, but the story is too child-like for older readers. Middle readers who like the Narnia series, magical realism or talking animals might enjoy this book as long as they don’t mind the length. If nothing else, the illustrations by Meloy’s wife, Carson Ellis, are beautiful. Loren Spector, LAPL, Felipe de Neve