Hey, guys! Long time, no see!

This time we have a special guest review from teen reader Bridget Magness.

TITLE: Cinder

AUTHOR: Marissa Meyer

REVIEWED BY: Bridget Magness

BRIEF SUMMARY: In a futuristic Beijing where androids walk the streets and people live on the moon, Cinder is a gifted mechanic and cyborg. Hated by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister having a common deadly plague, she's treated like a slave. But then she meets Prince Kai and her whole world gets turned upside down. She suddenly finds herself at the center of a struggle between Earth and the Lunar people, and uncovers secrets about her past.

WHY I PICKED IT UP: I read the inside cover and thought it seemed like a good blend of science fiction and fantasy, two of my favorite genres.

WHY I FINISHED IT: Although the book is a futuristic spin on Cinderella, it's very original, and the characters are lovable and interesting. The plot is also mysterious and fast-paced.

WHO I'D GIVE IT TO: Someone who enjoys retold fairy tales and a fun, entertaining story.

Thank for contributing, Bridget! Sounds like a great book.

Remember: you can see your review on this blog, too! Just grab a Book Review form from the Young Adult section, fill it out, and return it to Miss Jo or one of the other librarians.

See you at the library!

A couple of quickies...

Hey, there! It's Miss Jo with a couple of quick reviews for you:

TITLE: Pizza, Love, and Other Stuff That Made Me Famous

AUTHOR: Kathryn Williams

BRIEF SUMMARY: Sixteen-year-old Sophie Nicolaides was practically raised in the kitchen of her family’s Italian-Greek restaurant, Taverna Ristorante. When her best friend, Alex, tries to persuade her to audition for a new reality show, Teen Test Kitchen, Sophie is reluctant. But the prize includes a full scholarship to one of America’s finest culinary schools and a summer in Napa, California, not to mention fame. Once on set, Sophie immediately finds herself in the thick of the drama—including a secret burn book, cutthroat celebrity judges, and a very cute French chef. Sophie must figure out a way to survive all the heat and still stay true to herself.

REVIEW: This was a fun book to read! If you like reality TV and cooking, you will like this book. There is drama, cooking, and a little romance all thrown into the pot. There are also some great recipes stuck between the pages.

TITLE: A Soldier's Secret : the Incredible True Story of Sarah Edmonds, a Civil War Hero

AUTHOR: Marissa Moss

SUMMARY & REVIEW: Two thumbs up! What an exciting and sad book. If you like history, and the Civil War in particular, then you will like this fast-moving book.

The main character is a young girl names Sarah Edmonds. Sarah lives on a farm and is mistreated by her father. She isn't happy, and when her father says that he is going to marry her off to the old man on the farm next to them, she has to make a quick decision: stay and be miserable or run away. Sarah throws away her girl clothes, cuts her hair, and runs away from home, pretending to be a young boy. She found a job selling books, but what she really wants is to join the Union Army and fight in the Civil War to help end slavery.

Pick up this book and see what happens to Sarah. Did she pull off the deception, or did it all backfire on her? Based on a true story, this is a moving tale of courage.

A chilling tale of adventure and romance...

NOTE: We've asked our young adult readers to help us out by contributing book reviews to our blog. This is the first of (we hope) many to come.

TITLE: Shiver

AUTHOR: Maggie Stiefvater

REVIEWED BY: Shyia Magan (13 years old)

BRIEF SUMMARY: Grace and Sam have loved each other from first sight. Since then their love was kept at a distance. Sam never had enough nerve to speak to Grace, until that fateful day. Sam, a werewolf, must fight to stay human so he can stay with his love, but Grace must suffer through the pain.

WHY I PICKED IT UP: The first thing that drew me in was the cover. After reading the summary, I was hooked. Adventure and romance.

WHY I FINISHED IT: Shiver was amazing from start to finish! It is a story you can never put down.

WHO I'D GIVE IT TO: I would give it to any of my peers, whom are Team Jacob. Werewolfs are the best!

Thanks, Shyia!

If you're interested in reviewing a book for the blog, pick up a review form in the Young Adult section, fill it out, and return it to the library when you're finished. We want your help to keep people informed of the great books we have in our library.

See you at the library!

A tangled web of "Mist"-ery...

The Prince of Mist was actually Carlos Ruiz Zafón's first book, originally published in Spain in 1993. Now, seventeen years later, it is finally available in an English translation by Lucia Graves, and it was well worth the wait. I've loved all of his adult fiction books, and this book has the same haunting quality that they did, possibly due to the fact that Graves translated those as well. Or perhaps it's just because Carlos is such a good writer.

Now, don't let the fact that was originally published in another language put you off. So were the Inkheart books. The Prince of Mist is a wonderful, riveting tale that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

In 1943, with Spain in the midst of World War II, watchmaker Maximilian Carver moves his family from the capital to a seaside village where he has recently bought a home. From the minute they arrive, strange and otherwordly things begin occurring. Soon, the Carvers -- especially 13-year-old Max and his 15-year-old sister Alicia -- find themselves caught up in a dangerous battle with the Prince of Mist, a supernatural entity who has been bargaining for souls for decades, and who just might be the Devil himself.

As the story unfolds, Max and Alicia must uncover the secret of the former inhabitants of their home, the truth about their new friend Roland and his grandfather, and find out just what happened to the Orpheus, a ship that sank in the harbor during a terrible storm a quarter-century ago -- and how it all ties together and ultimately leads back to the mysterious Prince.

Part mystery, part romance, part fantasy, and part gothic horror tale, I cannot recommend The Prince of Mist highly enough. Ruiz Zafón is a masterful storyteller, putting you right into the action, and creating characters that you will come to love and care about. Although the book contains mild language and mature themes, it is certainly suitable for anyone age 12 and up.

NOTE: The Prince of Mist is the first book in Ruiz Zafón's Mist trilogy. Book two, September Lights, is due out in May 2011.

See you at the library!