Illuminae (The Illuminae Files: 01) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2015 ISBN-13: 978-0553499117 Available: Hardcover, paperback, Kindle edition, audiobook, audio CD Ezra thought his day had started out badly when his hacker girlfriend Kady dumped him, but then invading warships from a competing megacorporation destroyed his home, an illegal […]
Long story short, while in the review copy/arc phase debut YA author Amélie Wen Zhao first delayed, then cancelled the publication of her first novel (which was a major deal–that is one described as gaining an advance of at least $500,000) Blood Heir. Publishers Weekly covers the controversy here. And Tablet Magazine updates it here. Personally, […]
Making the Monster: The Science Behind Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein by Kathryn Harkup Bloomsbury Sigma, 2018 ISBN-13: 978-1472933737 Available: Hardcover, paperback, Kindle edition, audiobook, MP3 CD The primary takeaway I got from Making the Monster: The Science Behind Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is that Frankenstein really truly is science fiction. There are things implied in the book that science today […]
YALSA Announces the 2019 Great Graphic Novels for Teens List
February 3, 2019From the Press Release: The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), has announced its 2019 Great Graphic Novels for Teens list. In addition to the full list, the blogging team chose the following titles as its top ten: Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation. By Anne Frank and Ari Folman. Illus. […]
Book Review: Silent to the Bone by E.L. Konigsburg
February 1, 2019Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, 2002(reprint) ISBN: 0689836023 Available: New and Used Branwell Zamborska hasn’t spoken since his baby sister Nikki stopped breathing. Accused of shaking the baby into a coma, he is struck completely mute, unable to speak even in his own defense. Only one person knows him well enough to find a […]
Book Review: The Twisted Window by Lois Duncan
January 30, 2019Publisher: Laurel Leaf; Reissue edition (September 1, 1988) ISBN: 0440201845 Available: New and Used Appearances are deceiving in The Twisted Window. Brad has been following Tracy- he needs her to help rescue his sister, who was kidnapped by his stepfather. Tracy is grieving and angry, looking for someone to save. Offering her services as a […]
Book Review: Angelmonster by Veronica Bennett
January 28, 2019Candlewick, May, 2006 ISBN: 0763629944 . Available: New “What manner of ungodly baby kills its creator?” Even at sixteen, Mary Shelley’s nightmares force her to face this question. Angelmonster takes us into the mind and heart of the author of Frankenstein, in the entwined stories of her tragic love affair and marriage to the tormented poet Percy […]
Book Review: A Fate Totally Worse Than Death by Paul Fleischman
January 25, 2019Candlewick; (Reprint edition) April, 2004 ISBN: 0763621897 Available: New and Used A combination of teen horror spoof, mystery, and a little legit horror mixes it up in this offering from Newbery award winning author Paul Fleischman. When blond Norwegian Helga comes to town, the boys of Cliffside High are automatically drawn to her, causing […]
Book Review: Pretty Deadly v. 1: The Shrike
January 23, 2019While Pretty Deadly volume 1 boasts some aggravating and “evocative” rather than clearly understandable art work, I ended up really liking the weird western-fairly tale vibe. A motley crew of characters come together to protect a mysterious child from Alice, the daughter of Death who also has plenty of rage at the man raising this […]
Book Review: The Love Curse of the Rumbaughs by Jack Gantos
January 21, 2019Farrar, Straus and Giroux, April, 2006 ISBN: 0374336903 Available: New and Used Ivy Spirico, age seven, is fascinated by the Rumbaugh twins, an elderly pair who run the town pharmacy, believe in eugenics, and enjoy taxidermy. She stumbles onto the family secret: the Rumbaughs are cursed with a warped and obsessive love of their mother […]