The Search for WonderLa by Tony DiTerlizzi

Mix in Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz and sprinkle in a bit of science fiction and technology and you get one fantastic story.   The illustrations remind me of my favorite classic Wizard of Oz series drawings of vintage time.  The story is crafted well with marvelous creatures.  The illustrations keep you anchored to the story.  Highly recommend it.

Nubs: The true story of a mutt, a marine & a miracle by Dennis, Larson & Nethery

This book is touching.  If you love dogs, read this book.  In Iraq, where soldiers patrol, there are packs of wild dogs.  Nubs got his name because his ears had been cut.  When he makes friends with Major Brian Dennis, his life changes.  Nubs travels over 70 miles to be with him.  It's an amazing story.
http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/features/storyofnubs/index.html will take you to the publisher site.  More photos and activities related to the story.

Owen & Mzee: The Language of Friendship by Hatkoff & Kahumbu

This story can be read to any grade level.  I know I'll use it with my high school students.  They love to be read to and I can fit this in different subjects: World Geography, Science and English.  Who doesn't love hearing a good story! http://www.owenandmzee.com/omweb/  this is the link to the Owen & Mzee and also Knut the polar bear.  Lots of interactive activities.    Enjoy!

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvatter

Maggie Stiefvater did it again.  Another book I wish I had written.  It is that good and I am looking forward to the sequel.  A psychic's daughter, four boys and a lot of mystery makes this a good read.  The phrasing style in this story is elegant and deep.  A must read!

The Death Cure by James Dashner

Finally it's over.  Or maybe it is not.  This is a dark series and we have come to the end.  Except now I need to read the prequel, The Kill Zone.  This is an intense series and if you like dystopian worlds with a very dark, confusing ... so confusing you have to keep reading, page turner then read this series.  Book One is The Maze Runner.  Very popular with the boys.  Always asking for it and when I'll get the next book in the series.

The Selection by Kiera Cass

I stayed up late to finish reading this book.  And enjoyed every page of it.  I already have book 2 which I'll start soon.  I enjoy a good dystopian young adult book.  If you liked Matched, and I did, this is just as good and better.  Think a blend of Matched and Hunger Games .. with out the violence and you get a good read.  I give it four out of five stars of approval.  It's a good read.

Ruined by Paula Morris

This was surprisingly entertaining.  If you're looking for a non-scary ghost story, here you go.  More of a mystery with secrets not reveled until the end of the story.

Trapped by Michael Northrop

       What would you do if you were locked in a school.  Only the lock is tons of snow over 11 feet high.  Light is blocked.  The electricity shuts down.  The phone lines are down.  No one knows you are there.  Seven teenagers are in their school.  Everyone else has left when the snows started falling.  What would you do to survive?
        I thought the ideas was very interesting and read the book in two days.  I was not disappointed.  The whole time I was reading, I thought about what I would do.  There were some impossible choices that the teens had to face.  The dynamics between the teens was what drove the story.  It's a good read and I would recommend this book.

Invisible Sun by David Macinnis Gill

This is book 2, following Black Hole Sun.  I was lucky to get an advanced reader because I enjoyed the first one so much.  More snappy dialogue, page turning drama that never ends.  There is an introduction of new characters.  I like the addition of the Monks and how they raised Vienne and a few other orphans.  They are bee keepers but these bees do a lot more then just their traditional jobs.  Meanwhile, the villains just got much more evil.  It's all on Durango to save the day.  I really enjoyed the story.  It's a fun read.  Lots of explosions and martial arts fighting.  (I'm really not the explosions and martial arts fighting but I still loved it)!  It's a fun read for entertainment.

A million Shades of Grey by Cynthia Kadohata

This is about a family that is living a small village.  The father worked for the American soldiers tracking the enemy but now the soldiers have left and they are all on their own as they hope the North Vietnamese don't discover them.  The village does become under attack and chaos follows.  The story is centered around Tin and his love of elephants.  His world becomes shattered as he is captured by the enemy.
        A story that brings world events a bit more personal with this story.  I would recommend it for world history classes.

Black Hole Sun by David Macinnis Gill

I truly was entertained by this book.  It reminded me of so many elements that just entertain me.  I loved it and happen to have the sequel: Invisible Sun, which I look forward to reading next.  If you like the TV show Firefly and impossible situations to get out of this is it.  A bit of punk Star Wars and a bit of old school film noire stories all boiled up in one.  If you like science fiction, this is the book for you.  A must read. The dialogue between characters is snappy.  I love that there is Mimi, an AI who use to be alive person who was Durango's chief is now implanted in his brain.  Read this book for fun.  Just fun. You'll thank me later.

Mimus by Lilli Thal

I love this story. It is loaded with layers of excellent story telling.  It is on the dark side.  It's about surviving in the enemy's castle.  It's about growing up and maturing also.  I read this years ago but reading about The Returning reminded me of Mimus.  I had one student who kept reading it over and over.  I had to force him to find a new book. Of course I helped him with the choices since I had introduced him to Mimus in the first place.

The Returning by Christine Hinwood

Enter a world that is medieval but not of this world.  A war has taken place and the war is over.  There are two different cultures and now it is the assimilation of the cultures.  Cam comes back a veteran, the solo survivor of the war from his village.  Now the wives, sisters, fathers want to know what happened to their men and why was he the only one to come back.

There are multiple characters that you meet, and the story is rich in details.  I highly recommend this book.  And if you like these kind of stories, I also would like to mention the book, Mimus.  Another excellent story.

Infinity Ring: A mutiny in Time by James Dashner

This book fits better at an elementary or middle school.  It's a series of books, which starts off with A Mutiny in Time.  If you've read the 39 Clues series and enjoyed it then you might want to think about this series.  Different authors continue the series.  I thought it was okay but liked 39 Clues much better. This first book was very contrived.  But, I think it will entertain the younger grades.

No Crystal Stairs by Yaunda Nelson

This is about a man who created an independent book store in Harlem, focusing on African-American literature.  And along the way meet some very famous and important people.  Well done.

Rebel Spirits by Lois Ruby

This was a fun read.  I needed a couple fun reads after reading a heavy but really good book.  It's a cold case mystery of a Gettysburg solider who was shot in the back by someone he may have known.  It's romance with a which boy should I choose.  The dead one or the live one.  It's a flash back to history.  It's a quick read to entertain.  Oh and it's a romance book as well.

Forevermore by Cindy Mills

Ever go to the library and ask for a romance novel? This is the one to ask for. Ever dream of visiting Scotland and seeing old castles?  Maybe even haunted castles?  This is the book for you.  It's a fun read filled with suspense and mystery and a hunky ghost.  The cover may not be the best choice but it's an easy read with lots of entertainment.  Enjoy.

Orleans by Sherri L. Smith

This is one intense book and well worth the read.  I can see this as a possible trilogy. Fen was born in the territory of Orleans.  Everyone is separated by their blood type.  You must live with a tribe to survive but peace talks between two tribes is interrupted by another tribe with the intent of taking captives.    The new history of Orleans is a series of hurricanes since Katrina has really created the destruction of the area and introduced a new blood disease.  The area is walled of to prevent the disease getting out to the rest of the country.  It's a brutal place to live.  Sherri Smith is a author who writes with many voices and makes each character live.  This is a great literary book that would fit perfectly on the shelves of a teen library.  A must read!

Knut: How one little polar bear captivated the world by Hatkoff/Uhlich

I used this book as an intro to researching at the high school level for endangered species.  Before I finished, one student asked if we could research and find out what happened to him.  It was a perfect transition to get started in researching.  Easy to read aloud and short but interesting.  All the students were listening (for the most part)

AC-130H/U Gunships by Carlos Alvarez

Battle for Home Plate by Kreie/Aburto

This is a quick read book.  The lay out uses different types of graphic novel approaches.  Info is sometimes presented like a baseball card.  A good story for students who are very low in reading but at the upper grades.

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

Amazing story of two girls living centuries apart.  In the end it is Art, either by acting or music that brings these girls together and Andi sees first hand the traumatic effect of the revolution.

This book works well with high school common core choices.

Floodland by Marcus Sedgwick

I wrote this as a review.  I was hoping the book would be great, it isn't.  The tempo was off, no real tension in the story to drive it.  Not sure why a ten year old girl would be the hero of the story.  Wish the author would rewrite this.  Needed a good editor and honest feedback.  Would have liked to have seen this with a teen protagonist.

Pop by Gordon Korman

There are two stories in this book that work together.  I thought the characters were strong and the plot worked well.  It's about high school football but it is also about the danger of playing pro football.  It's a good story for high school libraries to have.

ArchEnemy by Frank Beddor

This is book three in the series, you can check my other posts on the other two stories.  It's Alice in Wonderland off the books.  No rabbit hole to do down but you can dive into the pool of tears for escape.  Strategic warfare, vengeance, power struggles and imagination unbound.  A good read.
Highly recommend you read the first two books in order so you'll know where you are in the series.  Would love to look at the graphic novel version.

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

This is the last book of this prequel to the Mortal Instruments.  It's a page turner!  Lots of gothic romance, supernatural characters and a very evil bad guy with a grudge.  Good story.

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

This story will take you on a supernatural adventure.  There is romance that drives the story of good and evil.  Vampires, werewolves, warlocks and shadowhunters work together to save the day.

Sunrise Over Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers

This story reads with authenticity.  I felt I was right there with Robin as he faces down situations that have hidden dangers and meet people from Iraq.  A very good story.  Highly recommend it.

The Fortune of Carmen Navarro by Jen Bryant

Based on the famous opera Carmen, this story is set in contemporary times with teens as the cast of characters.  This story is told in multiple voices with different perspectives. I wouldn't say this is a romantic book in the traditional way.  Ryan falls hard for this girl but his passion and imagination get in the way of forming in type of real relationship.  There are some parallels to the original Carmen but does not completely follow the traditional story points.

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

I am working my way through the whole series, including the Clockwork series.  I enjoy the adventure, action, how the story fluidly moves from character to character as they struggle with their own conflict while facing the major conflict of the story.  The stories are always engaging with with romance, mystery and good old fashion demon fighting.

Tropical Secrets: Holocaust Refugee In Cuba by Margarita Engle

Based on historical events, Margarita Engle, writes a story in free poetry fashion about the thoughts and feelings of people who lived through the time.  This is a great story to add when discussing Germany, and the Jewish people escaping persecution.  The time line starts in 1939.

The Stolen One by Suzanne Crowley

Travel back into the world of the Elizabethan times.  Experience life as you read Kat's story.  Her foster mother has died of the Pox.  Kat should marry Christian but instead leaves to find out what life is all about.  She meets people along the way, some seem dark and dangerous.  A chance meeting with Queen Elizabeth changes her life forever.

I did enjoy reading this book.  There's a bit of a mystery and suspense.

Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements

This is a story about finding yourself and being braved while being invisible.  Andrew Clements thought outside the box on this one.

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

This story can be read meaningful in two ways.  The author has some strike throughs on words which changes the meaning. It's an intense story.  I'm a big fan of Laurie Halse Anderson.  I would definitely add this to any high school library collection.  A must read.  Real depth and content.

The Berlin Boxing Club by Robert Sharenow

I read this story after one of my student aides said he would read it for me.  He bought it at the school book fair and when he finished he said, "I don't usually read books but this was a really good book." I'm interested in the book to recommend to boys but I also read it because my mother lived in Berlin during the Nazi rule.  She had really not ever talked about the time so when stories can flesh out the time, I take a personal interest.  

Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard

Reached by Ally Condie

Matched, Crossed and now Reached!  The end is here.  Find out what happens to Ky, Cassia and Xander.

Ditched by Robin Mellom

This an adventure of miscommunication and great prom expectations.  Justine started confident and then at the first party she gets jealous when she see's her date talking to another girl.  His ex-girlfriend infact!

Cut by Patricia McCormick

Wow!  This book is very real.  It's very powerful and honest.  This is the second book I've read by Patricia McCormick and that was Sold another powerful story.  I was in tears at one point.  It's about a teenager who cuts herself and is now living in a place with girls who have other problems such as anorexia.  Callie is stone silent trying to keep control of every moment of her life.  Her scheduled visits with her therapist are one sided.  The waiting and process is a journey of learning and understanding.

Wildwing by Emily Whitman

This was a fun read.  It has romance, adventure and a bit mystery.  Go back in time, when people hunted with falcons, dined with plates made of bread and meet Will, a boy who trains falcons to hunt and falls in love with Addy.

authors website plus book trailer

If I Should Die by Amy Plum

I haven't read the first two books but I know that I would enjoy them.  Book 3 dives right in and catches the reader up with the unusual characters.  It's a love story of the supernatural kind between a human teen girl and a guy who's be been dead but is alive and immortal (no not a vampire or zombie).
It's a page turner with lots of action and even a good old fashion sword fight.  We get to travel in Paris and also New York City.   A good read.

The Poet Slave of Cuba by Margarita Engle

     This story was written in verses so powerful and evoking images that stay with you for a long time.
The illustrations are just as haunting.  The story of this man who was born a slave and how words made an impact on him and how his life as a slave and what he had to endure paints a vivid picture of a lifetime ago.
      Margarita Engle writes her own verses to retell Juan Francisco Manzano's  life.  You can't help but keep reading till you get to the end.

Evil Star by Anthony Horowitz

I loved the first book, Raven's Gate and had to read the second book.  Now I have to find the next book because I'm in.  Anthony Horowitz creates suspense and horror.  There is one scene at the beginning that had me  have to put the book down because it was intense.  When the Matt's aunt was being talked to by the TV host controlled by "The Old Ones."  Totally creepy!  I read this book in two days.  It's intense.

Raven's Gate by Anthony Horowitz

My student begged me to read this book because this was his favorite book.  I did and was glad he asked me to read it.  It's a page turner of suspense and horror.  Set in modern times, Matt has all sorts of trouble he needs to handle.  You will read this book in one or two days.  It's that intense.

Belles by Jen Carlonita

Add a little Mean Girls, Pretty Little Liars and The Lying Game and you got yourself a southern high school teen drama.  I enjoyed this read.  The plucky orphan girl who works at fitting in and keeping her own self true.  Her cousin who is BF with a girl who is quite the puppet master.  Told in both cousins's point of view, it's a good read.

The Charmed Return by Frewin Jones

I really enjoyed the series.  A girl of two worlds trying to make sense of it all.  Just an entertaining adventure and really fun to read English and a formal middle-ages style.  It's a fun read.  A little romance.  Okay, lots of romance, a little magic, a lot of heroics.  What's not to like.

The Education of Bet by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

It's predictable.  

Hurricane Dancers by Margarita Engle

I enjoyed reading this book.  It's told with many perspectives of life and where each person is in the story.  I read this book in an hour.  This book has won different awards and rightly so.  I enjoy reading Margarita Engle's books because the speak lyrically and also with authenticity.  Her research pays of in a story that gives history but not in textbook style but real and alive.  If you are interested in Cuba, pirates, and natives, this story is for you.

Demon Glass by Rachel Hawkins

I read the first book because a student asked me to get the book for the library.  Hex Hall which is listed in one of my posts.  I enjoyed it.  Well this year another student asked me to get the sequel to the book. I read this one in a day and enjoyed it.  There's romance and a girl who has two boys attracted to her.  Mystery and magic.  And lots of adventures.  The dialogue is snappy and believable.  Fun read with ghouls, witches, warlocks, ghosts and demons.  A good read!

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

I am a fan of Libba Bray, having read her A Great and Terrible Beauty series.  She doesn't disappoint.
The premise is that an airplane load of teen beauty queens crash land on an tropical island.  You get to meet some key girls and watch them transform when they are forced to face their own selves as they survive on the island.  This book was written with a poke fun at corporations and advertising and the whole beauty industry.  What's scary is that there is an element of truth behind what the author has written in a witty and funny story.  Also things get interesting when some teen  pirates show up and also so bad guys are on the island.  I should mention there is some sex and relationships going on.  If you can handle a variety of different people with different interest... read this book.  If you are a conservative person, chances are this book isn't for you.  If you like digs at big corporations, this book is definitely for you.