County Teens

Two new graphic novels arrived today.

One by Christopher Yost, Pasqual Ferry and Frank D’Armata, is an adaptation of ENDER’S GAME by Orson Scott Card.

Ender has been sent to battle school by his parents. Fighting in real and simulated practice fights reveals his leadership potential when other students start to follow him and take lessons from him. He might even be ready to lead his own army in combat. Oh, and did I mention? Ender is six years old.

Runaways “Pride and Joy” by Brian K. Vaughan is about a group of six teens who eavesdrop on their parents’ annual fund-raising event when they discover that their parents aren’t actually the charitable people they pretend to be. In fact, they’re super villains with  major secrets to hide. As it says on the cover, “Together, [the teens] run away from home and straight into the adventure of their lives – vowing to turn the tables on their evil legacy”.

People don’t own the water in their own village
and they certainly don’t own the diamonds and gold.
Millions are forced to make dinner out of garbage and dust

The book, made up of poems, letters, and diary entries from fictional girls- is a powerful collection of the issues plaguing girls all over the world – from not having purple Uggs boots to being sold into sex slavery.

I say let’s go for it
if it’s all coming down.
I say let’s speak it
let’s fight it
let’s right it.

The author describes the book as a “celebration of the authentic voice inside every girl and an inspiring call to action for girls everywhere to speak up, follow their dreams, and become the women they were always meant to be.”

Let it Snow  by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle

Christmas Eve brings romance to one small town the year of a terrible snowstorm as a stuck train, a teacup piglet, and riots over collectible Christmas village sets (wait, what?) bring people together all across town.

Three intertwined stories written by some of your favourite authors. This is the kind of book that makes you want to curl up with a cup of hot chocolate and stay warm on a snowy day.

Heart on my Sleeve – Ellen Wittlinger
 

Have you ever been even a little bit curious about the content of other people’s e-mails? In Heart on My Sleeve, you can read all about Chloe, who loved Eli, until she met Julian, who sort of liked Nina until Chloe came along – all through the e-mails they send back and forth! Chloe and Julian meet – briefly – and exchange e-mail addresses.

Throughout the summer, Chloe and Julian e-mail, write real letters, and IM until they can meet again in August.  But – how honest are they really being with each other?

The Shakeress by Kimberley Heuston has both an interesting plot and characters you can relate to. This story would definitely appeal to anyone who has ever wondered how other teens see God, or what life was like for a young woman in the society of 1800’s America.

The basic plot — Naomi’s parents and youngest brother die in a fire and, after a stint with unwelcoming relatives, she and her remaining three siblings end up in a Shaker community. After four years there, Naomi decides it’s time to leave, and heads to Vermont to start a medical practice. There she meets and falls in love with a nice young man. The conclusion, however, is not what you might expect as Naomi undergoes a transformation of faith near the end of the story.

I really loved the way that Naomi had to use her own faith in God to make her way through the tough decisions she needed to make. It shows the reader an interesting perspective on how one young woman tries to live her life under God the best way she knows how. She has to try a few different approaches, but ultimately she finds her path.

This book could easily have been preachy, but it wasn’t. The plot and narrative is such that you can read the book and appreciate the action. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it is still an interesting and enjoyable read.

Cassie’s Stepfather is famous — and crazy. He’s an extremely talented musician who is “joy impaired” (depressed), “excessively imaginative” (delusional), security conscious (paranoid) and emotionally challenged (a wacko!)

as he gets more erratic, Cassie gets progressively more concerned – her father has turned up evidence that he’s not who he says he is – but if that’s true.. . who is he?

Samatha Madison certainly didn’t set out to be a hero, but when she accidentally saves the President’s life, that’s exactly what she becomes. Her biggest challenge, however, is yet to be faced – she thinks the president’s son MIGHT be in love with her!!

Shelagh (Shey-la) is thirteen, and life is complicated. Her parents are divorced and she finds herself looking after her brother Jake, who has cerebral palsy, more and more often. Her best friend, Tanya, comes up with the idea to pair up students with seniors in a local retirement home, calling the project “Match Made Before Heaven”. Shelagh is partnered with a woman named Dorothy, who teachers her to knit and soon becomes her confidante.  Shelagh’s happy, but her joy is tempered with fear after another senior passes away in the nursing home – what if something happens to Dorothy?

Gossip Girl : The Carlyles!

Introducing the most fabulous sixteen year-old triplets to ever inhabit the Upper East Side.

When the Waldorfs move from their apartment at the end of Don’t You Forget About Me, the Carlyle triplets of Nantucket, Massachusetts–Owen, Baby, and Peyton– move in.In the new titles of the Gossip Girl series, we will follow the Carlyles, plus three other teenagers living in gorgeous apartments, attending the most exclusive prvate schools– the familiar Constance Billard School for Girls and St. Jude’s School for Boys– and treating New York’s Upper East Side as their personal playground. Welcome to the new era.Lucky for you, Gossip Girl is there to whisper all their juicy secrets

(Review borrowed from www.amazon.com)

“‘Hello, there’ A crisp, light voice, not he matcher’s, came from the man’s lips. ‘I apologize that we weren’t able to meet earlier. I hope your journey here wasn’t too harrowing.’
‘It was delightful,’ Aly said with her best nice-girl smile. ‘All lovely and serene, like sleeping on lilies, only without the bees in my nose. You spoke to me in my dream.’
‘I did,’ the god said, averting his eyes in a falsely modest way. ‘You’ll get more. I don’t want you to get homesick.’
‘But that’s so thoughtful,’ Aly said innocently. ‘I’d thank you, but I just don’t have the words. Until I find some, you might tell me just who you are supposed to me. Won’t that be lovely?’
‘Dear, you’re being deliberately obtuse,’ the god inside the matcher teased. ‘You know a god when you see one. You may call me Kyprioth.”

The above is an except of the lovely book Trickster’s Choice by Tamora Pierce.
This is one of those books that you don’t really know what to expect when you pick it up, but it’s definitely worth the time to read it. Why, you may ask, is this book so excellent? Well, let me tell you.
Some authors try to write books with female heroines in traditionally male roles, and they have them succeed though manipulation and wiles. Yes, Pierce’s Aly is manipulative and wily, (she’s a spy after all) but she’s also brave, smart, sarcastic, and believable. She has failings and lots of them, but she is able to admit them, and work around them to achieve her goal.
The cast of characters in this book are particularly interesting and diverse. From the trickster god, Kyprioth to the cook, Chenaol; from Nawat, the crow-man to Dove, Aly’s mistress, the characters that Aly interacts with in her daily life are never boring.
What I found particularly interesting was the setting of the novel. The world that the story takes place in is entirely fictional, but I couldn’t help but feel a sense of deja-vu when reading about the Copper Isles. The culture is definitely inspired by those who live in and around India, and the way in which they are treated by the conquering whites is very similar to any other European domination of another society. You might find that aspect of the book interesting.
Whether you like fantasy or not, like mysteries or not, you might find this book very interesting.
Let me know!