Tory Brennan, niece of acclaimed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan (of the Bones novels and hit TV show), is the leader of a ragtag band of teenage "sci-philes" who live on a secluded island off the coast of South Carolina. When the group rescues a dog caged for medical testing on a nearby island, they are exposed to an experimental strain of canine parvovirus that changes their lives forever.
As the friends discover their heightened senses and animal-quick reflexes, they must combine their scientific curiosity with their newfound physical gifts to solve a cold-case murder that has suddenly become very hot if they can stay alive long enough to catch the killer's scent.
Fortunately, they are now more than friends they're a pack. They are Virals.
(from the inside cover)
This is another awesome series opener! Kathy Reichs has definitely taken her talents into the young adult fiction area with aplomb. Her characters are awesome. Tory and her friends, Hi (Hiram), Ben and Shelton are each scientists in their own right. They push the boundaries that have been set by their parents and they rely on each other as friends and rule breakers. A great group of off-beat kids who stumble onto an old unsolved murder case; Tory won't let go of the idea of finding out more about the young, female murder victim and then solving the crime of her murder. As the only female in the group of friends, Tory is motivated to be the ring leader of the group. Her weakness for helping a wolf-dog gets the group in even deeper into uncharted waters. Read the book and find out what happens to Tory, Hi, Ben and Shelton in Virals!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
Delcroix Academy: The Candidates by Inara Scott
Publishers Summary: Dancia Lewis is far from popular. And that’s not just because of her average grades or her less-than-glamorous wardrobe. In fact, Dancia’s mediocrity is a welcome cover for her secret: whenever she sees a person threatening someone she cares about, things just … happen. Cars skid. Structures collapse. Usually someone gets hurt. So Dancia does everything possible to avoid getting close to people, believing this way she can suppress her powers and keep them hidden.
When recruiters from the prestigious Delcroix Academy offer her a full scholarship, Dancia fears her days of living under the radar may be over. But Delcroix is a school for diplomats’ kids and child geniuses — why are they treating Dancia like she’s special? Even the hottest guy on campus seems to be going out of his way to make her feel welcome.
And then there’s her mysterious new friend Jack, who can’t stay out of trouble. He suspects something dangerous is going on at Delcroix, and he wants Dancia to help him figure out what…But neither Jack or Dancia could have imagined what’s really going on behind the gates of Delcroix Academy.
This is an amazing book and hopefully the first in a series!!!
None of the characters in this book are black and white. There are many very realistic gray areas and hard decisions that Dancia has to make, especially when she and Jack start to find things about the school that don't add up to face value. There is a great triangle between Dancia, Jack and Cam - the hot popular guy at school. Dancia becomes friends with two girls as well - Esther and Hennie. I don't want to give anything away, so I'll end here. But, I can't wait for more books by this new author!!!
When recruiters from the prestigious Delcroix Academy offer her a full scholarship, Dancia fears her days of living under the radar may be over. But Delcroix is a school for diplomats’ kids and child geniuses — why are they treating Dancia like she’s special? Even the hottest guy on campus seems to be going out of his way to make her feel welcome.
And then there’s her mysterious new friend Jack, who can’t stay out of trouble. He suspects something dangerous is going on at Delcroix, and he wants Dancia to help him figure out what…But neither Jack or Dancia could have imagined what’s really going on behind the gates of Delcroix Academy.
This is an amazing book and hopefully the first in a series!!!
None of the characters in this book are black and white. There are many very realistic gray areas and hard decisions that Dancia has to make, especially when she and Jack start to find things about the school that don't add up to face value. There is a great triangle between Dancia, Jack and Cam - the hot popular guy at school. Dancia becomes friends with two girls as well - Esther and Hennie. I don't want to give anything away, so I'll end here. But, I can't wait for more books by this new author!!!
Wildwing by Emily Whitman
Review from ARC from publisher.
The Plot: Little Pembleton, 1913. Addy Morrow is fifteen and she wants something more out of life than being the town bastard, bullied by mean girls who think they are better than her because they have more money, a higher social class, and married parents.
Instead, what she gets is being taken out of school and put into service for a strange old man, Mr. Greenwood, who hasn’t been right since his wife died and his son disappeared. Mum tells her she is lucky! It could be worse, she could be a lowly scullery maid in a big house.
Addy enters a locked room in Mr. Greenwood’s house, sees a strange contraption, enters and finds herself in the year 1240. In her present, she’s nothing, a servant. In the past, she can reinvent herself into a lady.
I loved this book!!! The elements of time travel; romance; description of two different historical periods and the characters (especially Addy and Will) were very believable and well written. Awesome historical fiction!
When Addy steps back into 1240 wearing the queen's costume that she has taken from the local amateur theatre society, it looks as though all of her dreams to "be a lady" have come true. She is mistaken for Lady Matilda who is engaged to be married Sir Hugh,the local landowner. Unfortunately for Addy, reality quickly sets in.
Addy (aka Lady Matilda) meets the handsome young falconer's son, Will, and starts to fall in love with him. Just as she realizes that Will feels the same way about her, Addy finds out that more is riding on Lady Matilda's marriage to Sir Hugh than she first thought.
Where Addy's low station in life is a constant problem for a strong-willed girl in 1913, now the high station of Lady Matilda in 1240 creates a very difficult choice for Addy to make.
I am not going to give anything away from the creative choices that are made at the end of this book. Enjoy the story!
The Plot: Little Pembleton, 1913. Addy Morrow is fifteen and she wants something more out of life than being the town bastard, bullied by mean girls who think they are better than her because they have more money, a higher social class, and married parents.
Instead, what she gets is being taken out of school and put into service for a strange old man, Mr. Greenwood, who hasn’t been right since his wife died and his son disappeared. Mum tells her she is lucky! It could be worse, she could be a lowly scullery maid in a big house.
Addy enters a locked room in Mr. Greenwood’s house, sees a strange contraption, enters and finds herself in the year 1240. In her present, she’s nothing, a servant. In the past, she can reinvent herself into a lady.
I loved this book!!! The elements of time travel; romance; description of two different historical periods and the characters (especially Addy and Will) were very believable and well written. Awesome historical fiction!
When Addy steps back into 1240 wearing the queen's costume that she has taken from the local amateur theatre society, it looks as though all of her dreams to "be a lady" have come true. She is mistaken for Lady Matilda who is engaged to be married Sir Hugh,the local landowner. Unfortunately for Addy, reality quickly sets in.
Addy (aka Lady Matilda) meets the handsome young falconer's son, Will, and starts to fall in love with him. Just as she realizes that Will feels the same way about her, Addy finds out that more is riding on Lady Matilda's marriage to Sir Hugh than she first thought.
Where Addy's low station in life is a constant problem for a strong-willed girl in 1913, now the high station of Lady Matilda in 1240 creates a very difficult choice for Addy to make.
I am not going to give anything away from the creative choices that are made at the end of this book. Enjoy the story!
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Rise of the Fire Tamer (The Wordwick Games Book 1) by Kailin Gow
Description from Goodreads:
After winning a contest for a popular game called Wordwick Games, five teens Gemma, Sparks, Rio, Kat, and Jack, are invited to stay at Wordwick Games inventor Henry Word's mysterious castle and play the newest level of Wordwick Games. Little do they know, the castle is the doorway to a wondrous world call Anachronia where words can be used as weapons, power, and commodity. There is unrest in Anachronia, and if the five teens can follow the rules of Wordwick Games and prove to be the best player, one of them will be crowned Ruler of Anachronia.
The first book of a series, this was a good introduction to YA (Teen) books for young teens and tweens. The idea of 5 teens winning an online game contest and then being invited to play a new higher level of the game at the inventer's castle in England is intriguing.
The teens are unsure as to whether the world in the game is real or "just a game". There are twists involving this idea and there is another twist at the end. The ideas in the book are simple enough that a younger reader can easily deduce the direction that the plot takes. The characters are starting to be developed as the book progresses. Presumably this development will continue as the series continues.
I liked the ideas in the book, although it was somewhat younger than I had hoped. It will be interesting to see what develops as the series continues.
After winning a contest for a popular game called Wordwick Games, five teens Gemma, Sparks, Rio, Kat, and Jack, are invited to stay at Wordwick Games inventor Henry Word's mysterious castle and play the newest level of Wordwick Games. Little do they know, the castle is the doorway to a wondrous world call Anachronia where words can be used as weapons, power, and commodity. There is unrest in Anachronia, and if the five teens can follow the rules of Wordwick Games and prove to be the best player, one of them will be crowned Ruler of Anachronia.
The first book of a series, this was a good introduction to YA (Teen) books for young teens and tweens. The idea of 5 teens winning an online game contest and then being invited to play a new higher level of the game at the inventer's castle in England is intriguing.
The teens are unsure as to whether the world in the game is real or "just a game". There are twists involving this idea and there is another twist at the end. The ideas in the book are simple enough that a younger reader can easily deduce the direction that the plot takes. The characters are starting to be developed as the book progresses. Presumably this development will continue as the series continues.
I liked the ideas in the book, although it was somewhat younger than I had hoped. It will be interesting to see what develops as the series continues.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Dark Flame by Alyson Noel
Book 4 in the Immortals series after: Evermore; Blue Moon and Shadowland.
From the book jacket:
Ever is trying to help Haven make the transition into life as an immortal. But with Haven drunk on her new powers and acting recklessly, she poses the ultimate threat--exposing their secret world to the outside. But Ever's struggle to keep the Immortals hidden only propels Haven closer to the enemy: Roman and his evil companions.
At the same time, Ever delves deeper into dark magick to free Damen from Roman's power. But when her spell backfires, it binds her to the one guy who's hell-bent on her destruction. Now there's a strange, foreign pulse coursing through her, and no matter what she does, she can't stop thinking about Roman--and longing for his touch. As she struggles to resist the fiery attraction threatening to consume her, Roman is more than willing to take advantage of her weakened state...and Ever edges closer and closer to surrender.
Frantic to break the spell before it's too late, Ever turns to Jude for help, risking everything she knows and loves to save herself--and her future with Damen...
I haven't read the first three books in this series and I found that I was seriously lacking in knowledge of each character's history and their back stories in relation to each other. Having said this, I felt more and more in touch with what was going on as the book progressed.
The book was fast paced and had some great male characters--Jude, Roman and Damen, in it. I would have liked to get to know Damen better as the male lead and soul-mate for Ever. He took a back seat in this instalment of the series, but presumably that won't continue as the series keeps going. I had some trouble really getting to know Ever, but that may have not been a problem if I had read the three previous books. It also made sense to a degree in context with the plot, because she is very conflicted in this instalment with the "dark flame" burning inside her.
There was an unexpected twist at the end of Dark Flame and what happened was completely unexpected, so I won't give anything away, but I found the ending quite redeeming in my mind. If the next book can have more twists and turns, more depth in the characters (especially Damen and Ever) and still have great description it will be well worth the wait!!!
From the book jacket:
Ever is trying to help Haven make the transition into life as an immortal. But with Haven drunk on her new powers and acting recklessly, she poses the ultimate threat--exposing their secret world to the outside. But Ever's struggle to keep the Immortals hidden only propels Haven closer to the enemy: Roman and his evil companions.
At the same time, Ever delves deeper into dark magick to free Damen from Roman's power. But when her spell backfires, it binds her to the one guy who's hell-bent on her destruction. Now there's a strange, foreign pulse coursing through her, and no matter what she does, she can't stop thinking about Roman--and longing for his touch. As she struggles to resist the fiery attraction threatening to consume her, Roman is more than willing to take advantage of her weakened state...and Ever edges closer and closer to surrender.
Frantic to break the spell before it's too late, Ever turns to Jude for help, risking everything she knows and loves to save herself--and her future with Damen...
I haven't read the first three books in this series and I found that I was seriously lacking in knowledge of each character's history and their back stories in relation to each other. Having said this, I felt more and more in touch with what was going on as the book progressed.
The book was fast paced and had some great male characters--Jude, Roman and Damen, in it. I would have liked to get to know Damen better as the male lead and soul-mate for Ever. He took a back seat in this instalment of the series, but presumably that won't continue as the series keeps going. I had some trouble really getting to know Ever, but that may have not been a problem if I had read the three previous books. It also made sense to a degree in context with the plot, because she is very conflicted in this instalment with the "dark flame" burning inside her.
There was an unexpected twist at the end of Dark Flame and what happened was completely unexpected, so I won't give anything away, but I found the ending quite redeeming in my mind. If the next book can have more twists and turns, more depth in the characters (especially Damen and Ever) and still have great description it will be well worth the wait!!!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
My First Traveling ARC Tour!!!
I am sooooo excited! My first Traveling ARC Tour is almost here. I keep expecting it to show up in my mailbox. Every day I wait for the mail, but so far...nothing. I am just like a little kid at Christmastime. It's kind of funny because I work in a large public library system, so I can take out books to read any time, any day at work. Yet, here I am all excited because a teen read is coming in the snail mail! I think that this Traveling ARC idea is great! I have a few ARC's (Advanced Reader Copies) of books that I got from publisher's reps at an annual event that I go to with work. It is called Dewey Divas and Dudes and is a way for library staff to find out what is coming out in the publishing world in the next few months. Really cool! I go back to work and put 10 to 20 more books on hold, especially YA (young adult or teen) titles every time I go to one of these new book events. Now I won't have to wait for April next year. I can get my own new teen books through Traveling ARC Tours. Yay!!!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
First ARC Coming Soon!!!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
I'm Signed Up for 3 Tours!!!
I'm very excited to be signed up to read 3 ARCs (Advanced Reader's Copies) of YA (young adult OR teen) books that have not been published yet. If you love reading YA books and blogging about YA books and authors, join Traveling ARC Tours at http://travelingarc.bookblather.net/ and sign up to read some ARCs!!!
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Traveling ARC Tours
I found an amazing chance to read and blog about YA books before they are released. The link for this site is:
http://travelingarc.bookblather.net/
Check it out!
http://travelingarc.bookblather.net/
Check it out!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Best Websites on Delicious
What are the advantages of storing, sharing, and tagging web content this way? What are the disadvantages?
I see advantages in the tag bundles for finding several sites that relate to the same topic. An example of this would be the CITIZENSHIP tag bundle that has 15 sites in it. I liked the option to browse these bookmarks (found in the top right portion of the page). With this, I can look at each of the bookmarked sites.
A couple of disadvantages that I found were:
1) It was fairly easy to leave the CPL portion of the site and get into the rest of delicious without intending to do this. This happened to me when I put a tag name into the "search delicious" search box. It would be nice to have a search box just for the best websites section.
I also accidently found I was out of the best websites when I clicked on either of the options in the "See more bookmarks in Popular or Recent." section that appears just above the "CALGARYPUBLICLIBRARYFAVORITES" blue tag.
2) Another disadvantage is that there are 463 unbundled tags at the bottom of the tag bundles list. When I clicked on these, I found 49 pages with 482 bookmarks included in those pages. I found this quite intimidating. Even if I were to look at each bookmark, how would I remember where a particular site is when I wanted to access it with a customer? I realize that these bookmarks are in alphabetical order, but I need to remember the exact name of the website to find it easily. For example, if I look under Shakespeare, I will not find the site I want because it is called Absolute Shakespeare. Granted there is a tag for Shakespeare, so I must learn to access sites this way.
Thinking about what we will learn - hmmm?
Which aspect of Web 2.0 are you the most intrigued (or scared) by?
I am intrigued with some of the aspects that I know the least about. For example, twitter which I know that you can follow the tweets from someone, but I really don't know more than that about it. It will be interesting to learn more and hopefully to come to more of an understanding as to why anyone would want to know what a person is doing during each part of the day. It seems almost like stalking someone to me, but I don't really know very much about how it works.
I am also looking forward to learning more about searching on delicious, how rss feeds work, more about Google universe (hopefully something about Google docs that we may be using more in the future), online productivity tools and library thing.
Well, here goes ... my first blog post. And now I have to wait for the next thing. I will try to be patient and maybe I will be lucky and win the IPOD, so I can try out downloadable audio books!!!
I am intrigued with some of the aspects that I know the least about. For example, twitter which I know that you can follow the tweets from someone, but I really don't know more than that about it. It will be interesting to learn more and hopefully to come to more of an understanding as to why anyone would want to know what a person is doing during each part of the day. It seems almost like stalking someone to me, but I don't really know very much about how it works.
I am also looking forward to learning more about searching on delicious, how rss feeds work, more about Google universe (hopefully something about Google docs that we may be using more in the future), online productivity tools and library thing.
Well, here goes ... my first blog post. And now I have to wait for the next thing. I will try to be patient and maybe I will be lucky and win the IPOD, so I can try out downloadable audio books!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)