Too Many for Details

Wow! A big pile of stuff hit the shelf in the last couple of days. So many, in fact, that I don't have time to give much info on them. This will basically just be a list. Here goes:

From Kate Brian's Private series (yes, they're chick books):

Inner Circle

Invitation Only

Untouchable

Confessions

Legacy

and Private

For fans of Daughters ofthe Moon who have been hoping for something new from Lynne Ewing, we now have the first 3 in the Sisters of Isis series:

Enchantress

Divine One

and Summoning

Icebound Land is the latest in John Flanagan's Rangers Apprentice series.

We have 2 more in Eric Nylund's Halo series inspired by the video game:

Fall of Reach

and First Strike

Cross My heart and Hope to Spy is the newest by Ally Carter, sequel to I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have to Kill You.

2 new ones from Hilari Bell:

Shield of Stars is the first in a new series called The Shield, Sword and Crown.

Last Knight is the first in the Knight and Rogue series.

Dragon and Herdsman by Timothy Zahn is the latest in the Dragonback series.

Final Warning is the latest in James Patterson's Maximum Ride series.

Blaze of Silver is the latest in K.M. Grant's The DeGranville Trilogy.

Time's Memory by Julius Lester

HIVE::Higher Institute of Villainous Education by Mark Walden

The Spell Book of Listen Taylor by Jaclyn Moriarty

The New Policeman by Kate Thompson

I Am Rembrandt's Daughter by Lynn Cullen

The Death Collector by Justin Richards (I'm in the middle of this one right now. It's not bad! Look for a review soon.)

Zen and the Art of Faking It by Jordan Sonnenblick

A Thief in the House of Memory by Timothy Wynne-Jones

Undercover by Beth Kephart

The Luxe by Anna Godberson

Right Behind You by Gail Giles

The Princess and the Hound by Mette Harrison

Elissa's Quest by Erica Verrillo

Paint the Wind by Pam Munoz Ryan

Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman

Weedflower by Cynthia Kadohata

Bread and Roses Too by Katherine Paterson

Brooklyn Rose by Ann Rinaldi

Um Like Om: A Girl Goddess's Guide to Yoga is just what it sounds like.

Phew!! Enjoy!

New Fantasy

A small pile of new books just hit the shelves, including, for fantasy lovers:

The entire 5 book Lost Years of Merlin series by T. A. Barron. A young boy with no name, home or memory soon discovers that he holds special powers. That boy is actually the young Merlin.

Voices by Ursula Le Guin is a companion to Gifts. In this one has Memer, a young girl, taking on a pivotal role in an attempt to free her countries from oppressors who believe that the written word is evil.

The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia McKillip has a young girl who's only companions have been magical creatures called to her mountain by wizardry, suddenly caring for a baby.

Elske by Cynthia Voight is the story of 13-year-old Elske, who escapes rape and certain death at the hands of barbaric leaders and later becomes handmaiden to a rebellious noblewoman whose rightful throne she helps to reclaim.

Cannibals, Death, and Brothers

A few more new books have trickled in. Here's some detail:

Are We There Yet? by David Levithan has 16-year-old Elijah and his 23-year-old brother Danny, polar opposites who barely tolerate each other, being tricked by their parents to go on a trip to Italy together. While there, Elijah falls for a girl who later decides that she really likes Danny, leading both brothers to examine their lives and relationship.

10 Things to Do Before I Die by Daniel Ehrenhaft. As a joke, Ted's friends make a list of things he really should do before he dies. When Ted finds out that he's been poisoned and only has 24 hours to live, it's time to pull out the list.

The Cannibals is the sequel to Iain Lawrence's The Convicts (see What Mrs. N's Been Reading - The Convicts for my review of that one). In this one, Tom and Midgely escape from the prison ship taking them to Australia, and head for a remote Pacific island.

New and Continuing Series

Another pile just hit my desk. Included are additions to some popular series as well as the first book in a few new ones and a few stand-alones.

Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard. If you've run the other chick series and are looking for a new one, this could be just what you've been waiting for. As an added bonus, this one has a mystery twist, as one of the group of friends has disappeared.

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare is another in the growing list of urban fantasies, with young Clary able to see strange creatures and entering the world of the Shadowhunters who are charged with killing demonic creatures.

To Hawaii With Love by Michael Spradlin is the latest Spy Goddess book. In this one Rachel and her gang head for Hawaii (sounds real good about now!) to get hold of an artifact before the evil Simon Blankenship can.

Slawter by Darren Shan is the latest in the Demonata series. This one has Grubbs and Bill-E on the set of a horror movie.

Forging the Sword by Hilari Bell is the third in the Farsala trilogy.This one has the Farsalan resistance trying to hold off the Hrum.

Darkness Creeping is a collection of twisted tales by the always twisted Neal Shusterman. If you're looking for horror in short doses, this collection of short stories is for you.

House of the Red Fish by Graham Salisbury picks up one year after Under the Blood-Red Sun, as Tomi deals with anti-Japanese-American attitudes while attempting to rescue his father's fishing boat, sunk in the canal by the army's attack after Pearl Harbor.

The Eternal Flame by T.A. Barron is the third in the Great Tree of Avalon series. Three unlikely heroes must pull off seemingly impossible tasks to save Avalon.

The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima. 16-year-old Jack thinks he has a heart condition until he forgets to take his medicine and discovers that he is actually extremely powerful and a member of an underground society of magical people that are separated into 2 warring factions, each of which wants Jack to fight for their side in a magical tournament for power.

Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett continues the adventures of Tiffany Aching and the Wee Free Men. If you love Terry Pratchett's twisted sense of humor, that's all I need to say. If you're a lover of twisted humor and haven't yet checked out Pratchett, start with The Wee Free Men.

Last of That Last Batch - More Sequels and Series

OK, here's the last of that big batch from last week. It's more sequels and additions to series.


The Dark Flight Down by Marcus Sedgwick is the sequel to The Book of Dead Days. In this one, Valerian is now dead, and Boy is captured and imprisoned in the palace of Emperor Frederick III, who is obsessed with finding a way to become immortal.




Blood Brother by Malcolm Rose is the latest in the Traces series about a futuristic teenage forensic investigator. In this one, Luke and his robotic sidekick, Malc, are assigned to a hospital with a mysteriously high rate of fatalities. As Luke investigates anumber of suspicious patient deaths, he meets his long-lost father, a doctor who practices alternative medicine at the hospital. But this is no happy family reunion, as Luke's father's DNA is connected to several of the crimescenes, making him Luke's prime suspect.


Viking Warrior by Judson Roberts is the first in the Strongbow Saga. 14-year-old Halfdan, the son of a cheiftain and a princess, lives as a slave in Denmark in A.D. 845 but through a tragic bargain he gains his freedom and sets out to claim his birthright. If you like those bloody old Saxon battles, you'll probably love this one

The Riddle by Alison Croggon is the second in the Book of Pellinor series. Maerad's powers grow stronger by the day but now she and her mentor, Cadvan, are being hunted by both the Light and the Dark, and must unravel the Riddle of the Treesong before their fractured kingdom erupts in chaos.

It Had to Be You by Sabrina Jordan is from the First Kisses series. Emma, who gives love advice under her "Dear Daisy" junior high school column, wonders if she is really qualified since she can't even get her cute next door neighbor to ask her out.

Flawless by Sara Shepard is from the Pretty Little Liars series. This looks like a series that you really should read in order, with a continuing storyline. This one is #2. I also ordered #1 at the same time, but it's not in yet - don't ask me why. Anyway, I'd hold out for #1, Pretty Little Liars. The series deals with the disappearance of one of a group of teenage friends.

Secrets of My Hollywood Life by Jen Calonita is the first in a series about a teenage celebrity, 16-year-old actress Kaitlin, who assumes a new identity to experience the life of a "normal" teenager.

New Books By Favorite Authors

As promised, here are some more of those new Teen books that came in last week.

Airman by Eoin Colfer takes place in the late 19th century. Conor Broekhart discovers a conspiracy to overthrow the king, is branded a traitor, imprisoned, and forced to mine for diamonds under brutal conditions while he plans a daring escape from Little Saltee prison off the Irish coast by way of a flying machine that he must design, build, and trust to carry him to safety. This one looks quite good, but it's Colfer, so what else would you expect?

A Coming Evil by Vivian Vande Velde combines a ghost story with the German occupation of France during WWII. 13-year-old Lisette meets a ghost while living with her aunt who harbors Jewish and Gypsy children in the French countryside.

The Book of Mordred, also by Vivian Vande Velde takes place in Camelot. Mordred has been characterized a lot of different ways, depending on the author. This book looks at him through the eyes of three women who love him, including young Keira, a girl who can foretell the fate of her world.

Jinx by Meg Cabot mixes a love story with the supernatural. 16-year-old Jean "Jinx" Honeychurch, the descendant of a witch, leaves Iowa to live with relatives in Manhattan after her first spell goes bad. She'll need to brush up on her skills to stop her cousin from practicing black magic that could endanger both them and the boy they both like.

Blind Faith by Ellen Wittlinger deals with coping with the death of loved ones. While coping with her grandmother's sudden death and her mother's resulting depression and fascination with a spiritualist church, whose ministers claim to communicate with the dead, 15-year-old Liz finds herself falling for a new neighbor whose mother is dying of leukemia.

Diva by Alex Flinn is a different take on the "teen wants to be a famous star" genre. In this one, 16-year-old Cailin want to be an opera star.

Lucky T by Kate Brian takes place in a locale that's a bit unusual for a Teen book - Calcutta. Carrie's mom accidentally donates her lucky t-shirt to a charity called Help India, and Carrie's goes halfway around the world to get it back.

New Sequels and Series

A big pile of books hit my desk this morning. I'll do this in a couple of posts over the next couple of days, but to start, here are the sequels and series.

Faerie Lord by Herbie Brennan, is the 4th in the series that started with Faerie Wars. This one has Henry and Blue trying to stop a plague that is making the inhabitants of the faerie realm age far too quickly. Surprisingly, the hold list is short on this one today. I suspect that will change quickly when people realize that it's available.

It Had to Be You by Cecily Von Ziegesar, is the prequel to the Gossip Girl series. That pretty much sums this one up.

Payback by Melody Carlson is the latest in the Secret Life of Samantha McGregor series. This one has Samantha trying to prevent the violence that she has visions of happening at the prom.

True Talents and Hidden Talents by David Lubar is a series about a group of boys at an alternative school who discover that they have psychic powers.

We now have 4 books in Clare Bell's series, The Named - Ratha's Creature, Clan Ground, Ratha and the Thistle Chaser and Ratha's Challenge. This series follows a group of intelligent cats, 25 million years in the past. If you finished the Redwall series and the Warriors series, you might want to check these out.

Voyage of the Slaves by Brian Jacques is the latest in the Flying Dutchman series. Continuing their adventures through space and time, Ben and Ned find themselves in the Mediterranean in 1703, pursued by Barbary slave traders.

A lot of good stuff! Check 'em out. Look for more in the next couple of days.

Early Beach Reads?

A few new books just hit the shelf. Sorry guys, but these are essentially beach "chick books."

My Almost Epic Summer by Adele Griffin has 14-year-old Irene dreaming of being a hairstylist to the stars but ends up babysitting for the summer. Then she meets Starla, a gorgeous lifeguard with attitude, a the summer gets more interesting.

In The Bermudez Triangle, by Maureen Johnson, the longstanding friendship between 3 girls is tested when 2 of them find themselves attracted to each other. This one is for more mature teens.

Camp Confidentials, the end of the Withern Rise trilogy, and a Rum Running Mystery

Here's what hit the shelf today:

Reality Bites and Hide and Shriek by Melissa J. Morgan. These are both part of the Camp Confidential series, which was quite popular with people who turned in book reviews during Teen Summer Reading 2007. They take place at a summer camp.

The Underwood Sea by Michael Lawrence is the end of the Withern Rise trilogy (see my review of A Crack in the Line What Mrs. N's Been Reading - A Crack in the Line .) I really liked the first one and expect this to be good as well. If you like the alternate realities storylines you'll enjoy this series.

Black Duck by Janet Taylor Lisle is a story about rum running off the coast of Rhode Island during the 1920's.

Sonnenblick, Feddor and Martin Just In

There are a few new books trickling in. This batch includes the following:

Notes From the Midnight Driver by Jordan Sonnenblick, the author of Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie. When 16-year-old Alex is assigned community service at a nursing home, he befriends a crotchety old guy, who teaches him about jazz guitar, love and forgiveness. I just love the cover - a picture of a garden gnome in the driver's seat of a car.

The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor, is a twisted re-imagining of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

Birdwing by Rafe Martin is a continuation of the Grimms fairy tale the Six Swans. In the Six Swans, six brothers are turned into swans. In this story, a sister sacrifices to save them from the curse but one brother isn't completely transformed. This is his story.

Reeve, Bray, Haddix and More

A very varied group of books by some wonderful, familiar authors just hit the shelf. There should be something for everyone. Check 'em out!

Larklight by Philip Reeve
The author of Mortal Engines ( a book I highly recommend - just don't read the blurb on the back cover - makes it sound really stupid) has started another unique fantasy series, this one set in space but in an alternate reality in the Victorian Era. I'm in the middle of reading this one, and am really enjoying it. Look for my review soon.

The House on the Gulf by Margaret Peterson Haddix
The author of the very popular Shadow Children series, brings us a standalone suspense novel about a house-sitting opportunity gone very bad.

The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray
The conclusion of the trilogy that started with A Great and Terrible Beauty, has the Order fighting for control of the realms, the burned East Wing of Spence Academy being rebuilt, and Gemma and her friends seeing a changed Pippa.

The Secret Under My Skin by Janet McNaughton
It's 2368, and humanity is struggling to recover from a technocaust that has left a generation of orphans in its wake. Strict government regulations convince people that technology is dangerous; confusion and fear rule the earth. When Blay, a government work-camp orphan, is chosen for a special mission by a guardian of the environment she begins to discover that all may not be as it seems.

New Fear Street

Not much new coming in at this time of year, but good news for fans of R.L. Stine's Fear Street series. We just got 2 new ones in.

Switched - Switching minds and/or bodies with someone else might sound like classic Disney fare, but with R.L. Stine you know there will be a wicked twist.

Secret Admirer - An actress getting flowers from a fan. No big deal, right? Not unless other events lead her to believe that the "fan" wants her dead.

All Mates Together

Just one new one in. It's Cathy Hopkins' All Mates Together, the latest in the Truth or Dare series. This one has the gang playing Truth or Dare at a sleepover celebrating the end of their high school days.

New Horowitz, Zevin and More

This time of year we're not getting a whole lot of new materials in, but a few hit the shelf recently.

The latest in Anthony Horowitz' Alex Rider series, Snakehead is here (sort of - there's a hold list but the last time I checked it wasn't nearly as long as I expected.) This one has Alex uncovering some information about his parents, while on a mission.

Gabrielle Zevin's (of Elsewhere fame, an excellent book if you haven't already read it) Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac, has a young girl losing her memory of the last four years, after a nasty fall, causing her to reassess her life.

I'd Tell You I Love You But then I'd Have to Kill You (I don't know if the book's any good or not, but I love the title) by Ally Carter, has Cammie, the daughter of a former CIA operative and sophomore at a spy school, meeting a local boy which throws a wrench in her life.

New Westerfeld, Grant, and Hale

Only a few new things in today's batch, they look like really good ones.

Extras by Scott Westerfeld is the latest in the Uglies series. I loved the first one in this series (see What Mrs. N's Been Reading ) and the books are never on the shelf. I expect this to be the same.


How the Hangman Lost His Heart is by K.M. Grant who also wrote the DeGranville Trilogy which started with Blood Red Horse. I really liked that one as well (see What Mrs. N's Been Reading - Blood Red Horse ). This one is the story of a young girl, Alice, whose uncle was executed for treason in 1746 England. When Alice tries to reclaim her uncle's head from the pike on which it was displayed, to give it a proper burial, she ends up on the run from the king's soldiers with the help of the executioner. If no one has this one on hold, I may take it home. Looks good.

Book of a Thousand Days is by Shannon Hale who also wrote The Princess Academy (see What Mrs. N's Been Reading - The Princess Academy ) and the Books of Bayern series which started with The Goose Girl. This one is a retelling of a forgotten Brothers Grimm tale. I expect this to be a good one as well.

After the Wreck...

The exciting news today was the pile of video games that came in, but there was also one Teen book in the pile. It was Joyce Carol Oates', After the Wreck, I Picked Myself Up, Spread My Wings, and Flew Away. It's the story of 15-year-old Jenna's struggle to come to terms with the car accident that killed her mother and nearly took Jenna's life as well. Check it out!

Installments of Samantha McGregor, The Door Within, and More

Here's the latest new Teen stuff to hit the shelf:


Playing With Fire by Melody Carlson is the latest installment of the Secret Life of Samantha McGregor series. In this one Sam has a dream about an explosion in a place which may be associated with illegal drugs.




Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Leviathan is a he said/she said told in alternating chapters, about a guy who asks a girl to be his girlfriend for five minutes to avoid his ex.




The Final Storm is the last installment of The Door Within series by Wayne Batson. In this one, Paragor, the Wyrm Lord, and the deadly Seven Sleepers unite against the followers of King Eliam.






Fly on the Wall: How One Girl Saw Everything by e. lockhart. When Gretchen Yee wishes she were a fly on the wall of the boys locker room, she never dreams that wish might actually come true. This one is for older teens.

Eclipse and Knife Edge

Wow, it seems like forever since I've posted to this site. We have been getting new stuff in, but I was so swamped with Teen Summer Reading stuff that I just never got to posting them. Two sequels just hit my desk today so it seemed like a good time to get back into the swing of things.

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer is the long-awaited sequel to Twilight and New Moon. I actually ordered this a while ago, but it was so popular that our distributor was temporarily out. Nice to finally get a few copies in so we can we start making a dent in the line of holds on this one.


Knife Edge by Malorie Blackman is the sequel to Naughts and Crosses, later renamed Black and White. I haven't read this one yet, but I really liked Naughts and Crosses (see my review from a while back What Mrs. N's Been Reading - Naughts and Crosses ) so I expect this one to be good as well.

Insiders, Inside Girls, and an It Girl

Lots of good summer vacation reads just in.

From J. Mintners Insiders series, we now have The Insiders, Take It Off, Pass It On, Hold On Tight, and Break Every Rule. If you like the series' like Gossip Girls, you'll probably enjoy this series as well. Similar style, but the main characters are guys, so if you've been wondering how cute guys think, these may give you a clue.

Also by J. Mintner, we've got 2 from the Insiders Girls series, Inside Girl and Girls We Love. Not hard to figure out what these are all about.

The latest It Girl novel, Unforgettable, by Cecily Von Ziegesar just came in as well.

Enjoy!

One More Audiobook

One more Teen audiobook has found its way to the shelf. It's Blood Fever , the second one in the Young Bond series by Charlie Higson. I haven't read this book yet, but the first one in the series, Silverfin, was pretty good. This should be a good summer listen.

Idiocy, Robots, Fantasy, and a Chick Book

Ok, I'll confess I'm a little bit behind here, what with getting ready for Teen Summer Reading (Sign-ups have already started, so if you're not registered yet, get in here!) a rather large stack of new books came in the last week or so that I haven't had time to write up here. I may or may not get back to them. In the meantime a more managable stack also found its way to my desk, and I'm going to give you the scoop on those, and just kind of ignore the big stack for a while. Don't worry, the big stack isn't still on my desk, they have hit the shelves.

If you're a fan of the "stupid crook" stories on the radio, you'll love Hey Idiot! Chronicles of Human Stupidity by Leland Gregory. With chapter headings like Idiotic Excuses, Idiots in Education, Politically Correct Idiots, and Unexplainable Idiots, you can pretty much figure out what this book is all about. It's a collection of short snippets, so you can read just a few and come back later.

How to Survive a Robot Uprising by Daniel Wilson is chock-full of practical advice, with chapter headings like How to Deactivate a Rebel Servant Robot, How to Treat a Laser Wound, How to Establish a Hidden Base in Robot Territory. Paranoid anyone?

The Door Within by Wayne Thomas Batson is the first of a fantasy trilogy that has 3 ancient scrolls beckoning high school student, Aidan Thomas, to enter a realm of knights, kings, and assorted fantasy creatures.

Last Summer by Hailey Abbott is another in the Summer Boys chick book series.

Artemis Fowl on CD

Just in time for the start of summer car trip season, a few more YA books on CD are coming in. This time it's Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer and Artemis Fowl: the Lost Colony also by Eoin Colfer. Great summer listening that the whole family could enjoy!

On the Head of a Pin and Wish House

Only 2 new ones in this latest batch, but they look pretty good. Here they are...

The Wish House by Celia Rees is the story of a 15-year-old who discovers that a rather bohemian family has moved into the previously abandoned house where he has spent a great deal of time in the summers. He becomes enamored of the daughter and involved in the family's mysteries. Looks like one for older readers.

On the Head of a Pin by Mary Beth Miller is the story of how an accidental shooting that leaves the local homecoming queen dead, affects the teens that were involved.

Latest A-List, Meg Cabot, Holly Black and More

Another very diverse pile of books have just hit the YA shelf. Here they are:

Ironside: A Modern Faery's Tale by Holly Black

This is the latest installment of the series that began with Tithe and Valiant. In this one Kaye is sent on a nearly impossible quest to try to release Roiben from the spell of the queen of the Seelie Court.

Pants on Fire by Meg Cabot

Popular Katie doesn't consider herself a liar. She just considers telling the truth a little tricky. But things start to look a little bit different to her when an old middle school friend suddenly reappears in town.

Crushed by Laura and Tom McNeal

17-year-old Audrey's life being turned upside down by the arrival of a mysterious new student and the vicious underground school gossip sheet.

Benny and Babe by Eoin Colfer

13-year-old Benny thinks he can take on the world until he meets tough girl Babe, while spending the summer with his grandfather.

The Killer's Tears by Anne-Laure Bondoux

Angel, a wanted murderer kills the parents of a young boy, Paolo, who he then takes in and cares for. When another man, Luis, enters their lives and teaches the boy to read, Angel and Luis find themselves vying for Paolo's love and attention. Angel's later arrest and Paolo's despair at losing him will challenge readers to examine their views on forgiveness and rehabilitation, on whether violence is ever necessary, and on how environment can influence human actions.

Now You See It by Vivian Vande Velde

When Wendy puts on a pair of sunglasses that she finds on the lawn, they not only correct her horrible vision, but allow her to see things that other people can't - like dead people and a time portal.

Inexcusable by Chris Lynch

This book explores the topics of responsibility and rationalization. Is Keir the good guy that he thinks he is, or is he reckless and irresponsible? And are some things absolutely inexcusable?

Runner by Carl Deuker

17-year-old Chance's love of running gets him a high paying job picking up packages, but is the money worth the risk?

Inventing Elliot by Graham Gardner

When Elliot starts at a new school, he is determined to be a tougher person to avoid the bullying he experienced in his old school. When a group of thugs want him to join their group, he must decide what kind of person he really wants to be.

Heart of Glass by Zoey Dean

The latest A-List novel has Anna and Cammie caught trespassing on a celebrity's beach estate.

Series Additions and a Robert Parker

Here's what's new in the YA collection today:

Robert Parker (of the Spenser adult dectective series fame) ventures into the world of YA literature with Edenville Owls, a mystery set in a small New England town in the days just after the end of WWII, narrated by 14-year-old basketball player, Bobby Murphy.

Demon Thief is the second installment of Darren Shan's Demonata series. This one has young Cornelius Fleck, who sees strange lights and hears voices, discovering that he has powers that need to be used to hunt the Demonata.

Physik, book three in Angis Sage's Septimus Heap series. Septimus unseals a neglected room, inadvertently releasing the ghost of an evil queen who lived 500 years earlier and awakens with a diabolical plot to make herself immortal.

Latest Carlson, Horowitz and More

Here's what's new in the last several days:

Nightrise by Anthony Horowitz is the third installment of The Gatekeepers series and continues the struggles of the Gatekeepers against the evil Old Ones.

Tamar: A Novel of Espionage, Passion and Betrayal by Mal Peet interweaves the stories of a Dutch resistance fighter in WWII and his 15-year-old granddaughter, to whom he leaves a box full of clues to his past when he commits suicide in 1995. This one looks very good, but there are holds on it, so I haven't gotten to it yet.

It's Kind of a Funny Story is author Ned Vizzini's humorous account of a New York City teenager's time in a psychiatric hospital after crumbling under the pressure of getting into a fiercely competitive school. Vizzini writes from experience, having spent some time in a psychiatric hospital himself.

Impulse by Ellen Hopkins is written in free verse. It combines the stories of three teens in a psychiatric hospital after attempting suicide. No, we're not suddenly bring tons of books on mental illness. These two just happened to come in at the same time. This one looks much more serious than It's Kind of a Funny Story.

Moon White: Color Me Enchanted is the latest by Melody Carlson. This one has Heather exploring Wiccan spirituality at the urging of her stepmother, but becoming estranged from her Christian friends in the process.

The Trap by John Smelcer is the story of 17-year-old Johnny, an Alaskan Native American, and his grandfather, in alternating chapters. Johnny becomes worried when his grandfather is late coming back from checking his traplines, but it might be disrespectful to begin a search. What he doesn't know is that his grandfather has caught his own leg in one of traps and is just out of reach of his supplies.

New From TokyoPop

TokyoPop, the folks who publish most of the popular manga series, have branched out into the world of YA novels. I've already written about Kino No Tabi, which I really liked (see What Mrs. N's Been Reading - Kino No Tabi). I just got the first installment of 2 additional series in. I haven't read either of them yet, but they look like they might be pretty good. Check 'em out and let me know what you think.


Magic Moon by Wolfgang and Heike Hohlbein
The Hohlbeins have a reputation for doing top-notch fantasy in Europe. This one has just been translated into English for the first time. Kim enters the realm of Magic Moon where he must battle monsters and fantastical beings to try to unravel the secret that is keeping his younger sister locked in a coma. This one is the first in a planned 3-part series.


Witches' Forest: The Adventures of Duan Surk by Mishio Fuzakawa
This one is based on the RPG world of Fortune Quest. A trio, including the Level 2 player Duan Surk, battles mythical creatures and evil sorceresses in an attempt to free Agnis' mother from an evil spell. This is part 1 of a 4-part series.

Historical Fiction Additions

Good news for historical fiction buffs - we just added 2 to the YA collection.

Sarah's Ground by Ann Rinaldi is the story of Sarah Tracy, an 18-year-old girl who comes to work at Mount Vernon during the Civil War.

Nine Days a Queen by Ann Rinaldi is the story of Lady Jane Grey, who at the age of 16 became Queen of England, but only for nine days before being executed. Being royalty isn't always all glamor.

Mysteries and More

Here's the scoop on the new YA books that just hit my desk:

The Angel of Death and The Christopher Killer, both by Alane Ferguson
These are forensic mysteries. The main character is the 17 year-old daughter of a coroner, who works as an assistant in her father's office. I haven't read either of these yet, but according to reviews they are excellent, but very realistic in their descriptions of autopsies and other forensic stuff, and not for the squeamish.

The Murder of Bindy Mackenzie by Jaclyn Moriarty
Bindy Mackenzie believes herself to be the smartest, kindest girl at Ashbury High. Unfortunately, she is alone in that belief. To prove her likability, Bindy decides to document her life in transcripts, essays, and e-mails. What this reveals is a girl who's funny, passionate, hilariously self-righteous...and in danger. Someone wants to kill Bindy Mackenzie. The clues are in the documents. The detectives are the very students who hate her most. And time is running out.

Terrier by Tamora Pierce
Another series set in Tortall, but 200 years before the Song of the Lioness series. This one features Beka Cooper, a rookie law enforcement officer who can communicate with the dead, and uncovers an underworld conspiracy.

The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin
Don't expect Werlin's usual mystery, but do plan on a suspenseful book about 18-year-old Matthew's attempt to rescue himself and his younger siblings from their unstable, abusive mother.

Man vs. Beast by Robert Muchamore
The latest installment of the popular Cherub series has James and the other Cherub agents (a secret branch of British Intelligence made up of teenagers) going up against a radical animal rights group.

Lord Loss by Darren Shan
The first installment in the horror series, The Demonata, has gruesome murders, werewolf lore, family curses and plenty of gore.

Odds 'n Ends

A few odds 'n ends new things hit my desk today. Here's some detail:

Force Majeure by Christopher Golden and Thomas Sniegoski
20-year-old Shane's research project on weather patterns is commandeered by a covert government agency to be used as a weaponof mass destruction. When he refuses to cooperate with them, he is kidnapped and some of his friends murdered. Can he stop them before they unleash mayhem on the world?

The Schwa Was Here by Neal Shusterman
The story of 8th grader charles Schwa who is "functionally invisible". Chapter titles like "Which Is Worse: Getting Mauled by a Pack of Dogs, or Getting Your Brains Bashed Out by a Steel Poker?" and "Maybe They Had It Right in France Because Getting My Head Lopped Off by a Guillotine Would Have Been Easier" give you a good idea of what to expect.

The Last Treasure by Janet S. Anderson
Thirteen-year-old Ellsworth, starts to have dreams of a house he doesn't remember. The house has a hidden treasure only a child can uncover—the last treasure of the family's eccentric patriarch. Can Ellsworth set the ghosts in the house to rest and uncover the family's last treasure—or will the secrets of the past haunt him forever?

Sequels and New Ones from Some Favorite Authors

Here's the scoop on the latest pile of new books to hit my desk:

A Dangerous Engine by Joan Dash

Dash is also the author of The Longitude Prize, one of my favorite non-fiction YA books. This time her subject is Benjamin Franklin. I haven't read this one yet, but I'd expect it to be good.

Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson

Another author that never disappoints. After getting busted for a prank gone bad, formerly invisible Tyler, enjoys the attention his new reputation gets him at first. But then things get complicated and Tyler has to decide what it really means to be a man.

Room in the Heart by Sonia Levitin

The story of a 15-year-old Jewish girl in Nazi-occupied Denmark.

l8r, g8r by Lauren Myracle

The sequel to ttyl and ttfn covers events leading up to senior prom.

Sunset by Erin Hunter

The latest in the Warriors: The New Prophecy series has Leafpool receiving an ominous warning from StarClan.

It's Not Easy Being Mean by Lisi Harrison

This is the latest in the Clique series. Need I say more?

New Atwater-Rhodes and a New Traces

Here's what's new today.

Snakecharm by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes is the second in the Kiesha'ra series, sequel to Hawksong. In this one Danica is carrying Zane's child and they struggle with the resultant tensions regarding their child's mixed bloodline.

Double Check is the latest in Malcolm Roses's Traces series about a futuristic teen forensic expert. In this one Luke and Malc have only 19 days to try to clear a young man on death row who may not have committed the crime.