The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch

In the aftermath of a war, America’s landscape has been ravaged and two-thirds of the population left dead from a vicious strain of influenza. Fifteen-year-old Stephen Quinn and his family were among the few that survived and became salvagers, roaming the country in search of material to trade. But when Stephen’s grandfather dies and his father falls into a coma after an accident, Stephen finds his way to Settler’s Landing, a community that seems too good to be true. Then Stephen meets strong, defiant, mischievous Jenny, who refuses to accept things as they are. And when they play a prank that goes horribly wrong, chaos erupts, and they find themselves in the midst of a battle that will change Settler’s Landing--and their lives--forever.

This is another teen dystopian novel. I thought it was a quick read, definitely not as violent as some of the other ones I have read recently. I would say 8th grade and up would be ok with this one. I would recommend it, but it doesn't make the top of my list.



Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

Once upon a time, Hazel and Jack were best friends. But that was before he stopped talking to her and disappeared into a forest with a mysterious woman made of ice. Now it's up to Hazel to go in after him. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen," Breadcrumbs is a story of the struggle to hold on, and the things we leave behind.

I really enjoyed the beginning of this book. It rang so true and it was touching. Hazel is a fifth-grade girl who lives next door to her best friend, Jack. They "get" each other. When everything in their lives is falling apart- Hazel's parents have gotten divorced and her father doesn't have much time for her and Jack's mother is suffering from depression, etc.- they have each other and their imaginations. Jack likes to draw and they both use their imagination to create other worlds. Hazel struggles at her new school. She doesn't fit in. But she has Jack.

Well, one day, Jack gets a piece of bewitched glass in his eye and everything changes. It changes the relationship between Hazel and Jack, it changes the book from a contemporary realistic fiction book to a fantastical fairy tale book...I didn't like the second part of the book as much and was sad to not be able to see the story that began be fleshed out.

But I did like that the story was about friendship, loyalty, perseverance and overcoming fears.

Ashfall by Mike Mullin

As I posted earlier, even though this blog is mainly for patrons with 1st-8th graders, I do read a lot of YA books. I have decided to post them here in case someone old enough is reading the posts and for a record of the books I have read for me. Sometimes I forget what books I have read or what they were about!

This book is definitely a older YA book! The supervolcano beneath Yellowstone Park has erupted and without electricity, food, water, etc...the very worst of human nature manifests itself in this gripping, violent, dystopian YA novel.

I enjoy dystopian novels a lot. A lot of them are very violent and you see a very realistic glimpse of what human beings are capable of when they are starving and there is no order or civilization to speak of really. A lot of them aren't as disturbing for me because they still seem like fiction. But this one was so more realistic because it is set in contemporary time and seems believable! Another interesting thing about this dystopian novel is that it is written from the male point of view. Like Ship Breaker and Chaos Walking...this would be a great read for older boys- I would say definitely high school!

Breaking Stalin's Nose

Sasha Zaichik has known the laws of the Soviet Young Pioneers since the age of six:

The Young Pioneer is devoted to Comrade Stalin, the Communist Party, and Communism.

A Young Pioneer is a reliable comrade and always acts according to conscience.

A Young Pioneer has a right to criticize shortcomings.

But now that it is finally time to join the Young Pioneers, the day Sasha has awaited for so long, everything seems to go awry. He breaks a classmate's glasses with a snowball. He accidentally damages a bust of Stalin in the school hallway. And worst of all, his father, the best Communist he knows, was arrested just last night.

This book won a Newbery Honor this year. It is a short, pretty intense and depressing book. It was interesting to me as an adult, but I don't see children 4th grade and up really understanding the time in history that the story takes place in - Stalinist USSR. So, I think it will make a great book that teachers can use when covering that time period in history, but I don't think it will be popular for leisure reading for children unless they are a real history buff!

Icefall by Matthew Kirby

Trapped in a hidden fortress tucked between towering mountains and a frozen sea, Solveig, along with her brother the crown prince, their older sister, and an army of restless warriors, anxiously awaits news of her father's victory at battle. But as winter stretches on, and the unending ice refuses to break, terrible acts of treachery soon make it clear that a traitor lurks in their midst. A malevolent air begins to seep through the fortress walls, and a smothering claustrophobia slowly turns these prisoners of winter against one another.

Matthew Kirby wrote his debut novel last year, The Clockwork Three, which I enjoyed. It was historical fiction with fantasy mixed in.

Icefall, his second novel, has similar elements of historical fiction and a bit of fantasy, but it was even better! Again, there is a strong young female at the center of the story. One that is loyal, compassionate and strong, but flawed and trying to find herself. I have read a lot of books recently with similar characters. I enjoy them because you can relate to them. They aren't perfect, but they have good hearts and are trying to do the right thing. There's lots of action and suspense and I was racing to the end to find out what happened! Great read!

Birthmarked Trilogy by Caragh O'Brien

Striking out into the wasteland with nothing but her baby sister, a handful of supplies, and a rumor to guide her, sixteen-year-old midwife Gaia Stone survives only to be captured by the people of Sylum, a dystopian society where women rule the men who drastically outnumber them, and a kiss is a crime. In order to see her sister again, Gaia must submit to their strict social code, but how can she deny her sense of justice, her curiosity, and everything in her heart that makes her whole?

 

This is a Young Adult book. Just so you know....

 

 

Now, in this blog, I typically blog about books for 1st through 8th grades. But I do read a lot of YA books and I am going to add them as well, just in case someone is lurking that might be old enough to read them :)

 

Skulduggery Pleasant- Death Bringer

The Skulduggery Pleasant series by Derek Landy (an Irish author) is one of my all-time favorite series. The fast-paced dialog and wit make me laugh out loud! The characters are incredible and the action is non-stop.

This is the 6th book in the series of nine. The first three were published in the US, but now they have stopped publishing the rest here. I don't know why. I am trying to find out. So, I have been purchasing the series from the UK Amazon store! Just got this one in.

I was not disappointed! Great book. But one of the main characters, Valkyrie, who started off in the first book at age 12 is now almost 17. So, the books have matured slightly. Also, since these books were published for the UK, there are words used that are unfamiliar. Just a warning...but I stilled loved it! The first books I said were fine for 4th grade and up, but now I would probably say 7th and up on this one.

Just to recap, Skulduggery Pleasant is a sorcerer, an undead skeleton and a detective. He teams up with a "normal" teenage girl, named Stephanie, after her uncle Gordon, who has friends with Skulduggery, was murdered. Skulduggery teaches Stephanie magic and the two go off on adventures to fight the evil in the world of sorcerers.