Legend by Marie Lu

Legend is a book that had a lot of hype surrounding it. So when I sat down to read I wondered if it would live up to all of the hype. Legend wasn’t legendary, but it was pretty good and it stands apart from other dystopian( books similar to The Hunger Games) novels that have come out in the past year.  What makes Legend stand out? First - there's the font - it's gold- I thought that was really cool. I’ve read a LOT of books and none of them so far have had gold colored font. The chapters written from Day's perspective, the notorious teen criminal on the run from the Republic, are in gold. Then the chapters written by June, the genius future star of the Republic's security force, are in black.  Another great element is the action in the book. Right from the beginning you're pulled into one of Day's daring missions to try and help his family.  This mission goes terribly wrong when one of the Republic's security guards tries to stop Day and ends up losing his life.  What makes matter worse is that it security guard was also June's brother. A brother, who was like a father to her, since their parents died a few years back.  June is assigned to track down Day and bring him to justice for killing her brother.  But once June and Day meet face to face it turns out perhaps avenging her brother's death isn't the real answer to her or the Republic's problems.

If you're interested in learning more about the author of Legend, Marie Lu, and her writing process check out Colleen's post here!

Reviewed by Renee, Teen Outreach Librarian

 

The Mostly True Story of Jack by Kelly Barnhill

I really liked the feel of this book. Throughout the story it was really easy to connect with Jack and the other characters and get wrapped up in the story. Jack has always felt invisible in his family and when his mother drops him off at his Aunt Mabel's and Uncle Clive's for a visit, he starts to unravel the mystery and magic behind why he never felt loved or part of his family, especially when he realizes in Hazelwood he can make friends and people do care about him.
Jack is very resistant to this whole idea of magic that the kids he meets in town keep mentions and that his uncle keeps nudging him to read about in book of the town's history at first. Once Jack starts unraveling what really happened in Hazelwood and how he's connected to it all things start to get interesting, with Mr. Avery, the richest man in town, who's also the town bully's dad, wanting him dead, his and Aunt and Uncle's house starts talking to him, the nature around Jack seems to be reaching out to him and that's just the beginning.

Posted by Renee, Teen Outreach Librarian

Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

If you’re not a big fan of blood and gore- then this is not the book for you.  If you like blood, guts, gore, suspense and nightmare provoking monsters- then the Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey is like winning the lottery for you!  It takes place back in 1800’s, where Will Henry is an assistant to Dr. Warthrop- a Monstrumologist- someone who studies and sometimes kills monsters.  The story begins with a knock at the door in late one night revealing a grave robber with a very special delivery…a dead monstrous beast- with its last meal still in its mouth- the beast is known as an Anthropophagi, a headless monster complete with a mouth in its chest full of skull crushing teeth.  Soon the doctor and Will Henry begin to realize that this Anthropophagi appearance wasn’t random- when more gruesome killings are discovered.  Extra hands have to be called in to launch a great hunt for these blood thirsty creatures- and Will Henry finds himself at the dangerous forefront of it all – as the victor – or perhaps just monster bait. 

Reviewed by Renee, Teen Outreach Librarian

Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty by G. Neri

Robert Sandifer, was real boy living in Chicago, also known as Yummy because he couldn’t be without candy and cookies,  a killer, a victim,  a shorty, a boy who still curled up with his teddy bear, a gangster.  In 1994 Yummy graced the cover of Time magazine- after he shot a fourteen year old girl in his neighborhood while trying to prove himself to a local gang the Black Disciples.  Robert, the narrator, will show you how the neighborhood, the schools, the city and the whole country reacted to the events and he’ll give a peak into Yummy’s life and how he ended up in the horrible situation he found himself in at 11 years old.  Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty  by G.Neri pulls you in right away and leaves you wondering if Yummy was a cold blooded killer or just a boy who had been led astray?

The Cardturner by Louis Sachar

Bridge- a card game for your grandma and grandpa- or is it?  In his latest book The Cardturner, Louis Sachar, author of the extremely popular, Holes, takes his love of playing bridge to the next level by writing a book about it and it works because this book not only focuses on bridge, there’s also two girls, a questionable best friend and a lot of mixed up family history involved, which make the story engaging. 

                Seventeen year old Alton has recently been dumped by his girlfriend, who his best friend just so happens to be dating now. Alton doesn’t have a job or money.  Insert Uncle Lester Trapp, the “rich” uncle, who Alton’s parents have been trying to impress for years in hopes of getting into his will.  Uncle Lester Trapp has recently gone blind and now needs someone to drive him to his weekly bridge games at the club, insert Alton who becomes his chauffer and cardturner during the bridge matches.  While playing it up with Trapp, Alton meets Toni, the granddaughter of Trapp’s sister in-law and former bridge partner, who was rumored to be crazy. According to Alton’s parents that craziness runs through the family, but Alton begins to see the truth as he spends more time with Toni.  As Alton spends more and more time with Trapp he begins to find out bits and pieces about his past and family.  Alton slowly sorts through the mysteries surrounding his uncle, his former bridge partners, Toni’s family and his feelings towards Toni.  All in all The Cardturner ends up being quite the page turner because you want to get to the bottom of all the tricks. 

-Reviewed by Renee N., Teen Outreach Librarian