Books You Can't Put Down: Strange Angels

Clare Recommends:

Strange Angels
by Lili St. Crow

Dru Anderson grew up fighting monsters, but when her Father is turned into a zombie, Dru wonders if she has the strength and experience to track down the ones that did it. With loverboys Graves and Christopher in tow, Dru embarks on a creeptacular journey for knowledge and revenge.

Clare's review

The main problem I had with this book is that everything happened in the end. Although the entire plot line was rather raveled. I think that it could have been stretched out more, it was just too bunched up. The other thing is that the author could have played up the romance a little bit, giving the guys a little more competition. Other than that, this book was okay.  It is the kind of story that keeps you up in bed, listening for things that go bump in the night.

I didn't really like the cover. I mean, it was a great picture of Dru, but just it could have had some more monsters in it or something.  Maybe even one of the boys standing behind her watching her back. 

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Clare Schuett is 13 and lives in Sebastopol California. She is a lover of books and a voracious reader. She reviews YA books, prior to their publication, for the American Library Association. We have the privilege of posting her reviews on our blog.

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Want to know more?  Visit:  http://amzn.to/bpayme

Books You Can't Put Down: The Forest of Hands and Teeth

Clare Recommends:

The Forest of Hands and Teeth

by Carrie Ryan

Mary's entire world lies within the metal fences that protects her village from the dangerous inhabitants of the woods beyond. She has never once seen the ocean, or anywhere else that lies over the guarded gates. As far as the other villagers are concerned, there are no worlds outside their own. Mary has always dreamed of leaving her prison, leaving the ruling Sisters, her failed attempts at love, and her unhappy memories of her mother and father, both killed by the Unconsecrated, who now roam and hunger for human flesh, just beyond the border. When her village is slaughtered, Mary and the other few survivors embark on a dangerous journey, seeking salivation.

Clare's review

This book was not one I would recommend to other readers. I thought the basic plot was brilliant, how experimenting with immortality could lead the entire civilization to absolute ruin was a fantastic concept. If the story was more centered around that, like explaining a little more about the Unconsecrated, and how they became that way, the overall story would have turned out a lot better. Instead, the plot weaves through different Ideas and goes off in all different directions, leaving a lot of loose ends at the end. Did the brother die? Were there more civilizations out there after all?  What happened to the other survivors? Was there a moral to the story? None of these questions were answered in the novel, nor anywhere else I know of. I think that if the story was fitted and cleaned up, and also tweaked a little here and there, this book could be amazing. As I said, I loved the main Sci-Fi concept. If it could be outfitted a little better, it would be truly astounding.

The cover was pretty mediocre, not awesome, but not something you could look straight at without seeing either. Maybe if there had been more intrigue, more color or figures or even a different expression, it would definitely leaped out.

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Clare Schuett is 13 and lives in Sebastopol California. She is a lover of books and a voracious reader. She reviews YA books, prior to their publication, for the American Library Association. We have the privilege of posting her reviews on our blog.

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Want to know more?  Visit:  http://amzn.to/am4Ktt

Books Kids Rave About

We asked some of our elementary school students what books they were recently raving about. We put together a list to share so that you can go out and read these books too!

Happy reading!

1. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

2. Warriors by Erin Hunter

3. Peter and the Shadow Thieves by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

4. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

5. Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke

6. Are you there God? It's me, Margaret by Judy Blume

7. Half Magic by Edward Eager

8. My Louisiana Sky by Kimberly Willis Holt

9. Ties that Bind, Ties that Break by Lensey Namioka

10. Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

11. Thirsty by M.T. Anderson

12. Cirque du Freak by Darren Shan

13. Maximum Ride by James Patterson

14. Daniel X Series by James Patterson

15. Percy Jackson Series, The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

16. The Last Apprentice Series, Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney

17. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

18. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows by J.K. Rowling

19. The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen

20. Pendragon Series, The Merchant of Death by D.J. MacHale

Books You Can't Put Down: The Eye of the Forest (Children of the Lamp)

Clare Recommends:

Children of the Lamp: The Eye of the Forest  

by P.B. Kerr                                                                                          

The fifth book in the Children of the Lamp Series, John and Philippa Gaunt, along with their uncle Nimrod embark on a journey through the Amazon trying to recover stolen Incan artifacts, and discover a world threatening plot while they do so.

Clare's review

As I said, this is the fifth book in the popular series The Children of the Lamp. When John and Philippa First discover their powers, they do not realize what they are.  Over time, they are taught how to use and control these powers, granting wishes for mundanes.  In this book, their adventures lead them to the Amazon jungle, where they must find and return ancient Incan artifacts that were stolen several months ago for mysterious purposes. Now, while fighting off dead Incan kings, hundred foot long snakes and possessed panthers, the Djin and their butler plus their native guides discover an otherworldly plot that's purpose I can't quite remember.

The cover is one of the best I've seen so far in the series. The contrast between the colors, the detail, and, of course, the subject matter all reach out to grab the potential readers interest.

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Clare Schuett is 13 and lives in Sebastopol California. She is a lover of books and a voracious reader. She reviews YA books, prior to their publication, for the American Library Association. We have the privilege of posting her reviews on our blog.

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Want to know more?  Visit: http://amzn.to/97fkji

Books You Can't Put Down: Coffee House Angel

Clare Recommends:

Coffeehouse Angel

by Suzanne Selfors

Katrina is just a normal girl who helps her grandmother work their Norwegian coffee shop, even with their prime competitor's shop right next-door. Then one day, Katrina leaves some pastries and a cup of coffee for a guy in a kilt, sleeping in the alley behind the shop. The next day the guy, Malcolm, shows up at her school, claiming to be an angel messenger, wanting to award her three wishes in return of her 'good deed.' In the next few weeks, he won't leave her alone.  Then, through a strange turn of events, her cat becomes famous, and her best friend receives fortune, leaving Katrina with one wish left. But what can she wish for when all she wants is Malcolm himself?

Clare's review

This is one of the best books I have read all year. I loved everything about it. The way you get to know all the characters, their relationships, and their feelings was fantastic - especially Katrina and Malcolm's. You can tell that eventually they are going to get together, from the first moment she opens the back door, and sees him sleeping by the dumpsters. I loved the customers in the coffee shop. Because of the way the author described them, it made you get the feeling that you knew them, and that they were so close to Katrina and her grandmother that they were practically family. There were twists and turns in the plot that were so unexpected (to me at least).  I laughed out loud, which can be pretty embarrassing in the middle of class.

The cover was the thing that really caught my attention. The girl on the cover looks exactly how I pictured Katrina. And from what you can see, the guy standing behind her looks exactly like Malcolm. That doesn't usually happen often. The coffee cup in Katrina's hand was really cute with the little heart shaped swirl of cream.

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Clare Schuett is 13 and lives in Sebastopol California. She is a lover of books and a voracious reader. She reviews YA books, prior to their publication, for the American Library Association. We have the privilege of posting her reviews on our blog.

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Want to know more?   http://amzn.to/djk9O0

Books You Can't Put Down: Absolutely Maybe

Clare Recommends:

Absolutely Maybe

by Lisa Yee

When Maybelline "Maybe" Chestnut's mother chooses another creeptacular boyfriend over her, Maybe decides to find her real father, the one man Chessy never married. With her two friends Hollywood, the film geek, and Ted, the drama queen, Maybe travels across the country, from Kissimee to Los Angeles trying to find her own happily ever after.

Clare's review

I absolutely loved this book. The author incorporates love, family life, drama, beauty school, poverty, and tacos really well. In the beginning, when Maybe gets molested, you can't help wanting to kill the guy. And after, when Chessy doesn't believe her, you just get so mad. But when the beauty school students are sent to a spelling bee instead of a beauty contest, I laughed sooooo hard. When Maybe  finally gets to California and meets Jess, the Taco Girl, things start to look up. The whole story is lighthearted and funny, in my opinion, a really good read, with a totally unexpected twist in the end. 

Fantabulous cover. I love the way Maybe is lying on the star where the really famous movie stars stick their feet or hands into. I also love Maybe's hair. It is really pink!!!

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Clare Schuett is 13 and lives in Sebastopol California. She is a lover of books and a voracious reader. She reviews YA books, prior to their publication, for the American Library Association. We have the privilege of posting her reviews on our blog.

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Want to know more?  Visit: http://amzn.to/d5mFSp