Fantasy/Short Stories: Lips Touch Three Times

New writer Laini Taylor has a gift for creating unique, mesmerizingly fallible characters. In this insipred collection of short stories, three strong female heroines navigate curses, goblin entrapments, and alternate worlds.

The three fantasy tales are each illustrated with short graphic prequels in rich reds and blacks. These graphic introductions give readers a backstory that can't be fully understood until they unravel the text of the tales.

The stories all have a thread of romance, and a chilling core of horror. The author has woven legends, zoroastrian myths, and victorian poetry into a compellingly dark series of tales where the good may not always come out on top.

Fantasy - Short Stories

Grades 10 and up

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Fantasy: Fire

Fire is a monster. She looks human, but she's part of a separate species; her kind appear similar to normal animals or people, but they are incredibly, irresistably attractive. Kings and paupers alike are drawn to them, and for Fire, this is a curse.

Fire has spent her entire life hiding her wild flame coloured hair, and trying to pass as normal. She fears that her monstrous gift - to read and influence the minds of men - will be used for evil by those in power. People fear her power at the same time as they adore her, and she lives under a constant threat of assassination.

But inside, Fire is a normal girl, with hopes, fears and desires of her own. When she is summoned to the King's palace to help uncover a plot against the country, Fire decides to go despite the risk to herself. She knows that many in the King's city will hate her for her power, and believe that she is a risk to the throne: nevertheless, Fire knows that she can't stay in seclusion forever, hiding her face and her gifts.

Fire's journey to the capital is fraught with danger and, strangely, romance. She struggles to understand her place in human society, and wrestles with the fears and joys that are part of every adolescent's experience.

This powerfully written fantasy novel is a gripping read, full of internal growth and struggles. It's a companion book to Kristin Cashore's other award winning book "Graceling", but does not need to be read as a sequel.

Fantasy

Grades 10 and up

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Suspense: Ruined

Rebecca isn't too pleased about being uprooted from her stylish New York City life, and transplanted to the middle of New Orleans. Sure, she'll be living with her aunt and cousin in the famous garden district, but what about all her friends, her school, her life? But it's not like she has a choice: her Dad will be working in China for a few months, and that means she has to go.

The Garden District shows no signs of the Hurricane Katrina disaster, but Rebecca begins to suspect that something even more destructive lies beneath the old money attitudes and southern manners of the girls and boys at her exclusive new private school. They hang out at night in the creepily elegant Lafayette cemetary, and there's talk of centuries-old curses and murder.

No one will tell Rebecca anything about what's going on, though they all seem to know something: so when she meets a honest to goodness ghost in the cemetary, she takes the opportunity to ask a few questions of her own. Pretty soon, Rebecca is caught up in the resolution of the curse...and she's far more involved than even she realizes.

A spooky and atmospheric tale that includes a fair amount of really interesting history about race relations and the foundation of fabulous city of New Orleans.

Suspense

Grades 10-12

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Fantasy/Horror: Malice

Malice is the perfect book for kids who aren't afraid of the dark. Believe me, there's plenty of darkness in this graphic novel hybrid! Part comic, part thriller novel, this book will keep middle schoolers on the edge of their seats with a mix of horror and suspense.

Everybody at Kady's school has heard of Malice. It's a secret comic series about an alternate world, full of deadly tricks and traps. The sinister Tall Jake is master of this alternate reality, and if you want to get in, you must say the rhyme six times: Tall Jake, take me away.

Kady is overcome by trepidation when her friend Luke says the rhyme. She's not sure why, but she knows that Malice is evil, and that Tall Jake is no fairytale meant to scare gullible kids. When Luke disappears the very next day, Kady and Seth are sure that something horrible has happened. There's only one way to help Luke, and that's to enter the nightmare world of Malice...and do their best to survive.

This wildly popular book is unique and original in it's darkly inventive descriptions (and pictures!) of Malice's beasts and monsters. Highly recommended for brave kids.

Fantasy/Horror

Grades 7-10

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Adventure/Thriller: Lockdown

Lockdown is the ferocious new title in Alexander Gordon Smith's new series, Escape from Furnace. For kids who like Anthony Horowitz's Alex Rider series, or Darren Shan's Cirque du Freak, this book will strike exactly the right balance of adventure and terror.

The trouble started when Alex got caught. Sure, he'd been stealing cars and breaking into houses since he was a kid, but he'd never been busted by the cops...until one night, the B&E seems just too easy. Sure enough, there's someone waiting inside...and they're not the police. Not even close.

Alex runs, but there's no escape. Soon he's in jail for a crime he didn't commit: murder one. And not just any jail, but the infamous Furnace Penitentiary, a state of the art prison for young offenders. Years ago, England decided to deal with the gang problems by building the most sophistocated prison ever. It sinks down miles underground, built into a deep crevice in the rock. No one has ever escaped: anyone who tries is executed with extreme prejudice. Alex can feel hope falling away from him with every metre the elevator drops, but he hasn't got a clue what's really going on in the guts of Furnace's tunnels.

Death is the least of Alex's worries when he reaches the bottom of the pit, for the boring mundanity of prison jobs and tasteless slop for meals is punctuated by the terror of being hauled away by the nightmarish prison guards, and turned into something horrible. Escape is the only option for Alex, because he knows that even in death there's no way out of Furnace.

Adventure/Thriller

Grades 8-12

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Graphic Novel: Orange

This graphic novel is definitely aimed at mature readers. With themes of violence, suicide, sex and drugs, it gives a teen perspective on a variety of shocking and disturbing topics.

This book tells the story of Orange, a teenager coming of age in the heart of a dense, gritty city. Orange has decided that she's got nothing worth living for: not her shallow friends, disengaged parents, nonexistent future: not even the empty promise of love. But just as she's poised to leap from a barren rooftop, a stranger enters her life, and changes everything.

This is a tale of discovery, growth, loss and redemption. There's no simple, happy ending to this tale; everything is complicated, and there's no easy answer to the terrible feelings of disconnection and isolation that drive Orange to her limits.

Readers will put down this graphic novel feeling confused, frightened, and inspired. The intense, brilliantly-hued art will captivate you; every page is a masterpiece, bursting with emotion and tension. Many teens will find some echo here of the confusion and isolation they feel as they make the difficult transition from childhood into adulthood. Orange's lesson - that life is worth living, even when painful - will inspire even as it hurts.

Graphic Novel

Grades 12 and up

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Fantasy: The Demon's Lexicon

This book will strongly appeal to teens who are tired of Twilight readalikes, but are still interested in titles that focus on werewolves, the occult, and other supernatural topics. This book is full of sinister magicians, secrets, an demons who long to possess the bodies of the unfortunate, and destroy the world.

Nick and his brother Alan are on the run. They've been running ever since their father was murdered by a circle of wizards, years before. Alan keeps trying to pretend that their lives are normal, but Nick knows that their family is anything but. They move everytime the witches catch up to them; they carry weapons everywhere; their mad mother hides in her room, and inexplicably hates the sight of Nick. The closest they get to normal is that Nick attends high school when he can...but only because Alan insists.

Things spiral out of control when two of Nick's classmates show up on the family's doorstep, begging for help. Jamie has been marked for death by a demon, and Alan takes a mark of his own defending them from an attack. Nick is furious: his only anchor in their chaotic life is Alan, and the only way to save his brother is to hunt down and kill the magicians and demons who are stalking them.

Nick is strong: he's always protected their family with his sword and his cold indifference for anything but their own future. When he discovers that Alan has been lying to him for years, the foundation of his strength is shaken, though not toppled. But then he discovers that the lie goes deeper than anything he could have imagined...right to the bottom of his soul.

This is a powerfully written book, with a totally unique main character. It's great to find a fresh and fascinating voice in a sea of books about vampires and other supernatural entities. I highly recommend this title.

Fantasy

Grades 9-12

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Fantasy: Blackbringer

This powerful and original fantasy novel is written by Laini Taylor, a relative newcomer to the author scene. Her first book, Blackbringer, begins the "Faeries of the Dreamdark" series.

Magpie Windwitch is the granddaughter of the west wind, which may explain her roving soul and daredevil antics. She travels with a band of rollicking crows, and leads them through adventures where they search for laughter, treasure, and snags.

Snags are bad spirits, monsters, or escaped devils that live to cause havoc and torment the living. There are many small devils in the world - Magpie should know, for her speciality is hunting them down. But now there are larger evils creeping back into the world, from times long past...and Magpie may be the only hope of imprisoning them again.

The best part of this book is the richly imagined world of faerie. Far from the high courts of other books, this world is populated by practical brownies, resourceful sprites, and other tiny creatures with lots of moxie. I particularly loved the dialect that the author gives her faeries. They speak in a sort of gaelic slang that heightens the sense of being right inside this fantasy world.

Those who love high fantasy's tales of good against evil (e.g. Lord of the Rings, etc) will find lots to like in this tale, and will want to read the next title: Silksinger (just as good!).

Fantasy

Grades 9-12

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Science Fiction: The Roar

Emma Clayton`s new novel is the first in a fast paced new science fiction series, set in a future where the entire population of earth lives behind an enormous concrete wall.

Mika and Ellie are twins, but Ellie is supposed to be dead. She disappeared a year ago, just outside her run down refugee apartment tower. But Mika knows it`s not true; he's sure that Ellie is alive, and in terrible danger.

Mika is so determined to find Ellie that he plays along when the school authorities start making kids drink a supplement that changes them; makes them strong, fit, aggressive...almost like soldiers. And when he excels as a pilot at a government sponsored video game, Pod Fighter, he knows that his skill might be the only thing that can get him close to Ellie again.

You see, Mika`s becoming more and more certain that Ellie has been taken by the government for some military purpose. Why else would the authorities be training kids to fight? Why else would they stage an elaborate game, where the elite pilots and gunners are weeded out, and moved to the Golden Towers high above the smog and the shadows of old London?

In the end, Mika and Ellie discover a secret that's so vast, so overwhelmingly evil, that they know they have no choice: they have to escape over the Wall, where all the world is dust and poisonous ashes. Or...is it?

An exciting adventure, with plenty of gaming action, government bad guys, and rebellious teen heroes (and heroines). Thoroughly enjoyable, and well written.

Science Fiction
Grades 8-10
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Fiction: Jellicoe Road

Another award winner! Jellicoe Road, by Melina Marchetta, won the 2008 Printz award. I have to say, this is now my favourite book of the year; the award is completely justified!

Jellicoe Road is a complex tale about family, love, loss and redemption. It winds between two generations, and manages to juggle a family mystery, a school adventure, and a couple of sweet loves stories all at once, without ever missing a beat.

Seventeen year old Taylor Markham has lived at the Jellicoe Road boarding school since she was abandoned by her mother at eleven. The school is her home, and house supervisor Hannah is the closest thing she has to a parent. So when Hannah leaves suddenly, without any explanation or notice, Taylor is pulled headlong into her old issues of abandonment and loss.

To make things worse, Taylor is now a house leader herself. This means that she's responsible for running the yearly "war" between the School, the Townies, and the Cadets. Each group claims a bit of the surrounding forest as territory, and for a few short months of the year, they all fight to claim territory according to a mysterious old book of rules. Taylor's determined to ignore the feelings between her and her arch enemy, Jonah Griggs; she's heartbroken about Hannah's unexplained absence; and now, she's starting to suspect that there's a secret that Hannah has been keeping from her. How does Hannah know Taylor's mother? Who was Taylor's father, and why does the mysterious Brigadier shadow her and Hannah? Taylor is determined to figure out what's going on, but every clue she uncovers brings her closer to a truth that will either liberate her, or destroy her.

An amazing read that will leave you astounded by the human capacity for forgiveness. The characters are at once fragile and full of strength, flawed yet capable of redemption. The very best kind of book, and recommended for all readers.

Fiction

Grades 11 and up (yes, adults too!)

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Science Fiction:The Knife of Never Letting Go

This grim story won the 2008 Guardian award for best children's book published in the UK. Author Patrick Ness has written a darkly forbodeing tale about settlers who find that their new planet is less than welcoming.

When the Church settlers arrive, they found that their new home was not quite the Eden they were expecting. Instead, a native virus attacked them, and gave every animal a voice, and turned the thoughts of men into an audible Noise than never goes away. Ever.

Todd Hewitt was born into this world. In Prentisstown, there are no women: the virus allegedly killed them all off, and Todd is the last boy born. He's waiting fearfully to grow into a man, because he knows from the Noise of his kinsmen that something bad is going to happen. When Todd stumbles across a terrible secret in the swamp, his kin force him to flee for his life. But there are some secrets that you can't run away from, no matter how fast you go.

Full of emotional tension and suspense, this book is excellent for older teens and those looking for a gripping read with a darker edge. Fans of Philip Reeve, Meg Rosoff and Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games) will love this first book in the series.

Science Fiction/Suspense

Grades 10-12

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Fantasy: Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow

This book retells the fairy tale "East of Sun, West of Moon" with a Nordic twist. When a woodcutter's daughter with no name agrees to accompany a great white bear to his frozen castle in the North, she believes she has made a wise decision. After all, she will only have to stay for a year and a day, and her family will be freed from poverty forever.

Although she has every luxury she could want in the bear's castle, she feels more a prisoner than a guest. She can't stop wondering about the true nature of the castle and the white bear, even as all clues point to a terrifyingly dangerous answer.

The woodcutter's daughter can't resist her curiosity, and she creates a disaster that she can only solve by travelling east of the sun, and west of the moon. With magic, mystery, and a romantic echo of Beauty and the Beast, this book is perfect for fans of retold fairy tales.

Fantasy

Grades 8-12

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Graphic Novel: Wonderland

Based on the classic tale of Alice in Wonderland, this graphic novel follows the adventures of Mary Ann, the White Rabbit's timorous and fetishistically tidy housemaid.

We meet Mary Ann as she's hurrying to the White Rabbit's house, eager to start her day of cleaning and tidying. It's immediately apparent that Mary Ann is a bit OCD about cleanliness, as she can't resist sweeping the dirt path that she meanders along.

Author/illustrator team Tommy Kovac and Sonny Liew perfectly capture the strangeness of Wonderland, as Mary Ann opens strange doors, falls down rabbit holes, and has a delightfully strange tea party with the Mad Hatter and friends. Of course, the Queen of Hearts is still the villainess, and when Mary Ann is tricked into crossing her by the Cheshire Cat...chaos ensues!

Mary Ann, being a wonderland native, isn't fazed at all by the strangeness of events. Her main objective is to save the silly White Rabbit from losing his head, while making every corner of Wonderland as spic and span as possible.

This award winning graphic novel is well worth picking up, and it's suitable for a very wide audience. With quirky art and sly humour, it's recommended for kids in grades 5-12.

Graphic Novel

Grades 5-12

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Fiction: Destroy All Cars

Destroy All Cars has created an hilariously ironic yet heartfelt story in this short, diary-style book.

We're first introduced to seventeen year old James Hoff through his AP English essays. James uses the assignment's platform to rail against CONSUMERIST AMERICA (his yelling) and the culture that drives people to constantly purchase USELESS CRAP (again, his). James is an idealist of the highest order, and he believes that nobody (especially his ex girlfriend Sadie) is doing enough to solve the world's ecological problems.

After wading through a couple of James's essays (his teacher keeps making him re-write them, due to objections to his "manifesto stylings") we start to see undeneath the thick layer of idealism. Although James sincerely belives in his cause, he's not immune to the issues that affect every one of us; love, family, and yes, sex.

This book is part comic masterpiece, part earnest ecological rant. It will certainly strike a chord with many guy readers, both with it's humour and its eco message. Add on Blake Nelson's witty and spot-on internal dialogue, and this book is definitely worth picking up.

Fiction

Grades 10-12

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Fiction: Everything Asian

Sung Woo's has written a thoughful and honest novel about the experiences of a korean family, reunited in America after a 5 year separation.

David Kim is twelve years old, and he hasn't seen his dad since he was seven. His father left his wife, son and daughter behind in order to build a better life in the US: but David isn't so sure it's better when he arrives in Newark, New Jersey.

He speaks no English, his fifteen year old sister is miserable at losing her friends and boyfriend, and his mother is suffering total culture shock in stoic silence. On top of that, his dad is a total stranger (although one who desperately wants to get to know his family again).

Over the course of a year, we hear from each member of the family. As they attempt to settle in to their new surroundings and each other, life goes on; people get sick, their business does better and then worse, and they deal with typical adolescent issues such as love, friends, and parental conflict. The true value of this book is in its unflinchingly honest assessment of immigrant life; sometimes good, sometimes bad. Kids who have gone through this experience will find a lot to identify with here, and those (like myself) who have never moved to a new country will have their eyes opened. The whole experience, as David puts it, "Could be worse". A worthwhile book.

Realistic Fiction

Grades 8-12

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Graphic Novel: Life Sucks

If you're sick and tired of Stephenie Meyer's flawlessly beautiful and nauseatingly virtuous vampire stereotype, check out this clever graphic novel for the perfect antidote.

Our hero, Dave, is a poor vampire working the night shift at the local convenience store. He never wanted to become a vampire: he was suckered into it by his sleazy boss, who turned Dave into his undead night-clerk slave.

Dave's life....well, it sucks. He works the night shift, goes home to beat the deadly sunlight, then gets up at night to do it all again. The one bright spot in his dreary existence is Rosa, the hispanic goth princess who comes by the store now and then with her friends. But when Dave (amazingly) gets a date with the girl, he ends up competing against buff surfer-dude vampire Wes. Dave, who exists on expired blood bank serum so that he won't have to hurt people, doesn't stand a chance.

This dystopian, clerks-like book is full of clever irony and sarcastic humour. If you loved Twilight...stay away. If you like Seinfeld, Clerks, Office Space, Ghost World, etc...you'll love this book!

Graphic Novel

Grades 10 and up

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Horror: The Forest of Hands and Teeth

I suppose this book could theoretically be called Science Fiction, but it scared the pants off me, so i'm classing it as Horror.

Mary is waiting for a boy to declare for her. She's sure someone will; after all, her village needs every girl to marry and have children in order to replace those who are lost to the Unconsecrated. But Mary's preoccupation with love and the future is interrupted by the gruesome death of first her father, then her mother. They are both claimed by the Forest of Hands and Teeth, where the Returned bodies of their former neighbours roam in the gloom.

In case you haven't figured it out yet, this book is all about the Zombie apocalypse. If this concept scares you (like it does me) read NO FURTHER, because I can tell you, you will have nightmares.

Mary is forced into the arms of the Sisterhood, the religous group that guards the town from danger, and holds its own secrets about the past. No one but they know how their ancestors tinkered with the stuff of life in order to cheat death; no one but they know where the fenced paths through the woods go. Their secrets break free when the fences are breached, and the village attacked.

Mary, torn between her love for a forbidden boy and her desire to escape the village, is forced to flee with her family when the village is overrun by the dead. Could there be life in a world so full or horror and death? The ambiguous ending will leave you shaking in your sheets. A scary, scary read for halloween.

Horror (or possibly Sci Fi, if your'e brave)

Grades 10 and up

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Biography: Japan Ai: a tall girl's adventures in Japan

This true account of a trip to Japan was penned and illustrated by professional animator Aimee Major-Steinberger. Her cute, Manga style illustrations are annotated with notes about the amazing things she did and saw when she took a trip to Japan with her two best friends.

There's lots of humour and great art in this book, but the main appeal is the quirky inside information that readers will get about travel and life in Japan. Aimee takes us on a whirlwind tour of Japanese temples, art, fashion and shopping (!) and her cartoons give you a perfect sense of what it's like to travel as a visible minority in this amazing country.

Great for older teens, this book will appeal to both boys and girls who are interested in manga, travel, or a career in art. What's not to like!

Graphic Novel Biography

Grades 10-12

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Fantasy: Eon Dragoneye Reborn

Twelve year old Eon has been in training for years. His intensive study of Dragon Magic, based on East Asian astrology, involves two kinds of skills; sword work and magical aptitude. He and his master hope that he will be chosen as Dragoneye: an apprentice to one of the twelve energy dragons of good fortune.

But Eon has a dangerous secret. He is actually Eona, a sixteen year old girl who has been masquerading as a boy for the chance to become a Dragoneye. Females are forbidden to use the dragon magic; if her ruse is discovered, her death is certain.

When Eon's secret comes to light, she and her allies are plunged into a deadly struggle for power, survival, and the imperial throne. Eon must find the inner power to battle those who want to take her magic... and her life.

This is a top notch high fantasy novel. Those who loved Eragon or inkheart will love this book.

Fantasy

Grades 9-12

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Fantasy: A Curse Dark As Gold

This book is a masterful retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale, where a maid bargains with a malicious spirit to save herself and her family from death.

Charlotte Miller is the last hope for the town of Stirwaters. Her father has died suddenly, leaving the mill in the hands of her and her sister, Rosellen. Charlotte is a strong heroine, and she would surely have been able to run the mill if not for the curse.

For generations, the Stirwater mill has carried a dark curse. Small things go wrong, the luck is always bad, and the mill never passes to a son; infant boys always die mysteriously. Charlotte is determined to break the curse, and she will need all of her courage and wits to do so.

This excellent book will appeal to fans of Robin McKinley or Tamora Pierce. It's certain to win awards over the next year or two.

Fantasy

Grades 9-12

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Romance: TheSummer I Turned Pretty

Jenny Han has written a light, sweet romance that's just perfect for summer beach reading. Belly has been going to the beach house her entire life. Her summers have always been one long expanse of sand, surf, family...and Conrad.

Belly has love Conrad forever, but he's always been too busy to pay any attention to her. He's either romping with his brother Jeremiah (Belly's special friend and first kiss) or helping Belly's brother Steven pick on her.

But this summer, Belly's 15 and something's changed. Not only do Jeremiah and Conrad both pay attention to her, but she meets her first boyfriend at the yearly bonfire, and discovers what it's like to grow into herself. There's love, fighting, forgiveness, sadness and the joy of moving on, all packed into this quick read.

Romance

Grades 8-11

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Realistic Fiction: Marcelo and the Real World

Marcelo is unique. He hears music that nobody else can hear; he lives in his own treehouse; he is deeply fascinated by religions, and he already has a job lined up for the summer, caring for the horses at his special school.

Marcelo has an aspergers-like condition that makes it hard for him to make small talk, to read what people are feeling, and to communicate with others. He's not stupid- far from it! Marcelo is just different, and his school helps him make the most of his strengths.

But when Marcelo's dad decides that Marcelo needs to work in the real world for the summer - in his high-powered law firm - Marcelo is forced to agree. The deal is that Marcelo will give it his best shot, and in return, he can attend his special school in the fall, instead of the public high school. Marcelo and his dad both know that the summer will be difficult; Marcelo just wants to survive, and his dad want Marcelo to prove that he can be "normal".

But nobody could have predicted the consequences when Marcelo uncovers scandal, deception and intrigue right in the heart of his father's firm. Marcelo has tough decisions to make, and he has to make them on his own. At it's heart, this is a book about growing up, and taking a stand for what's right. Marcelo, with his crystal clear vision of human contradictions, is the perfect person to narrate this story. Marcello appears initially as flawed, but we come to realize that he, or all the people in the book, understands the nature of morality and goodness.

This book is a great read for anyone, but I particularly recommend it for those who have experience with Aspergers or Autism. A challenging and uplifting book. I loved it.

Realistic Fiction

Grades 10-12

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Fantasy/Mystery: Terrier

Well known fantasy author Tamora Pierce has written an unusual series. The Beka Cooper series focuses on the eponymous heroine. Beka is a lowborn gutter rat who was rescued from poverty by a lord as a child. She lives with her siblings in his manor as a servant, where she is well treated.

But Beka wants something more. She joins the City Guard at 16, and begins her training as a "puppy", or novice guard. Born into the slums, Beka has a driving need to see justice done. Paired with two of the city's best Dogs (guards), Beka uses her natural wit and her innate magic to bring down the city's most wanted criminals, thus earning her nickname of "terrier".

The book is set in a vaguely mediaeval world, where lords and ladies live a very different life than Beka. Tamora Pierce has broken the mold by making her heroine a debilitatingly shy gutter rat, with no great beauty or intelligence. Instead, Beka is doggedly persistent, with a keen sense of justice. The book is written in diary format, which brings readers right into Beka's rich and colourful life. A wonderful read, with a strong mystery element. Also recommended is the sequel, "Bloodhound".

Fantasy/Mystery

Grades 9-12

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Graphic Novel: Rapunzel's Revenge

The Rapunzel in this story is quite a different girl than the one you might find in traditional fairy tales. The story of the girl who waits for a prince to rescue her from a tower is turned on its head in this snappy graphic novel.

This Rapunzel is a redhead who defies her adoptive mother when she realizes that she was stolen away as a child. The witch Mother Gothel has been using growth magic to drain the land of life, and keep its peoples under her green thumb.

Locked up in a treetop prison for four years, Rapunzel has plenty of time to nurse her anger, and to practice using her growing braids as deadly weapons! The early lasso training she received from her bodyguard allows her to develop into a braid-snapping crack shot.

When she finally breaks out of prison, Rapunzel is determined to get revenge, and to rescue her real mother from the witch's mines. Told with an untraditional Western twist, this full colour graphic novel has appealing illustrations that draw the reader into an old tale made new. Nominated for a YALSA quick pick award, this book is sure to please those who love fantasy and strong heroines. Funny and smart!

Graphic Novel

Grades 9-12

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Fantasy: City of Glass

This book is the third in Cassandra Clare's "The Mortal Instruments" series. It's a darkly convoluted trilogy that follows Clary as she learns that there is a world the rest of us can't see...one that she belongs to by right of birth.

In previous books, Clary discovers that she and her mother are anything but ordinary. They are part of a race called Shadowhunters, fierce beings who can call down magic using drawn runes. Almost immediately, Clary's mother is attacked by demons, and Clary joins forces with a group of New York Shadowhunters to fight against them.

Slowly, Clary finds herself falling in love with Jace, a fellow Shadowhunter. Jace is the quintessential bad boy, as he is the son of the ultimately evil Valentine. Despite Jace's suspect past, he and Clary are well on the way towards romance when the two discover that they are, in fact, siblings.

I won't give any more details away, but the books are filled with battles against evil, and more than a little romance. This series is sure to be popular with those who loved Twilight, or books by authors Holly Black and Melissa Marr.

Fantasy

Grades 10 and up

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Supernatural Fatasy: Need

Fans of Twilight will want to pick up Carrie Jones's new book, Need. It tells the story of Zara White, new girl in town. She's living with her grandmother now, because her mom sent her away to recover from the shock of her dad's sudden death. But Maine isn't exactly the relaxing vacation she thought it would be.

Instead, Zara finds she's being stalked by a pale man who leaves a trail of gold dust in his wake. Sound weird? That's not all. On top of that, her new friends can turn furry on the full moon, and the high school cliques are fierce enough to draw blood; literally. Throw in a hot guy and a budding romance, and you have a recipe for a supernatural thriller.

This book isn't as gripping as the Twilight series, but for fans who are looking for titles that are similar, it's a quick read.

Supernatural Fantasy

Grades 9-12

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Science Fiction: Genesis

This book is classic science fiction, in the tradition of Arthur C. Clarke and Ray Bradbury. Nothing is what it seems; the whole book is designed to upend your view of what humanity is, and how it relates to others.

This thoughtful book feels more like a short story than a full novel, but it's worth the trip through its brief, 185 pages. Student Anax is taking her final examination for entrance to the Academy, and her topic is the life of Adam Forde, long dead hero of the Republic. As she explains the history of her specialization, we begin to see a picture of a ruined world, with only one tiny bastion of civilization remaining. Anax delves deep into the concepts of ethics and morality, wrestling with ideas that will rock the foundations of her world... and ours. This is a book that will unsettle and grip readers. Highly recommended.

Science Fiction

Grades 10 and up

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Horror: Skeleton Creek

Skeleton Creek is hybrid book, and it's one of the best examples of it's kind. Author Patrick Carman has delivered unparalleled creepiness by mixing a traditional book format with online video clips that are reminiscent of The Blair Witch Project. The diary-style writing is simple and direct, and the scary videos build the suspense and mystery as the book progresses.

Teenage Ryan and his best friend Sarah have found something horrible in the woods. They were messing around, exploring an old piece of machinery at night when Ryan saw something moving. After he woke up in hospital, he couldn't remember what happened...but Sarah had recorded the whole thing on video. At this point, you pause to watch a scary clip on the book's website, and then you resume following Ryan as he and Sarah explore the secret that haunts Skeleton Creek.

In case you hadn't caught on, this book is definitely not for the faint of heart! Despite the distinct lack of gore, the suspense is heavy. I certiainly didn't want to watch those videos at night, and had to wait to read the book in the daytime! Highly recommended for reluctant readers, and teens who love suspense/horror.

Horror

Grades 5-10

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Graphic Novel: Dark Wraith of Shannara

This title is author Terry Brooks' first venture into the graphic novel format. Based on his wildly popular Shannara series, this book follows magic user Jair Ohmsford as he battles the forces of evil to save his friends.

The main attraction of this book lies in the detailed fantasy world that the author has painstakingly created. The world of Shannara is set in the far future, eons after humanity nearly destroyed itself through chemical and nuclear apocolypse. Magic has seeped in to fill the gaps where science was lost, and elves and other fantastic races have risen in power to vie with humanity for supremacy.

Jair is a half breed;the magic of the elves runs in his veins, for he is a descendant of a great elven bloodline. His unique power is the wishsong, a dangerously seductive magic that seeks to destroy him each time he uses it to accomplish his will. In this book, Jair must walk the fine line between using his magic for good, and falling forever into the hands of the dark druids. His quest is to destroy the last scraps of the Ildatch, a maelevolent parchment imbued with the ultimate evil. Fans of sword and sorcery fantasy will dive into this well written graphic novel; I recommend it for those who like tales of dark faeries, quests and battles of good vs. evil.

Graphic Novel (fantasy)

Grades 10-12

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Graphic Novel: Silverfin

Why two images for this post? Well, the very popular graphic novel (right) is based on the equally excellent young adult fiction title (left). I couldn't decide which format I preferred, so I'm reviewing both versions of the book here.

Charlie Higson's fiction novel was published in 2005, to the joy of Bond fans everywhere. Released just prior to the film Casino Royale, the book describes the childhood of James Bond. Starting with his teen years at Eton, Higson follows Bond as he makes the transition from a clever and adventurous boy into a hardened government spy.

Kids who love espionage and thriller novels will definitely want to pick this book up, in either the fiction or the graphic novel version. Both are fast paced reads focusing on action, with plenty of military technology, betrayal and action. I expect that the entire Young Bond series (three more titles exist in the fiction format) will be made into graphic novels, with a possible movie deal in the works.

Graphic Novel/Fiction

Grades 9-11

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Fantasy: Tender Morsels

Margo Lanagan is best known for writing eerie, atmospheric short stories. Her fantasy novel, Tender Morsels, is a dark and convoluted story based on the fairy tale of Snow White, Rose Red.

Lanagan's tale is for mature readers, as it involves themes of rape, murder and heartbreaking sadness. However, readers will be well rewarded for approaching these difficult topics, as the characters wrestle with their desire to retreat into a dream life of ease and kindness, where they are insulated from the harsh realities of life.

One of the most compelling aspects of this novel is the unique use of language. Lanagan creates her own dialect, which adds to the jarringly vivid sense of place. This is a rich tale about the human soul, and it explores the depths of cruelty, and the heights of human kindness. The message, in the end, is that somehow life is worth it.

Fantasy

Grades 11-adult

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Elfpunk: Wicked Lovely

Elfpunk is a genre set in gritty urban environments, with characters who are conflicted, dark, and often goth. If you like vampire novels, like Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series, you'll probably find Elfpunk appealing!

Aislinn has always been able to see fairies, but her grandmother taught her to never, ever show that she's aware of the other world that shadows ours. The Fey Folk have had no interest in Aislinn...until Summer King Keenan discovers that she is fated to be his queen. As Keenan pursues Aislinn out of love, the Snow Queen's minions race to kill her. An unusual love story follows, as Aislinn struggles to evade her fate, and maintain the fragile life (and love!) she has built for herself in the city. With romance, violence and a large dose of the fantastic, this book is suited for older teens.

Melissa Marr is definitely an author to watch. Other books in this series include Ink Exchange and the forthcoming Fragile Eternity.

Elfpunk
Grades 10-12
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