Fantaskey, Beth Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side

Reader: Katherine K.
Age: 18+
Library: Bistro Book Club
Title: Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side
Author: Beth Fantaskey
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Pub. Date 2009
Galley? No
Would you like to nominate this book for Teens’ Top Ten? No
If yes, what makes this book special enough to be nominated for Teens’ Top Ten?
What did you like or not like about the cover? Did the cover reflect the contents? Yes, and I loved the cover. It was romantic and the colors were eye catching without being over the top.
Describe the most compelling aspect of the book. below
Were you disappointed with the book for any reason? If so, what was disappointing?
Did you finish the book Yes
How would you rate this book? 4 Better than most
Please write a short annotation for this book if you think it should be on the Teens Top Ten List. Ask Di or Mrs. Castro if you need assistance.
Additional Comments (Please type or paste your review here) This book is an excellent example of why someone should not judge a book by its title, and should at least read the description of the story. I was expecting a quirky, humorous bit of fluff with chapter titles that are a bit of advice from dear Jessica, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it was more. This book is about a girl name Jessica, who’s entire world and outlook on life changes when a hot euro chic model comes into her life insisting that she is a Romanian vampire princess named Antastasia. Imagine the juxtaposition between her warm hearted vegan family that cant imagine hurting and thing, then add a vampire who is obsessed with flesh, mix them together in a small household, and you end up with a great story. Throw in a war between vampire clans, and then you have gold. I loved this story with its brooding men and touching romance. It was also very funny at times and the letters from Lucius, the haunted vampire, are a scrumptious social commentary that poked fun at the too true aspects of Americanism. Fantaskey packs a punch with her debut novel creating a story that will leave you breathless. She creates a book filled with elements that almost any teenage girl could appreciate; romance, humor, violence, messages about how important it is to be true to yourself, and did I mention vampires? I applaud this author’s effort in her first formal foray into teen fiction, and I encourage her to take up a permanent residence with the genre because she manages to bring something new and exciting, in addition to some great vocabulary that so much other teen drivel lacks. I hope to read much more from her in the future, and if this first book is any indicator, I am sure that I won’t be disappointed.
Date 2009-06-18 00:52:18

The Ghost Huntress by Marley Gibson

Reader: Katherine K.
Age: 18+
Library: Bistro Book Club
Title: The Ghost Huntress
Author: Marley Gibson
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Pub. Date 2009
Galley? Yes
Would you like to nominate this book for Teens’ Top Ten? No
If yes, what makes this book special enough to be nominated for Teens’ Top Ten?
What did you like or not like about the cover? Did the cover reflect the contents? THe cover was great.
Describe the most compelling aspect of the book. below
Were you disappointed with the book for any reason? If so, what was disappointing?
Did you finish the book No
How would you rate this book? 2 Needs more work?
Please write a short annotation for this book if you think it should be on the Teens Top Ten List. Ask Di or Mrs. Castro if you need assistance.
Additional Comments (Please type or paste your review here) The Ghost Huntress is about a girl named Kendall who recently moved away from her bustling home town of Chicago to a small quite place called Radisson in Georgia. The quite is so bad that Kendall cant sleep and her father ends up getting her a white noise machine, and through it she begins to hear ghostly voices which marks the beginning of a great psychic awakening for the girl. She decides to go ghost hunting, and with the help of a few new friends she does just that like in the show Ghost Hunters. This is a book that was a great idea, but failed in execution. Following all the hype and excitement with these ghost hunting reality shows, I thought that the book would be really interesting, and to learn about the different type of ghosts and theories about what causes some paranormal phenomenon is interesting, but that wasn’t enough to keep the book afloat. The speech patterns of the girls drives me nuts. It doesn't quite capture all of the nuances of teen speaking and ends just sounding wrong. In addition, there is too much of a good thing, and the fact that the main character Kendall seems to have every psychic sensitivity that the author could think up was simply ridiculous, one or two powers would have been fine, but with the copious amount that were present it ended up being a little over the top, but even so the character herself ended up being someone who I don’t particularly like or care about. I tried as hard as I could to get through the book, but I finally gave up 20 pages from the end, and I don’t really regret it. Needless to say, I will not be reading the next book.
Date 2009-06-18 00:47:48

Wild Orchid by Cameron Dokey

Reader: Katherine K.
Age: 18+
Library: Bistro Book Club
Title: Wild Orchid
Author: Cameron Dokey
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Pub. Date 2009
Galley? No
Would you like to nominate this book for Teens’ Top Ten? No
If yes, what makes this book special enough to be nominated for Teens’ Top Ten?
What did you like or not like about the cover? Did the cover reflect the contents? I really liked the cover, but I like all of the once upon a time covers. They look fanciful which is the point of fairytales.
Describe the most compelling aspect of the book. below
Were you disappointed with the book for any reason? If so, what was disappointing?
Did you finish the book Yes
How would you rate this book? 4 Better than most
Please write a short annotation for this book if you think it should be on the Teens Top Ten List. Ask Di or Mrs. Castro if you need assistance.
Additional Comments (Please type or paste your review here) Wild Orchid is the re-telling of the well recognized and much beloved Ballad of Mulan. Disney may have created its own version of the story, but it comes no where close to the gentle, beautiful version that Cameron Dokey creates. It has elements of nature, and the carefully chosen names that are so markedly Chinese, and an innocent splendor that hooks the reader from the first page through to the last. The only wish I have is that the story was longer because the details and care put into this story are enchanting, and I wish for more. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good re-telling of old stories. The Ballad of Mulan has always been one of my favorite stories, and Cameron Dokey does it justice.
Date 2009-06-18 00:50:22

The Roar by Emma Clayton

Reader: Katherine K.
Age: 18+
Library: Bistro Book Club
Title: The Roar
Author: Emma Clayton
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
Pub. Date 2009
Galley? Yes
Would you like to nominate this book for Teens’ Top Ten? No
If yes, what makes this book special enough to be nominated for Teens’ Top Ten?
What did you like or not like about the cover? Did the cover reflect the contents? The original cover I thought was a bit immature, but the current cover is simply boring.
Describe the most compelling aspect of the book. below
Were you disappointed with the book for any reason? If so, what was disappointing?
Did you finish the book Yes
How would you rate this book? 4 Better than most
Please write a short annotation for this book if you think it should be on the Teens Top Ten List. Ask Di or Mrs. Castro if you need assistance.
Additional Comments (Please type or paste your review here) The Roar is a fabulous book cursed with a terrible cover. The cover looks like some sort of juvenile attempt to channel the Animorphs series. But if you are willing to look past the cover, I suspect that you will be pleased to find a fabulous story. It is about twins Mika and Ellie who are on two different sides of the same terrible situation. Ellie, who was kidnapped and taken away from her brother is trapped in outer space missing her brother, and her brother Mika is thought to be crazy since he insists that his missing sister is alive. Mika is willing to do anything to find his twin, even if it means taking part in a game made up by the government, and doing things that he hates all in order to find his sister. The games prove to be more than he bargained for, and he stumbles upon a scary truth. This story is filled with interesting characters and a scary future world that keep the reader entangled from the first page to the very last, and leaves them craving more. This book has been masterfully crafted with a writing style that is both compelling and depictive. There has been a lack of good science fiction in the young adults’ realm for far too long, and this book seems to be a great step in the right direction. I would encourage anyone to read this book who loves science fiction, or even just a compelling message. I can’t wait to see what else this author will come up with. The ending was a disappointment because I simply didn’t want the story to end, and I hope that it will continue on in a sequel as the very least.

Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Reader: Katherine K.
Age: 18+
Library: Bistro Book Club
Title: Tantalize
Author: Cynthia Leithich Smith
Publisher: Candelwick Press
Pub. Date 2008
Galley? Yes
Would you like to nominate this book for Teens’ Top Ten? No
If yes, what makes this book special enough to be nominated for Teens’ Top Ten?
What did you like or not like about the cover? Did the cover reflect the contents? I liked the cover. It was compelling and made me want to pick up the book to find out what it was about.
Describe the most compelling aspect of the book. below
Were you disappointed with the book for any reason? If so, what was disappointing?
Did you finish the book Yes
How would you rate this book? 4 Better than most
Please write a short annotation for this book if you think it should be on the Teens Top Ten List. Ask Di or Mrs. Castro if you need assistance.
Additional Comments (Please type or paste your review here) Tantalize is a novel that is both original and, dare I say it, tantalizing. The prospect of such an innocent start, a girl who is in love with a werewolf and looking for a new chef for her Italian restaurant, seems to be a story that is good for a few laughs and an interesting twist on the stories of old western mythology but then proves to be more. It not only has the humorous aspects that makes the story so entertaining, but at the end, and with little peaks throughout, it gives the story a depth that makes it more than just a trash novel that is good for a laugh and then never thought of again. The author manages to twist a tale that has the right balance of humor to hook the reader, but still contain the depth to keep the reader throughout the whole story and leave them hungering for more, and an originality that creates a world that deserves further exploration. One thing that would make this work even better is if it didn’t bounce around as much, and had more development, but I suspect that that is a skill that will come with time and more writing. This dark fantasy novel is a great start to a burgeoning career for Cynthia Smith, and I hope to read more, much more, from her in the future. Perhaps even a continuation of this story.

Wormhole Pirates on Orbis 3 by PJ Haarsma

Reader: Katherine K.
Age: 18+
Library: Bistro Book Club
Title: Wormhole Pirates on Orbis 3
Author: PJ Haarsma
Publisher: Candelwick Press
Pub. Date 2009
Galley? Yes
Would you like to nominate this book for Teens’ Top Ten? No
If yes, what makes this book special enough to be nominated for Teens’ Top Ten?
What did you like or not like about the cover? Did the cover reflect the contents? The cover was ok but nothing that really stood out.
Describe the most compelling aspect of the book. look below
Were you disappointed with the book for any reason? If so, what was disappointing?
Did you finish the book Yes
How would you rate this book? 4 Better than most
Please write a short annotation for this book if you think it should be on the Teens Top Ten List. Ask Di or Mrs. Castro if you need assistance.
Additional Comments (Please type or paste your review here) The 3rd installment of the Softwire series more than makes up for any short fallings of the 2nd book, in fact Orbis 3 has all of the elements key to a great Science fiction novel. It has action, mysteries, great technology, aliens on foreign worlds, a hint of romance, and pirates? Wormhole Pirates on Orbis 3 takes place on another ring of the Orbis universe, and JT and his friends are in for another surprise. Rather than being forced to work cruel labor as they had been before on the other two rings, they instead find themselves with a kind familiar face, Charlie. They are given a safe haven and they need only to go to school and be children, unfortunately for them nothing seems to be as easy as it promises. School and the new world they live in is fraught with perils, and JT finds himself entrenched in yet another mystery. Regardless of the threat of school the children do find an exciting game called Quest-Nest that is more interesting still. PJ Haarsma has done a great job with his 3rd book. The second left me with some concerns for its stand alone ability, but with the 3rd you really don’t need to have read the previous two follow along. I really like this book for many reasons. The world itself sands in a great juxtaposition to the prior two worlds with new aliens and great technology. Once again he pains a vivid picture for the mind that is tantalizing and leaves the reader craving more, and I hope that the next book provides it. I love the concepts of the softwire that Haarsma creates, and his whole universe is such an interesting place and idea, but at the same time even though it is science fiction the book deals with real life issues and portrays a social reflection that isn’t necessarily easy to face, but with the covering of a great science fiction novel I don’t really mind. I look forward to the next book in the series and can’t wait to find out what next great Haarsma will provide!

The Last Colony by John Scalzi

Reader: Katherine K.
Age: 18+
Library: Bistro Book Club
Title: The Last Colony
Author: John Scalzi
Publisher: Doherty, Tom Associates, LLC
Pub. Date 2008
Galley? Yes
Would you like to nominate this book for Teens’ Top Ten? No
If yes, what makes this book special enough to be nominated for Teens’ Top Ten?
What did you like or not like about the cover? Did the cover reflect the contents? The cover was fine. It was the standard science fiction cover.
Describe the most compelling aspect of the book. below
Were you disappointed with the book for any reason? If so, what was disappointing?
Did you finish the book Yes
How would you rate this book? 4 Better than most
Please write a short annotation for this book if you think it should be on the Teens Top Ten List. Ask Di or Mrs. Castro if you need assistance.
Additional Comments (Please type or paste your review here) I am elated by all of the science fiction novels that have been coming out. For years it has seemed that this is a genre that has been ignored in the book scene, so to find that it is coming back leaves me with nothing but joy. This book, the Last Colony is a stand alone sequel. How do I know this?, it is because I haven’t read any of the other books and I followed along just fine. Rather than explaining the book as I usually do I will simply point out the explanation on the book flap, it does a better job than I could. I loved this book. It was interesting and left me craving to know more about the universe. His characters are all interesting and quirky, and since that is a pretty accurate reflection of mankind I will say bravo. I loved the fact that this story wasn’t just a great science fiction novel with the different concepts explored as well as the intriguing plants and relationships between different alien species, but it also had elements of mystery, humor, romance, and a general appreciation for the human condition; these are all factors that I love to find in a book. What I appreciate even more is that this book doesn't underestimate the teen reading population. So many books now a days that are marketed to young adults are watered down cutesy versions or adult fiction which generally fall flat. Students are far smarter than they are given credit for. This book is not written down with, rather it is something that I believe that both adults and children alike will enjoy, I know I certainly did. Scalzi has a talent not to underrate his audience as so many children’s authors seem to, and that is a talent that both he and Orson Scott Card share. This book is a breath of fresh air, it is both entertaining, but serious as well and leaves readers with something to think about other than an entertaining plot and characters; it leads to some questions about the current state of the world as well. In fact, I enjoyed the book so much that I am going to find the previous two books and read them because I wish to know more about the characters. I hope that this book is an indicator of more to come in future for the young adult audience, it is about time, and I think that publishers will be pleasantly surprised that teens aren’t all about the light fluff and tat they like some real depth and meat in their stories.

Absolutely Maybe by Lisa Yee

Reader: Katherine K.
Age: 18+
Library: Bistro Book Club
Title: Absolutely Maybe
Author: Lisa Yee
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc
Pub. Date 2009
Galley? Yes
Would you like to nominate this book for Teens’ Top Ten? No
If yes, what makes this book special enough to be nominated for Teens’ Top Ten?
What did you like or not like about the cover? Did the cover reflect the contents? It was a catchy cover that reflected the contents of the book.
Describe the most compelling aspect of the book. below
Were you disappointed with the book for any reason? If so, what was disappointing?
Did you finish the book Yes
How would you rate this book? 4 Better than most
Please write a short annotation for this book if you think it should be on the Teens Top Ten List. Ask Di or Mrs. Castro if you need assistance.
Additional Comments (Please type or paste your review here) The slogan “Maybe it’s Maybelline” takes on a whole new meaning when you meet the girl Maybelline who has a kick ass personality to match her vibrant ever changing hair color. Maybelline, named for her mother’s favorite mascara brand, ends up fighting with her beauty pageant, serial marrying, mother and ends up going to Los Angeles in search of her unknown father. She ends up riding with her friends Hollywood (a film director in the making) and Ted (an adopted Thai kid with a big personality). In LA she and her friends are in for a great rid. Ted makes a documentary, Ted works for an old Hollywood star, and Maybe ends up working in a taco truck, and that is only the beginning. I am generally not a fan of teen fiction, but this book is a humorous must read. Absolutely Maybe has hilarious characters, an amusing story line. It is filled with constant twists and turns and amusing plot segments that keep a reader enthralled from the very beginning to end, but don’t expect it to all be laughs because there are some frankly saddening parts that give this story a depth that I would never have expected and an ending that is just right. If you are interested in a quick, funny read then this book is for you.

Skinned by Robin Wasserman

Reader: Katherine K.
Age: 18+
Library: Bistro Book Club
Title: Skinned
Author: Robin Wasserman
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Pub. Date 2008
Galley? No
Would you like to nominate this book for Teens’ Top Ten? No
If yes, what makes this book special enough to be nominated for Teens’ Top Ten?
What did you like or not like about the cover? Did the cover reflect the contents? It was interesting and eye catching. It also reflected the contents well.
Describe the most compelling aspect of the book. below
Were you disappointed with the book for any reason? If so, what was disappointing?
Did you finish the book Yes
How would you rate this book? 4 Better than most
Please write a short annotation for this book if you think it should be on the Teens Top Ten List. Ask Di or Mrs. Castro if you need assistance.
Additional Comments (Please type or paste your review here) What would you do if you died, and then woke up as a robot that looked nothing like you? How would you assimilate into your old life, could you?, and what would happen if everyone around you hated you for being a robot, a choice you had no decision in making? These are a few of the many difficult questions that Lia Kahn is faced with after her death, and rebirth. Skinned is a story of self discovery and identity. It explores ideas about what makes humans, what is the soul, and what would happen if you could come back, but not quite as you were after death. This story is a great exploration, but even more, it is just a great story. It creates a world that is unlike our own, in a future that might one day be reality, and while the world itself isn’t the focus of the book, it leaves me craving to know more about it after the brief glimpse that is revealed. This novel forces you to examine many facets of life, and while I might not have liked the main character very well for her vapid actions and personality, the story itself is one filled with depth that leaves the reader questioning common perceptions about what being is. The story tied well from beginning to end, and it had a very appropriate ending that I liked and expected, but at the same time I still want to know what comes next. To write a sequel would be difficult in the face of such a well constructed, self contained, tale, and yet finally having an answer at the end leaves me wondering what else will come next, and where such realizations shall lead the main character. Robin Wasserman is a power house in philosophical questions that fit neatly in a great science fiction exterior, and I wonder what other life questions she might want to examine.

The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams

Reader: Katherine K.
Age: 18+
Library: Bistro Book Club
Title: The Chosen One
Author: Carol Lynch Williams
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Pub. Date 2009
Galley? Yes
Would you like to nominate this book for Teens’ Top Ten? No
If yes, what makes this book special enough to be nominated for Teens’ Top Ten?
What did you like or not like about the cover? Did the cover reflect the contents? The cover was appropriate for the story
Describe the most compelling aspect of the book. below
Were you disappointed with the book for any reason? If so, what was disappointing?
Did you finish the book Yes
How would you rate this book? 4 Better than most
Please write a short annotation for this book if you think it should be on the Teens Top Ten List. Ask Di or Mrs. Castro if you need assistance.
Additional Comments (Please type or paste your review here) This book is rather timely considering the popularity of the show Big Love and attention being drawn to polygamy in the recent court cases. The Chosen One is about a girl named Kyra who has grown up in a polygamist town with three mothers and twenty siblings. She has found escape in books that she gets from a rolling library, and she even has a crush on a cute boy named Joshua. Unfortunately these are not allowed where she lives, and the prophet has said that in a month she will marry her 60 year old uncle because God demands it. Kyra is then forced to choose between her family and the life she knows, or freedom from her uncle and prophet. The Chosen One was a touching, and enlightening story. It was written as a set of memories melding with current day. It portrayed a girl like any other, in circumstances that most wouldn’t imagine, and it had a love story that is worthy of a Shakespeare tragedy. The story was a short read, but it still packs a wallop and I think that many teens will love it. This novel has touching characters and a tenderness that illustrates that even within the confines of a practice our society does not condone there is still love and compassion, as well as corruption and injustice. I applaud the efforts of Carol Williams and I hope that she shares more of her voice in the future.

Alyzon Whitestarr by Isobelle Carmody

Reader: Katherine K.
Age: 18+
Library: Bistro Book Club
Title: Alyzon Whitestarr
Author: Isobelle Carmody
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Pub. Date 2009
Galley? Yes
Would you like to nominate this book for Teens’ Top Ten? No
If yes, what makes this book special enough to be nominated for Teens’ Top Ten?
What did you like or not like about the cover? Did the cover reflect the contents? The cover is fresh and looks like it is about something magical.
Describe the most compelling aspect of the book. below
Were you disappointed with the book for any reason? If so, what was disappointing?
Did you finish the book Yes
How would you rate this book? 4 Better than most
Please write a short annotation for this book if you think it should be on the Teens Top Ten List. Ask Di or Mrs. Castro if you need assistance.
Additional Comments (Please type or paste your review here) Alyzon Whitestarr is about a girl who grew up in a very crazy family who were all gifted but her. Then one day she gets conked on the head and she can suddenly smell things that don’t exist, and she ahs a perfect memory. She meets some new people who smell wonderfully, but there are also some others, like the guy she used to have a crush on, who smell terrible. Figuring out what causes this leads Alyzon into a world of mystery and evil that she was never aware of, and more frighteningly is the fact that her family seems to be smack dab in the middle of it. I loved this story. The story itself was good, but nothing that was truly earth shattering. In fact, the part about the infection reminded me of the book Peeps by Scott Westerfeld. Instead, what made this book so great was the writing style. At times the book seemed to be pure poetry and it causes readers to reassess the world around them and how they see things. The descriptions of a single blade of grass or a taste of food made me yearn to have the same hyper sensitivity as Alyzon even if it was for a short period of time. I like the characters as well. Aside from the whole good and evil bit, the characters were complex with none of them being truly good or bad, and none of them fit really well into any stereo-type. This type of writing is inspiring and thought provoking seemingly without trying, and that is just the writing itself not even the story. I cant wait for the next book in this series to be released, and I do hope that there will be another one, because I still wonder about the characters and parts of the story that haven’t been revealed, and the whole mystery has yet to be solved. But more than that, I want to read more of Isobelle’s writing style because it pulls a reader in, and refuses to let go even after the book is finished.

Fortune’s Folly by Deva Fagan

Reader: Katherine K.
Age: 18+
Library: Bistro Book Club
Title: Fortune’s Folly
Author: Deva Fagan
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co
Pub. Date 2009
Galley? Yes
Would you like to nominate this book for Teens’ Top Ten? No
If yes, what makes this book special enough to be nominated for Teens’ Top Ten?
What did you like or not like about the cover? Did the cover reflect the contents? I didnt like the cover. It was too young, and I feel that it could have appealed to a larger group of readers if it was a bit more contemporary.
Describe the most compelling aspect of the book. below
Were you disappointed with the book for any reason? If so, what was disappointing?
Did you finish the book Yes
How would you rate this book? 4 Better than most
Please write a short annotation for this book if you think it should be on the Teens Top Ten List. Ask Di or Mrs. Castro if you need assistance.
Additional Comments (Please type or paste your review here) Fortune’s Folly is about a girl named Fortune who grew up with a dad who used to be a famous shoe maker. Unfortunately after her mother died, her father became convinced that the elves who used to help him were gone, and all that he could make was hideous foot ware that no one would buy. Fortune and her father find themselves in a bit of trouble and end up having to leave their home. To make a living Fortune ends up pretending to be a fortune teller and ends up getting herself into some trouble when she gives a fortune to a prince including finding a magic sword, banishing a witch, and finding a gold slipper that will fit the foot of a princess in distress. Even worse is the fact that she has fallen in love with the prince who, if she fails to prove her fortune correct, will kill her. I thought that this book was great. It had many elements that are parts of old fairy tales, but they are woven together and made into something new with a heroin who is sharp, strong, and can take care of herself. I think that the cover art needs to be changed though because while it is a fairy tale, the cover makes it look like something aimed at elementary school children, and I think that it would be much better received by middle school and early high school students. This story has the fairy tales, but at the same time it also contains a maturity that would be appreciated by older readers. This book was a cute read and makes me think of other stories like Ella Enchanted. I hope to read more of Fagan’s works because if they are anything like this one, they promise to be cute and enrapturing at the same time.

The Automatic Detective by A. Lee Martinez

Reader: Katherine K.
Age: 18+
Library: Bistro Book Club
Title: The Automatic Detective
Author: A. Lee Martinez
Publisher: Doherty, Tom Associates, LLC
Pub. Date 2009
Galley? Yes
Would you like to nominate this book for Teens’ Top Ten? No
If yes, what makes this book special enough to be nominated for Teens’ Top Ten?
What did you like or not like about the cover? Did the cover reflect the contents? The cover reflected the tone of the book well.
Describe the most compelling aspect of the book. below
Were you disappointed with the book for any reason? If so, what was disappointing?
Did you finish the book Yes
How would you rate this book? 3 Readable
Please write a short annotation for this book if you think it should be on the Teens Top Ten List. Ask Di or Mrs. Castro if you need assistance.
Additional Comments (Please type or paste your review here) The Automatic Detective is essentially a detective drama set in a science fiction setting. It is a place called Technotopia, or Empire City, a place where technology reigns, and robots can gain citizenship. The main character happens to be one such robot trying to get citizenship after deciding that being a military drone wasn’t quite his fancy. His neighbors start to get kidnapped, and he tries to find them and solve the mystery, and on the way he meets some interesting people. This story isn’t quite my bag. I’ve never been into the old detective movies where the people are called Mack and the main character is supposed to be a hard nosed detective. The cover and back description were a big tip off, but the allure of good science fiction proved to be too much of a pull for me to resist reading this book. Unfortunately the story really isn’t different from the old detective movies, aside from its futuristic setting and the changes made to accommodate that. I suspect that anyone who likes that story type would love this book, as long as they could handle the adjustment with the futuristic setting. As for me, it wasn’t quite my cup of tea, but don’t let my drab opinion deter you from this book, I am sure that many other people who like an interesting mystery and a throwback to a bygone era would love this story, as long as they can look to the future.

Morden, Simon The Lost Art David Fickling Books 2007

While interesting and exciting, 'The Lost Art' is fairly predictable. Only one of the characters changes during the course of the book; the others feel rather one dimensional. 4Q Better than most. 4P Broad general teen appeal. Michael H. >18

_______ _

Morden, Simon The Lost Art Simon & Schuster 2008 For the last seven hundred years, the population of earth has gradually abandoned the technology that destroyed the users. Only their 12 indestructible books remain, and Brother Va is determined to reclaim them for the Church so that humanity will not destroy itself again. Benzamir, a descendant of the users, is also hunting the books. The Lost Art is an engaging read, with several powerful characters. My only complaint is that the big reveal near the end felt more exciting than the actual climax of the novel. It is still a great novel, and I give it a strong recommendation. Nominate? No. 4Q Better than most. 4P Broad general teen appeal. Alex >18

Zahn, Timothy Dragon and Liberator Tor: Starscape 2008

Dragon and Liberator was a thrilling conclusion to the Dragonback series. Everything finally comes together as Jack and Draycos try to sabotage the Death weapons of the Valhagua before the refugee fleet arrive, while Alison reveals her true loyalties. It's hard to imagine a more satisfying ending to this outstanding series. Nominate? Yes. 5Q Hard to imagine a better book. 4P Broad general teen appeal. Alex >18

Last week's note.