Saranormal- Ghost Town by Phoebe Rivers

Hello fellow readers! In honor of Halloween, one of my favorite holidays, I wanted to read something spooky. I ran across a great middle school read about a young girl who has the ability to see and speak with ghosts. It reminds me of Ghostwhisperer... the show with Jennifer Love Hewitt that appeared on TV a few years ago. In this first book, Sara Collins has just moved to the Jersey area and is learning how to cope with her new psychic abilities and balance everyday life. The ghosts and voices are everywhere... even in her own home. With the help of new friends and a fabulous caring father... can she make it through her special abilities and the ghosts who haunt her? Read up fellow friends, this is a very promising series.

Z by Therese Anne Fowler

I just finished a great book that may interest older teens who have tried the Flapper series by Jillian Larkin. I was inspired after watching DiCaprio in the movie Gatsby to read something on the 20s and ran across a PlayAway at work titled Z! A PlayAway by the way is just a fancy audio book.
Z, is the story of Zelda Fitzgerald... the wife of author F.Scott Fitzgerald as told from her point of view. She meets Scott at a fancy country club party in Alabama and waits for his proposal. Her story is full of love, struggle, suffering, and her strong desire to stay independent (and sometimes co-dependent) all while loving a very passionate yet frivolous man.I enjoyed the love affair between the two who struggled to live in marriage full of turmoil and passion. Zelda's voice rings clear throughout the book and I learned a great deal about what it was like for women in the 20's. Readers will want to watch Midnight in Paris and dress up like a flapper for Halloween.

Sixteenth Summer by Michelle Dalton

Hello readers! I thought I would throw in one last summer read for the season, even though we are far past Labor Day weekend which always marks the last hurrah of summer. . . Anna meets Will during one of her usual summers spent in her hometown of Dunne Island, Georgia. They instantly fall in love and begin a sweet romance. It was refreshing to read about teens who are not struggling emotionally, refuse to play games with one another, and simply enjoy eachother's company. At first I thought this book was a little too "sweet and wholesome" for my liking, but Anna and Will go through the realistic struggles of a true young teen couple and they make fun beach memories along the way with the help of their family and friends. Complete with ice cream dates, sandcastle contests, and bike rides with friends.... this book will surely take you back to your first summer romance or one that you would love to have in the future. The couple must decide on which path their future will unfold as Will plans to head back to New York with his family. Do they make plans for the future, or simply live in the present and enjoy a special summer together?

Wonder by R.J Palacio

This book is definitely a true gem. I think that everyone can get a little something out of Wonder. It is one of those rare reads that can change your direction and your perspective. The central character is a boy named August who has a facial deformity that he was born with. He has been home-schooled all his life, and is finally going to attend a public middle school at the age of ten. He is scared, anxious, and worried about what is to come. However, Augie is no ordinary boy... he has more courage than the other kids around him and wins the heart of many along his journey. His new adventure is not easy. The book will have you crying, laughing, and feeling a lump in your throat all in the same chapter. This is a must read for all. The author truly captures the essence of middle school, identity, and courage.

Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen

Ruby is a seventeen year old girl who has been living alone after being deserted by her abusive mother. Her older sister Cora, who left the trio years ago to attend college brings her into her beautiful new loving home along with her husband Jaime. Suddenly life is different for Ruby. She attends a rich new school, lives in a beautiful home, and has people who love and care for her. Transformation and forgetting the past however is not so easy. Ruby finally learns to let go and allow others to help her build her life back up. She builds a friendship/relationship with her handsome neighbor Nate. Nate however, ends up needing her just as much as she needs him. In Dessen's heartwarming tale, readers will cheer for Ruby to let go of the past and let love in. The tale also reminds me of how strong sisterhood is and the love that I have for my own siblings.

Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz

I came across this inviting book on my very own bookshelf. It is one of those rare bookfair finds from my days at East Whittier Middle School that was overlooked and left on the shelf. This is the first book in De La Cruz's series. Fans of Gossip Girl would probably adore this book as it meshes together the fashion, heirarchy, and scenery of New York City and all its glam! Naturally there is a twist... the elite high school characters who attend Duchesne (a prestigious NYC private school) are also vampires! We are introduced to Schuyler an outcast who soon discovers she is a Blue Blood and is pushed into a circle of New York City's elite high school circle. It includes: Mimi, who is the head of the group in many ways and dislikes anyone pushing into her social circle; Bliss, a Texan girl who was thrust into New York's elite and has her own secrets as well; and Jack... Mimi's handsome brother who falls for Schuyler despite his sister's jealous rage. Soon the characters discover that there is something preying on all of them, and their lives are in danger. Its a mystery as to who is lurking on the Blue Bloods and what can be done to protect them. De La Cruz's writing lures you into their world. I know this book has been out for a bit, but it's a must read series! I will definitely be reading the second book in the series!

My Summer of Pink & Green by Lisa Greenwald

Greenwald's sequel to My Life in Pink & Green is a great, light, charming summer read for middle school chicks. We meet our spunky protagonist Lucy once again, only this time she experiences  a few challenges while trying to stay afloat working at her family's spa. Lucy is used to things running smoothly. Her sister is returning from college and she has plans to hang out at the beach this summer with her sibling, her best friend Sunny, and Lucy's love interest Yamir. The group however has other plans, and Lucy has to figure out how to keep things light and happy while experiencing changes that life so often brings. She also has to balance out a new friendship with the spa investor's irritating daughter and the new spa coodinator Anais, who treats Lucy like just another kid. Can Lucy get it all together in time for the spa's grand opening?

The Last Summer (of You & Me) by Ann Brashares

Memorial weekend found me browsing the aisles of the Goodwill for some good finds. While, I didn't score in the furniture area... I was lucky to find a great beach read...
Ann Brashares (Author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants) brings to life a perfect summer novel set in a quaint island. Two sisters in their twenties, Riley and Alice spend every summer at their parent's beach house. The story also introduces Paul, a close family friend to both girls who grows up in the same town. After three years he returns to the island, but his return marks a season of change, unspoken feelings, tragedy and deep secrets that will mix into this trio's adulthood. Alice and Paul begin a deep felt romance without letting Riley in on their secret. One day, their happiness ends when tragedy strikes the sisters and the story becomes very bittersweet. This is a great book  for fans of Brashares and the author Emily Giffin. I think a lot of older teens who have just finished high school would enjoy this as a summer read.

New books for summer!

My wonderful niece shared a link to cool YA books for summer. Take a look here readers!
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/books/2013/05/22/young-adult-summer/2352925/

Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler

I am going to post an unusual review by stating first that this is an awesome book. Ockler brings to her readers a delightful romance novel with a few twists. Hudson's world come to a towering turn when she finds out that her parent's are headed for divorce. Her life as an aspiring ice skater is no longer a priority, and she dives into helping out at her mom's diner creating delicious cupcakes. Although, Hudson enjoys baking she is pulled back into her natural world of ice skating and struggles with her future. While practicing at the outdoor lake, Hudson befriends a handsome hockey player who decides to make a deal with her. Things get interesting, when Josh sends Hudson mixed signals. As life begins to pull her in different directions; an ice skating scholarship opportunity, baking, friendships from the past, and family priorites... Hudson has to make a decision about who she really is and what she really wants. A must read for chick-lit fans! I was literally talking to Hudson outloud as I read.

Rocky Road by Rose Kent

Summer is almost here! With that said, I have been working through some chocolate themed books for our upcoming summer reading program. This year's theme is "Reading is So Delicious." Who would have known that there are so many tasty books with great food themes?
Rocky Road by Rose Kent, is a delightful read that deals with bi-polar disorder, being deaf, and learning how to pick yourself up time and time again.
Our heroine in the story is young Tess, who has just moved from Texas to Schenectady, New York with her mom and brother. Her mom's get rich quick schemes are always putting the family in hot water and Tess is tired of picking up the pieces. When her mom decides to open up an ice cream parlor, in a lonely part of town, Tess is reluctant and uneasy. Can the  family pull it together with helpful neighbors and a lot of hard work?  Find out in this great read by Rose Kent.This middle school delight will have you thinking about ice-cream, family, and friendship from beginning till end.

Vampirates-Demons of the Ocean by Justin Somper

Spring is here and I have jumped into a bit of warm weather reading, pirate style... arghhh! Although this is not my normal cup of tea, I really enjoyed this adventurous read! Somper's writing style is very similar to Rick Riordan... so fans of the Lightning Thief will probably enjoy these great books as well. Two twin orphans, Connor and Grace  head out to sea in order to avoid an undesirable fate. A severe storm splits them apart and Connor ends up on a vast pirate ship while Grace gets caught up in what appears to be the old vampirate ship her father sang about in an old shanty. Will the two twins ever meet up again? Will they survive the fate of the seas or be doomed to live alone?  

The Fame Game by Lauren Conrad

I am slowly moving through Lauren Conrad's first book in her next series The Fame Game. It is similar to L.A Candy with Madison's perspective at the forefront.
So far... I am being introduced to the new characters and getting an inside perspective(fictional look or realistic view from a pro?) at what it is like to be a reality star. Once again, Conrad adds insight to the world of reality TV where things are not always what they seem to be. In this series, readers are introduced to an aspiring naive songwriter and artist; a young Hollywood starlet who is actually down to earth;and Madison's scheming sister who always has a few surprises up her sleeve. Will Madison still be able to own the spotlight, or will her two co-stars overshadow her presence? Read Lauren's new series to find out!

P.S I also added a pic of Lauren with this month's post, since yes... I am a fan! Love the pink tint LC :)

The Girls by Koss

Happy New Year fellow readers! Here's to 2013!
This month, at the Library, we created an anti-bully display for young readers featuring books and booklists to stomp out bullying. In doing so, I came across a great title "The Girls" by Koss. It takes an in-depth look on the social pressure of bullying and how it can unravel. Although, bullying is not a new trend... social pressures of family and belonging are different in today's day and age. This book puts a great spin on things and explains the cycle in a realistic fashion.

Each chapter features a different girl's point of view from Candace the leader of the group to Maya the girl who has been treated like an outcast. I hope this book helps teens realize what part of the cycle they play... even if they are simply an outsider.