The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

Reading Level: Young Adult
(4 out of 5)

Book will be published on October 30: I tried not to include any spoilers

I was really excited when I found out Ms. Kagawa was returning to the world of the Iron Fey.  I just didn't want this wonderfully colorful, and sometimes frightening world to be over.  I was even more excited when I got my hands on an advanced reader copy.  Sometimes being a librarian just rocks! 

Ms. Kagawa returns with Ethan's story.  It has been thirteen years since Ethan was last in the land of Faery, when he had been kidnapped by the Iron King.  His sister Meghan came to his rescue and ended up the Iron Queen.  He lost his sister to the land of Faery and Fey and he never quite got over it.  The fey won't leave him alone.  He has spent all his life trying to dodge them and they just keep getting him in trouble.

At his new school he just wants to keep his head down and graduate.  But a half faery named Todd and a girl named Kenzie make it hard for him to do that.  When a group of fey Ethan has never seen before starts coming around, him and Kenzie end up in Faery, in the Iron Kingdom.  I think that is where all the fun begins.  Familiar characters pop up like Grimlakin, Puck, Ash, Glitch and some new characters as well.  My only complaint is I felt like I was missing something when it came to Ethan and Keirran and why Meghan didn't want Ethan coming to Faery.  I'm not sure if  I missed something not having read Iron's Prophecy or if it will be revealed in the next two books.  Other than that this was another great Iron Fey novel.  I am looking forward to the next one.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Reading Level: Young Adult
(4 out of 5)

Before you sit down to read this book grab a box of tissues.  You don't need them right away but trust me you will.

All the librarians are talking about this book.  Amy told me I had to read this book.  I'm not sure I'm going to take any more recommendations from her...:)  I kid!

This really is a moving book.  Although I just knew it was a tragedy from the beginning, how could it not be when most of the characters have some form of cancer, you can't put this book down.  Mr. Green writes the main characters, Hazel and Augustus, with such humor and grace you hardly can believe that they are only 16 and 17.  I think that the reality of having a disease like cancer can age a person, make them sound and feel older than they really are.  But they still have their moments of teen angst.  Hazel Grace has a type of cancer that cannot be cured, it can only be treated.  She knows her days are numbered.  Then she meets Augustus Waters at a Cancer Kid Support Group and he completely turns her life around.  Augustus had the type of cancer that took his leg, but is in remission.  Hazel doesn't want to get involved with Gus because she is afraid of him seeing her die.  But Gus doesn't take no for an answer.

I bawled twice while reading this book, twice.  So please have your tissues ready.  But this book is so worth the crying because before the tears there is laughter and young love.  Oh and it takes place in our very own Indianapolis!  Very cool!

Your Friendly Librarian Wants to Know...

This isn't the question but how many of you out there know about our three blogs, Hobart Township Nook, Book Nook, and Kids Nook? I'm not seeing many hands. The blogs really are a great resource.

 

You can find recommended reading, craft ideas, photos from programs, and much more. So to win this lovely Be Wise Read a Good Book Tumbler you need to visit our three blogs and tell me what all three have in common. I will give you a hint: They are nocturnal, beautiful, and some say very wise. 

 

But don't cheat because that takes all the fun out of it. If you become a follower of one or more of the blogs you will get your name in the drawing more than one time. Leave your answer here or on one of the blogs but please email me your name, phone number, and if you became a follower so I know how many times to enter your name, lklemm@lcplin.org. Thanks for playing!

 

Contest ends October 25th.

Chicagoland Vampire Series by Chloe Neill

I am steadily working my way through the Chicagoland Vampire series by Chloe Niell.  I am on book four right now.  Book two took me a little while to get through but three and four and picking up speed.  I really like the characters and the dialogue.  It's nice reading about areas I'm familiar with.  She mentions Gary in book three.  I'm just still not all that thrilled with the relationship between Merit and Ethan.  I want them together, not within arms reach.  It frustrates me!

In book two Friday Night Bites Merit moves into Cadogan House.  She is "dating" Master vampire Morgan of Navarre House and she still has the hots for Ethan.  Merit is trying to settle into being a vampire but she feels broken, like something went wrong when Ethan changed her.  On top of that vampires are having "raves", mass feeding parties, and Celina isn't as locked up as they said she was.




In book three Twice Bitten Merit is finally whole having went through the complete change.  She might also be ready to take the plunge with Ethan.  Shifters are coming to Chicago and Ethan wants to play nice.  They need their help if the you know what is going to hit the fan sooner than later.  Gabriel, the Alpha of Alpha's wants Merit to be is bodyguard. But of course Ethan is Ethan and messes everything up between the two of them.  So far in book four they haven't quite patched it up.


Ms. Niell they are really just to hot and sexy not to be having fun.  Just saying!

When Hope Blossoms by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Amy Knackstedt is a widow with three children hoping to start over in Weaverly, Kansas.  But her new neighbor, Tim Roper, is not pleased to have an Old Order Mennonite family living next to his apple farm.  Tim left the Mennonite faith years before and didn't want any reminders.  Circumstances keep throwing Tim and Amy together and they form a friendship.  He can't help liking her kids.  It seems like there could be something more between them but can Tim get past his old prejudices to let love in?

This was a very nice story.  The Mennonites reminded me of the Amish.  They seem to live a simpler life, but did use electricity, indoor plumbing, cars, etc.   They did not have every convenience like a washer and dryer or a television. It was a sweet romance.  Those are nice every now and again.

The Shelf Elf Helps Out by Jackie Mims Hopkins

Reading Level:  Picture Book
(4 out of 5)

If you are looking for a cute way to teach the kiddos how to find books in the library this book will help.  The shelf elf wants to help the librarian out by putting away the cart of books that were returned that day.  So he tells you what the sticker on the spine means, explains that the shelves in the library are like neighborhoods, and tells you a little about Melvil Dewey.  Then you are ready to start putting the books away.  At each "neighborhood" the shelf elf explains what the Dewey decimals mean.  For example, "The zero hundreds is the place to look, for encyclopedias or a Bigfoot book." and so on...

Then at the end of the book is a list of words of items that you can find within the book.  Kind of an I Spy type thing.  Very cute!