Unraveled

Unraveled is by Gena Showalter. The second book in the Intertwined series. Aden still has three human souls living inside his head; his girlfriend is a vampire princess; his bodyguard is a werewolf who is in love with his friend, Mary Ann who drains supernatural creatures of their power; oh, and he is now king of the vampires. Can things get any worse? Oh, yea! The fairies, goblins, and witches want Aden and his friends dead. Vlad, the former vampire king, is not really dead and also wants to kill Aden, and one of the souls in his head has prophesied he will be stabbed through the heart very soon. Fans of this series will not be disappointed. The ending is a cliff hanger that will make you anxious to read the third installment.

Ratings: 9th grade - 9 out of 10 - MP (mild profanity) - V (violence) - AC (some mature thematic content).

Ship Breaker

Ship Breaker is by Paolo Bacigalupi. The first book in a new post apocalyptic series for young adults. The polar ice caps have melted, cities are drowned, and "city killer" storms frequently hit the Gulf Coast. Nailer is a teenage boy with a violent and abusive father who spends his days working with a salvage crew that scavenges old ships for scrap. Life is hard and survival is always questionable. Then, after a storm, he discovers a clipper ship and saves the life of its sole surviving occupant. Nita, is the daughter of a shipping magnate whose company is in trouble. Nailer decides to risk everything and help her get back to her father, who he hopes will offer him a better life as a reward. Not your average dystopian fiction.

Ratings: 9th grade-  9 out of 10 - MP (mild profanity) - V (violence) - AC (some mature thematic content).

Crossbones

Crossbones is by Patrick Carman. The third installment in the Skeleton Creek series. Ryan and Sarah are still chasing down clues about the mysterious Crossbones. To find the answers they seek Sarah must head out on a cross country trip to visit several haunted locations listed on the Skull Puzzle. As they learn more about the Apostle, the ghost of old Joe Bush follows them, but is he friend or foe? He warns them to beware, they have angered the Raven and he is now out for blood. Fans of the series will not be disappointed. This book links to video clips that add a distinct creepiness to this story, just as they do the previous books.

Ratings: 5th grade - 9 out of 10.

Superior Saturday

Superior Saturday is by Garth Nix. The sixth book in the Keys to the Kingdom series. Arthur returns to the House in search of the sixth key. He tries to hide from everyone the fact that he is becoming a Denizen and less human with every adventure. This time he's up against Superior Saturday, a powerful sorceress, whose goal is to get into Lord Sunday's gardens and escape the Lower House altogether. Fans of the series will not be able to wait for the finale. Be warned, this is not a series you can pick up in the middle and comprehend. It needs to be read from beginning to end in order.

Ratings: 7th grade - 8 out of 10.

Elsewhere

Elsewhere is by Gabrielle Zevin. When fifteen-year-old Liz Hall is hit by a taxi, she wakes up on a cruise ship and discovers she has died. She finds herself in Elsewhere. Here Liz will age backward from the day of her death until she becomes a baby again and can return to Earth. But Liz doesn't want to be dead, she wants to get her driver's license and have a boyfriend. She wants to make sure her dad gets the sweater she bought him for his birthday. She does not want to live with her grandmother and she does not want to be a baby again. Can Liz let go of her old life and embrace a new one? Is it possible that a life lived in reverse is no different from a life lived forward? This a strange, yet moving, look at growing up even when you're technically dead.

Ratings: 10th grade - 8 out of 10 - MP (mild profanity).

Heroes of 9/11

Heroes of 9/11 is by Allan Zullo. Another in the Ten True Tales collection, this book contains stories of rescuers and heroes from New York, Washington, and Flight 93. Even though this book was written for young adults, it is well worth the read for adults as well, especially those of us who remember 9/11 so clearly even today. Be prepared to shed a few tears.

Ratings: 6th grade - 9 out of 10.

The Malachite Casket: Tales from the Urals

The Malachite Casket: Tales from the Urals is by Pavel Bazhov. The Russian version of the Brother's Grimm, this book contains classic Russian folk tales. The proper and place names are a bit of a chore, and it helps to know something of Russian culture, but they these stories are well worth the read.

Ratings: 8th grade - 8 out of 10.