National Library Week: Teen Books About Libraries

Ink and Bone (The Great Library #1) by Rachel Caine (Berkeley paperback, 2016).

Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. Alchemy allows the Library to deliver the content of the greatest works of history instantly—but the personal ownership of books is expressly forbidden.
 
Jess Brightwell believes in the value of the Library, but the majority of his knowledge comes from illegal books obtained by his family. Jess has been sent to be his family’s spy, but his loyalties are tested in the final months of his training to enter the Library’s service.
 
When his friend inadvertently commits heresy by creating a device that could change the world, Jess discovers that those who control the Great Library believe knowledge is more valuable than any human life—and soon both heretics and books will burn....


The Invisible Library (The Invisible Library #1) by Genevieve Cogman (Penguin paperback, 2016).

Irene is a professional spy for the mysterious Library, a shadowy organization that collects important works of fiction from all of the different realities. Most recently, she and her enigmatic assistant Kai have been sent to an alternative London. Their mission: Retrieve a particularly dangerous book. The problem: By the time they arrive, it’s already been stolen.
 London’s underground factions are prepared to fight to the death to find the tome before Irene and Kai do, a problem compounded by the fact that this world is chaos-infested—the laws of nature bent to allow supernatural creatures and unpredictable magic to run rampant. To make matters worse, Kai is hiding something—secrets that could be just as volatile as the chaos-filled world itself.
 
Now Irene is caught in a puzzling web of deadly danger, conflicting clues, and sinister secret societies. And failure is not an option—because it isn’t just Irene’s reputation at stake, it’s the nature of reality itself…

Thief of Lies (Library Jumpers #1) by Brenda Drake (Entangled paperback, 2017).

Gia Kearns would rather fight with boys than kiss them. That is, until Arik, a leather clad hottie in the Boston Athenaeum, suddenly disappears. While examining the book of world libraries he abandoned, Gia unwittingly speaks the key that sucks her and her friends into a photograph and transports them into a Paris library, where Arik and his Sentinels-magical knights charged with protecting humans from the creatures traveling across the gateway books-rescue them from a demonic hound.

Jumping into some of the world's most beautiful libraries would be a dream come true for Gia, if she weren't busy resisting her heart or dodging an exiled wizard seeking revenge on both the Mystik and human worlds. Add a French flirt obsessed with Arik and a fling with a young wizard, and Gia must choose between her heart and her head, between Arik's world and her own, before both are destroyed.

Love & War (Library Wars #1) by Kiiro Yumi (VIZ paperback, 2010).

Fight for your right to read!

In the near future, the federal government creates a committee to rid society of books it deems unsuitable. The libraries vow to protect their collections, and with the help of local governments, form a military group to defend themselves---the Library Forces! 

Iku Kasahara has dreamed of joining the Library Defense Force ever since one of its soldiers stepped in to protect her favorite book from being confiscated in a bookstore when she was younger. But now that she’s finally a recruit, she’s finding her dream job to be a bit of a nightmare. Especially since her hard-hearted drill instructor seems to have it out for her!

Special request : Books About Dragons

This is but a sampling of the plethora of dragon-themed fiction (and non-fiction!) available for every age and reading level.  Please share your favorite dragon books in the comments.

Picture books 

Saint George and the Dragon by Margaret Hodges; illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 1990).  Suitable for ages 4-8.

The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Michael Martchenko (Annick Press hardcover, 1992). Suitable for ages 3-7.

Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin, illustrated  by Daniel Salmieri (Dial Books hardcover, 2012).  Suitable for ages 3-7.

For early readers

Warren & Dragon: 100 Friends (Warren & Dragon Book 1) by Ariel Bernstein (Viking BFYR, 2018).  Ages 5-8.

The Dragonling (The Dragonling series Book 1) by Jackie French Koller (Aladdin paperback, 2018). Ages 7-10.

Rise of the Earth Dragon (Dragon Masters series Book 1 of 14) by Tracey West (Scholastic paperback, 2014).  Ages 6-8.

For Middle Grades

Dragon Rider (Dragon Rider Trilogy Book 1) by Cornelia Funke (Chicken House Books paperback, 2011).  Ages 8-12.

A Dragon's Guide to the Care and Feeding of Humans by Laurence Yep and Joanne Ryder (Penguin paperback, 2016).  Ages 8-12.

Dealing with Dragons (The Enchanted Forest Chronicles Book 1 of 4) by Patricia C. Wrede (HMH paperback, reprinted 2015.).  Ages 9-12.

For Teens and Adults

Seraphina (Seraphina Duology Book 1) by Rachel Hartman (Penguin Teen paperback, 2014).

Dragonflight (Dragonriders of Pern Book 1 of 23) by Anne McCaffrey (Random House paperback, reprinted 2005).  

Eragon (The Inheritance Cycle Book 1) by Christopher Paolini (Knopf paperback, 2005). 

Magical Monday

Into the Dim by Janet B. Taylor (HMH Books for Young Readers hardcover, 1 March 2016).

Sixteen-year-old Hope Walton is very bright, and has an eidetic memory, but that doesn't help to figure out what happened to her mother, who was apparently killed in an earthquake overseas.  Hope doesn't believe it, but she can't make anyone take her seriously.

When her aunt invites her to spend the summer with her in Scotland, Hope is at first reluctant.  Because of her severe claustrophobia, she hates to fly.  But with the help of a sedative prescribed by her doctor, she manages it.  

She doesn't remember Christopher Manor, the estate in the Highlands where her mother had grown up, though apparently she had been there as a very young child, but she is impressed by the huge stone house and the extensive grounds.

Unable to sleep one night, soon after her arrival, she heads to the library to find something to read, but is distracted by the sound of heavy metal music.  She follows the sound to a curtained wall, behind which she finds a hidden doorway into a secret room.

What goes on behind that door has already been given away in the summary on the bookflap, as well as in many reviews, so although it feels wrong, I can tell you that Hope's aunt and mother are part of a secret society of time travellers.  Hope's mother is not dead, but has travelled back in time to the 12th Century, and been stranded there.  

Reviewers have called Into the Dim an Outlander  for young adults, and that works.  There is certainly some romance involved, though because it's aimed at teens, there's no overt sexual content.  

Those who enjoyed Kerstin Gier's Ruby Red Trilogy, also a series about a secretive group of time travellers, will devour this book.




FTC Full Disclosure:  I borrowed this book from my local library.

YA Thursday

The Keeper of the Mist by Rachel Neumeier (Knopf hardcover, 8 March 2016).

Everyone knows that Keri's father is the Lord of Nimmira, even though she's had nothing to do with him since she was born. 

Since her mother's death, Keri has been running their bakery on her own, just managing to keep it afloat. So she has reason to be surprised when the country's Timekeeper walks through the door and informs her that Lord Dorric Ailenn has died and Nimmira has chosen her as the new Lady. 

When she tries to protest, the Timekeeper reiterates that Keri is the chosen one and whisks her off to the Lord's--now Lady's--House in the center of the town. Keri's three older half-brothers, who were raised in Lord Dorric's House, are not happy at being overlooked and treat her as a silly girl, attempting to undermine her at every chance. 

When visitors from outside the country arrive, she discovers that her father was not an honest man. Keri realizes that she's the only one with the common sense to rule Nimmira, but she has to determine whom she can trust to support her. 

VERDICT This is a beautifully written story that emphasizes intelligence and diplomacy. Recommend to fans of Patricia Wrede and Tamora Pierce, as well as lovers of traditional fantasy.





FTC Full Disclosure:  I received an Advance Review Copy of the book from School Library Journal for review purposes.  

This review was originally published in School Library Journal:
Beebe, Marlyn. "Neumeier, Rachel. The Keeper of the Mist." School Library Journal Jan. 2016: 100. 

YA Thursday

Wow!  The first two books I read in 2016 were so good, I need to add them to my 2015 "Favorites" list!


Ash & Bramble by Sarah Prineas (HarperTeen hardcover, 15 September 2015).

The cover implies that this is a pastiche of the Cinderella story, but it takes a long time before we recognize it.

The book opens with a nameless young woman has just been deposited into a row of seamstresses, bent over fine stitchwork.  The girl doesn't know who she is, or how she got there.  She does know that she's not a very good seamstress, and that she is in possession of a silver thimble that no one else knows about.

The seamstresses are shoeless, dressed only in coarse cotton shifts, and are fed meager rations of cold porridge.  The threat of "The Godmother"  discourages then to conversing, but they manage anyway, in the occasional whisper.

The girl, who has decided to call herself "Pin", resolves to escape, but how?  When one of her fellow seamstresses attempted it, she met with a gruesome fate.

Then, opportunity presents itself when The Godmother tells her to act as a model for the Shoemaker, since she has such small feet.  Suddenly, Pin has a reason to move around the building, and communicate with other workers.

This riveting story does begin slowly, but after the few pages, the reader is hooked.  Make sure to set aside a few hours to read this; you won't want to put it down.



Ink and Bone (The Great Library #1) by Rachel Caine (NAL hardcover, 7 July 2015).

Jess Brightwell is a "runner": he smuggles rare books for his wealthy father, who is ostensibly an importer.  This, of course, provides a perfect cover for the illicit nature of his real line of work.

In this reality, in the year 2025, it is not allowed for individuals to own original manuscripts.  All are stored in The Great Library, in Alexandria.  There are other, smaller, libraries in major cities, which are allowed to store books, but they are strictly controlled.

People are allowed to read, texts are delivered to the electronic "blanks" that everyone owns, but personal ownership of physical books is forbidden.

Thus, Jess's job is very dangerous.  By the time he's sixteen, he's been doing it for over half a decade, hating every minute of hit.  His greatest fear is that his father will expect him, as the older son, to take over the business.

Fortunately, Brightwell père recognizes that Jess does not have a flair for the business, and arranges (at some expense) for Jess to go to Alexandria and train to work in the Library. 

Since private ownership of books is not allowed, working for the Library can be a hazardous occupation, something Jess doesn't fully comprehend until he's actually settled in the students' dorm.

This was another book I wanted to read through without stopping, yet at the same time I didn't want it to end.  

The second book in the series, Paper and Fire, is due in July.  It's going to be a long seven months.




FTC Full Disclosure:  I borrowed both these books from my local library.

Teen Tuesday -- Fall Releases

Velvet Undercover by Teri Brown (Balzer + Bray hardcover, 20 October 2015).

Samantha Donaldson's family has always done its duty for the British Crown. In the midst of World War I, seventeen-year-old Sam follows in their footsteps, serving her country from the homefront as a messenger for the intelligence organization MI5. After her father disappears on a diplomatic mission, she continues their studies of languages, mathematics, and complex puzzles, hoping to make him proud.

When Sam is asked to join the famed women's spy group La Dame Blanche, she's torn—while this could be an unbelievable adventure, how can she abandon her mother, who has already lost a husband?
But when her handlers reveal shocking news, Sam realizes she can't refuse the exciting and dangerous opportunity.

Her acceptance leads her straight into the heart of enemy territory on a mission to extract the most valuable British spy embedded in Germany, known only as Velvet. Deep undercover in the court of Kaiser Wilhelm II, Sam must navigate the labyrinthine palace and its many glamorous—and secretive—residents to complete her assignment. To make matters worse she must fight a forbidden attraction to the enemy—a dangerously handsome German guard. In a place where personal politics are treacherously entangled in wartime policy, can Sam find Velvet before it's too late . . . for them both?

Manners & Mutiny (Finishing School Book the Fourth) by Gail Carriger (Little, Brown BFYR hardcover, 3 November 2015).

Lessons in the art of espionage aboard Mademoiselle Geraldine's floating dirigible have become tedious without Sophronia's sweet sootie Soap nearby. She would much rather be using her skills to
thwart the dastardly Picklemen, yet her concerns about their wicked intentions are ignored, and now she's not sure whom to trust.

What does the brusque werewolf dewan know? On whose side is the ever-stylish vampire Lord Akeldama? Only one thing is certain: a large-scale plot is under way, and when it comes to fruition, Sophronia must be ready to save her friends, her school, and all of London from disaster--in decidedly dramatic fashion, of course.

NEED by Joelle Charbonneau (HMH BFYR hardcover, 3 November 2015).

Teenagers at Wisconsin’s Nottawa High School are drawn deeper into a social networking site that promises to grant their every need . . . regardless of the consequences. Soon the site turns sinister, with simple pranks escalating to malicious
crimes. The body count rises. This chilling YA thriler examines not only the dark side of social media, but the dark side of human nature.

Dangerous Lies by Becca Fitzpatrick (Simon& Schuster BFYR hardcover, 10 November 2015).

Stella Gordon’s life is a lie.
She does not belong in Thunder Basin, Nebraska. As the star witness in a murder trial against a drug

dealer, Stella is now in the Witness Protection Program. The small town locals can never know who she really is. Not even Chet Falconer, the one boy who makes her want to reveal her true self. She knows that telling the truth will only bring violence to this safe haven.

Despite how hard Stella tries to stay under the radar, danger is fast-approaching. Criminals have a way of getting rid of witnesses, and Stella may have made the one mistake that could lead the cold-blooded men hunting for her right to her doorstep.

Teen Tuesday

May releases I'm excited about!


A School for Unusual Girls (Stranje House #1) by Kathleen Baldwin (Tor Teen hardcover, 19 May 2015).

It's 1814. Napoleon is exiled on Elba. Europe is in shambles. Britain is at war on four fronts. And Stranje House, a School for Unusual Girls, has become one of Regency England's dark little secrets. The daughters of the beau monde who don't fit high society's constrictive mold are banished to Stranje House to be reformed into marriageable young ladies. Or so their parents think. In truth, Headmistress Emma Stranje, the original unusual girl, has plans for the young ladies-plans that entangle the girls in the dangerous world of spies, diplomacy, and war.

After accidentally setting her father's stables on fire while performing a scientific experiment, Miss Georgiana Fitzwilliam is sent to Stranje House. But Georgie has no intention of being turned into a simpering, pudding-headed, marriageable miss. She plans to escape as soon as possible-until she meets Lord Sebastian Wyatt. Thrust together in a desperate mission to invent a new invisible ink for the English war effort, Georgie and Sebastian must find a way to work together without losing their heads-or their hearts….

Seriously Wicked by Tina Connolly (Tor Teen hardcover, 5 May 2015).

Camellia's adopted mother wants Cam to grow up to be just like her. Problem is, Mom's a seriously wicked witch.

Cam's used to stopping the witch's crazy schemes for world domination. But when the witch summons a demon, he gets loose--and into Devon, the cute new boy at school.

Suddenly Cam's got bigger problems than passing Algebra. Her friends are getting zombiefied. Their dragon is tired of hiding in the RV garage. For being a shy boy-band boy, Devon is sure kissing a bunch of girls. And a phoenix hidden in the school is going to explode on the night of the Halloween Dance.

To stop the demon before he destroys Devon's soul, Cam might have to try a spell of her own. But if she's willing to work spells like the witch...will that mean she's wicked too?

Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge (Balzer & Bray hardcover, 5 May 2015).

When Rachelle was fifteen she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless—straying from the forest path in search of a way to free her world from the threat of eternal darkness. After an illicit meeting goes dreadfully wrong, Rachelle is forced to make a terrible choice that binds her to the very evil she had hoped to defeat.

Three years later, Rachelle has given her life to serving the realm, fighting deadly creatures in a vain effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her hunt for the legendary sword that might save their world. Together, they navigate the opulent world of the courtly elite, where beauty and power reign and no one can be trusted. And as the two become unexpected allies, they discover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic . . . and a love that may be their undoing. Within a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night?

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (Bloomsbury hardcover, 5 May 2015).

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin-one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world. 

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow over the faerie lands is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin-and his world-forever. 



A Sense of the Infinite by Hilary T. Smith (Katherine Tegen hardcover, 19 May 2015).

It's senior year of high school, and Annabeth is ready—ready for everything she and her best friend, Noe, have been planning and dreaming. But there are some things Annabeth isn't prepared for, like the constant presence of Noe's new boyfriend. Like how her relationship with her mom is wearing and fraying. And like the way the secret she's been keeping hidden deep inside her for years has started clawing at her insides, making it hard to eat or even breathe.

But most especially, she isn't prepared to lose Noe.

For years, Noe has anchored Annabeth and set their joint path. Now Noe is drifting in another direction, making new plans and dreams that don't involve Annabeth. Without Noe's constant companionship, Annabeth's world begins to crumble. But as a chain of events pulls Annabeth further and further away from Noe, she finds herself closer and closer to discovering who she's really meant to be—with her best friend or without.

Swans

Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay (Delacorte hardcover, 9 December 2014).

Dearest (The Woodcutter Sisters # 3)Hew by Alethea Kontis (HMH hardcover, 3 February 2015).


I serendipitously happened to pick up two books based on the swan fairytales one right after the other.  

I had remembered the story as The Seven Swans, possibly from Grimm, but a search on the Google brought up a Grimm tale called  The Six Swans,  as well as one by Hans Christian Andersen called The Wild Swans.  

Both have a similar theme:  the brothers are cursed to be swans and can only be released from the curse if their sister weaves them each a shirt of nettles, not speaking until the task is done.  

Of the two, Dearest sticks more closely to the older tales.  The protagonist of this story is Friday Woodcutter, whose talent is sewing.  After her sister Saturday conjures up an ocean (see Hero, Woodcutter Sisters #2), Friday ends up at her sister Sunday's  (see Enchanted, Woodcutter Sisters # 1) palace.  

Friday notices a young kitchen-maid frolicking with swans on the shore. When her squire Conrad tells her that the swans nest up in the tallest tower of the palace, Friday climbs the many stairs and finds seven young men sleeping on the floor. When she learns that the mute kitchen-maid Rampion is their sister and is trying to save them from a curse, she immediately does what she can to help.



In Princess of Thorns we first meet Aurora, daughter of the Sleeping Beauty.  After losing her mother at the age of seven, Aurora is raised by Fey relatives.  But when her brother Jor is captured by the ogre queen who has taken over Aurora's kingdom, now 17-year-old princess disguises herself as a boy and sets out to rescue him.

Along the way, she joins forces with Prince Niklaas, who must marry a princess before his 18th birthday to avoid the fate of his ten older brothers.  Niklaas promises "Ror" that he will help "him" raise an army to rescue his "sister" if Ror will convince her to marry him.  Because both characters are hiding things from each other, this plot is somewhat more complex.




Both books are well-written and compelling.  Both mingle multiple tales and have a suitably evil villain.  Both left me wanting more, though Jay's book gives no indication that there might be a sequel.



FTC Full Disclosure:  I borrowed these books from my local library.