Graceling by Kristin Cashore

In Katsa's world, some people are born with an extreme skill, called a grace. Some graces are helpful, such as a grace for cooking or archery, others are useless, such as the abilty to talk backwards. Katsa's grace is for killing. All gracelings are easily recognized by their unmatched eyes, and all are feared and misunderstood. Gracelings are at the mercy of their king, and Katsa more than most. Her killing grace is very useful to her uncle, King Randa, and he uses her to do his dirty work throught the kingdom. Katsa is wracked with guilt and anger. She slowly begins to form an alliance with others who share her desire to help those in danger, without the king's knowledge. It is on a mission for this council that she meets Po, another graceling fighter with secrets of his own. Together Katsa and Po learn new things about their own graces, and terrible secrets from other lands that threaten to destroy them all.

Katsa is a strong, but vulnerable, female protagonist, and Po is a very appealing counterpart. They quickly develop a close friendship, then a deeper bond, but don't expect the usual happily-ever-after. This book provides a fresh perspective on the fantasy novel, a definite page-turner. It will appeal to older fantasy readers who want a little more depth to their story. It's a first novel for Cashore, but others in the series are in the works.

How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Larbalestier

In New Avalon, almost everyone has their own personal fairy to help with one aspect of their life. Charlie has a parking fairy. She’s fourteen, she can’t drive, and she hates cars. Worse, people are always trying to make her go places with them just so they can score a great parking space. Why can’t Charlie have an awesome shopping fairy like her friend, Rochelle, or an all-the-boys-like-you fairy like stuck up Fiorenze, or even a loose change fairy. No fairy at all would be better than the parking fairy. Charlie has had enough. She wants a new fairy, but first she has to get rid of the one she has and she’s willing to take extreme measures to do it. Of course, there’s a boy involved, as well as an enemy who might actually be a friend.

Recommended grade levels: 7-12

The Penderwicks on Gardam Street by Jeanne Birdsall

The four Penderwick sisters are back at home in this endearing sequel. This time , though, the adventure is getting serious. woderful aunt Claire comes for a visit but offers the dreadful thought that it's time for the girl's widowed father to start dating! YIKES! One bad date and the horrible stoies of awful literary steip-mothers haunt the sisters until they decide this datin stuff must stop. An emergency MOPS (Meeting of the Penderwick Sisters) meeting must be held. The "Save-Daddy" plan is hatched and goes into action in true Penderwick fashion. That's to say elaborate plans are made but only partially fulfilled and it sort of end in a fun but silly mess.

Myers, Stephanie ECLIPSE
Publisher: Little, Brown & Co. Date: 2007 ISBN: 978-0-316-160209 (hardcover) Price: $18.99 #of pgs: 629 Call number: FIC MEY
Annotation: This book is a sequel to Twilight and New Moon by Stephanie Meyer. As graduation approaches and college looms in the near future, Bella is once again the center of danger. Trying to balance her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob amidst their age-old hatred, Bella faces dangers from old and new enemies - entangling Jacob and Edward in her protection. The vampire and werewolf come to understand that both care for her deeply. The understanding leads to a new relationship between the Cullens and the Blacks, protecting Bella being their common goal.
Strength: Fast paced
Cover Appeal: a free-floating fraying red ribbon on a black background

The Re-gifters by Mike Carey

The Re-Gifters by Mike Carey is an engaging graphic novel that will surely delight young middle school students. A Korean American teenager Dixie plans to attend a martial arts tournament coming up in their neighborhood. Unfortunately, Dixie uses her entry-fee money to buy an expensive gift for her crush Adam. Soon after that gift is regifted and regifted with surprising plot twists. This graphic novel is a great addition to any middle school library. Students will be able to learn from Dixie's mistakes and realize money won't buy you happiness.

Originally posted on Best Books by Jackie G. at 9:39 AM on Jan 24, 2008

Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer

The third book of Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" leaves you wanting more in this love triangle saga. As always Bella is in danger, but this time she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob. She knows her decision may start up a struggle between vampire and werewolf. Graduation is around the corner and the Cullen's agreed to make her a vampire. A choice between life and death. An aging life with her family and Jacob or a forever life in death with Edward without her family and Jacob. Is her love worth a breaking the treaty between the vampires and the werewolf?

Originally posted on the Best Books blog by Ms. Monroe at 2:47 PM on Jan 3, 2008