Currently on my shelf to read

I don’t know about some of you, but where I live in North Carolina there has been a ton of snow and ice. I have spent the past few nights curled up in bed or on my couch reading and though I am not close to finishing anything right now, I thought I would keep you all involved with everything I have checked out from the library.

Currently checked out on my library card are the following books/audiobooks:

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner. I very briefly talked about this book in my previous post about YA romance novels. I originally thought this book (the first in a series) was similar to the movie Titanic, except that it takes place in a galaxy and uses a luxury cruise space ship. All the signs are there. There is Lilac LaRoux, the daughter of a very wealthy man, and Tarver Merendsen, from more humble beginnings, flirting on the cruise ship. They know that their flirtations are not allowed because of the simple fact that they are in different social classes. Then disaster strikes and they are the last survivors of the cruise ship Icarus and are now trying to survive on a strange planet where their escape pod landed. That’s very similar wouldn't you say? However the more I read, the more I see the TV show Lost appearing in the story. There is a strange planet that no one knows about that potentially caused the crash, there are haunted whispers throughout the forests and mountains, and there are strange animals that do not match the environment that our protagonists are in (think of the polar bears on Lost). I am only halfway through the book, but so far I am enjoying it.

A Wrinkle in Time (Audiobook) by Madeleine L’Engle. This book was my husband’s favorite as a child. I had attempted to read it as an adult a few years ago, but I could not get into it. I see why he liked it. There are physics, space, and high fantasy. I thought it was a little too much fantasy for me personally, BUT I saw that my library has the audiobook and I decided to give it a try. We meet the Murry family who are saddened by the disappearance of their father, a physicist. Meg, the oldest, is having problems dealing in school and is constantly getting into trouble. It’s when her younger brother, Charles Wallace, finds company in three “ladies” (Mrs. Who, Mrs. Whatsit, and Mrs. Which) that we learn more about Meg’s father. He is trapped on a planet somewhere in the universe that is being controlled by “the Black Thing” and only Meg and Charles Wallace can save him.  Along with their new companion, Calvin O’Keefe, they race against time to save Meg’s father and protect the universe from the evil that is quickly consuming all of the planets. I am about halfway through and so far I love this book!

Taste Test by Kelly Fiore. Confession...I really like the reality competition show Top Chef. My husband has been a fan of the show longer than me. In fact he introduced me to it so we have eaten at a few of the contestants’ restaurants across the country. I saw a review of Taste Test in a copy of the School Library Journal and I couldn’t wait for us to get it. I am not too far in it at all, but the main protagonist is from a small town in North Carolina where she works in a barbeque restaurant with her father. The show, called Taste Test, wants her for their next season. This reality show is where teens go to a culinary school and compete for a scholarship to a world-renowned culinary academy. Of course, there is drama, mystery, and a twinge of romance, but again I am only 5 pages into it.

Wake by Lisa McMann.  This is the Michigan selection for my reading challenge. I have not started it at all, but will hopefully get to it by the end of the weekend. The premise of this novel is that a teenage girl, Janie, constantly gets sucked into other people’s dreams. She keeps this power a secret as no one would believe her if she told them and would just think she is crazy. She then gets sucked into a crazy nightmare where she is not watching, but participating. Looks like this one will be a great teen horror book to read? I don’t know, but it looks scary.

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini. The Massachusetts selection from the reading challenge. This book seems to be a modern version of an ancient Greek myth (probably Helen of Troy). Helen (see!) is having strange dreams of a long journey as well as hallucinating three women who seem to be the Fates from Greek Mythology. She soon learns that these are not just dreams or legend, but in fact they are her ancestry. The question is should she fight against destiny?

Ones I am currently on the waitlist for

Insurgent (Audiobook) by Veronica Roth. I am so close to listening this one. There is a huge waitlist for everything in this series at my library. That being said, I am now #2 in line for audiobook! GAH!

Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo. I got on the waitlist for this one as soon as the Newberry Award Winner and Honorable Mentions were announced.  I am #4 on the list.

Ryn the Librarian. Almost a whole year!

Hello my peeps! We are already hitting one year since I started this blog and what a year it has been! I know I have been tailing off the last few months; only writing once or twice a month. During winter I tend to get really lazy and tired, (Seasonal Affective Disorder most likely is the cause) which tends to put me behind on even simple things like exercise, errands, and reading.

The past year has been full of exciting moments. I started off writing this blog as an unemployed research analyst who wanted a full time library job working with children. In less than a month, I was hired at a public library working in the children’s department and it has been amazing. I get to do storytimes, Baby Fun Time (my favorite), and other programs such as Summer Reading and Teen Crafternoons. Though I am still trying to work my way into a professional library position (which requires an MLS) I have enjoyed my experience and will continue to work hard for my kids.

This year has proven how quickly things can and do change.

Now onto my topic for today’s post. Valentine’s Day is coming up so I thought I would do a reading list for Teens and Romance. I made a suggested reading list for this topic last year, but that was before I had the opportunity to be employed in a Children’s/Teen section. Now with more experience, I thought I could update it a little bit including books I have read or have seen on the many YA Literature blogs. I personally love Anna Reads and the staff at Teen Librarian Toolbox.

So without further ado, here are some suggested reads for this Valentine’s Day for the teens in your life, whether you are a parent or YA librarian. In no particular order…

Ones I’ve read and enjoyed/recommend

 

1. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. Twilight can be a sore subject among Teen Librarians. We love that it got teens to come in and borrow books (or in my case they occasionally steal them, but that is another story); however, the content and message is debatable among YA fans.  Either way, it is a popular romance series that can be recommended to older teens.
2. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. Come on, you knew I was going to bring it up. Though this book makes you cry, it has one of my favorite romances in YA lit ever!
3. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell.  Probably my second favorite romance in YA Lit ever. Eleanor and Park live in 1986 and deal with many obstacles that stand in between in their love including school politics, domestic abuse, social pressure, and social class. This book also made me cry at the end.
4. My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick. I enjoyed this book when I read it last year. Jase and Samantha live next door to each other and that is about all they have in common. Jase is one of seven children and lives in a noisy, messy home, while Samantha has one sister and they very much tend to keep to themselves. It’s when Jase starts hanging out with Samantha that they begin to find some common ground. I loved this read and it is perfect for older teens needing a nice love story.
5. This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen.  Since I have yet to come close to North Carolina (my home state!) in my reading across the US challenge, I will discuss my favorite Sarah Dessen briefly here.  Remy knows how this works. You begin with dating and end with heartbreak and this is why you should never get attached to anyone. Then there is Dexter. She likes Dexter…a lot, which is scary for her. Can she get over her issues with love to see what’s standing right in front of her? I loved this book and love Sarah Dessen in general. Definitely recommend.
6. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. I know I gave this one a hard time, but it is difficult for me to read/listen to books that are really lovey-dovey.  However, for teens this one is a hit and is highly recommended for fans of the Twilight series. Plus Maggie Stiefvater’s description and writing are solid. Shiver is the story of Sam and Grace who fall in love in the cold land of Minnesota. One issue, Sam is a werewolf, but not your mythical kind of werewolf.  He only turns when it’s cold out. Eventually a werewolf shift can be become permanent. Is there anything Grace and Sam can do before their time together runs out?
7. Delirium by Lauren Oliver. I have to put this on here as it is a good YA dystopian romance novel. I personally was not a fan. This series has been requested in our YA Book Club many times, so it is popular. You should buy it for your YA collection despite my personal feelings on it. In a time where love is considered a disease vaccinated by the US government, falling in love can be dangerous. Lena is awaiting her operation, but after meeting Alex she isn’t so sure that the vaccination can solve her love woes.

Ones I would like to read at some point

1. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. In this teen romance, Anna is less than enthusiastic to be sent off to boarding school in Paris (which automatically baffles me, but ok) until she meets a boy named Etienne St. Clair. This story follows their year in boarding school which may or may not end with their first French kiss. This comes highly recommended from many YA Lit Blogs and is incredibly popular on goodreads; it has a 4.2 out of 5 ranking.
2. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith. Hadley is stuck at JFK Airport while awaiting on her flight to London for her father’s SECOND wedding. It is through fate that she meets Oliver who will be sitting in her same row on the flight over. After they land; however, they lose each other in the chaos of Heathrow without getting each other’s contact information. Can fate intervene once more? Sounds pretty cheesy, but could be a great read.Gotta put this one on my list.
3. Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally. I think this one has some serious promise to it. Jordan Woods is the Captain AND Quarterback of her (that’s right HER) high school football team. She is used to being one of the guys and is working hard to get an athletic scholarship to a great university. Her hardwork would have paid off, if Ty hadn’t come into town. He is an amazing quarterback and, of course, ridiculously good looking. Can Jordan keep her head in the game when so much is on the line? Or does she let it go for a chance for love?
4. If I Stay by Gayle Forman. This is the Oregon selection and I have read nothing but good things about this book. This story takes place after Mia is in an accident and it follows the consequences of that accident. I think that means she is a ghost or spirit watching over her family and friends??? There isn’t a lot of plot summaries to the book on the internet apparently, but it’s supposed to be gut-wrenching.
5. Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick. After looking at a brief summary of this one, it reminds me a lot of A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies. There are angels and a battle of immortal versus the fallen angels. Could be a great paranormal romance read?
6. These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner. Titanic, but in space. DONE!

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

I decided to give Rowell’s newest book its own well-deserved post. First, the plot summary:

Plot summary via GoodReads.  Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan . . . But for Cath, being a fan is her life — and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving. Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere. Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

Rainbow Rowell hits another homerun with her newest YA novel. I could not put this book down, which was pretty perfect since I received it over the holidays. It’s not that the book is action-packed, just that its characters are incredibly engaging and loveable so I became very invested.

I can completely relate to Cath as a fellow introvert just trying to make it in the new, unchartered world of college. She is a huge fan of Simon Snow (it’s pretty much Harry Potter) and can’t stop talking about it which in turn affects how she lives her life. She writes fan-fiction and is actually a prominent author on the Simon Snow forums. If you take Cath and replace Simon Snow with The X-Files or Star Wars or Harry Potter, you get me.

I could even at times relate to Cath’s twin sister, Wren; someone who is more than ready to move on with life and experience new things. It was refreshing to see Wren develop towards the end and try to have a happy medium of experiencing new things, but not be embarrassed by the things you loved as a teen. Trust me; in high school I was too embarrassed to admit that I loved The X-Files or Star Wars.

In addition, Rowell provides a wonderful romance story and, as always, an interesting portrayal of family dynamics. Unlike Eleanor and Park, Cath and Wren’s home life did not devastate me as much, but was still just as powerful.  I am beginning to enjoy books where the siblings and the family have positive relations or have a happy understanding towards the end (see Going Vintage).  Also, the ending to Fangirl did not make me weep like Eleanor and Park.

This does not mean that I think books shouldn’t feature homes with broken families for readers to enjoy. I loved Eleanor and Park and feel it portrays a population of youth that we don’t normally see in YA Literature. I try to stress that relatable characters are important when reading YA fiction. It’s unfortunate that many of our teens come from violent homes and though books can be used as an escape, we should offer material to our teens that can also help them cope – materials that express that they are not alone by having characters that are in similar situations. This can provide an outlook of hope rather than just escape.

Sorry my peeps. I didn’t mean to go on a little tangent there, but it needed to be said.  Apparently, a few Parent groups and organizations around the country want the book Eleanor and Park banned from schools and I just wanted to put my two cents in as to why Eleanor and Park is important for teens.

Back to Fangirl, you should get it for your YA collection as Rowell has put together a fantastic read with a great protagonist and a beautifully written plot. After two such wonderful masterpieces I may need to read her adult novel Attachments.