Saturday, May 31, 2008

Just In

In the last few days WTD received 11 new YA (Young Adult) books. Some of these books are not actually new, but they are new to WTD. Below are the titles and product descriptions from Amazon.com with comments from me in the parenthesis.

First Kiss (Then Tell): A Collection of True Lip-Locked Moments
edited by Cylin Busby
Twenty-five bestselling authors for teens recount the story of their first kiss, like Cecil Castellucci, Lauren Myracle, Jon Scieszka and Scott Westerfeld. Whether hilarious, heartwarming, dramatic, or regrettable, there’s something for every reader to relate to. Quotes, facts, advice, and artwork round out the collection. (Sorry, I'm so taking this home)

Unleashed
by Kristopher Reisz
Daniel Morning seems perfect -- handsome, charismatic, intelligent. But living up to everyone's expectations has cost him the right to make his own decisions. The urge to shatter those expectations is beginning to gnaw at his insides. Then Daniel meets Misty. She's smoky, rebellious, tender...and much more. She decides to let him into her pack of outcasts -- and in on their little secret: She and her friends have learned to shape shift, and have been prowling the night as wolves. Daniel soon falls in love with the primal sensation of shifting, just as he's falling in love with Misty. The freedom to follow his most basic instincts is like nothing he's ever felt. But Daniel will slowly come to realize that such freedom comes at a price.... (It's like Twilight, but the guy's a mortal and the girl's a monster.)

Twilight
by Stephanie Meyer
"Softly he brushed my cheek, then held my face between his marble hands. 'Be very still,' he whispered, as if I wasn't already frozen. Slowly, never moving his eyes from mine, he leaned toward me. Then abruptly, but very gently, he rested his cold cheek against the hollow at the base of my throat." As Shakespeare knew, love burns high when thwarted by obstacles. In Twilight, an exquisite fantasy by Stephenie Meyer, readers discover a pair of lovers who are supremely star-crossed. Bella adores beautiful Edward, and he returns her love. But Edward is having a hard time controlling the blood lust she arouses in him, because--he's a vampire. At any moment, the intensity of their passion could drive him to kill her, and he agonizes over the danger. But, Bella would rather be dead than part from Edward, so she risks her life to stay near him, and the novel burns with the erotic tension of their dangerous and necessarily chaste relationship. (This book brought back to me my love of great vampire stories. The romance between Bella and Edward is amazing. I can't wait for the fourth one and the movie!)
Girl of the Moment
by Lizabeth Zindel
When Lily’s internship at the Museum of Modern Art falls through, she thinks her summer is ruined. Then her dad hooks her up with a once-in-a-lifetime chance to intern for Sabrina Snow—sixteen year- old Hollywood starlet and the girl of the moment. From the pages of Party Weekly magazine, Sabrina’s world looks like a nonstop merry-go-round of glamorous parties, red-carpet events, and designer clothes. But Lily soon learns that catering to a rising star is more work than play. Once she develops a crush on Sabrina’s boyfriend (that may or may not be reciprocated) and a yearning to help a needy fan, Lily’s summer starts to spiral out of control. If she can get things back in order, she will be richly rewarded. But do the costs of working for Sabrina outweigh the benefits? (Definitely a chickette lit book)
How I Changed My Life
by Todd Strasser
Bolita, Bo for short, and Kyle are not exactly in the same clique: She's the shy girl working backstage at the school play, and he's front and center as Time Zone High's star quarterback. But then Kyle blows out his knee, quits football, and joins the school play, and Bo decides it's time for a change. After a D.I.Y. makeover, Bo realizes she and Kyle aren't in such different cliques anymore. Now that she has his attention...can Bo turn Kyle into more than a friend? ( A great light summer read)

H.I.V.E.: The Higher Institute of Villainous Education
by Mark Walden
Otto Malpense may only be thirteen years old, but so far he has managed to run the orphanage where he lives, and he has come up with a plan clever enough to trick the most powerful man in the country. He is the perfect candidate to become the world's next supervillain. That is why he ends up at H.I.V.E., handpicked to become a member of the incoming class. The students have been kidnapped and brought to a secluded island inside a seemingly active volcano, where the school has resided for decades. All the kids are elite; they are the most athletic,the most technically advanced, and the smartest in the country. Inside the cavernous marble rooms, floodlit hangars, and steel doors, the students are enrolled in Villainy Studies and Stealth and Evasion 101.But what Otto soon comes to realize is that this is a six-year program,and leaving is not an option. With the help of his new friends: an athletic martial-arts expert; a world-famous, beautiful diamond thief; and a spunky computer genius -- the only other people who seem to want to leave -- can Otto achieve what has never been done before and break out of H.I.V.E.?
(Seems like Evil Genius by Catherine Jinks, that I so loved. I have the audiobook at home and am dying to listen to it. And ooh the sequel is already out, The Overlord Protocol:H.I.V.E.)
Walk of the Spirits
by Richie Tankersley Cusick
When Miranda Barnes first sees the sleepy town of St. Yvette, Louisiana, with its moss-draped trees, above-ground cemeteries, and her grandfather's creepy historic home, she realizes that life as she knew it is officially over. Almost immediately, there seems to be something cloying at her. Something lonely and sad and . . . very pressing. Even at school and in the group project she's been thrown into, she can't escape it. Whispers when she's alone, shadows when no one is there to make them, and a distant pleading voice that wakes her from sleep. The other members in Miranda's group project, especially handsome Etienne, can see that Miranda is in distress. She is beginning to understand that, like her grandfather before her, she has a special gift of communicating with spirits who still walk the town of St. Yvette. And no matter where she turns, Miranda feels bound by their whispered pleas for help . . . unless she can somehow find a way to bring them peace. (This is the only clear mystery on the list today)
the rules of survival
by Nancy Werlin
It all starts when Matthew observes a heroic scene in a convenience store: A man named Murdoch puts himself between an abusive father and his son. Matt is determined to get to know this man. And when, amazingly, Murdoch begins dating Matt's mother, it seems as if life may become peaceful for the first time. Matt and his sisters have never before known a moment of peace in a household ruled by their unpredictable, vicious mother. And so, after Murdoch inevitably breaks up with her and the short period of family calm is over, Matt sees that he needs to take action. He refuses to let his family remain at risk. Can he call upon his hero, Murdoch? And if not, what might his desperation lead him to do? A thought-provoking exploration of self-reliance and the nature of evil and a heart-wrenching portrait of a family in crisis, this is Nancy Werlin's most compulsively readable novel yet. (This is one of those books where once you pick it up, you can't put it down until you're done)
Summer of Secrets (Bluford High Series)
by Paul Langan
Darcy Wills needs help. A frightening ordeal at the end of the school year has turned her world upside down. And her parents, distracted by problems at home, don't seem to notice her troubles. With her ex-boyfriend miles away in Detroit and her beloved grandmother gone, Darcy is more alone than ever. Unable to deny the painful truth she's been hiding, Darcy turns to her remaining friends only to discover one of them has an even bigger secret. Now, forced into a crisis beyond her control, Darcy must take a stand for herself--and for her friend. (This is book #10 in the series. If you like it, we have the rest of the series at WTD and DCPL)

Things Hoped For
by Andrew Clements
When Gwen's grandfather disappears from their home in New York City, he leaves a message saying not to worry--but it's hard when Gwen has upcoming violin auditions at Julliard! But then she meets Robert, a fellow musician, and things seem to look up. At the same time, there are other forces in motion, like the scary great uncle who keeps coming by, and the strange man Gwen sees one day when shopping. Then the even stranger story Robert tells her about what she saw. And finally, the discovery that brings their worlds to a halt, uniting Gwen and Robert in ways neither of them could have foretold. (This is book is creepy scary, not monsters scary, but goosebumpy creepy scary)

SilverFin (Young Bond Series)
by Charlie Higson
What does it take to become the greatest secret agent the world has ever known? In this thrilling prequel to the adventures of James Bond, 007, readers meet a young boy whose inquisitive mind and determination set him on a path that will someday take him across the globe, in pursuit of the most dangerous criminals of all time.When we first meet young James, he’s just started boarding school at Eton in the 1930s, and from there, the action moves to the Highlands of Scotland, where Alfie Kelly, a local boy, has gone missing. James teams up with the boy’s cousin, Red, to investigate the mystery, and they soon discover that Alfie’s disappearance is linked to a madman and his sinister plot for global power. Acclaimed British author Charlie Higson has written a brilliantly crafted tale that reveals the unknown story of a boy who grew up to become one of the most iconic figures of our time. SilverFin is an edge-of-your-seat thriller that will mesmerize readers of all ages. (I absolutely love this series! I love this action adventure genre with young James Bond and Alex Rider, a modern day young James Bond, written by Anthony Horowitz)

All of these books are paperback, making them perfect for summer reads! They would be a great addition to any Metamorphosis reading log!

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