Saturday, May 22, 2010

Top Ten Sci-fi & Fantasy in the last year

at least, according to Ian Chipman at Booklist. Here's his list, with his comments:

  1. The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness
    The middle volume in the Chaos Walking trilogy expands the series’ litany of heavy themes (genocide, extremism, civil war, terrorism), all while delivering some of the most pulse-pounding action around.


  2. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
    The deal was, if you win the Hunger Games, you get to live out your life in fame and comfort. The Capitol, however, has other plans for last year’s heroes, Katniss and Peeta, as whispers of growing unrest flit about the Districts.


  3. A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner
    In this stand-alone return to the series begun in Turner’s 1997 Newbery Honor Book The Thief, the focus shifts from Eugenides to Sophos, the reluctant king of Sounis, who relates his own rise to power, which is fraught with political intrigue.


  4. Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce
    People always mistake 12-year-old Liam for a grown-up, which might help explain how he got to be the adult chaperone for a bunch of kids in a rocket hurtling through space 200,000 miles above Earth.


  5. Enchanted Glass by Diana Wynne Jones
    Fantasy veteran Jones hits a high note with this tale of a boy who is stalked by dangerous magical beings and seeks help from a powerful sorcerer. Instead, he finds the magician’s grandson, who has forgotten everything he was taught.


  6. Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve
    Set hundreds of years before the Hungry City Chronicles, this story of young Fever Crumb digs into the foundations of Reeve’s intricately imagined future, including how cities started gobbling each other up.


  7. Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta
    Ten years ago, the royal family of Lumatere was murdered by assassins and the kingdom ravaged by a blood curse. Now, a group of outcasts, led by the son of a former royal guard, look to resurrect the hopes of their people.


  8. Fireby Kristin Cashore
    This romantic and suspenseful fantasy, a prequel of sorts to Graceling (2008) set in an adjoining kingdom, introduces another deadly strong heroine who struggles to use her formidable powers for good.


  9. Incarceron by Catherine Fisher
    No one from Outside ever goes into Incarceron, a vast futuristic prison gripped by tyranny and strife, and no one Inside ever escapes. Until Finn finds a crystal key that unlocks every door, and the great escape is on.


  10. For your younger sibling:
    The Night Fairy by Laura Amy Schlitz

    This uncommonly dynamic story of a wee sprite is set in the familiar yet exotic landscape of a backyard, where a determined and egocentric young fairy weathers peril and finds redemption.



My opinion? I think Incarceron was slow, that Fire & Catching Fire were good, but not as good as their predecessors (Graceling & The Hunger Games, respectively), and that A Conspiracy of Kings about gave me a heart attack whilst lying in bed it was so awesome (read The Thief, The Queen of Attolia, then The King of Attolia first, though!).

What do you think? Have you read any of these? What's YOUR favorite fantasy/sci-fi book you've read in the last year?

Friday, May 21, 2010

Summer Blog Blast Tour


Ok, I'm not QUITE sure how they are getting away with calling it summer yet, BUT, there has been a cadre of bloggers interviewing some really awesome authors and illustrators all week long. It's worth perusing the master list of the week - I promise you'll see some fascinating stuff. I especially recommend the Nick Burd and Tom Siddell interviews. But that's probably because I [heart] their books.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Perks of Being a Wallflower Movie


According to MTV this favorite teen novel will be made into a movie by the author himself, Stephen Chbosky, and it will star your favorite book-nerd, Hermione Granger. Or, you know, the actress who plays her - Emma Watson. The main character, Charlie, will be played by Logan Lerman, who you saw recently as Percy Jackson.

Perks is often challenged due to, as MTV puts it, Charlie's "deal[ings] with familial issues, drug use, sexuality and burgeoning feelings for Sam [Watson's role], as well as thoughts of suicide."

I'll be sure to post a trailer here when there's one available.

You can place a hold on The Perks of Being a Wallflower by clicking on the title, or visit your local library and you may find it on the Teen Explore shelf.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac Movie

I can't help but find this a little hilarious. Gabrielle Zevin's Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac has been made into a movie. In Japan. In Japanese. Perhaps, if we're lucky, we'll eventually get an English sub-titled version.

Here's the trailer:



That's two movies now made of books I've liked that I might not get to see. :(

Monday, May 17, 2010

Big Read Trivia Contest: Win a Jansport Backpack

Hey, teens! If you read "The Things They Carried," you can answer trivia questions to win prizes! Pick up the trivia questionnaire at any Everett or Sno-Isle Library or print it out here.
Each community library will award a JanSport backpack full of prizes to the teen with the most answers correct! Designs and colors vary by location.

* In the event of a tie, there will be a drawing.
* You must be between the ages of 12 to 18 to enter.
* Only one entry per person per location allowed.
* Return completed questionnaire by MAY 30 to any Everett or Sno-Isle Library.

Supported by JanSport, the Friends of the Everett Public Library, and the Sno-Isle Libraries Foundation.

Planning for College, Cars and the Future


Can you afford to buy a car? What about college? Financial planner Mark Chavez will teach you how to turn your pennies into benjamins and your goals into realities.


TONIGHT! 7pm! at Lynnwood Library

(parents welcome, but not required)

Thursday, May 6, 2010

2010 Nominations for YALSA's Teens’ Top Ten

YALSA has announced its 2010 Teens’ Top Ten Nominations.

The Teens' Top Ten (TTT) is a "teen choice" list of recommended reading, where teens nominate and choose their favorite books of the previous year. Teens across the country are encouraged to read as many nominees as they can during the summer. All interested readers aged twelve to eighteen can vote for their favorites online, anytime from mid August until mid September. The winners are announced via a webcast with special guests during Teen Read Week™ the third week of October.

Here is the list, with links to our website so you can order them today and get reading!


Abbott, Ellen Jensen. Watersmeet.

Anderson, Laurie Halse. Wintergirls.

Brown, Jennifer. Hate List.

Carter, Ally. Heist Society.

Cashore, Kristin. Fire.

Clare, Cassandra. City of Glass.

Clayton, Emma. The Roar.

Collins, Suzanne. Catching Fire.

Dessen, Sarah. Along for the Ride.

Fisher, Catherine. Incarceron.

Fitzpatrick, Becca. Hush, Hush.

Forman, Gayle. If I Stay.

Garcia, Kami and Margaret Stohl. Beautiful Creatures.

Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd. Edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci.

Golding, Julia. Dragonfly.

Jinks, Catherine. The Reformed Vampire Support Group.

Lieb, Josh. I Am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to Be Your Class President.

Ockler, Sarah. Twenty Boy Summer.

Patterson, James. Witch and Wizard.

Peters, Julie Anne. By the Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead.

Pierce, Tamora. Bloodhound.

St. Crow, Lili. Strange Angels.

Stiefvater, Maggie. Shiver.

Tanigawa, Nagaru. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.

Westerfeld, Scott. Leviathan.

Yep, Laurence. City of Fire.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Online Anime

I know that most of you die-hard anime fans already know how and where to get your fix, but Viz has just opened their own free streaming site, Viz Anime. It's got Bleach, One Piece, Death Note, Honey and Clover, Naruto and other popular anime.

Don't forget that we accept your purchase suggestions for CDs, DVDs, and, of course, books. Just start here to ask the library to buy the items YOU want to see on our shelves.

via SLJ

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Free Comic Book Day

Hey everyone...it is FREE Comic Book Day!

Here at the library we like to provide you with free books, magazines, cds, and (my favorite) graphic novels every day. We just ask you bring them back after three weeks. One thing we don't have is free comic books for you to take home and keep forever. But today is your lucky day!

Go to you local comic book store today and get a FREE COMIC BOOK!

Stores participating in our area:

The Comic Stop in Lynnwood
World of Collections in Edmonds
The Comic Stop in Everett Mall
Everett Comics and Cards in Everett
Gamer Time in Snohomish

I can personally recommend dropping by and saying hi to the folks at The Comic Stop. They run one of the most friendly comic book stores I've ever been in are super nice.