172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad

After reading Mary Roach's "Packing for Mars" (about all the quirky things about space travel) I was in the moon for something space-y.  So, I picked up the creepy-looking "172 Hours on the Moon" by Johan Harstad (no one should ever take photos of an eye that close up...eyelashes that zoomed in look like some kind of weird spider legs!!).

Harstad is a Norwegian author, and this book has been translated into English (and a bunch of other languages - it's an award winner back in Norway).

The premise?  It's 2018 and NASA is trying to rebuild interest in the space program.  So, with the popularity of reality TV, they decide to hold a lottery, where three teens - chosen by lottery from entries all over the world - will join a four astronaut crew and land on the moon for a one week trip.  Oh, and the real reason?  There's a secret base on the moon that was built back in the 1970s, and there's been some kind of signal received by NASA and they need to investigate.

The three teens chosen - Mia from Norway, Midori from Japan, and Antoine from France - all have different reasons for wanting to make the trek.  But they have no idea what they're getting themselves into.  As soon as they arrive on the moon, things start going horribly wrong.

"172 Hours on the Moon" was a fast-paced read, with a lot of suspense and spine-tingling creepiness.  But, I do need to ask...what it is with Scandanavian authors and dark, depressing novels?  I don't want to give anything away, but if you're looking for a neatly tied up, happy ending, this is NOT the book for you. I'd give it a 4/5 on the Rez Recommends scale.

Divergent ~ by Veronica Roth

If you liked The Hunger Games, and have worked your way through the series and are looking for something new, pick up Divergent by Veronica Roth. I blazed through all 45o pages in just 2 days...it's that good.

In this new dystopian thriller, at the age of 16, all citizens choose which faction they want to join. Each faction is distinguished by a particular characteristic or virtue that defines how they think people should live: Candor (honesty), Abnegation (selflessness), Dauntless (bravery), Amity (peacefulness), and Erudite (intelligence). Beatrice is torn between her family's faction, Abnegation, and her sense that she belongs somewhere else. And then, as she goes through the tests prior to making her choice, she discovers something shocking, and potentially dangerous that will alter her life forever.

Divergent is suspenseful, brutal, exciting...and has many of the characteristics that made The Hunger Games such a popular series. Don't miss this one!

Cottage reading!

I just got home from a friend's cottage, where I blazed through a few more titles - one from the Teens' Top Ten nominees list, one because I was looking forward to reading another book by the author, and one I'm reviewing (not yet published) for VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates):

Orson Scott Card ~ The Lost Gate: this one is on the Teens' Top Ten nominees list, but, I just don't think it's going to make the top ten. I should say, Orson Scott Card is one of my favourite authors - and I think Ender's Game is brilliant - which made The Lost Gate that much more disappointing for me. It wasn't bad - it just felt too overdone...that so much effort was put into the mythology/back story, that the actual story was a bit lost. It just didn't live up to its potential.

Lauren Oliver ~ Delirium: I loved Lauren Oliver's Before I Fall (which should be one of this year's Top Ten!) so I couldn't wait to read Delirium...and it was every bit as good as I'd hoped. In Lena's world, "love" is considered a disease - and at the age of 18, everyone is "cured" from it. This dystopian novel was brilliant - intelligent, new ideas, fast-paced, engaging. I read all 441 pages in a single day...and as one friend commented as I finished the book, "wow, you raced through that last chunk!"

Jeyn Roberts ~ Dark Inside: I received an advanced reader's copy (i.e. the book isn't published yet) because I'm writing a review for it for VOYA. I don't want to spoil the review, but let's just say, I think this is going to be a popular book! Creepy, post-apocalyptic, horrifying - I'm sure it's going to be a teen favourite.

I'm back!

After a LONG hiatus from this blog - including a semester-long sabbatical - I'm back, and going to try my best to get some recent posts up here. I didn't read as much as I thought I would on my break, but a few of my recent favourites are:

• The Maze Runner (bk 1) and The Scorch Trials (bk 2) by James Dasher...I am SO looking forward to book 3, The Death Cure - due out October 11th...and I promise I'll have a copy for Rez right away. SO, if you haven't read book 1 or 2 yet, you've got all summer! The series is right up there with the Hunger Games trilogy...awesome!
  
  
• Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins ~ okay, so the title sounds a bit corny, but I loved this book. For her last year of high school, Anna gets sent to a boarding school in Paris for American students. Yes, it's a romance story...but so much more. I almost didn't read it, but I'd seen so many great reviews by other bloggers, librarians, and teens that I decided to give it a chance...and I'm so glad I did...you should too!
  
  
• Pink by Lili Wilkinson ~ I've started reviewing books for VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates) and this was one of the recent titles I reviewed...and I LOVED it. It reminds me a bit of John Green books (he's one of my all-time favourite authors) - honest, really smart, funny, real. Here's part of what I wrote: "Australian author Lili Wilkinson takes a witty, refreshing look at high school and adolescence that obliterates stereotypes along the way. The novel is in turn laugh-out-loud funny, endearing, and heartbreaking as Ava repeatedly steps into teenage social landmines - with unexpected results."
  
  
• The Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi ~ this year's Printz award winning book (the award for best YA novel of the year)...for good reason. It's going on my list of favourite dystopian novels (Maze Runner, Hunger Games, City of Ember, The Giver, Gone, Unwind...just to name a few!). I read this one in a day!
  
  
• Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver ~ I JUST finished this one...about half an hour ago. Needed some time to recover from reading it...but this is the book that inspired me to put up a post, it was THAT good. Before chapter one even starts, you know Samantha dies. She and her friends are in a car crash and she doesn't make it. Then Chapter 1 begins with a description of her day, leading up to the crash. I'm not going to lie - she's not a very likeable person. In fact, she's the kind of teenager that makes other teenagers' (and adults') lives miserable. But then the book gets interesting...because Samantha re-lives that same day over and over again...and piece by piece, she (and you) get a better sense of the big picture as she's forced to take another look at her life and the lives around her. Honestly, one of the best books I've read in a long while. It's on the Teens' Top Ten nominees list for this year, and I'll be shocked if it doesn't make it up in the top 5.
  

So, there you go...some reading ideas to get you started for the summer. I'm going to start working my way through the Teens Top Ten nominees...and I'll let you know what I think. Happy reading!

Mockingjay ~ by Suzanne Collins

Dark...brutal...violent......

AWESOME!

The third installment in the Hunger Games trilogy is not for the faint of heart. But, if you're willing to dive into some pretty heavy, dark stuff, you won't be disappointed...other than in the fact that the series is done!

I don't want to give anything away, but I will say that this triliogy now tops my list of favourites...and the fact that all TEN copies of The Hunger Games are signed out right now is not at all suprising to me. And, if you haven't yet added your name to our hold list for Mockingjay, you'd better hurry...the list is getting longer by the minute.

The Hunger Games ~ Suzanne Collins

Hooray for Rez Reads...those 20 minutes over the last few days got me hooked on this AMAZING book by Suzanne Collins... The Hunger Games.

You know that feeling you get when watching a really suspenseful TV episode or movie (occasionally, when I'm watching them on DVD, I hit pause so I can catch my breath!)...I had that same feeling with this book. Within a chapter or two I was completely hooked (and stayed up WAY too late reading). The characters are great, it's completely action-packed but very smart/thought-provoking at the same time.

Imagine this...every year, 2 young people from a District (think city/region) are "nominated" (i.e. forced) to "play" in the Hunger Games - basically a wilderness survival/fight to the death...and if you live, you win! And, the whole thing is televised....it would be like watching Surivor, only instead of voting people off the island, the survivors would be killing each other. BRUTAL.

Somehow, in the midst of this thrill-ride, the author manages to develop real characters that you're rooting for - and even throws in a bit of romance.

My only complaint...it continues in a second book, THAT HASN'T BEEN PUBLISHED YET! It comes out on September 1st...and I promise to have it here in the library for the first day of school! I'm going to fill out my Rez Recommends form...and it's getting a 5 out of 5, for sure!

Life Less Ordinary ~ books about teens who stand out from the crowd

• An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
  Poor Colin hasn’t had much luck with dating. He’s been dumped 19 times...all by girls named Katherine! Nothing like a road trip with your best friend to try and heal your broken heart...and figure out why you keep getting dumped! John Green is hands down one of the best Young Adult authors out there! This book earned multiple starred reviews and a Printz Honor award.
• Airborn by Kenneth Oppel
  This book is a perfect example of “don’t judge a book by its cover.” This high-flying novel has everything a great adventure should...daring rescues, thrilling escapes, pirates, and a little bit of romance thrown in for good measure. Winner of a Governor General's award. Also look for the follow-up books, Skybreaker and Starclimber.
• The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, vol. 1: The Pox Party by M.T. Anderson
  Octavian is a African slave sent to American to receive, as an experiment, a classical education usually reserved for the “elite”. As the Revolutionary War unfolds, Octavian runs away to join the army and experiences the horrors of what it means to be a slave in 18th century America. This brilliantly written novel also provides insightful commentary on today’s society and our notion of history. Also try volume 2, Kingdom on the Waves. Both are multi-award winners.
• Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin
  When 15-year old Lizzie is killed, she travels to the afterlife, called Elsewhere, and tries to figure out how to “live” in her new surroundings. A powerful story about life, and life after death. Winner of multiple starred reviews...and one of my all-time favourites!
• Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
  Earth is about to be invaded by a hostile alien race. The defense plan? Train an army of children! Ender Wiggen is the unlikely candidate recruited to join the troops. Even if you don’t normally like science fiction, I DARE you not to love this book!
• Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
  Kat’s little sister is ordered to compete in the Hunger Games...a reality TV series kind of like Survivor, but instead of getting voted off, you die! Kat volunteers to take her place and, with TV cameras following her every move, fights to stay alive.
• I Am the Messenger by Marcus Zusack
  Ed Kennedy’s life isn’t exactly exciting...he spends all his time hanging out with his dog, driving his taxi and playing cards with his friends. When mysterious, coded messages show up in his mailbox, he is sent on a series of tasks that will change his life. Winner of a Printz Honor award.
• I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You by Ally Carter
  Cammie goes to a prestigious all-girls private school...but it’s not just any private school. It’s a secret school for spies! All of the girls are spies in training, which makes leading a “normal” life a little difficult. It’s a fun, light-hearted adventure...if you were to mix James Bond with Harry Potter with the girls from Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, this is the novel you’d get!
• Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
  When the moon is hit by a meteor and bumped out of its normal orbit, life on Earth is horrifyingly altered. Worldwide tsunamis, volcanoes, earthquakes, ice storms… chaos. Miranda describes in her diary how she and her family struggle to survive. Also check out the sequel, “The Dead and the Gone” that tells the same story, but from the perspective of a boy in New York City.
• Magic or Madness by Justine Larbalestier
  Australian teen, Reason, must go live with her “wicked” grandmother, Esmeralda, in Sydney after her mother has a mental breakdown. While trying to escape from Esmeralda, Reason runs through a door...only to find herself in New York City. This magical adventure is the award-winning first book of a trilogy (followed by Magic Lessons and Magic’s Child).
• Repossessed by A.M. Jenkins
  A “fallen angel” (demon) named Kiriel is bored with Hell and decides to take over the body and life of a slacker teen who has just been hit by a cement truck. Even though he’s breaking all the rules, Kiriel is determined to experience life as a human teen and have a positive impact on the people around him. Winner of a Printz Honor award.
• Son of the Mob by Gordon Korman
  Imagine high school and dating...when your dad is a mafia leader! Life is certainly “interesting” for Vince Luca. Oh, and did I mention that the girl he’s fallen for is the daughter of an FBI agent?! Funny man Gordon Korman at his best! Also check out the sequel, Hollywood Hustle for more adventures as Vince heads off to college.

Don’t forget to fill out your own reviews of these books for a chance to win some great prizes!

Bond...James Bond

Can't get enough of 007? Here are some great action/espionage novels that you can "spy" on the shelves at Rez...

• Catch Me If You Can ~ Frank Abignail (364.1633 ABA-C)
  The true story that inspired the film of the same name, starring Leonardo di Caprio. Frank Abagnale, one of the most notorious con men in history, swindled over $2.5 million in fake cheques in 26 countries.
  
• Goldfinger ~ Ian Fleming (FIC FLE)
  An original James Bond novel, that inspired the movie of the same name. James Bond tangles with Auric Goldfinger, a man obsessed with money and ruthless in his methods of obtaining it.
  
• I Would Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You ~ Ally Carter (FIC CAR)
  As a sophomore at a secret spy school and the daughter of a former CIA operative, Cammie is sheltered from "normal teenage life" until she meets a local boy while on a class surveillance mission.
  
• Patriot Games ~ Tom Clancy (FIC CLA)
  While vacationing in London, CIA analyst Jack Ryan saves the Prince and Princess of Wales from a terrorist attack and gains the gratitude of a nation and the enmity of its most dangerous men. This novel was made into a movie starring Harrison Ford.
  
• Stormbreaker ~ Anthony Horowitz (FIC HOR)
  The first in the Alex Rider series. After the death of the uncle who had been his guardian, fourteen-year-old Alex Rider is coerced to continue his uncle's dangerous work for Britain's intelligence agency, MI6.
  
• Thieves Like Us ~ Stephen Cole (FIC COL)
  A mysterious benefactor hand-picks a group of teen geniuses to follow a set of clues leading to the secrets of everlasting life, secrets which they must steal and for which they risk being killed.
  
• Finding Lubchenko ~ Michael Simmons (FIC SIM)
  When his father is framed for murder and bioterrorism, high-school junior Evan, using clues from a stolen laptop, travels from Seattle to Paris with two friends to find the real culprit.