Reading Abounds

Title:  Mortal Danger Author: Ann Aguirre Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 87780 Description: Agreeing to join the mysterious Kian's magical faction to exact revenge on a group of bullies who have tormented her, Edie transforms into a beautiful girl and begins to sabotage the bullies' inner circle -- only to discover dark truths about Kian's world. Rubric Rating: Level 2 Why I Read It: Great Cover and Title Lori's Notes: Now I know I gave this a level 2 but if I did half marks this book would be sitting between a two and a three.  I enjoyed the read but I found some items fell flat with me.  The book begins with Edie on a bridge about to commit suicide.  On the cusp of jumping she feels a hand on her shoulder.  A boy, who, because she is in "extremis," can offer her a deal.  She can be granted three requests and in return must give three for the bargain to be paid in full.  Considering her other option is going back to the bridge, Edie is easil...

Title: Big Game Author: Dan Smith Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 97154 Description: A boy hunter from a remote mountain village, the President of the  United States and a terrorist plot converge in a wilderness survival adventure involving a strange creature in the woods. Rubric Rating: Level 3 - Laud It Why I Read It: This book looked like a good adventure/survival story for boys. Lori's Notes:  It's the day of the trial.  The day before Oskari's 13th birthday.  He will walk into the forest on Mount Akka, he will hunt with the traditional bow, and he will return a man.  He will bring back what the forest gives him.  But Oskari is small and he can't even fully draw the bow back all the way.  But Oskari is determined not to disappoint his father, a man who brought back a bear.  As Oskari takes off into the forest, he heads toward his father's secret hunting ground but is quickly veered off course by the approach of a helicopter.  Thin...

Title: Shark Attack Author: Tom Jackson Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 26732 Description: Although they occur rarely, shark attacks on humans always grab headlines around the world.  This fascinating book explores just what makes some kinds of sharks attack and the kind of damage powerful jaws and hundreds of teeth can do. Rubric Rating: Level 3: Laud It. Why I Read It: My son is a shark lover and this book was immediately added to our Shark Reference Collection. Lori's Notes: A high interest/low vocab book about shark attacks.  This book is an extremely appealing book for boys (particularly those who may be struggling readers) and anyone who likes information about Sharks.  The information is very easily grouped, with lots of white space on the page and a larger font size.  It makes a great book for an older student who is a struggling reader, as neither the subject matter nor cover make the book look too primary/junior.  Most images are actual photog...

Title: The Chaos Series: The Numbers Trilogy Author: Rachel Ward Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 70126 Description: Like his mother, Jem, when sixteen-year-old Adam looks in people's eyes he can see the dates of their deaths and now he sees the same date, six months in the future, in nearly everyone around him in the London of 2026. Rubric Rating: Level 3 - Laud It. Why I Read It: Read the first book and wanted to continue the series.  I also love the covers of these novels! Lori's Notes: This book picks up several years after the end of Numbers.  Adam (Jem and Terry's child) now lives with his Nan and sees the numbers just like his mother did - except he can feel how people die - if it's violent or peaceful.  Adam can tell lots of people are going to die on Jan 1, 2027, he just doesn't know how. Then he meets Sarah, who is terrified of him.  He's the boy from her nightmares.  Sarah has lots of problems of her own.  Pregnant, resulting from abuse...

Title: Mister Death's Blue-Eyed Girls Author: Mary Downing Hahn Perma-Bound Catalogue #; 69563 Description: Narrated from several different perspectives, tells the story of the 1956 murder of two teenaged girls in suburban Baltimore, Maryland. Rubric Rating: Level 2 - Like It Why I Read It: Interesting title and I like a good murder mystery. Lori's Notes: This book was not what I was expecting.  Set in June 1956, the plot describes the murder of two girls - Cheryl and Bobbi Jo - and the toll their death takes on the community who are left to deal with the aftermath.  While the book's write up sounded like it would be a crime and detection story it really follows the people associated with this horrible event.  The perspective changes but mainly focuses on Nora and Ellie - the best friends of the murdered girls, Buddy - the ex-boyfriend of Cheryl and the major suspect of the crimes - and Mr. Death, the actual killer.  We also glean information from Chery...

Title: A Time to Dance Author: Padma Venkatraman Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 82094 Description: In India, a girl who excels a Bharatanatyam dance refuses to give up after losing a leg in an accident. Rubric Rating: Love 4 - Love It! Why I Read It: I read Climbing the Stairs by this same author and liked it so decided to read another selection by her. Lori's Notes: I was surprised when I opened the book to find the chapters written in verse rather than prose.  However, after the first couple of chapters the novel felt not like a book in verse but a book in song.  A song that made you see and feel Veda's dancing.  Veda lives with her ma, pa and Paati (grandmother).  While her mother wants Veda to become an engineer, Veda loves to dance.  And she is excited to learn that has been invited to compete in the Bharatanatyam dance competition.  Veda wins because of her amazing control over her body.  However, her greatest achievement is short lived....

Title: Crossed Series: Matched Trilogy Author: Ally Condie Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 70022 Description: Seventeen-year-old Cassia sacrifices everything and heads to the Outer Provinces in search of Ky, where she is confronted with shocking revelations about Society and the promise of rebellion. Rubric Rating: Level 2 - Like It. Why I Read It: Continuing on with this series.  I do quite like the covers on these books. Lori's Notes: Cassia has made her choice.  She's going to find Ky in the Outer Provinces.  But she is still matched with Xander and when he visits her on one of her last work details he giver her a gift - an opportunity she doesn't expect.  When the society sends a plane to take some of the Aberrations (people who aren't citizens) to the outer villages, Cassia boards as well.  If the aberrations can survive for six months they'll regain their "Citizen" status, but the the Society isn't taking the Aberrations to the outer vil...

Title: Out of the Easy Author: Ruta Sepetys Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 79289 Description: Josie, the seventeen-year-old daughter of a French Quarter prostitute, is striving to escape 1950 New Orleans and enrol at prestigious Smith College when she becomes entangled in a murder investigation. Rubric Rating: Level 4 - Love It! Why I Read It: I read Ruta Sepetys other novel, Between Shades of Gray , and I really liked her style of writing.  I also really liked the cover.  (This cover is not the same as the book I read, the cover I have has a girl looking through an ornate bird cage.  I prefer the other cover as I felt it portrayed more about the story than the one pictured above.  It drew to mind Maya Angelou's poem "Caged Bird"). Lori's Notes: Josie "Jo" Moraine, is 17 and lives in New Orleans but wants nothing more than to escape the city and her life.  Jo's mother is a prostitute in the Quarter and she has no idea who her father is.  At 7-yea...

Title: Mr. Popper's Penguins Authors: Richard and Florence Atwater Illustrator: Robert Lawson Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 203669 Description:   Mr. Popper trains his band of penguins to star in a vaudeville tour. Rubric Rating: Level 3 - Laud it. Why I read it: I watched the movie with my kids and picked up the book to read as a read aloud as they enjoyed it so much. Lori's Notes: The book is radically different than the movie.  But that is to be expected considering the movie was filmed in 2011 and the book was published in 1938.  That being said the book was still quite enjoyable.  Mr. Popper, a house painter who dreams of world travel, receives a Penguin from Antarctica.  After receiving another penguin from the Boston zoo the Popper family is soon living with 12 penguins and travel the country with Popper's Performing Penguins.  This was a funny story and a great read aloud. Recommended Readers: Grade 3 and Up Themes: Families, Relatio...

Series:  The Midnighters Trilogy Author: Scott Westerfeld Perma-Bound Catalogue Series #: 792968 Titles:  Book 1 - The Secret Hour Description:   Upon moving to Bixby, Oklahoma, fifteen-year-old Jessica Day learns that she is one of a group of people who have special abilities that help them fight ancient creatures living in an hour hidden at midnight; creatures that seem determined to destroy Jess. Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 263910 Book 2 - Touching Darkness Description:  As they continue to battle evil creatures living in an hour hidden at midnight, Jessica and her new friends learn about Bixby, Oklahoma's shadowy past and uncover a deadly conspiracy that reaches beyond the secret hour. Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 1796 Book 3 - Blue Noon Description:   The five midnighters from Bixby discover that the secret hour is starting to invade the daylight world, and if they cannot stop it, the darklings will soon be free to hu...

Title: Shelter Series: Mickey Bolitar Author: Harlan Coben Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 52714 Description:  Mickey Bolitar is forced to live with his estranged Uncle Myron and switch high schools, and when his new girlfriend, Ashley, vanishes, he follows her trail into a seedy underworld that reveals she is not what she seems to be. Rubric Rating: Level 3 - Laud It. Why I Read It: The cover looked really interesting and I quite like mystery novels. Lori's Notes: Mickey Bolitar has moved around all his life.  However, after his father is killed in a car accident and his mother is sent to rehab, he comes to live with his uncle Myron.  Meeting Ashley at a new student orientation he is surprised when she stops showing up for school.  With the help of his "outcast" friends, Ema and Spoon, and the "popular" Rachel, they set out to discover what has happened to Ashley.  They also learn about the Abeona Shelter.  This was a fantastic story with good twi...

Title: The Wager Author: Donna Jo Napoli Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 44190 Description: Having lost everything in a tidal wave in 1169 Sicily, nineteen-year-old Don Giovanni makes a simple-sounding wager with a stranger he recognizes as the devil but, while desperate enough to surrender his pride and good looks for three years, he is not willing to give up his soul. Rubric Rating: Level 2 - Like It Why I Read It: The cover and write up made the story sound interesting.  I have also read other titles by Donna Jo Napoli. Lori's Notes: Don Giovanni is a rich youth in Italy until Mt. Etna erupts and a tsunami swamps the town of Messina where he lives.  Calling on his friends and guardian, Giovanni learns he has spent through all of his inheritance.  Living like a beggar he runs into a man who makes a wager with him.  Giovanni will be given a magic purse if he does not wash or change his clothes for 3 years, 3 months and 3 days.  Giovanni learns the valu...

Title: Matched Series: Matched Trilogy Book 1 Author: Ally Condie Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 47538 Description: Cassia has always had complete trust in the Society to make decisions for her, but when she is being paired with her ideal mate, a second face flashes on the screen, and Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility. Rubric Rating: Level 2 - Like It Why I Read It: I read this title while reading a bunch of other dystopian selections.  I also really liked the cover. Lori's Notes:  Cassia Reyes has turned 17 and is "matched" with her good friend Xander.  Not often do people in the same community get matched and she feels lucky that she has her best friend for a mate.  However, while looking at Xander's microcard Cassia sees another face - her friend Ky Markham.  Ky is an aberration from the outer provinces who is ineligible for matching.  Could society have made a mistake? Could Ky be her true match?  A dystopian tale, wher...

Title: Breaking Dawn Series: Twilight Saga Book 4 Author: Stephanie Meyer Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 27392 Description: Although eighteen-year-old Bella joins the dark but seductive world of the immortals by marrying Edward the vampire, her connection to the powerful werewolf Jacob remains. Rubric Rating: Level 1 - Leave It Why I Read It: I admit, I haven't read the other books in the series.  I started with the last book because I had seen the movies and wanted to find out what happened at the end of the novels.  (I was not a fan of the movies either but thought I should at least give one of the books a try). Lori's Notes: Bella and Edward get married and Bella gets pregnant.  Their daughter, Renesmee, is a mix between human and vampire. Jacob imprints on her giving her the protection of the entire pack.  When the Voltari come for Renesmee the vampires "witness" that she is not a forbidden (a vampire child) but a hybrid who will age and not be a danger...

Title: Ghost in the Wires Author: Kevin Mitnick Format: Ebook Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 4951822 (Publisher's Hardcover) Description: The adventures of the world's most wanted hacker Rubric Rating: Level 3 - Laud it. Why I Read It: Recommended by my husband and downloaded to my phone to read while on vacation. Lori's Notes: This was not the first book I was planning on reading while on our vacation.  As my husband likes to call me, I'm a bit of a "momo" when it comes to technology.  However, seeing as I'm doing more and more online it certainly captivated my interest in terms of personal security  This book was a completely fascinating autobiography of Kevin Mitnick.  One of the best known phone phreakers and hackers.  The novel begins with his first forays into phone phreaking to his eventual capture by the FBI.  What I found most interesting was his ability to "social engineer" people.  By using the right language and terminology...