Please enable JavaScript
All Books | Page 22 | LitPick Book Reviews
All Books
The Emerald Atlas (Books of Beginning)
Synopsis: "A strong . . . new trilogy, invoking just a little Harry Potter and Series of Unfortunate Events along the way."—Realms of Fantasy

Siblings Kate, Michael, and Emma have been in one orphanage after another for the last ten years, passed along like lost baggage.
 
Yet these unwanted children are more remarkable than they could possibly imagine. Ripped from their parents as babies, they are being protected from a horrible evil of devastating power, an evil they know nothing about.
 
Until now.
 
Before long, Kate, Michael, and Emma are on a journey through time to dangerous and secret corners of the world . . . a journey of allies and enemies, of magic and mayhem. And—if an ancient prophesy is true—what they do can change history, and it's up to them to set things right.


"A new Narnia for the tween set."—The New York Times

"[A] fast-paced, fully imagined fantasy."—Publishers Weekly

"Echoes of other popular fantasy series, from "Harry Potter" to the "Narnia" books, are easily found, but debut author Stephens has created a new and appealing read . . ."—School Library Journal, Starred Review
Publication Date: 04/24/12
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Series
Ghostly Justice
Bev Irwin
Synopsis: Fifteen-year-old Daria Brennan doesn’t want to hear people’s thoughts. She doesn’t want to see ghosts—or talk to dead people. And she definitely doesn’t want to help solve a forty-year old murder. But Amanda wants revenge, and Daria is the first human contact she’s had since the day she died. Now the killer is after Daria and her friends. Can they solve Amanda’s murder before becoming his next victims?
Publication Date: 04/16/12
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Series
Zigzag Kids: Bears Beware
Patricia Reilly Giff
Synopsis: Mitchell really doesn't want to go camping with the other kids at the Zigzag Afternoon Center. Sleeping in the woods with creepy crawly things, coyotes, and bears? Yikes! But his best friend Habib is going, and it's Mitchell's birthday that weekend. He's just got to find a way to be brave, and scare the bears away!
As the fifth book in the Zigzag Kids series—which also includes Number One Kid, Big Whopper, Flying Feet, and Star Time—Bears Beware continues to delight readers with award-winning author Patricia Reilly Giff's quirky, lovable group of kids, capturing all the excitement and surprises of new friends and after-school fun.
Publication Date: 04/10/12
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Series
Alice-Miranda on Vacation
Jacqueline Harvey
Synopsis: Girls who are fans of Judy Moody, Matilda and Clementine will love Alice-Miranda, the  precocious and endearing heroine whose adventures continue in book #2 of the Alice-Miranda series. 

Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones has survived her first semester at boarding school. Now she's headed home for break—and she's invited Jacinta Headlington-Bear, the school's second-best tantrum thrower, to join her. The two girls are looking forward to a fun mini-vacation. Nothing too eventful! But a cranky boy is causing mischief, a movie star has come to visit, and a stranger is snooping around. Add a naughty pony, a hint of romance, and a dastardly scheme, and Jacinta and Alice-Miranda might have a more exciting time than they ever expected. . . .
Publication Date: 04/10/12
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Series
Gladius and the Sea of Lost Souls
Synopsis: No longer plagued by the wild beasts and tyrants faced during his Bartlett Trial, 15-year-old Gladius looks forward to returning with his new friend, Ellie, to her family home. Good food, great stories and a much needed rest await them – at least that is what they believe until they discover their homes burned to the ground and their families missing. Something, or someone, is not only collecting bodies all over the countryside, but also snatching their souls. A mysterious clue on an old map spurs the two of them, plus Ellie’s childhood friend, Henry, a deaf mute, to travel cross country to the Sea of Lost Souls. Relationships deepen and obstacles abound as they pass over the snowy Porcupine Pass, through the walled City of Thieves and across the hot sands of the Drylands during the hunt for their loved ones.
Publication Date: 04/05/12
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Series
The Shining City: (Book Three of the Warriors of Estavia)
Synopsis: Anavatan rests on the shore of shining Gol-Beyaz, the Silver Lake. The city and its outlying villages are surrounded by the God-Wall, a magical barrier that protects from both the nomadic human invaders that attack each year, and the hungry spirits which are drawn to the living energies of the Silver Lake. It is here in the heart of Gol-Beyaz that, long ago, the Gods were born.
 
With the young God Hisar ready to stake his claim to a place in the pantheon of Anavatan, a long-prophesied time of chaos and change is fast approaching. Sworn enemies, Spar and Graize both had a part in Hisar’s creation and his growth. If they can overcome their hatred and distrust, perhaps they can help the young God to survive.
 
Brax, the sworn champion of the Goddess Estavia, may be forced to do the unthinkable, and divide his allegiance to the Gods, a course of action that could destroy the warrior and shift the balance of power—and lead to the downfall of the Shining City....
Publication Date: 04/03/12
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Series
Spaceheadz with Super Hampster Grip(SPHDZ 3)
Shane Prigmore, Jon Scieszka
Synopsis: The SPHDZ are about to reach their recruitment quota—and that’s when the real story STARTS!

Michael K. and the gang only have 100 SPHDZ left to sign up. But something is about to go horribly wrong that will change EVERYTHING forever. 

What if the 3.14 million and one brainwaves aren’t for saving the world at all? What if Agent Umber finally catches up with the SPHDZ? What if the AAA Chief has a new plan? What if Fluffy can speak...baby? New twists and new turns await readers. And in the end, Michael K. may not know whom he can trust anymore.... The third book in the out-of-this-world series is full of twists and turns—and a bigger mystery is about to be revealed! 
Publication Date: 04/03/12
Age Level: 5 - 8
Genre: Series
Steal That Base!
Eric Wight, Kurtis Scaletta
Synopsis:

Chad’s got the summertime blues: his parents want him to be home by midnight (no extra innings) and eat healthier (no corn dogs). His friend, Abby, has bobblehead issues. And then there’s pinch hitter Sammy Solaris. But Sammy has problems of his own. He has a big swing but is too slow. If he can’t speed up his running and stealing, he’ll be off the team. There’s got to be something Chad can do to save the day . . . with a little help from Dylan, a baseball card, and that porcupine!

Publication Date: 04/01/12
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Series
Dragon Boogie
Erik Craddock, Erik Craddock
Synopsis: With a roll of some enchanted dice, Stone Rabbit and his friends are unwittingly transported to a medieval realm filled with nerdy knights, wacky wizards, and deranged dragons! Will our long-eared hero be able to complete his noble quest and escape the fiery lair of the beast? Or will he end up eternally lost in the dungeons of despair?

Dragon Boogie is the seventh book in a full-color series of riotous, rip-roaring graphic novels that chronicles the zany of adventures of a quick-tempered and quick-witted young rabbit. Its fast pace and outrageously high visual content will appeal to thrill-seeking young readers everywhere!
Publication Date: 03/27/12
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Series
Night Star
Alyson Noël
Synopsis:

After fighting for centuries to be together, Immortals Ever and Damen's future hinges on one final showdown that will leave readers gasping for breath. Don't miss Night Star-- the explosive new installment of Alyson Noel's #1 bestselling Immortals series that's enchanted millions across the world!

Haven still blames Ever for the death of her boyfriend Roman, no matter how hard Ever's tried to convince her it was an accident. Now she's determined to take Ever down…and destroy Damen and Jude along the way. Her first step is to tear Ever and Damen apart―and she has just the ammunition to do it.
Hidden in one of Ever's past lives is a terrible secret about Damen―a secret that illuminates new facts about her relationship with Jude, but that's so dark and brutal it might be enough to drive her and Damen apart once and for all. As Ever faces her greatest fears about the guy she wants to spend eternity with, she's thrust into a deadly clash with Haven that could destroy them all.
Now it'll take everything she's got―and bring out powers she never knew she had―to face down her most formidable enemy. But in order to win, she must first ask herself: is her own survival worth dooming Haven to an eternity of darkness in the Shadowland? And will learning the truth about Damen's past hold the key to their future?

Publication Date: 03/27/12
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Series
The Vampire Diaries -The Return: Midnight v3
Synopsis:

New York Times bestselling series

The Return: Midnight is the seventh book in L.J. Smith’s New York Times bestselling Vampire Diaries series.

Elena Gilbert is back from the Dark Dimension, having successfully freed her vampire boyfriend Stefan Salvatore from imprisonment. Saving Stefan had an unlikely consequence: his vampire brother Damon Salvatore has become mortal. While the trio reels from this latest twist, they must still deal with the demons that have taken over Elena’s hometown, Fell’s Church. But the battle will take Elena, Stefan, and Damon to their darkest moments yet…
 
The Return: Midnight is perfect for fans of the hit CW TV show The Vampire Diaries, as well as fans of the original New York Times bestselling series who can’t wait to see what happens next with Elena, Stefan, and Damon.

Publication Date: 03/13/12
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Series
The Vampire Diaries -The Hunters: Moonsong v2
Synopsis:

Evil never dies. . . .

After escaping the horrors of the Dark Dimension, Elena and her friends can’t wait to attend Dalcrest College, the beautiful ivy-covered campus where Elena’s parents met. Life with Stefan is better than ever, and with her closest friends Bonnie, Meredith, and Matt by her side, Elena knows it will be their best year yet. Even Damon seems genuinely changed and is getting along with everyone.

But for Elena, moving away from Fell’s Church doesn’t mean she has left her dark past behind. When students start to disappear from campus, every new acquaintance is suddenly a potential enemy. Panic soon spreads and the friends struggle to protect each other.

Then Elena uncovers a long-hidden secret, one that shocks her to the core, and realizes tragedy may be unavoidable. Will Elena outrun her fate? And will it be Stefan or Damon who catches her if she falls?

Publication Date: 03/13/12
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Series
Infamous
Sherrilyn Kenyon
Synopsis:

The world has fallen in love with Nick Gautier and the Dark-Hunters.

Now Nick's saga continues in the next eagerly anticipated volume...

Go to school. Get good grades. Stay out of trouble. That's the mandate for most kids. But Nick Gautier isn't the average teenager. He's a boy with a destiny not even he fully understands. And his first mandate is to stay alive while everyone, even his own father, tries to kill him.

He's learned to annihilate zombies and raise the dead, divination and clairvoyance, so why is learning to drive and keep a girlfriend so dang hard? But that isn't the primary skill he has to master. Survival is.

And in order to survive, his next lesson makes all the others pale in comparison. He is on the brink of becoming either the greatest hero mankind has ever known.

Or he'll be the one who ends the world. With enemies new and old gathering forces, he will have to call on every part of himself to fight or he'll lose everyone he cares about.

Even himself.

Publication Date: 03/13/12
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Series
Betrayer
C. J. Cherryh
Synopsis:

The twelfth novel in Cherryh’s Foreigner space opera series, a groundbreaking tale of first contact and its consequences…

In the wake of civil war, Bren Cameron, the brilliant human diplomat of the alien atevi civilization, has left the capital and sought refuge at his country estate, Najida. But now he is trapped inside Najida—which has been surrounded by enemies—with Ilisidi, the powerful grandmother of his ally, Tabini-aiji, atevi leader of the Western Association. But Ilisidi, the wily and dangerous aiji-dowager, is not inclined to be passive, and in a brazen maneuver sends Bren into enemy territory, to the palace of Machigi, the leader of the rebels.

Bren's mission is to negotiate with Machigi—a young atevi lord who has never actually seen a human—and somehow persuade him to cease his hostile actions against the West. Bren knows that the autocratic Machigi rules a fractious clan, and that his hospitality is not guaranteed. Bren's genius for negotiation enable him to make a daring trade offer to Machigi—one that seems to interest the young warlord. But Machigi is suspicious of Ilisidi's motives, and, to Bren's utter shock, evokes an ancient law that jeopardizes Bren's life. Can Bren stay alive and not alienate Ilisidi or Tabini, while also representing the interests of their enemy?

The long-running Foreigner series can also be enjoyed by more casual genre readers in sub-trilogy installments. Betrayer is the 12th Foreigner novel, and the 3rd book in the fourth subtrilogy.

Publication Date: 03/06/12
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Series
Discount  Armageddon
Seanan McGuire
Synopsis: First book in New York Times-bestselling Seanan McGuire's witty urban fantasy InCryptid series about a family of cryptozoologists who act as a buffer between humans and the magical creatures living in secret around us.

"The only thing more fun than an October Daye book is an InCryptid book." —Charlaine Harris, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Sookie Stackhouse series

Cryptid, noun: Any creature whose existence has not yet been proven by science. See also "Monster."

Crytozoologist, noun: Any person who thinks hunting for cryptids is a good idea. See also "idiot."

Ghoulies. Ghosties. Long-legged beasties. Things that go bump in the night...

The Price family has spent generations studying the monsters of the world, working to protect them from humanity—and humanity from them.

Enter Verity Price. Despite being trained from birth as a cryptozoologist, she'd rather dance a tango than tangle with a demon, and is spending a year in Manhattan while she pursues her career in professional ballroom dance. Sounds pretty simple, right?

It would be, if it weren't for the talking mice, the telepathic mathematicians, the asbestos supermodels, and the trained monster-hunter sent by the Price family's old enemies, the Covenant of St. George. When a Price girl meets a Covenant boy, high stakes, high heels, and a lot of collateral damage are almost guaranteed.

To complicate matters further, local cryptids are disappearing, strange lizard-men are appearing in the sewers, and someone's spreading rumors about a dragon sleeping underneath the city...
Publication Date: 03/06/12
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Series
Ballpark Mysteries: The Astro Outlaw
Mark Meyers, David A. Kelly
Synopsis: Now batting clean-up—book #4 in a new early chapter book mystery series where each book is set in a different American ballpark!

Houston, we have a problem! Before a game at the Astros' ballpark, Mike and Kate get to meet astronaut commander Nick Rice at the nearby Houston Space Center. He's planning to display a very rare moonrock at an autographing event later. But just before the event, a nefarious outlaw knocks out the commander and steals the moonrock! Can Mike and Kate figure out who did it . . . when their only clue is a broken green feather?

The Astro Outlaw includes a fun act page about the Houston Astros' stadium with trivia about the train on the outfield wall and the homerun gas pump.

Cross Ron Roy's A to Z Mystery series with Matt Christopher's sports books and you get the Ballpark Mysteries: fun, puzzling whodunnits aimed at the younger brothers and sisters of John Feinstein's fans.
Publication Date: 02/28/12
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Series

Pages



RECENT BOOK REVIEWS