Please enable JavaScript
All Books | Page 242 | LitPick Book Reviews
All Books
Heretics
S. Andrew Swann
Synopsis: Brand new in the action-packed Apotheosis epic

Adam, an AI creation of an alien race, prepares to launch a conquest that has been centuries in the making, and if he succeeds he will rule over all humankind-over all sentient life-forms-as a God.
Publication Date: 02/02/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Jack: Secret Circles
F. Paul Wilson
Synopsis:

When his five-year-old neighbor goes missing, Jack can’t help feeling responsible. He should have taken Cody home when he found him riding his bicycle near the Pine Barrens. And then a lost man wanders out of the woods after being chased all night by...something. Jack knows, better than anyone, that the Barrens are dangerous—a true wilderness filled with people, creatures, and objects lost from sight and memory. Like the ancient, fifteen-foot-tall stone pyramid he, Weezy, and Eddie discover. Jack thinks it might have been a cage of some sort, but for what kind of animal, he can’t say. Eddie jokes that it could have been used for the Jersey Devil. Jack doesn't believe in that old folk tale, but something is roaming the Pines. Could it have Cody? And what about the strange circus that set up outside town? Could they be involved? So many possibilities, so little time...

Publication Date: 02/02/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
City of Night
Michelle West
Synopsis: Enter a "vivid and detailed universe"* and "a richly woven world."* -*Quill & Quire

Demonic activity has escalated in both the Undercity and the mortal surface level city as the worshipers and servants of the Lord of the Hells strive to complete the rituals that will return their god to the mortal realm. As Rath joins with mages and the Twin Kings' agents to wage a secret battle against this nearly unstoppable foe, he gives Jewel Markess and her den of orphans the opportunity to escape the chaos by providing them with a note of introduction to the head of House Terafin, where Jewel will discover her destiny.
Publication Date: 02/02/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
No Sleep Till Wonderland
Paul Tremblay
Synopsis:

Mark Genevich, narcoleptic detective, is caught between friends and a police investigation in this wickedly riveting PI novel with a twist―a follow-up to The Little Sleep

Mark Genevich is stuck in a rut: his narcolepsy isn't improving, his private-detective business is barely scraping by, and his landlord mother is forcing him to attend group therapy sessions. Desperate for companionship, Mark goes on a two-day bender with a new acquaintance, Gus, who is slick and charismatic―and someone Mark knows very little about. When Gus asks Mark to protect a friend who is being stalked, Mark inexplicably finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation and soon becomes the target of the police, a sue-happy lawyer, and a violent local bouncer. Will Mark learn to trust himself in time to solve the crime―and in time to escape with his life?

Written with the same "witty voice that doesn't let go"* that has won Paul Tremblay so many fans, No Sleep Till Wonderland features a memorable detective whose only hope for reconciling with his difficult past is to keep moving―asleep or awake―toward an uncertain future.

*Library Journal, starred review for The Little Sleep

Publication Date: 02/02/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Mystery
The Girl Who Could Fly
Victoria Forester
Synopsis:

You just can't keep a good girl down . . . unless you use the proper methods.

Piper McCloud can fly. Just like that. Easy as pie.

Sure, she hasn't mastered reverse propulsion and her turns are kind of sloppy, but she's real good at loop-the-loops.

Problem is, the good folk of Lowland County are afraid of Piper. And her ma's at her wit's end. So it seems only fitting that she leave her parents' farm to attend a top-secret, maximum-security school for kids with exceptional abilities.

School is great at first with a bunch of new friends whose skills range from super-strength to super-genius. (Plus all the homemade apple pie she can eat!) But Piper is special, even among the special. And there are consequences.

Consequences too dire to talk about. Too crazy to consider. And too dangerous to ignore.

At turns exhilarating and terrifying, Victoria Forester's debut novel has been praised by Stephenie Meyer, author of the Twilight saga, as "the oddest/sweetest mix of Little House on the Prairie and X-Men...Prepare to have your heart warmed." The Girl Who Could Fly is an unforgettable story of defiance and courage about an irrepressible heroine who can, who will, who must . . . fly.

This title has Common Core connections.

Praise for Victoria Forester and The Girl Who Could Fly:

"It's the oddest/sweetest mix of Little House on the Prairie and X-Men. I was smiling the whole time (except for the part where I cried). I gave it to my mom, and I'm reading it to my kids―it's absolutely multigenerational. Prepare to have your heart warmed." Stephenie Meyer, author of the Twilight saga

"In this terrific debut novel, readers meet Piper McCloud, the late-in-life daughter of farmers...The story soars, just like Piper, with enough loop-de-loops to keep kids uncertain about what will come next....Best of all are the book's strong, lightly wrapped messages about friendship and authenticity and the difference between doing well and doing good."--Booklist, Starred Review
"Forester's disparate settings (down-home farm and futuristic ice-bunker institute) are unified by the rock-solid point of view and unpretentious diction… any child who has felt different will take strength from Piper's fight to be herself against the tide of family, church, and society."--The Horn Book Review

The Girl Who Could Fly is a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

Publication Date: 02/02/10
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Adventure
Conspiracy 365: February
Gabrielle Lord
Synopsis: On New Year's Eve Cal is chased down the street by a staggering, sick man with a deadly warning: They killed your father, they'll kill you--you must survive the next 365 days; hurled into a life on the run, the 15-year-old fugitive must somehow uncover the truth about his father's mysterious death and a history changing secret. A new series of 12 books, one publishing each month for 12 months.
Publication Date: 02/01/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
The Adventures of Jack Lime
Synopsis: Things might get rough, they might even get a little messy, but I was okay with rough and messy as long as I could shut the lid on this dirty case. Meet Jack Lime, private investigator, who solves problems for his fellow Iona High students. Sometimes he falls for the dames who hire him, sometimes he falls in the river and sometimes he falls asleep (he's narcoleptic). But rest assured that whether he's tracking down a missing banana-seat bike or a kidnapped hamster, or cracking open a trivia tournament betting ring, Lime will follow every lead. Readers will identify with this funny, cynical sleuth who has the makings of a top-notch PI, though his personal life frequently goes awry. In these three stand-alone detective stories, readers will immerse themselves in an offbeat fictional world populated with eccentric characters where everything is not as it seems.
Publication Date: 02/01/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Mystery
The Gettysburg Approach to Writing and Speaking
Synopsis: Effective writing and speaking are critical for all students and professionals in this challenging and competitive world. Professional level writing and speaking depend on only a handful of easy-to-understand principles.The Gettysburg Approach goes straight to the foundations, defines these principals and explains how to apply them.Through a variety of examples and simple exercises, this exceptional guide will help anyone sharpen their skills and rapidly learn to write and speak clearly, concisely, and persuasively.
Publication Date: 02/01/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Educational
Cowgirl At Heart
Christine Lynxwiler
Synopsis:

Welcome to the Ozarks, the setting of award-winning author Christine Lynxwiler’s latest breath-taking romance, where the lives of a timid dog whisperer and an out-for-revenge reporter collide. Elyse McCord, the biological daughter of a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde, turns into a mighty warrior when a dog’s well-being is at stake. Finding herself in the sights of a pistol-wielding maniac whose been mistreating his dog, she’s suddenly swept to safety by Andrew Stone, a widower bent on hunting down his wife’s killers. Is there any future for an outlaw’s daughter and a Texas ranger’s son?

Publication Date: 02/01/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Romance
Monster Fliers
John Bindon, Elizabeth MacLeod
Synopsis: While the dinosaurs walked the earth, pterosaurs (flying reptiles), ancient birds and other monster fliers ruled the skies. John Bindon's illustrations, created with the help of the latest fossil research, bring nineteen of these long-vanished creatures to life with startling brilliance. Some of these monster fliers were as small as a crow, others as big as a small plane. Monster Fliers brings together the latest research in clear, engaging text and dramatic illustrations, making it a great addition to a young child's dinosaur collection. The book includes a timeline to show when these creatures lived as well as a chart indicating their relative sizes.
Publication Date: 02/01/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Nonfiction
The Mark
Jen Nadol
Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Cassandra Renfield has always seen the mark-a light glow reminiscent of candlelight. The only time she pointed it out taught her she shouldn't do it again. For years, the mark has followed Cassie, its rare appearances odd, but insignificant. Until the day she watches a man die. As she revisits each occurrence of the mark, Cassie realizes she can see a person's imminent death. Not how or where, only when: today.

Now armed with a slight understanding of the mark, Cassie begins to search for it. Even as she hides her secret, Cassie mines her philosophy class, her memories, and even her new boyfriend for answers about the faint glowing mark. But many questions remain. How does it work? Why her? And finally, the most important of all: If you know today is someone's last, should you tell them?

Publication Date: 02/01/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Mystery
Dirty Little Secrets
C. J. Omololu
Synopsis:

Everyone has a secret. But Lucy's is bigger and dirtier than most. It's one she's been hiding for years-that her mom's out-of-control hoarding has turned their lives into a world of garbage and shame. Tackling an increasingly discussed topic that is both fascinating and disturbing, C. J. Omololu weaves an hour-by-hour account of Lucy's desperate attempt to save her family. Readers join Lucy on a path from which there is no return, and the impact of hoarding on one teen's life will have them completely hooked.

Praise for Dirty Little Secrets:

"Shocking, tragic, desperate, and believable. . . . a valuable new addition to heartbreaking but honest books about teens." -School Library Journal

"An emotionally charged novel. . .readers will be rapt." -Kirkus Reviews

"A disturbing appraisal of how a mother's obsessive hoarding affects her teenage daughter in this frank novel." -Publishers Weekly

Publication Date: 02/01/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Mystery
In A Heartbeat
Loretta Ellsworth
Synopsis:

For fans of Gabrielle Zevin and Lurlene McDaniel, In a Heartbeat explores the ties of family and the weight of regret when a mistake costs Eagan her life during a figure-skating competition. Left in the afterlife, reflecting on what she could have done differently, Eagan's still-beating heart is given to Amelia who has been waiting patiently for a transplant. When their thought, feelings, and dreams begin to mysteriously overlap, Amelia knows she must search for Eagan's family and find a way to give them all the closure they need move on.

Praise for In a Heartbeat:

"[A] dramatic story of loss and second chances. . . a highly satisfying read." -Booklist

"Readers will likely come away teary-eyed and inspired." -Publishers Weekly

Publication Date: 02/01/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Tomorrow's Guardian
Richard Denning
Synopsis:
Publication Date: 01/31/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
NEBADOR Book One: The Test
Synopsis: NEBADOR - the incredible journey of five young adults from poverty and oppression to respected citizenship in the wide universe ... This epic young-adult science fiction adventure begins as a strange young man arrives in a medieval kingdom. Openly seeking a crew for a mysterious ship no one has seen, it is soon clear he is looking for something other than salty old sailors. BOOK ONE: THE TEST is the first book in the NEBADOR series. These stories are filled with wit-sharpening and skill-honing challenges - mental, emotional, and spiritual - for both the characters and the reader. It is truly a grand adventure in which the characters come to understand a beloved saying of the Nebador Transport Service: "Personal power is the ability to stand on your own two feet, with a smile on your face, in the middle of a universe that contains a million ways to crush you." This is the HARDCOVER GLOBAL/LIBRARY edition in 10-point type, revision 2.
Publication Date: 01/27/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Science Fiction
The Princess and the Goblin
Jeanne DuPrau, Arthur Hughes, George MacDonald
Synopsis: One of the most successful and beloved of Victorian fairy tales, George Macdonald’s The Princess and the Goblin tells the story of young Princess Irene and her friend Curdie, who must outwit the threatening goblins who live in caves beneath her mountain home. Macdonald’s pioneering use of fanstasy as a literary medium had a great influence on Lewis Carroll, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Madeleine L’Engle, all great admirers of his work, which has remained popular to this day. "I write, not for children," he wrote, "but for the child-like, whether they be of five, or fifty, or seventy-five."This edition includes illustrations by Arthur Hughes.
Publication Date: 01/26/10
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction

Pages



RECENT BOOK REVIEWS