The Orpham of Awkward Falls by Keith Graves

This was a delightful book.  Well, it does have a murderer that eats his victims...but other than that it is delightful.  13 year old Josephine has just moved to this dinky little town of Awkward Falls and she is none too happy about it!  She just wants and friend, and she is hoping she discovers on in her neighbor Thaddeus.  Thaddeus' background is intriguing and there are all sorts of creepy things that have gone on in the house next door.  Pictures are interspersed throughout the book that add a nice visual to the story, but they are a little dark and some of the details get lost. 

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson

Power corrupts.  That essentially is the theme of this novel by the Lincoln native Brandon Sanderson.  This is the same author that gave us Alcatraz Vs. the Evil Librarians.  In David Charleston's world some humans have gained "super powers."  We never find out how they got the super powers, which kind of bothered me and I hope we find this out in future novels.  Just that one day a bunch of people could do some pretty amazing things.  Steelheart was one of these.  He is indestructable AND can turn any nonliving thing into steel.  He has taken over Chicago, now called Newcago and is it's supreme ruler.  10 years ago he killed David's father and David is the only survivor from this attack and he has seen Steelheart bleed.  David sets out to join a group of revolutionaries that are working against these "Epics." He wants revenge.  He knows Steelheart has a weakness and he is pretty sure he can figure it out and kill him if he just had help.  This is an action packed book and I really enjoyed it.  Lots of "techy" new gadgets that the group uses to try to stop the Epics.  I am looking forward to the next book and hopefully finding out why these "Epics" exist.