There Will Be Bears by Ryan Gebhart

This was a well written, absorbing and funny book!  Tyson has been waiting for years to go hunting with his Grandpa Gene. But now his Grandpa has been put in a nursing home and he is unsure if he will ever get to go.  Tyson knows he just HAS to go hunting.  He is pretty sure this is the key to winning over the new girl at school as well as getting his friendship back with his oldest friend.  If he does get to go, he realizes he may have to face a rogue bear that has been terrorizing the area.  Lots of angst and humor in one small package.

The Eighth Day by Dianne Salerni

If you like books that involve the legend of the Knights of the Round Table and Merlin, you will like this book.  I loved it! Jax is newly orphaned when his dad dies and he goes to live with a guardian that it seems like his dad just randomly chose for him.  But Riley is Jax's guardian because he knows about the 8th day.  Only certain people live on the 8th day. It is an extra day that is between Wednesday and Thursday.  Some "evil-doers" are trying to change the 8th day and it is putting everyone at risk.  I like books where the main character is in the dark as much as we are and we all learn together what is going happening.  This book had lots of action that really picked up even more at the end.

The Young Elites by Marie Lu

Well, Marie Lu has done it again.  I enjoyed her trilogy: Legend, Champion and Prodigy and now we have The Young Elites.  This novel is high fantasy, which means it takes place in a completely made up world.  The Blood Fever was a sickness that swept through the different lands and left some with "markings" and strange powers.  These people are called "malfettos." They are feared and often killed by the rulers.  The Young Elites are a group of malfettos with powers that have found each other and have banded together to seize power.  I found the main character, Adelina, very engaging.  She has just found out about her power and can not control it and when she uses it, it doesn't seem like she WANTS to control it.  She tries to "be good," but is drawn the darkness and power she senses when she uses her powers.  There is a sequel to this book called The Rose Society.  I have ordered a hardback copy for the library, but I have also ordered it as an ebook on our Overdrive account.