Husky by Justin Sayre

If you want to read about pre-teen angst, this is the book for you.  It's the summer before high school and Davis is really worried about what his "adjective" will be.  He is convinced that everyone will be reduced to one adjective and his will be "husky." He is struggling with his changing relationship with his friends and his family.  My favorite part of the book was his loud Irish grandma.  She reminded me so much of my Loud English Grandma who lived in a row house in Philadelphia much like Davis's brownstone in Brooklyn.  She is such a well written character that imparts some pretty wise words to help Davis realize the world doesn't always revolve around him.

The Murk by Robert Lettrick

I loved this book.  It was nonstop action.  When Piper goes into the swamp to find a rare (or possibly mythical) flower to cure her sister, her and her friends run into a vicious predator even more deadly than the alligators in the swamp.  Not only was this nonstop action...I learned a lot about plants in this book also.  Really enjoyable read.

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.

Fire and Flood by Victoria Scott

This was a very engaging book. Tella is chosen to be a contender in the Brimstone Bleed.  The Brimstone Bleed is a survival contest where the prize is a cure for your dying loved one.  I found it engaging because Tella knows nothing of this contest till she is chosen and neither does the reader.  You are well into the book before you know why and how they are all chosen.  I really liked the aspect of the story that each of them are given a "pandora." Pandoras are creatures given to the contenders to help them.  Tella's pandora is a fox with extraordinary powers.  This reminded me of Phillip Pullman's novel "The Golden Compass" where the main character is helped along by her daemon.  Be aware.....this is going to be a series and it leaves us hanging in many respects.

The Cipher by John Ford

This book is like a spider web. It has so many threads woven together to create this fast paced, surprising mystery. Robert Smylie Jr., aka Smiles, is surrounded by math geniuses. His dad runs a company that used data encryption to keep online data safe. His neighbor Ben has found a code that will ruin his father's company. Smiles thinks he can save his dad's company and keep Ben safe but Smiles can't imagine the new secrets that come out to change everything.