Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz

First Line: "When the doorbell rings at three in the morning, it's never good news."

About: It didn't make sense that Alex's uncle died in a car crash, Alex knew his uncle always wore his seat belt. When Alex decides to look into his uncle's death, he stumbles upon a network of spies, ruthless killers, and a threat to the entire country.

My Thoughts: This book is for the fans of James Bond and Jason Bourne. Secret missions, spy gadget and suspense galore--"Stormbreaker" was a fast-paced read that grabs you and doesn't let go. This is a series and my only hope is that Alex's character gets a little more fleshed out in the rest of the books.
Highlights: Breakneck, easy, suspenseful

Readalikes: Anthony Horowitz also wrote The Gatekeepers series, start with "Raven's Gate" and also try books by James Patterson, Rick Riordan, and Eoin Colfer. There is also a series about a young James Bond by Charlie Higson you may enjoy, start with "SilverFin."

"Stormbreaker" is the Oshkosh Public Library's Teen Book Club selection for the month of August.

Own the Night

2012's Teen Summer Reading theme is Own the Night.  Here are some of my favorite picks that will help you Own the Night:

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
Seventeen-year-old Jessica, adopted and raised in Pennsylvania, learns that she is descended from a royal line of Romanian vampires and that she is betrothed to a vampire prince, who poses as a foreign exchange student while courting her.

The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks 
Fifteen-year-old vampire Nina has been stuck for fifty-one years in a boring support group for vampires, and nothing exciting has ever happened to them--until one of them is murdered and the others must try to solve the crime.

Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
In a post-apocalyptic world where fences and border patrols guard the few people left from the zombies that have overtaken civilization, fifteen-year-old Benny Imura is finally convinced that he must follow in his older brother's footsteps and become a bounty hunter.

Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride 
Sam LaCroix, a Seattle fast-food worker and college dropout, discovers that he is a necromancer, part of a world of harbingers, werewolves, satyrs, and one particular necromancer who sees Sam as a threat to his lucrative business of raising the dead.

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce 
When the owner of a candy shop molds magical treats that instill confidence, bravery, and passion, eighteen-year-old Gretchen's haunted childhood memories of her twin sister's abduction by a witch-like monster begin to fade until girls start vanishing at the annual chocolate festival.

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey
In 1888, twelve-year-old Will Henry chronicles his apprenticeship with Dr. Warthrop, a scientist who hunts and studies real-life monsters, as they discover and attempt to destroy a pod of Anthropophagi.

Dead Beautiful by Yvonne Woon
After her parents die under mysterious circumstances, sixteen-year-old Renee Winters is sent from California to an old-fashioned boarding school in Maine, where she meets a fellow student to whom she seems strangely connected. 

Zombies Vs. Unicorns
Twelve short stories by a variety of authors seek to answer the question of whether zombies are better than unicorns.

For more information on the Oshkosh Public Library's Teen Summer Reading Program, click here!

Divergent by Veronica Roth

First Line: "There is one mirror in my house."

About: Beatrice is living in a future Chicago that is not only cut off from the rest of the world (is there even a "rest of the world?") but also divides its people into different factions. Now at 16 years old, Beatrice must choose which faction she wants to belong to and the decision will effect her for the rest of her life--she doesn't realize that it may also cost her much more.

My Thoughts: I've been meaning to read this book since it was released, give me a good dystopia any day! I was immediately drawn into Tris's strange world and society and Tris herself is a very likable character--she is struggling between who she is and who she could become. Great secondary characters, as well, including Tris's friends Will and Christina, Tris's teacher Four and Tris's enemies Peter, Drew and Molly. Can't wait to read book two!
Highlights: Compelling, thought-provoking, fast paced

Readalikes: If you haven't yet read "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins, try that. You will also like: "Matched" by Ally Condie, "Enclave" by Ann Aguirre, "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner, "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld, "Graceling" by Kristin Cashore, and "Across the Universe" by Beth Revis.

"Divergent" is the Oshkosh Public Library's Teen Book Club selection for the month of July.

I, Robot?

Girl Parts by John Cusick
What happens when a robot designed to be a boy's ideal "companion" develops a will of her own?

Clockwork Girl by Sean O'Reilly
When a young mechanical girl finds companionship with a mutant circus boy, the two must overcome the obstacle of their warring families.

A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan
Sixteen-year-old Rosalinda Fitzroy, heir to the multiplanetary corporation UniCorp, is awakened after sixty years in stasis to find that everyone she knew has died and as she tries to make a new life for herself, learns she is the target of a robot assassin.

Robot Experiments by Edwin J. C. Sobey
Ideas for several science projects dealing with robots.

Steampunk! An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories
A collection of fourteen fantasy stories by well-known authors, set in the age of steam engines and featuring automatons, clockworks, calculating machines, and other marvels that never existed.

Partials by Dan Wells
In a post-apocalyptic eastern seaboard ravaged by disease and war with a man made race of people called Partials, the chance at a future rests in the hands of Kira Walker, a sixteen-year-old medic in training.

Want to see a robot in action? Come to the Oshkosh Public Library's Teen Summer Reading Program all about the Wave Robotics group of Oshkosh.

Mummies and pharaohs and gods, Oh My!

Imagine life among the pyramids...

Wrapped by Jennifer Bradbury
Seventeen-year-old Agnes Wilkins is about to make her debut into 1815 London society at a lavish party, where she meets Lord Showalter, a wealthy and eligible man who collects Egyptian antiquities and who is hiding a dangerous secret.

Sphinx's Princess by Esther M. Friesner
Although she is a dutiful daughter, Nefertiti's dancing abilities, remarkable beauty, and intelligence garner attention near and far, so much so that her family is summoned to the Egyptian royal court, where Nefertiti becomes a pawn in the power play of her scheming aunt, Queen Tiye.

Lights on the Nile by Donna Jo Napoli
Kepi, a young girl in ancient Egypt, embarks on a journey to save her family when she is unexpectedly taken captive, along with the baby baboon she has rescued from a crocodile.

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
After their father's "research experiment at the British Museum unleashes the Egyptian god Set, Carter and Sadie Kane embark on a dangerous journey across the globe--a quest which brings them ever closer to the truth about their family, and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs.

Interested in the Ancient Egyptians and learning more about Egypt? Come to the Oshkosh Public Library's "Life in Ancient Egypt" program for the Teen Summer Reading Program.

Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson

First Line: "I spent the last Friday of summer vacation spreading hot, sticky tar across the roof of George Washington High."

About: Junior year Tyler Miller decided to play a prank at the end of the school year, a prank that wound up getting him community service and a probation officer. After spending his entire summer doing manual labor, Tyler is no longer the geeky computer nerd that would get picked on and bullied at school. Now Tyler is seen as a mysterious bad boy and his senior year is about to get very twisted.

My Thoughts: I am a fan of Laurie Halse Anderson's writing and, like her other books, I found myself completely immersed in Tyler's life. I really enjoyed how Tyler felt like a real teenager, the confusion, the angst, the highs and the lows. The chapters are short which makes the book a very fast read. As Tyler's life spins out of control, I found myself rooting for him and racing through the pages.
Highlights: Easy, candid, lifelike

Readalikes: Try "Hate List" by Jennifer Brown, "Thirteen Reasons Why" by Jay Asher, "Monster" by Walter Dean Myers and "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian" by Sherman Alexie. You may also like Sara Zarr and John Green books.

"Twisted" is the Oshkosh Public Library's Teen Book Club selection for the month of June.

Summer Reading Suggestions

Here are some books that I recommend to keep you busy and entertained this summer!

Graphic Novels:

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Prepare for the movie, set to be released this December!

Siege by Brian Michael Bendis
When you need more Avengers--immediately!

Bone: Out from Boneville by Jeff Smith

The Plain Janes by Cecil Castelucci

Nonfiction:

DC Adventures: Heroes and Villains 
Think you know your DC heroes and villains?

Do Not Open by John Farndon
Be sure to check out the section on Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy.

Scandalous! 50 Shocking Events You Should Know About (So You Can Impress Your Friends) by Hallie Fryd

Fiction:

The Pledge by Kimberly Derting

Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick

Steampunk! An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories
Wanting to try out some Steampunk? Try this great collection of short stories to be introduced to the genre.

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

Hidden by Helen Frost
What happens when two teens come face to face after having a momentous and traumatic experience happen to them when they were children?

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

Enclave by Ann Aguirre 

Rash by Pete Hautman
Bo should never have lost his temper--now he has to worry about surviving a scary warden, learning to play football and keep from getting eaten by polar bears.

Book Videos to Check Out:

Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck
All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin
Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
Shine by Lauren Myracle
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Dark Parties by Sara Grant