Check These Out

 Avengers: Vol. 2 by Brian Michael Bendis
 One of the greatest secrets in Marvel history is laid bare--and it just may reignite the Civil War between Tony Stark and Steve Rogers! The Illuminati thought their days as the world's protectors were over--until the Hood escaped from prison and embarked on a quest to gather the all-powerful Infinity Gems, which the super-secret brain trust had taken responsibility for safeguarding. Now, Iron Man, Professor X, Mr. Fantastic, the Sub-Mariner, Dr. Strange and Black Bolt will fact a reckoning like never before when Steve Rogers--former Captain America, current commander of the Avengers--learns of their years-long subterfuge. Will even the combined might of the Avengers, New Avengers, Secret Avengers and Illuminati be enough to take down a cosmically powered Hood? And did somebody say "Thanos"? Plus: Spider-Woman has gone missing after discovering a secret from outer space, but her Avengers teammates are hot on her trail. What is the mystery of the Spaceknight?

 Avengers: Vol 3 by Brian Michael Bendis
 The madness and drama of Fear Itself has taken its toll on the mighty Avengers and now they must reinvent themselves once more. The entire world awaits word of who will be the Avengers. Then: HAMMER returns. Witness the latest and greatest roster of Avengers in action as they root out the resurrected organization's secret labs. But who's really behind this latest threat and who rebuilt the new Dark Avengers? And how can the Avengers battle the combined forces of Hydra, AIM, the Hand and HAMMER - all under the leadership of Norman Osborn? Collecting: Avengers 18-24


 Fear Itself: Avengers by Brian Michael Bendis
The God of Fear has come to Earth and the only thing standing between it and world domination are Earth's Mightiest Heroes! Can the Avengers stand against an evil older than time itself? Or will even the strongest heroes on the planet fall? It won't take some of the Avengers to fight the madness of Fear Itself--it will take ALL OF THEM! The New Avengers and Avengers join forces in the face of true fear! And who will join the New Avengers for the first time EVER? Stay tuned, True Believer! Plus: amidst the ashes of what is left of the Marvel Universe, and during the battles throughout New York, an all-new Avengers romance blossoms.

 The Invincible Iron Man by Matt Fraction
 "Contains material originally published in magazine form as Invincible Iron Man #1-19" -- verso. 

 Thor: Vol 1 by J. Michael Straczynski
Not a clone! Not a robot! Not an imaginary story! The God of Thunder is officially BACK! You've waited for it, you've demanded it...and we say thee YEA! The Odinson comes roaring to life in this highly anticipated ongoing series by red-hot superstars J. Michael Straczynski (Amazing Spider-Man) and Olivier Coipel (House of M)! But how does a god return from Ragnarok? And what place will he find in a world torn by Civil War?

 Thor by J. Michael Straczynski
Has Thor turned his back on Asgard... ? Has Asgard turned its back on Thor?! After the monumental and cataclysmic events of Thor #600, the God of Thunder's life has changed completely! Collects Thor #601-603, and Thor: Defining Moments Giant-Size #1.

 Ultimate Marvel Team Up by Brian Michael Bendis
It doesn't take long for Spider-Man to encounter the other heroes in the Ultimate Marvel Universe along with the devious villains eager to destroy them.

Underworld by Meg Cabot

Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera isn't dead.

Not this time.

But she is being held against her will in the dim, twilit world between heaven and hell, where the spirits of the deceased wait before embarking upon their final journey.

Her captor, John Hayden, claims it's for her own safety. Because not all the departed are dear. Some are so unhappy with where they ended up after leaving the Underworld, they've come back as Furies, intent on vengeance...on the one who sent them there and on the one whom he loves.

But while Pierce might be safe from the Furies in the Underworld, far worse dangers could be lurking for her there...and they might have more to do with its ruler than with his enemies.

And unless Pierce is careful, this time there'll be no escape.

Some More Books

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
The long-awaited companion to New York Times bestsellers Graceling and Fire

Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck's reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle--disguised and alone--to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past.

Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck's reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn't yet identified, holds a key to her heart.

37 Things I Love (In No Particular Order) by Kekla Magoon

Ellis only has four days of her sophomore year left, and summer is so close that she can almost taste it. But even with vacation just within reach, Ellis isn't exactly relaxed. Her father has been in a coma for years, the result of a construction accident, and her already-fragile relationship with her mother is strained over whether or not to remove him from life support. Her best friend fails even to notice that anything is wrong and Ellis feels like her world is falling apart. But when all seems bleak, Ellis finds comfort in the most unexpected places.

Life goes on, but in those four fleeting days friends are lost and found, promises are made, and Ellis realizes that nothing will ever quite be the same.

Avengers Vol 1 by Brian Michael Bendis
There came a day! A day unlike any other...when two of Marvel's top creators teamed up for the very first time to create a bombastic new Marvel series that not only ushers in the Heroic Age of Marvel Comics but unleashes onto the world the most blockbuster Avengers team ever! Who will answer the call? And will they assemble just in time...because Kang the Conqueror is here from the future. And wait till you find out why...!

Tina's Mouth by Keshni Kashyap
In the tradition of Persepolis and American Born Chinese, a wise and funny high school heroine comes of age.

Tina M., sophomore, is a wry observer of the cliques and mores of Yarborough Academy, and of the foibles of her Southern California intellectual Indian family. She's on a first-name basis with Jean-Paul Sartre, the result of an English honors class assignment to keep an “existential diary.”

Keshni Kashyap’s compulsively readable graphic novel packs in existential high school drama—from Tina getting dumped by her smart-girl ally to a kiss on the mouth (Tina’s mouth, but not technically her first kiss) from a cute skateboarder, Neil Strumminger. And it memorably answers the pressing question: Can an English honors assignment be one fifteen-year-old girl’s path to enlightenment?


The Letter Q: Queer Writers Notes to Their Younger Selves edited by Sarah Moon
Life-saving letters from a glittering wishlist of top authors.

If you received a letter from your older self, what do you think it would say? What do you wish it would say?

That the boy you were crushing on in History turns out to be gay too, and that you become boyfriends in college? That the bully who is making your life miserable will one day become so insignificant that you won't remember his name until he shows up at your book signing?

In this anthology, sixty-three award-winning authors such as Michael Cunningham, Amy Bloom, Jacqueline Woodson, Gregory Maguire, David Levithan, and Armistead Maupin make imaginative journeys into their pasts, telling their younger selves what they would have liked to know then about their lives as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgendered people. Through stories, in pictures, with bracing honesty, these are words of love and understanding, reasons to hold on for the better future ahead. They will tell you things about your favorite authors that you never knew before. And they will tell you about yourself.

Thor Vol. 2 by J. Michael Straczynski
We say thee HELL YEAH! With the mighty God of Thunder and Asgard to full glory, Thor is back in action - with a vengeance! But, as the Asgardians returned to this life and Thor returned to Midgard, so came the ills that have plagued the gods and man for millennia. Now, for the first time since their rebirth, Thor and his fellow hero-gods must venture forth from the Shining City to confront the growing evils that amass on their horizon - and within their walls! Collects Thor #7-601.

Stupid Fast by Groff Herbach
 Just before his sixteenth birthday, Felton Reinstein has a sudden growth spurt that turns him from a small, jumpy, picked-on boy with the nickname of "Squirrel Nut" to a powerful athlete, leading to new friends, his first love, and the courage to confront his family's past and current problems.

 Fantastic Four Vol. 1 by Stan Lee
After they are exposed to mysterious cosmic rays, Reed Richards, Ben Grimm, and siblings Sue and Johnny Storm soon become known as Mr. Fantastic, The Thing, The Invisible Girl, and The Human Torch. This special volume collects "The Fantastic Four" #1-10 along with unused cover artwork and an essay and original plot notes from by Lee. 

Fated by Alyson Noel
 From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Immortals, Alyson Noel, comesFated- a breathtaking new saga brimming with magic, mystery, and an intoxicating love story that will steal your heart away. Meet The Soul Seekers.
 
Strange things are happening to Daire Santos. Crows mock her, glowing people stalk her, time stops without warning, and a beautiful boy with unearthly blue eyes haunts all her dreams. Fearing for her daughter's sanity, Daire's mother sends her to live with the grandmother she's never met. A woman who recognizes the visions for what they truly are - the call to her destiny as a Soul Seeker - one who can navigate the worlds between the living and dead.

There on the dusty plains of Enchantment, New Mexico, Daire sets out to harness her mystical powers. But it's when she meets Dace, the boy from her dreams, that her whole world is shaken to its core. Now Daire is forced to discover if Dace is the one guy she's meant to be with... or if he's allied with the enemy she's destined to destroy.

Cat Girl's Day Off by Kimberly Pauley
High schooler Natalie Ng has always kept secret her talent for talking with cats, but when she learns--from a cat--that a celebrity has been replace by an imposter, she and her friends investigate, becoming movie extras to get the scoop.

Book Review

Friends with Boys by Faith Erin Hicks

Maggie McKay has been homeschooled her entire life by her mother, but now that her mother left, Maggie must go to public high school.  Her three older brothers, whom are her only friends, already attend the public high school, but are too busy with their own lives to help their baby sister fit in.  Not only does Maggie have to deal with starting a new school that is unlike anything she has ever known, she also has a ghost haunting her.  Maggie wishes the ghost would go away, and seeks to help figure out its unfinished business.  While Maggie is a well-drawn character, who is also easy to relate to, the story packs a lot of small plots that ultimately don’t get resolved.  Given this shortcoming, I still found the graphic novel very enjoyable.  Perhaps there will be a sequel?

-Recommended for Grades 6 and up

Book Review

Tina’s Mouth: an Existential Comic Diary by Keshni Kashyap and illustrated by Mari Araki

Tina, an intelligent and observant high school sophomore, receives an assignment for her honors English class on Existentialism: she must keep an existential diary.  As she explores the bigger questions of life-like what does it mean to be, what is death, and so on- she also has to grapple with the more meaningless issues that every teenager deals with as they come of age- like does the boy I have a crush on like me, how could my best friend leave me for a boy, and so on.  The coming of age theme is by no means new; however, this graphic novel presents it in a brilliantly new format that will resonate with readers of all ages.

-Recommended for Grades 9 and up

Book Review

Loss by Jackie Morse Kessler

Fifteen-year-old Billy Ballard has been bullied his entire life.  And instead of fighting it, he has acknowledged that the best thing to do is accept his being bullied; after all, the bullies eventually get bored and walk away.  The only problem with this strategy is Billy has been called upon by Death to become Pestilence, the White Rider of the Apocalypse.  As a child, Billy was tricked into accepting the post by the White Rider himself, in exchange for a ride on Pestilence’s warhorse.  Now Billy holds the Bow, which gives him the power to strike with disease from a distance.  The previous White Rider, still holds the Crown and means to unleash a disease upon the world that will make the Black Plague look like a cold.  Can Billy overcome his fears and save the world by taking a stand against the ultimate bully?  While one cannot relate to Billy as much as the previous characters in the earlier Riders of the Apocalypse books, the story should keep one’s interest. 

 

-Recommended for Grades 6 and up

New Books to Check Out!

Jersey Angel by Beth Ann Bauman
It's the summer before senior year and the alluring Angel is ready to have fun. She's not like her best friend, Inggy, who has a steady boyfriend, good grades, and college plans. Angel isn't sure what she wants to do yet, but she has confidence and experience beyond her years. Still, her summer doesn't start out as planned. Her good friend Joey doesn't want to fool around anymore, he wants to be her boyfriend, while Angel doesn't want to be tied down. As Joey pulls away, and Inggy tours colleges, Angel finds herself  spending more time with Inggy's boyfriend, Cork. With its cast of vivid and memorable characters, this tale from the Jersey shore is sure to make some waves.

 Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink by Stephanie Kate Strohm
Libby Kelting had always felt herself born out of time. No wonder the historical romance-reading, Jane Austen-adaptation-watching, all-around history nerd jumped at the chance to intern at Camden Harbor, Maine’s Oldest Living History Museum.

But at Camden Harbor Libby’s just plain out of place, no matter how cute she looks in a corset. Her cat-loving coworker wants her dead, the too-smart-for-his-own-good local reporter keeps pushing her buttons, her gorgeous sailor may be more shipwreck than dreamboat - plus Camden Harbor’s haunted.

Over the course of one unforgettable summer, Libby learns that boys, like ghosts, aren’t always what they seem.

Middle School: Get Me Out of Here by James Patterson
 James Patterson's winning follow-up to the #1New York Times bestseller Middle School, The Worst Years of My Life--which the LA Times called "a perfectly pitched novel"--is another riotous and heartwarming story about living large.

After sixth grade, the very worstyear of his life, Rafe Khatchadorian thinks he has it made in seventh grade. He's been accepted to art school in the big city and imagines a math-and-history-free fun zone.Wrong!It's more competitive than Rafe ever expected, and to score big in class, he needs to find a way to turn his boring life into the inspiration for a work of art. His method? Operation: Get a Life! Anything he's never done before, he's going to do it, from learning to play poker to going to a modern art museum. But when his newest mission uncovers secrets about the family Rafe's never known, he has to decide if he's ready to have his world turned upside down. (Includes over 100 illustrations.)

The Night She Disappeared by April Henry

Gabie drives a Mini Cooper. She also works part-time as a delivery girl at Pete's Pizza. One night, Kayla - another delivery girl - goes missing. To her horror, Gabie learns that the supposed kidnapper had asked if the girl in the Mini Cooper was working.

Gabie can't move beyond the fact that Kayla's fate was really meant for her. She becomes obsessed with finding Kayla and teams up with Drew, who also works at Pete's. Together, they set out to prove that Kayla isn't dead - and to hopefully find her before she is.

 Friends with Boys by Faith Erin Hicks
Maggie McKay hardly knows what to do with herself. After an idyllic childhood of homeschooling with her mother and rough-housing with her older brothers, it's time for Maggie to face the outside world, all on her own. But that means facing high school first. And it also means solving the mystery of the melancholy ghost who has silently followed Maggie throughout her entire life. Maybe it even means making a new friend - one who isn't one of her brothers. Funny, surprising, and tender, Friends with Boys is a pitch perfect YA graphic novel full of spooky supernatural fun.

The Story of Us by Deb Caletti

A fresh and bittersweet story of love and family from National Book Award finalist Deb Caletti.
Cricket’s on a self-imposed break from her longtime boyfriend—but she’s picked a bad week to sort out her love life. For one thing, her mother’s romance is taking center stage: After jilting two previous fiancÉs, her mom is finally marrying Dan Jax, whom Cricket loves. But as wedding attendees arrive for a week of festivities at a guesthouse whose hippie owners have a sweet, sexy son—Ash—complications arise:


Cricket’s future stepsisters make it clear they’re not happy about the marriage. An old friend decides this is the week to declare his love for Cricket. Grandpa chooses to reveal a big secret at a family gathering. Dan’s ex-wife shows up. And even the dogs—Cricket’s old, ill Jupiter and Dan’s young, lively Cruiser—seem to be declaring war.


While Cricket fears that Dan is in danger of becoming ditched husband-to-be number three, she’s also alarmed by her own desires. Because even though her boyfriend looms large in her mind, Ash is right in front of her....

 The Watch that Ends the Night by Allan Wolf
Arrogance and innocence, hubris and hope--twenty-four haunting voices of the Titanic tragedy, as well as the iceberg itself, are evoked in a stunning tour de force.

Millionaire John Jacob Astor hopes to bring home his pregnant teen bride with a minimum of media scandal. A beautiful Lebanese refugee, on her way to family in Florida, discovers the first stirrings of love. And an ancient iceberg glides south, anticipating its fateful encounter. The voices in this remarkable re-creation of the Titanic disaster span classes and stations, from Margaret ("the unsinkable Molly") Brown to the captain who went down with his ship; from the lookout and wireless men to a young boy in search of dragons and a gambler in search of marks. Slipping in telegraphs, undertaker's reports, and other records, poet Allan Wolf offers a breathtaking, intimate glimpse at the lives behind the tragedy, told with clear-eyed compassion and astounding emotional power.


 The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour
Colby and Bev have a long-standing pact: graduate, hit the road with Bev's band, and then spend the year wandering around Europe. But moments after the tour kicks off, Bev makes a shocking announcement: she's abandoning their plans - and Colby - to start college in the fall.

But the show must go on and The Disenchantments weave through the Pacific Northwest, playing in small towns and dingy venues, while roadie- Colby struggles to deal with Bev's already-growing distance and the most important question of all: what's next?

Morris Award–finalist Nina LaCour draws together the beauty and influences of music and art to brilliantly capture a group of friends on the brink of the rest of their lives.

Drowned Cities by Peter Bacigalupi

Soldier boys emerged from the darkness. Guns gleamed dully. Bullet bandoliers and scars draped their bare chests. Ugly brands scored their faces. She knew why these soldier boys had come. She knew what they sought, and she knew, too, that if they found it, her best friend would surely die.

In a dark future America where violence, terror, and grief touch everyone, young refugees Mahlia and Mouse have managed to leave behind the war-torn lands of the Drowned Cities by escaping into the jungle outskirts. But when they discover a wounded half-man--a bioengineered war beast named Tool--who is being hunted by a vengeful band of soldiers, their fragile existence quickly collapses. One is taken prisoner by merciless soldier boys, and the other is faced with an impossible decision: Risk everything to save a friend, or flee to a place where freedom might finally be possible.

This thrilling companion to Paolo Bacigalupi's highly acclaimedShip Breakeris a haunting and powerful story of loyalty, survival, and heart-pounding adventure.

Fallen in Love by Lauren Kate
What makes your heart race a little faster? It's FALLEN IN LOVE, four wholly original and romantic new stories collected in a novel set in the Middle Ages by Lauren Kate. FALLEN IN LOVE gives fans the much-talked about but never-revealed stories of FALLEN characters as they intertwine with the epic love story of Luce and Daniel. The stories include:Love Where You Least Expect It: The Valentine of Shelby and Miles,Love Lessons: The Valentine of Roland; Burning Love: The Valentine of Arriane; andEndless Love: The Valentine of Daniel and Lucinda.