Teen Book Club

Meet other teens who love to read and share your thoughts about the books we read each month. The book for the month of February is: Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake. Register and pick up your book today

Register online: Teen Book Club Registration or email teens@yourlibrary.ca

Last Tuesday of every month starting February 28, 2017  4 - 5PM, Brighouse Branch

RPL's Poetry Wall of Fame

Midnight Frost by Jennifer Estep

In this book, Gypsy Gwen Frost faces yet another challenge.  Her friend is poisoned by a reaper and the only way to cure him is to get the ambrosia flower that grows in the Eir Ruins. Gwen and her other friends set off to retrieve the flower with the help of Covington, Gwen's cousin Rory Forseti and Rory's aunt Rachel Maddox. When they get there, the reapers ambush them and they fight to get the flower that will save their friend's life.

   

I like this book because it sets you on edge. It's just as good as the previous books in the series before it. It is full of surprises and humour. I recommend this book to anybody who loves adventure, suspense, mystery, and mythology.

Check it out! Midnight Frost by Jennifer Estep

United As One by Pittacus Lore

United As One is the 7th and final book in the I Am Number Four Series.  It's a must read action-packed fiction book surrounded by a fascinating plot that's sure to leave any reader wanting more. Full of cliffhangers and plot twists, this book will undoubtedly satisfy any book critic.

Growing up reading this series, I can truthfully say that the release of the next book was always a day to look forward to.
Overall, the series was fantastic, and United As One by Pitticus Lore has a perfect ending that tied all the books together in one final epic conclusion.

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring… until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something… unexpected happens.

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.

If I don’t kill him first, that is.

Synopsis from: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12578077-obsidian

Reading Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout was one of the most entertaining books I've ever read. The banter between the two main characters is so addicting it made me want to read more. It's almost like an alien version of twilight, but it was written better and it has a stronger plot. I recommend this book to Sci-Fi fans and Twihards.

The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis

The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis is about the start of  the world of Narnia. In this first book of the series, Digory and Polly are curious and bored children who decides to venture into the connected attics of their homes. Unfortunately, they end up being transported into a magical hub with portals to different worlds. Over many other events, Digory, Polly, their Uncle and an evil queen end up in Narnia. Aslan, the lion and creator of Narnia sets Digory on a journey where he has to make a choice regarding the life and death of his mother. Ultimately, The Magician's Nephew is an easy read with the theme of greed and perseverance. This novel shows the results of being greedy vs. resisting greed.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a an easy and short fantasy book to read. I would also recommend this to anyone who wants to read the entire Chronicles of Narnia chronologically. I loved how this book explains the background story before the happenings in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I loved all of the connections and revelations I made between these two stories!

The Martian by Andy Weir

Scientific advancement. Adventures. Logic. This is The Martian, and it is more of a comedy rather than a standard thriller. Set in the near future, the story involves an astronaut left behind on Mars. With about four years before anyone can get to him, he must find a way to create food and water.

Is this book realistic? Well, to grow food on Mars is fairly risky. And at one point the base depressurizes, but (as seen in the movie version for effect), not all the items get thrown out. Perhaps the concepts could be realistic, but safety should be taken into account. Maybe that's why the book says the base is designed to last thirty days...

Read The Martian by Andy Weir book to see how he handles the 'issue'.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Greg Gaines only has one friend, Earl, all they do is make movies, their own twists on Coppola and Herzog cult classics.

Until Greg's mother forces him to revive his friendship with Rachel.

Rachel has been diagnosed with leukaemia--cue extreme adolescent awkwardness--but a parental decree has been issued and must be obeyed. When Rachel stops treatment, Greg and Earl decide to make her a film, but which turns into the Worst Film Ever and becomes a turning point in each of their lives

When I first started reading Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews, I was a bit iffy about it. At the start of reading this book I got uninterested in the beginning because it seemed a bit dull. But when I kept reading I felt so captivated because of the humorous writing and realism. If you compared it to The Fault in Our Stars you could see how diverse these 2 stories are. I would highly recommend this book to anyone to people who like real life stories or comedies.

Summer on East End: Triple Moon by Melissa De La Cru

Meet Mardi and Molly Overbook, twin witches, who are sent to live with their "aunt" Ingrid Beauchamp in North Hampton after they caused an awful accident at their old high school in New York.  Because the twins have not yet learned to control their powers, their father prays that Ingrid will be able to tame the un-tameable terrible twins, before the White Council exiles the twins to Limbo.

This is the first book that I have read that made me rather read than eat.  Very addicting, I would absolutely recommend this to anyone and everyone.

Triple Moon by Melissa De La Cruz

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

 Some of you might be able to recognize this person instantly. (Either that, or you've read the title). He is Steve Jobs, inventor and creator. His path is not like those of other company founders, but, personally, I think Steve Jobs has the most inspirational story of all time.

Adopted at birth, Jobs ended up being fascinated with electronics like his adoptive father. After his schooling years, he and another Steve also interested in electronics, invented the Apple I, signalling the birth of Apple.

This book shows that, even if you don't have a very famous background, you still can achieve something great in life, something that will be used by others for years to come.

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee

"Sweet Angels of Mercy, the world has broken apart."

San Fransisco, 1960: 15 year old Mercy Wong is determined to break from the poverty of Chinatown.  Mercy is determined to get an education at St. Clare's School for Girls, even though it is off-limits to all but the wealthiest white girls.  She gains admittance through a mix of cunning and a little  bribery, only to discover that getting in was the easiest part.  Mercy stands strong, not to be undone by some spoiled heiresses-that is, until disaster strikes.

On April 18, a historic earthquake rocks San Francisco, destroying Mercy's home and school.  Forced to wait with her classmates for their families in a temporary park encampment, Mercy can't just sit and wait for the army to bring help, though fires might rage and the city may be in shambles, Mercy feels as if she must do SOMETHING; But what can one Chinese, teenage girl do to heal the suffering?

I was surprised that this book held my attention: as someone who doesn't enjoy history, this book has not only taking me on a thrilling ride, but taught me about the hardships that the Chinese faced back then.  Not only did this book teach me many things about history, it also made me realize how lucky I am compared to people of the same race 100 years ago.  Even if you normally don't enjoy history, I am positive that you will enjoy this book.

Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl with a close family and steady relationship. Who has never been out of her small town.

Will Traynor is acerbic, moody, and bossy. He has always lived a huge life-extreme sports, worldwide travel, big deals. After suffering a terrible accident Will is not interested in exploring a new one.

When Lou is desperate for a job she becomes employed to Will, but she refuses to treat him with kid gloves. In the process of working for him, his happiness becomes more important to her than expected. When she learns that Will has shocking plans of his own, Lou sets out to show him that life is will worth living.

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes is the definition of "read it and weep." I thought that it really showcased the idea of friendship, poverty, growth, and family. Although people think it's about romance, it's more about friendship and finding yourself. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes real life stories or tear-jerkers.

Siren's Lament by instantmiso

Lyra a wallflower, has a love for a man that didn't love her back. One night, she slipped from an rusty railing and fell to the sea, where she met a siren who changed her world.

This webcomic has beautiful art, music (yes, it has music), and story. It updates every saturday and I can't help to love saturdays even more because of this. If you aren't aware, this is a love story, and there is two potential lover for our protagonist. This webcomic is free and accessible through webtoons.com

Siren's Lament 

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Anna's life was in Atlanta with her best friend, job, and crush on the verge of becoming more. But when she was shipped off to a boarding school in Paris she is not exactly thrilled---until she meets Étienne St. Clair. He has it all the smarts, charms, the beauty, and also has a serious girlfriend. 

But when you are in the City of Love, wishes have a way of coming true. 

Anna and the French Kiss is a sweet and heart-warming story. I thought this story was very relatable because of the transition Anna goes through and her crush.

Everyone has been through at least one transition in their life, ex elementary to high school or moving, which makes Anna's struggle to fit in at her new school relatable and when she first starts liking St. Clair it gives you the feeling of "does he like me?" and vice versa. And with the story set in Paris it puts "the perfect cherry on top of the sundae". I would recommend this book to anyone who loves romantic novels.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins 

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

Since the first year of attending the School of America in Paris, the hopeless romantic Isla has always had a crush on an introspective cartoonist Josh. After an unexpected encounter in Manhattan, Isla soon gets a chance at romance. 

When I first started to read this book I became instantly hooked on it. All I felt was butterflies while reading. But this book isn't just about romance, it's about making decisions and conquering obstacles. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves romantic/contemporary novels.

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl is a good book but it is kind of long and rambles a lot of the past which kind of confused me a bit. The characters were a bit bland but bearable, and the main story line was good. I liked the graphic novel of this a lot better, but I still enjoyed this too. I recommend this book to Twilight fans and other teens who like paranormal love stories.

Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

Flipped is a romance told in two voices. The first time Juli Baker saw Bryce Loski, she flipped. The first time Bryce saw Juli, he ran. That’s pretty much the pattern for these two neighbors until the eighth grade, when, just as Juli is realizing Bryce isn’t as wonderful as she thought, Bryce is starting to see that Juli is pretty amazing. How these two teens manage to see beyond the surface of things and come together makes for a comic and poignant romance.

Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen is a very cute book. The story was really sweet and beautiful. Two sides to the story in this case makes it even better to read so you can look into the minds of these two main characters. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romantic-comedy.

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

From the day she arrives at quiet Mica High in a burst of color and sound, hallways hum “Stargirl.” She captures Leo Borlock’s heart with one smile. She sparks a school-spirit revolution with one cheer. The students of Mica High are enchanted. Until they are not. Leo urges her to become the very thing that can destroy her - normal.

Stargirl is a touching book. It's hands down one of my favorite books. Jerry Spinelli has makes the characters seem down to earth yet different in a way that I cannot explain. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for simply a good book.

Hunted by P.C. Cast

Nothing will ever be the same anymore.

Zoey has her friends back and Stevie rae but when a surprise guest of Neferets comes, The House Of Night is doomed.

Kolona is Neferets new consort and he has taken over by captivating the fledglings to him. With Kalona's Raven Mockers attacking Zoey and her friends they have no choice but to flea as fast as they can from the House Of Night. Now Zoey, her friends, and the red fledglings must hide in tunnels because that's the only place Kalona will never stand in, But they can't hide for ever as Zoey must find away to banish Kalona and Neferet from the House of night but will he put Zoey and her friends under his spell before they can save the house of night? Or will Zoey defeat Kalona?

Hunted is the 5th installment of the House of Night series by P.C. Cast, A dark and suspenseful book that will keep you reading tell the very end.

The Unquiet Past by Kelley Armstrong

"Features a creepy supernatural element. Tess's search for the meaning of her waking visions leads her to an abandoned mental hospital, a series of illegal experiments, and a boy who's looking for answers of his own." —School Library Journal,  October 1, 2015

It's 1964 and Tess' orphanage has just burnt down.  Set out with a suitcase, a phone number and an address, Tess is determined to uncover the secrets of her past and why she is haunted with visions of the past.  When she arrives at the address, she soon discovers the horrible treatment of mental patients and finds out about her depressing family story.  While at the house Tess makes an unlikely ally, and with his help, finally starts accepting her paranormal powers.

The first word that came to me after finishing the first 2 chapters of this book was "scary".  After reading more, I started thinking up more and more words to describe it.  Though scary was still on the list, there was also romance, darkness, thrills and mystery.  Every chapter left me hanging, and I couldn't wait to find out what happened, yet I didn't want it to ever end.  Though short, this book is packed with feelings.

The Unquiet Past by Kelley Armstrong

Draw the Line by Laurent Linn

This book is about a boy named Adrian Piper, he's an artist, geek, and gay! It tells about how Adrian Piper is dealing in a school where being gay is treated with disdain from the majority, even though the time frame was set in a modern day. He also owns a webcomic about a superhero named "Graphite" who lives on the dark side of the moon, while contemplating his need for a male companion. The comic mirrors his daily life and depicts his feeling to a particular event in his life.

This book is fairly new and is slice-of-life. I particularly enjoyed how it had pictures and snips of Adrian's comic in it, and how accurately showed the mind of an artist and what's on their mind while drawing (since I'm an artist myself).  There is one scene in the book where Adrian did the sexual interaction with "somebody" but it was really vague to figure out what it was. Like 'really' vague, the pictures doesn't even help. Overall, it's a great book to read and I would rate it a 4.7/5.

Draw the Line by Laurent Lin

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

The world is divided by blood --- red or silver.

The reds are commoners, ruled by Silvers with god-like powers, their older children forced to fight a war with great loses while Silvers live in luxury.

Seventeen year old Mare Burrow lives in a family with three older brothers, all fighting in the war. It seems like nothing will change. That is, until she reached her hand into an unlikely pocket and was caught. She suddenly finds herself as a servant in the Silver Palace, lived in by the royals. It was there that she discovered her power, despite her red blood.

The royals decided to hide her in plain sight, claiming she is a long-lost Silver princess, engaged to a Silver prince. She worked silently for the Red Guard, a group wanting to bring down the Silvers.

But the world isn't as it seems. As she falls for the prince, the two princes went against each other, one with deadly secret, one that endangers the Red Guard and Mare's hopes.

Virals by Kathy Reichs

Virals by Kathy Reichs

After the death of her mother, Tory Brennan was sentenced to a fate of living with a father she didn't know she had on an island in the middle of nowhere, where she met a group of local 'science geeks' like her and went on adventures, especially to where her father worked.

After rescuing a stray wolfdog pup from a top secret research station and a deadly experiment, their lives changed, along with their DNA. They were suddenly hit with unexpected 'episodes' of heightened senses. However, they were caught in a cold-case murder mystery that's suddenly very hot. With their heightened senses, they have the ability to solve this case. That is, if they don't get killed before they find the killers.

This is a sci-fi book of science (obviously) mystery, betrayals, and this group of teenagers with altered DNA. They were a pack. They were Virals.

Blink by Malcolm Gladwell

Blink by Malcolm Gladwell

Blink is not your average book. It concerns the fact that some people are able to recognize certain things in split milliseconds. For example, in the book the author mentions a peculiar aspect of a seasoned tennis coach, able to recognize double faults before they even happened.

However, when asked, the coach had absolutely no idea how he did that. It is this unconscious thinking that has caused this book to be made. Other peculiarities discussed include instantly knowing when an important statue is fake or not, how people can choose one drink over another differently based on HOW MUCH they drank, and how better advertisement can make food products taste better. 

The important point of this book is for people to realize our true thinking capabilities, and how we can use them to better our lives. Read this book to find out more about unconscious thinking. 

                                                                      

Weekly Prize Draw #2

Congratulations to this week's prize draw winners: Nadia, Avery, Akarty and Jason.  Each has won a prize pack containing coupons and gift certificates to local businesses, as well as a book. Winners will be contacted via email with more details about how to pick up their prize.

Keep those reviews coming for your chance to win!  Just a reminder to make sure you give credit in your summary/description if you're pulling from the book jacket/other review sources.  

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Lola Nolan is a budding costume designer, and for her, the more outrageous, sparkly, and fun the outfit, the better. And everything is just perfect in her life now (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend, Max) until the (very talented) Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood once again. 

When Cricket Bell, a gifted inventor, whom Lola had a major crush on (before he left), steps out from his twin sister's shadow and back into Lola's life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door and figure out what to do.

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins is a fantastic book. The story got started right away perfectly and continued to have my attention through out it. And it is an emotional roller coaster for sure. I loved every single page of it. Stephanie Perkins writes characters that seem like people that you would meet in real life. I would highly recommend this book for people who like romance novels or just looking for a wonderful book.

Nerve by Jeanne Ryan

Are you playing the game or this the game playing you?

Vee doesn't know if she has the guts to play NERVE, an anonymous online game of dares. But she plays it anyways and accidently becomes viral at first but stays for the extravagant prizes.  But whoever is behind the game knows exactly what she wants, enticing her with lustworthy luxuries, prizes, and a sizzling-hot partner. With Ian on her team, it's easy to agree to another dare. And another. And another. At first it's thrilling as the Watchers cheer them on to more dangerous challenges. But suddenly the game turns deadly.

Will Vee and Ian risk their lives for the Grand Prize dare, or will they lose NERVE?


Nerve by Jeanne Ryan is a really fun book to read. It makes you wonder what people would do for money and fame.

I read the book so fast and I didn't want it to end. I would recommend this book for those who would like to read the book before the new movie based on this book came out or just if you are looking for a good read.

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Sixteen-year-old Violet Ambrose has a lot going on in her life at the moment. She is crushing on her bestfriend, Jay Heaton. And she has a usual so-called gift of sensing dead bodies -lately of recently murdered girls- and the imprints that attach to the killers since she was a little girl.

Violet had always considered her ability useful, but now that a serial killer has begun terrorizing her small town she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

With her overly protective best friend, Jay, she searches for the murderer. But even though she is falling in love, Violet is getting dangerously close to figuring out who is the killer.... and becoming his prey herself.


The Body Finder is amazing. It was a spine chilling thriller in some parts and a warm, fuzzy, love story in others. Kimberly Derting did a fantastic job describing everything. It was like I was in the story itself. It was a really great read and I recommend it to any other people who are looking for any interesting and different stories to read.

The Ice Dragon by George Martin

The Ice Dragon was a creature of legend and fear, for no man had ever tamed one. It flew overheard and left its wake in the cold and frozen land. Everyone was afraid of the Ice Dragon for when it came, spring and summer would disappear and they had less to plant. But Adara, a winter child was not afraid.

Adara could not recall the first time she saw the ice dragon. From what she remembers, she has seen the dragon her whole life during the wicked winters. As she grew older she was the only child that enjoyed the winter and she was the only brave one to ride upon the dragon's broad.

Ever since Adara was little, the war had been going on. The Fire Dragons were destroying the land with their masters. Nothing could fight against the fiery creatures. It was up to Adara and the dragon she loved the most to save the world from utter destruction.

The Ice Dragon is a good, captivating book on a young girl and her dragon. It shows the strength of family and emotional sacrifices. I recommend this book if you like fantasy and short reads. This book also has appealing illustrations. George R.R. Martin is grear!

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

One day in New York City, a seemingly ordinary teenager, Clary Fray was in a club when she witnessed a murder by three people that looked extremely strange and dangerous with lots of tattoos and weapons but there is one boy with blond hair that Clary just can't look away from. All of a sudden the three teenagers banish leaving no trace of the murder that just happened.

The next day she finds her mother calling her while she is in a coffee shop. She also see's the blond boy from the the club last night that murdered a person. Extremely confused Clary goes to talk with the boy, but her mother still calls, She picks up.

24 hours later her mom is nowhere to be found like she never existed, Clary also finds out that the boy with blond hair is something called a Shadowhunter which they hunt and kill demons.

But why would her mother just disappear like that leaving no clue of where she was? and why are there demons attacking her?

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare is a thrilling fantasy, a must read book for all fantasy lovers who are looking for a great book to read.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky is about growing up in high school, with a family that nurtures secrets, and lies, and amongst friends who are confusing personalities more than anything else- all from the point of view of Charlie, a 15-year-old Wallflower stuck in the midst.

I like this book because of the style of writing. Instead of being narrated from a third-person's perspective, the story reveals itself slowly, from letter to letter. It's almost like you're putting together a puzzle, or finding the plot, as you read, picking up clues from each one of Charlie's letters.

In all, I give this book a 3/5 rating.