Haunting of Orchid Forsythia

Heat of the Moment Lauren Barnholdt Genre: YA  Contemporary Paperback: 304 Pages Publication: May 12, 2015 by Harper Teen Before graduation, I promise to...learn to trust. Each book in this paperback original series is told from the perspective of a different girl—Lyla, Aven, and Quinn—former best friends who wrote emails to their future selves back in freshman year about one thing they hope to accomplish before they graduate. When the emails get delivered on the first morning of their senior trip all three girls will spend the next three days trying to keep the promises they made to themselves four years ago. While each book follow’s one girl’s life-changing adventure, you have to read them all to get the whole story, including why they’re no longer friends and whether they can get their friendship back on track. Lyla McAfee had all but forgotten the email that she wrote to herself freshman year and scheduled to be delivered right before graduation—the one promising that she’d lea...

Sophomore Year is Greek to Me Meredith Zeitlin Genre: Contemporary , Foreign Country Hardback: 336 Pages Publication: April 21, 2015 by Putnam High school sophomore Zona Lowell has lived in New York City her whole life, and plans to follow in the footsteps of her renowned-journalist father. But when he announces they’re moving to Athens for six months so he can work on an important new story, she's devastated— he must have an ulterior motive. See, when Zona's mother married an American, her huge Greek family cut off contact. But Zona never knew her mom, and now she’s supposed to uproot her entire life and meet possibly hostile relatives on their turf? Thanks... but no thanks. In the vein of Anna and the French Kiss , Zona navigates a series of hilarious escapades, eye-opening revelations, and unexpected reunions in a foreign country—all while documenting the trip through one-of-a-kind commentary. Review The premise to Sophomore Year Is Greek to Me  definitely holds potential fo...

The Bluest Eye Toni Morrison Genre: Historical Fiction Paperback: 206 Pages Publication: May 8, 2007 by Vintage International Pecola Breedlove, a young black girl, prays every day for beauty. Mocked by other children for the dark skin, curly hair, and brown eyes that set her apart, she yearns for normalcy, for the blond hair and blue eyes that she believes will allow her to finally fit in. Yet as her dream grows more fervent, her life slowly starts to disintegrate in the face of adversity and strife. A powerful examination of our obsession with beauty and conformity, Toni Morrison’s virtuosic first novel asks powerful questions about race, class, and gender with the subtlety and grace that have always characterized her writing. Review The Bluest Eye  is a classic for the powerful themes that continue to relate to society today. As Toni Morrison mentions in her foreword, we all know what it feels like to be disliked or rejected, be it for a moment or for a suspended period of time. ...

Daisy to the Rescue Jeff Campbell Genre: Nonfiction Hardback: 336 Pages Publication: October 7, 2014 by Zest Books Who rescued who? This popular animal-shelter bumper sticker captures an enduring emotional truth: With their love and companionship, animals of all species save our lives every day. But sometimes, to our utter amazement and everlasting gratitude, animals literally save our lives, and this heartwarming book collects over 50 real-life stories of animals rescuing people, in which the actions of animals have meant the difference between life and death. Today, scientists vigorously debate questions regarding the sentience, intelligence, and emotions of animals. In particular, they want to know whether animals share with humans the highest emotions of empathy, compassion, and altruism. This book also poses these questions for readers to consider, and using current research on animal minds and emotions, it examines these extreme life-saving situations for possible evidence. Where...

The Memory Key Liana Liu Genre: YA Science Fiction Hardback: 368 Pages Publication: March 3, 2015 by Harper Teen In a five-minutes-into-the-future world, a bereaved daughter must choose between losing memories of her mother to the haze of time and the reality-distorting, visceral pain of complete, perfect recall. Lora Mint is determined not to forget. Though her mother’s been dead for five years, Lora struggles to remember every detail about her—most importantly, the specific events that occurred the night she sped off in her car, never to return. But in a world ravaged by Vergets disease, a viral form of Alzheimer’s, that isn’t easy. Usually Lora is aided by her memory key, a standard-issue chip embedded in her brain that preserves memories just the way a human brain would. Then a minor accident damages Lora’s key, and her memories go haywire. Suddenly Lora remembers a moment from the night of her mother’s disappearance that indicates her death was no accident. Can she trust these for...

Red Queen Victoria Aveyard Series: Red Queen #1 Genre: YA  Fantasy Hardback: 383 Pages Publication: February 10, 2015 by Harper Teen Mare Barrow's world is divided by blood--those with common, Red blood serve the Silver- blooded elite, who are gifted with superhuman abilities. Mare is a Red, scraping by as a thief in a poor, rural village, until a twist of fate throws her in front of the Silver court. Before the king, princes, and all the nobles, she discovers she has an ability of her own. To cover up this impossibility, the king forces her to play the role of a lost Silver princess and betroths her to one of his own sons. As Mare is drawn further into the Silver world, she risks everything and uses her new position to help the Scarlet Guard—a growing Red rebellion—even as her heart tugs her in an impossible direction. One wrong move can lead to her death, but in the dangerous game she plays, the only certainty is betrayal. Review I wholeheartedly admit that, while I found the pr...

Charlotte Temple Susanna Rowson Genre: Historical , Sentimental Novel Paperback: 192 Pages Publication: September 23, 2010 by Bedford/St. Martin's A novel of seduction, abandonment and villainy, Charlotte Temple was initially published in England in 1791 before making its American debut in 1794. Susanna Rowson's short novel became the first bestseller in America and its most popular novel until Uncle Tom's Cabin, and has gone through more than 200 editions. This Bedford College Edition is based on the 1794 edition, and features editorial matter that engages key questions for responding to the novel, including those of genre, authorship, book history, gender, sexuality, family, class, and community. Review Charlotte Temple  was so bad, I couldn't go to sleep until I had finished it. So many factors were working against Charlotte that I kept turning the pages to find out what happens to her. Yes, she does things that she knows she shouldn't do, but not-so-nice people...

Liars, Inc. Paula Stokes Genre: YA Mystery   Crime Hardback: 368 Pages Publication: March 24, 2015 by Harper Teen Max Cantrell has never been a big fan of the truth, so when the opportunity arises to sell forged permission slips and cover stories to his classmates, it sounds like a good way to make a little money and liven up a boring senior year. With the help of his friends Preston and Parvati, Max starts Liars, Inc. Suddenly everybody needs something and the cash starts pouring in. Who knew lying could be so lucrative? When Preston wants his own cover story to go visit a girl he met online, Max doesn’t think twice about hooking him up. Until Preston never comes home. Then the evidence starts to pile up—terrifying clues that lead the cops to Preston’s body. Terrifying clues that point to Max as the murderer. Can Max find the real killer before he goes to prison for a crime he didn’t commit? Review Liars, Inc is not only a murder mystery, but it explores relationships with family...

Finding Paris Joy Preble Genre: YA  Contemporary , Mystery, Road Trip Hardback: 272 Pages Publication: April 21, 2015 by Balzer + Bray An evocative and compelling story of two sisters who would do anything for each other. Sisters Leo and Paris Hollings have only ever had each other to rely on. They can't trust their mother, who hops from city to city and from guy to guy, or their gambler stepfather, who's moved them all to Las Vegas. It's just the two of them: Paris, who's always been the dreamer, and Leo, who has a real future in mind--going to Stanford, becoming a doctor, falling in love. But Leo isn't going anywhere right now, except driving around Vegas all night with her sister. Until Paris ditches Leo at the Heartbreak Hotel Diner, where moments before they had been talking with physics student Max Sullivan. Outside, Leo finds a cryptic note from Paris—a clue. Is it some kind of game? Where is Paris, and why has she disappeared? When Leo reluctantly accepts M...

Romanzo Criminale Directed by Michele Placido Genre: Drama/Crime Running time: 152 minutes Released: September 30, 2005 by Warner Bros After serving prison time for a juvenile offense, Freddo (Kim Rossi Stuart) gathers his old buddies Libano (Pierfrancesco Favino) and Dandi (Claudio Santamaria) and embarks on a crime spree that makes the trio the most powerful gangsters in Rome. Libano loves their new status, and seeks to spread their influence throughout the underworld, while the other two pursue more fleshly desires. For decades, their gang perpetrates extravagant crimes, until paranoia threatens to split the friends apart. Review I found Romanzo Criminale , also known as Crime Novel , to be a really interesting film. It’s a criminal drama that is heavily rooted in human nature as a trio of young men dream of conquering modern Rome. The three main characters are mostly referred to by their street names: Lebanese, Dandy and Ice, and they are tied together by a tragic incident from the...

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls Steve Hockensmith Genre:  Horror ,  Parody Paperback: 287 Pages Publication: March 23, 2010 by Quirk Books As our story opens, the Bennet sisters are enjoying a peaceful life in the English countryside. They idle away the days reading, gardening, and daydreaming about future husbands—until a funeral at the local parish goes strangely and horribly awry. Suddenly corpses are springing from the soft earth—and only one family can stop them. As the bodies pile up, we watch Elizabeth Bennet evolve from a naive young teenager into a savage slayer of the undead. Along the way, two men vie for her affections: Master Hawksworth is the powerful warrior who trains her to kill, while thoughtful Dr. Keckilpenny seeks to conquer the walking dead using science instead of strength. Will either man win the prize of Elizabeth’s heart? Or will their hearts be feasted upon by hordes of marauding zombies? Review Now I know what some of you are ...