Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Katsa is a Graceling: a person who has a unique ability and who is identifiable by one green eye and one blue eye. These people exist throughout the Seven Kingdoms and every skill is different. Katsa's Grace enables her to fight (or kill) anyone of any size or strength. Her uncle, King Randa, has been employing Katsa to do his bidding since her Grace revealed itself at a very young age when she accidentally killed someone.

In a rebellious response to her uncle's unjust and unwanted control, Katsa and some other conscientous citizens have formed a Council, through which they seek justice for those less fortunate people. It is on a mission for the Council when Katsa meets Po, a boy with a Grace as intriguing as hers. Together, Katsa and Po embark on an adventurous journey to unravel the mystery of unrest throughout the Seven Kingdoms. Kidnappings, lies, and fights abound as Katsa and Po make their way towards the Monsea kingdom where they will find the beloved, yet insidious, King Leck.

Action adventure and fantasy fans will love this book! There are several plot twists that I did not see coming. If you liked The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, I definitely recommend this book.

Book Review - Impossible by Nancy Werlin

Lucy was adopted when she was a baby. Everyone just assumes that her parents are dead. They are not. Lucy has a secret - her mother is alive and crazy. She is the homeless woman in town and sometimes she comes to see Lucy. Everytime that she visits Lucy she sings the same song. Lucy is always very disturbed after these visits. Her mother had her at the age of 18 and went insane right after her birth.

Lucy knows that she is going to be different, until she is raped at a school dance and ends up pregnant. She doesn't want to be like her mother, but all signs seem to indicate that she is following her down the same path. There are more forces at work on Lucy and her family. Lucy discovers that every woman in her family has had a baby at the age of 18 and has went insane right after. Every one of them gave birth to a girl and every girl followed the same path as her mother. What is going on, is her family cursed and who did it?

This was a great suspense novel about family and tragedy. I really enjoyed this book.

CR@SH - February 6th

Get those sweet voices ready, because this month's CR@SH will feature Singstar! Sing your heart out to hits by Pink, Fall Out Boy, Rihanna, Fergie and more! Feeling a little tone deaf? Don't worry, we'll have the Gamecubes set up too! I'll be cooking up your favorite treats. Bring a friend, relax, and crash.

CR@SH Friday, February 6th 5:30p-7:30p
FREE!
No sign up required

Program - Cute Cupcakes

Friday February 13th - 5pm
Learn how to decorate cupcakes for Valentine's Day. Keep them for yourself or share them with someone you love. FREE! Space is limited, please sign up at the front desk.

Program - Marvelous Manicures

January 15th - 5pm
Learn how to do your own manicure. Receive your very own nail kit to take home. Space is limited, sign up at the front desk.

Crash - January 9th

GET READY TO ROCK WITH GUITAR HERO WORLD TOUR!!
Oh yes, we have in our possession one brand new Guitar Hero World Tour Band Edition! Drums, bass, guitar and vocals - can you handle it??!! Get a band together and sign up at the front desk if you would like to compete. Bonus points will be given for bands with guys and girls, so try and mix it up. If rocking out isn't your thang, we'll have the Gamecubes set up....bring your extra controllers.
We'll be cooking up some tasty treats, so come on down, January 9th, 5:30-7:30.

Our Top Ten Teen Books of 2008

As the year draws to a close, it's time for us to jump on the year-end list bandwagon. Here is a list of our favorite books written for teens for 2008.


Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
When high school student Clay Jenkins receives a box in the mail containing thirteen cassette tapes recorded by his classmate Hannah, who committed suicide, he spends a bewildering and heartbreaking night crisscrossing their town, listening to Hannah's voice recounting the events leading up to her death.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
In a future North America, where the rulers of Panem maintain control through an annual televised survival competition pitting young people from each of the twelve districts against one another, sixteen-year-old Katniss's skills are put to the test when she voluntarily takes her younger sister's place.
Graceling by Kristin Cashore
In a world where some people are born with extreme and often-feared skills called Graces, Katsa struggles for redemption from her own horrifying Grace, the Grace of killing, and teams up with another young fighter to save their land from a corrupt king.
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
After being interrogated for days by the Department of Homeland Security in the aftermath of a major terrorist attack on San Francisco, California, seventeen-year-old Marcus, released into what is now a police state, decides to use his expertise in computer hacking to set things right.
The Unspoken by Tom Fahy
Six teens are drawn back to the small, North Carolina town where they once lived and, one by one, begin to die of their worst fears, as prophesied by the cult leader they killed five years earlier, and who they believe poisoned their parents.

The Opposite of Invisible by Liz Gallagher
Artistic Seattle high school sophomore Alice decides to emerge from her cocoon and date a football player, which causes a rift between her and her best friend, a boy who wants to be more than just friends.
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
Sophomore Frankie starts dating senior Matthew Livingston, but when he refuses to talk about all-male secret society that he and his friends belong to, Frankie infiltrates the society in order to enliven their mediocre pranks.
The Latent Powers of Dylan Fontaine by April Lurie
Fifteen-year-old Dylan's friend Angie is making a film about him while he is busy trying to keep his older brother from getting caught with drugs, to deal with his mother having left the family, and to figure out how to get Angie to think of him as more than just a friend.
Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott
After being abducted when she was ten and abused for five years by her kidnapper, Ray, Alice's only hope of freedom is in death, but her only way to achieve such an escape is to help Ray find the next girl for his collection.
Sweethearts by Sara Zarr
After losing her soul mate, Cameron, when they were nine, Jennifer, now seventeen, transformed herself from the unpopular fat girl into the beautiful and popular Jenna, but Cameron's unexpected return dredges up memories that cause both social and emotional turmoil.







Agree/Disagree with our list? Leave your favorites of 2008 in the comments!