Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi From the ship’s deck as far as the eye could see; tankers in various stages of dismantle, an anthill of activity with all types of crews stripping every type of useable material and moving it from one place to another waiting to be traded and sold. The wind blew over them. The storm was coming for sure, it could be big enough to put out work for a good couple of days at least. They never knew when the next storm would be the next big city killer. A storm so powerful it washed over and drowned a city, the only thing left were the perfect outlines of washed over buildings, once a bustling city. Towering cloud banks built on the horizon and swept inward bearing steady rain. Thunder rumbled over the ocean and lightening lit the underbellies of the clouds flashing from sea to sky and back again. Forced to seek higher ground they watched as the storm surge forced the sea inward so hard and fast great oil tankers were moved around like small pieces of driftwood and tossed aimlessly about! After the storm, Nailer and Puma set out to explore for food in the tide pools where they find a Clipper Ship caught in close, washed on it’s side. “That’s Scavenge!” “That’s a Lucky Strike!” “That’s our ticket out of here!” “How are we going to register the scavenge? I don’t know how to register it so no one else can claim it!” “But we found it first that means it’s ours!” “Not if someone else takes is from us!” But happens when there is a passenger still alive? Do you leave her where she is and claim your treasure? Do you help her and still get the treasure from whoever might be searching for her? What will Nailer do? Will Puma think he is crazy for what he decides? Will she help, will they claim their Lucky Strike? What will happen to Nailer, Puma and the Swank Girl? Read to find out if Nailer saves the girl or if he walks away and stays a Ship Breaker. ~ Booktalk by Candie Chatham
Somebody Everybody Listens To by Suzanne Supplee(Spoken with a fake, “real” Southern accent) Hey y’all! My name is Retta Lee Jones and I’m from Starling, Tennessee. I can’t wait to get out of this town. I’m headed to Nashville. I’m wanna make it big in the country music scene… I wanna be “somebody Everybody listens to!” High school diploma in hand, goodbyes said, and $514.76 in my wallet, I am on my way! Well, it didn’t take me long to discover that Nashville can be brutal! I immediately suffered a series of events that bout drove me crazy! There was an encounter with a cop, a wreck, and would you believe a sobriety test?! And then a robbery! Just to name a few. Needless to say…I’m broke! Then I met, Ricky Dean - tow truck driver, auto mechanic and all around nice guy! He says he needs a temporary receptionist and I can work for him in exchange for work on my BORROWED car. Living in your car and taking baths in a convenience store sink were not part of my plans. Eventually I found a job singing at a hotel - if you can call it a hotel! It’s old and seedy, and the only people who come to hear me sing on a regular basis are old - I mean really old! Then I get news of a family crisis, and had to head back home, Not sure if I'll get another chance to come back to Nashville again… (Passage from book)“Or maybe, for once, it would fall into place. Maybe this one phone call was my big break, the thing that would lead to the big dream I’d been carrying around in my heart forever – the Grand Ole Opry and my voice on the radio.” To find out if Retta Lee Jones gets her wish, you’ll have to read “Somebody Everybody Listens To”. As a side note, the story also contains biographical notes of famous country singers before each chapter. ~April Milton & Angela Germany
Sorta Like a Rock Star by Matthew Quick It’s hard enough being a teenager without these extra hurdles!Living in the back of a bus, catch your meals where you can, your best friend is a small dog named Bobby Big Boy and your Mom needs more watching after than you do! With an eclectic cast of characters this story brings surprises around each corner Amber turns. Is she surprised? No! Everyone she comes in contact with is however! She brings joy with her everywhere she goes! She is teaching English to the Korean Divas for Christ, she has a weekly word battle against a senior at the Methodist Retirement Home, she is learning haiku from a once recluse Vietnam vet, she is a member of a rag-tag group of misfits known as the Franks Freak Force Federation where she and her socially challenged friends try to help their teacher keep his family together. She is a self-proclaimed princess of hope! In the end everyone comes together to save her after she tries to save everyone else. After searching for her Mother, she is sure she is in another deep drinking binge, she finds that her Mother is not passed out drunk but dead. Can Amber find joy in this situation to? Can she still shine and make the world her stage and remain, Sorta Like a Rock Star even when the worst thing she could think of happens! ~ Booktalk by Candie Chatham
Split by SwatiAvasthi High school senior Jace shows up unannounced at his brother’s apartment 19 hours and 4 states away from his parent’s home with a busted up face and split lip. His brother’s girlfriend has only one thing to say “Christian, did your father start hitting Jace before or after you left? His brother lets Jace stay, for now, and he is grateful but Jace hasn’t told him everything. Jace feels he can’t tell his brother everything. Jace’s brother’s girlfriend tries to help. Then, one day, she gives him some statistics on “Spousal Abuse” along with some “Resources for Domestic Violence Victims.” He never realized how much he hated statistics until that moment; that all the times his judge father came after them can be reduced to fat black numbers and percentages on a page. Wait, he sees that what he did to his ex-girlfriend is represented here too, in a special break-out section called:“Teen Abuse.” He sees that he has a number too. He sees that he is four times more likely to become a screw-up like his father and to hit his own girlfriend because of where he comes from. His brother’s girlfriend doesn’t know the whole truth either. She doesn’t know about what happened between Jace and his ex-girlfriend; about the warrant for his arrest. Look Split up in the thesaurus and it will say: tear, rip, divide, separate, crack, gash, break. Split by SwatiAvasthi ~Booktalk by Amy Wander
Matched by Ally Condie In the Society, the officials decide everything. Where you work, what you eat, and how you spend your free time. What stories you can read, what music you can listen to. Even whom you marry. 17-year old Cassia Reyes has always trusted their choices, so when she is matched with her best friend, Xander, she has no reason to question whether the Society really knows best. She believes that Xander really is her perfect match. But when another boy’s face quickly flashes on her match microcard, Cassia starts to wonder if she belongs with Xander after all. The other boy, Ky, is mysterious, romantic, and more than a little secretive about his past. Then Cassia’s grandfather gives her a paper with a forbidden poem written on it, and two lines stick in her mind. “Do not go gentle into that good night … Rage, rage against the dying of the light.” Cassia realizes that the poem has been banned because of its message to fight. Will she live the life that’s been assigned to her, or will she fight to follow her own path? If you like The Hunger Games you may enjoy this book, which is the first in a series. ~ Used the 2nd booktalk at this website, http://nancykeane.com/booktalks/condie_matched.htm by Amy Pickett
Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shortyby G. Neri illustrated by Randy DuBurke They called it a man hunt when the Chicago police were after Yummy. He had shot a 14 year old neighbor while he was trying to prove himself to the local gang. Yummy shot 14 year old Shavon. Shavon, who wanted to be a hair dresser when she grew up. Shavon, who was sitting with a friend on her front stoop that day. Yummy shot Shavon, while trying to prove himself and not the rival gang member he was aiming at. The Chicago police were after him now - looking for him day and night. They called it a man hunt. I thought it was more of a boy hunt because Yummy was only 11 years old, 4 feet tall and maybe 60 lbs. This hauntingly drawn black and white graphic novel is based on the true story of Robert Sandifer, who many called Yummy, because everyone knew he loved candy and was always eating something sweet. This is the true story of where yummy came from and how his last days played out. He grew up in the Roseland area of Chicago and stayed with his grandmother most of the time, well, when he wasn’t on the run or in the Juvenile detention center. Yummy was often on his own. His dad was in prison for drugs and his mother was in and out of jail for drugs and prostitution. Who did Yummy have to turn to? His parents weren’t around, his grandmother, who had the best intentions, was always looking after more kids than any one person could handle. Yummy thought he could turn to and depend on his gang, the Black Disciples, but they had something else in mind. Yummy by G. Neri and illustrated by Randy DuBurke is the heartbreakingly true story of 11 year old Yummy, his last days, his gang, his family, and his short life. ~ Booktalk by Amy Wander
White Cat: Curse Workers Book 1 by Holly Black In a world where people can buy and sell curses and powerful families employ curse-workers to do their bidding, our main character, Cassel, is the only non-worker in a family full of curse-workers. Cassel has more than his fair share of teen issues: his girlfriend recently dumped him, his boarding just kicked him out for sleepwalking on the roof, his mom’s in jail for emotional-curses, his older brothers are employed as powerful curse workers for a powerful family, Cassel never feels like he fits in anywhere and several years ago he murdered his best friend Lila. He has no idea why he murdered her but all he can remember is standing above her dead body and it never has made sense. An entire series of events begins when Cassel is kicked out of his boarding school because he was sleepwalking on the roof in his boxers. Don’t think, two story school building, think tall Gothic mansion. This is an awesome book full of cons, twists, dark curses and family secrets. The sequel is “Red Glove”. ~ Booktalk by Angela Germany
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare Sixteen year old Tessa Gray has crossed the ocean, headed for England where she thought her brother Nate was waiting for her. Instead she is met by the mysterious Dark Sisters, who take her captive, claiming that she has powers she’s unaware of. Through the Dark Sisters abuse, she discovers that she does indeed have the power to change into someone else. The Dark Sisters work for the Magister, who wants Tessa and her powers for himself. As Tessa tries to escape, she is rescued by Shadowhunters, fighters dedicated to ridding the world of demons. The Shadowhunters work with Tessa to find out who and what she is, what the Magister is up to, and what has happened to Tessa’s brother Nate. Romance fans won’t be disappointed as Tessa finds herself drawn to Jem and Will, two of the shadowhunters, who couldn’t be more different, and action fans will enjoy the battles with the Magister’s clockwork automatons. This book is the first of a prequel series that takes place about a hundred years before Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series, and fans of the series will recognize some of the character names and families. (Repeat the title)~ Booktalk by Tonya Oswalt’s
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver They say that just before you die your whole life flashes before your eyes, but that's not how it happened for me.To be honest, I'd always thought the whole final-moment, mental life-scan thing sounded pretty awful. Some things are better left forgotten. I'd be happy to forget all of fifth grade with my glasses and pink braces. Add in all of the boring family vacations; pointless algebra classes; period cramps; and bad kisses; I barely lived through the first time around. The thing is, you don't get to know. It's not like on the morning of your death you wake up with a bad feeling in your stomach. If you're like me, your last day starts like this: you wake up late. You're too busy worrying about how many roses you're going to get on Cupid Day to do anything more than throw on your clothes and brush your teeth. If you're like me, on your last day:you don’t think about anything except, you, the roses, the big party and the even bigger night your boyfriend has planned for you since his parents are out of town. The party that night was wild. On the ride home I didn’t see my life flash before my eyes like they say happens right before you die. Instead, what happened was my friend driving way too drunk and a deadly car wreck. If you're like me, you wake up the next day and realize it is the same day repeated and you are living it over again. Then the next day after that is the same again: Cupid Day worries; boyfriend problems; crazy friends; party; car accident. But this day I did things differently. This day I didn’t just go with the flow and let things happen. This day I started to see what was really going on: My boyfriend barely ever notices me; my best friends are not just the most popular girls but also the biggest bullies at school. This day, I had my eyes open for what was really going on. This day, I saw everything. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver ~Booktalk by Amy Wander
Coming Back Stronger : Unleashing the Hidden Power of Adversity by Drew Brees. Anyone here a New Orleans Saints fan? Anyone watch a few games last season? If you were ever interested in finding out what the life of a NFL star quarterback is like, this is the book for you. In this book Drew Brees tells his story in his own words. Drew starts off with his high school years, then college and into his professional football career. He also recounts how he met his wife, how she completely blew him off at first but how he persisted and finally got her to like him. He shares what an amazing experience being a father was for him. In 2005, Drew was playing for the San Diego Chargers and received a bad shoulder injury. An opposing team member took a cheap shot at him while he was down. The injury was serious and damaged his throwing arm. Drew underwent surgery and therapy. He had to completely relearn how to throw a football. In 2006 Drew was a free agent and chose to go with the New Orleans Saints’ offer. In the book Drew says he kept feeling lead or called to go to New Orleans. Katrina was the year before and the city was still in recovery. Because of the damage to the Superdome, the Saints had to play every game on the road until the Superdome was repaired. Well, we all know what happens from there. A few short years later, Drew had the entire nation’s attention as he lead the saints to WIN the Super Bowl on February 7, 2010. It wasn’t just a win for the Saints; it felt like a win for the entire city of New Orleans. It was an amazing moment. This is Drew’s encouraging and inspirational story of how each challenge has made him stronger. ~ Booktalk by Angela Germany
