Help me, Obi-Wan. You're my only hope.

Well, I was able to come up with a costume! And what a costume it is! After buying a white wardrobe and perfecting my hair via YouTube videos, I unveil my Princess Leia on Hoth costume!

My hair was tricky, and it didn't turn out perfectly, but I'm happy with it!

 

Comment on here with your thoughts!

YA Literature Symposium

I have told some of you about an incredible conference I get to go to in a few weeks! It is called the "YALSA's YA Literature Symposium" and it will be in Austin, Texas. This will be a chance for me to sit in on some great seminars about YA fiction, writing, and miscellaneous teen stuff.  Below is a list of authors that will be participating. If you happen to have a book by one of these authors, and want it signed, you can drop it off at the library with my name on it, and I will try my best to get it autographed for you! No guarantees, but I'll try!

E. Kristin Anderson

Arin Andrews

Jonathan Auxier

Swati Avasthi

Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Chris Barton

Coe Booth

Michael Bowler

Steve Brezenoff

Selene Castrovilla

Justina Chen

Kristin Elizabeth Clark

Bruce Coville

Matt  de la Pena

Guadalupe Garcia McCall

Claudia Gray

Carol Goodman

Kristi Helvig

Katie Hill

Sara Holbrook

KA Holt

P.J. Hoover

Amalie Howard

Patrick Jones

Julie Kagawa--Teens' Top Ten Luncheon

Melissa Kantor

Mia  Kerick

Jo Knowles

E. M. Kokie

Stephanie Kuehn

Lindsey Lane

Jeanette Larson

Vicki Leigh

Malinda Lo

Kekla Magoon

Meg Medina

Kelly Milner Halls

Jennifer A. Nielsen--Teens' Top Ten Luncheon 

Lauren Oliver--Teens' Top Ten Luncheon

Evan Roskos

Sara Ryan

Michael Salinger

Victoria Scott

Steve Sheinkin

Andrew Smith

Cynthia Leitich Smith

R.L. Stine--CLOSING SPEAKER

Robin Talley

Laurie Ann Thompson

Janet Wong

Jacqueline Woodson

Blythe Woolston

Lisa Yee

Sara Zarr

Book Reviews

I have actually gotten quite a bit of reading done lately, and I just have to share!

Horde by Ann Aguirre

Horde is the last book of the Razorland Trilogy, and it is the culmination of an incredible, impossible to put down, story.  In a futuristic world, a virus has spread across the country, turning people into "Freaks" or "Muties."  These zombie-like animals roam the land and the subway tunnels under cities searching for survivors to make their dinners.  Deuce and Fade, who we meet in Enclave, are now out of the tunnels and have become part of a home and a family in one of a few surviving villages.  But while Deuce and Fade are gone, the Freaks, who have become exceedingly cunning and intelligent in the past few years, destroy their home of Salvation and most of the population.  Seeking an end to the Freaks, Deuce and Fade travel the last few territories to recruit an army to fight the Freaks and end the destruction and feasting once and for all.  But Deuce, a 16 year old girl, has her work cut out for her to recruit grown men to fight a seemingly losing battle.  Deuce, along with her friends must make the most of their band of soldiers, fight the Freaks, form alliances with a younger, more peaceful generation of Freaks, and make the world a safer place, once again.

This series, Horde being no exception, is one of my favorite books of all time.  When I picked up Enclave, I was enthralled with the talent of Aguirre and was immediately sucked in to her futuristic world.  An epic battle ends the series, much like The Hobbit, with multiple races fighting to rule the land.  Ladies and gentlemen, alike, will be captured by the struggles of Deuce and her friends and will enter a world where hope is scarce, but bravery and determination are rampant.  You HAVE to check this series out!

In Too Deep by Amanda Grace

High school student Sam isn't the most popular or the hottest, but she has a great friend that understands her.  The problem is that Sam has fallen in love with her best friend, Nick, but Nick has an on-again/off-again girlfriend.  If Sam could just make Nick jealous enough to see if he may have the same feelings, maybe he would finally completely end things with his girlfriend and be with Sam.  In order to do this, Sam has an idea. She will dress up for a party and offer herself to the hottest, most popular guy at school. Surely if Nick sees that Sam is taken, he will be jealous enough to realize his feelings for her.  Only, Sam's idea doesn't go according to plan.  Carter, the hot guy, doesn't want her.  In an effort to shoo her out of his room, he yells at her and calls her horrible names making Sam cry, her make up run, and encourages Sam to make a mad dash out of the room. But it doesn't stop there. Unused to high heels, Sam trips on her way out, slams her face against a dresser, and rips her dress.  When she exits the room, a girl sees her and immediately thinks...rape.  Only Carter didn't rape her.  And Sam is too drunk to understand what is happening so she unknowingly goes along with a lie that will ruin Carter and his reputation.  When the ruse works and Nick relays his feelings for Sam...and Sam realizes what everything thinks happened, how can she come forward and tell the truth?

In Too Deep is the perfect title for this teen story--a story that could happen anywhere.  Would YOU tell the truth? Even knowing you could lose the one person you love the most? There are times reading this story you just want to yell at Sam to man up and come clean...but could you?  The author weaves a fantastic tale that will keep you on edge, wondering just when everything will blow up and the truth will come out. You won't believe how it happens!

Two Important Pieces of Information

Teens, the scavenger hunt IS canceled for tomorrow. Apparently, none of you are interested...that's fine. I guess we won't be silly and take pictures and be loud and eat free food while playing with iPhones. Don't say I never did anything for ya!

Secondly, for next 3rd Friday (November 21), we will be having THREE singers coming to the library! These are all cool folks. I know because they are all my friends.  They are very talented! The two men hail from Goshen, and the lovely lady from Millersburg. Come check them out!

Jason Ropp's webpage: http://noisetrade.com/jasonropp

Mykayla Cynthia's webpage: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/mykaylacynthia

Author Visit

This Thursday, October 23, 2014, at 7 pm - 8pm, we are hosting an author visit! Come meet local author, Natalie Replogle.  You can check her out at www.nataliereplogle.blogspot.com.  She writes adult romance/inspirational fiction.  And the best part is, she is my COUSIN! I have a famous family member! So come on out and support both of us!

Lord of the Rings

Who here are fans of LOTR? I recently found, once again, a video (not GREAT quality) of a play my friends and I put on for a talent show at Northridge High School. Check it out! We are awesome :D I am the orc in the back left fighting Gandalf.

Manga-mania!

Thanks to an amazing family in our area, I now have a TON of new Manga for you all to read! Some of the options include:

Durarara!!!

The Gentlemen's Alliance

D.N. Angel

Black Cat

Samurai Deeper

Sayonara Zetsubou-Sensei

Vampire Hunter

Shaman King

And not to mention I'm working on beefing up titles such as:

Tsubasa

Skip Beat

and more!

Let me know what else you'd like! I try my very best, and I would always prefer to buy ANY YA titles based on what my teens want in the library :D You can comment on here, stop by, email, or call!

On a side note, tonight the teens and I will be hosting 3rd Fridays at the library--free popcorn, games, and Wreck-It Ralph!

Does anyone Catan?

 This will be available tonight!

Book Review

I just finished the book, Silver, by Chris Wooding (you can visit his website at www.chriswooding.com). This is a strange, but enticing story! 

Silver is set at a private school in England.  There is a love triangle, there is a bully, there are cool and awful teachers, and then there is a virus.  When a few students find a strange beetle outside the school grounds, one gets scratched...the scratch turns into silver wires that crawl through his body turning him into a psychotic killer! Any person that is scratched or injured develops this same virus.  They are NOT zombies...but they do have tendencies similar to zombies.  At first, they are mindless automatons that run around the school trying to kill everyone. Then they get smarter.  They plan traps.  They sabotage the electricity. And no one knows just quite what is growing in the boiler room...

Fans of horror stories, action/adventure stories, and science fiction will absolutely dig in to this newest novel by Chris Wooding.  Plot twists and action will keep you riveted!
Stop by the library and check it out!

Tons of Teen Stuff

So now that I'm back from vacay, I will be programming with vengeance! I have tons of stuff planned for all my teenagers. I have specific things for middle schoolers, things for high schoolers, a blend of both, and working with little kids.  I really hope I can get more participants!

I started something new...you guys seem too scared to talk to us at the front desk to sign up, AND you forget that you can register online for my programs, SO I have decided to put sign up sheets at NMS and NHS as well as clipboards in the YA section downtown so you don't have to worry about talking to people.

Here's what's coming up soon!

 This is my cousin, so I need you guys to make a special effort to come down this night and support me and Natalie!

Anyone who wants to volunteer to help this night, please let me know!

Cardboard

Yesterday, I had an AMAZING visit at the middle school to see my little teen buggers for Young Hoosier Book Club! We talked about the book, Cardboard, by Doug TenNapel (author of Ghostopolis), ate boxing glove cookies, and boxed with inflatable boxing gloves.  I always have such a great time at these book clubs. I hope that I get some more teens next time, especially eighth grade :D

Next month will be Fourmile by Watt Key. I have yet to plan exactly what I want, so I shall keep you in suspense.  I can't believe that incredible dedication of my teens that show up EVERY month for book club...especially those 8th Graders. Those that come, I've had since 6th grade! You teens have no idea how incredible it makes me feel as a teen librarian to have you  so involved in my programs. I can't wait to see how the year progresses!

I'm back!!!

Teens, I'm back! I had an AMAZING time in California...here:

ahhhh, it's awful to be back in dreary Indiana! But I missed you guys and I cannot wait to see you again. Remember, we have Book Buddies starting this week.  We have the high school book club Thursday. The middle school book club NEXT Thursday. Third Friday NEXT Friday! We are going to be busy! Come by and say hi and check out my killer tan!