Teenscape LaGrange

Eli Yanakakis is the spoiled, selfish son of a software billionaire. He’s also responsible for the death of his twin brother in a nuclear holocaust, or so he thinks. Eli and the rest of his family have been in the compound his father built, deep underground, for six years now – and although they’re safe from the radiation, the food is beginning to run out. And Eli has discovered a terrifying secret. Easy, thrilling read, but with some disturbing suggestions, 245 pp.

Posted by lagrang at 12:59 PM | Permalink

Bloor, Edward. Tangerine. YA/ BLO
12-year-old Paul, his parents, and his brother, Erik – the football star -- have moved from Houston to Tangerine County, Florida. Seems normal enough, on the surface – but Tangerine proves to be a place where fires burn underground, where lightning strikes almost every day at 4 pm, and where massive sinkholes threaten to bury children alive. Paul is legally blind, due to an accident when he was 5, which he can almost, but not quite, remember. He only knows that he is terrified of his brother Erik, and that there are secrets his family does not want to tell him. Since Paul is a soccer player, this book is equal parts mystery and sports-themed. Easy read, definite page-turner! 294 pp.

Posted by lagrang at 11:37 AM | Permalink

Stroud, Jonathan. The Amulet of Samarkand. YA/ STR and YA/ F/ STR/ TALK BOOK
Bartimaeus is an ancient, powerful, wisecracking djinni who has the misfortune, one day, of being summoned by Nathaniel, a 12-year-old magician-in-training. Nathaniel is a talented, though spoiled, impatient, and rude, magician – and the two of them antagonize each other through this gripping and highly entertaining story. Nathaniel commands Bartimaeus to steal the extraordinarily powerful Amulet of Samarkand in order to get revenge on a rival magician – but everything Nathaniel does backfires and lands him – and Bartimaeus – in far more trouble than he bargains for. You really root for Bartimaeus in this one! Book One of the Bartimaeus Trilogy. Medium difficult read, extremely well done narration by Simon Jones on 8 audiotapes. 462 pp.

Posted by lagrang at 04:36 PM | Permalink

McCormick, Patricia. Sold. YA/ McC
Been thinking your life's miserable lately?
This is the haunting and painful story, based on the true accounts of thousands of Nepali girls, of Lakshmi, who is thirteen when she is sold by her stepfather into a life of forced prostitution. Every year, in Nepal and around the world, nearly half a million children and teens are forced into sexual slavery, and author McCormick knew this story must be told. Lakshmi’s story begins with her life in present-day Nepal, follows her as she is sold for “the price of a water buffalo” and makes the journey to India, where she is treated brutally. She is told that the money she makes is sent home to her family – and after a year she discovers that this is a lie. It is all she can do to resist despair, and she hopes against hope she can be saved from this hellish existence. Easy read, but emotionally powerful, 263 pp.

Posted by lagrang at 02:36 PM | Permalink