Ink and Bone

Title: Ink and Bone

Author: Rachel Caine

Summary: Jess and his family are black market smugglers who trade in the rarest and most dangerous of commodities: Books. The Great Library that rules over the world allows people to download and read things, of course, but very few people are allowed to actually own bound copies of books. In order to get an inside look at the mysterious agents who run the Great Library and it’s satellite locations all over the world, Jess is convinced by his father to apply for entry into the elite Library training program and soon he is on his way to Alexandria, Egypt. As he makes friends and enemies in his class and clashes with his surly, aggressive mentor, Jess begins to realize how seriously the Library takes its stance on the value of knowledge above everything else – including the lives of enemies, innocents and the trainees themselves. When his friend comes up with a radical idea that could change the way information is transmitted forever, Jess must decide what is more important: His family and the mission they have set before him, or exposing the secretive and deadly nature of the Library. Either decision will cost him greatly and be impossible to forgive.

One of the great intellectual tragedies in history was the legendary destruction of the Library of Alexandria. Although there are several different theories about what happened and when, what is not in doubt is that countless scrolls containing works by famous authors were lost forever. This imaginative and fast-paced tale imagines a world where the library not only survived, but managed to become the ruling entity of the entire world. Short communications before each chapter give you a sense of what’s to come and the larger scope of the story as you read, compelling you to keep turning the pages to see how it all works out. There is something here for almost every reader: Action, humor, romance and mystery. This thrilling adventure will leave you begging for the second installment of The Great Library series.

Who will like this book?: Fans of dystopian series like Divergent and The Hunger Games. People who love books.

If you like this, try this: The Archived by Victoria Schwab. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke.

Recommended by: Nicole, Teen Librarian

The Wrath and the Dawn

Title: The Wrath and the Dawn

Author: Renee Ahdieh

Summary: Khalid, the dangerous and mysterious young Caliph of Khorasan, has an unsettling habit: He marries a new young girl from his city of Rey each night, only to have them killed each following dawn, strangled by a silken cord. One of the most recent victims of his bewildering cruelty was Shiva, the dearest friend of Shahrzad, daughter of a former vizier. Planning to exact revenge, Shahrzad volunteers to be Khalid’s next bride. While she is able to survive the first night of her marriage due to her skill as a charming storyteller, her place in the palace as Calipha is not secure and she is in constant danger from everyone around her. Meanwhile, outside the city, Shahrzad’s childhood friend and first love Tariq plots to free Shahrzad and the kingdom of Khorasan from the tyrannical rule of the hated Khalid. Of course, there is more to the Caliph than meets the eye. As an improbable connection begins to form between the married strangers, a tale of curses, true love and political intrigue begins to swirl that is as mesmerizing as one of Shahrzad’s nighttime tales.

This dynamic, un-put-downable page-turner is an outstanding debut by author Ahdieh. It is a fascinating retelling of The Arabian Nights and a great interpretation of its narrator, Scheherazade. There is romance, intrigue, adventure and even a dash of the supernatural to satisfy most readers, even those who are not interested in the revived trend of updated and fractured fairy tales. With the second book in the series, The Rose and the Dagger, due in 2016, you’ll want to get your hands on this title as soon as possible.

Who will like this book?: Readers who like intrigue and love-triangle romance with a dash of the supernatural. Fans of historical fiction based in non-European settings.

If you like this, try this: The forthcoming A Thousand Nights by Emily Kate Johnson. Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt. The original Arabian Nights tales, found in many translations. For mature readers, another fairy-tale retelling along these themes, Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall by Bill Willingham.

Recommended by: Nicole, Teen Librarian

The Name of the Wind

Title: The Name of the Wind

Author:  Patrick Rothfuss

Summary: In the quiet village of Newarre, the townspeople sense that darkness and danger are gathering. One night, a traveling scribe known as Chronicler is saved from wicked, spider-creatures called Scrael by a local innkeeper named Kote. The scribe soon realizes that this humble man is really the legendary hero Kvothe, made famous in story and song. After much prodding from Chronicler, Kvothe agrees to tell his story and reveal the reasons why he has retreated from the world that seems to need heroes more than ever.

The Name of the Wind is the first book in a planned triology called the Kingkiller Chronicles. In these pages, we learn of Kvothe’s early years as a traveling performer and musician with his family. When his father angers the Chandrian, an ancient, evil force, it brings about an unspeakable tragedy that sets young Kvothe on his life’s mission: revenge. He enrolls at the University to learn, among other things, ‘sympathy,’ a magical skill that allows users to manipulate objects and bend them to their will. Kvothe  makes friends and enemies and even has a sweetly shy romance along the way, but his focus always remains on his goal of discovering how to find and defeat the Chandrian.

Who will like this book?: This book is a great choice for fantasy readers who have read ‘everything‘ or are looking for another series to begin. Mature readers who like stories set in magical schools and were fans of Harry Potter or Percy Jackson when they were younger.

If you like this, read this: The sequel, The Wise Man’s Fear, which continues Kvothe’s story. The Magicians by Lev Grossman.

Recommended by: Nicole, Teen Librarian

Daughter of Smoke & Bone

Title: Daughter of Smoke & Bone

Author: Laini Taylor

Summary:  Karou lives in two worlds.  In one, she is a multi-lingual, blue-haired art student living in Prague who fills her sketchbooks with beautiful monsters known as Chimaera.  In the other, she is the ward of one of those Chimaera slipping through magical portals throughout the world collecting teeth for his devilish creations.  Karou loves the Chimaera who have raised her, but she can’t help wonder “Who is she?”  While her guardian provides much, his demands are great and he leaves so many of her questions unanswered.

Then black handprints begin to appear on the doorways of the portals used by Karou.   Her secret world and beloved Chimaera family are threatened by Seraphim or angels, creatures unlike any found in biblical writings.  Further complicating Karou’s life are the confusing feelings she has developed for the creature who attempted to kill her. Soon, Karou discovers that she is at the center of an otherworldly war.  She may finally find out who she is, but at what cost?

Who will like this book:  Those who have long since graduated from Twilight and its countless read-a-likes will be enthralled by this original fantasy.  Laini Taylor has vividly created a new world populated with unique characters and combined it with traditional themes of  forbidden love and epic war.

If you like this, try this:  Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare

Recommended by: Jen, Fairfield Woods Branch Teen Librarian

The Last Olympian

Title: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 5: The Last Olympian

Author: Rick Riordan

Summary: In the final installment of this outstanding series, Percy and company must defend the island of Manhattan from the evil Kronos and the monster Typhon. The Last Olympian has the usual plot twists and turns, but the stakes are incredibly high: If Percy, Annabeth, Grover and the other demigods from Camp Half Blood lose the battle, civilization as they (and we) know it will unravel as the evil Titans take control.

If you haven’t read Percy yet, by gods, what are you waiting for! Begin with The Lightning Thief before the movie hits theatres.

Who will like this book?: Everybody! A great adventure series for guys and girls who don’t love to read, mythology buffs and everyone in between. This is also an outstanding series for teens and parents to share.

If you like this, try this: The Keys to the Kingdom series by Garth Nix. The Mark of Solomon series by Elizabeth E. Wein. And it looks like there will be another Camp Half Blood series, featuring new campers, so keep an eye out for that as well.

Recommended by: Nicole, Teen Librarian

Oh. My. Gods.

Title: Oh. My. Gods.

Author: Tera Lynn Childs

Summary:  Child’s story reads rather like a light, girly version of Rick Riordan’s The Lightning Thief.   Phoebe Casto is a high school track superstar.  All she has to do is maintain a B average and have another winning race season and she is all but guaranteed a scholarship to her dream school, USC.  However, all her plans are thrown for a serious loop when her mother comes back from a week long trip engaged.  After a quick civil ceremony, Phoebe is rushed halfway around the world to a secluded, secret Greek island.  Once there, she learns that her new stepfather is the headmaster at a school for descendants of Greek Gods.  If maintaining a solid GPA and a winning race season was a challenge at her old school,  it’s now a Herculean task considering Phoebe’s competition now have superpowers and some pretty serious attitude problems.

Who will like this book?:  Fans of mythology placed in a modern context.  Also it holds appeal for sports book fans.

If you like this try this: Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians series and Catherine Murdock’s Dairy Queen.

Recommended by:Jen, Fairfield Woods Branch Teen Librarian