Divergent by Veronica Roth

“One choice can transform you.”

In dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions. Each faction strives to live by a particular virtue: Abnegation – selflessness, Amity – peaceful, Candor – honest, Dauntless – fearless and Erudite – intelligence. All sixteen-year-olds are given an aptitude test that tells them which faction they belong with. On a designated day of each year, a Choosing ceremony is held where the teens decide which faction to devote the rest of their lives to.

For Beatrice Prior, she has lived with her family as Abnegation for her sixteen years. Her brother Caleb is less than a year older and both take the aptitude test the same day. When Beatrice finishes her test, her examiner is a bit worried. Beatrice’s results were inconclusive and only two factions were outright eliminated. She displayed “equal aptitude for Abnegation, Dauntless and Erudite.” People with this result are known as “Divergent”. Her examiner, Tori, warns her to never share her test results as divergence is extremely dangerous. Tori sends her home early because she has a lot of thinking to do. If Beatrice chooses Abnegation, she will stay with her family. By joining a different faction, Beatrice will not see her family again. On a roller coaster ride of emotions at the Choosing Ceremony, Beatrice shocks everyone, including herself, by choosing to become Dauntless.

Renaming herself Tris as she starts the highly competitive initiation process, Beatrice struggles to leave behind the Abnegation values of selflessness and forgiveness. She has trouble determining who her real friends are and embarks on a romance with one of her trainers, Four, who looks familiar. As she attempts to deal with her fears about leaving her family and her feelings for Four, Four discovers her secret of being Divergent. He lets her know that if her true result is discovered, it would mean her death.

But when Tris slowly realizes that something is going on not only within her chosen faction but with society as a whole, she finds being Divergent may save those she loves. Journey with Tris as she begins to discover not only who she is but those she loves as secrets and true identities are revealed. If you loved Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games, Beatrice Prior will endear you to her as she begins her quest against society.

Visit Veronica Roth’s website.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tu5Erw-posg

The Seven Realms series by Cinda Williams Chima

Book One – The Demon King

Han Alister and his friend, Fire Dancer, are out in the early spring scavenging for what little can be found. At sixteen, most of the residents of Fellsmarch didn’t consider Han a man yet. Finding little, they decide to hunt for deer to provide some fresh meat for the table. When they locate a small herd of deer, the two boys also notice a weird colored fire. Missing the chance to shoot a deer, they take refuge behind a rocky outcrop to get out of the fire’s path. Soon three boys their age, dressed in fine clothes and riding horses, appear. Dancer realizes they are charmcasters or wizards and demands to know what they are doing on forbidden lands. The leader informs Dancer that his name is Micah Bayar and that they are on Queen Marianna’s orders to drive the deer to the valley below so that she and her daughters can hunt. Micah then questions Dancer if his real name is Hayden, which happens to be a wizard’s name. Words, blows and charms ensue between the two until Han draws his bow on Micah. Having the upper hand, Han orders the three young wizards to leave but not before commanding Micah to take off his powerful amulet. He clearly does not want to do it but sees no choice. Dancer wants to leave it behind but Han wraps it in a cloth for safekeeping.

Raisa, the princess heir to the throne of Fells, has spent the last three years of her life at the Demonai camp with her father’s clan. Now back at Fellsmarch Castle, she is hearing the whispering about her mother among the members of the court. The Queen is too close to the High Wizard, Lord Gavan Bayar who is Micah’s father. Raisa herself has entered a forbidden flirtation with Micah. But with the opportunity to hunt and ride, Raisa is chomping at the bit to go. Soon Raisa becomes uneasy but keeps her fears to herself until it is almost too late. The royal hunting party encounters Micah and his companions as the fire traps them in a canyon. Using the boys, Lord Bayar performs a chant that causes the fire to be put out.

Han, a former streetlord known as Cuffs Alister, has worn a pair of silver engraved wrist cuffs for as long as her can remember. They are clearly enchanted as he can never take them off and they grow with his body. His mother seems to not recall how they came to be. Han is trying to eek out a meager living for his mother and sister but his former gang life continues to follow him. Raisa begins to sense that not all is right in her world and unwanted and unexpected change looms on the horizon. Her mother’s queendom seems to be headed for disaster. Raisa desires to be a more powerful queen than her mother but the queen is more interested in a husband for her daughter.

What happens when Han and Raisa’s worlds unexpectedly collide and the long smoldering war between the wizards and the clans finally breaks out? The Demon King is the first book in the Seven Realms series. Readers will be hooked from the first page in this hard to put down fantasy read.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEtfteO-9dU

Book Two – The Exiled Queen

SPOILER ALERT! Don’t read any further if you haven’t read The Demon King. Don’t want to ruin this incredible series for you!

All is not well in the Seven Realms. War continues amongst the brothers in Arden, each one jockeying to become king and the bloodshed seeps throughout. Princess Raisa, heir to the Gray Wolf throne, has fled the Fells with Amon Bryne and his triple after her narrow escape from a forced marriage to Micah Bayar on her naming day. Han Alister is reeling from not only the deaths of his mother and sister, but the discovery of his true identity. Both journey to Oden’s Ford to attend one of the various academies located there; Raisa, warrior school and Han the wizard school. But what happens when their paths cross once again? Will Raisa’s true identity be discovered? Is she cut out for military school? Will her broken heart be mended? Does Han have what it takes to become a wizard? And will the Bayar twins stand in his way?

Readers will be left gripping their books at the ending wondering where Raisa and Han’s paths will takes them.

The Seven Realms series continues with The Gray Wolf Throne on August 30, 2011.

Visit Cinda Williams Chima’s website.

Everfound by Neal Shusterman (Skinjackers trilogy book 3)

Everfound by Neal Shusterman (Skinjackers trilogy book 3)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first two books in the series,  Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.


Everwild left our cast of Afterlights in various situations of peril. Allie the Outcast is tied to the front of a train heading across the Mississippi River. Milos is in charge of Mary’s second hibernation and looking out  for her children. And Mikey gathered up the chocolate remnants of Nick and reformed them into an actual Chocolate Ogre. But what lies west of the Mississippi and who is the mysterious Jix gathering intelligence for? Will Mikey escape his entrapment and be able to catch up with the others? Can Nick reclaim his Afterlight form or is he doomed to be made of chocolate forever? Can Allie escape from the train? What or who will be found in the West? And will our favorite Afterlights choose to stay in Everlost or take their coins and cross over?

Visit Neal Shusterman’s website.

Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork

Marcelo Sandoval has a form of high functioning autism. He attends a special school and works at the horse stable where kids with special needs receive therapy. Marcelo also hears music that only he can hear. But at the age of seventeen, Marcelo’s father thinks it is time for him to experience “the real world.” Instead of working at the stables for the summer, Marcelo will be working in the mailroom at his father’s law firm. If he can adapt and follow the rules, then Marcelo can choose where he will attend high school his senior year; Paterson or a real high school.

Jasmine, a few years older than Marcelo, is his supervisor is the mailroom. He soon realizes that Jasmine is not thrilled to have Marcelo working for her but before long; trust and friendship develop between them. After a few weeks, Wendell, the son of Marcelo’s father’s law partner, makes him an offer. If Marcelo helps Wendell make the moves on Jasmine, then Wendell will tell Marcelo’s father that he is capable of making it in the real world. Marcelo never agrees because he realizes that Wendell wishes to harm Jasmine. He soon finds himself as Wendell’s helper on a big lawsuit.

In working on the lawsuit files, Marcelo finds a photo of a girl his age whose face has been scarred. He becomes drawn to her and soon embarks on a journey to discover her story. Part self-discovery, part coming of age and part legal drama, the story of Marcelo Sandoval’s seventeenth summer will have readers cheering for the underdog.

Visit Francisco X. Stork's website.

Red Glove by Holly Black (Curse Workers book 2)

“The cons get twistier and the stakes get higher.”

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't read the first book in the series, White Cat, Stop! I don't want to ruin the story for you.

“Curses and cons. Magic and the Mob.”


After spending the summer with his mother in Atlantic City looking for her next millionaire mark, Cassel Sharpe is almost looking forward to the start of school. In a short time, Cassel has discovered quite a few things about himself. He is the most powerful curse worker around. Cassel has the ability to transform with a touch of his hand. The girl he loves, Lila Zacharov, is no longer a white cat he unknowingly turned. But unfortunately, Cassel’s mother, an emotion worker, has cursed Lila to love Cassel and he can no longer trust what Lila says. And after spending the summer avoiding Lila, Cassel is stunned when she enrolls at Wallingford Prep. Looks like it might be an interesting school year.

Cassel is soon pulled out of class and called into the headmistress’s office. Upon his arrival, he notices two men waiting on him are federal officers. He is taken to their headquarters where he is eventually told that his brother Philip is dead and that he was working with the government at the time. Cassel is offered training and a job with the government if he finds out the information Philip was going to supply. The only clue the feds have to go on is a grainy image of a woman wearing a red glove. To make matters worse, at Philip’s funeral, Lila’s father offers Cassel a job. He also tells Cassel he wasn’t responsible for his brother’s death.

Which path will Cassel choose, the feds or the mob? Can he find out who is responsible for his brother’s death? And does Lila really love him or is it just the curse talking?

The trilogy concludes with Black Heart in 2012.

Visit Holly Black’s website.

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare (Mortal Instruments book 4)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first three books in the Mortal Instruments series, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

It has been six weeks since the story ended with City of Glass. The Mortal War is over and most everyone is home from Idris. Clary is training to become a Shadowhunter and is finally free to pursue a relationship with Jace. Simon is adjusting to his new life as a vampire. Jocelyn and Luke are planning their wedding. But not all is right in New York. Jace seems to be pulling away from Clary and will not tell her why. Vampires are jockeying for Simon’s allegiance. And a newcomer is in town to help guide Simon.

But someone or thing is killing Shadowhunters and making it look like Downworlders are doing it. And the dead share a connection; all were members of Valentine’s Circle. Is Sebastian back from the dead? Why ha Camille come back to New York? Who is creating demon babies? And can Clary figure out what is going on with Jace?

The story continues in book five, City of Lost Souls.

Visit Cassandra Clare's website.

Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

Cryer’s Cross, Wyoming, population 212, is the home to Kendall Fletcher. Kendall suffers from compulsive-obsessive disorder (OCD) and it controls her life. When Tiffany Queen disappears without a trace in the spring, Kendall’s life is disrupted. Order is a necessity in her life and only her childhood friend/boyfriend Nico Cruz knows her secret. When Kendall and Nico’s senior year begins, Kendall is relieved to have a sense of normalcy back in her life. As the only girl her age at school, Kendall is surprised to learn that two new students will be attending her school, Marlena and Jacian Obregon.

Jacian is also a senior and angry to be in a new school where he feels his life has been turned upside down. Even worse, he was questioned in Tiffany’s disappearance since he was new in town. When Nico becomes distant towards Kendall and then disappears, the town is once again in an uproar that quickly dies down. Kendall’s life is spirally out of control, especially when soccer is cancelled due to not enough players. The sheriff implements a curfew for the young people and no one is to be alone. With Nico missing, Kendall is paired with Jacian, much to her dismay. But they soon find out they have a lot in common.

Who or what is causing the young people of Cryer’s Cross to disappear? And can Kendall figure it out before she becomes the next victim?
Visit Lisa McMann’s website.