New Arrival!

The Book of Tormod: A Templar's Apprentice by Kat Black looks like an old school fantasy book, which is a good thing if you're into authors like J.R.R. Tolkien or Terry Brooks. Thirteen-year old Tormod MacLeod can see into the future in 14th-century Scotland. The young seer joins forces with a Knight Templar to venture forth and recover an ancient relic of incredible power.






















The books is the first of a series so now is a great chance to get in at the ground floor!

Library Tip of the Week

Last Monday, I talked about Scott Westerfeld's historical fantasy book Leviathan. Did you like what you saw? Then check out Scott's website at http://scottwesterfeld.com/blog/. It covers all the books he's written, including his latest and greatest Leviathan.

BoTW: Leviathan

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld is one of the best young adult books I've read this year. Scott is best known for his Uglies series, but the author clearly has his sights set on something different with Leviathan. How different? Check out a sampling of the steampunk illustrations:




















You might be asking, what the heck is that? The machine is a Cyklop Stormwalker, a land walking war machine that Alek Ferdinand must flee in upon learning that his father, Archduke Ferdinand, has been assassinated. The Stormwalker takes a crew of five to run, including a pilot, engineer, and canon-operator. Check out the machine that's chasing them:




















That's the S.M.S. Beowulf, a German land dreadnought. For their own political reasons, the Germans do not want young Alek to assume the Austro-Hungarian throne to the point of killing him if necessary. But the books doesn't just have steampunk technology. Check out a Darwinist creation:




















That's the Leviathan, the namesake of the book and the flagship of the British navy. It's a genetically conglomeration of hundreds of different animals, including a whale as the foundation. It uses biologically generated hydrogen to float among the clouds, similarly to a hot air balloon.

As unbelievable as these illustrations are, you might be surprised to know that this book is about World War I! Alek's father, Archduke Ferdinand, is assassinated and much of Europe is pulled into a world war through a domino effect of treaties and alliances. Of course, Leviathan is historical fantasy, only loosely based on real events. Still, it's a great backdrop for a book.

And the best news? Scott is set to release the sequel in 2010, entitled Behemoth. I can't wait!

New Arrival!

Fade to Blue: a Novel by Sean Beaudoin is about an eighteen-year-old goth student named Sophie Blue who must solve the mystery of missing father.

Library Tip of the Week

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney is a fan favorite among Cy-Fair students. Jeff maintains a website at http://www.wimpykid.com/. The site covers everything "Wimpy Kid" related, including interviews with the author, a blog, and updates about the upcoming movie!

Check it out!

New Arrival!

The Homeschool Liberation League by Lucy Frank is about a teenage girl named Katya who convinces her parents to homeschool her for a month so that she can meet the violin prodigy who lives just down the road.

Library Tip of the Week

YART (Young-adult Round Table) recently released the 2010 Lone Star list. You can see the list at YART's website by clicking here.

Rest assured, I've already ordered the books on the 2010 Lone Star list. We should have them this spring!

BoTW: The Black Book of Secrets

The Black Book of Secrets by F. E. Higgins (no relation to our esteemed principal, Mrs. Higgins) is set in a 19th century village not far from a city similar to London, England. It tells the story of a young boy, Ludlow Fitch, who becomes the assistant to a strange pawnbroker. Ludlow soon begins performing the strangest of tasks: transcribing people's deepest, darkest secrets into The Black Book of Secrets.

Not all is as it seems, however. As more and more villagers pay the pawnbroker to relieve them of their burdening secrets, a web of intrigue emerges involving everyone including Ludlow himself. This 2009 Lonestar title is the perfect book for those who love a good mystery.

New Arrival!

Distant Waves: a Novel of the Titanic by Suzanne Weyn is a historical fiction novel that takes place on the infamous doomed ocean liner, The Titanic. Four sisters and their mother travel from New York to London with a host of famous historical figures, including famed scientist, Nikola Tesla from New York to London. In order to survive, Tesla muster all his ingenuity and creativity to create inventions to save the passengers aboard the sinking ship.

Library Tip of the Week

Welcome back!

It's a brand new year! Make a resolution to read more! Stop by the library and check out all the great titles we have.

Feed your need to read!