Wednesday, May 11, 2011

New YA Books Added to the Collection--Part 2

This is the second blog (of two) that examines new books that have been recently added to the library's YA collection. If you missed last week's blog, check the archives for the May 4, 2011 entry.

The Abused Werewolf Rescue Group by Catherine Jinks opens with Tobias Richard Vandevelde waking up in the hospital with no memory of the night before. His terrified mother tells him that he was found unconscious at Featherdale Wildlife Park in a dingo pen. He figures his two rambunctious best friends are responsible until he discovers that they're just as freaked out as he is. Then the mysterious Reuben turns up, claiming that Toby has a rare and dangerous "condition." Next thing he knows, Toby finds himself involved with a strange bunch of sickly insomniacs who seem convinced that he needs their help. It's not until he's kidnapped and imprisoned that he starts to believe them.

Virals by Kathy Reichs introduces 14 year old Tory Brennan. She is the niece of the world-famous forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan. She moves to the middle of nowhere Morris Island, South Carolina to live with a marine biologist dad she's never known. Tory does the best she can to adjust to her new life. There she meets a group of local kids who are just as "Sci-Phile" as she is--science geeks who have grown up experiencing the backswoods marshlands of nearby Loggerhead Island. But there's something strange going on at the Loggerhead Research Institute...maybe even something deadly. After rescuing a stray wolfdog pup from a top-secret lab, Tory and her friends are exposed to a rare strain of canine parvovirus, changing them--and their DNA--forever. Now, with newly heightened senses and canine-quick reflexes, they'll have to solve a cold-case murder that's suddenly become very hot.

Zombies vs. Unicorns by Holly Black and Jusine Larbalestier is an anthology of 12 stories. Though each tale has its own flavor, the dialogue between the co-editors draws them together, creating the feel of one long, continuous story. With Black defending the unicorn side of the debate and Larbalestier advocating voraciously for zombies, each team has six powerful stories to sway readers into joining one side or another.

After by Amy Efaw is Devon's story. Before it all, Devon was a good student, a good athlete, an all-around good girl, but then IT happened--the thing that was so horrible, so shameful, so impossible to imagine that Devon simply chose not to admit it to anyone, even herself. But denial can't make a thing go away, and now Devon's in a juvenile detention center, facing a possible life sentence for her actions. Does she deserve that punishment? Did she know what she was doing? Or was her denial so deep that she was unable to register the seemingly unavoidable changes happening to her?

These are just a few of the wonderful YA books available for check-out---browse the shelves and see what else the library has to offer!

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