Book of the Month: December - Seconds

by Bryan Lee O'Malley

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you could change the past? Katie is about to find out in this new stand-alone graphic novel from best-selling cartoonist Bryan Lee O’Malley.

Katie is a young restaurant owner who lives in an apartment above her restaurant. One night she discovers that there is a house spirit living in the restaurant. The house spirit guides Katie to some magical objects that give people the power to alter the past.  Write the action that you want to change down in the notebook, eat a bit of the magic mushroom, and when you wake up in the morning things will be different. 

The only problem is, when you change the past, you also alter the present.  As Katie changes more and more about her past, her present gets more and more complicated.  Imagine waking up married to a man who you thought was your ex-boyfriend!  It’s pretty bizarre when you have no recollection of getting back together, never mind marrying each other!   

And of course, the house spirit isn't all too happy about how Katie is abusing the ability to alter the past.

Don’t let the length of this book scare you off.  Yes, it’s quite thick at over 300 pages, but it’s a fast read.  A delightful mix of fantasy and reality, you’ll want to keep reading to find out what happens – will Katie accept the way things are, or will she continue to play with time?  

Bryan Lee O’Malley is the author of the Scott Pilgrim series.  

Every Day

by David Levithan

'A' is a soul who wakes up in a different body every single day. This has been happening since the day he/she was born. Every day 'A', who is of indeterminate gender, race and physical appearance, gets to be the person whose body he/she is inhibiting, and has access to their memories and to their lives.

The day 'A' wakes up in the body of Justin seems like it will be an average day in the life of a moody teenage jock, until 'A' meets Justin's girlfriend, Rhiannon.
 
The next day, 'A' is in a different body again, but is unable to forget Rhiannon. From that moment on, 'A' goes against his/her code of conduct and has only one goal each day - to reconnect with Rhiannon, in whatever body he/she may be inhabiting that day.

I loved this book and the questions it brought up - like, how interconnected are attraction and physicality? What is it that makes you love a person? What, if anything, separates what 'A' does from what some religions would consider demonic possession? And if you could truly walk in another person's shoes for a day, how do you think it would change you? 

Another Day is the companion novel, which tells the story from Rhiannon's perspective.

 

Stone in the Sky

Stone in the Sky

By Cecil Castellucci
Have you ever gone to the library to pick up the newest book series only to find that the first book in the series is out. Well that is what happened here but I decided to try reading the second book first and see how it went. I was not disappointed at all. I was able to follow the story even though I had not read the first book, Tin Star. Stone in the Sky is set in space and filled with aliens and adventure this book is a wonderful look at the human experience. Our main character, Tula, has not had it easy but she has found her place, safety, a home and a family. Award winning author Cecil Castellucci brings the reader to a remote space station near a resource rich planet. Beings from across the universe, some very dangerous, are descending upon the planet in the hopes of becoming rich. Unfortunately, for Tula, one of these people is the man who nearly killed her many years ago. Readers should be ready for an intense read when they pick this up. Adventure, intrigue and romance fills this duet of novels. According to the author this series is only going to be two books long, unlike many series and trilogies on the YA shelves.

Book of the Month: November - 100 Sideways Miles

100 Sideways Miles

by Andrew Smith

Here's what you need to know about Finn Easton: He has one blue eye and one green eye. He lives in the shadow of his father's cult-classic book, in which the main character bears an uncanny resemblance to Finn. He measures the world in miles instead of minutes. He plays baseball. As a little kid, a dead horse falling from a bridge broke Finn's back and killed his mother. The aftermath is that Finn is scarred and suffers from epileptic seizures.

If this is sounding a bit strange, let's not forget that this story also features knackeries, abandoned prisons, and a lot of raunchy analogies for the symbol : | :

One summer, Finn falls in love with a girl named Julia. After Julia moves back home, Finn and his best friend Cade go on a road trip to Oklahoma. The boys leave in hopes of figuring out life after high school, but their involvement in an unexpected accident rewrites their future.

When author Andrew Smith went on a book tour earlier this year, his tagline was "Keep YA Weird". He is the master of offbeat, experimental fiction and this coming-of-age story was the perfect combo of great writing, likeable characters and a dash of weirdness.

Other books like 100 Sideways Miles: An Abundance of Katherines by John Green, Noggin by John Corey Whaley, Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith, Going Bovine by Libba Bray

Are You Still There

by Sarah Lynn Scheerger

Gabi, a senior in high school, is an over-achiever.  She volunteers, gets straight As, and has already submitted early action applications to her colleges of choice. Things are going according to plan, until a bomb scare at her school turns her life upside down.  The cops are able to find the bomb in time, but they don’t find the bomber.

Shortly after the bomb scare, Gabi starts finding strange, threatening notes in her locker and around school campus. Could they be messages from the bomber, or someone else?  Why are so many of the notes left for Gabi?  

Meanwhile, school administrators set up an anonymous help line, and Gabi is one of the students asked to help staff the line. The students staffing the line are an unlikely group – representing all different cliques in the school, but Gabi realizes that she has more in common with some of her new workmates that she would’ve originally thought. Part mystery, part realistic fiction, this is a relatively quick read.

Things I Know About Love

Things I know about Love

By Kate Le Vann

I was looking to read a little something with some romance and this popped out at me from the shelf. I was intrigued because of the premise; a young woman travels half way across the world to visit her brother after she has won a battle with Leukaemia, this sounded inspiring and Things I Know About Love was just that. Livia is a strong young woman looking to get away and celebrate winning a battle with a serious illness. She travels from England to New Jersey to visit her brother over the summer and she ends up finding love.
Over the summer instead of creating a traditional travel journal, Livia decides to create a blog. She writes about all of her experiences in this private blog. The book is written as if the reader has been given access to this blog and the format of the writing style is fun to read. With lists and notes about love and life the reader is taken into this seventeen year old girls life and self-reflection. I especially enjoyed reading some of the British slang that Livia uses and found myself reading many portions with an English accent. One word of warning though; you might need a tissue for some points and you will definitely finish the book wanting to know more.
After finishing I was drawn to look at more YA fiction that had a blog feel and now I am reading Kiss & Blog. I'll let you know how it goes!

Saint Anything

By Sarah Dessen

Sydney has lived her whole life in the shadow of her older brother Peyton. Everyone in her life, especially her parents, dote on him despite his continued troubles with the law. Then one night, her brother gets in real trouble when he drives drunk and hits a boy on a bike. Now Sydney is known as the girl with the brother in jail, and all she wants to do is crawl under a rock. 

To allow her family to put her costly private school tuition toward lawyer bills - and to get away from the stares - Sydney decides to change schools for senior year. At her new school, Sydney meets the Chatham family, who have their own set of problems but are entirely more open than Sydney is used to. As Sydney navigates through new and old friendships, a new family dynamic, and confronting her crushing guilt about the accident, she starts to find herself after feeling invisible for a very long time.

This book started a bit slow for me, but by the halfway point I was in love with it. Sarah Dessen fans will not be disappointed. I really connected with the characters and loved the meaning behind the title "Saint Anything" (you get to it, eventually). Also, that beautiful carousel on the cover!

Alex as Well

Alex as Well

By Alyssa Brugman

This is the complicated story about a young teen who is trying to figure out who they are. Many teens are trying to figure themselves out but for Alex things are a little more complicated because Alex, our main character, was born a little different. Alex was born intersexed. What is this? You may be asking yourself. Well Alex was born with the sexual organs of both sexes. As a baby Alex's parents chose to raise Alex as a boy. Unfortunately Alex has always felt like a female. So after being raised as a boy for so long she decides to create a whole new identity as a female. The journey will be tough and long. Many questions and lessons about gender, acceptance, sexuality, belonging, and friendship are dealt with in this novel. Alyssa Brugman's Alex as Well answers the question; does it matter whether you're a boy or a girl?

Book of the Month: September - Emmy & Oliver

Emmy & Oliver

by Robin Benway

Emmy and Oliver are best friends up until grade 2 when the unthinkable happens, Oliver is kidnapped by his dad. Oliver's friends and family are all devastated when he disappears and for 10 years Oliver is always in everyone's minds - lost, but not forgotten. One day they receive the news they have all been waiting for - Oliver has been found! For Emmy this brings back fond memories of a boy that she felt an instant bond with, and a hope they can take up where they left off. However, when Oliver arrives back home it becomes clear that nothing is the same. The boy that was taken from them has grown up. Moreover, Oliver is struggling with reconciling the truth of his kidnapping by a man that he can't help but still love.

Will Emmy and Oliver find a way back to each other? Will Oliver be able to look forward to his future knowing that his past has been a lie?

A fantastic book that is funny, heart wrenching, and real. A great read!

Other books like Emmy & Oliver: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell,, Just Listen by Sarah Dessen, Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkin, An abundance of Katherines by John Green

The Truth Commission

The Truth Commission

By Susan Juby

As the subtitle explains, this is the story of "how three intrepid art students got to the bottom of one unexpectedly dark secret." Normandy Pale is a student at a prestigious art high school in Nanaimo,  Everyone has secrets, and rumours are everywhere.  Normandy and her two best friends decide to find out the truths behind some of the rumours, to varying degrees of success. Along the way discover more than they bargained for. Told as a work of creative non-fiction (complete with footnotes), this is a quirky, funny yet serious story about family, friendship and the realities of dealing with secrets.  

Book of the Month - August - Red Queen

Red Queen

by Victoria Aveyard

For 17-year-old Mare, life is determined by the colour of your blood.  Silvers have money, prestige, and special abilities.  Reds have nothing, and are destined to a life of servitude and military service, fighting a war that never seems to end.  Mare is a Red, and spends her days pickpocketing to earn a living,  When her best friend is conscripted to fight in the on-going war, Mare is determined to find a way out. But a twist of fate leads her to discover an ability she never knew she had.  

A Red with abilities?  How can this be?  In order to hide the truth from everyone, the king disguises Mare as a long-lost Silver princess and betroths her to one of his sons.  Of course things aren't simple - not everyone has Mare's best interests at heart.  Who can she trust?  And what about the family she left behind? What will become of them?  As she lives at court, secrets, lies and romance bloom.  

A nice mixture of fantasy, dystopia and romance. 

Other books like Red Queen:  Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo; Graceling by Kristin Cashore; Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi; The Selection by Kiera Cass

I Was Here

by Gayle Forman

18-year-old Cody's world is shaken to the core when her best friend, Meg, commits suicide while away at college. Cody and Meg were so close that they grew up like sisters, so it is no wonder that Cody's grief is amplified by the fact she had no idea her best friend was suicidal. They had grown a bit distanced during their first year apart, but still, how is it that Cody saw zero of the telltale signs of depression?

When Meg's parents send Cody to pack up their daughter's dorm room, Cody finds that her best friend has kept secrets from her she never would have expected. She also uncovers something strange: deleted emails and encrypted files on Meg's computer. With the help of some new friends, she sets out to discover the truth about the seemingly suspicious circumstances surrounding Meg's suicide. 

This was an uncomfortable read for me, with a side romance that I just couldn't get behind. However, I can see how many readers will love and connect with this story. Gayle Forman tackles some heavy issues with stark realism and there's no doubt that she packs a punch here.

Antigoddess

Antigoddess

By Kendare Blake

Antigoddess is the first installment in a new series by Kendare Blake, acclaimed author of Anna Dressed in Blood. This first in the Goddess War series. We are in a world where gods and goddesses live among us undetected. They always thought they were immortal until one day when they all start getting sick. Athena and Hermes are now on the search for the cause and a cure. They are led to a teen, Cassandra, who may be the key to a cure. This was an interesting read. I found that I learned a lot about Greek Gods while reading this. I enjoyed the idea that these interesting immortals could be wandering the earth among us. Watch this book trailer and you will be hooked. The trailer was what got me to grab this book from the shelves, once I started reading I could not put it down.

Book of the Month - July: All Our Yesterdays

By Cristin Terrill

Em is being held prisoner on a secret military base. All that keeps her going is the voice of the boy in the cell next door and a list of instructions she finds inside the drain, written in her own handwriting. It appears that she and the neighbouring prisoner have made multiple attempts to stop the creation of a time machine that will destroy the world, but every visit back in time has landed them right back to this moment: trapped and tortured in a cell by the man known as "the doctor".

Meanwhile, Marina, an insecure private school girl has fallen in love with James. Not only is James handsome, sweet and shy, but he is also an incredibly gifted science prodigy from an esteemed family. When a tragedy causes James to lose it all one night, Marina is fiercely protective and will do anything to support him in his time of need. But as the hours pass, James' behaviour becomes increasingly erratic.

The instructions on the note are clear: Em has only one thing left to do, and this is her last chance...until Em and Marina's stories intertwine in a way that leaves both of them reeling.

Time travel is a concept that has always fascinated me, and while at times there are some real brain benders trying to figure out the logistics of how everything goes down here, it is worth the ride! 

Other books like All Our Yesterdays: The Reluctant Assassin by Eoin Colfer,  The Here and the Now by Ann Brashares, Obsidian Mirror by Catherine Fisher, and Hourglass by Myra McEntyre.

Denton Little's Death Date

By Lance Rubin

In the world Denton grows up in, everyone knows what day they are going to die, thanks to tests run at birth.  For some people, that day is when they are very old, and for others, it is when they are quite young.

Denton is one of the people with an early death date.  In fact, his death date is in just 2 days, the same day as his senior prom. Denton's last couple of days alive are filled with an array of dramatic firsts - first hangover, first love triangle, first time giving a speech at his own funeral.

Laugh-out-loud funny, and a bit raunchy at the same time, this was a great read.  

Book of the Month - June: I'll Give You the Sun

I'll give you the sun

by Jandy Nelson

Jude and Noah are fraternal twins and absolutely inseparable. They both love art, live carefree lives, and know that they have each other. But one day something happens and their relationship falls apart. Jude no longer wants her awkward brother around, and Noah doesn't recognize his boy crazy sister. And when something imaginable happens their shaky relationship breaks and their lives are changed forever. Jude and Noah must learn to be true to themselves in order to find their way back to each other.

The book is told in alternating perspectives and time lines (Noah's chapters take place when they are 13 and Jude's when they are 16). Reading the two perspectives, at different times in their lives helps piece the story together. The writing is beautiful and the story told is unforgettable.

This book is amazing and I wanted to climb right in and enjoy every moment. Jandy Nelson is also the author of The Sky is Everywhere which is equally as good!

Other books like I'll Give You the Sun: Aristotle and Dante discover the secrets of the universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz, All the bright places by Jennifer Niven, Kissing in America by Margo Rabb, and Blackswangreen by David Mitchell.

The Selection

By Kiera Cass

I'm not going to lie: I picked this book up based solely on the gorgeous cover. Turns out, I became so hooked on the story that I'm now a tiny bit obsessed with this series by Kiera Cass.

In a newly formed nation called Illea, citizens are born into a strict caste system that rarely allows for upward mobility. So understandably, when it is announced that a Selection will be held to find a wife for the handsome Prince Maxon, and that teen girls of all castes are eligible to enter, the nation is buzzing with excitement.

When America Singer is Selected, it should be cause for celebration. But leaving behind her family and her secret love with a boy of a lower caste, America is brought into a fierce competition she has no intention of winning. Gradually, as she gets to know Prince Maxon, America begins to question all the plans she has made for her future.

Yes, this will remind you of the reality TV show The Bachelor. Yes, it's fluffy and silly but also ridiculously romantic and I'm a sucker for princes and forbidden love, so there you have it. Perfect summer beach read.

The series continues with The Elite, The One, and The Heir, as well as the companion novel The Selection Stories: The Prince and the Guard.

Trash

By Andy Mulligan

Trash was just hiding on the shelf and I'm so glad that I picked it up. It takes place in an unnamed third world country. Readers follow three friends; Raphael, Gardo and Jun Jun a.k.a Rat. These friends live and work in a dump site and make their living digging through trash. They spend their days sorting trash looking for paper, tin and pretty much anything that they can possibly sell. Most of the time they find "stupp," I am going to let you read about what stupp is. Let's just say it is not pleasant. One day while digging they come across a wallet in a bag. This is a rare find. There is money, identification and a note. The boys know that there is more to this than meets the eye. The three friends pull together and take drastic measures to not only free themselves from life in the dump but also help many others along the way. At times they even risk their own lives while they are trying to solve this mysteries. The book is written from many points of view so that readers have an opportunity to gain understanding and knowledge from all sides. This was a fast read and I feel would be great for reluctant readers. This book was also made into a movie. I give this one two thumbs up!

Other books like Trash; Shooting Kabul, Golden Boy, As Easy as Falling Off the Face of the Earth.

The 100

By Kass Morgan

I have been watching the T.V series connected to this novel from the first episode. I was excited when the library received the novel hoping to compare. I was very surprised to read and discover that while there are similarities there are even more differences. Character's names and occupations are different and the plot line has changed. Even with all of the differences I really enjoyed The 100 the novel. With this novel readers will get a better picture of the Arc and it's workings. I feel that readers will also enjoy getting to know some of their favourite characters, with chapters written from different points of view and flash backs galore. Kass Morgan takes us to a place three centuries into the future. The only known survivors of the human race are now living as a colony in space. Resources and supplies are low so any crimes are punishable by death unless the criminal is under 18 wherein they are put into jail, until recently. The Chancellor of this space colony has decided that it is time to see if Earth is safe and inhabitable; he has chosen 100 young criminals and sent them down. Will the space station survive? Is Earth safe? Is there other life, human life, on Earth? Pick up this book today to find out for yourself.

Book of the Month - April: Diamond Boy

By Michael Williams                                                                                                                                                                         Patson has a relatively normal life. Living with his father, stepmother and younger sister in Zimbabwe, he attends high school, is on the cross country team, and spends his free time with his best friend Sheena. His life isn’t going to stay normal for long, though – it’s about to change in ways he never thought possible.

According to Patson’s stepmother, there are ‘diamonds for everyone’ in the Marange region where her brother runs a diamond mine. Patson’s father gives into his wife’s nagging and agrees to move the family to the diamond fields. Completely unaware of the region’s dangers and violence, and it’s obvious from fairly early on that things aren't going to work out quite as they'd thought.

Their driver abandons them in a forest filled with diamond thieves. When they finally arrive at the uncle’s house, it isn't long before they are no longer honoured guests, and Patson and his father both labour in the diamond mines, to varying degrees of success.

To make matters worse, the military takes over the mine, causing even more chaos.
Diamond Boy offers a glimpse into the harsh reality of what happened after diamonds were discovered in Zimbabwe and how greed, power and money can transform lives forever.  

Shadow and Bone

By Leigh Bardugo   

Shadow and Bone readers are taken into a whole new world, surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee. Our main character, Alina Starkov, has never been good at anything but when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life. This power could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart. 
I enjoyed the similarities to Game of Thrones and I really liked the strength that Alina demonstrates; very inspiring.
Like book trailers, check out this one for Shadow and Bone.

Afterworlds

By Scott Westerfeld

This book takes place in parallel universes. Our main character Darcy Patel has put college and everything else on hold to publish her novel, "Afterworlds." Darcy drops everything she knows and heads to New York. Once she gets to New York she has no apartment or friends and she wonders whether she's made the right decision until she falls in with a crowd of other seasoned and fledgling writers who take her under their wing. This story is told in alternating chapters flipping between Darcy's life and her novel, a suspenseful thriller about Lizzie, a teen who slips into the 'Afterworld' to survive a terrorist attack. But the Afterworld is a place between the living and the dead and as Lizzie drifts between our world and that of the Afterworld, she discovers that many unsolved - and terrifying - stories need to be reconciled. And when a new threat resurfaces, Lizzie learns her special gifts may not be enough to protect those she loves and cares about most.
Check out the book trailer here and check this book out today.

Book of the Month - March: Salvage

By Alexandra Duncan

Seventeen year old Ava was born and raised in deep space, on a merchant ship called the Parastrata. The culture of her ship is conservative and patriarchal. Women have babies, cook, clean, and work with textiles and animals. Men are leaders who take multiple wives, act as guards, fixers and flyers and are allowed to travel between the space ship and Earth.  Ava has never known anything beyond the Parastrata and as the captain’s daughter, or “so girl”, she is obedient and accepting of the rules – usually.

When she is sent to a neighbouring ship to be married, she makes a huge mistake the night before her wedding and is sentenced to death in the Void. Utilizing her natural aptitude for “fixes” and problem solving, she narrowly escapes to the Earth below, leaving behind everyone and everything she has ever loved.

Landing on Gyre, a floating trash pile on Earth, she is astounded to learn that women are capable of more than she ever imagined. Ava learns both figuratively and literally how to stand on her own two feet. Her new found freedom ignites her brave and adventurous spirit, brings forth unexpected friends, a secret family…and maybe even love again.

This unique feminist science fiction story was right up my alley, and the character development was great. Check it out!

Cruel Beauty

By Rosamund Hodge

Cruel Beauty is an adaptation of Beauty and the Beast with some Greek Mythology thrown in. Our main character, Nyx, since birth, has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom, because of a bargain struck by her father. Also since birth Nyx has been training to kill her future husband, Igniflex. On her seventeenth birthday, Nyx has to leave her home to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. She has to not seduce this awful man as well she must destroy the enchanted castle to break a 900 year old curse, this will help set her people free. But it turns out that Ignifex is quite charming and sort of wins over Nyx. She starts falling for him.

note: this one takes a bit to get into as the author Hodge is creating a whole new world for the reader to become immersed in.

I liked the way that even though this is a fantasy the main character Nyx reacts very realistically, she is not perfect and not always likable but she is very real.

Book of the Month - February: Clariel

By Garth Nix

Sixteen-year-old Clariel is not happy about the move to the city of Belisaere in the Old Kingdom. She misses her old life where she could roam the forests, and be on her own. City life is busy, crowded, and surrounded by ugly stone walls. All Clariel wants to do is find a way out so that she can start to live her own life.

However, she soon realizes that things are not all that they seem. A dangerous creature is loose in the city and someone wants to harm the King. Can Clariel find a way to regain her freedom and prevent chaos from descending on Belisaere? Or is it too late?

The book Clariel is a prelude to The Old Kingdom series by Garth Nix (Sabriel, Lirael, Abhorsen, and Across the Wall). I love this series. Clariel takes a little bit of time to get into it, but once you do the story really takes off!

The Accidental Highwayman

The Accidental Highwayman: being the tale of Kit Bristol, his horse Midnight, a mysterious princess, and sundry magical persons besides.

By Ben Tripp

Readers are taken to eighteenth-century England and into the life of Kit Bristol. He is a simple servant of a nobleman, or so he thinks. One day when his master arrives home Kit is brought into a world of highway robbery, magic and mystery. The full title of this book tells us a lot about what to expect. When his master arrives home, badly bleeding, after another one of his outings; Kit dawns his masters garb and ventures off into the night.

This is a new take on fairy tales and is filled with every aspect of the fantasy world. There is romance, intrigue, and some humor for good measure. I particularly enjoyed the vocabulary, accents and vernacular of some of the characters. Some are comparing this book to the Princess Bride, while I would not go that far I would say there are elements that are similar.

Noggin

by John Corey Whaley

Travis Coates died of leukaemia at the age of 16.  But he agreed to be part of a scientific experiment, and scientists cryogenically froze his head in hopes of some day being able to attach it to a healthy body and bring Travis back to life.  The scientists thought that if this actually happened, it would be years and years in the future.

The thing is, it’s only been 5 years since Travis died.  He’s 16, but all his friends are now 21.  His friends have grown up and moved on.  His girlfriend is getting married (to someone else!).  Travis just wants things to go back to the way they used to be, but of course that's impossible.  Travis has been given a second chance at life, but will he be able to look beyond the past long enough to take full advantage? 

This book is a bit sci-fi, in that the technology exists that enables scientists to re-animate people, but that’s really where the sci fi ends.  A fairly quick read, with funny first-person-dialogue, this is a realistic look at the in-between stage of life when you’re too young to be an adult but at the same time too old to be a kid.

Project Cain

By Geoffrey Girard

In this sci-fi, mystery, thriller readers are taken on an exciting ride. Our main character is Jeff Jacobson, a fifteen year old who has just discovered that his scientist father "created" him in a lab. Jeff is made from the DNA of infamous serial killer; Jeffrey Dahmer. This story takes us to a place where nature vs. nurture is tested to the extreme. Jeff is not the only teen who was created from the DNA of a serial killer. These children where created as part of a top-secret government cloning experiment called "Project Cain."
Jeff's father comes to him one day, tells him the truth and then his dad disappears. Jeff is left to his own devices, other clones were set free by the geneticists and so the summer of killing begins. It seems that Jeff is the key to stopping the killing but can he hold back his natural urges to kill?

Ready Player One

Ready Player One

by Ernest Cline

Six long years into the search, Parzival has discovered the first key in James Halliday’s Easter Egg Hunt – a contest which will reward its winner with Halliday’s entire fortune. The winner will also gain control of the OASIS – a virtual reality in which most of Earth’s population spend the majority of their time.

In reality, Parzival is a 18-year-old boy named Wade Watts, with no real family, home, or money to his name. The year is 2044, and things have not gone well for humanity. So, like most people, Wade lives mostly in the OASIS, studying every aspect of 1980’s pop culture, as knowledge of Halliday’s beloved videogames, tv, movies, and music is the key to deciphering his clues.

But now the race is on, and Parzival is up against the IOI – a corporation bent on winning the hunt and seizing control over the OASIS by whatever means necessary – and he must rely on the help of three fellow gunters to win the contest, defeat the IOI, and save their virtual world.

This is a light, fun, and incredibly addictive read! 

Book of the Month - January: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

by Jesse Andrews

Greg Gaines has High School all figured out.  His secret: be nice to every clique, but just don't let other cliques see you doing this and never commit to the cardinal sin of eating lunch in the cafeteria.  Together with his only friend Earl, he gets through the days remaking low budget movies and life is great until his mother ruins everything.

When his childhood friend Rachel is diagnosed with leukaemia, his mother forces him to rekindle his lost friendship with her.  As socially awkward as he his, for some reason, Gre has the uncanny ability of making Rachel laugh.  But when Rachel decides to stop her cancer treatments, Greg can think of only one thing to do - make a film for her which not only turns out to be the worst movie ever made, but also becomes the turning point of his life.

One would think a book about cancer couldn't be funny, but this book is absolutely hilarious, sad and heart-warming all at the same time.  Greg is sarcastic and crass and the story moves along at a fast pace.