Miss Beregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Just as a side note...I haven't stopped reading teen fiction!  I've just been reading all sorts of other things too.

So...here's all about Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children:

Jacob has always wanted to believe his grandfather's stories about the unusual children he knew in the 1940s.  The pictures he had, the stories he told, and the experiences he shared all fascinated Jacob, from a very early age.  As Jacob grew older, though, he had a harder time believing stories about a girl who floated about the ground, a boy filled with bees, not to mention all the other peculiarities. 

When his grandfather calls one day in a panic because he can't get into his gun cabinet, Jacob thinks he's finally lost his marbles.  But when he finds his grandfather dying in the forest behind his house, he can't deny something's going on.  Especially when Jacob sees a creature not far off that no one else seems to see.

Following his grandfather's directions, Jacob sets off for a remote island off the coast of Wales, to find Miss Peregrine and get the answers he seeks.  What he discovers is his grandfather may not have been making up anything at all...

I did enjoy this book and story, but it wasn't at all what I was expecting.  The beginning half, when Jacob is learning about the different peculiar "children", I thought this would be something along the lines of a scary freak show.  This story follows a fantasy line more closely than a mystery, although it takes most of the book to realize that.  It sounds, from the ending, like there is a sequel in the mix.

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

Ok ok, this isn't a teen book. I've been branching out.

Although, to be fair, other than the swearing and the violence...and actually because of it...it's still ok.

Mercy Thompson is a shapeshifter living in the area of a werewolf pack. She's a mechanic who deals with vampires, witches, and the fae...along with those pesky werewolves. So when a new werewolf appears at her shop looking for work, she doesn't turn him away even though she thinks about it. Mac's a pretty good kid but it's apparent he's never been trained by an Alpha on his new abilities.

Then two men appear and try to take Mac with them. Mercy steps in at that point and kills the werewolf--something she shouldn't really be able to do. Before long, the whole werewolf pack is involved, their Alpha is down, and Mercy is up to her neck in all sorts of supernatural trouble.

An involved story with lots of twists and characters. Mercy is a great main character--full of spunk and sarcasm. There is some romance in the story, but not a lot--just overtones. I love books with some paranormal aspect, some romance, and a lot of kicking a**. This book has all three..in spades.

Redemption of Althalus by David Eddings

Althalus is probably the best thief in the world. He has quite the reputation...but also the skills to back that up. So when his luck goes sour, he wonders if something is wrong. Then he meets Ghend, a seedy-looking character who wants to hire Althalus for a job. He wants Althalus to steal a book from the House at the Edge of the World.

Althalus wonders at Ghend's sanity, but when Ghend offers to pay him the Book's weight in gold, he decides he can't pass it up. He spends a few weeks traveling to the House, but once he gets there...nothing will ever be the same.

Althalus gets trapped in the House with a cat he names Emerald who can talk. He spends the next couple centuries learning how to use the Book to make things happen--all in preparation to save the world. First though, he must venture out of the House to find the people he needs. Those people all have tasks that need to be done as well, if they're to succeed.

It's pretty hard to sum up a 800-page book in a short blurb. This doesn't even scratch the surface of what happens in this book. Eddings was a masterful storyteller, and I already miss his great wit and story-telling. This is one of his few fantasy books that is told all in one book--the rest take several. He himself admitted it helped not making his characters travel by foot or horse most of the time. If you're looking for a great fantasy story, pick this book up. And, while it isn't teen, it's appropriate for them too--no swearing, nudity, or other things people find so objectionable.

Soulbound:The Legacy of Tril by Heather Brewer

I got this book from Heather Brewer (yay) as an Advanced Reader's Copy. The book is going to be published in July.

I'm not going to say a lot about it, but I will a little. Because I enjoyed it so much.

First of all...it's the first in a new series by Brewer. I'm dying to read the 2nd book. I read the 1st one this morning. Yes, this morning. I couldn't put it down, and refused to until I had it read.

The basic story is this: The main character, Kaya, lives in a world that has Barrons, Healers, and the Unskilled. The Barrons are born with a fighting 'gene'--it makes them natural fighters. They are bonded with a Healer, someone born with the healing 'gene'--and Healers can bring Barrons back from the brink of death. The Unskilled are well, people who aren't born with one of these traits. Kaya is a Healer, but she's in hiding. Her parents broke the rules when they fell in love and got married--they're both Barrons. So when Kaya is discovered, she's threatened to either learn how to become a Healer or her parents will be imprisoned or killed. So she goes to the Shadow Academy. Healers are expected to learn some about healing, mostly about why they're suppose to follow their bonded Barrons around. Kaya wants to learn how to fight, which is forbidden.

This story has it all--action, adventure, intrigue, mystery, fantasy, and romance. I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next. And I still can't!

So...go preorder it now. I'll wait here.

Elenium and Tamuli series by David Eddings

So...every once in a while I branch out from YA/Teen literature and read something different. I've been an avid fan of David Eddings since I discovered his books in high school. I, like most of his fans, started off with the Belgariad series. While most fans have issues with the Elenium and Tamuli series, I really do enjoy them. Actually, I enjoy pretty much everything by David Eddings, may he rest in peace, because he was a fabulous author. And I really got his humor (which is sarcastic or dry...like mine!).

So...we'll start with the Elenium series. This series is made up of 3 books...The Diamond Throne, The Ruby Knight, and The Sapphire Rose. They feature a knight in his late thirties--a hardened warrior who fights for his church, but also serves as the Queen's champion. The Church Knight's name is Sparhawk, and he really is a disagreeable fellow. He returns from exile at the beginning of The Diamond Throne to find his queen has been poisoned and is near death. His quest is to find a cure, save the queen, and then the world.

It's hard to talk about the Tamuli series without giving some things away, but suffice to say, Sparhawk survives the battles and such in the first series. The three books in this series are called Domes of Fire, The Shining Ones, and The Hidden City. Sparhawk is once again called upon to save the world, with the help of his friends.

What I love about these books: There are good guys and bad guys and they're battling over the world. There's humor, there's adventure, and no swearing or sex (well, the swearing is there, but they aren't our swearwords). It's good wholesome fun. There's violence, but I mean, when you're fighting evil gods and have knights...of course there's going to be fighting! Whenever I have a teen looking for a good fantasy, I direct them to these books.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Conor's mom is slowly dying of cancer but they're both in denial about what's happening. Conor can't imagine a world without his mom, so tries to ignore it. He's haunted by a nightmare he has most nights and this night is no different.

When he wakes up, he hears something calling his name. Out in the yard, he watches as the yew tree pulls itself out of the ground and shapes itself into a being. An extremely tall being or monster. The monster wants Conor to be afraid of him, but after his nightmare, Conor doesn't find the tree fearful at all.

The monster has a strange request--Conor must listen to three of the monster's stories and then tell one of his own.

But Conor would rather face death than admit to his greatest fear...and the source of his nightmare.

Conor's pain, anger, and fear leap off the page. The monster's motives are unclear until the end of the book. Conor is a likable character who is going through a horrible experience. The illustrations throughout make the story more enjoyable and add depth to the setting.

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

Isobel can't believe she's paired with goth Varen for an English project. Varen seems equally disgusted, so their project is not off to a good start.

When Isobel's boyfriend and friends trash the ice cream shop where Varen works to make Varen stay away from Isobel, she realizes maybe Varen isn't so bad afterall. At least he handles things better. Isobel can't believe her boyfriend would do something so horrible.

Weird things start happening to Isobel after that night. First, she's chased through the woods behind her home. Then she meets a man who introduces himself as Reynolds and informs her she's going to save them all. She has no idea what he means, but shadow creatures begin to stalk her nightmares and even in the real world. Before she knows it, she's in a world of Varen's making.

And they're all going to die.

This is the first in a series, so be ready to want the next one right away. Isobel and Varen eventually figure out their feelings, only to be ripped apart. There are lots of references to Edgar Allan Poe throughout, especially since Varen is a huge fan and according to this story, the same thing that makes Varen go over the edge did the same for Poe.

Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs

Tempest knows one of the most important decisions of her life will come on her 17th birthday. She will have to decide between staying human or giving up her humanity to become a mermaid. Like her mother.

Her mind is already made up though--she would never abandon her family and friends like her mother did. While the pull of the ocean is strong, Tempest knows she can resist it. But her body seems to have other ideas, and it doesn't wait until her 17th birthday. Changes are already coming.

Then she meets Kona, a mysterious man she feels drawn to. The sea witch from her childhood comes back and tries to claim her. Before her eyes Kona is struck down and the only thing she can do to save him is put him in the water. But when he disappears, she knows she has to follow.

I wasn't expecting to hate or love this book, but I did really enjoy it. I couldn't wait to see what happened, and even though the big battle towards the end kind of fell flat, the book ends with a questioning tone, which I assume will lead to sequels. It is a paranormal/supernatural romance story, but since the author writes romance in her adult guise, I'm not surprised!

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

John, or Four, is not from Earth. He is one of nine Legacies escaped from Lorien before it was decimated. In those nine sets the fate of the universe.

But the first three are dead and the Legacies must be killed in order. John and Henri, his guardian, head to Ohio to hide, again. It's worse this time, since John knows he's next.

He still tries for a normal life. Sarah, a girl who catches his eye from the beginning, is also interested in him, and Sam, a nerd fascinated by space and aliens, are his two only friends. John tries to avoid drawing attention, but it only works to a point. Meanwhile, his powers are developing; he is able to control light and fire, move things with his mind, and that's just the surface.

Then Sarah gets trapped in a burning building and all hell breaks loose. John's cover is blown and the Mogadorians are coming.

While the action keeps up, even with John's training and everything at school, nothing really happens until late in the book. The story has a lot of good elements, but the ending felt like the movie Thor: "I'll come back for you". A good book and it should be popular. Who doesn't like a superhero.

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

The fifty contestants of the Miss Teen Dream pageant trained for months, even years, to strut their stuff in front of the cameras. Too bad their airplane crashes on an unknown and deserted island and some of those 50 girls don't make it.

The survivors are left wondering if they'll ever be rescued. They continue to train for the pageant, but in order to survive they also have to learn how to find food, fend off snakes, and cope with the lack of civilization.

Meanwhile, on the same island, The Corporation--responsible for all merchandise and entertainment available to everyone in America--plots to undermine the government by supplying weapons to America's worst enemy.

Yet another hilarious book by Libba Bray. Enough things go on here, most of all a parody of the way society is. Humor, adventure, and a dose of romance.

Steel by Carrie Vaughn

Jill has been competing in fencing competitions for years. She knows she's good, but when she misses the chance to place third in a national competition by 1/2 second, she questions whether she's good enough to qualify in other tournaments.

On vacation with her family in the Bahamas, she finds a dull rusted tip of a rapier. Not sure why, she picks it up and puts it in her pocket. On a tour boat the next day, she falls overboard and is rescued by pirates. Early 18th century pirates. In the early 18th century.

Pirate life is hard and it takes Jill some time to get use to what's going on. According to Captain Cooper, the rapier tip she found is trying to find it's way back to its sword. The owner of that sword is Captain Blane, and Captain Cooper hates him with a passion. It's her mission to bring him down. Jill's main concern is how to get back to her time, since no one would believe that she doesn't belong in the 18th century. Until then, she joins the crew, learns about life on a pirate ship and how to fight with real rapiers.

Realistic fantasy all the way. Life aboard a ship is rough, but not as bad as it could be. The author did some research before writing the novel, and it really shows. There's action, adventure, and drama, and Jill's story is believable. There are a couple of spots that are a bit unbelievable, but on the whole, it's well done.

Warrior Woman by Marion Zimmer Bradley

Ok, this isn't really a teen book, but I love Marion Zimmer Bradley and thought I had heard of all of her books (knowing I hadn't read all of them!), so I thought I'd pick this one up.

This is the story of Zadieyek, who has no memory. The first thing she remembers is a trek across the desert and being raped. A lot. But soon she's sold to be the concubines for gladiators--until she defends herself against one gladiator and kills him. Now her 'job' is to fight in the gladiator arena.

For Zadi, that's not a bad life. It isn't one she would have chosen, but she has no memory of life before. She's taken into the home of a rich patron--a woman--and given the task of finding other warrior women who wouldn't mind fighting as gladiators. This takes her over the same desert she was dragged through before, only this time, her memory starts to return.

Ok, so I did enjoy the book, although it was extremely short. A lot goes on, many avenues are started and then not explored, and Zadi only fights in a couple of matches in the arena. This is definitely fantasy, especially when you find out who Zadi is. Maybe not Bradley's best work, but I enjoyed it all the same. Reminded me a little bit about the Darkover novels, although I only read the first one.

Nomansland by Lesley Hauge

Keller is a Novice Tracker. She lives in FoundLand, a country of all women. The world has changed, and while a few items of the Old People exist, most of them are gone. The materials from the Old People must be purged from their area, to avoid the catastrophe which caused the earth's destruction so many years ago.

But Laing finds a hidden cave of forbidden items and Keller can't stay away. The more she tries to resist, the more often she risks getting caught. The more she learns about the Old People, the less she believes what she's always been told.

An interesting premise. I enjoyed the story and Keller is a likable character. A few characters were not so fleshed out, but it didn't detract from the story. Lots of questioning authority and adventure, along with human nature.

Merchant of Death by D.J. MacHale

Bobby Pendragon is your typical 14-year old guy who loves to play basketball and is good at it too. On the night of the final game, Bobby is running late so by chance his Uncle Press finds him still at home.

Press tells him there are people who need his help and he won't take no for an answer. Thinking it would be faster to just go with Press before the game, Bobby agrees. Before he knows what's happening, he's traveling down a flume on his way to Denduron, a different territory and time than Earth.

With no answers (or uncle) as to what he's suppose to do or how, Bobby kind of stumbles into situation after situation. Life on Denduron is primitive--at least for the Milago, slaves to the Bedoowan. Not to mention running into another Traveler--Saint Dane--who is determined to have chaos and war at every turn.

Bobby is a likable character who fumbles with his destiny. He doesn't want anything to do with being a Traveler, but he learns he has little choice. The story is told in alternating parts--Bobby's journal which he sends back to his friends Mark and Courtney. Mark and Courtney's reactions are the other half of the story. Looking forward to reading the other 9! (Yes, I said 9!!)

Devil's Kiss by Sarwat Chadda

Billi's father is the Master of the Knights Templar--all nine of them. They fight against the Unholy, which these days include vampires, demons, and werewolves. They battle against the darkness that constantly strives to overtake humans.

Billi is their only female. Having passed her last test, she is a full-fledged member. Then Kay, the only friend she's allowed to have, returns. Angry at him and her father, she turns to Mike, the first guy ever to show interest in her.

But Mike's interest isn't in her--it's in getting the Cursed Mirror and freeing the other dark angels cast out of heaven.

King Solomon wasn't powerful enough to destroy Michael. Can Billi and Kay?

An interesting concept and story. A little slow to begin with, but the action picks up quickly and everything comes to a head. A few inconsistencies, but overall a great book and a fantastic twist.

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Artemis Fowl II is a genius. And 12 years old. He bargains with a drunk fairy for a copy of The Book, a book of all the fairies'--The People--rules and secrets.

Armed with The Book, he plans on kidnapping a fairy to get gold--enough gold to get their family back to the lavish conditions they had before his father disappeared.

Holly is a fairy in the Recon division. She has one more chance to prove herself before being demoted. She goes to recharge her magic and that's when Artemis captures her.

Now the fairies are trying to get Holly back with any means necessary. But just maybe, she can save herself and spare them the trouble.

Interesting beginning to a series. Action and a back story. There are some down times, but the story is enjoyable and starts a great theme for the rest of the books.

The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman

Elizabeth doesn't have the best life--or the worst. Her dad remarried, her stepsisters aren't mean, but not nice either, and her stepmother can't stand her. Her close relationship with her dad is also a thing of the past.

Then she gets a job a the New York Circulating Material Repository to make some money and friends. The job is not what she expected. The Repository is a huge building filled with items from history that people can check out. Elizabeth is amazed.

She then learns of the Grimm Library--actual items from the Brothers Grimm's stories. These items all have a magical component--and they're being stolen. The staff are all on alert and Elizabeth is determined to find the culprit. Then one of her new friends disappears and she must decide what's more important.

There is a lot going on in this book. The concept is great but the story could have been polished a bit more. Plenty of action and characterization, it was just missing a little realism amongst all the fantasy.

Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey

Ellie is your typical 17-year old--hangs out with her best friend Kevin, crushes on cute Mark, and generally wants to be anywhere that isn't boarding school.

But a chance encounter with Mark guarantees life will never be typical or ordinary again. A mysterious red-haired woman appears with a fascination for Kevin. Ellie finds Mark at the oddest of times--usually when she's in trouble. And an old preacher gives her a Bible and tells her it will save her and her soul.

Could this all have to do with the mysterious murders? What is Mark hiding? And can Ellie figure it all out before her entire world goes under?

A well-written fairy/fantasy story. There are some jerky moments, but the background is well developed and has great characterization. I'm not familiar with lore from New Zealand, and that's where some of my confusion came in. Ellie's role is crucial, and the ending is bittersweet.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Grace was attacked by wolves when she was just 6 years old. Since then, she's always found wolves fascinating, especially the wolf that saved her all those years ago.

Sam knows Grace should have turned into a wolf when she was 6. He's watched her every winter as a wolf and tries to work up the courage to speak to her in the summer.

Then one of Grace's classmates, Jack, is attacked by wolves and supposedly dies. Sam ends up shot. And Grace soon learns the wolf she sees every winter knows more than he's willing to tell.

This story is told from Grace and Sam's points of view. How the wolves become human or wolf is all part of the story, and Grace and Sam's story is more tragic because of it. A great romance story with paranormal overtones. There's some action thrown in as well, but most of the story focuses on Grace, Sam, and their feelings for each other.

The sequel to this book is Linger.

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

Claudia has spent her whole life to marry the prince and heir to the kingdom. The only thing--the heir has changed. Her first betrothed died suddenly, or did he? Court intrigue and politics have found their way to her home as she prepares for the wedding that will make her queen.

Finn has spent at least three years in Incarceron--a type of prison. No one has ever gone in or out, so the people closest to Finn don't believe he's ever been Outside. The prison is alive and keeping an eye on him and the thousands of other people trapped in its depths. There are several levels or wing to the prison, and as Finn and his friends try to escape, they find more than they bargain for.

Claudia and Finn communicate through crystal keys they each have. Claudia believes he is her missing betrothed, while Finn is just happy there's an Outside to the prison, and hopefully a means for his escape.

Interesting concept for this book. The future is bleak and set in the past. The prison life is a little violent, but the story is solid. It does take a while to get going, but once the story picks up and the characters start moving, it goes quickly. Sounds like there will be a sequel too.