Friday Memes - Zero Tolerance by Claudia Mills

Book Beginnings is hosted by Rose City Reader and the Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice.

Zero Tolerance by Claudia Mills. 240 p. Farrar, STraus and Giroux, June 18, 2013. 9780374333126.

Publisher synopsis: Seventh-grader Sierra Shepard has always been the perfect student, so when she sees that she accidentally brought her mother's lunch bag to school, including a paring knife, she immediately turns in the knife at the school office. Much to her surprise, her beloved principal places her in in-school suspension and sets a hearing for her expulsion, citing the school's ironclad no weapons policy. While there, Sierra spends time with Luke, a boy who's known as a troublemaker, and discovers that he's not the person she assumed he would be—and that the lines between good and bad aren't as clear as she once thought. Claudia Mills brings another compelling school story to life with Zero Tolerance.

First Line: Sierra Shepard sat in the office at Longwood Middle School during lunch recess 5A, waiting to see her principal, Mr. Besser.

Page 56: "The TV cameras drew closer as Sierra and her mother walked together down the front steps of the school. When they reached the sidewalk, a woman with perfectly coiffed blond hear, every strand welded into place by industrial-strength hair spray, was by Sierra's side, pointing a microphone toward her."

I'm participating in a blog tour for this book. Look for my review on September 5th.

Waiting on Wednesday - The Final Descent by Rick Yancey

WoW is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine in which we share the titles of books we are eagerly anticipating.

The Final Descent by Rick Yancey. 320 p. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, September 10, 2013. 9781442451537. 

Publisher synopsis: Will Henry and Dr. Warthrop have encountered many horrors together—but can Will endure a monstrumological terror without his mentor?

Will Henry has been through more that seems possible for a boy of fourteen. He’s been on the brink of death on more than one occasion, he has gazed into hell—and hell has stared back at him, and known his face. But through it all, Dr. Warthrop has been at his side.

When Dr. Warthrop fears that Will’s loyalties may be shifting, he turns on Will with a fury, determined to reclaim his young apprentice’s devotion. And so Will must face one of the most horrific creatures of his monstrumology career—and he must face it alone.

Over the course of one day, Will’s life—and Pellinor Warthrop’s destiny—will lie in balance. In the terrifying depths of the Monstrumarium, they will face a monster more terrible than any they could have imagined—and their fates will be decided.

I don't ordinarily enjoy horror but these books are riveting. I've listened to the first three (The Monstrumologist; The Curse of the Wendigo and The Isle of Blood). But so far, I see no audiobook release of this title, so I'll be reading this final book with my eyes. 

What are you waiting on?

What's New? Stacking the Shelves

StS is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews. Hop on over there to ogle what other bloggers got.

Slow week this week. Still making good on my austerity plan and working my way through the arcs I obtained at Annual (shines halo).

For review:

Zero Tolerance by Claudia Mills. 231 p. Margaret Fergoson Books/ Farrar Straus Giroux, June, 2013. 97880374333126. 

Publisher synopsis: Seventh-grader Sierra Shepard has always been the perfect student, so when she sees that she accidentally brought her mother's lunch bag to school, including a paring knife, she immediately turns in the knife at the school office. Much to her surprise, her beloved principal places her in in-school suspension and sets a hearing for her expulsion, citing the school's ironclad no weapons policy. While there, Sierra spends time with Luke, a boy who's known as a troublemaker, and discovers that he's not the person she assumed he would be—and that the lines between good and bad aren't as clear as she once thought. Claudia Mills brings another compelling school story to life with Zero Tolerance.

I'm participating in a blog tour for this book so look for the review on September 5.

Friday Memes - Playing with Fire by Bruce Hale

Book Beginnings is hosted by Rose City Reader and the Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice.

Playing with Fire by Bruce Hale. School for S.P.I.E.S. #1. Illustrated by Brandon Dorman. 306 p. Disney/ Hyperion, June, 2013. 9781423168508.

Publisher synopsis: Juvenile delinquent and budding pyromaniac Max Segredo belongs in juvie hall. At least, that's what his most recent foster family would tell you. Instead, Max ends up on the doorstep of Merry Sunshine Orphanage-their very heavily guarded doorstep. As he begins to acclimate to his new home, Max learns a few things straightaway: first, cracking a Caesar Cipher isn't as hard as it seems; second, never sass your instructor if she's also holding throwing knives; and third, he may not be an orphan after all. Soon, Max and the rest of the students are sent on a mission to keep a dangerous weapon out of the hands of LOTUS, an international group bent on world domination. Of course, all Max cares about is finding out more about his father, the man he's now sure is still alive. As the stakes get higher, Max must make some difficult choices, including who to trust, and finally learns the true meaning of family.

First Line: Max Segredo stood by the curb and watched his house burn.

Page 56: is an illustration in the arc. Here's a line from page 55.

"Hit the trigger (laser detection) and it snatches you right up in a steel claw" Stones shook his head admiringly, and his dreadlocks swayed like dancing snakes. " These blokes are thorough. They've got everything but lava and a shark pool."

The author's Chet Gecko series really cracked me up. When I worked in a K - 8 school, third and fourth graders loved them. Now that I'm in a 5 - 8 middle school, I have a harder time getting students to try one. This title should have appeal for my fifth and sixth graders. 

Lockwood & Co: The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud

374 p. Disney/ Hyperion, September 17, 2013. 9781423164913. (Arc provided by publisher at ALA Annual.)

England has a Problem. For the past fifty years it has been inundated with ghosts. But not just ordinary ghosts, these are malevolent beings intent on doing harm. Since only certain psychic children below the age of 18 are even able to see these wraiths, the job of ghostbusting falls to them. Of course, they must be supervised by adults. Most of these supervisors were, at one time hunters. Some are losing their touch, such as Lucy's previous employer and the reason why she's in London seeking employment. The only outfit even remotely interested in Lucy's qualifications is Lockwood & Co., and that is because it is a two person operation run by one Anthony Lockwood and ably assisted by George Cubbins, the brains of the duo. There are no adults involved. This gives Lockwood certain freedom, but also draws the ire of the many companies in London as well as Scotland Yard.

I'm not going to say much more about the plot. It's best left to discover on one's own. The story is narrated by Lucy Carlyle, gifted but untrained, and prone to doubt. Anthony Lockwood, owner/ proprietor of Lockwood & Co. is charismatic and energetic and George Cubbins is never happier than when he is buried in research or tinkering with equipment. The worldbuilding is incredibly vivid. The humor dry. The horrors spine-tingling. My humble advice is to fasten your seat-belts and let Jonathan Stroud's rip-roaring yarn work its magic.

I loved the opening line so much that I featured it last week in a Friday Meme. I ripped right through the durn thing and was so entertained that I considered turning back to page one and starting all over again. But I think I will wait for the release of the audiobook and reread it with my ears.

This is a great book to give to those readers who want scary. Fans of the author's Bartimaeus books will not be disappointed. Really, a must purchase.



Author web site. 

Other blog reviews:
Fuse #8
Bookends

Waiting on Wednesday - Russian Roulette by Anthony Horowitz

WoW is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine, in which we share the titles we are eagerly anticipating.

(The Alex Rider series # 10) 384 p. Penguin Young Readers Group, October 1, 2013. 9780399254413.

Publisher synopis: The final book in the #1 bestselling Alex Rider series!

Alex Rider’s life changed forever with the silent pull of a trigger.

When Ian Rider died at the hands of the assassin Yassen Gregorovich, Alex, ready or not, was thrust into the world of international espionage—the world’s only teenage spy. Alex vowed revenge against Yassen and the two have battled ever since. Yet, years ago, it was none other than Alex’s own father who trained and mentored Yassen, turning him into the killer he would eventually become.

What makes us choose evil? Why did one boy choose to kill while another chose to risk his life to save others? In some ways, Alex Rider and Yassen Gregorovich are mirror images of each other. Yet the paths they traveled turned them into mortal enemies.

This is Yassen’s story. A journey down a darkened path.

I learned about this one last week from Jennifer at YA Book Nerd. Like her, I thought #9 was the very last Alex Rider. It certainly did have a certain finality to it. This series is so, so popular at my school. Its readership is mostly boys, but both reluctant and strong readers enjoy it. I have more than one copy of most of the series.

I also happen to be a bit more than halfway through listening to Oblivion, the final (at last) book in the Gatekeepers series. 

What are you waiting on?

Killer of Enemies by Joseph Bruchac

358 p. Tu Books/ Lee & Low Books, October 1, 2013.  9781620141434. (Review from arc provided by publisher at 
ALA Annual)

Sometime in the future, the world is ruled by the "haves" known as the Ones, people that could afford to genetically enhance themselves to the point where they are nearly immortal and not very human. Of course, they surrounded themselves with small armies of bodyguards to ensure their safety and they were served by the "have-nots," everyone else.

That was BC, before the Cloud that descended on Earth and destroyed all technology. The top tier of Ones were instantaneously fried, but the lower tiers, the Ones who weren't quite as genetically modified, managed to survive, form uneasily alliances with other Ones and set up compounds in which they are served by surviving have-nots behind prison walls in which the guards are on the look-out for monsters known as gemods (think eagle as big as an airbus) instead of preventing any escape by the have-nots.

Seventeen-year-old Lozen is a have-not, but thanks to her father and uncle's combat training, as well as familial and cultural traditions and a blood line that could be traced back to the original Lozen, who fought with Geronimo, Lozen is prized for her hunting skills and kept in line by the constant threat to her mother, sister and brother's lives by the four Ones who run their prison/ compound.

Killer of Enemies hits the ground running and allows the reader neither rest nor breath. I wanted to read it in one sitting. Indeed, it was difficult to put down but I had to for fear of having a heart attack.

Lozen is a truly kick-ass heroine, loyal and powerful, someone I wouldn't want to cross and one I'd definitely want watching my back. The desert setting is vivid - unforgiving and beautiful. The genetically modified monsters (gemods) were terrifying and wonderous; but perhaps not as terrifying as the four duplicitous Ones and their bodyguards.

This genre-blender is a true original. I have purposely left the synopsis vague and sketchy. Discover it for yourself. I can't wait to get back to school and get it in the hands of my dystopian fans, of which there are many at my school, as well as fans of the author. This book appears to be a stand alone, but I really wouldn't mind reading about Lozen again.

Author web page.
Publisher/ book web page.