Review of Above Earth-Jenn Reese

What a fun, imaginative book!  This novel takes place on a future earth and the heroine is Aluna, a thirteen-year-old who has lived her whole life under the sea.  When her race is threatened by dying technology, she and her best friend, Hoku, go above the ocean and meet centaurs, avians and other bio-tech people.  Although her race has always mistrusted and feared other who weren't like them, Aluna found allies and friends. The book is full of action and adventure and ends with the sequel in sight; I can't wait to read it!  4 Elves - Highly recommended for readers 7-12.  

Review of The Selection-Kiera Cass

I had seen this book several times but was never compelled to read it because of the cover; from the artwork, it looked like a romance.  After reading a review of the whole series, it sounded like so much more, so I picked up the first book in The Selection series.  Set in the future, a sixteen-year-old America Singer is picked, along with 34 other young girls, to enter a competition to win the hand of the prince of the land.  Divided into caste systems, citizens can not easily escape the caste of their birth, but marrying the prince puts her into the top caste, along with her family.  America's love for a lower-caste boy complicates her desire to marry the prince but when she is charmed by the prince, her affections are split. This book is made even more interesting by the rebellious and high-spirited America. 4 Elves - Highly recommended for teens

Review of Fangirl-Rainbow Rowell

I adored her book Eleanor & Park, but her latest book is much lighter.  Cath & Wren are twins, but Wren is pulling away as they start college.  Cath spends most of her time writing fanfiction; the book she works from is the Simon Snow series and it's similar to the Harry Potter series.  Her sister used to share her enthusiasm but now it only comes from her thousands of fans.  Slowly both girls find their way after moving away from home and entering college life.  I had never read any fanfiction but now I can see why it's addicting.  Unhappy with the way Harry Potter ends?  Write your own ending!  3 Elves - Recommended for older teens

Review of Hold Still - Nina LaCour

I really loved this book!  This novel is about a teen who has lost her very best friend to suicide.  Caitlin can't move on from this and is struggling at home and especially at school.  Then she finds Ingrid's journal - a journal that she stuffed under Caitlin's bed.  As she slowly reads the journal, she learns more about her friend and the sadness she carefully hid from everyone.  As Caitlin starts to move on from the tragedy, she begins to make new friends at school and her grades stop slipping.  Very believable characters and although the subject mater is grim, the book is anything but.  4 Elves - Highly recommended for older teens

Review of The Twistrose Key-Tone Almhjell

There were many things to love about this book: interesting & enjoyable lead characters, imaginative scenery & wonderful magic.  But towards the end, so many new characters came into play that it got a bit confusing.  The author is Norwegian and sometimes it felt like some things were lost in translation but aside from that, I was engrossed in the story and its thrilling action.  3 Elves - Recommended for middle-grade readers

Review of Shadowspell-Jenna Black

I read Glimmerglass, Book 1 of the Faeriewalker series, a few years ago and liked it but didn't look for the sequel.  When I saw this book, I remembered the series and enjoyed the second book just as much as the first.  The author really has a flair for getting inside a teen's head and giving her a believable voice.  The next book in the series is already out (and maybe another after that); I look forward to reading more about the faeriewalker and Avalon.  4 Elves - Highly recommended for teens.

Review of Alanna: The First Adventure-Tamora Pierce

Although the Song of the Lioness series started with this book back in the 80s, somehow I missed this whole series.  Now that I have read the first book, I'm anxious to read the other three in the series (and maybe some of her other series).  I love her character, Alanna - a young girl who wants to be a knight.  All of the other characters are interesting and diverse and along with some great magic, the action is thrilling.  4 Elves - Very highly recommended for middle grade readers and lovers of fantasy