Did you read any good books this summer?

I really lucked out with my reading choices this summer. Here’s a snap shot of the book covers with a brief enticement and some book trailers when available:

Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist by two authors, Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, is an amazingly edgy and romantic story. My stomach actually got the butterflies more than once during this story told in alternating chapters from both Nick and then Norah. I had no idea what straight edge punk was–it’s all the punk style while remaining straight of any drugs or alcohol, yet this book allows the reader to naively enter the punk world without intimidation. This book takes place within a 24 hour period; however, you’ll want to read about N & N’s romance in about 4! I highly recommend this one!

Here’s the website for Nick and Norah–which has also been made into a movie. The book is filled with music–tons of it, so this site has a nifty playlist feature on it.

Kerstin Gier wrote Ruby Red in German, but luckily Anthea Bell has translated this marvelous book into English. Gwen is the modern day, young English lady who doesn’t realize until she is literally taken back in time that she has the family time travel gene. What a surprise for her! Especially since it’s her cousin who has been training all her life for time travel. Luckily, Gwen has a helpful (and handsome) guide to navigate her along her new found talent. The only thing disappointing about finishing this book is realizing that the sequel, Sapphire Blue,  won’t be released until October 30th! I don’t think I can wait that long!!

Here’s an accompanying little book trailer for Ruby Red: 

Graceling by Kristin Cashore has an amazing heroine! Imagine living in a society where some citizens are born with a special Grace. If an individual has two different colored eyes, then most likely they are Graced. Katsa is such one young girl. When she is only eight years old, her Grace presents itself: her Grace is killing! Because she is the orphaned niece of the king, he automatically enlists her help for his throne, and she becomes his assassin. What happens however if she doesn’t want to be his killer? What if she doesn’t want to be controlled? She will have to stand up to the king, and….you can bet she will! This is an excellent adventure filled book with two more books to follow after reading this first installment.

(I wouldn’t be surprised if this action packed book became a movie!)

If you read and liked Lovely Bones, you might also like this contemporary novel called If I Stay by Gayle Forman. Right from the start of this novel, the main character, Mia, is in a life or death situation. She has just been in a car accident with her family where she is the only survivor. Even though she’s in a coma, Mia seems to be floating around and about the hospital. She is left with a very important decision: should she stay live or should she leave and die. As she realizes that her whole family is gone, the decision to stay and live becomes more difficult. And the question of family beyond blood ties is prevalent. Are our grandparents, girlfriends, and boyfriends constitute family for us when our parents and siblings are gone?

This heart wrenching novel is followed by Where She Went. In the follow up, we’ll hear from the boyfriend of Mia. The tragedy of her coma left an impact on this rock star as well….how does Adam cope?

(This book will be a movie produced by the same folks who made Twilight!)

I like this book trailer for If I Stay:

This is such a neat premise for a book. Maureen Johnson in 13 Little Blue Envelopes takes the main character Ginny on a unique adventure given to her from her Aunt Peg. Ginny is expected to follow the explicit directions given to her from a set of 13 little blue envelopes. She also must pack only a backpack, not use any electronic along the way, bring no money, and only open each envelope after she has successfully completed the task in the envelope before. It’s like a scavenger hunt with a huge life lesson as the prize. I really enjoyed reading this book. I felt like I was on the trip to Europe with Ginny–experiencing the highlights as well as struggles of travel.

The Cuyahoga County Public Library has made  a great book trailer to accompany this book by Maureen Johnson:

I finally read Uglies by Scott Westerfeld. I’ve been trying to read this book for years, but it’s always checked out of the library since it’s so popular. Uglies takes place is a very different future than anything we can imagine. The first major difference is when one turns 16 years old, they undergo surgery–surgery that makes an Ugly a Pretty. At 16, the citizens of this society become beautiful through operations. Their hair, eyes, face, even muscle structure is changed to become strikingly beautiful. But….something else is changed, something that no one who has been turned pretty knows about. It’s only the renegades of the Smoke that know the truth about what it means to become a Pretty. This is a fascinating take on a future based on beauty. After reading Uglies, you’ll want to read Pretties, then Specials, and maybe even the extra book called, Extras.