Top 5 Series for Teens Who Love Twilight

Posted by Dana on 12.21.2009 at 3:22 pm

My friend Stacy recently asked for some book recommendations for her teenage daughter who loved Twilight and hasn’t found anything she’s liked as much since.  I figured many moms and teens are having the same problem, so I checked in with my daughter who recommends the following 5 series.  (She has read them all, in fact and likes #1 and #5 the best).

	#1 – Blue Bloods Series by Melissa De La Cruz This one is Gossip Girl meets Twilight – a page turner, but a little racy.
	#2 – The Immortals Series by Alyson Noel Immortality – check, magic – check, teen romance – check, check…. All bases covered.
	#3 – House of Night Series by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast In a world where humans know about and tolerate vampires – the main character Zoey is marked to become a vampire and starts her training at Hogwarts…oops no the House of Night School.  So Twilight meets Harry Potter – but older and a bit racy.  Pattern?  Surely not.  Still great angsty teen vamp fun.
	#4 – The Gemma Doyle Trilogy by Libba Bray A Victorian boarding school, a Gothic mansion, a gossipy clique of girlfriends, and a dark other-worldly fantasy.  What more could you ask for?
	#5 – Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series by Rick Riordan About to be a movies starring Uma Thurman this one is a bit of a departure – not vamps – but Greek gods.  Might not sound as compelling at first – but trust me it is!

These should keep your teen – or let’s face it you – reading through all the planes, trains and in-laws’ houses you encounter in the next couple of weeks.

10 Comments » | Tagged Book Lists, Blue Bloods, Gemma Doyle Trilogy, House of Night, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Teenage Vampires, The Immortals, Top 5 Book Series for Twilight Lovers, Twilight

Top Ten New Non-Fiction for the truth lovers on your list

Posted by admin on 12.18.2009 at 5:07 pm

Sometimes you just need to escape from teenage vampires and blue aliens and say “I want the truth.”  Now you might expect to hear “You can’t handle the truth.” in response, but alas perhaps you CAN handle the truth with some of these great new (and new-ish) titles:

SuperFreakonomics Steven D. Levitt Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner return with Superfreakonomics, and fans and newcomers alike will find that the freakquel is even bolder, funnier, and more surprising than the first.	Last Worlds George Carlin As one of America’s preeminent comedic voices, George Carlin saw it all throughout his extraordinary fifty-year career and made fun of most of it. Last Words is the story of the man behind some of the most seminal comedy of the last half century, blending his signature acer-bic humor with never-before-told stories from his own life.
The Book of Basketball Bill Simmons There is only one writer on the planet who possesses enough basketball knowledge and passion to write the definitive book on the NBA.* Bill Simmons, the from-the-womb hoops addict known to millions as ESPN.com’s Sports Guy, is that writer. And The Book of Basketball is that book.	The Partnership Charles D. Ellis The Partnership chronicles the most important periods in Goldman Sachs’s history and the individuals who built one of the world’s largest investment banks. Charles D. Ellis reveals the secrets behind the firm’s continued success through many life-threatening changes.
Lies My Mother Never Told Me Kaylie Jones When her famous father, James Jones died from heart failure complicated by years of drinking, Kaylie Jones turned to his work, looking beyond the man she worshipped, determined that she too would write.  Lies My Mother Never Told Me is the mesmerizing story of Kaylie’s battle with alcoholism and her struggle to flourish despite the looming shadow of a famous father and an emotionally abusive and damaged mother.	Where Men Win Glory John Krakauer The bestselling author of Into the Wild delivers a stunning account of Pat Tillman’s haunting journey.  In May 2002, Tillman walked away from a $3.6 million NFL contract to enlist in the Army.  He was deeply troubled by 9/11, and he felt a strong moral obligation to join the fight against al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Two years later, he died on a desolate hillside in southeastern Afghanistan. Krakauer chronicles Tillman’s riveting, tragic odyssey in engrossing detail highlighting his remarkable character and personality while closely examining the murky, heartbreaking circumstances of his death.
Empire of Illusion Chris Hedges Pulitzer prize–winner Chris Hedges charts the dramatic and disturbing rise of a post-literate society that craves fantasy, ecstasy and illusion. In the tradition of Christopher Lasch’s The Culture of Narcissism and Neil Postman’s Amusing Ourselves to Death, Hedges attends WWF contests and Ivy League graduation ceremonies — exposing an age of terrifying decline and heightened self-delusion.	Alex & Me Irene Pepperberg “You be good. I love you,” were Alex’s final words to his owner, research scientist Irene Pepperberg, before his premature death at age 31.  An African Grey parrot, Alex had a brain the size of a shelled walnut, yet he could add, sound out words, and understand complex concepts.  Alex & Me is the remarkable true account of an amazing, irascible parrot and his best friend who stayed together through thick and thin for thirty years—the astonishing, moving, and unforgettable story of a landmark scientific achievement and a beautiful relationship.
What the Dog Saw Malcolm Gladwell What is the difference between choking and panicking? Why are there dozens of varieties of mustard-but only one variety of ketchup? What do football players teach us about how to hire teachers? What does hair dye tell us about the history of the 20th century? What the Dog Saw is yet another example of the buoyant spirit and unflagging curiosity that have made Malcolm Gladwell our most brilliant investigator of the hidden extraordinary.	NurtureShock Po Bronson NurtureShock is a groundbreaking collaboration between award-winning science journalists Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman.  They argue that when it comes to children, we’ve mistaken good intentions for good ideas.  With impeccable storytelling and razor-sharp analysis, they demonstrate that many of modern society’s strategies for nurturing children are in fact backfiring–because key twists in the science have been overlooked.

1 Comment » | Tagged Book Lists, SuperFreakonomics, Top 10 Non-Fiction

Top 10 in New Fiction this Holiday Season

Posted by Dana on 12.08.2009 at 5:46 pm

Looking for the perfect gift for the readers on your list?  Or just need something to read on your journey – here’s the latest and greatest fiction for them and for you!

Under The Dome Stephen King On an entirely normal, beautiful fall day in Chester’s Mill, Maine, the town is inexplicably and suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field.  No one can fathom what this barrier is, where it came from, and when — or if — it will go away.	Her Fearful Symmetry Audrey Niffenegger Six years after the phenomenal success of The Time Traveler’s Wife, Audrey Niffenegger has returned with a spectacularly compelling and haunting second novel set in and around Highgate Cemetery in London.
Last Night in Twisted River John Irving Last Night in Twisted River depicts the recent half-century in the US as “a living replica of Coos County, where lethal hatreds were generally permitted to run their course.” It is written with the historical authenticity and emotional authority of The Cider House Rules and A Prayer for Owen Meany and is as violent and disturbing a story as John Irving’s breakthrough bestseller, The World According to Garp.	The Piano Teacher Janice Y.K. Lee In the sweeping tradition of The English Patient, Janice Y.K. Lee’s debut novel is a tale of love and betrayal set in war-torn Hong Kong. As the threads of this spellbinding novel intertwine, impossible choices emerge-between love and safety, courage and survival, the present, and above all, the past.
Wishin’ and Hopin’ Wally Lamb From the Funicello family’s bus-station lunch counter to the elementary school playground (with an uproarious stop at the Pillsbury Bake-Off), Wishin’ and Hopin’ is a vivid slice of 1960s life, a wise and witty holiday tale that celebrates where we’ve been—and how far we’ve come.	The Humbling Philip Roth Everything is over for Simon Axler, one of the leading American stage actors of his generation. Now in his sixties, he has lost his magic, his talent, and his assurance.In this long day’s journey into night,  all the ways that we convince ourselves of our solidity, all our life’s performances: talent, love, sex, hope, energy and reputation are stripped off.
Pirate Landing Michael Crichton From one of the best-loved authors of all time comes an irresistible adventure of swashbuckling pirates in the New World, a classic story of treasure and betrayal. Pirate Latitudes is Michael Crichton at his best: a rollicking adventure tale pulsing with relentless action, crackling atmosphere, and heart-pounding suspense.	A Good Fall Ha Jin With the same profound attention to detail that is a hallmark of his previous acclaimed works of fiction, Ha Jin depicts here the full spectrum of immigrant life and the daily struggles—some minute, some grand—faced by these intriguing individuals.
Wolf Hall Hilary Mantel In the ruthless arena of King Henry VIII’s court, only one man dares to gamble his life to win the king’s favor and ascend to the heights of political power. Thomas Cromwell is a wholly original man and a consummate politician. But Henry is volatile: one day tender, one day murderous. Cromwell helps him break the opposition, but what will be the price of his triumph?	U is for Undertow Sue Grafton Through twenty excursions into the dark side of the human soul, Sue Grafton has never written the same book twice. And so it is with this, her twenty-first. Once again, she breaks genre formulas, giving us a twisting, complex, surprise-filled, and totally satisfying thriller.

Have your say » | Tagged Book Lists, Audrey Niffenegger, michael crichton, New Fiction, Top Ten

Top 10 Beautiful Books for Holiday Giving

Posted by Dana on 12.04.2009 at 2:57 pm

You know what they say…. But in this case, it really is okay to judge a book by its cover – and all the pretty pages in between.  I bet there’s someone on your list who’d love one of these for the holidays.  And you don’t even have to worry about getting the right size.

Botticelli Frank Zoellner This opulent celebration of the life and art of the Renaissance genius presents Sandro Botticelli s complete paintings and offers a comprehensive and thoroughly up-to-date study of his work.	A Year in Architecture Claudia Stauble , Jonathan Lee Fox Get a daily dose of architectural splendor, from the Egyptian pyramids and Rome’s Coliseum to envelope pushing masterpieces by today’s leading designers.
A Photographer’s Life: 1990-2005 Annie Leibovitz “I don’t have two lives,” Annie Leibovitz writes in the Introduction to this collection of her work from 1990 to 2005. “This is one life, and the personal pictures and the assignment work are all part of it.”	Style and Substance: The Best of Elle Decor Margaret Russell This book provides an intimate view inside breathtaking homes from around the world with 240 pages of striking images culled from the archives of ELLE DECOR – America’s most elegant interiors magazine.
Slow: Life in a Tuscan Town Douglas Gayeton An unprecedented photographic personal journey into the heart of hidden Tuscany that celebrates the principles that define the Slow Food movement and pays tribute to the region’s kaleidoscope of vibrant characters, whose shared culture revolves around the everyday pleasure of growing, preparing, and eating food.	The Book of Codes: Understanding the World of Hidden Messages The art of the code-code making and code breaking–remains shrouded in mystery and seems locked away in the murky realms of military intelligence, spies, and secret services. This lavishly illustrated encyclopedia surveys the history and development of code making and code breaking in all areas of culture and society-from hieroglyphs and runes to DNA, the Zodiac Killer, The Da Vinci Code, graffiti, and beyond.
The Principles of Uncertainty Maira Kalman An irresistible invitation to experience life through a beloved artist’s psyche. Part personal narrative, part documentary, part travelogue, part chapbook, and all Kalman, these brilliant, whimsical paintings, ideas, and images-which initially appear random-ultimately form an intricately interconnected worldview, an idiosyncratic inner monologue.	A Year in Fashion: A Look a Day Pascal Morche Featuring fashion icons and images culled from the Getty archives, this book presents brilliant photos of designers and their creations, top models and movie stars, royalty and rock n’ roll legends. 365 spreads-one for each day of the year- feature full-page, four-color photographs along with fascinating fashion trivia.
National Geographic Live, Laugh, Celebrate Ferdinand Protzman This lavish and generous collection of photographs and accompanying essays showcases 150 full-color images, some new and never before published, others culled from National Geographic’s archive of classic, often pioneering photography.	Secrets of the Universe: How We Discovered the Cosmos Paul Murdin Secrets of the Universe invites us to participate in the moments of revelation and wonder as scientists first experienced them.  Lavishly illustrated with more than 400 color images, the book outlines in seventy episodes what humankind has learned about the cosmos—and what scientists around the world are poised to learn in the coming decades.

2 Comments » | Tagged Book Lists, Art Books, Holiday Book List