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Get Your Geek On!

Nerd Dress-Up Day

September 21st

Find the geek inside you and dress-up for our Nerd Spirit day on September 21st.  Come join us at lunch for geeky games and loud music for our first ASB pep assembly. You can't miss us... we will be on the small stage by the handball courts.

Net Galley Review: Eve

Net Galley Book Review

Title:  Eve

Publisher: HarperCollins

Pub Date: 10/04/2011

ISBN: 9780062048509

Author: Anna Carey

Category: FICTION - JUVENILE: Science Fiction, Fantasy,& Magic

            “I’d read once about amputees, and how they had pains where their arms or legs used to be. Phantom limbs, they were called. I’d always thought that was the best way to describe my feelings about my mother. She was now just an ache for something I’d had and lost.” Pg. 36 

  

            The year 2032~ most people on earth had died from a deadly disease…the plague.  Those who didn’t, the orphans, had no idea of life beyond The School walls, trusting that the education they were receiving was right and true. Eighteen-year-old Eve was one day away from graduating at the top of her class, until one of her classmates tells her that there is only pain and suffering waiting for all female graduates. After sneaking over the walls and seeing the truth for herself, Eve runs away from her hidden future and into the arms of another runaway, Caleb. She is terribly frightened of him, for she had been taught that all men were wicked, and would abuse her if given the chance. Caleb earns her trust and brings her to an underground shelter where she learns a terrible truth…that the corrupt leader, the King, wanted her personally.

            The King’s soldiers tirelessly pursue Eve, no matter how fast or far she went.Through it all, Eve discovers that despite her corrupted education, love is possible, and that a world without love would be miserable.  

            Eve is an interesting book. I found myself intrigued by the disturbing futuristic concepts it explored. Some of it was hard to read, but the glimmer of hope and new found love keeps you turning the pages. I liked Caleb a lot as he saw the possibilities in Eve even when she was positive that he had bad intentions. I wasn’t ready for the book to be over- the ending came unexpectedly.  I predict that readers are going to demand book two immediately as this one has an unresolved ending!

I give this book a B. Some of the content might be inappropriate for tweens, but teens 14 andolder will enjoy the read. 

Cold Kiss: Net Galley Review

Title:  Cold Kiss

Publisher:  HarperCollins

Imprint:  Harper Teen

Pub. Date:  09/20/2011

ISBN:  9780061996221

Author:  Amy Garvey

Category:  FICTION-JUVENILE-TEEN

            “Just like some musical prodigy can play Mozart at age three or whatever, we can tap into a kind of energy that other people can’t. That’s all…”

            That’s all.  Like it’s no big deal that my mother can make flowers grow, and Mari can change the color of her hair at will, and I can [almost] lift myself off the ground and set things on fire.  And, you know, raise my boyfriend from the dead.”  Pg. 29

        Wren and Danny- two teenagers madly in love…but there is one big problem for this couple: Wren is alive, and Danny isn’t.  Wren has always known that she harnessed magical power, and although her female family members have similar attributes, no one talks about it.  When Danny, Wren’s boyfriend, is killed in a car accident, Wren decides that she can’t live without him. After creating a spell, Wren visits Danny’s grave and brings him back from the dead.  Being together again should be wonderful, but hiding your un-dead boyfriend is difficult, and things go from bad to worse as Danny starts to remember the accident… and his death.

     Wren feels alone and uncertain until Gabriel, a new student, comes into her life. He is attracted to more than just her sparkling personality, and together they work to free Danny from his miserable un-dead life.

     Cold Kiss is an entertaining read packed with noteworthy characters and just the right touch of magic.  Teen readers will love this book, for it will give them an unusual look into relationships and how life [and death] complicates things.  There is some language and mature situations, so I recommend it to teens, not tweens. 

I rate this book a B

Net Galley Review: The Iron Knight

Title: The Iron Knight

SubTitle: Book 4 in the Iron Fey Series

Publisher: Harlequin

Author: Julie Kagawa

Pub Date: 10/25/2011

ISBN:9780373210367

            “I want to become…mortal,” I said in a low voice.  My stomach recoiled, hearing those words for the first time.  “ I promised someone…I swore I would find a way to survive the Iron Realm, and I can’t go there as I am.” The witch raised an eyebrow, and I drew myself up, fixing her with a cold stare. “I want to become human…”  pg. 11

  Ashallayn’darkmyer Tallyn, last prince of the Unseelie Court, has sworn an oath to his true love Meghan Chase, the Iron Queen that they will be together.  Before Meghan entered into his life, Ash never let anyone or anything break through the icy barriers surrounding his mind and heart.  In order to be with her, Ash must do the seemingly impossible~ travel to the end of the world to earn the one thing fey and magic folk do not have… a soul. Without it, he cannot live with Meghan, for the Iron Kingdom she rules burns him.  Ash starts off on his quest, but he is not alone. Traveling with him is his regretful friend/enemy Puck [that he has vowed to kill], Grimalkin the knowledgeable cait sith, Ariella, the knowledgeable seer and lost love, and the legendary Big Bad Wolf, offering strength and protection to the group.

            Surviving the quest is the challenge, and all five travelers commit to helping Ash see his way through the River of Dreams to the end of the world, where he will have the opportunity to run the gauntlet and earn a soul. Ash is strong, but has no idea what it will take to become human. He must leave behind his magical ways and embrace the uncertain vulnerability of humanity.  What Ash realizes is that accomplishing his quest not only offers him mortality, it offers him the chance to change his life forever…with love.

            Julie Kagawa has outdone herself with The Iron Knight. I loved the first three books in the Iron Fey series, but I loved LOVED this book. Ash is the star, and because of Julie’s superb writing abilities, I felt like I was on the quest with him. I experienced the emotions along with the characters, and I could see the River of Dreams and the dream debris through the words on the page. The strong motifs of friendship, sacrifice, and destiny kept the plot exciting, deep, and emotional. Almost as brilliant as Ash is Puck- the comic relief in the story. His one-liners and ability to joke in deadly situations made me laugh- and wish that he was also finding what Ash was so desperate for, true love. This book is magical, and needs no glamour or spell to entice you. The words, the characters, and outstanding writing is the magic that makes The Iron Knight one of the best books I have ever read.

I give this book my highest rating: A+

Bulldogs with SPIRIT!

VAVPA Bulldog ASB

did an AMZING job this morning leading the K-8 Boogie! Everyone was getting funky and criss crossing to the Cha Cha Slide. It's going to be a great year!

BIG Lots Check Presentation

Thank you to all the VAVPA families and Bulldog News team members who came to Big Lots yesterday! It was a lot of fun to accept the check for our school; I am so proud of my students for producing the winning video! Congratulations to the Bulldog News team for winning $2,456.00 for our school arts program.

Photos by Anthony Carrasco- freelance photographer and former Bulldog News member!

Matched by Ally Condie

Matched

Ally Condie

Penguin Group

ISBN 978-0-525-42364-5

YR fiction

“Cassia Reyes, the Society is pleased to present you with your Match. “

           

I smile as Xander’s face appears on the portscreen immediately following the recorded message….I reach up to touch the words Courtship Guidelines on the screen, but before I do, Xander’s face darkens and then disappears. The portscreen beeps and the voice says again, “Cassia Reyes, the Society is pleased to present you with your Match.”

My heart stops, and I can’t believe what I see. A face comes back into view on the port in front of me. It is not Xander. Page 34-35

     Have you ever wondered what life would be like if everything was determined for you? If you didn’t know any different, it might not bother you if your meals, activities, occupation, and even your marriage were predetermined.

     Cassia, a young teen ready to be Matched, trusts that the Society’s system works.  She is ready to start her relationship with her Match Xander without question, until a mysterious glitch plants doubt in her mind. For a brief second, Ky Markham’s face flashes on her screen, and Cassia wonders if this unusual boy was meant to be her true Match. As she struggles to learn the truth, she keeps the dying words of her grandfather in her heart….

“It’s all right to wonder….”

     Ally Condie’s dystopian romance proves that finding true love, however dangerous, is worth the risk.  Cassia finds the strength to question her prearranged destiny, and to believe in the forbidden poetic words, “Do not go gentle into that good night.”  Condie’s Matched is a futuristic thriller that will leave you questioning the rules and cheering on love.

Other books:  The Yearbook Trilogy, Being Sixteen, and Freshman for President, and Crossed

Net Galley Review: The Marked Son

Net Galley Review: The Marked Son

Title: The Marked Son

SubTitle : Keepers of Life, #1

Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC

Pub Date: 08/02/2011

ISBN: 9781937044015

Author: Shea Berkley

Category: FICTION - ADULT: Romance: Fantasy

            “I don’t look like you.  I don’t look like them.  I’ve got to look like someone.  I’ve got to be like someone. So, who is it?”

            Her face sinks into an unattractive pinch. “No one they know.”

            I spot her bags, still packed on the bed.  She follows my gaze and whispers, “Don’t push me, Dylan. You’ll know soon enough.”  Pg. 31

            At seventeen years old, Dylan Kennedy is disgusted by life. He is forced to live with his unstable and emotionally fragile mother who needs more guidance and supervision than her teenage son.  After being dumped at his grandparents’ sheep farm, Dylan starts to see strange things, including what he believes to be a beautiful ghost that haunts his dreams.  While in the woods, Dylan meets his ghost Kera, and they instantly sense the powerful connection between them. 

           

      For the first time in his life, Dylan experiences unconditional love, but it is challenged immediately when Kera crosses a magical barrier to Teag, where humans are not welcome.  Confusion complicates their seemingly impossible relationship, and as the two desperately struggle to be together, Dylan learns the answer to why he has always felt like a stranger in his own skin.  Preparation, precaution, and precision are the tools needed to fight to save the love that Kera and Dylan long for. Will it be enough to stop the dark powers that have vowed to destroy them?

            The Marked Son is a story filled with action and adventure, mystery and romance. The unpredictability of the plot makes it a fascinating read, and more than once I found myself gripping the book as trees swallowed up enemies and magical creatures glowed with power.  It introduced me to a magical world I have never experienced before, and combined with the strength of the characters, the story captivated me.

I give this book an A for its originality and imagination. 

Net Galley Review: The Girl of Fire and Thorns

Net Galley Book Review: The Girl of Fire and Thorns

Publisher: HarperCollins

Imprint: HarperTeen

Pub Date:09/20/2011

ISBN: 9780062026484

Author: Rae Carson

Category:  FICTION - JUVENILE: Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic

            “Juana-Alodia was the first to toddle over after it faded.  Your sister peeled back the wet swaddling and we saw the Godstone lodged in your belly button, warm and alive but blue and faceted, hard as a diamond. That’s when we decided to name you Lucero-Elisa” Heavenly light, chosen of God.  His words suffocated me as surely as his embrace. All my life, I’ve been reminded that I am destined for Service…pg. 13

            Sixteen-year-old Elisa was born with purpose, one chosen for her by God. Although she knew she was precious as the bearer of a Godstone, she was kept ignorant of the stone’s history, power, and abilities.  She is secretly married and taken away to be queen, but although she carries with her living proof that she is special, her large frame and awkward body keep her insecure and unsure about herself. Her new husband encourages her insecurities, ignoring her as a wife and avoiding her company.

            Others around her do not underestimate her power, and after Elisa is kidnapped, she is challenged both mentally and physically, as she represents hope to ending a savage war. As Elisa seeks the truth about her Godstone, she also experiences what it feels like to be truly desired as a woman. With her newfound knowledge and confidence, Elisa selflessly places herself in harms way to solve the divine puzzle of the Godstones and defeat the enemies that seek to annihilate everyone Elisa has sworn to protect.

            The Girl of Fire and Thorns was a complete surprise for me.  As I first started reading, I felt sorry for Elisa, wanting her to be strong right away, not weak and insecure. As I kept reading, I realized that she was strong; in fact, Elisa was a true heroine from the very first page. I had underestimated her character, and by the end of the book, I was cheering her on. This story provided action, suspense, and surprise. One minute I had the chills~ the next moment tears. It is a book that reminds you that true beauty and strength come from inside, and this is a message that everyone will be reminded of as they travel through sandstorms and deserts with Elisa. I loved it- every page.

I give this book an A+ : For introducing one of the strongest female literary characters I have ever met.

The Gray Wolf Throne

The Gray Wolf Throne

Cinda Williams Chima

Disney Book Group Hyperion

ISBN: 978-1-4231-1825-1

Fiction/Fantasy

Are you willing to lose everything… for love?

            “Beware of someone who pretends to be a friend,” Althea said.  “Look close to home for your enemies.”

            “Why is prophecy always so bloody cryptic?” Raisa said. “Why can’t you just flat-out tell me what’s going on?”

            The wolves rose, as if at a common signal.

            “This is the message we bring you, Raisa anaMarianna, descendant of the queens of the Seven Realms,” Althea said.  “You must fight for the throne. You must fight for the Gray Wolf line. You must not allow yourself to be ensnared as Marianna was. The future of the realm balances on a knife’s edge.”  Pg. 108

Raisa anaMarianna, heir to the queendom of the Fells, is an independent, capable young woman who flees her home to escape an unwanted marriage. Protecting her along the way is her faithful captain of the guard, Amon Byrne. Traveling under the alias Rebecca Morley, Raisa reunites with Han “Cuffs” Alister, an accomplished thief and magician. After being seriously wounded by enemies, Raisa is rescued by Han in the Spirit Mountains.  In order to save her, he magically absorbs her pain, allowing their minds to mingle together. As a result, secrets are revealed. These secrets hurt Han, and he struggles to find his place in Raisa’s life. Upon returning home, Raisa assumes her royal duties while ignoring palace gossip about a queen that would romance a thief.

The Gray Wolf Throne tells such a magical story, I was unable to put the book down. Chima expertly develops the complicated relationships between Raisa, Han, and Amon, leaving me cheering for Han while still adoring Amon.  Chima’s use of imagery brings the plot to life, allowing the reader to see, hear, and experience the action along with the characters. Filled with swordplay, mystery, and romance, The Gray Wolf Throne will keep you turning pages until the book is finished. With expertly placed foreshadowing clues, you can be assured that book 4 in the Seven Realms series will be a thriller!

“The time will come when you will be forced to make a choice,” Hanalea said. “When that time comes, choose love.” Pg. 473

Other books by Cinda Williams Chima: The Heir Series, The Demon King, and The Exiled Queen. 

Net Galley Review: A Beautiful Dark

Net Galley Review:  A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies

Publisher:  HarperCollins Publishers

Pub Date: 09/27/2011

ISBN: 9780061990656

Genre: Literature & Fiction, Romance, Teens & YA

            “Prepare to be proven wrong. Clue number one: You were late for homeroom. You’re never late for homeroom. Clue number two: Your arrival to homeroom happen to coincide with the arrival of two new hot guys~who you apparently rescued…Clue number three: You’re getting flustered and defensive. This is really a textbook case. Clue number four: You couldn’t stop turning around to look behind you, though you tried to make it look like you weren’t by rooting through your backpack~..and this brings us to the final and most important clue: You haven’t touched your lunch.” Pg. 40

            Skye believes that her life is normal: She has great friends, school is, well- school, and she is loved dearly by her Aunt Jo, Skye’s legal guardian following her parents’ tragic death on her 6^th birthday. Strange things begin to happen to her; for example, she randomly fries the thermostat in her house just by touching it. Her eyes change colors from gray to liquid silver when she is emotional. To add to her newly found complications, Skye meets Asher and Devin, two handsome and mysterious students that transferred to her school and appear to be fighting for her attention.

            After listening to a campfire story, Skye connects the invisible dots to all the strange things that have been happening to her since turning seventeen. What she finds is unbelievable, scary, and impossible. Devin wants to reassure her while Asher encourages her to fight back, but fight back against whom? Skye is hopelessly in love with both the dark and the light, and she cannot tell which one will save her life and help her find and fulfill her destiny.

            I loved every page of this book! It kept my attention, even when I wasn’t reading. I thought the tension between Skye, Asher, and Devon was entertaining- and as a reader, it’s difficult to choose which boy is more likable [exactly Skye’s predicament!]. Cassie, Skye’s best friend, offers comic relief to the story, as “drama” seems to find her everywhere she goes. The only frustrating thing… the book ended too soon! It’s a cliffhanger, and because the story is so dang good- I will have wait impatiently for the sequel. 

I give this book my highest rating: A+  Teens everywhere will love this story!

Die For Me is a WINNER!

7-18-2011

Die For Me by Amy Plum

Publisher:  Harper Teen

ISBN: 978-0-06-200401-7

Audience: YA 13 and up [tweens/teens]

Reviewed by : Beth Duncan: “For Teens, By Teens” Recommended Read Program

            “ So I can’t leave? Are you keeping me prisoner?”…

            “ You saw things you shouldn’t have. Now we have to decide how to handle the situation. You know…like damage control. You’re the one who took a bite out of the apple, Kate. Although with a serpent that handsome, I can’t say I blame you.”   pg. 89

            After moving to Paris with her older sister Georgia, sixteen-year-old Kate thinks that most of her time will be spent learning to live without her parents. Kate devotes her afternoons to reading the classics and wandering through museums, searching for some sense of normalcy. Little does she know that an outrageously handsome young man is observing her on a daily basis. As Vincent watches her, Kate watches him, and it’s not until she witnesses a tragic death that fate brings them together.

            Reality is not easy on a normal day, but throw in magic, destiny, and supernatural love and it’s almost impossible.  Kate learns who Vincent is, and although every bone in her body cries out for him, she worries that he will disappear, just like her parents. Can Kate let go of her painful past and let love heal her fragile heart? If she can find the strength to believe, she will experience love that surpasses all boundaries.

            Die For Me was such an enjoyable read, I simply could not put the book down. I laughed a lot, and found myself completely connected to Kate. Of course, Vincent stole my heart too, and his old-fashioned approach to love made for an enchanting story. The supernatural twist was fresh and unexpected- making this book the total package: fantastic characters, unpredictable twists and turns within the plot, and an irresistible romance definitely worth dying for.

This is Amy’s debut novel, and I give it my top rating: A+

Net Galley Review: Blood by K. J. Wignall

Net Galley Review:  Blood by K. J. Wignall

Publisher:  Egmont USA

Publication date: 09/27/2011

Audience: YA 13 and up [tweens/teens]

“The year was 1813 and, though it had taken the best part of a century, I had learned a valuable lesson, that death wanted me no more than life did. I was forever suspended between those two states and I believed it would always be so.”  Pg 152

Will, a 16-year-old boy, was bitten and left alone to survive in the year 1256. He knows nothing about the creature that created him, only that it has forced him to live alone without family, without humanity…without love.  He wakes on and off for hundreds of years, never gaining any knowledge of his destiny, until he wakes up in the twenty-first century. Seeking nourishment, he finds Lex, a man who seems to be alone and who will not be missed. As Will approaches him, Lex enters a trance and speaks to Will as if he knows him. Distracted by the smell of blood, Will drinks from Lex, taking his life from him. Before leaving, Will finds Lex’s notebook, and is shocked to see a name underlined on one of the pages- William Mercia. His name.

To add to his confusion, Will meets Eloise, a beautiful girl whose picture he first saw sketched in the mysterious notebook. They are connected, and Will struggles with their relationship knowing that love is impossible, even though she seems to be the girl he had been looking for… for seven centuries. As Will and Eloise face the dangerous reality of Will’s past and future, they desperately search for the evil being responsible for stealing Will’s humanity.

Blood, written by K. J. Wignall, gave me a fresh perspective on a hot teen topic: vampires.  It offers an unexpected love story intertwined with dangerous spirits and evil beings.  The characters are likable, in fact, I found myself rooting for Will to reach out to Eloise- to trust her. The fact that these two experience attraction and feelings in the midst of mystery and chaos keeps the reader captivated by the story. There is just enough violence and action to tempt teen boys, and the right touches of forbidden romance to capture the girls. Blood is a winner, and will surly attract tween/teens who love a story with all the right elements:  the undead, a mysterious past, and impossible love.

Fallen for Fallen!

          Books Worth Book restriction?  This one DEFIANTLY is!!!
           Hope to see you at the Oceanside Barnes & Noble, 6-8PM, to meet teen author Lauren Kate!