Mechanica
by Betsy Cornwell, c2015
A steampunk retelling of Cinderella? Yes, please!
Nicolette lives a life of lonely drudgery with her cruel stepmother and
selfish stepsisters, numb with grief from the deaths of both her
parents---until the day she discovers the secret entrance to her mother’s
workshop. As she sinks into her mother’s mechanical and magical world she
begins to believe that she can find a way to use her talent for tinkering to
change her life. With the help of a tiny clockwork horse named Jules, her
own ingenuity and her clever new friends Finn and Caroline, can she prove
herself to be the inventor she knows she truly is? She’ll have the chance at
the upcoming royal ball and technological exposition.
This is the Cinderella tale like you’ve never heard it before with an ending
that cries out for a sequel! It’s a wonderful pick for tweens and teens
(grades 6 – 12) that love their fairytales sprinkled with a blend of magic
and science.
The Wrath and the Dawn
by Renee Adieh, c2015
Shahrzad is bent on revenge. The Caliph of Khorasan, eighteen-year-old
Khalid, takes a new bride every night only to have them killed the following
morning---and Shahrzad’s best friend is his latest victim. She volunteers to
be the king’s next bride, determined to take the life of this cold-hearted
murderer. The kingdom is staggered when Shahrzad’s life is spared night by
night, her beguiling stories gradually opening the caliph’s closed heart.
Soon Shahrzad comes to see that nothing in this palace is what it seems,
especially it’s tortured young king. How can she reconcile her new love for
Khalid with her love for family and friends? Who will she betray?
This novel is filled with beautiful writing that brings an ancient magical
kingdom alive with stark detail. Filled with believably flawed characters,
epic storytelling, and searing romance, older teens will devour it and wait
with bated breath for the sequel.
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Lois Lane: Fallout
by Gwenda Bond, c2015
Lois Lane is not the type to back down from a fight. And she’s
always liked a good mystery. When she sees a fellow classmate
bullied by a creepy clique called the Warheads, she decides it’s
time to investigate. Soon she realizes that somehow the Warheads are
using a high-tech videogame to mess with her new friend’s mind and
it looks like some unscrupulous adults are behind it all. Can she
save her Anavi’s mind, write a killer story for the Daily Planet and
make some new friends along the way? Well, with a little bit of help
from her online pal, SmallvilleGuy, anything is possible!
This fabulous tale full of mystery, action and lots of fun will
appeal to guys and girls, grades 6 and up, especially those with a
love of videogames and superheroes. Can’t wait for the next in the
series!
The Actual & Truthful Adventures
of Becky Thatcher
by Jessica Lawson, c2014
Becky Thatcher promised her dying brother that she would have all
the adventures he couldn’t, and she’s determined to keep her word.
Maybe if she gets in enough trouble, Mama will break out of her
cocoon of grief and notice she’s alive, even if her brother isn’t.
And maybe she’ll have some real fun, even if she drives her poor
Daddy crazy in the process. But Becky is about to get more than she
bargains for when she and her friend Amy witness a grave robbery.
With an interfering riverboat captain/writer watching her every move
and that tattletale Tom Sawyer lurking around every corner, how can
a girl solve a mystery and keep body and soul together at the same
time?
This engaging read for children, grades 5 and up, is filled with
action, fun---and humor that would make Mark Twain himself chuckle!
To check out these books or get recommendations for other great
reads, please come see us at the Lincoln Public Library, 725 Pekin
Street.
[By
MELISSA OXBORROW,
Lincoln Public Library District] |