Akins Book Notes

Do I know you?

2011-07-27T12:06:00.003-05:00

In Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac, by Gabrielle Zevin, Naomi takes a serious fall down some steps and awakes to find that she has no memory of the last four years of her life. As she works to try to rebuild her life, she comes to realize that she doesn't really like her friends or her boyfriend. She is not even sure that she would like herself. This book asks the reader to step outside of yourself and try to see you as others see you. Would you like who you see?

I'm Famished...No, make that Famine...

2011-06-20T12:37:00.001-05:00

Jackie Morse Kessler, tackles eating disorders and the apocalypse in Hunger, the first in this series. When Lisabeth Lewis decides she can no longer live, death gives her a new outlook on life. He has presented her with scales, the symbol of office for Famine. Through her transformation as Famine, she learns to master the Thin voice (her self-doubt) and her battle with anorexia.
The story is well crafted, with beautiful sentences, wit, and humor. Kessler's treatment of a complex problem is at times funny, and at times haunting. An intriguing read which will leave you wanting more.
Fortunately, there will be more. Rage is due out soon!

Time to call the critter getter

2009-08-20T18:45:00.003-05:00

Monster was awesome! A little slow at first, but after you get past the preliminaries, its really interesting: A. Lee Martinez creates an interesting world full of dragon cats, talking paper gnomes, angels, Inuit walrus dogs, and some weird cat lady who happens to control the universe. Monster is an exterminator of sorts; if you can call a troll a pest. Judy works the night shift at the local supermarket; it might not be the best life, but she's happy (when no one bothers her). When a yeti posts up in the ice cream aisle, their paths cross and the adventure begins. Monster is a fantastical fiction you don't want to miss

Thanks, Shannon!

Book review--100 dogs

2009-06-23T10:09:00.002-05:00

The Dust of 100 Dogs, by A. S. King, tells the story of Emer Morrisey, famed teenage pirate. After her family is killed in Ireland, her uncle sells her to be the bride of a man in France. Upon arrival in Paris, she escapes and lives in the Parisian underground until hitching a ride to the Caribbean. Once there, she finds herself aboard a pirate ship. Eventually, Emer gets her own ship and crew and eventually is reunited with Sean, her true love. After making plans with Sean to give up the pirating life and live happily every after, they set off to Jamaica to begin their new lives. While burying treasure on the beach, the scorned Frenchman kills Sean and curses Emer to live the "lives of 100 dogs."
Flash forward 300 years and 100 dog lives later...Emer has now been reborn as a person with all her memories in tact and only one thing on her mind--getting back to Jamaica and the treasure she left there so many years ago.

Purchase suggestions

2009-06-22T12:54:00.001-05:00

book review--Meridian

2009-05-19T12:40:00.002-05:00

                        MERIDIAN                                                By: Amber Kizer
                                                Publishing in 08/09
 
Meridian is a human portal, but she doesn't know that, through her younger years, all she saw was death everywhere. On her 16th birthday things changed, her parents left her and told her to go to her aunt… where she found out the she was….  A Fenestra. In this book the protagonist is a weak and confused girl, who slowly gains her courage through riveting situations.
 
If you tend to like Meg Cabots' Mediator series then this might be an awesome read.

Last of the new books this year

2009-04-30T18:14:00.001-05:00

We just got several boxes of new books that are ready to be checked out! There isn't much time left in the school year, so you better hurry if you want to get one. After a week of testing, we will be open normal hours on Friday, May 1. Check the modified hours on the door for the schedule for the next two weeks.

Book review--Demon Chick

2009-04-14T08:04:00.002-05:00

Demon Chick
By: Marilyn Kaye
Publishing in:- 09/09

If you were a presidential candidate?s daughter, you?d be pretty happy with your life, well it?s the opposite for Jessica. She never got to know her mother enough to love/ hate her, if that weren?t enough her own mother has sold her soul to the devil. But the devil distributes ?sold? teens to demons, and she?s got Brad, a nice demon.

This novel shows Jessica?s adventure and how she goes back to earth to finish some business. There is only one glitch: This book sounds a little unfinished at the end?. But still is a good read.

BOOK REVIEW:- Once Dead, Twice Shy

2009-04-08T12:51:00.001-05:00

ONCE DEAD, TWICE SHY

By:- KIM HARRISON

Publication date: June, '09

In this world of guardian angels, reapers, both light/dark, timekeepers and a dead girl. The protagonist, Madison has just died… but her soul hasn't. She has a temporary body from a stolen amulet, a reaper who can't teach her any. Soon through fateful turns of destiny she starts to see what's in store for her future.

This is a fun, mellow and heroic book. The protagonist in this book is upright, full of courage, and makes those dangerous decisions that go against all the warning that her friends give her. If you have a taste for Amelia Atwater-Rhodes's books then you might just like this one except the concept of this book is light not very dark.

Book reviewers it's that time again

2009-04-04T17:35:00.001-05:00

I have just returned from 3 days at TLA with a box of advanced copies of soon to be published books. For those of you who have done this before, there is a new blog for posting reviews. For those who haven't, here's the drill: come by the library and pick out an advanced copy to read. Write a brief review that includes Title, Author, Publisher, and your thoughts on the book. Be sure to give a brief summary, but don't give it away. Also, make sure you give a recommendation as to whether the library should by it or not. If you use good reads, don't forget to post it there as well.
I scrapped the old blog and created this one with the hope of keeping up with it more. I created an email post so you don't have to be on blogger to post your review. When you come by to get a book, I will give you the email.
I look forward to seeing you next week...Happy reading!

spring break reading

2009-03-20T19:22:00.001-05:00

This has been a busy spring break reading wise.
I began by finishing The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, by E. Lockhart. This is a fabulous book! Frankie comes of age and realizes who she is, and who she does not want to be. It is not the typical happy ending romantic comedy. It has bite and meaning.
Also this week, Glass Houses, by Rachel Caine. This one is a Tayshas book and has been quite popular. It is a bit different in the current vampire genre. The story was interesting and the action exciting. The ending definitely left a sequel (or 4) an option.
Eternal, by Cynthia Leitich Smith, rounded out my vampire books. I really liked the ending. I am getting really sick of happily ever after. This one definitely has "star crossed lovers" going on--an angel and a vampire falling in love. Apparently, characters from this book and Tantalize will cross paths in Blessed, a sort of sequel for both.
In addition to the vampire fair, I read The Murder of Bindy Mackenzie. This one was more difficult for me. Perhaps I have become more drawn to fantasy, but I had a hard time feeling any sympathy for Bindy. She was quite humorous in her self interested sort of way, but I was reminded of Renneson's Georgia Nicholson books, which I think are better.
Currently, I am reading The Secret Hour, book one of the Midnighters series, by Scott Westerfield. So far, so good. I'll add more about that later...

Austin Public Library cards

2009-02-17T18:30:00.001-06:00

During the lunches today, librarians from Austin Public Library were in the Akins library to give out library cards. A total of 15 were handed out. It may seem like a small number, but it was quite a lot since so many students already have cards. If you do not have an APL card, but need one (where else you gonna get books this summer?) come by the library and get an application. They will bring the cards to us. They will be at Akins again next month. And if you missed it, you missed the free books they were handing out. I'll post a reminder when they are coming again...

Take our student survey!

2009-02-12T20:28:00.001-06:00

Lots of new books

2009-02-12T20:01:00.001-06:00

You may have noticed that we have gotten some new books in the library. You may also have noticed that it is a lot more than we normally get. We got extra funding this year to update the collection. It has been a long and sometimes tedious process, but the results are absolutely worth the hard work.
What are you interested in? I bet we have something new about it. Come by and check out some of our newest items. While you are there, tell us what else you think we need.