Most of you know that I (Hannah Berry) the teen librarian at the Main Library read a lot. Well I just checked my www.Goodreads.com account for this year and it says I have read 116 books in 2011. I’m in the middle of a few that I hope to finish before the 31st, but still that’s a big number.   So I’ve decided to give you my Top 10 in 2011 (books that I have read this year). Theses are just my favorites!

This is not my normal reading materiel, but it made me laugh and I remember this book as a fun lighthearted read.

Zombie Apocalypse! Need I really say more?

Sequel to “If I Stay.” This is one sequel that may actually stand up to the wonderfulness of the first book.

Local author! Have to love this book! Futuristic society divided into factions that divide the populace. One test decides what faction you belong in.

12 Dancing Princesses retold in a new and interesting way that makes the story come alive.

Demons and Angels and a teeth collector! A love story and a battle between two races. Really this one had me from page one hangging on every word.

Newest book in Percy Jackson’s life! I couldn’t not read this. This series grabs you and wont let you go. Unlike most series that seem to go on forever this is one I wont get board of. The adventures are always entertaining and take me to a place that I hadn’t expected.

This is book 3 in a series. Book 1 is “The Demon King” & Book 2 is “The Exiled Queen.”  I will admit that this series was slow to start, but I kept at book one and fell in love with this series. Book 3 was just as great as the first 2.

The last book in the Strange Angels Series. This book finished of the series in a really great way. I hadn’t expected the ending I got , but it worked and I loved it.

Set in an alternative past during World War 2 The British have fabricated animals together to create weapons of war, while the Austrians & Germans have created mechanical machines that walk and fly. This story follows two really interesting characters and makes for a really good start to the series.

What are your top 10 of 2011?

For those who don’t know the series, this is book 4.

Low down on book 1 (sorry if I spell some names wrong): Eragon grows up on a farm with his cousin and uncle and finds an egg in the woods which hatches into a dragon. Eragon becomes a dragon rider with the help of Brom who was a dragon rider, but his dragon was killed. Galbatrox the evil king of the land is a dragon rider, but he has a twisted mind and wants to find & kill both Eragon and his dragon. Eragon makes a deal with elves and dwarfs to work with both as well as a group of people known as the Varden to kill Galbatrox.

When I read Eragon I loved the book. When I read Eldest I couldn’t remember what had happened in Eragon until I was about half way into Eldest. When I read Brisingr I had no clue what had happened in Eldest, but I had watched the Eragon movie and remembered bits of it where different in the book, but didn’t think the differences mattered much. Now with Inheritance I’ve forgotten Brisingr, but remember Eldest. What is it with this series that its so hard to recall those that came before? I will admit that my interest in these books has waned as time has gone on waiting for it to end. I actually only read the first few pages of Inheritance and then skipped to page 700. Paolini has always written in far too much detail for me. I don’t know if its because I grew up reading books that were no more then 200 pages but these are just too long. Then the end of the story had to drag on forever. I know its supposed to be an epic tale like Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones, but this just made me upset. Maybe I’m not meant for epics, but that can’t be true because I haven’t given up on Game of Thrones yet. Did anyone love this book/series? I know I started off loving it but I kinda feel the opposite now.

After my encounter with the wonderful author Tamora Pierce, I’ve been re-reading the Alanna series she wrote.  I have to say I love them now as much as I did then. I have re-read these 4 books almost every year for about  10 years. They are fun fantasy books that appeal to the tomboy in all of us girls. These books show that if you are determined to succeed at something then you will succeed. There are some who would think that they are only for older teen readers, but I think girls of all ages will enjoy them, maybe even some boys.

I grew up loving Tammy’s books! I started with Alana: The First Adventure and now 15 years later I’m starting her newest book Mastiff this weekend! I will fully admit to turning into a fan-girl from back when I first read Alana when I met her yesterday. It was so fantastic to meet one of the women who first got me reading for fun. I have been trying to meet her for going on 15 years and every time I have gotten close to meeting her something has happened where I couldn’t get away or she couldn’t show up. Now after having met her I think she is doubly awesome. If you haven’t ever read anything please, please read them! They are some of my all time favorites!

For those who don’t know much about Tammy’s books here’ a recap:

(Song of the Lioness Series)
                

1. Alana: the First Adventure -
2. In the Hand of the Goddess -
3. The Woman Who Rides Like a Man -
4. Lioness Rampant -

Alana and her twin brother change the letters their father gave them so that Alana can disguise herself as a boy called Alan and become a knight while her twin brother gets to learn to be a Mage.  Thus begins the trials and tribulations that come with hiding her true identity from even her new found friends and her Prince. This is a romantic adventure series that leads the reader in some really interesting situations. Knights, ladies, fighting, horseback riding, bullies, magic, and mayhem flourish in these four books!

(Immortals Series)

1. Wild Magic –
2. Wolf Speaker –
3. Emperor Mage -
4. Realms of the Gods -

Daine has always had a knack with animals and when the royal horse mistress discovers her talent she is hired on to help bring the ponies to the palace for the new set of pages & squires, but Diane is hiding a big secret she can talk to the animals. She has a magic like no other and it drove her mad. Only with the help of a wolf was she able to come back from the craziness. When she rescues a bird unlike any she has ever met she is soon introduced to her new teacher. A teacher that will help her discover the extremes that she can take her magical powers to. This series beings in creatures out of nightmares and dreams (yes this includes dragons). I love this series and not just because of the teacher, Numair, but for so many other reasons.

(Protector of the Small Series)

1. First Test -
2. Page –
3. Squire –
4. Lady Knight -

Keladry of Mindelan is the first girl to follow in Alana’s footsteps to become a knight. She has no special magical powers and no goddess looking out for her. It’s her alone and she is determined to be the best she can be. Kel is a born leader, even if the boys don’t always see it. Piled with homework that will never get done and beaten till she is black and blue on the practice field she will never give up and she is the one that many will turn to in a time of need because she is a protector. Now if only she could conquer her fear of heights.

(Daughter of the Lioness)

1. Tricksters Choice -
2. Trickstes Queen -

Alana’s daughter is all grown up and unlike her mother she has no interest in becoming a knight. She wants to follow in her fathers footsteps.

(Beka Cooper Series)

1. Terrier –
2. Bloodhound –
3. Mastiff -

Long before the days of Alana there were women warriors. They where involved in defending the city and one of them was Beka Cooper. She was a dog (think police force) like no other. She got messages from the dead who rode on the backs of pigeons and she heard whole conversations that could have taken place anytime in the city by listening to the dust devils that roamed the city.

(Circle of Magic Series)

1. Sandry’s Book -
2. Triss’ Book –
3. Daja’s Book -
4. Briar’s Book -

Four teens with odd magical powers that make no sence to normal magitians end up being sent to live with the two women of Winding Circle. There these four misfits discover more about their strange powers and how to wield them. Sandry has power over a lit when she weaves, Triss can cause major damage when she gets upset (the weather tends to respond to her), Daja is a metal crafter with an odd gift, and Briar is a former thief with a massive green thumb. These four are put into an impossible situation and the only way to save themselves and everyone else is to weave their magics together.

(The Circle Opens)

1. Magic Steps -
2. Street Magic –
3. Cold Fire -
4. Shatterglass -

Sadry, Triss, Daja, & Briar each have gone in different directions and have each discovered others with magic unlike any they have seen before and with their discovery they must now teach these new magicians in the ways of magic. Sandry discovers a dancer, Briar discovers a stone mage, Daja discovers two girls with ambient magic, and Triss discovers a glass blower with lightning magic not unlike her own. In each of these books there is some thing that they must defeat or get away from in order to save the day.

(Circle Reforged)

1. The Will of the Empress –
2. Melting Stones -

In Will of the Empress Triss, Briar, Sandry,  & Daja are reunited but things are not what they used to be and when Sandry’s uncle invites them to visit they have landed smack dab in a trap. Now they must find a way to work together again to save the day.

In Melting Stones Briar’s former student Evvy the stone mage must accompany Briar’s former teacher Rosethorn to an island that is having problems with dying plants and animals. When she realizes what is happening Evvy’s powers are the only thing that can help save lives.

(Short Story Collections)

1. Tortall & Other Lands  –
2. Young Warriors -

These story collection have stories that fill in gaps left between the other books. so if you fall in love with some of the characters you may find out more about what happened to them in the short stories.

   White Tiger (Graphic Novel) - need i say more?

1. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

2. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

3. Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

4. I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

5. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

6. Matched by Ally Condie

7. Angel: A Maximum Ride Novel by James Patterson

8. Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

9. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

10. Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

To learn more go to http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/teenreading/teenstopten/ttt11.cfm

book vs movie

I finished the book I am Number Four yesterday at 7:30pm and went to the 7:45pm showing of the movie the same night. By the time that John Smith got to his locker at school I counted over 25 differences from the book. This was only about the first 10 – 15 mins of the movie. I stopped counting differences when I hit 50, only a few mins later and tried to watch as if I had not read the book. I’m sorry to say I failed. I loved the book!  I thought it was a great young Superman discovering his powers novel with chase scenes and a romance thrown in. The movie kept the gist of what happened in the book, but left out so much that people who see it that didn’t read the book are most likely going to feel something is missing and people who did read the book are probably going to be upset that so much was changed. (Like Blood & Chocolate or the Lightning Thief).  I thought some of the changes where good, but not complete. I think the actors did a good job, even though it seemed like some of them (and the writers) failed to read the book prior to filming.

I’d love to hear from everyone else on this as I have mixed feelings about the movie.

The moon shone blue on the still waters while Janet read her story.

Once upon a time Bob named a planet in the sky, but he argued with Sara about it.

Sarah thought the planet, which Bob named Goober, did not look like a “Goober.” She wanted the planet to be named Princess.

Princess was the name of her pet Gilla Monster. The planet was bulky, with landscape that looked like beaded reptile hide. She missed Princess now, seeing this planet.

She turned on her playback to see the last recording of Princess that showed her being covered with sand.

The moon disappeared as the sun came over the lake as one tear fell from Janet’s tired eyes.